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https://www.wikihow.com/Build-Rapport

How to Build Rapport

To build rapport, try to mimic the other person's body language by adopting the same posture or making similar movements as you speak. Additionally, try to match the tone and volume of your voice to that of the other person, so they feel more comfortable in the conversation. You can also ask for help with small tasks to make them feel needed, which will strengthen your connection. If the other person makes a mistake, avoid correcting them, since it can alienate them and make you seem arrogant.

Shadow the placement and movement of the other person’s hands. Watch to see if they are hanging their arms loosely at their sides or frantically gesturing in the air while talking. Try to incorporate some of these movements into your own style. This might mean moving your hands more or maybe keeping them more still. For example, if you are talking with someone who keeps their hands buried in their pockets, then mirror this movement. Follow the other person’s posture. Look at your conversation partner, or the entire group, to see if they are acting casual or more formal. Are their spines straight and heads at attention? Or, are they leaning in various relaxed positions? Mirror the formality of the other people who you are around to show that you fit in. If you're in a meeting and everyone else is sitting up straight in their chairs, then scoot a little forward in your chair and straighten your spine. If your conversation partner is standing with their arms crossed, then you'll want to weigh whether or not you want to appear equally closed off before copying their posture. Match the other person’s breathing patterns. This is a more subtle way to get in sync with a conversation partner. Observe them closely to see if they are breathing from deep in their chest or more shallowly from their diaphragm. Try to match the pace of their inhalations and exhalations. You'll also find that this helps to create natural breaks and pauses in the conversation. Meet the energy level of the other person(s). If the person you are talking to is more shy and retiring, then talking with them in a hyper or enthusiastic way could be overwhelming for them. Similarly, if you are talking with an exuberant person, then being very soft-spoken might lead to one-sided conversation. This doesn't mean that you must change your entire personality or way of interacting. Instead, try to strike a balance that lets you bond with the other person successfully. For example, if your conversation partner tends to speak softly when discussing serious matters, follow their lead if you have something important to add. Mimic the tone and volume of your conversation partner(s). A person who speaks in quiet, soft tones can feel steamrolled by a loud and boisterous counterpart. Raise or lower your voice until you notice that the person who you are talking to is actually paying attention to what you are saying. If your partner is a fast-talker, you may need to speed up, too. In some situations, the other person may be talking softly out of respect for their surroundings, such as in a museum or church. Showing the same situational respect is a way to instantly build rapport. Mention an end to the conversation. This is especially important if you are talking with a stranger or acquaintance. Work into the conversation a mention of needing to be elsewhere soon. This will make the other person not feel obligated to talk for a long while, which will actually build rapport between you both. For example, in a work setting, you might say, “I have a meeting in 5 minutes, but I was wondering if you'd heard anything from human resources about the possibility of new hires.” In a casual or social setting, you might say, “I've got to rush to finish these errands, but just wanted to see if you have any news about the Smith family.” There are possible exceptions to this suggestion. For example, you might want to intentionally linger if you are meeting with friends or talking with a client who has questions to ask. Ask for assistance. Come up with a small task that the other person could help you with. Then, bring it up to them and ask for their help. This will make them feel needed and important. It may also lead to them requesting a favor from you as well, which can further build your connection. For example, ask a co-worker to forward on that group email that you seem to have missed. However, don't go overboard in asking for help by making many requests or you may seem too needy. A good general rule is to avoid asking for more than you would be willing to offer in return. Avoid correcting other people in conversation. Unless it is a very serious issue that requires an immediate correction by you, just give whoever you are talking to a bit of slack. If you correct every error, then you risk alienating others and appearing superior or arrogant. For example, if the person who you are talking to mispronounces a celebrity name, just let it go. Listen to someone talking without always responding. Let the other person say their piece and just sit back and listen. Show that you are engaged in what they are saying by nodding your head or encouraging them to continue at intervals. As soon as they pause, resist the urge to jump right in with your own story. Steering the conversation back to them demonstrates that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say and want to know more. You might say, “Could you tell me more about your trip to the Cincinnati office?” On a similar note, being visually present by putting your phone away or focusing on one conversation at a time can help someone feel listened to. Intermix open-ended questions into conversation. These are questions that push for answers beyond a basic “yes” or “no.” They encourage people to expand on their previous responses. They also show that you are listening closely and carefully. Questions that start with “How?” or “Why?” are generally the best. For example, you might ask, “Why did you make that decision to move abroad?” Offer a small tangible or intangible gift. It doesn't really matter what the gift is, as long as it is thoughtful and positive. It can be an item, such as a piece of candy, or something intangible, like a positive reference. The key here is to create a deeper relationship. In many cases, your gift will prompt them to communicate more with you or even offer their own gift. For example, if someone is new to your office, you might give them a fresh set of stationery for their desk. Be trustworthy. If you promise something, no matter how small, make sure that you follow through with it. Better yet, communicate your timeline to the other person. Building rapport is closely connected to building trust. If you are trustworthy, other people will see you as “safe” and will want to spend time and do business with you. For example, if you are a salesperson, make sure to carefully describe your product so that the customer knows exactly what they are getting. Then, you'll get repeat customers. Build your relationship slowly. If you push to become best friends instantly, then you will likely scare the other person away. Instead, enjoy each small step in your budding friendship and take your time. This is also important from a cultural perspective. Some cultures see it as outright insulting to discuss personal matters during initial meetings. As a general rule, let the other person's degree of disclosure serve as your guide. If they delve into personal subjects, then you can, too.

Shadow the placement and movement of the other person’s hands. Follow the other person’s posture. Match the other person’s breathing patterns. Meet the energy level of the other person(s). Mimic the tone and volume of your conversation partner(s). Mention an end to the conversation. Ask for assistance. Avoid correcting other people in conversation. Listen to someone talking without always responding. Intermix open-ended questions into conversation. Offer a small tangible or intangible gift. Be trustworthy. Build your relationship slowly.

https://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Where-to-Get-Your-Dog

How to Determine Where to Get Your Dog

To determine where to get your dog, consider going to a reputable breeder if you want a purebred puppy and you have more than $500 to spend. Alternatively, if you're OK with getting an adult dog of any breed, try visiting your local humane society or looking for a local nonprofit animal shelter in your area. Before you pick a place to adopt, make sure to visit the facility to ensure they take good care of their animals, and that all the animals are healthy and clean.

Decide if you’d prefer a puppy or an adult dog. Puppies have much higher energy and require a lot of care and training, but many owners appreciate having more control over their dog's upbringing, socialization, and training. Go for an adult dog if you would like a pet that already has their basic training and will be easier to care for from the start. Since they've already been socialized, adult dogs also have the advantage of being “known entities” when it comes to their general behavior, personality, and temperament. If you'd rather have an adult dog, breeders are probably not your best bet since they generally specialize in puppies. Shelters and rescues do have some puppies available, but generally about 75% of their adoptees are adult dogs. If you adopt an adult dog, look for signs that the dog is properly socialized, such as calmly interacting with and respecting other dogs, respecting boundaries, not pulling on its leash, and controlling its excitement. A poorly socialized dog will be overexcited, pushy with other dogs, jumpy, and/or sometimes withdrawn. Decide if you’d like a purebred dog or not. While shelters do have a significant number of purebred dogs, you're most likely to get healthy purebred dogs with papers from a responsible breeder. The stock of shelters is very variable, which means that it can be difficult to track down a specific breed of dog if that's what you're looking for. Find a responsible breeder by asking for references, talking to people who've purchased puppies from the breeder, looking at breeder reviews, and visiting the breeder to look at the facilities and how the animals are treated. Some people prefer purebred dogs because they would like a pet with specific physical and behavioral traits. For instance, if you're a hunter, you may want a Labrador Retriever or a Pointer, since these types of dogs have been specifically bred as hunting companions. Or, if you live in an urban apartment, you might want a toy breed, like a French Bulldog, that are uniquely amenable to city life. Purebred dogs also come with significant cons. The main one is that they tend to have more health issues since they're far more prone to hereditary and genetic disorders and diseases than mixed breeds. Another is that many types of dogs were bred to have specific working behaviors, like hunting or herding, that are difficult for an average pet owner to manage. If you don't know exactly which characteristics you're looking for, there's little reason to get a purebred dog. Even if you do know, keep in mind that getting a purebred pooch is no guarantee that your individual dog will fulfill all the expectations associated with its breed as a whole. Consider dogs in need. Millions of pets are consigned to shelters each year. Only about half of them will ever be adopted. You can do your part by choosing a rescued or neglected dog for your pet. Remember: just because a dog is in a shelter does not necessarily mean that they will not make a great family pet. Keep in mind that dogs end up in shelters for a huge variety of reasons and through no fault of their own. Their previous owners may have moved, passed away, or simply abandoned them. If you'd like an adult purebred dog, you might consider a rescue organization. They exist for most breeds and specialize in rehoming orphaned or neglected adult dogs. Avoid puppy mills. Puppy mills are large commercial facilities that are known to employ unsafe or unethical breeding practices. They typically place profit over the wellbeing of their stock, often keeping parents and puppies in unsanitary and/or inhumane conditions. Many mill puppies are born with genetic defects and come with behavioral problems due to their negligent care. The only way to be sure that a dog has not come from a puppy mill is to see the place that they came from in person so that you can inspect the conditions and see that the dogs are well-treated. Responsible breeders will allow site visits and insist on meeting buyers face-to-face. Keep in mind that a dog's being AKC-registered or their breeder being “licensed by the USDA” are not guarantees that they did not come from a mill. While the USDA does regulate kennels, some people do work around the system. Most pet stores, both physical and online, don't have sterling reputations for healthy puppies or ethical breeding practices since they're businesses that don't specialize in breeding. Most of their stock is likely to come from puppy mills. If you'd like a purebred dog, your best bet is getting one from a reputable breeder. Factor in the costs. Getting a puppy from a breeder will be considerably more expensive than adopting a dog from a shelter or other organization. Adoption fees can range anywhere from $25 to $300. Breeders' sales fees usually start at $500 and can go as high as several thousand dollars, depending on the breed. The high price tags for purebred puppies reflect the considerable costs of humane and ethical breeding practices. Thus, many people think that it's a good value for their money. Adoption fees at shelters generally include most of a dog's basic medical care, which is a huge savings of time and money for you. If you're interested in the convenience of having a dog that's already spayed or neutered, microchipped, and dewormed, then a shelter may be the place to get your pet. Keep your ideal timeline in mind. If you'd like a dog sooner rather than later, a breeder or rescue may not be right for you. Shelters generally have the fastest turnaround time for adoption. If you're invested in getting a specific type of dog, then getting on a breeder's waitlist for a puppy or a rescue's waitlist for an adult dog can be worth it. Consider how far you’re willing to travel. If you're looking for a specific breed, you'll often have to search beyond your local area to find the right dog since there may not be a reputable breeder in your immediate vicinity. Rescues also often require travel since their adoptees will come from unpredictable places. If you want to find a dog locally, a shelter is probably your best bet. Find a shelter or rescue near you. You can either search for a specific facility that's located in your area, or search for those rescue pets that are available in your area. The Shelter Pet Project and PetFinder have helpful search tools for locating rescue dogs near you. The Humane Society also offers valuable resources for finding local shelters. If you're interested in a specific breed, do an online search for a rescue associated with it. The American Kennel Club also hosts a network of all the largest breed rescue organizations that you can search. Make sure that the shelter or rescue is a nonprofit. Responsible shelters and rescues will be registered as 501(c)(3) charities. This helps establish that they are legitimate organizations for animal protection and welfare, not puppy mills. Tour the facility. While most shelters aren't fancy, they should still be making an effort to keep their animals healthy and clean. Be sure that the conditions are sanitary and that the dogs look well-fed and well-cared-for. At the very least, dogs should have access to water, a living space that clear of dirt or feces, and an exercise area. Kennels, cages, and dog runs should be well-maintained. Inquire about the adoption process. Most shelters and rescues will have an adoption application process that requires you to submit personal references. Some may also require a home visit to establish that the dog will have good living conditions. Find out the requirements and timeline for your facility. Thorough adoption processes are strong indicators of responsible organizations. They're proof that shelters and rescues are trying to do what's best for you and for their dogs. Ask for a behavioral analysis. Most shelters and rescues offer evaluations of each dog's temperament and socialization. Be sure that whichever facility you're getting a dog from is up-front about the potential behavioral issues associated with your dog. This is essential to ensuring that you are getting a dog that is well-suited to your living situation. For instance, if you have young children, you will need a dog that has been socialized to deal with kids. Even if a dog comes with some behavioral concerns, you may still choose to get it provided that you feel equipped to address those concerns with training. The important thing is that you are informed of potential issues in advance. Ask about health checks. Shelters and rescues should perform physical exams on the dogs that they receive. Make sure that there are medical records available for adopted dogs and that the staff are transparent about the health concerns associated with specific pets. If a dog has health issues, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't get it. However, you should be able to make an informed decision about whether or not you would like to assume the costs and effort related to the treatment of those issues. See if they offer a trial period. Reputable shelters and rescues will generally insist on a trial period with your new dog to ensure that the match is a good fit. Avoid facilities and groups that don't give you at least a week's window in which to return the dog. They should allow you to return the dog a couple of days later after you've had time to take the dog to the vet for a full health check. Pick a specialized breeder. Responsible breeders will dedicate their operations to one or two breeds at most since breeding requires extensive experience and expertise with a particular breed. Avoid breeders that offer multiple types of dogs. The clubs associated with various breeds will often have lists of breeders available on their websites. Most clubs require featured breeders to sign on to a rigorous code of ethics to ensure humane practices and protect the future of the breed. The American Kennel Club hosts a list of all the breeders referred by specific clubs. Do a site visit. Going to the place where the puppy has been born and raised is essential to ensuring that they've been treated to a high standard of care. Check that the living conditions for all the dogs are humane and sanitary. All dogs on site should have clean living facilities, free from waste and dirt. They should have access to fresh water and a play area. Be wary if dogs are kept in cramped, dark, or unclean quarters or if they're lethargic and unresponsive. Remember, reputable breeders will never sell their litters through a pet store; they'll insist on screening their buyers directly. If they're not willing to meet with you on their premises, do not do business with them. Ask questions of the breeder to establish their expertise. Doing a site visit will also give you a sense of how well-versed a breeder is in their business. The breeders should come off as knowledgeable about their breed and helpful about their care. Make queries such as, “How much exercise will this dog need?”, “What is the best food and feeding routine for this breed?”, “How would you recommending training them?”, and, “What possible health problems might this dog develop?” View the puppy with one or both of their parents. Healthy puppies come from healthy, well-treated parents. Besides verifying that the puppies are being raised in good conditions, make sure their mother and father have enjoyed a high level of care and contributed to your puppy's development and socialization. Observe and interact with the parents to get a feel for their temperament, which can give you a preview of how your dog may behave. Verify the dogs’ registrations. Reputable breeders will generally register their litters with the American Kennel Club to confirm their lineage. The puppies will come will papers that verify that their sire and dam are officially registered. This does not guarantee that your puppy will be healthy; it only establishes that they have come from a purebred line. If you intend to show your dog, it's important that their parents and their litter are AKC-registered. Ensure that your pup’s parents are healthy. Purebred dogs are susceptible to genetic ailments. Responsible breeders will protect the breed, their puppies, and their customers by having the sire and dam of each litter checked for the hereditary diseases and disorders that are most common to their breed (like hip dysplasia or macular degeneration). Do not purchase a dog unless the breeder has had independently certified genetic health screenings for your pup's parents that are available in the Canine Health Information Center Database. The dam's and sire's health records should be searchable and include evaluations of any defects that could be passed along to your puppy. The breeder should also include a health guarantee for your puppy that stipulates that you can return the dog if a vet should find they have any significant hereditary health issues. Insist on a sales contract. Responsible breeders will put your sales agreement for a puppy in writing and provide guarantees associated with its sale. Besides agreeing on the price, these documents should provide a health guarantee to the buyers. It should include a return policy that will give you a full refund should a vet identify any significant health issues within a given timeframe, from a week to a year. Most reputable breeders will also include a stipulation that insists that a dog be returned to them if the owners should ever find themselves unable to care for it.

Decide if you’d prefer a puppy or an adult dog. Decide if you’d like a purebred dog or not. Consider dogs in need. Avoid puppy mills. Factor in the costs. Keep your ideal timeline in mind. Consider how far you’re willing to travel. Find a shelter or rescue near you. Make sure that the shelter or rescue is a nonprofit. Tour the facility. Inquire about the adoption process. Ask for a behavioral analysis. Ask about health checks. See if they offer a trial period. Pick a specialized breeder. Do a site visit. Ask questions of the breeder to establish their expertise. View the puppy with one or both of their parents. Verify the dogs’ registrations. Ensure that your pup’s parents are healthy. Insist on a sales contract.

https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Rabies-in-Dogs

How to Prevent Rabies in Dogs

To prevent rabies in dogs, it's important that you get your dog vaccinated by a vet. Generally, dogs are vaccinated against rabies starting at 12 weeks and then given a booster shot at 1 year. After that, they should be vaccinated every 3 years for the rest of their lives. However, even if you didn't have your dog vaccinated when it was a puppy, or if you adopted an older dog, you should still get it vaccinated to protect it from rabies. In addition to getting your dog vaccinated, keep it away from wild animals since they can carry the virus.

Have your dog vaccinated. The first vaccine is given to puppies from 12 weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about when your puppy is ready to be vaccinated. If you have found a dog or adopted a dog whose history you don't know, be sure to get it vaccinated. Once your dog is vaccinated, you should get a certificate that it has been done for your records. Stray dogs are especially at risk of getting rabies, as they have not been vaccinated. That is why limiting the stray pet population by spaying and neutering is an important part of preventing rabies in general. Get your dog regular booster shots. To maintain protection, the first booster is given when the dog is one-year old and then every three-years thereafter for the remainder of the dog's life. This helps protect the dog from infection should it be bitten by an animal, such as infected wildlife or another dog. It also makes it unlikely that the dog could transfer infection to a person should the dog bite someone. Keep young, unvaccinated puppies away from wildlife. Young puppies that are not old enough to be vaccinated can be susceptible to rabies infection. While those puppies that are birthed from mothers that are vaccinated should have some immunities passed on from the mother, if the mother's immunity status is unknown, the puppy could be infected by contact with infected wildlife. Remember that vaccination is required by law in most cases. Most states have their own law about whether rabies vaccination is a legal requirement for pet cats and dogs. It is best to check your state law to confirm the rules as they apply in your region. Keep your dog away from wild animals. Wild animals can carry rabies, so be cautious about letting your dog near them. Supervise your pets outdoors and don't let them roam too far away from your eyesight. Discourage your dog from interacting with unknown animals, domestic and wild. Discourage wild animals from visiting your yard. Many people simply let their dogs out into their yards to go to the bathroom or to exercise. This is a time when your dog can come into contact with wild animals, if the wild animals have wandered into your yard. To deter wild animals, make sure trashcans are secure. This will assure that food does not attract them in. Clear rubbish and fallen leaves that could act as cover for wildlife. You can also plant plants that wild animals don't like the smell of or use commercial products that keep wild animals away. In addition, don't feed your pets outdoors. Leftover food could attract wild animals. Make sure your dog will come when called. If you insist on letting your dog off leash at times, you should at least be sure that it will come immediately when called. This will allow you to stop it from interacting with any wild animals it comes across. Train your dog to have a strong recall so that you can call it out of trouble. Be wary of approaching animals you do not know or wildlife that is unusually docile, as this can be a sign of rabies infection. If your dog won't leave the animal alone, don't put yourself in danger as well by trying to physically intervene. Contact your veterinarian if your unvaccinated dog is bitten by an unknown aggressor. If your dog is not vaccinated and is bitten by wildlife or a dog of unknown status who then runs off, then you must tell your veterinarian. It may be necessary to put the dog into quarantine for six months. This is to separate your dog in case it caught infection off the stray and is incubating infection. In this case, it would therefore be a risk to other animals. Sadly, there is no blood test that can be done on a live animal that will confirm if it has an active infection or not. This means the only option is to wait and see if symptoms develop within a six month period. If the dog is still well at the end of this time, the infection is unlikely. This quarantine period may either be in a special state approved facility or within your own home, depending on individual state law. Notify your veterinarian if your unvaccinated dog is bitten by an unvaccinated dog you know or a wild animal that you caught. Catching the aggressor, whether wild or not, will allow your dog to go through a shorter quarantine period, usually 10 days. This is because the other animal can also be quarantined to check that it does not have rabies. The virus is only infectious when the animal starts to show signs of the disease. Since death occurs with five days of showing signs, if the biting animal is still healthy five days after the bite, then the animal it bit is not at risk. Report it to your veterinarian if your unvaccinated dog bites another dog or a person. If your dog is the aggressor and it is unvaccinated, or its vaccination status is unknown, then it needs to be quarantined. It may be put into a 10-day period of quarantine. The 10 day quarantine guarantees that your dog has not infected the other dog. If your dog does not show signs of infection in 5 days, it means that it could not have infected the other dog or human. The infected animal is only contagious within 5 days of showing the first signs of infection. Learn about the rabies virus. The rabies virus can infect any warm-blooded animal, including humans. It is invariably fatal once symptoms begin to appear. It is transmitted in the saliva of infected animals and attacks the central nervous system. Understand the incubation period for rabies. Rabies has a long incubation period before the animal shows signs, however once symptoms develop it is usually fatal within 5 days. How long the incubation period is depends on how far away from the brain the bite was. The virus travels from the bite to the brain via nerves, so the greater the distance, the longer it takes for signs to show up. The strength of the host's immune system can also determine how long the incubation period is. Those animals in poor health with weak immune systems will succumb more quickly that fit animals. An average incubation period is on average three to eight weeks. However, in exceptional cases it can be as short as nine days and as long as several years. Be aware of the symptoms of rabies. During the incubation period the animal shows no signs. Once the virus reaches the brain, the first symptom is often behavioral changes. This could be a change in the dog's character from loving to aggressive, or the other way around. Many dogs appear extremely anxious or, conversely, can be much more friendly than usual. The next stage is the dog becomes over sensitive to light and sound. It may have seizures and it may also become dangerously aggressive. Then in the final stages of the disease, the dog develops paralysis of the head and neck muscles and is unable to swallow. This leads to drooling saliva that it has produced but cannot swallow. Death is from paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

Have your dog vaccinated. Get your dog regular booster shots. Keep young, unvaccinated puppies away from wildlife. Remember that vaccination is required by law in most cases. Keep your dog away from wild animals. Discourage wild animals from visiting your yard. Make sure your dog will come when called. Contact your veterinarian if your unvaccinated dog is bitten by an unknown aggressor. Notify your veterinarian if your unvaccinated dog is bitten by an unvaccinated dog you know or a wild animal that you caught. Report it to your veterinarian if your unvaccinated dog bites another dog or a person. Learn about the rabies virus. Understand the incubation period for rabies. Be aware of the symptoms of rabies.

https://www.wikihow.com/Behave-In-Front-of-Your-Boyfriend%27s-Parents

How to Behave In Front of Your Boyfriend's Parents

Spending time with your boyfriend's parents can be nerve-wracking, but if you relax and look for things you have in common, it should go smoothly. Before you meet your boyfriend's parents, ask him a bit about them so you know what to expect. Although you want to make a good impression on them, try to stay calm and be yourself. If you get nervous, take a few deep breaths to compose yourself. Ask them about themselves, like what they do in their jobs or if they have any funny stories about your boyfriend. Look for things you have in common, like music, TV, and sports you like. Remember to use good manners, like saying “please” and “thank you” and offering to help clean up.

Dress nicely. It's important to make a good impression from the first moment they see you. Try to dress in something attractive but modest and comfortable. Do your hair, and apply light makeup if you normally wear it. For a female, an appropriate outfit might be a knee-length or below skirt, or nice jeans with a nice sweater. For a male, a button-down shirt and nice pants might be appropriate. Think about what you might wear to a holiday dinner with your family, and go with a similar look. Choose a hairdo that gets the hair up and away from your face. Greet them warmly. Show you are polite. Upon arrival, shake hands , make eye contact , and greet them with a smile on your face. Say, “Hello, it's so nice to meet you!” and introduce yourself. Address your boyfriend's parents by their titles (Mr., Mrs., Dr.) and their surname, unless they have indicated otherwise. You could say, “Mr. and Mrs. Brown, thank you so much for inviting me to your house. Mike has told me so much about you.” Make sure you are making good eye contact when talking to his parents. It conveys confidence and interest. Smile. Smile genuinely and frequently. Don't force your smile, though, or it will look uncomfortable. Try to think of positive things that make you smile, and smile at everyone who speaks to you. Smiling helps you feel happier and more relaxed, as well as helps you appear reliable and sincere. Do your best to relax. It can be stressful meeting someone new for the first time, even moreso someone you want to impress! Take deep breaths and try to be yourself. Remember that it will get easier and you will start to feel more comfortable. Try tensing different parts of your body for 10 seconds and then relaxing them. Breathe deeply into your belly. Breathe through your nose, feel the air fill your abdomen, and exhale through your mouth. Repeat this for a few minutes. Bring a small gift. This is a good idea especially if they are having you over for dinner. It is a nice way of saying thank you for their hospitality. Ask your boyfriend for suggestions. You might want to consider: Flowers or a small plant A box of chocolates A gourmet food item Have good manners. Basic manners, such as “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me,” go a long way. Good manners help people connect with each other and show others you care about them. If you're invited to eat with them, brush up on your table manners before you go. Make sure you put your napkin in your lap, don't chew with your mouth open, and ask people to pass out-of-reach food instead of trying to get it yourself. Be sure to say thank you after your meal. For example, “Thanks so much for dinner, Mrs. Flores! That was really good.” Get some background information. Talk to your boyfriend well before the meeting and ask what his parents like and don't like. He should also be able to tell you some favorite subjects you can talk about and topics to steer clear of. Things you might want to find out: Where are his parents from? What kind of work do they do? What do they like to do in their spare time? Make sure you find out conversation topics to avoid in order to prevent a foot-in-mouth moment. For example, you might not want to talk about the expensive cruise your family just went on when your boyfriend's parents are having money problems. Listen attentively to everyone who speaks to you. Make eye contact and use body language, such as nodding and leaning toward the speaker, to indicate you are interested in what they are saying. Ask questions. Most people love to talk about themselves. Try to get his parents talking by asking about their lives, or to tell you more about their children. Ask them to share a funny story about your boyfriend as a child. Ask open-ended questions. Questions that require more than a yes or no answer are ways to continue the conversation. Try saying, “Tell me more about that” or “What was that like?” Stay out of arguments. If you need to correct his parents on something, be respectful and polite. Don't act like a know-it-all, and do not engage in an argument. You could say, “I've also heard this perspective…” or “You know, I just read about this! The article said.....” which can help take the heat off you while gently offering another perspective. Do not say things like, “You're wrong,” or “How can you even think that?” Don't act like a know-it-all. People do not like lectures, they prefer conversations. Make sure you are allowing others to share their opinions, even if you are an expert on a subject. Find things in common. It is easier to talk to people you don't know well when you have some common ground. See if his parents share any of the same interests as yours, and start a conversation about that. For example, say you and his father are baseball fans. Ask which teams he supports, if he's been to any games this season, and if there are any players he's been impressed with this year. Steer clear of controversial topics like politics or religion. Remember that movies, TV, and music are generally easy discussion topics to which everyone can contribute. Talk about yourself. His parents will likely also want to learn about you, too. Share about your childhood, your education, career goals, and family life. Be careful not to overshare. Especially in the early days of your relationship, it's probably not a good idea to unload on his parents about the problems you have with your family, for example. Be yourself. Remember, your boyfriend is with you because of who you are. Make sure that his family gets to know what makes you so unique, too! While it is important to be polite and respectful to your boyfriend's family, don't feel like you need to shove your entire personality in a box whenever you are around them. Share your interests with his family, whether it is your fondness for baking or your unapologetically dorky love for sci-fi movies. Your enthusiasm will help them get to know you better. If you have a good sense of humor, try to make them laugh (with appropriate jokes). If you love children, spend time with his younger cousins. Let his family get to know the real you. If your true personality includes of lots of swear words, make sure you make efforts to stop swearing in front of his family. Many people find swearing unpleasant, and many people also believe it makes a person look less intelligent. Offer to clean up or help. If they have invited you for a home-cooked meal, offer to do the dishes or help prepare the food. See if there is a side dish or dessert you could bring. Offer to help with family projects. If your boyfriend's family is outside raking leaves, ask if they need any help. If you are there for a family birthday party, blow up balloons or help set out the snacks. Offer to pay your own way. If his family invites you somewhere, offer to pay your own way. They might not take you up on it, but it is polite to extend the offer. You could also offer to treat for a portion of the outing. You could say, “Thanks so much for taking me ice skating! Could I treat everyone to some hot chocolate?” Be sure to thank them for inviting you and for treating you to the activity. You could say, “Thanks so much for such a fun evening, and thank you for treating me to dinner. I really appreciate it.” Get to know his other family members. Don't just monopolize your boyfriend. Get to know his siblings, too, or other extended family. It will make spending time with his family more fun if you have built relationships with the rest of his family. For example, if his little sister admires the necklace you made, tell her the next time you come over, you'll bring your jewelry kit and help her make one. Talk to his older relatives about their lives and memories. Find out from your boyfriend if anyone has interesting stories to tell, and then talk to them. You could say, “Jack told me that you worked for NASA in the 1980s. What did you do? What was that like?” Keep your hands to yourself. No PDA (Public Displays of Affection) in front of his family. Holding his hand is okay, but refrain from doing much beyond that. It's disrespectful to his family. Make sure your boyfriend keeps his hands off you, too. Before you go into his parents' house, you could say, “I don't want to make your parents uncomfortable, so please don't do anything more than hold my hand, okay?” Respect his family time. Don't expect to be invited everywhere. Understand that he gets to spend time with them without you, and don't try to invite yourself to every activity. Let your boyfriend or his parents extend an invitation to you instead. While you may want to be included in his family's holiday plans, respect their wishes if they choose to keep significant others out of their celebrations. Different families have different boundaries around what “family” means.

Dress nicely. Greet them warmly. Smile. Do your best to relax. Bring a small gift. Have good manners. Get some background information. Listen attentively to everyone who speaks to you. Ask questions. Stay out of arguments. Find things in common. Talk about yourself. Be yourself. Offer to clean up or help. Offer to pay your own way. Get to know his other family members. Keep your hands to yourself. Respect his family time.

https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Taking-Zoloft

How to Stop Taking Zoloft

To stop taking Zoloft, start by taking to your doctor about your reasons for stopping and the best way to go about it. If your doctor recommends tapering off, follow their schedule to safely decrease your dosage, which could take several weeks or months to complete. Additionally, include positive lifestyle changes to combat any symptoms of depression, such as exercising regularly. You'll also want to eat a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in kale, walnuts, and flaxseeds.

Consider why you want to discontinue taking Zoloft. You should generally continue taking Zoloft if the medication has effectively controlled your depression or disorder. However, there are good reasons to discontinue or change your medication under the supervision of a doctor. These reasons include: If you experience severe or continuous side effects. If your depression or disorder is not under control with Zoloft. This may mean persistent sad, anxious, or empty feelings; irritability; loss of interest in pleasurable activities or hobbies; fatigue; difficulty concentrating; sleep disturbances such as insomnia or excessive sleeping; appetite changes; thoughts of suicide; or physical aches and pains. It is important to note that Zoloft generally takes up to eight weeks to fully work and may require dosage increases. If you have been on Zoloft for a while (6-12 months) and your doctor feels that you are not at risk for (or do not have) chronic or recurrent depression. Monitor any side effects you have experienced. Some side effects of the medication can include: nausea, dry mouth, drowsiness, weight loss, insomnia, changes in sex drive, and uncontrollable shaking. Let your doctor know if any of these side effects are severe or do not go away. In addition, ideas of suicide may be present in younger adults and children. Let your doctor know right away if you have thoughts related to suicide. Talk to your doctor. Discuss your side effects or other reasons for wanting to stop taking Zoloft with your doctor. This will help your doctor make an informed decision and decide if the time is right for you to stop taking Zoloft. If you have been on the medication for less than eight weeks, your doctor will likely suggest you give the medication the full eight weeks to take effect. If you feel like stopping Zoloft because it hasn't been effective, you may want to ask your doctor if increasing your dosage might have positive results. Discontinue Zoloft slowly. Antidepressants need to be slowly discontinued with gradual decrease in doses to avoid discontinuation symptoms. This is called tapering. Tapering can take weeks to months depending on the antidepressant, how long you have taken it, your dose, and your symptoms. If you stop right away—go “cold turkey”—your body does not have enough time to adjust, and you may experience worse discontinuation symptoms. Symptoms may include: Abdominal issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or cramps Sleep issues such as insomnia or nightmares Balance issues such as dizziness or lightheadedness Sensory or movement issues such as numbness, tingling, tremors, and lack of coordination Feelings of irritability, agitation, or anxiety Taper based on your doctor’s schedule. The length of time it takes to completely stop taking Zoloft may depend on how long you were on the medication and the dose you were prescribed. Your doctor will determine the best schedule for you to taper off Zoloft while minimizing the potential for discontinuation symptoms. One suggested way is decreasing the dose by 25mg per dose reduction, giving at least two weeks in between each dose reduction. Keep track of your tapering schedule by writing down the dates and the dosage changes. Expect to taper off the medication over several weeks. If you were on Zoloft for a long time, then you will likely taper off of it over four to six weeks. If you start to experience intolerable withdrawal symptoms, then your doctor may decide to taper the dosage at a slower rate. Document any effects you experience. Even if you are tapering Zoloft, it is still possible to experience discontinuation symptoms. You may also be at risk of experiencing a relapse with regard to your depression or disorder. Keep track and talk to your doctor if you develop any of these symptoms. Discontinuation symptoms have a quick onset, slowly get better over 1-2 weeks, and include more physical complaints. In order to differentiate between relapse and discontinuation symptoms, look at when the symptoms start, how long they last, and the type of symptoms. Relapse symptoms gradually develop after 2-3 weeks and get worse over 2-4 weeks. Contact your doctor if any symptoms last more than 1 month. Keep your doctor informed. Your doctor will monitor you for at least a few months after discontinuation. Inform him or her about any relapse symptoms or concerns you may have. You may want to follow-up with your doctor more closely during this time period. Take any new medications according to your doctor’s prescription. If you are discontinuing Zoloft because of side effects or if Zoloft is not controlling your depression, your doctor may prescribe a different antidepressant. The choice of medication depends on many aspects such as patient preference, prior response, effectiveness, safety and tolerability, cost, side effects, and drug interactions. If you experienced side effects or inadequate control of your depression, you doctor may recommend: A different selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), including Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), Celexa (citalopram), or Lexapro (escitalopram) Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as Effexor (venlafaxine) Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA), such as Elavil (amitriptyline). Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can also be used after waiting at least five weeks after discontinuation of Zoloft. Try to exercise regularly. Studies show that regular exercise can help produce endorphins and increase neurotransmitters that may help with symptoms of depression. Try to exercise for approximately thirty minutes each day. Change your diet. A healthy diet can help you overall. In particular, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help as an adjunctive therapy for depression. Omega-3- fatty acids are contained in foods such as kale, spinach, soybean or canola oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, and fatty fish such as salmon. They are also available over the counter, usually as fish oil gelatin capsules. Studies that showed benefit of omega-3 fatty acids in mood disorders included doses between 1-9 grams. However, more evidence supports the lower doses in that range. Follow a consistent sleep schedule. Sleep is often disturbed by depression. It is important to follow good sleep hygiene to ensure you are getting proper rest. Good sleep hygiene includes: Going to bed and getting up the same time each day Avoiding stimulation before sleeping, such as exercise, watching TV, or doing computer work Avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bed Associating your bed with sleep as opposed to reading or doing other work Get some sun. There is not a consensus on how much exposure you need to help symptoms of depression. However, researchers agree some types of depression, such as seasonal affective disorder, may benefit from getting more exposure to sunlight. Research also suggests sunlight can affect your levels of serotonin. Sunlight may also decrease the risk for disorientation and depression in older patients with Alzheimer's. Generally, there isn't a maximum amount of exposure for sunlight. Make sure you do wear sunscreen if you are going to be in the sun longer than 15 minutes. Have a good support system. Throughout the process, stay in touch with your doctor and let your doctor know about your status, feelings, or symptoms. Keep a relative or close friend involved as well. They may be able to provide emotional support or recognize signs of relapse. Having a good support system is very important. Try not to turn down invitations to activities, and try and get out more often. Consider psychotherapy. An analysis of different studies found that people who undergo psychotherapy while discontinuing an antidepressant are less likely to have a relapse. Psychotherapy is a way to help people with mental disorders by teaching them ways to deal with unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. It gives people tools and strategies to manage their stress, anxieties, thoughts, and behaviors. There are different types of psychotherapy. Treatment plans depend on the individual, the disorder, severity of disorder, and numerous other factors such as if you are on medications. Cognitive behavioral therapy's (CBT) goal is help a person think more positively and influence behavior. It focuses on current problems and solutions to those problems. A therapist helps the person identify unhelpful thinking and change inaccurate beliefs, thus aiding a change in behavior. CBT is particularly effective for depression. Other therapies—such as interpersonal therapy, which focuses on improving communication patterns; family-focused therapy, which helps by resolving family conflicts that may be influencing the patient's illness; or psychodynamic therapy, which focuses on helping people gain self-awareness—are also available options. Consider acupuncture. Some studies have shown benefits of acupuncture for depression. Although it is not part of guideline recommendations, acupuncture can be useful for some. Acupuncture is a technique in which thin needles are inserted through the skin to stimulate specific points on the body and relieve symptoms of diseases. If needles are sterilized properly there is little concern for risks. Consider meditation. A Johns Hopkins analysis of previous studies suggests that thirty minutes of daily meditation may improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Practical ways you can practice meditation are repeating a mantra, prayer, taking time to focus on breathing, or reflecting on what you have read. Aspects of medication include: Focus - Focusing on a specific object, image, or breathing can free your mind of worry and stress. Relaxed breathing - Slow, deep, even paced breathing increases oxygen and helps you breathe more efficiently. Quiet setting - This is an important aspect to meditation, especially for beginners, so that you have fewer distractions.

Consider why you want to discontinue taking Zoloft. Monitor any side effects you have experienced. Talk to your doctor. Discontinue Zoloft slowly. Taper based on your doctor’s schedule. Document any effects you experience. Keep your doctor informed. Take any new medications according to your doctor’s prescription. Try to exercise regularly. Change your diet. Follow a consistent sleep schedule. Get some sun. Have a good support system. Consider psychotherapy. Consider acupuncture. Consider meditation.

https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-a-Horse-From-Colicking

How to Prevent a Horse From Colicking

To prevent a horse from colicking, feed it a high-fiber diet, which can help prevent intestinal blockage that leads to colic. Also, avoid feeding your horse too much alfalfa or grain since they can cause colic if they're eaten in large amounts. You can also prevent colic by making sure your horse is getting plenty of exercise every day, and by providing it with fresh water at all times.

Give your horse a high fiber diet. Intestinal blockages from a poor diet can cause your horse to colic. Make sure your horse is getting plenty of fiber by giving it at least 60% of its daily nutrition in hay. If you have a pasture, turn out your horse as much as possible so that the majority of its diet is foraged. If your horse is obese or prone to laminitis, you may want to prevent it from grazing, which may worsen these conditions. Talk to your vet to decide if this may be right for your horse. Hay and grass should be the bulk of your horse's diet, with grain limited. Don't give your horse non-soaked sugar beet. Avoid feeding your horse a rich diet. Feeding your horse too much alfalfa or grain can cause it to have colic. If you're changing your horse's diet, introduce the new diet gradually over the course of 2 weeks. If you turn out your horse in a pasture that's 50% alfalfa, it will likely get colicky and will be at risk for intestinal stones. If you gradually introduce your horse to a field but it still gets colic, this is typically a sign that the horse's diet is still too rich. Talk to your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist for advice on how to help your horse adjust to its pasture. Keep your horse from becoming overweight. Monitor your horse's weight and size to make sure it stays within a healthy range. If you notice your horse is beginning to get fat, begin increasing their physical activity and adjusting their diet to lose weight. Your vet can give you advice on how to help your horse maintain a healthy weight. Prevent your horse from getting too thin. Similar to being overweight, a horse that is too thin is in poor physical condition and will be more susceptible to physical ailments. Build muscle mass by increasing exercise over time, and improve their overall diet in order to put on healthy weight. Always feed your horse fresh food. Moldy hay or hay that contains insects or bits of plastic or twine can make your horse ill or uncomfortable. Don't let its food sit around for too long, and always check it for the aforementioned items. Additionally, scoop old hay out of the paddocks after a few days or a heavy rain to reduce the risk of mold and insect growth. Add digestive supplements to your horse's diet. Regular supplements that add vitamins and nutrients to your horse's diet are beneficial in minimizing health risks. Additionally, look for supplements that increase levels of healthy bacteria (like probiotics). Check with your vet before giving your horse a supplement, and ask the vet how much is right for your horse. Probiotics are inexpensive and support a healthy digestive tract. You can find them online or at your local feed store. Ulcer supplements can help prevent ulcers in your horse, which can cause colic. Adding some vegetable oil or coconut oil to your horse's feed may help prevent blockages in your horse's gut. If your horse won't take powder supplements, most come in pelleted forms. Post a sign asking people not to feed your horse. Since feeding a horse treats is fun, people will likely be tempted to offer your horse an apple, carrots, or another snack. This extra food could make your horse become colicky. It's best to post a sign near your horse's stall or pasture letting visitors know that it's not okay to feed the horse. This will help reduce the extra treats in its diet. You might write, "Please don't feed the horse. It may become ill." Communicate your feeding instructions to the barn staff. If others are helping care for your horse, then they need to know how to feed it. Talk to the staff to make sure they know what feed to give your horse, how much feed to provide, and what times of the day they should feed it. Additionally, post a sign near your horse's stall that lists this information. This is especially true for larger barns where the staff may be caring for multiple horses and feeding them several times a day. Use feed pans for feeding. It is important for the horse to eat in the natural head-down position, but without consuming other harmful things in the process. Feed pans can be used to allow your horse to eat as naturally as possible, while minimizing the likelihood of the consumption of sand, manure, and shavings. Keep a constant supply of fresh water available. Horses that go without access to fresh water for longer than 2 hours are at a significantly higher risk of colicking. Keep water available, and use filtering systems in its troughs to prevent insect growth. Make sure water is not too cold in the winter, as very cold water can cause colic. You can use a water heater to make sure the water is the right temperature. Horses can be very picky about their water and may refuse to drink water that doesn't taste good to them. If your horse isn't drinking its water, try replacing the water with fresh water more often. As another alternative, replace one of the buckets with "sweet tea," which is water with a scoop of sweet feed added to it. Keep up worming and parasite control. Give your horse medication to prevent worm and parasite growth in its intestinal system. Anything that might cause a blockage of the intestine - such as certain worms and parasites - can cause colic. Your horse should be wormed twice every season. Worms can cause irreparable damage to your horse's intestines. You can buy horse wormers over the counter at your local feed store. Make sure you read the instructions on the back and provide the correct dose. If your horse refuses to take a gel dewormer, you can try using a pellet formula, which you can add to your horse's grain. Keep your horse's living quarters clean. Manure piles and old hay are highly likely to have mold, bacteria, worms, insects, and other parasites that are harmful to your horse. Make sure to pick your horse's living area of manure regularly, and remove any old or wet hay. Replace shavings in its stall on a regular basis to prevent bacteria growth from urine buildup. Schedule regular dental exams. When your horse's teeth get out of shape and worn down, it has a much harder time fully chewing (and therefore digesting) its food. Make sure your horse's teeth get examined every six months and floated when necessary. Some horses need their teeth floated by a vet every six months. Some horses need their teeth floated once a year or less. If your horse is losing a lot of feed when eating or holds its head in an odd position, it may be time to have its teeth checked out. Adjust your horse's feeding schedule, if necessary. Feed your horse several smaller meals over the course of the day, rather than one large grain-rich meal. Schedule the feedings every few hours and after (rather than before) heavy exercise. Increase the amount of daily exercise. Horses that are stalled for eight hours a day or aren't able to have a large space to run around in are at a much higher risk of colicking. Ride or lunge your horse on a daily basis if it can't run around, and put it out in a paddock when you're able to.

Give your horse a high fiber diet. Avoid feeding your horse a rich diet. Keep your horse from becoming overweight. Prevent your horse from getting too thin. Always feed your horse fresh food. Add digestive supplements to your horse's diet. Post a sign asking people not to feed your horse. Communicate your feeding instructions to the barn staff. Use feed pans for feeding. Keep a constant supply of fresh water available. Keep up worming and parasite control. Keep your horse's living quarters clean. Schedule regular dental exams. Adjust your horse's feeding schedule, if necessary. Increase the amount of daily exercise.

https://www.wikihow.com/Communicate-Effectively

How to Communicate Effectively

To communicate effectively, start by organizing and clarifying your thoughts before trying to express them out loud. It can help to write down a few key points that you want to make ahead of time to help you stay on topic. Then, strive to articulate those points in a clear, focused way. Enunciate clearly and remember to make eye contact with your listeners, which helps you create a connection with them. It's also important to be aware of your body language, facial expressions, and gestures while you're communicating with others, since these movements can speak just as loudly as words!

Choose the right time. As the saying states, there is a time and a place for everything, and communicating is no different. Avoid starting discussions about heavy topics late in the evening. Few people will be thrilled to be faced with sorting major issues like finances or long range scheduling when they are the most tired. Instead, deliver messages and conduct discussions about heavy topics in the mornings or afternoons when people are alert, available, and more likely to be able to respond with clarity. Facilitate an open, intimate conversation. Choose the right place, one that provides freedom for the communication to open, flower, and come to maturity. If you need to tell someone something that isn't going to sit well (such as news of a death or a breakup), don't do it in public, around colleagues, or near other people. Be respectful and mindful of the person by communicating to them in a private place. This will also provide space to open the dialog into a wider and a more involved mutual understanding and ensure that the two-way process is functioning properly. If you are presenting to a group of people, be sure to check the acoustics beforehand and practice projecting your voice clearly. Use a microphone if needed to ensure that your audience can hear you. Remove distractions. Turn off all electronics that could interrupt the conversation. If the phone rings, laugh it off the first time, then turn it off immediately and continue talking. Do not allow external distractions to act as crutches that sidetrack your concentration. They will distract both you and your listener, and will effectively kill the communication. Organize and clarify ideas in your mind. This should be done before you attempt to communicate any ideas. If you are feeling passionate about a topic, your ideas may become garbled if you haven't already targeted some key points to stick to when communicating. Key points will act as anchors, bringing focus and clarity to your communication. A good rule of thumb is to choose three main points and keep your communication focused on those. That way, if the topic wanders off course, you will be able to return to one or more of these three key points without feeling flustered. Writing the points down, if appropriate, can also help. Be crystal clear. Make it clear what you're hoping to convey from the outset. For example, your purpose could be to inform others, obtain information, or initiate action. If people know in advance what you expect from the communication, things will go more smoothly. Stay on topic. Once you start to convey your three main points, make sure everything you're saying adds to the message you intend to communicate and strengthens it. If you have already thought through the issues and distilled the them to the essentials, it is likely that helpful pertinent phrases will stick in your mind. Do not be afraid to use these to underline your points. Even confident, well-known speakers reuse their key lines again and again for emphasis and reinforcement. Remember to keep the overall message clear and direct. Thank your listener(s). Thank the person or group for the time taken to listen and respond. No matter what the outcome of your communication, even if the response to your talk or discussion has been other than you had hoped, end it politely by properly respecting everyone's input and time. Set the listener at ease. You want to do this before launching into your conversation or presentation. It can help sometimes to begin with a favorite anecdote. This helps the listener identify with you as someone who acts like them and has the same everyday concerns. Be articulate. It is important to deliver your message clearly and unambiguously so that the message comes across in a way that every listener can understand. Your words are remembered because people instantly understand what it is that you are saying. This requires delivering your words distinctly and using simpler words rather than more complex ones. The goal of articulate communication is to be clear, concise and relevant. Enunciate clearly. Speak at a volume level that is guaranteed to be heard and that doesn't come across as too quiet or disengaged. Take special care to properly enunciate key points so that you avoid any kind of misunderstanding. If mumbling is a defensive habit that you have fallen into due to fear of communicating, practice your message at home in front of the mirror. It is sometimes best to discuss what you want to communicate with those you feel comfortable with. This helps solidify the message in your own mind. Be aware that any practice or refinement of your wording will help you to build confidence. Be attentive when listening and ensure that your facial expressions reflect your interest. Listen actively. Remember that communication is a two-way street and that while you are talking, you are not learning. By actively listening, you will be able to gauge how much of your message is getting through to your listener(s) and whether or not it is being received correctly or needs to be tweaked. If your audience appears to be confused, it is often helpful to ask the listener(s) to reflect back some of what you have said, but in their own words. This can help you to identify and correct mistaken views of what you have intended to communicate. Validate people's feelings. This will encourage them to open up, and help them feel better if they're upset. Be vocally interesting. A monotone is not pleasing to the ear, so good communicators use vocal color to enhance communication. Norma Michael recommends that you: Raise the pitch and volume of your voice when you transition from one topic or point to another. Increase your volume and slow the delivery whenever you raise a special point or are summing up. Speak briskly, but pause to emphasize keywords when requesting action. Recognize people. Sure, you don't necessarily know the people in your audience or that new friend in your group, but they're nodding along with you and looking knowingly at you all the same. This means that they are connecting with you. So reward them with your acknowledgment! Be clear and unambiguous with your body language, too. Use facial expressions consciously. Strive to reflect passion and generate listener empathy by using soft, gentle, aware facial expressions. Avoid negative facial expressions, such as frowns or raised eyebrows. What is or isn't negative depends on the context, particularly the cultural context, so be guided by your situation. Be quick to identify unexpected behavior that suggests a cross-culture collision, such as a clenched fist, a slouched posture, or even silence. If you don't know the culture intimately, ask questions about the communication challenges you might face before you start to speak with (or to) people in an unfamiliar cultural context. Communicate eye-to-eye. Eye contact builds rapport, helps to convince people that you're trustworthy, and displays interest. During a conversation or presentation, it is important to look into the other person's eyes if possible and maintain contact for a reasonable amount of time. Take care not to overdo it.– Use just as much eye contact as feels natural, about 2-4 seconds at a time. Remember to take in all of your audience. If you're addressing a boardroom, look every member of the board in the eye. Neglecting any single person can easily be taken as a sign of offense and could lose you business, admission, success, or whatever it is you endeavor to achieve. If you're addressing an audience, pause and make eye contact with a member of audience for up to two seconds before breaking away and resuming your talk. This helps individual members of the audience feel personally valued. Be aware that eye contact is culturally ordained. In some cultures it is considered to be unsettling, or inappropriate. Ask about this in particular or do the research in advance. Use breathing and pauses to your advantage. There is power in pausing. Simon Reynolds says that pausing causes an audience to lean in and listen. It helps you to emphasize your points and allow the listener time to digest what has been said. It also helps to make your communication come across as more compelling and it makes your speech easier to absorb and become comfortable with. Take a few deep breaths to steady yourself before you begin communicating. Get into the habit of solid, regular breathing during a conversation, This will help you to keep a steady, calm voice and will also keep you more relaxed. Use pauses to take a breather from what you are saying. Consider how your gestures come across. Use hand gestures carefully. Be conscious of what your hands are saying as you speak. Some hand gestures can be very effective in highlighting your points (open gestures), while others can be distracting or even offensive to some listeners, and tend to shut down the conversation or listening (closed gestures). It also helps to watch other speaker's hand gestures with an eye for how they come across to you. Emulate those you see that are effective and engaging. Notice that the most effective gestures are natural, slow, and emphatic. Keep a check on your other body signals. Be alert to your wandering eyes, your hands picking at fluff, your constant sniffling, shuffling, rocking, and the like. These small gestures add up and are all guaranteed to dampen the effectiveness of your message. Have someone record your talk, then take the time to view your speech delivery in fast forward. Any repetitive gesture or unconscious habit will stand out like a sore thumb and will be somewhat comical. Once you have targeted such a behavior, it will be easier to modify your unintended body language and monitor its reappearance. Place yourself on even ground. Do not stand or hover over the other person. This creates a power struggle and pushes the conflict to another level. If they are sitting, you should sit with them. Listen to the other party. Let them say how they feel. Wait until they are completely finished talking before beginning to speak yourself. Speak in a calm, level voice. Don't yell or make accusations about the other party or their actions. Let them know you have heard their point and understand their side. Take the time to make statements like, "If I understand correctly, you are saying,..." Don't try to finish the argument at all costs. If the person walks out of the room, don't follow them. Allow them to do so and let them return when they are calmer and ready to talk. Don't try to get the last word in. Again, this could lead to a power struggle that escalates and never ends. Sometimes, you have to agree to disagree and move on. Use "I" messages. When you're phrasing your concerns, try to start your sentences with "I..." and state clearly how their actions make you feel. This will make the other person more receptive to your complaints and more empathetic. For instance, instead of saying "You're sloppy and it drives me crazy," try "I feel that different levels of messiness might be a problem for us. Clutter is something that seems to work its way into my mind and limit what I feel I can do. Frankly, messiness seems to unsettle me more than it probably should."

Choose the right time. Facilitate an open, intimate conversation. Remove distractions. Organize and clarify ideas in your mind. Be crystal clear. Stay on topic. Thank your listener(s). Set the listener at ease. Be articulate. Enunciate clearly. Be attentive when listening and ensure that your facial expressions reflect your interest. Be vocally interesting. Recognize people. Be clear and unambiguous with your body language, too. Communicate eye-to-eye. Use breathing and pauses to your advantage. Consider how your gestures come across. Keep a check on your other body signals. Place yourself on even ground. Listen to the other party. Speak in a calm, level voice. Let them know you have heard their point and understand their side. Don't try to finish the argument at all costs. Don't try to get the last word in. Use "I" messages.

https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-a-Union-Jack-Has-Been-Hung-Upside-Down

How to Know if a Union Jack Has Been Hung Upside Down

Since the Union Jack, which is the official flag of the United Kingdom, is not symmetric, many people hang is upside down. But, if you pay close attention to the size of the stripes, you'll hang it the right way every time. Look at the white diagonal stripes on the side closest to the flagpole. The wider ones should sit on top of the diagonal red stripes. Another way to tell if the flag is the right way is to look at the white diagonal stripes on the side furthest from the flagpole. These stripes should be thinner on the top of the red stripe and thicker below the red stripe. If you hang the flag vertically, make sure the thick white line is on the top left.

Look at the white diagonal stripes on the side closest to the flagpole. The white stripes on the Union Jack are not all the same size. The wider white stripes on the side closest to the flagpole should sit on top of the diagonal red stripes. The white stripes represent Scotland's Saint Andrew's Cross while the red ones represent Ireland's Saint Patrick's Cross. A good mnemonic device to use is "wide white top." Look at the white diagonal stripes on the side furthest from the flagpole. On the side furthest from the flagpole, the white stripes that run diagonally should be thinner on the top of the red stripe, and thicker below the red stripe. This applies to both white stripes on the side furthest from the flagpole. Saint Andrew's Cross was on the flag first and takes precedence over Saint Patrick's cross. Ensure the thick white line is on the top left, if hung vertically. When hanging your flag vertically, the thick white stripe should be on the top of all the other stripes on the top left hand side of your flag. The top edge of the flag should become the left edge of the flag when hanging it vertically. This practice is similar to hanging the American flag, but varies in other countries like Liechtenstein, Slovakia, and Slovenia, where they have different designs for flags hung vertically. Fly the flag upside down for a distress signal. Flying the Union Jack upside down is a coded distress signal, and should only be used as such. In the UK, flying the flag upside down may be considered an insult, even if it was an honest mistake. Assume the pole is on the left if it’s a graphic flag. When drawing the flag or putting up a graphic of the flag with no pole, assume the pole is on the left side of the flag. This means that the thick white stripes should lay over the red stripes on the left side of the flag. Drape the top left of the flag over the top left of the shoulder, when draping it on a coffin. When draping the flag over a coffin for a funeral service, make sure that the top left of the Union Jack be laid over the top left corner of the coffin. This is the traditional way to drape the flag for military funerals. Before cremating or burying the body, the flag should be removed and folded. It is improper to use the flag as drapage for seat covers or tablecloths, or as a cover for boxes, barriers, or art during an unveiling ceremony. Wear the flag backwards when it's on the right shoulder of a uniform. If your patch of the flag is on the left shoulder, you should wear the flag as it would normally look. However, on the right shoulder, the flag should be flipped backwards. This is similar to American Military Uniforms which require the flag to be reverse.

Look at the white diagonal stripes on the side closest to the flagpole. Look at the white diagonal stripes on the side furthest from the flagpole. Ensure the thick white line is on the top left, if hung vertically. Fly the flag upside down for a distress signal. Assume the pole is on the left if it’s a graphic flag. Drape the top left of the flag over the top left of the shoulder, when draping it on a coffin. Wear the flag backwards when it's on the right shoulder of a uniform.

https://www.wikihow.com/Perform-a-Testicular-Self-Exam

How to Perform a Testicular Self Exam

To perform a testicular self exam, start by standing in front of a mirror and examining the skin of the scrotum to check for any abnormalities like lumps or swelling. Then, hold a teste between your thumb and index finger and lightly squeeze it to check for hardness or swelling, which can indicate a medical condition. After checking 1 teste, check the other using the same method. If you notice any unusual symptoms, make sure to see your doctor.

Know the symptoms. In order to perform your self-exam accurately, know what to look for in the event cancer may be present. This self-exam is designed to check for the following symptoms: A lump within the testicle. The lump does not have to be large or painful warrant a doctor visit as tumors can begin as small as a pea or a grain of rice. Testicular Enlargement. This can be of one or both testicles.Note that it is normal for one testicle to hang slightly lower than the other and to be slightly larger than the other. However, if one testicle is larger than the other or has an abnormal shape or hardness, consult a doctor. Changes in density or texture. Has one testicle become abnormally firm or lumpy? Healthy testicles are completely smooth all over. Note that the testicles are connected to the vas deferens via a small, soft tube at the top called the epididymis. If you feel this while inspecting your testicles, don't be alarmed; this is normal. Find a mirror and some privacy. Find a room where you won't be disturbed and make sure to have a reasonable-sized, (hands-free, if available) mirror. A bathroom mirror or full length mirror can work well. Being able to visually observe an abnormality of the scrotum is an important aspect of the exam and will require removing any clothing currently covering your lower body, including undergarments. Observe the condition of the skin. Stand in front of the mirror and examine the skin of the scrotum. Are any lumps visible? Is swelling present? Is there discoloration or anything else that seems out of the ordinary? Be sure to examine all sides of the scrotum, including the back. Feel for abnormalities. Continue to stand and hold the scrotum in both hands with your fingertips touching, making a kind of basket with your fingers. Hold a teste between your thumb and index finger on the same hand. Press gently to check the density and texture of the teste, then gently roll the teste between your thumb and first finger. Do the same to the other teste using the alternate hand. Take your time. Make sure to thoroughly check the entire surface of each testicle. Schedule a yearly physical exam. In addition to performing a monthly self exam, schedule a physical exam with their doctor at least once a year. Your doctor will perform a testicular exam in addition to other exams and tests used to determine your overall health. If you are experiencing symptoms, however, do not wait for your scheduled exam date; contact a doctor right away for an appointment. Know what your risks are. Early prevention is crucial to the successful treatment of cancer. Being aware of your risk profile can make you responsive to symptoms if and when they occur. Below is list of known risk factors to be aware of: Family history of testicular cancer. An undescended testicle (also called cryptorchidism). Three out of four cases of testicular cancer occur in an individual with an undescended testicle. Intratubular Germ Cell Neoplasia (IGCN). Often called "carcinoma in situ" (CIS), IGCN occurs when cancer cells manifest in germ cells within the seminiferous tubules where these cells are formed. IGCN and CIS is uniform precursors to cancerous tumors of the testes and, in 90% of cases, is found in tissues surrounding a tumor. Ethnicity. Studies in the US have shown that Caucasian men are more likely to get testicular cancer than other groups. Previous Diagnosis. If you have had and recovered from a prior testicular cancer diagnosis, you are at increased risk that the other testicle will be affected. Understand that being at risk is not a guarantee that you will develop cancer. Studies have shown that managing environmental risks like diet and exercise, as well as refraining from the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol, can help prevent carcinogenesis, the process by which healthy cells turn into cancerous ones. Talk to your doctor about preventative therapies. If you are at risk for testicular cancer, clinical trials are currently underway to broaden the variety of preventative therapies; however, available proactive drug regimens like chemoprevention have been shown to prevent the growth and/or re-occurrence of cancer. Your doctor will know if this is option is right for you. Contact a doctor. During a testicular exam, if you encounter a lump, swelling, soreness, unusual hardness, or any other warning sign, get in touch with your doctor right away. Though these symptoms may not confirm the presence of testicular cancer , it is very important to have a thorough examination to know for sure. Mention your symptoms when making a doctor's appointment. This increases the likelihood that your doctor will see you promptly. Recording all additional symptoms. If you notice any other symptoms affecting either your testicles or any other part of your body, write up a list. Record even those symptoms that do not seem consistent with testicular cancer symptoms. The extra information may help your doctor as he/she makes a diagnosis and and designs a suitable treatment plan. some of these symptoms may include: Heaviness, or an aching sensation in the lower abdomen or scrotum. Pain in the lower back, unassociated with stiffness or injury. Swelling of the breasts (rare). Infertility. In rare cases, an individual may experience no other symptoms except infertility. Stay calm and optimistic. Once you've made your doctor's appointment, relax. Remind yourself that 95% of cases are completely curable, and early detection increases that rate to 99%. Additionally, know that your symptoms may signal other, less serious causes, including: A cyst in the epididymis (the tube at the top of the testicle) called a spermatocele. An enlarged testicular blood vessel called a varicocele. A fluid buildup in the testicular membrane called a hydrocele. A tear or opening in the abdominal muscle called a hernia. Keep your appointment. When you meet with a doctor, he or she will perform the same kind of testicular exam as you did to check for the problems you felt. You will be asked for any additional symptoms. The doctor may examine other parts of your body, like your stomach or groin, to check for the spread of cancer. If he/she feels anything out of the ordinary, additional tests will confirm a diagnosis. to determine whether there is a tumor.

Know the symptoms. Find a mirror and some privacy. Observe the condition of the skin. Feel for abnormalities. Schedule a yearly physical exam. Know what your risks are. Understand that being at risk is not a guarantee that you will develop cancer. Talk to your doctor about preventative therapies. Contact a doctor. Recording all additional symptoms. Stay calm and optimistic. Keep your appointment.

https://www.wikihow.com/Fix-Holes-in-Shoes

How to Fix Holes in Shoes

To fix a hole in your shoes, try plugging it with an adhesive, like Shoe Goo, Gorilla Glue, or Liquid Nails. Start by removing the insole if you're working on the sole of the shoe. Then, place duct tape over the hole on the inside of the shoe with the sticky side down so the adhesive has something to stick to. Squeeze the adhesive on top of the hole and use a wooden stick or your finger to spread it out in an even layer. Let the adhesive dry overnight so it forms a seal. Once it's dry, remove the duct tape and replace the insole.

Purchase an adhesive sealant from a hardware store or online. Popular brands of adhesives that can be used in shoe repair include Shoe Goo, Liquid Nails, and Gorilla Glue. Read reviews of each product and purchase the one that fits your needs and budget. Using most adhesives will leave a clear or milky film wherever it dries. Adhesives can be used to fix holes in leather shoes, sneakers, and skate shoes. Shoe Goo comes in clear and black. Remove the insole if you are repairing the sole of the shoe. Peel the insole out of the bottom of the shoe from the heel. If the insole is glued to the bottom of the shoe, leave it in the shoe while you repair it. Set the insole aside so that you can replace it later. Apply duct tape over the hole on the inside of the shoe. Lay the sticky side of the duct tape down inside of the shoe and cover up the hole. The tape will give the adhesive filler something to stick to. Make sure the entire hole is covered. If you don't have duct tape, you can use electrical tape. Squeeze the adhesive on top of the holes. Tilt the tube or bottle of glue over the hole and squeeze it so that the glue completely covers the hole. Ensure the hole is covered with the adhesive on the outside of the shoe or it won't create a watertight seal. It's normal for the glue to clump over the hole. Don't worry about getting the adhesive to look clean on the shoe during this application. Spread the shoe glue over the holes in an even layer. The adhesive will be too sticky at first, so give it 1-2 minutes to dry so that it can partially harden. Once it hardens, use a wooden stick or your finger to spread the glue in an even layer on the outside of the shoe. Don't leave the stick or your finger in one spot for too long or it will get stuck to the glue. Let the adhesive dry overnight. Give the adhesive enough time to fully dry and form a seal. The hole in your shoe should now be plugged up and waterproof. Press down on the adhesive to ensure that it is firmly attached to your shoe. If you don't give the adhesive enough time to dry, it will smear off the shoe. Remove the duct tape and replace the insole. When you remove the tape, the adhesive should be flat on the inside of your shoe. If you were fixing a hole in the sole of the shoe, reinsert the insole before wearing them. If everything was done properly, the hole in your shoe should now be fixed. Stuff the shoe with newspaper. Filling up the shoe will fill out the shoe and make it easier to apply the patch. This method is best used on softer-material shoes, like suede or sheepskin boots or shoes. Purchase the fabric to patch your shoes. The fabric patch that you use on the shoe will be visible on the outside, so get a fabric that matches your shoes existing style. You can buy fabric online or at a craft store. Buy enough fabric so that you can fully cover the size of the hole. You can purchase fabric that almost matches the color of your shoes if you don't want the patch to be as noticeable. Good fabrics to use include tartan, leather, and suede. You can also purchase fabric that contrasts with the current color of your shoes for a unique fashion statement. Cut out a piece of fabric large enough to cover the hole. Cut a rectangular or square piece of fabric to cover the hole. Depending on the location of the hole, you may want to adjust the size of the patch so that it doesn't look awkward on the shoe. For example, if the hole is on the toe of the shoe, use a patch that covers the entire toe rather than a small patch that just covers the hole. If you want your shoes to match, cut out 2 pieces of fabric so that you can apply a patch to your other shoe, even if it doesn't have a hole. Pin the fabric to the shoe. Adjust the placement of the patch and make sure that it looks straight before you sew it in place. You may also want to recut the piece of fabric if you don't like the way it looks on your shoe. If you are placing a patch on both shoes, make sure that their placement is identical. Steam iron the patch to the shoe. Put a damp cloth over the patch on the shoe, then hold a steam iron over the patch for 5-10 seconds. Repeat this 3-4 times to flatten out the edges of the patch and make it adhere to the form of your shoe or boot. Sew the patch onto the shoe. Pierce a needle and thread through the patch and into the shoe. Then thread the needle up out of the shoe and through the patch. Continue going around the edge of the patch using this method until it is secured to the fabric on the shoe. Tie off the ends of the thread with a knot to hold the patch in place. Try to make your stitches as uniform as possible. You can also use more complex stitches like a catch-stitch or slip-stitch to create a unique look.

Purchase an adhesive sealant from a hardware store or online. Remove the insole if you are repairing the sole of the shoe. Apply duct tape over the hole on the inside of the shoe. Squeeze the adhesive on top of the holes. Spread the shoe glue over the holes in an even layer. Let the adhesive dry overnight. Remove the duct tape and replace the insole. Stuff the shoe with newspaper. Purchase the fabric to patch your shoes. Cut out a piece of fabric large enough to cover the hole. Pin the fabric to the shoe. Steam iron the patch to the shoe. Sew the patch onto the shoe.

https://www.wikihow.com/Do-Amazing-Card-Tricks

How to Do Amazing Card Tricks

If you want to impress your friends and family, there are plenty of amazing card tricks you can learn with a little practice. Learn to hide a card in your hand by bending it slightly and holding it there with your thumb. Then, you can make it appear out of thin air or from behind their ear. Another common trick involves finding someone's card in a deck. To do this you'll want to glance at the bottom card of the deck, then have someone choose a card. Cut the deck in half, have them place their card on the top half, then place the top half on top. When you look through the deck, look for the card you saw at the beginning. The person's card will be on top of it.

Prepare your deck. Hold a normal deck of cards in your hands. Keep one or two jokers in the deck. Show the deck to the audience and let them see you shuffle it. Sneak a peak. It is essential that your audience doesn't notice you peep at the bottom card. You'll need to memorize the bottom card. Act casual and show them the top of the deck while you look at the bottom. Engage the audience. Ask an audience member to pick a card. Once they have the card ask them to memorize it and place it on top. Insist that they don't let you see the card, but tell them to show others if they want. Cut the deck in half. Place the bottom half on top of the card placed on top. This puts the card you memorized directly on top of their card. You can do as many cuts as you want, as long as they are single cuts. Look through the cards. Pretend to look for jokers and take them out, but also find the card you memorized. Their card is resting directly on top of it. Cut the deck again so that their card is on top. Cutting the deck a second time may take a few trials and errors before doing it seamlessly. Finish the trick. Have them pick a number between ten and twenty. Deal that many cards off the top of the deck. Take that amount of cards and hold them between your thumb and pointer, have them slap the cards and the one farthest to the left should be their card. Make sure you hold that one tightly so that it doesn't fall out. Adding the card slap and additional shuffling adds to the showmanship of the card trick. These additional steps also help distract the audience of how simple it really is. Prepare your deck. You will need a deck with two Jokers in it. Before the trick has begun, find both of the Jokers and place one on the top and one on the bottom of the deck. Now the trick is ready to be performed! Engage the audience. Ask a member of the audience to pick a card anywhere in the deck. Once they pick a card have them memorize the card. Ask them to show others, but tell them not to show you. Have the audience member place the memorized card on the top of the deck. Cut the deck. Fan the deck out and ask the participant to tell you when to stop. When they say stop, split the deck. From whatever part you stopped at, take the bottom half and place it on top of the deck. Now their card is between both Jokers. Use the magic words. Ask the contestant to wave their hand over the deck and say "Jokers find my card." Now flip the cards over and fan the cards out. Their card should be right in between the Jokers. Pick up their card and ask if this is their card. Prepare the deck. Separate all the black cards from the red cards into two separate piles. Now place one pile on top of the other to make a full deck. Do this before showing the trick to anyone. Split the deck. In front of your audience, split the deck into two piles. Attempt to be casual and separate the piles by colors. One way you could do this is to have one of the cards poking out. This will indicate the halfway mark of the deck. Let them choose a card. Have the audience member choose one of the piles. After selecting a pile, fan out the cards and have them select a card. Have them memorize the card and slip it into the other pile. Shuffle the other pile. Spend some time shuffling the pile of cards that they put the card in. You want to show them that you are being thorough. Don't worry about losing the card because it will be the only card of a different color. Look through the cards. Now quickly skim through the cards without the spectator seeing. It is crucial that the audience doesn't see that you rigged the deck. Select the card that stands out in color and proclaim a magic phrase like “Shazam.” Gather your hand. For this trick you will need to cut one of your cards in half. Do this with a trick deck you don't plan to use for card games. Take out four cards: three jacks of any suit and a number card (4 of hearts or 7 of diamonds). Prepare the number card. Use a pair of scissors to cut the numerical card in half so that the top and bottom of the card are still clear. Then use tape to join the ends of the severed card together. Don't tape in front of the inside of the card. Your card should now be able to be folded without tape showing. Mask one of the jacks. Fold the numerical card on top of one of the jacks. Hold the cards so that the masked jack is in the middle of the other jacks. When showing the hand to people it should look like a numerical card in between jacks. Set up the trick. Once you have the prepared cards in your hand, you're ready to try it on someone. First show your audience the "three" cards. Make some type of line about how one card is being sandwiched between two jacks. You want to get them thinking about the two jacks in your hand. Make the jack "jump. " Now you're ready to finalize the trick. Turn the cards over so they are face down and pull them onto a surface starting with the bottom card. The masked jack will look like any old face down card. It is important to grip and conceal the sleeve card. Have someone from the audience flip the cards over. When finished successfully, the audience will see three jacks. Practice concealing the "mask" and work on preforming this trick quickly. The faster you can do the trick, the more convincing your act is. Understand the trick. This is a simple trick that requires much practice and control of the cards to be successful. You are not really pulling cards out of thin air, but you are making it look like it. The whole time you are "pulling cards from the air," you are really holding them in your palm. Palm your cards. Take a small stack of cards out of a larger deck. Choose an amount of cards that you feel comfortable holding concealed. Use a mirror to see how concealed the cards appear to the audience. Practice the move. This trick relies on your thumb controlling a card to appear from thin air. Grip the edge of the deck with your fingers and use your thumb move the top card. Continue moving the top card with your thumb until it is in the audiences view. The card will be held in place by your thumb and forefinger. This will take a lot of practice. After trying the move a few times, you should understand how many cards to hold in your hand. Perform the trick. You should only showcase this trick after extensive practice. This is a simple technique that is very difficult to preform seamlessly. Once you understand the rhythm for the trick you can produce card after card out of "thin air." To better convince your audience, rotate your hand as you shift the card out with your thumb. Again, do not bring this trick out to the public if you aren't ready.

Prepare your deck. Sneak a peak. Engage the audience. Cut the deck in half. Look through the cards. Finish the trick. Prepare your deck. Engage the audience. Cut the deck. Use the magic words. Prepare the deck. Split the deck. Let them choose a card. Shuffle the other pile. Look through the cards. Gather your hand. Prepare the number card. Mask one of the jacks. Set up the trick. Make the jack "jump. Understand the trick. Palm your cards. Practice the move. Perform the trick.

https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Salad

How to Eat Salad

To eat a salad, use a knife or the edge of your fork to cut the lettuce into bite-sized pieces so it's easier to eat. Just make sure you're cutting and eating one bite at a time and not cutting up your entire salad at once. If you're in a formal dining setting and there are multiple forks and knives in front of you, use the fork and knife at the outermost edge of your place setting. Also, avoid leaning in when you take a bite. Instead, sit up straight and bring the fork to your mouth.

Remain still and seated when you are served. Proper dining techniques are most important in formal settings, such as when you're having an interview or meeting, trying to impress someone, eating at a fine dining establishment, or in some other circumstance when proper etiquette is expected. In formal settings, there is often a salad course that comes either before the entrée (American style) or after the main dish (European style). The salad course in a formal meal usually consists of a basic salad, such as a green salad, wedge salad , or Caesar salad, that includes a combination of lettuce, vegetables, croutons, dressing, and possibly meat or cheese. When a server brings you your salad, do not move away or to the side when the plate is placed in front of you. Decide if you want cheese or pepper. Someone may come around to offer you freshly grated cheese or freshly ground pepper for your salad. It is acceptable to say yes to one or both, but be sure to indicate to the server when to stop. Never add salt or pepper to your own salad (or any course) until you've tasted it first. Select the proper cutlery. A place setting will be laid out with the utensils in order based on the dishes that will be served. If you are unsure which utensils are for which dish, follow this simple rule: work from the outside in. When your salad is served, use the fork and knife at the outermost edge of your place setting. They will be taken away after the salad course, and then you will move on to the next set of cutlery. Eat your salad with a knife and fork. When the lettuce and vegetables aren't cut up into bite-sized pieces, it is acceptable to eat your salad with a knife and fork. Alternatively, if the salad is mostly in smaller pieces, you can use your fork alone to eat. When using just your fork, you can turn it on its side and use the side of the fork to cut a piece of lettuce or vegetable into a smaller piece before eating it. Cut and eat one bite at a time. Don't cut up your entire salad at once; instead, eat each bite as you cut it. Make sure they are small bites, so that you don't end up with too large a mouthful of food, or a forkful that is too large to fit into your mouth. Don’t lean in to take a bite. When you are ready to eat, bring your fork to your mouth and gently incline your head to take the bite. Bring your fork back down immediately, and let it hover over your plate. Do the same with your knife. Understand American dining. In American eating style, you always perform the main cutting and eating functions with your right hand, which means you must transfer your knife and fork during the meal. To cut a bite, hold your knife in your right hand and your fork in your left hand. Hold your bite in place with the fork and cut the bite with your knife. Place your knife down on your plate, and transfer the fork to your right hand to take your bite. When you are ready for another bite, transfer the fork back to your other hand, pick up your knife, and repeat the process. Use the silent service code with your napkin. The silent service code is a way for guests and servers to communicate without words, where guests use cutlery and napkin placement to indicate certain things throughout the meal. To indicate that you have left the table momentarily and will return to your meal, place your napkin on your chair. To say that you are finished and won't be returning to your meal, place the napkin on the table to the left of your plate. This is true for both American and European dining. Use the silent service code with your cutlery. When you are taking a break from eating or wish to indicate you are finished with your course, place your knife and fork side by side at the 10 and 4 position on top of your plate (if your plate were a clock, the top of the knife and fork would point to 10, and the bottoms would point to the 4). Place the tines facing down if you are taking a break. Position the tines face up if you are finished. When you have finished your course, be sure to place the knife and fork on your plate, even if you didn't used the knife designated for that course. Learn the proper technique for cutting and eating. In European-style dining, you don't transfer your fork back and forth between hands to cut and eat. Instead, you will always hold your knife in your right hand and your fork in your left throughout the meal. Use your fork to anchor your bite in place and cut it with your knife. Use your knife to gently push other pieces of salad onto your fork, such as a piece of vegetable or cheese, before taking your bite. If it's available, use something like a crouton or bean at the end of the fork to anchor the food to the fork. When you take your bite, rest the wrist of your right hand on the edge of the table. Place your left hand in the same position after you take your bite, and leave your hands in that position until you have finished chewing and are ready to cut your next bite. Indicate when you are taking a break. In European style, criss-cross the tips of your knife and fork across the top of your plate to indicate to the servers that you plan to continue eating, and have only taken a break to talk or drink. Indicate when you’re finished your course. To say you are finished with your plate in European dining, place your knife and fork side by side at the 10 and 4 position on top of your plate. Make sure the tines of the fork are facing down. Try taco salad. Taco salad is a Mexican- or Tex-Mex-inspired dish. The salad, which is made up of lettuce, beans, corn, tomato, cheese, spices, and other taco fixings, is served with corn chips on the side, or served in an edible tortilla bowl. Taco salads are not likely to be served in a fine or formal dining setting, so you have more freedom in terms of eating them. One way to eat a taco salad is to crush up the corn chips or tortilla bowl and mix the pieces in with the salad, then eat the salad with a fork. You can also use the tortilla chips to scoop up bites of salad, and use the tortilla bites like an edible spoon. Make a salad sandwich. Tuna, egg, and chicken salads are creamy salads made with one of those ingredients and mayonnaise. They can also be mixed with other ingredients, such as spices, celery, nuts, and onions. These salads can either be eaten alone with a fork, or they can be made into a sandwich. Take two pieces of bread and either leave them plain or toast them according to your taste. Spread a thick layer of tuna, egg, or chicken salad on one piece of bread, and place the second piece of bread on top of the salad. Garnish with lettuce, tomatoes, or pickles if you like. Instead of sandwiches, these salads can also be served spread on crackers. Use a knife to spread small amounts of salad onto individual crackers. Eat potato or pasta salad. While potato salad is usually creamy like tuna or egg salad, pasta salad usually has an oil-based dressing. Both are served cold or warm, and are eaten with a fork. Potato salad is made with boiled potatoes that are cut into bite-sized pieces. It is usually mixed with mayonnaise or another cream sauce, and combined with ingredients such as onions or chives, eggs, bacon, and spices. Pasta salad uses boiled pasta, such as bowties or penne noodles, that are mixed with oil, spices, vegetables, and greens. Try Caprese salad. This Italian salad is made with fresh mozzarella, raw slices of tomato, fresh basil, and a simple balsamic or olive oil dressing. The cheese and tomatoes are usually layered, and you can eat this salad with a knife and fork. Use your knife to cut off a small bite that has cheese, tomato, and basil. Dip the bite in some of the dressing before eating your bite.

Remain still and seated when you are served. Decide if you want cheese or pepper. Select the proper cutlery. Eat your salad with a knife and fork. Cut and eat one bite at a time. Don’t lean in to take a bite. Understand American dining. Use the silent service code with your napkin. Use the silent service code with your cutlery. Learn the proper technique for cutting and eating. Indicate when you are taking a break. Indicate when you’re finished your course. Try taco salad. Make a salad sandwich. Eat potato or pasta salad. Try Caprese salad.

https://www.wikihow.com/Answer-Where-Do-Babies-Come-From

How to Answer Where Do Babies Come From

To answer the question “Where do babies come from” if you're talking to your 6-12 year old, tell them that when men and women have sex, they can make babies. AT this age, your child may be beginning through puberty, so talk about the physical and emotional changes they can expect, which may have an impact on their day-to-day life. Try to use the correct vocabulary to talk about body parts and sex, and show them picture books to help them understand. Let them ask any questions they need, and leave the door open so they can ask for more information if they want to.

Stay calm and relaxed when the topic comes up. It's completely normal and natural for kids of all ages to ask about babies. It helps to be prepared for the conversation, but even if you aren't, try to stay calm and don't jump to conclusions. Take a deep breath and talk to them like you would about any other topic. Your first reaction might be to laugh or redirect the conversation. However, if you dismiss them, they'll only become more curious about the topic. It's best to address the question when they ask. Defer to the child's parents if someone else's child asks you about babies. If you're a babysitter or nanny, the children who you watch might ask you about babies or sex at some point. Stay calm and use your best judgement to approach the situation. If it's a body question, answer it scientifically. If it's a question that you think you can't or shouldn't answer, let them know that they can ask their parents. For example, you could say something like, “Let's ask your mom when she gets home, maybe she'll know!” Chances are, they'll forget about it, and you can let their parents know that the child was curious about babies or sex. If they continue to push your limits and ask more personal questions, stay calm and treat it like you would if they were misbehaving in any other way. Remind them that they shouldn't use dirty words if they're swearing, and tell them that if they continue to do so, you'll have to call their parents. Consider why your child might be curious about babies. While kids are naturally inquisitive, there might be a reason that they're asking this particular question. For example, their teacher at school might be pregnant, or they might have seen a baby on television or in public. If you're pregnant, an older child might become curious about their new sibling. It's very common for children to start asking about babies and pregnancy when they know there's a baby on the way. Ask them where they think babies might come from. Your child might be asking you about babies to confirm what they already know. If you've never talked about it before, try saying something like “That's a good question! Where do you think babies come from?” to see what they know about the topic. If you've discussed babies and pregnancy before, start by confirming what you've already discussed. Say something like “Well, we've talked about how babies are made when a man and a woman have sex, right?” When they confirm that they know that information, move on to answering their new question. If they say that they don't know, assure them that it's okay. Then, proceed with answering their question as best as you can. Answer the question that your child is asking. Many parents get flustered because they feel like they have to explain the entire process to their children. Instead, focus on providing an answer to the question that they asked you. If they asked specifically how babies get out of their mom, you can say something like “Babies are born when mother pushes the baby through the birth canal, which is part of her vagina.” Once you answer their initial question, they might ask more or they might be content. If they don't seem satisfied with your answer, ask them something like “Is there anything else that you want to know about babies?” or “Do you have any more questions?” Tailor your approach to be age-appropriate. A younger child doesn't need to know all of the specific details about pregnancy and making a baby. For kids under 6 years old, keep the discussion general and simple. As they get older, you can build off of your previous conversations to answer more specific questions. Additionally, there's a chance that a younger child might forget some of the information that you tell them as they grow up. It's likely that you'll have to have a few different conversations about where babies come from before they really absorb and understand the information. Avoid using slang or euphemisms when talking about sex or sex organs. Treat genitals like any other part of the body when you're talking to your child. Use the words penis, vagina, uterus, sex, seed, and egg to refer to the process of making a baby. This will ensure that they don't get confused as they grow up and learn more about topics like sex. For example, you can say “A man has a penis and a woman has a vagina. The penis makes sperm, and the vagina holds the eggs,” to teach them about general reproductive anatomy. You can start teaching your child about their genitals when they're learning the rest of their body parts. By the time they're around 2 or 3 years old, they should know that, in general, a woman has a vagina and a man has a penis. It's okay to refer to sex as “making love” when you're answering questions about making babies as long as they know that this phrase means having sex. This can help the child to associate babies with something positive, rather than something scary or negative. Give simple but honest answers to children under 5 years old. Younger children tend to be more focused on pregnancy and how babies come into the world, rather than the act of sex. Explain that a man and a woman make a baby by having sex, and that the baby forms in the woman's uterus. For instance, if they ask how babies are made, you might say something like “Babies are made when a man and a woman have sex, and the man's sperm fertilizes the woman's egg. Then, the baby grows in the woman's uterus for 9 months until it's big enough to be born.” If they're asking about how the baby comes out, explain that the baby comes out of the vagina, which stretches as the baby is born. You might also want to tell them that some mothers choose or medically have to have a surgery to take the baby out of their uterus instead. Be sure to explain that the uterus is part of the vagina, and different from the stomach. Since babies look like they're inside of the mother's stomach, this can be a very confusing idea for children. Use picture books to help you explain the topic to a younger child. There are many books on the market that explain the process of making and having a baby in simple terms. They often include illustrations that are child appropriate and as non-sexual as possible. If you can't find a children's book that does a good job of explaining the process, try picking up an anatomy book. It may be more detailed than necessary, but you can use it to show where the baby grows, and what genitals look like. Anatomy books are also great for learning the answer to tougher questions, like “Where does the egg come from?” or “How is sperm made?” Start talking about puberty when your child is between 6 and 12 years old. For girls, puberty can start as early as 8 or 9 years old, and for boys, it can start around 9 or 10. Talk to them about the fact that puberty will cause changes in their body shape, mood, and day-to-day life. Let them know that the period is a sign that a girl is able to have a baby, and talk about how ejaculate from the penis can fertilize an egg if they have sex. For example, if your daughter asks about when she'll get her first period, you can say something like, “Most girls get their first period when they're between 9 and 16 years old. Some girls get it earlier, and some girls get it later. Your first period is a sign that your body is starting to become sexually mature, and it means that you could get pregnant if you have sex.” Try to talk about puberty as something that is normal and natural, because it is! Build off of the conversations that you've had with them when they were younger, and let them know that puberty might cause them to think about sex more often. Let older children know that you're still there to answer their questions. While an older kid might think they know all there is to know about sex, that's not always true. If you've established yourself as someone who they can talk to about sensitive topics, be prepared for more specific questions. For example, a teenager might ask something like “Can I get pregnant from having oral sex?” You can remind your teenager that you can still help to answer their questions by saying something like, “I know growing up can be confusing, but if you have any questions about relationships or your body, you can always talk to me.” Use their questions to remind them about the risks of having sex without giving them a lecture. For the oral sex example, you can say “You can't get pregnant from having oral sex, but you can get an STD.” Don't assume that your child is asking about sex because they're having sex. It's very possible that they're just asking because they were talking with their friends about the topic or saw it in a movie. Include information about reproduction in everyday examples. It's important to let children know that questions about babies and sex are normal. Try to look for ways that you can teach your child about the process of having a baby before they even ask. For example, if you're at the zoo and see a pregnant animal, you might say something like, “Do you see that tiger that is bigger than the rest of them? She's pregnant and going to have baby tigers!” Have a discussion about positive and healthy relationships. For children older than 6, this is also a good opportunity to start talking about relationships. Explain that some people are straight, while others might be gay or bisexual. Discuss what happens when someone is in a relationship, and what it means to be respectful while in a relationship. At this point, they might be “grossed out” by discussions about relationships and sex. It's still important to talk about it, and let them know that they once they're sexually mature, they can make a baby if they have sex. Remember to include information about contraception, STDs, and peer pressure in your conversation whenever it's appropriate. Let your child know that they have a right to their privacy and personal space. Assure them that their genitals are private parts and that sex is a personal experience. Clarify with small children that only their parents or doctor should see these parts when helping them get clean or doing a check-up. Remind them that no one should ever ask to touch their private parts or ask them to touch someone else's. You can explain this to a younger child by saying something like, “The vagina and penis are private parts, and no one should ever ask to touch yours or ask you to touch theirs. If someone does ask you that, you can tell me and I won't be mad.” Teach your child to get out of uncomfortable or scary situations by saying “No,” or “I have to leave.” Let them know that it's never wrong to say no to an adult if they're scared or uncomfortable. Reassure your child that they will never be in trouble for telling you about a “secret” that has to do with their body or private parts.

Stay calm and relaxed when the topic comes up. Defer to the child's parents if someone else's child asks you about babies. Consider why your child might be curious about babies. Ask them where they think babies might come from. Answer the question that your child is asking. Tailor your approach to be age-appropriate. Avoid using slang or euphemisms when talking about sex or sex organs. Give simple but honest answers to children under 5 years old. Use picture books to help you explain the topic to a younger child. Start talking about puberty when your child is between 6 and 12 years old. Let older children know that you're still there to answer their questions. Include information about reproduction in everyday examples. Have a discussion about positive and healthy relationships. Let your child know that they have a right to their privacy and personal space.

https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-a-Leather-Jacket

How to Wear a Leather Jacket

To wear a leather jacket, first choose a lighter top, like a thin t-shirt or blouse, to balance the bulkiness of the jacket. Pick a top in a solid color, going with white or black for a more classic look and brighter colors for a bolder style. Next, pick out a pair of slim-fitting pants, such as skinny jeans or chinos. Don't be afraid of colored pants, especially if your jacket is black or brown. Finally, pick shoes that match your jacket color. For example, black boots look great with a black leather jacket.

Wear a bomber jacket for warmth. Bomber leather jackets are waist-length with a soft lining. They tend to be the warmest variety of leather jacket. If you're wearing a leather jacket for a winter look, go for a bomber jacket. Bomber jackets are also more casual, so they can work great for a casual winter look. Use a motorcycle jacket for a bold style. If you want something a little bolder, opt for a motorcycle jacket. Motorcycle jackets have long lapels, a flared collar, and a zipper that runs at an angle. As it's associated with motorcycle riders, a motorcycle jacket tends to have a bolder look. Try a racer jacket for added color. Racer jackets are very snug jackets with a small collar or no collar at all. They tend to come in a variety of colors. If you want a leather jacket that's not just black or brown, a racer jacket works great. Racer jackets also work great if you want a slim-fitted jacket as these tend to cling to your body more. Opt for a cattleman jacket for a rural style. Cattleman jackets stretch down to the thighs and have flared sleeves. They're usually associated with farmers or ranchers. If you're going for a more blue collar, rural style, opt for a cattleman jacket. Go for a duster if you want a statement jacket. Dusters are very long leather jackets that stretch down past the knees. If you want a long jacket, a duster is a great choice. However, it can make for a very bold, noticeable look. If you want something more played down, it may be best to forego the duster. Dusters may work well if you're taller. Stick to lighter clothing underneath your jacket. Even slim-fitted leather jackets tend to be bulkier in nature, so go for lighter clothing under your jacket. Light shirts, blouses, and other tops work best when sporting a leather jacket. If you intend to wear your leather jacket unbuttoned, go for a t-shirt over something like a button-down shirt. Wear slimming pants. As leather jackets are bulky, they go best with slim fitting pants. Go for things like skinny jeans or jeans that are form-fitted. Baggier jeans will not look good with a leather jacket. For example, wear a pair of skinny jeans with a bomber jacket. Think about color, as well. For a brown or black jacket, add a splash of color with brightly colored slim-fitted pants. Select colors to match your jacket's style. If you're wearing a brown or black jacket, the neutral color will pair with most shades. You can wear a wide variety of different colors with a brown or black leather jacket. However, more dramatic leather jackets, like motorcycle jackets, look best with simple colors as the jacket is the main attraction of the look. If you're wearing a racer jacket in a bright color, make sure any other shades you wear match. Pair your jacket with formal attire. A leather jacket does not have to be worn with casual clothing. It can make a great accessory for a slimming dress or skirt. You can also wear it with a dress shirt and dress pants for a more formal occasion. A leather jacket can look great with a patterned dress, as it's a solid color. Try draping a leather jacket unbuttoned over a dress with an intricate pattern. A shorter leather jacket can look great with a blouse and skirt. A brown or black leather jacket can be worn over a button-down work top. Use a jacket as an alternative to a blazer for formal occasions. If you want to wear a leather jacket to a more formal occasion, try using it in place of a blazer. Throw a shorter leather jacket on over a sleeveless top in place of a conventional blazer. Opt for a thinner style of leather jacket if you're using one in place of a blazer to avoid a look that's too bulky. Choose footwear that matches your jacket color. Leather jackets can pair well with a variety of footwear. You can wear simple flats with a leather jacket or something like desert boots. Many people love wearing larger black boots with a leather jacket, especially when boots are worn over thin pant legs. Keep length in mind when choosing a belt. Conventionally, a belt should be visible when you zip up your leather jacket. If you chose to wear a belt, choose a jacket that's on the shorter side and falls above the waist. If you're wearing a longer jacket, it may be best of forego the belt. Wear a baseball cap for a sporty look. For a sportier leather jacket look, try wearing a baseball cap with your leather jacket. This works best for more casual occasions. A baseball cap looks great when paired with something casual, like a t-shirt, worn under a leather jacket. Add a scarf. Scarves are a versatile accessory that work great with a wide variety of outfits. If it's a chillier day, pair a scarf with your leather jacket. Pick a scarf with a neutral color or pattern, however, to avoid distracting too much from the leather jacket. For example, a simple black scarf could go great with a brightly colored racing jacket. Go for shorter, slimmer scarves over clunkier ones to avoid overwhelming the outfit.

Wear a bomber jacket for warmth. Use a motorcycle jacket for a bold style. Try a racer jacket for added color. Opt for a cattleman jacket for a rural style. Go for a duster if you want a statement jacket. Stick to lighter clothing underneath your jacket. Wear slimming pants. Select colors to match your jacket's style. Pair your jacket with formal attire. Use a jacket as an alternative to a blazer for formal occasions. Choose footwear that matches your jacket color. Keep length in mind when choosing a belt. Wear a baseball cap for a sporty look. Add a scarf.

https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Air-Jordans

How to Clean Air Jordans

Cleaning your Air Jordans is an important step in keeping them looking fresh, and all you need are a few household items. To do a light cleaning, brush off any loose dirt or dust with a toothbrush. Then, wipe down the soles with a cloth and warm water. For a deeper clean, wet a toothbrush in cold water mixed with a little dish soap and scrub away dirt and stains. Then, rinse off the soap with cold water. Avoid using hot water while cleaning since it can damage the material and glue on your shoes. Once you've rinsed your shoes, set them in front of a fan to dry. If your shoes are smelly, place a tablespoon of baking soda in a coffee filter, tie it with an elastic, then place it in your shoes for 24 hours to soak up odors.

Dislodge dirt and dust. Remove your Air Jordans and knock the soles together to remove any debris that might be lodged on them. Use a paper towel or shoe brush to remove visible fragments of dust and dirt on them. Use a toothbrush or small cloth to get dirt out of the shoes' creases and corners. Remove debris from your shoes outdoors, or over a covered or easy to clean surface. Wipe down the soles. Dampen a cloth or small sponge with warm water. Wipe down the upper and mid soles of your shoes to remove superficial marks or stains. For the mid soles, you can also use magic eraser cleaning pads for a brighter clean. Use sneaker cleaning wipes. Purchase cleaning wipes that are specially designed for sneakers for quick, on the go cleaning. Wipes can be used to remove surface stains from your shoes as soon as they occur. In a pinch, ordinary baby wipes can also be used to remove dirt or stains from your shoes. Find sneaker cleaning wipes in shoe stores, or online. Scrub them with cold water and dish soap. Using cold water, wet the bristles of a shoe brush (available in shoe stores or online) and add a few drops of dish washing liquid. Scrub your shoes all over, wetting the brush and reapplying soap when necessary. For hard to reach spots, use a toothbrush. Rinse off the soap with cold water. Rinse the soap off your shoes in the sink under a gentle stream of cool water. Avoid using hot water, which can damage the material and glue on your shoes. Shake excess water off of the shoes, squeeze the material, and pat the shoes down with a dry paper towel to remove excess water. Dry your shoes in front of a fan. Place your wet Air Jordans in front of an electric fan to dry. The wind movement will help to dry the shoes and prevent water damage. Do not use a blow dryer on your shoes or place them near a heat source, as heat can damage the glue that holds the shoes together. Put laces in the washing machine. To clean your shoelaces in the washing machine, choose a gentle, cold water setting. Remove the laces from your shoes and place them in a mesh laundry bag to keep them from tangling around the agitator. If you do not have a mesh bag, place your laces inside a pillowcase and tie it shut before placing it in the washing machine. Soak the laces. In a small bowl, mix warm water with approximately one tablespoon of detergent. Place the laces in the bowl, stir them around for approximately ten seconds, then let them soak for twenty minutes. Remove the laces, rinse them under warm water, and place them on a towel to air dry. Buy new laces. If your laces are too soiled and dirty to clean effectively, buy new ones at a shoe store, sports store, or online. Shoe laces naturally suffer a great deal of wear and tear and should be replaced if they become frayed or discolored. New laces are an excellent way to make your Air Jordans look clean and new. Use tea bags. To remove odor from your Air Jordans, place 3 teabags of your choice in each shoe and let them sit for 24 hours. The tea bags will draw out the moisture from your shoes that leads to odor-causing bacteria. Opt for a fresh flavor of tea (e.g. peppermint or lavender) for especially clean-smelling shoes. Spray them with a vinegar and water mixture. In a spray bottle, mix together equal parts water and white vinegar. Spray the inside of your Air Jordans. Place the shoes in front of an electric fan to dry. Use baking soda. Avoid sprinkling baking soda directly into your Air Jordans, as direct contact with baking soda can cause certain materials to become brittle. Pour a tablespoon of baking soda inside a coffee filter, dryer sheet, or piece of cloth and tie the bundle together with an elastic. Place one of these bundles inside each shoe for approximately 24 hours to freshen them. For heavy odors, place 2 or 3 baking soda bundles in each shoe to deodorize them.

Dislodge dirt and dust. Wipe down the soles. Use sneaker cleaning wipes. Scrub them with cold water and dish soap. Rinse off the soap with cold water. Dry your shoes in front of a fan. Put laces in the washing machine. Soak the laces. Buy new laces. Use tea bags. Spray them with a vinegar and water mixture. Use baking soda.

https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Rainbow-Sandals

How to Clean Rainbow Sandals

To clean your Rainbow sandals, wipe them with a damp cloth and warm soapy water in circular motions. For any tough dirt, scrub it with a soft-bristled brush or old toothbrush. Once you've finished cleaning your sandals, wipe up any moisture and soap with a clean paper towel, since soap residue can damage the leather. To get bad odors out of your sandals, try leaving them in the sun for a few days to air out. If that doesn't work, put them in a resealable bag with a half cup of baking soda. Shake the bag vigorously and leave them for a few days to let the baking soda absorb the smell.

Prepare some soapy water. You will want to use lukewarm water, as warm or hot water may damage the leather soles of your Rainbow sandals. Add a drop or two of dish soap and stir to combine. Wipe your shoes down with a damp cloth. Dip a corner of a clean rag into the soapy water, and squeeze it a bit to get rid of excess water. Gently dampen and wipe off dirty areas with small circular motions. If there are any particularly dirty areas that are too much for the wet cloth to handle, a soft bristled brush like an old toothbrush can come in handy. Take care only to rub hard enough to dislodge dirt, without damaging the leather. Dry them off. Using a clean paper towel, wipe off any dampness on your sandals. Make sure to do a thorough job, as soap residue can damage the leather. It's a good idea to let them air dry in the sun before you wear them again, just to be sure they have totally dried off. Leave them out in the sun. Before you move on to more involved methods, try taking a hiatus from wearing your Rainbow sandals, and just leave them to dry in the sun for a few days. If they are just beginning to smell, the ultraviolet rays and fresh air may be all they need. Even if it doesn't totally solve the problem, it's a good idea to make sure your sandals are totally dry before you try cleaning them. Use rubbing alcohol. Highly concentrated alcohol can help eliminate unwanted odors. Wet a couple paper towels with rubbing alcohol (they should be damp, but not soaking wet), and drape them over the parts of your sandals that come into contact with your feet. Let them sit for a couple hours, or until the paper towels dry out. Spritz them with vodka. Like rubbing alcohol, this can help neutralize bad smells. Put a little bit of vodka in a spray bottle, and mist your sandals with it. Let them air dry in the sun for several hours. Apply baking soda. This substance is highly effective at absorbing all sorts of unwanted odors. Put your Rainbow sandals in a 1 gallon (3.8 L) ziplock bag, and pour in a half cup of baking soda. Seal the bag and shake it vigorously, coating the sandals thoroughly. Leave them in there for a couple days before you remove them. It may take a little effort, but you should be able to get all the baking soda off your shoes by banging them together and wiping them off with a clean rag. Wash your feet thoroughly. Having clean feet will go a long way to ensuring that your Rainbow sandals stay clean and odor-free. Keep a bar of deodorizing soap in the shower, and use a washcloth to vigorously scrub your feet. Not only will this remove dirt and grime that can stain your sandals, but it will also slough off the dead skin cells that contribute to smelly shoes. Dry your feet off well. When you get out of the shower, don't stop drying yourself off when you get to your ankles. Do a thorough job of toweling off your feet, including between your toes, to discourage any fungi from setting up shop. If you have trouble with foot fungus, you may want to consider using a daily foot powder. Spray on some foot antiperspirant. This is a good idea if you have particularly sweaty feet. While foot powders absorb sweat, antiperspirants actually stop your feet from sweating to begin with. If you find yourself constantly sweating into your sandals, spraying some on in the morning could go a long way to keeping them cleaner. Give your feet some sun. Odor-causing fungus thrives in damp, dark areas, like the soles of your shoes. Try to spend some time every day barefoot, ideally outdoors, with your feet up and the sun shining on them. Just make sure you give your feet a good rinsing and drying off if they get dirty.

Prepare some soapy water. Wipe your shoes down with a damp cloth. Dry them off. Leave them out in the sun. Use rubbing alcohol. Spritz them with vodka. Apply baking soda. Wash your feet thoroughly. Dry your feet off well. Spray on some foot antiperspirant. Give your feet some sun.

https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Stained-Leather

How to Clean Stained Leather

To clean stained leather, start by identifying what caused the stain so that you can treat it effectively. If the stain is oil-based, rub cornstarch into the stain to lift it before vacuuming or brushing off the powder. You can use a cloth or sponge dampened with water to gently wipe away water-based stains from the surface. For ink stains, saturate a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and rub the spot gently to lift the stain.

Check your leather’s care instructions. The care instructions on your leather product will tell you if there are any cleaners you should avoid for your particular leather. It should also tell you the best water temperature to use when cleaning your leather. Dust the leather with a microfiber cloth. Before you apply any cleaning products to your leather, make sure you get all dirt or dust off of the surface. This is especially important for leather products that are outside a lot, like shoes or jackets. They tend to attract more dirt and dust than leather products that stay in your home. Dampen a clean cloth with water. Most leathers cannot handle a lot of water, so if you are going to use water, use it very, very sparingly. Dip a clean cloth into clear water, and then ring it out so that it's just barely damp. Rub the cloth over leather soap. Leather soap is also sometimes called saddle soap, and it can be used for removing general (or unidentifiable) stains from your leather. Simply rub your damp cloth over the leather soap. Buff the stains in your leather. Once you've got some leather soap on your damp cloth, rub the leather to create a lather. Don't rinse the soap off, as this can be damaging to your leather. Instead, continue to rub with your cloth to buff the leather to a shine. Pour corn starch onto the stain. You should do this as soon as possible after you've dripped oil onto your leather. This can include the oils you find in salads or the type of oil you find in your car. Rub the corn starch into the leather. Using your fingers, rub the corn starch into the stain. You should feel the corn starch warm up from the friction caused by rubbing. This should reactivate the oil and make it easier for the corn starch to soak up. Vacuum or brush off the powder. After you've worked the corn starch into the stain, brush off the excess with your fingers. If you're working on a large stain, you might need to use a vacuum. Repeat as necessary. Depending on how old the oil stain is, or how much oil there is, you might need to repeat these steps more than once to completely remove the oil. If you've repeated this procedure three or four times and still can't get the oil out, you might need to take your leather to a professional cleaner. Wipe the leather with a barely damp cloth. Once you've removed the oil stain from your leather, wipe it down with a barely damp cloth. This removes any corn starch residue. Fill a bowl with room temperature water. Overly cold or overly hot water can discolor your leather, so room temperature water is best. How much you need will depend on how large the leather product you're cleaning is, but you'll need enough to cover the entire product. Dip a soft sponge into the bowl. You should use a clean, soft sponge for this step. Dip into the bowl of room temperature water, and then ring it out to get it as dry as possible. The only way to remove water stains from leather is with more water, but you don't want to use too much and damage the leather. Dampen the leather. Work from the center of the water stain out, wiping your damp sponge across the surface of the leather. Don't scrub when you're doing this, as this can cause water damage to the leather. Work quickly. You'll want to wipe the entire surface of you leather with water as quickly as possible. If you allow one area to dry before the others, you might end up with a new water stain. Dip a cotton ball in pure rubbing alcohol. Dip a cotton ball into rubbing alcohol. Ring it out slightly – it shouldn't be dripping wet when you use it on your leather. If your stain is bigger than a few pen marks, you should use a clean dish cloth instead of cotton balls. Stains that large might also need professional attention. Rub the spot gently. Using minimal pressure, press the cotton ball over the ink stain and gently rub the spot. You can check every few seconds to see if it looks like the ink is coming out of the leather. Let the leather dry. Once you've rubbed the ink spot with rubbing alcohol, let the leather dry. Once it's dry, you'll be able to see whether the ink came completely out. If it didn't, repeat the procedure as necessary.

Check your leather’s care instructions. Dust the leather with a microfiber cloth. Dampen a clean cloth with water. Rub the cloth over leather soap. Buff the stains in your leather. Pour corn starch onto the stain. Rub the corn starch into the leather. Vacuum or brush off the powder. Repeat as necessary. Wipe the leather with a barely damp cloth. Fill a bowl with room temperature water. Dip a soft sponge into the bowl. Dampen the leather. Work quickly. Dip a cotton ball in pure rubbing alcohol. Rub the spot gently. Let the leather dry.

https://www.wikihow.com/Say-Common-Words-and-Phrases-in-Portuguese

How to Say Common Words and Phrases in Portuguese

To say common words and phrases in Portuguese, start by learning “Olá” which means hello. Alternatively, if you want to say hello to a friend, say “Oi.” To introduce yourself in Portuguese say “Me chamo,” which is pronounced “Mee sham-oh,” followed by your name. After introducing yourself, you can say “Como está?” pronounced like “Coh-moh esh-tah” to ask someone how they are. Some other common words you can learn are “Obrigado, which means thank you, and is pronounced like “Oh-bree-gah-dooh.” Additionally, if you want to say please, say “por favor,” pronounced like “pooh-r fah-voh-r.”

Learn to say “Hi! ” The perfect place to start greeting Portuguese is with greetings — learn these and you'll be able to say hello and goodbye to the Portuguese speakers you meet. Below are some of the most common words used for greetings: Hello: Olá ( oh-la ) Hi or Hey: Oi ( oy ) — informal Goodbye: Adeus ( ah-deuzh ) Bye: Tchau ( cha-oh ) — informal Note that some of these words are marked with the label "informal." In Portuguese, it can be considered rude to use informal language with people you don't know, people who are older than you, and people in positions of authority. These aren't curse words — just words that aren't very dignified. A good rule of thumb is: don't use informal words with people you aren't close buddies with. Learn to greet people at different times of the day. Just like English, there are many different ways to greet people in Portuguese. These greetings allow you to remark on the time of day when you say hello: Good morning: Bom dia ( Boh-n dih-ah or Boh-n djih-ah in Brazil) — actually means "good day," but it´s used mostly before noon or before the noon meal. Good afternoon: Boa tarde ( Boh-ah tahr-jia ) — used after noon or after the midday meal until twilight. Good evening or good night: Boa noite ( Boh-ah no-ee-tay ) — used from twilight until the morning. Learn to ask people how they are. Portuguese is no different than most other languages — after you say hello to someone, it's common to ask how they're doing. Use these easy phrases to ask about the people you meet: How are you?: Como está? ( Coh-moh esh-tah? or Coh-moh es-tah? in Brazil) How's it going?: Como vai? ("Coh-moh vye?" (rhymes with "eye")) — informal What's up? (Only in Brazil) : E aí? ( E-aye (pronounced as one syllable)) — informal Is all well?: Tudo bem? ("Too-doo beng?") — informal Learn to introduce yourself. Once you ask someone how they're doing, odds are that, at the very least, they'll ask the same to you. Use these responses to tell people who you are and how you're doing: Well / very well: Bem / muito bem ( Baing / moo-ee-toh baing ) Bad / very bad: Mal / muito mal ( Mao / moo-ee-toh mao ) More or less / so-so: Mais ou menos ( Ma-eece oh meh-nos ) My name is...: Me chamo [your name] ( Mee sham-oh ) Nice to meet you: Prazer em conhecê-lo/a ( Prazh-air eh con-yo-see-lo/la ) Note that conhecê-lo/a can end with either an o or an a. In these cases, when you're talking to a man, use o , and when you're talking to a woman, use a. We'll see this several more times in this article. Learn to talk about language. As a newcomer to the Portuguese language, you'll probably find yourself struggling to communicate from time to time. Don't worry — no one learns a new language overnight. Use these handy phrases to explain your situation: I don't speak Portuguese - Não falo Português - ( Nah-oom fah-looh poor-too-gess ) I speak English: Falo Inglês ( Fah-looh inn-glesh ) Do you speak English?: Fala inglês? ( Fah-lah inn-gless ) — formal Do you speak English?: Você fala inglês? ( Voh-say fah-lah inn-gless ) — informal I don't understand: Não percebo ( Nah-oo pehr-say-boo ) Could you repeat that?: Pode repetir? ( Poh-day reh-peh-teer ) Learn social courtesies. Learning how to be polite in Portuguese is very important — you certainly don't want to tarnish your native country's reputation by accidentally being rude. Use these words and sayings to make sure you stay in the good graces of the people you talk to: Please: Por favor ( Pooh-r fah-voh-r ) Thank you: Obrigado/a ( Oh-bree-gah-dooh/dah ) — use the male form if you are male and the female form if you are female. Obrigado is the male form, and obrigada the female form. You're welcome: De nada ( Dee nah-dah ) — informal You're welcome: Não tem de quê ( Nah-oomm tah-eehm the queh ) — formal I'm sorry: Desculpe ( Desh-cool-pee ) Learn to ask about other people (and respond. ) Knowing how to ask a few basic questions about the Portuguese-speakers you meet will go a long way towards making you new friends. Use these questions and responses to have a very basic conversation: What is your name?: Como o/a senhor/a se chama? ( coh-moh sen-your/-ah se shahm-ah )— formal. Note that, in this case, the male form of senhor has no "o" ending. What's your name?: Qual é o seu nome? ( Coh eh-oh seh-oh no-mee ) — informal My name is...: Me chamo [your name] ( Mee sham-oh ) Where are you from?: De onde o/a senhor/a é? ( Djee own-djah oh/ah sen-your/ah eh ) Where are you from?: De onde você é? ( Djee own-djah voh-say eh )— informal I'm from...: Eu sou de [your hometown] ( Ee-oh so-oo djee ) What's happening / what's going on?: O que aconteceu? ( Oo key ah-cone-teh-see-oo ) Learn to ask for help. Not every adventure goes as planned. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to ask for help from a Portugeuese-speaking person, you'll be glad to know these life-savers: What time is it?: Que horas são? ( Queh o-rah-sh sah-oomm ) I'm lost: Estou perdido ( Esh-toe per-dee-doo / Es-toe per-djee-doo (in Brazil)) Can you help me, please?: Pode ajudar-me, por favor? ( Po-deh azhu-dar-meh, por-fah-vor? ) Help me!: Socorro! ( Soh-coh-hoh! ) — used if you are in danger Learn to ask general questions. Questions are an important part of everyday communication — they allow us to get information about the world around us. Learning the following question words will help you learn the details of every situation you find yourself in: Who?: Quem? ( Cang? ) What?: O que? ( Ooh kee? ) When?: Quando? ( Quan-doo? ) Where?: Onde? ( Own-djee? ) Which?: Qual? ( Quah-ooh? ) Why?: Porquê? ( Poohr-queh ) Because: Porque ( Poohr-queh ) How much?: Quanto? ( Kwan-toh ) How much does this cost?: Quanto custa? ( Kwan-toh coos-tah? ) Learn the names for specific types of people. Use the words below to describe the various people in your own life and others': Father: Pai ( pa-ee ) Mother: Mãe ( ma-ee ) — formal Mom/Mum: Mamãe ( muh-ma-ee ) — informal Man: Homem ( O-men ) Woman: Mulher ( Mooh-lyehr ) Friend: Amigo/a ( Ah-mee-goh/gah ) Girlfriend: Namorada ( Nah-mooh-rah-dah ) Boyfriend: Namorado ( Nah-mooh-rah-dooh ) Learn formal titles. In Portuguese, it's custom to call older people or people in positions of authority by their formal titles as a show of respect. While these formalities are usually dropped once two people become close friends, this can take some time, so as a rule of thumb, don't call people by their first names until invited. Mister: Senhor ( Sen-your ) — this can also be used as a formal "you" Misses: Senhora ( Sen-your-ah ) — this can be used as a formal "you" for women Miss: Senhorita ( Sen-your-ee-tah ) — used for young women (usually unmarried) Lady / madam / ma'am: Dona ( Do-nah ) — a formal title for women Doctor: Dotour/a ( Doo-tohr/-ah ) — used for people with degrees beyond a bachelor's; not necessarily medical doctors. Professor: Professor/a ( pro-fess-or/-ah ) — used for people with a PhD; not necessarily college educators. Learn the names for common animals. Knowing animal names in Portuguese can be surprisingly useful, especially if you make a trip to the rainforests of Brazil or Angola. Below, you can find the words for some common animals you may see: Dog: Cão ( Cah-oohm ) Dog (only in Brazil) : Cachorro ( Cah-sho-hoo ) Cat: Gato ( Gah-tooh ) Bird: Pássaro ( Pah-sah-row ) Fish: Peixe ( Pay-shay ) Monkey: Macaco ( Mah-cah-coh ) Lizard: Lagarto ( Lah-gar-toh ) Bug: Percevejo ( Pair-sair-ve-zhoh ) Spider: Aranha ( Ah-rah-nyah ) Learn the parts of your body. Knowing how to describe the different parts of your body is a must if you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being hurt or injured in a foreign country. Use these words to talk about your body: Head: Cabeça ( Cah-beh-sah ) Arm: Braço ( Brah-so ) Leg: Perna ( Pair-nah ) Hand: Mão ( Mah-oohm") Foot: Pé ( Peh ) Finger - Dedo - Deh-dooh Toe - Dedo (same as finger) — can also say "Dedo do pé" ( Deh-dooh dooh peh ), literally "finger of the foot." Eyes: Olhos ( Ole-yus ) Mouth: Boca ( Boh-cah ) Nose: Nariz ( Nah-reese ) Ears: Orelhas ( Oh-rel-yase ) Learn to describe problems with your body. As noted above, being sick or injured in a foreign country is not very fun. Make your problems easier by learning these words for talking about how you aren't feeling well: I am hurt: Estou magoado ( Ees-toh mah-goo-ah-doo ) My [body part] is broken: Meu [body part] está quebrado ( May-oh brah-so es-tah kay-brah-doh ) I am bleeding: Eu estou sangrando ( Eh-oh ees-toh san-grand-oh ) I feel bad: Me sinto mal ( Mee seen-toh ma-oo ) I feel sick: Sinto-me doente ( Seen-toh-may doo-en-tee ) I have a fever: Estou com febre ( Ees-toh cohn feb-ray ) I have a cough: Estou com tosse ( Ees-toh cohn tohs-ay ) I can't breathe: Eu não posso respirar ( Eh-oh nah-oo po-so ray-spee-rar ) Doctor!: Médico! ( Meh-jee-coh ) Learn slang! Now that you've learned a good collection of Portuguese words and phrases, broaden your horizons by practicing some practical slang. Portuguese speakers in the real world don't use the sort of plain, dry language you'd find in a textbook. Each Portuguese-speaking country and region has its own slang words, colloquialisms, and sayings that speakers use to spice up their language. Below are just a few of the most common slang words (all of these are very informal. ) Cool! (Only in Europe and Africa) : Fixe ( Feesh ) Cool! (Only in Brazil) : Legal ( Lay-gah-oo ) Wow!: Nossa ( Nos-ah ) Gosh!: Puxa / Puxa vida ( Poo-sha / Poo-sha vee-dah ) Shut up!: Cale-se! / Cala a boca! ( Cah-lee say / cah la boh-ca ) What's up?: Beleza? ( Beh-leh-zah ) Girl/boy buddy or mate: Parceira/o ( Par-say-rah ) Hot or attractive girl/boy: Gatinha/o ( Gah-cheen-yah/yoh ) Money, cash: Grana ( Gran-ah ) Foreigner: Gringo ( Green-go )

Learn to say “Hi! Learn to greet people at different times of the day. Learn to ask people how they are. Learn to introduce yourself. Learn to talk about language. Learn social courtesies. Learn to ask about other people (and respond. Learn to ask for help. Learn to ask general questions. Learn the names for specific types of people. Learn formal titles. Learn the names for common animals. Learn the parts of your body. Learn to describe problems with your body. Learn slang!

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Tachymeter

How to Use a Tachymeter

To use a tachymeter to measure speed, start by finding the start of the tachymeter scale at the 6, 7, or 9 second mark. Before you measure an object's speed, find 2 reference points or markers for the start and end of the distance. For example, if you're on the highway and measuring your vehicle speed, use the kilometer markers on exit signs as your markers. When you pass the first marker, start the chronograph by pressing the button at the 2 o'clock position. Press the button again to stop the chronograph once you pass the second marker. Finally, follow the chronograph's hand to the tachymeter scale to find your speed measurement. For instance, if the hand traveled to the 45-second mark, it will align with the 80 on the tachymeter, so the object was traveling at either 80 miles or kilometers per hour.

Locate the start of the tachymeter scale at the 6-, 7-, or 9-second mark. Often, the tachymeter scale starts at the 7-second mark, which is at 500 units of speed. On other models, the scale either starts at 6 seconds and 600 units of speed or 9 seconds at 400 units of speed. You can also find the tachymeter scale on the bezel—the groove that holds the watch's cover in place – or just outside of the clock face. Take note of the number "60," which is the final number of the scale regardless of the tachymeter. For example, regardless of whether your tachymeter starts at the 6-second mark at 600 units of speed or the 7-second mark at 500 units of speed, the final number is 60 units of speed at the start of the clock. Determine the unit of the speed measurement and its markers. Before you measure an object's speed with a tachymeter, you need to decide what unit of measurement you're using: miles or kilometers. After this, you need to make sure you can accurately determine 1 unit of this distance. For example, if you're measuring the speed of a car across 1 kilometer, make sure you have 2 reference points or markers for the start and end of this distance. If you're driving down the highway and measuring your vehicle speed, many highways across the world have kilometer markers on exit signs—use these as your markers. Start the chronograph once the object passes the first marker. The chronograph is an analog stopwatch that uses either its own hand or the seconds hand of the clock. Once the object you're measuring moves past the first marker, start the chronograph by pressing the button located at the 2 o'clock position of the watch. If you need to reset your chronograph to 0, press the button located at the 4 o'clock position. Stop the chronograph once the object passes the second marker. After the object passes the second marker, stop the chronograph by pressing the button at the 2 o'clock position again. If you're having trouble starting and stopping your chronograph, take a look at the owner's manual. If you don't have one, check your watch manufacturer's website and look for a PDF copy of your model's instructions. Determine speed by the tachymeter scale value at the chronograph hand. After stopping the chronograph, follow its hand to the tachymeter scale to obtain your speed measurement. For example, if the hand traveled to the 45-second mark, the hand aligns with 80 on the tachymeter. This means the object was traveling either 80 miles per hour or 80 kilometers per hour. Remember that the tachymeter can only measure speeds of 60 units (miles per hour or kilometers per hour) or over. Find your watch's tachymeter scale at the 6-, 7-, or 9-second mark. Most tachymeter scales start at the 7-second mark, which is 500 units of speed on the scale. Others start at 6 seconds and 600 units of speed or 9 seconds and 400 units of speed. The tachymeter scale is also located along the bezel, which is the groove that holds the watch cover. On some watches, it's also located just outside of the clock face. Be sure to note the number "60," which is the final number on all tachymeter scales Drive at a constant speed of at least 60 kilometers or miles per hour. Tachymeters don't run less than 60, meaning you can't measure distance if you're traveling less than 60 kilometers or miles per hour. For example, if you're driving on the highway at a constant speed, note your speed on the dashboard in either kilometers or miles per hour. Start the chronograph to begin measuring your distance. The chronograph is a stopwatch for analog watches that uses either its own hand or the seconds hand. On most watches, it can be started and stopped by pressing the button at the 2 o'clock position on the watch. If you're measuring distance, you don't need two markers—all you need to do is travel a constant speed. Once you start the chronograph, all you need to do is wait until the chronograph hand hits the tachymeter value equal to your speed. Always remember to reset your chronograph before using it. This is typically accomplished by hitting the button at the 4 o'clock position on your watch. Determine distance when the chronograph hand hits the tachymeter value equal to your speed. Once the chronograph hand reaches the value equal to your speed, you have traveled 1 unit of distance. For example, if your speed is 75 kilometers an hour, you have driven 1 kilometer once the chronograph hand hits the tachymeter value of 75. If you're driving 70 miles an hour, you've driven 1 mile when your chronograph hand hits 70. If you're not traveling at least 60 units of speed, the tachymeter won't be able to give you a distance reading without additional calculations. Multiply your initial speed by 2 if you're traveling less than 60 units of speed. Since the tachymeter runs until 60, lower speeds can't be directly measured. To measure them, you must start by multiplying your speed by 2. For example, if you're traveling 40 kilometers per hour, 40 x 2 is 80. Remember that your speed must remain constant when measuring distance with a tachymeter. Divide the final tachymeter distance reading by 2. When you're calculating distance traveled at less than 60 units of speed, the initial speed is always doubled. This means you must always divide the final answer by two for the speed measurement. Be sure that you multiplied the initial speed by 2 if you're dividing the final speed reading. Consider the previous example: you're traveling 40 kilometers an hour. If you double this number you get 80, which means you've traveled 1 kilometer when the chronograph hand hits 80. Now, divide 80 by 2 and the answer is 40. This means that you have traveled 40 kilometers.

Locate the start of the tachymeter scale at the 6-, 7-, or 9-second mark. Determine the unit of the speed measurement and its markers. Start the chronograph once the object passes the first marker. Stop the chronograph once the object passes the second marker. Determine speed by the tachymeter scale value at the chronograph hand. Find your watch's tachymeter scale at the 6-, 7-, or 9-second mark. Drive at a constant speed of at least 60 kilometers or miles per hour. Start the chronograph to begin measuring your distance. Determine distance when the chronograph hand hits the tachymeter value equal to your speed. Multiply your initial speed by 2 if you're traveling less than 60 units of speed. Divide the final tachymeter distance reading by 2.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Guy-That-Likes-You-to-Ask-You-Out

How to Get a Guy That Likes You to Ask You Out

It can be nervewracking waiting on a guy to ask you out, but if you make it clear you're interested, he'll feel more confident about making the first move. You already know he likes you, so don't be afraid to walk right up to him and start a conversation. Confidence is a turn on, so try to stand up straight, smile, and make direct eye contact. You can also flatter him a bit to make it clear you like him. Once you've broken the ice, try dropping some hints that you want to be asked out. For instance, you could subtly let him know that you're not seeing anyone. Or, you could mention that there's a new movie you've been wanting to watch to see if he asks you. If he still doesn't ask you out, try inviting him to hang out with you and a group of friends. This will give you more time to spend together without the pressure of a one-on-one date.

Have confidence. If you already know this guy likes you, it's just a matter of getting him to ask you out! Don't be too clingy. Let this knowledge give you confidence. Embrace the strong, beautiful woman that you are and show this guy why he would be a fool to pass up the chance to ask you out! Walk right up to him and start a conversation. Stand up straight, make eye contact. Voice your opinions. Guys love confident girls. Overconfidence, on the other hand, is not an attractive quality. Be careful not to overdo it. Be witty. Displaying good wit demonstrates that you are intelligent and that you have a sense of humor, two things that many guys look for in a girl. If he finds you funny, he'll enjoy talking to you more and look forward to spending time with you. So if you can make him laugh, you're on to a winner. Be able to laugh at yourself. This shows that you're easy-going and that you don't take yourself too seriously. Go easy on the sarcasm and don't make jokes at the expense of other people. Accentuate your best features. There's no point in denying it, physical attraction is a huge factor in any potential romance. With this in mind, take care to accentuate your best features. Don't be too modest. Everybody has something they like about themselves. Play it up! Great smile? Flash those pearly whites! Bangin' curves? Use a belt to accentuate your waist. Beautiful eyes? The right eyeshadow can make the color pop! Find your best feature and work it, girl. Don't go overboard. A full face of make-up, uncomfortably tight clothes or vertigo-inducing heels may have the opposite of the desired effect, especially if that's not your normal look. Stick to what works for you and gives you confidence. Compliment him. Newsflash! Guys like to be complimented just as much as girls do. Flattering him with a genuine compliment will achieve two things: it will not-so-subtly let him know that you're interested, while also giving him the warm and fuzzies, which will make him like you even more. Not sure what to say? Tell him he has a cute smile or a great haircut. If he plays an instrument, compliment him on his musical abilities. If he's on a sports team, tell him you watched a game and were impressed by how well he played. Keep the compliment simple and sincere and he'll really appreciate it, and take the hint. Find some common ground. One of the major things that discourages a guy from asking you out in the first place is the fear that the two of you will have nothing in common and nothing to talk about. Show him that this couldn't be further than the truth. Ask him about his interests and hobbies, his family, his plans for the future - anything you could potentially bond over. Don't fake an interest in something just to keep him happy. Pretending that you're an excellent bass player or that you love horror movies has the potential to backfire horribly once he invites you to jam with his band or accompany him to the latest Saw movie. Even if you don't know anything about sailing or you're a terrible mini-golfer, all you need to do is show some interest and let him know that you're eager to learn. It might even give him an idea for your first date! Listen to him. Everybody likes a good listener, including your guy. Show him that you're interested in what he has to say. He'll be flattered by your attention and you'll also get to know him a little better. Let him talk and don't interrupt or talk too much and ask a lot of questions. Many girls make the mistake of telling the guys they like about every tiny detail of their lives. Avoid doing this at all costs, you'll either overwhelm him, bore him, or scare him away. Maintain an air of mystery and listen more than you talk. Stay engaged in the conversation, even if he's doing most of the talking. Ask thoughtful and stimulating questions. Maintain eye contact, smile, nod your head and use appropriate hand gestures to indicate interest and agreement. Play the damsel in distress. If you're feeling mischievous, try playing the damsel in distress. Guys can't resist helping a girl in need. Ask for help reaching something on a high shelf, or for advice on where to service your car. Then thank them and flash your most winsome smile. Works like a charm. Don't play this card too often. Ask for too many favors and his patience will soon wear thin, along with his affections. Don't play dumb. It's fine to ask for help when you need it, but don't intentionally act dumb just to have an excuse to ask. Remember: guys like smart girls, or at least the ones worth dating do. Be yourself. You've heard this little nugget of advice many times before, but that doesn't make it any less true. If you're to have any chance of a future together, this guy needs to like you for you - the real you, that is. Don't pretend to be someone you're not. Hang out with the people you usually do, dress the way you normally would, stay true to your opinions and beliefs. Let your winning personality speak for itself. If you are acting when you are around him, then your whole relationship will be fake, and you will eventually get tired of acting. Be you! Chances are, he will love your personality! Let him know you're available. Subtly let him know that you're not seeing anybody at the moment, but that you're open to the possibility. The one thing stronger than a guy's desire to ask a girl out is his fear of rejection. If you can relieve that fear then there will be nothing standing in his way. So make it clear that you'd say yes to him if he asked. Send clear signals. Everyone knows that guys can be a little slow at reading the signs. So even if you feel like you've been sending out all the right signals, it might be time to up the ante a little. Smile at him, laugh at his jokes, touch his arm when you talk to him, sit close to him when possible - he should soon realize that he's the only one receiving such special attention. Don't underestimate the power of body language! When you're around him, keep your body language open. Crossing your arms makes you seem unapproachable and closed off. If you don't know what to do with your hands, order a drink, or rest them on your lap. Try not to fidget. Make lots of eye contact. If you're looking anywhere but at him while he's talking to you, you'll seem disinterested. Looking him straight in the eye and you'll appear confident and open. Invite him to join you. If you have plans to hang out with friends or to go to a party over the weekend, invite him to come along. With any luck, the two of you will spend the whole time together. It's not exactly a date, but it'll give you the opportunity to get to know one another a little better in a no-pressure environment. Get friends involved. A trustworthy friend can be used to your advantage here. She can do some undercover digging and make comments or ask questions that you would feel uncomfortable with. Ask her to talk to his friends and playfully inquire about when he's going to ask you on a date. Get her to comment on what a good couple the two of you would make, in front of a group of people. It might be a little embarrassing at the time, but it will plant the idea in his brain. Just make sure that you can count on her to be discreet. Otherwise, using a friend to do your dirty work can seem immature. Stalk him (just a little). Find out where he likes to hang out in the evenings, what his favorite coffee place is or where he goes to the gym. Then, if you happen to "accidentally" bump in to one another, you can strike up a conversation. Remember, this tactic is to be used only once or twice. If you do it more often than that, he'll figure out that you're stalking him and you'll look like a creep. Drop hints. If he still hasn't worked up the courage to ask you out on a date, it might be time to take the initiative and give him a ready-made opportunity. Mention that there's a new bar in town that you'd be interested in checking out, or a new sci-fi film that you're dying to see. Hopefully he'll see his chance and offer to go with you. It's not the most romantic of proposals, but you'll still get your date! Ask him out. If you're tired of waiting around for this guy to summon up the nerve to ask you out, take matters into your own hands. This is the 21st Century after all. He'll be impressed by your confidence and won't be able to resist saying yes! Don't get friend-zoned. Nothing spells death for a potential romance like getting put in the friend-zone. Sure, you want to be the cool girl who he can talk to and have a laugh with, but you don't want to become like "one of the guys." Show off your feminine side a little and make it clear, through words and body language, that you want to be more than friends. Don't be obsessive. Letting him know that you're interested is perfectly fine, but don't take it to an extreme level. Showing up wherever he goes, hanging on his every word and bombarding him with calls and text messages is not the way to go. Maintain an air of mystery and always leave him wanting more. Don't be fake. Never try to be someone you're not, just to get a guy's attention. You won't be able to keep it up, and if the girl he goes on his third date with is completely different from the girl he asked out, he'll be more than a little confused. If he doesn't like the real you, then he's not worth your attention anyway. Be patient. Some guys are just as afraid of being rejected or getting their feelings hurt as girls are. Give the guy some time to build up his courage. Let him get to know you and see what a great person you are, he'll soon find his way. Don't be afraid of rejection. Maybe you're afraid that you misread the signs or that he'll change his mind once he gets to know you better. Try not to think this way. If you get the feeling that he likes you, then chances are you're right. Be positive - this could be the start of something beautiful!

Have confidence. Be witty. Accentuate your best features. Compliment him. Find some common ground. Listen to him. Play the damsel in distress. Be yourself. Let him know you're available. Send clear signals. Invite him to join you. Get friends involved. Stalk him (just a little). Drop hints. Ask him out. Don't get friend-zoned. Don't be obsessive. Don't be fake. Be patient. Don't be afraid of rejection.

https://www.wikihow.com/Face-Confusing-Thoughts

How to Face Confusing Thoughts

While confusing or disturbing thoughts can make you feel anxious, taking the time to face them and better understand them can give you a fresh perspective. One way to more objectively view your thoughts is to write them down. Seeing your thoughts in writing can help separate them from your more immediate emotional reactions. When you see your thoughts in writing, try viewing them without judgment by asking yourself what advice you'd give to a friend. This can be helpful since you would likely talk to a friend with a bit more logic and kindness than you might talk to yourself. You can also think about the consequences of your thoughts if they lead to actions. For example, ask yourself “If I do X, what may happen,” or “If I do not do X, what may happen?” Another way to sort through your thoughts is to talk to a trusted friend, family member, or professional. If possible, talk to someone who has gone through a similar situation.

Get some exercise. Exercise reduces anxiety and stimulates your brain to create memories. Exercise will increase your ability to focus and keep your mind on the task at hand. Do any exercise you enjoy that gets your heart rate up and causes you to sweat. Just 30 minutes of exercise can improve your ability to solve problems. Practice self affirmations. A brief self-affirmation exercise reduces stress and improves your ability to solve your problems. Write down the values (e.g. family and friends, business, money, independence, creativity, music, politics, religious values, humor, kindness, etc.) that are most important to you. Then write about why the value(s) you chose are important and a specific time they were important. This exercise gives you the opportunity to broaden your perspective and realize what is really important to you. A broadened perspective will help you feel less overwhelmed by your confusing thoughts and may help you identify a way to make a decision. Take a mental vacation. Taking 20 minutes to relax your mind can give you new ideas. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Breathe deeply and think about a relaxing moment that you have experienced. Use all your senses as you go to this relaxing place. It may help to tell yourself, "I'm going on vacation." When you're taking a mental vacation, allow yourself to feel whatever emotions you begin to have. Don't try to push anything away. Do progressive muscle relaxation. When your mind is racing, you need to calm your thoughts and refocus. Progressive muscle relaxation is an effective strategy to do this. Go to a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. Tense each muscle group for 5 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat and then move to the next muscle group. Start at your toes and work your way up. Do not forget to breathe as you do this exercise. Breathe deeply. Taking deep breaths from your diaphragm triggers your body to relax. Sit upright with your back straight. Slowly inhale and fill your belly with air. Hold your breath for 4 seconds, and slowly exhale for 4 seconds. Repeat the cycle a total of 5 times. Write them down. Moving your thoughts from your head to a piece of paper will help you view them more objectively. Do not edit your thoughts as you write them down or make any judgments about what you are writing. Be honest with yourself as you write. Writing helps remove mental blocks and frees up the creative part of your brain. Do not worry about spelling, punctuation, or grammar as you are writing. Try to sit and write for 20 minutes. Study the thought objectively. Treat the thoughts as opinions instead of facts. This is important as you may feel like something is true even when it is not. Remember that your thoughts are your perception of what is going on not necessarily what is actually happening. Begin to consider alternate perspectives. If your thoughts are around a specific decision or problem, ask yourself what would your friend do to solve the problem or what advice you would give someone who is having that same problem. It is okay to have negative thoughts throughout this process. Do not feel pressure to only think positively. The goal is to allow your mind to be flexible and creative. Clarify your thoughts. Begin the process to sort through your thoughts. State one point, elaborate on the point, and then connect that thought to your life experiences. Start by saying, "I think..." then "In other words..." and finish with "For example..." If you are comfortable, you can speak to another person as you do this. Explaining your understanding of an issue to someone else is a good way to clarify your thoughts. Writing this down or speaking out loud to yourself may make the process easier. Check the facts. Gather the information you need to make sense of your thoughts. Ask yourself some of these questions: What do I need to answer the question or solve the confusion?; On what information am I basing my thoughts?; How do I know this information is accurate?; Is there any information that I left out that I should consider?; What information is relevant to the issue at hand? Always consider the source of the information. If it is not reliable or based on someone else's opinion, you might not want to consider it. Focusing on the facts can keep you from relying on your emotions alone. Consider your assumptions. Our thoughts are often based on beliefs that we may not initially recognize. Your assumptions are usually at the subconscious or unconscious level. It is important to examine the assumptions that are fueling your thoughts. Ask yourself some questions to help uncover them. You can answer these questions in your head, write them down, or talk through them with someone that you trust. What assumption has brought me to this conclusion? Am I assuming something that I should not? Think about the consequences. Your thoughts will probably lead to an action. There are different outcomes and consequences based on the decisions that you make. Thinking of these in advance can help you make a choice you are comfortable with. You can discuss these questions in your head, write them down, or talk through them with someone that you trust. If I do X, what may happen? If I do not do X, what may happen? What things are most likely to happen based on my decision? Avoid thinking traps. Everyone falls into thinking traps at times. You can not always prevent the fall, but you can recognize when you are in one and make adjustments. Common traps include jumping to conclusions, looking at the worst-case scenario, treating your feelings as facts, or thinking in black and white terms only. If you find yourself falling into these traps, disregard those thoughts after you identify them. Tell yourself that they are not helpful and let them go. When you jump to conclusions, you predict what is going to happen without any evidence or facts. You might think, "I'm not going to that party because I know I will not have a good time." Worst-case scenario is when you exaggerate how bad something will turn out. You might think, "I am going to flunk out of school because I did not finish my homework." If you think in black and white terms, your only options are very extreme. For example, "If I don't figure out what to do, my life will be ruined." When you treat your feelings as fact, you may think, "I feel unsure of myself, I'm not capable of making any good decisions." Talk to someone else. Speak with a trusted friend or even a professional to help you sort through your thoughts. If possible, speak to someone who has gone through the same experience as you.Hearing about another person's experience has been shown to provide greater insight than thinking of the outcomes on your own. Another person may be able to give you ideas that you did not consider on your own or just be a listening ear. If you are struggling with confusing thoughts, you might want to speak to a licensed mental health professional who can help you work through problems in a safe and constructive manner. Take a break. Go for a walk, cook, or do some other activity that requires you to fully engage your mind. While you are occupied, your brain will unconsciously continue to work on your problems. Once you return to your problem, you may have a different perspective or new ways about how to handle your situation. Go outside. Spending time in nature can increase your creativity. Leave your phone, electronics, and any other technology behind. Spending time in nature restores the part of your brain responsible for reasoning, problem solving, and task management.

Get some exercise. Practice self affirmations. Take a mental vacation. Do progressive muscle relaxation. Breathe deeply. Write them down. Study the thought objectively. Clarify your thoughts. Check the facts. Consider your assumptions. Think about the consequences. Avoid thinking traps. Talk to someone else. Take a break. Go outside.

https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Fish-Hatchery

How to Start a Fish Hatchery

To start a fish hatchery, first choose a kind of fish to raise that will be easily accessible in your area and able to survive in your climate without expensive heating and cooling systems. If you're looking for an easy, profitable fish to raise, tilapia are a good choice. Then, once you've settled on a type of fish, you'll need to obtain any necessary permits and licenses according to the law in your area. After that, you can start building ponds or containers to raise your fish in.

Determine the purpose of your hatchery. There are all sorts of different types of hatcheries that raise different types of fish for different purposes. In order to move forward on your intention to start a hatchery, there are some determinations you need to know up front. Most simply, know what type of fish you will raise – and why – in order to start setting up your hatchery or writing a business plan. In particular, consider the following, and have concrete answers to each before moving forward. What are you going to do with all the fish? Will you raise fish destined to be food, pets, or simply pond ornaments? Do you intend to take the backyard approach and build a custom fishing hole for you and your friends, or are you looking to build a business empire based on the for-profit production of the finest fish on the global market? Decide what specific type of fish you want to raise. The type of fish you raise will be determined in part by the type of hatchery you hope to start. While the system you hope to build may influence your decision about what fish you will raise, there are several factors to consider about your options regarding the fish themselves. Once you're leaning towards a certain type of fish, contact hatcheries that raise that type to see about the viability of going through with stocking your hatchery. Recognize that the costs associated with raising different types of fish will vary widely, for all sorts of reasons – including the amount of management different species require and the cost of the food they eat. Also consider the climate in which you will be operating your hatchery. Certain fish need certain temperature water to live in. If possible, you may want to avoid costs associated with heating or cooling water, which can be substantial. Take the easy route with Tilapia. Tilapia are some of the easiest fish to raise, and are eaten around the world. As such, they are among the most profitable types of fish to raise. They are hardy enough to tolerate different water conditions, including low oxygen and high ammonia, and are even more resistant to illness than many other fish. Tilapia need to be raised in water as close as possible to 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). They will survive in water from 64-90 F (18-32 C), but will die if the water drops to 50 degrees. While there are many different types of tilapia, Bava, Blue, and Nile tilapia are the most appropriate for backyard and commercial hatcheries. Catch yourself a catfish hatchery. Catfish are increasingly popular in people's cuisine, and they're some of the tougher fish there are in terms of resistance to disease and parasites. They also grow quite quickly. Channel catfish are one of the most popular – and profitable – choices for backyard farming, and there are several types to choose from. Recommended water temperatures for raising catfish vary based on the season and age of the fish. A such, catfish are commonly raised in outdoor ponds. Specifically, channel catfish fingerlings need to be stocked when water temperatures are between 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit (18-20 C). As catfish, they will grow more quickly in water between 83-86 degrees Fahrenheit (28-30 C). Build a bass hatchery. Bass is unique in that many people actually prefer the taste of farmed bass to wild bass. Raising bass is most feasible in larger, well-circulated systems. Bass fingerlings, however, are more sensitive than many other young fish, and require strict nutritional supply, gentle handling, and even particular amounts of light. Raising bass may require extra holding tanks, as different sized individuals need to be stored separately. Bass prefer water as close as possible to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), but can survive in water ranging from 65-85 F (18-29 C). Consider raising trout, salmon, or perch. Trout and salmon are especially popular for human consumption, but they require more specific conditions than the other fish mentioned in this article. When raised at sustainable, well-run operations, these types of fish can be reliably profitable options. Yellow perch is popular in some markets too, though perch does not have the global popularity of trout and salmon. All three can grow to harvestable size in only one season. Trout and salmon can be raised together, providing some variety in your production. Keep water in which you're raising trout and salmon between 55 and 60 F (13-16 C). If you're only raising trout, water can be a bit warmer, but monitor oxygen levels more closely. Rainbow and brook trout are particularly popular, as are coho and Atlantic salmon. Get the necessary permits and licensing. Before beginning construction of a hatchery of any size or type, account for the law in your area. There are lots and lots of laws about raising animals, and even more about raising animals to be consumed as food. Further, the ways in which your hatchery may effect the surrounding land or water need to be addressed before you move forward with starting a hatchery. Depending on the type, size, and location of your hatchery, the paperwork will vary – but count on there being a lot of it. If planning to operate a production hatchery, you'll need to get a business license as well. Then there's the whole other side of the law – and a whole new stack of paperwork. Grow a niche type of pet fish. One option for a hatchery that doesn't take up a lot of space is raising an aquarium fish for the fish-as-pet-or-decoration market. Rare types of fish that are popular amongst those who keep aquariums are usually not raised on high production equipment, and can be hatched indoors in a few small tanks and with far less equipment than needed for larger hatcheries. Angelfish, for instance, can easily be raised on equipment that you can get altogether in a ready-to-use set. For different types of fish, you'll need different types of specific filters, tanks, and water-treating equipment, and fish food. For small aquariums, however, most of these will be available at specialty pet stores. Choose a breed of fish – such as angelfish – that are already commonly sold in pet stores, so you know you'll have demand for the glittery critters as soon as they're ready to find a home of their own. Educate yourself about fish hatcheries. If you're not familiar with the industry, you'll need to acquire some first-hand experience before starting your own hatchery. Even if you do have some experience, owning and operating a hatchery of your own will require substantial knowledge of your specific operation and of the industry in general. If you only intend to own and oversee the business side of a hatchery, you still need to know enough to make business decisions and hire competent personnel to run your business. Work at a running hatchery that's as similar as possible to the sort of hatchery you envision opening. Consult online resources and print publications, many of which are specific to certain styles of hatcheries or to raising certain types of fish. Take courses on fishery operations at a university or trade school. This is a good idea early on, as the broad, supplemental knowledge provided by a classroom course will help you make decisions about the type of hatchery you'd like to start. Make a business plan. A solid business plan will be vital to acquire any necessary investment capital. Aside from a fair amount of commercial equipment, you'll also need the capital to get the business running and to pay employees to help you keep it running. Aside from luring investors, you'll need a business plan to help meet potential business partners, and to get loans. Include a clear and specific feasibility report in your business plan. This should include thorough calculations of your initial expenses, operating costs, and anticipated profits for the first few years of business. Know that the anticipated costs of starting a hatchery depends entirely on the type of hatchery you wish to start. Though small backyard setup may cost as little as a few hundred dollars, a production facility will require thousands of dollars of investment in equipment alone. Focus on the financial considerations. The capital and operating costs of starting a business – especially a production business – can wind up being far more than expected. Prepare yourself fully to have accurate expectations and to acquire a sufficient amount of initial capital. Carefully weigh both general and specific considerations, and don't forget to consider important factors aside from the specifics of the hatchery itself. Ensure that there is sufficient demand in the market to meet the level of sales you need to be successful financially. Consider whether a hatchery is the best possible use of the specific real estate and capital you intend to use. Reflect honestly on whether you personally have the time and financial security to start a new business. Forecast operating costs by having specific numbers ready for potential investors. Be ready to quote the anticipated costs of stocking your hatchery initially, fish food, electricity and other power, labor, water treatment chemicals, insurance, taxes, and extraneous things like maintenance and transportation. Knowing as much as possible will ensure you make accurate estimates of both initial startup costs and operating costs. Unforeseen costs can greatly hinder a new company, and the best way to prevent them is by knowing you've thought of everything. Ensure you've considered all construction and equipment expenses. Make sure you've considered potentially expensive necessities in particular. For instance, even if you already have the land, think about what needs to be done to it. Will anything need to be dug or built? Further, what will hold the fish? All costs need to be accounted for – down to the safety equipment your staff will wear. In a large scale production you'll need a tractor, ample storage space, and maybe even trucks. Have you accounted for all the piping that will connect tanks and ponds and water equipment? What about oxygen meters and other testing supplies? Develop a specific marketing strategy. Though raising fish may not seem like a business endeavor that requires advertising, a marketing plan will greatly help get your business up and running. If there is an established market, how are you going to break into it? Will demand be consistent year-round? Consider where will be ideal for focused sales efforts. Round out your business plan with a healthy dose of risk assessment. Though unpleasant to think about, you have to account for the potential risks inherent to your business. One classic consideration is whether you could survive if you lost an entire crop of fish. You'll need the investment necessary to be able to do so, as losing an entire crop is a realistic possibility. Develop a plan for a backup water source if your current source drops below an allowable quality threshold. Assess and address the risk for contamination by pesticides, metal, or anything else at the location in mind. Develop and maintain contacts for advice and information, even before you need it - particularly in terms of fish health. Dig your own pond. A small pond is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to start a small fish hatchery, for either personal use or local sales. Still, it will likely cost at least a few thousand dollars to get a pond-based hatchery up and running. Further, the size of your pond and the climate where you live will determine which fish will be most viable for you to raise. Municipal water is often okay to fill an artificial pond, though pumping water from a natural body of water near your home may be preferable. Make sure that you are not violating any laws or regulations by manipulating any natural bodies of water or watersheds by checking with your local fish, wildlife and environmental regulatory agencies. In areas where ponds may freeze, you can pump and cycle water through an artificial heater to keep the pond warm and liquid-enough for fish to survive in. Cold climates, however, will substantially increase the cost of operation and the risk involved in running your hatchery. Stock the pond according to its size. When stocking your pond with fingerlings, use the capacity of your pond to determine the number of fish it can safely hold. Depending on the type of fish you choose to raise, maintain the pond at a certain size and depth. Take extreme care not to overcrowd the pond, as water quality and fish health can rapidly deteriorate in an overcrowded body of water. Balance your pond to minimize the need for management. Aquatic plants are very helpful for multiple reasons. In an immediate sense, they provide cover for your fish during the day. Furthermore, plants help keep a pond ecologically balanced and will make a small pond a fish-raising haven with very little effort on your part. Determine the types of plants to include in your pond based on the type of fish you plan to raise, as well the types of plants that grow naturally in ponds in your area. Feed your pond fish depending on several factors. Another benefit of backyard pond hatcheries is that you can likely feed your fish less often, since your fish will be able to eat plants and insects. Even for rapid growth and a quick harvest, you'll only have to feed your fish once in a while. Be careful not to over-feed your fish, as this may contribute to illnesses, more bacteria in the water, and decreased water quality overall. To determine whether your fish are in need of more food, observe their behavior when you add food to the water. If the fish go into a frenzy and eat all the food extremely quickly, start to feed them slightly more regularly. Farm fish via cage culturing. If there is already a body of water present on land you have access to, you can likely set up a small fish hatchery with readily available materials. For instance, a cage can be built with plastic piping and netting, and then anchored to the edge of a body of water and used to culture fish. Make sure the water you have access to is suitable for raising fish before deciding to start a hatchery in a natural body of water. Stock the cage with fingerlings and simply feed them until they are large enough to harvest. For a small cage culture, expect to pay for only cage materials, fingerlings, and food – which may cost as little as $100 altogether. Build a flow-through hatchery. Divert a continuous source of cold water, such as a natural stream or river, into corridors that can contain fish while allowing them to swim in flowing water. You will likely need less water than you think – but the flow must remain constant. In the right location, flow-through hatcheries can be a relatively simple way to raise fish. Be aware of additional regulations involved with diverting and benefiting from the use of natural resources. Contact local conservation authorities to discuss your plans. This is the method used to help many government-run conservation efforts. However, this method is harder to set up than many other options, is often not allowed, and is not as commercially viable as other options. Scale up a pond-based hatchery. For larger-scale pond-based hatcheries, you will need several ponds, a good amount of land, and a substantial amount of additional equipment. Conceptualize scaling up a pond-based hatchery as the equivalent endeavor of going from having a garden to having a commercial farm – it will require a huge amount of planning, time and investment. Raise fish in tanks, containers, or tubs. One of the limitations of ponds is the amount to literal space they take up. While ponds offer a great method of raising fish in limited quantities, container-based fish hatcheries can handle a higher production capacity within a relatively limited amount of space. Municipal water supplies are usually fine to fill tanks, though the water will likely need to be treated. Know that aquaponics systems come with far larger start-ups costs, a greater need for supplies and equipment, and a greater knowledge of commercial fish farming. Install a pump and aeration equipment. Whatever the type of hatchery you intend to run – and especially for an aquaponics production hatchery – you'll need a pump to help you ensure that your fish always have sufficient fresh water. Similarly, the water in which your fish live will likely require a steady influx of oxygen provided by aeration equipment. Pumps are also often necessary to cycle water from holding tanks to recycling pools or equipment that can clean the water and remove impurities. The more fish you're trying to raise, especially in an indoor hatchery, the more water cleaning and aeration equipment you'll need. Figure out how you’ll capture, handle, and grade your fish. For production fisheries, you'll need lots of equipment to deal with your product. In industry terms, you're going to need a seine. Seines are used to harvest fish, or collect them from the water. As you harvest the fish, you'll need to sort them by size. You'll also need a way to handle the fish and potentially a way to transport fish to buyers. For larger scale hatcheries, you'll need reels and other equipment that can be used to drag large nets. You'll likely need a tractor and hoists to handle nets full of fish. As fish are graded, they will need to be moved to different holding tanks. You can also use counting equipment to keep track of your crop.

Determine the purpose of your hatchery. Decide what specific type of fish you want to raise. Take the easy route with Tilapia. Catch yourself a catfish hatchery. Build a bass hatchery. Consider raising trout, salmon, or perch. Get the necessary permits and licensing. Grow a niche type of pet fish. Educate yourself about fish hatcheries. Make a business plan. Focus on the financial considerations. Forecast operating costs by having specific numbers ready for potential investors. Ensure you've considered all construction and equipment expenses. Develop a specific marketing strategy. Round out your business plan with a healthy dose of risk assessment. Dig your own pond. Stock the pond according to its size. Balance your pond to minimize the need for management. Feed your pond fish depending on several factors. Farm fish via cage culturing. Build a flow-through hatchery. Scale up a pond-based hatchery. Raise fish in tanks, containers, or tubs. Install a pump and aeration equipment. Figure out how you’ll capture, handle, and grade your fish.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Pastry-Cream

How to Make Pastry Cream

To make pastry cream, start by heating milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to steam. Then, in a separate bowl, mix eggs, sugar, flour, and salt until everything is fully combined. Next, whisk the milk and cream into the bowl and pour the mixture back into the saucepan. As the mixture heats up over medium heat, whisk it continuously until it looks like custard. Finally, stir in some vanilla extract and strain the pastry cream into a bowl.

Heat the milk or cream. Place the milk or cream in a small saucepan and set it on a burner. Turn the burner to medium heat and allow the milk or cream to warm. Do not let it come to a boil; warm it just until you see steam rising from the saucepan. Mix the eggs, sugar, flour and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are well beaten. Whisk in the sugar, flour and salt until they are fully combined with the yolks. Add the warmed milk or cream to the egg mixture. Slowly pour the warmed milk or cream into the egg mixture with one hand, while whisking constantly with the other. When you've finished pouring the milk or cream in, transfer the whole mixture back to the small saucepan. Place the saucepan back on the stove. This process tempers the eggs and prevents them from getting cooked by the warm milk. If you can't use one hand to pour and one to whisk, it's fine to switch back and forth until the milk has been poured out. Heat the pastry cream mixture over medium heat. As the pastry cream slowly heats, keep whisking it constantly to remove any lumps and prevent it from burning or sticking to the pan. Monitor the consistency of the pastry cream. As you whisk the pastry cream, it will begin to thicken. It will take on a heavy cream-like texture, then begin to look custard-like. When this occurs, take the pastry cream off the burner and stir in the vanilla extract. Continue whisking constantly, until you can see drag marks when you pull the whisk through the pastry cream. Another way to check to see if the pastry cream is finished cooking is to stop whisking for a second and look for bubbles popping. If you see a few large bubbles rise to the surface and pop, it's time to remove the pastry cream from the heat. Strain the pastry cream. Place a strainer over a large bowl and pour the pastry cream from the saucepan through the strainer. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to help push the pastry cream through the strainer into the bowl. Cool the pastry cream. Cover the bowl of pastry cream and place it in the refrigerator to cool. It's ready to use when it has completely cooled. To keep a skin from forming over the cream, place the plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream. Make cream puffs. Also called profiteroles, this delicious treat consists of a light dough baked and stuffed with plenty of pastry cream. The puffs are then stacked and drenched in a rich chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, or powdered sugar. Try making a cinnamon pastry cream and topping your cream puffs with caramel sauce for a unique treat. In place of a birthday cake, you could stake cream puffs in a pyramid and pour chocolate sauce over the top, allowing it to drip down. Make éclairs. Éclairs are made of choux dough that is formed into tiny (or large) logs, filled with pastry cream, and slathered in chocolate icing. It's a popular French treat that has rightly gained a place in bakeries across the world. Make cannolis. Cannolis originated as an Italian treat and they're much enjoyed around the world. To make a cannoli, a rich dough is rolled into a hollow log shape and fried, then filled with cinnamon-spiked pastry cream. The cream is often mixed with pistachio bits or mini chocolate chips for added texture. Finished.

Heat the milk or cream. Mix the eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Add the warmed milk or cream to the egg mixture. Heat the pastry cream mixture over medium heat. Monitor the consistency of the pastry cream. Strain the pastry cream. Cool the pastry cream. Make cream puffs. Make éclairs. Make cannolis. Finished.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Mites-on-Pet-Mice

How to Get Rid of Mites on Pet Mice

To get rid of mites on pet mice, it's important that you take your mice to the vet so they can prescribe medication to clear up the infection. The vet may inject your mice with medication, or they might give you medication to apply topically or orally. In addition to treating your mice, you should clean and disinfect their cage, toys, and feeding containers using dish soap and bleach. You should also replace all of the bedding and food in the cage.

Differentiate between infestations. Mice can get a variety of infestations that have similar symptoms to a mite infection. For example, mice can get a lice infestation that presents very similarly to a mite infestation. In order for your mouse's issue to be treated correctly, you need to figure out what type of infestation the mouse actually has. When your veterinarian inspects your mouse, they should be able to tell what kind of infestation your mouse has. Treat the mouse with a product recommended by your veterinarian. Treating a mite infestation requires you to apply a medication. The medications used for mite infestations may be applied on the skin, given orally, or injected by the veterinarian. They are usually applied twice, two weeks apart, to kill all adult mites. There are several medications that may be prescribed that are all macrocyclic lactone anti-parasitic drugs: Selamectin Moxidectin Ivermectin Treat secondary infections. If the mite infestation has caused your mouse's skin to become infected, you may need to give it additional medication. Discuss this option with your veterinarian, as he or she may want to allow your mouse's immune system time to clear up the infection before relying on medication. One reason for waiting on further medication is that infections are often treated with antibiotics. Veterinarians are in agreement that antibiotics are overprescribed and that over prescribing them leads to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Once the mites are eliminated, it will be easier to get the infection under control. Treat all other mice you have. If one of your mice has a mite infestation, and it lives with other mice, then they may all be infested. Discuss the problem with your veterinarian but it is likely that the vet will have you treat all the mice you have. Infestation is transferred via direct contact. If you have other mice that are housed separately, be sure to keep uninfested mice away from the infested mice until the infestation is totally cleared up. Clean and disinfect all equipment. Eliminating a mite infestation will require you to thoroughly clean and disinfect all equipment the mouse comes in contact with. This includes its cage, any feeding containers, and all toys. It's important to completely clean and sanitize the cage. First use soap to clean all debris off the surface of the cage. Then use bleach to disinfect the cage completely. All bedding and food should be removed and then replaced once the cage is sanitized. The cage should be both thoroughly cleaned at the beginning of treatment and weekly after that. Pay attention to itching. If your mouse has a mite infestation, it is likely to scratch itself excessively. In fact, this is likely to be the only symptom many mice exhibit. The mites disturb the skin because mice are often allergic to the mites or they are irritated by the mites eating their skin debris. Look for thinning hair. A mouse with a mite infestation may have hairless patches on the back of its head and along its spine. This thinning hair is usually caused by excessive itching and scratching the mouse does in response to the mites. Patches of thinning hair may also have scabs or lesions in them, indicating that the hair loss is due to your mouse scratching the area. Inspect your mouse's coat. If you suspect that your mouse has a mite infestation, then you should inspect its coat for secondary symptoms. These include skin ulcers or lesions and a greasy or smelly coat. These symptoms signal a mite infestation. However, your mouse may still have a mite infestation even if these symptoms are not present. Get a veterinary diagnosis. In many cases, there will be very few symptoms of a mite infestation. Even a serious infection may only cause you mouse to scratch occasionally. Because of this, you should get your pet mouse examined In order to identify mites, your mouse may be examined with a magnifying lens. In addition, a piece of tape may be pressed on to the mouse's fur, which will remove mites for inspection and identification. It can be hard to find a veterinarian who is experienced with treating rodents. Call around to veterinarians in your area or do an online search to find a veterinarian who has expertise with treating mice.

Differentiate between infestations. Treat the mouse with a product recommended by your veterinarian. Treat secondary infections. Treat all other mice you have. Clean and disinfect all equipment. Pay attention to itching. Look for thinning hair. Inspect your mouse's coat. Get a veterinary diagnosis.

https://www.wikihow.fitness/Lose-Back-Fat-Fast

How to Lose Back Fat Fast

To lose back fat fast, maintain a healthy diet and do some fat-burning exercises on a regular basis. For example, eat 3 meals a day with a healthy balance of fruits, vegetables, protein, and starches. Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day, which will help curb your food cravings and keep you hydrated. In addition to maintaining a healthy diet, try to schedule a few cardio sessions a week to help you shed fat. For instance, go for a 45-minute bike ride around your neighborhood, or jog for 20-30 minutes. You can also do jumping jacks, which are a great exercise for cardio if you don't have time to jog or cycle. Try 3 sets of 15 to 20 jumping jacks. Alternatively, go to the gym and do some weight training that targets your shoulders and back, like doing squats while holding dumbbells, to burn fat.

Eat 3 healthy meals per day. Each meal should have a healthy portion of fruits and vegetables, protein, and starches. Most people can benefit from reducing their regular portion sizes by half. For breakfast, try a glass of milk with a bowl of oatmeal, or 2 boiled eggs with a slice of whole grain toast. Have half a cup of antioxidant-rich strawberries or blueberries on the side. For lunch, eat half a chicken or turkey sandwich with avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes. Another healthy option is a salad with a lean protein like sliced chicken, turkey, tuna, beans, or lentils. For dinner, fill at least half of your plate with vegetables and skip the sauce or butter. Stick to healthy proteins, such as baked salmon, and make sure the protein serving is no bigger than the palm of your hand. Complete the meal with a cup of whole-grain rice. Stay hydrated with fluids. Staying hydrated can help curb food cravings throughout the day. Stay hydrated with water, herbal tea, milk, and fresh juice. If you are male, drink 10 glasses (about 2.4 litres) of water per day. If you are female, drink 8 glasses (about 2 litres) of water per day. The added the benefit of staying hydrated with water is that it contains 0 calories. Be aware that sports drinks and bottled fruit juice typically contain a high amount of sugar, which can prevent you from losing back fat as fast as you want to. Sleep for 7 to 9 hours each night. If you do not get enough sleep, you may be too tired the next day to prep your meals and exercise. As a result, you may rely on quick meals, like fast food and junk food, and coffee to get you through the day. Make sure to not only get enough sleep but to sleep at a consistent time each night as well. For example, if you have to wake up at 6 a.m. to go to work or school, then go to bed at 10 p.m. each night to ensure a good night's rest. Bike around your neighbourhood for 45 minutes. Biking is a great way to fit cardio into your workout schedule. On the days that you do not do strengthening exercises, bike around your neighbourhood or the park for 45 minutes. For the best results, work to the point where your heart is pounding and you're a little out of breath. As a rule of thumb, if you still have enough breath to sing, you probably aren't exercising hard enough. Walk or run for 20 to 30 minutes per day. Before or after you do your strengthening exercises, walk or run around your neighbourhood or the park. Alternatively, meet a friend at the park to play catch or soccer. Incorporate jumping jacks into your exercise routine. Jumping jacks are a great way to fit cardio into your strengthening routine if you do not have time to run, walk or bike. Do 3 sets of 15 to 20 jumping jacks in the middle of your strengthening routine. Target your shoulders and back with a back row tap. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Stand with your feet together. Sit back into a half-squat position. Extend your arms straight out in front of you and lean slightly forward. Extend one leg backwards while maintaining the squat position. As you extend your leg, pull your elbows back and up towards the ceiling. Return to the starting position and repeat. To tone your shoulder and back muscles, work with 3-5 lb (1-2 kg) dumbbells. Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each leg, 2-3 times per week. Aim for a minimum of 40 lifts (20 on each leg) or a maximum of 90 lifts (45 on each leg) at each session. To build muscle, work with heavier weights 2-3 times a week. Try 2-4 sets of heavy lifts, with 8-12 repetitions in each set. Work out your back, arms, and abs with a prone rear flye. Lie face-down on an exercise ball and extend your legs straight out behind you. Place the ball under your chest, or under your hips for more of a workout in your buttocks. To perform the flye, hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise your elbows straight out to your sides, then extend your arms out like the wings of an airplane. Gradually lower your hands to the floor to complete the rep. Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps 3 times a week. Use planks to strengthen your core. Lie on your stomach on a mat. Lift yourself up on your forearms and toes. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Make sure your back and neck are straight and in a neutral position. Hold the position for 20 to 60 seconds. Your bottom should not be sagging or sticking up in the air. Do 2 or 3 sets of 20-60 second holds, 2-3 times a week. Exercise your core and back with side crunches. Place an exercise ball 2 to 3 feet (0.61 to 0.91 m) from a wall. Rest the side of your hip on the ball. Place one foot in front of the other flat against the wall for stability. Place your hands behind your head. Bend your torso toward the wall until it is almost upright. Then straighten your torso. Do 3 sets of 10 to 20 side crunches on each side of your torso, 2-3 times a week. Target your lower shoulder blades with the serving tray exercise. This exercise works the muscles on the backs of your shoulders near your armpits, an area where fat accumulates for many people. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms with your palms facing up as if you are holding a tray. Rotate your arms outward to the side and back again to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10 reps 3-5 times a week to tone your upper back muscles. Use 3-5 lb (1-2 kg) dumbbells. To make the exercise challenging, alternate standing on one leg as you rotate your arms outward.

Eat 3 healthy meals per day. Stay hydrated with fluids. Sleep for 7 to 9 hours each night. Bike around your neighbourhood for 45 minutes. Walk or run for 20 to 30 minutes per day. Incorporate jumping jacks into your exercise routine. Target your shoulders and back with a back row tap. Work out your back, arms, and abs with a prone rear flye. Use planks to strengthen your core. Exercise your core and back with side crunches. Target your lower shoulder blades with the serving tray exercise.

https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Roses-Fresh

How to Keep Roses Fresh

To keep roses fresh, trim the stems underwater, which will prevent air from getting inside the roses and causing deterioration. When you trim the stems, use a knife instead of scissors since scissors can crush the stems. Before you put the roses in water, take off the lower leaves so they don't rot underwater and cause bacteria to build up. Also, remember to change out the water every few days since roses do best in fresh, clean water. To prevent bacteria from growing, add a 1/4 teaspoon of bleach to the water before you put the roses in it.

Cut your own roses early in the morning. If you're cutting roses from your own rosebush to display indoors, cut them as early as possible in the morning, before it gets hot outside. Cutting them while it's still cool will keep them from wilting just after cutting. Immediately after cutting the roses, put the stems in a clean bucket of fresh water. The night before cutting your roses, water the rosebush. Well-hydrated roses will stay fresher longer than roses cut from a bush that hasn't been recently watered. Cut the stems at a 45 degree angle using a clean pair of hand pruners. Buy cut roses from a florist you trust. If you're not cutting your own roses, try to buy them from a well-reputed florist, preferably one with whom you have a relationship. That way you'll be able to get your hands on roses that were very recently cut, rather than roses that may have been sitting there for a week. Ask the florist which flowers arrived that very morning, and try to select the very freshest roses possible. Choose roses from the refrigeration unit, since roses that are kept cool last longer than those that have been sitting out at room temperature. Squeeze the roses where the petals meet the stem. This is a sure way to tell whether roses are still fresh. When you're examining roses before making your purchase, gently squeeze them at their base, where the petals come together at the stem. If it feels loose and squishy, the roses are old, and you should avoid them. If it feels firm and taut, the roses are fresh. Inspect the roses for bruised or broken petals. Look for roses with well-formed, colorful petals. Examine the tips of the petals to make sure they aren't bruised or brown. When you bring the roses home, you can remove a few outer petals that have been damaged, but there's not much you can do to improve the appearance of damaged tips on the inner petals. Intact petals are more attractive and will stay fresh longer than bruised ones. Keep them in water on the way home. If the roses are out of water even for a few minutes, they'll suffer for it, and they won't stay fresh as long. When you go to the flower shop, you might want to bring along a bucket filled with a few inches of water so you'll have a place to keep the roses watered when you take them home. If you don't have a bucket, ask the florist to package them with water. Trim the stems underwater. Trimming the stems underwater helps to keep them fresh by preventing air from entering the bottom of the stems. When air gets in, it immediately starts to cause flowers to deteriorate, the same way it turns apples and avocados brown and mushy. You can trim the stems under running water or submerge them in water to do the trimming. Use a knife or hand pruners. A sharp knife or a pair of sharp hand pruners are the best tools to use to cut rose stems. Using a standard pair of scissors squeezes the stems, which can prevent them from taking in water as effectively and cause them to die more quickly. Cut off ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) to 1 inch (2.5 cm) of length from the bottom of the stems, or more if you're arranging them in a short vase. Cut the stems at a 45 degree angle, which enables them to take in water more easily. Make sure the cutting tool you use is extremely clean. Hand pruners should be cleaned with hot, soapy water or a mild bleach solution after every use, since bacteria can remain on the pruners and affect the next flowers you cut. Remove leaves from the stems. The portion of the stems that will be submerged in water should be completely free of leaves. This is because leaves left underwater will start to rot, causing bacteria to accumulate in the vase and making the flowers die a lot more quickly. You can leave a few leaves attached toward the top of the stems, but remove anything that would be underwater in the vase. Keep trimming them every few days. Trimming the stems every couple of days will help the roses take in water more effectively, since after a while the tips of the stems will become a little mushy and damaged. Use the same technique you used to trim them in the first place, making sure your tools are clean and cutting underwater at a 45 degree angle. Use a sparkling clean vase. If you simply rinse your vases between uses, bacteria can live inside the vases and damage your fresh roses. Clean the vase you plan to use with hot, soapy water, making sure to scrub the inside with a bottle brush. Rinse it thoroughly before proceeding. Fill it with fresh water. Roses take in a lot of water after they're cut. Fill the vase 3/4 full with fresh, cool water from the tap, then arrange the flowers in the vase so that the stems are within an inch of the bottom of the vase. This way they'll be able the reach the water they need to stay fresh. Consider adding some flower food to the water. Commercial flower food will provide nutrients the roses need to stay fresh for a longer period of time. Ask for a few packets of flower food when you buy roses at the flower shop. Add 1/4 teaspoon of bleach per quart of water. This keeps the bacteria level low. Just be sure not to add too much bleach to the water, or the roses will be damaged. Adding a penny or an aspirin tablet to the water is also said to help control the bacteria levels. Change the water every few days. Every two days or so, change the water to ensure that bacterial growth doesn't damage your flowers. Fill the vase with fresh water, more flower food and the right amount of bleach. Trim the stems of your roses and arrange them in the vase once more. Keep the roses cool. Roses will stay fresh for many days if you keep them in a cool spot in the house. Avoid placing them near sunny windows or in rooms that tend to be on the warmer side. You can even store your roses in the refrigerator overnight to keep them cool while you sleep, then set them back out on the table during the day.

Cut your own roses early in the morning. Buy cut roses from a florist you trust. Squeeze the roses where the petals meet the stem. Inspect the roses for bruised or broken petals. Keep them in water on the way home. Trim the stems underwater. Use a knife or hand pruners. Remove leaves from the stems. Keep trimming them every few days. Use a sparkling clean vase. Fill it with fresh water. Change the water every few days. Keep the roses cool.

https://www.wikihow.com/Immigrate-Into-the-United-States-Permanently

How to Immigrate Into the United States Permanently

To immigrate to the United States permanently, first you'll need to apply for an immigrant visa and find a US citizen to sponsor your application. Keep in mind that it can take months or years to get approved depending on the category of immigrant visa you're eligible for. Then, once you're living in the US, you can apply for a green card to get permanent resident status. If you want to become a US citizen, you must live in the US for 5 years and take a citizenship test.

Identify the appropriate category for your visa. If you are currently outside the US and want to immigrate into the US permanently, you must first acquire an immigrant visa. There are several categories of immigrant visa, each of which requires a different application form and supporting documentation. The US prioritizes immigrant visas based on categories. The highest priority is given to immigrants who already have family in the US who are either US citizens or permanent residents. The next highest priority is given to immigrants who already have employment in the US. You can apply for a visa in other categories, such as an asylum visa. These visas are extremely limited. The number of available visas may be further limited depending on your current country. The wait list for a visa in these categories can sometimes be years long. Choose someone to sponsor your visa application. If you want to apply for an immigrant visa, you need a US citizen to sponsor you. If you're applying under the family visa category, that person will be a family member of yours who is a US citizen. For the employment-based category, your sponsor will typically be your prospective employer. If you are being sponsored by a family member, they must be a US citizen over 18 years of age. If the person sponsoring you has never sponsored an immigrant before, the two of you may need to take some time to read through the process and understand what's involved. An attorney who specializes in immigration law can help walk you through it. There are also nonprofit organizations that help immigrants. Have your sponsor submit a petition on your behalf. The required forms your sponsor must complete and file are available for download from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. The forms include instructions for completing them and submitting them to USCIS. If you are being sponsored by a family member, they will file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. If you are being sponsored by a prospective employer, they will file Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker. Wait for notification from the National Visa Center (NVC). If your petition is approved, USCIS will send it to the NVC for processing. The NVC collects your visa application, fees, and supporting documentation. Because there are a limited number of visas available each year in each category, it may be months or even years before you hear from the NVC. The NVC notification includes instructions on the next steps to apply for an immigration visa. Read these instructions carefully and get assistance from an immigration lawyer or nonprofit agency if you don't understand them. Not following the instructions could delay the processing of your application, or result in your application being rejected. At this time, you can choose an agent to receive NVC communications on your behalf. This may be necessary if you move frequently, or do not have a stable permanent address. You can also serve as your own agent. Submit your application, fees, and documents to the NVC. The application for an immigration visa is detailed and relatively lengthy. Most of the information you provide on your application must be supported with official documentation. When you've completed your application and gathered the required documents, send the entire package to the NVC. It's a good idea to go through your application and documentation with an immigration lawyer before you submit it. You must pay fees of more than US$1,000. If your application is denied you won't get any of that money back, and you'll have to start the process all over again. In some countries, you'll use the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to submit your application, fees, and documents, rather than mailing them. This process is more secure and saves time. Have a medical examination. The USCIS requires a medical examination to determine whether you are a threat to public health. You will receive any required vaccinations and be screened for any communicable diseases. The doctor must complete Form I-693, which they will seal in an envelope. Do not take the form out of the envelope. You must deliver it to the consular office in a sealed envelope on the day of your interview. This medical examination is valid 6 months. Attend your interview with a consular officer. Your interview will typically take place at the US embassy or consulate nearest where you live in your home country. During the interview, the officer will review your supporting documents and ask you questions about your application. If you are applying with a family member, typically they must attend the interview with you. You will find out at the end of the interview if your visa has been approved. If the consular officer needs additional documents or information before they can approve your visa, they'll let you know. Get those documents to them as soon as possible. The consular officer may deny your visa application. There usually is no appeal from a denial. You may be able to get your application reconsidered by another officer. This may require an additional interview. Travel to the US with your immigrant visa. Within a few days of your interview, your immigrant visa will be available. You can pick it up at the embassy or consular office along with your passport. You are expected to travel to the US before the visa expires, which is usually 6 months (your medical examination is valid 6 months, so keep that in mind as well). You will also receive a sealed packet of documents to present to US customs officials at the port of entry. Do not open this sealed packet. Find out if you're eligible for a Green Card. If you're in the US on a non-immigrant visa and want to become a permanent resident, you can apply for an "adjustment of status" if you fall within one of the available categories. Permanent residency is most commonly available for people who have a family relative who is a US citizen, or for people who have stable full-time employment in the US. For example, if you came to the US on a student visa and were later hired as a professor by your university, you could apply for an employment-based Green Card with the university as a sponsor. Green Cards are also issued to people here on a non-immigrant visa who fall in love with someone while in the US and decide to get married. All available categories are listed on the USCIS website. It's also a good idea to talk to an immigration attorney before you begin the application process. They can give you some advice and help you navigate the process. Complete an application for permanent residency. If you're applying for a Green Card from within the US, you need to fill out Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. The form asks questions about you, your reasons for seeking permanent residency, and your educational, work, and criminal history. You can download a copy of the application, and instructions for filling it out, at https://www.uscis.gov/i-485. Gather documents to support your application. Nearly all statements that you make on your application for permanent residency must be backed up with official documents. The specific documents you'll need depend on your application category. If you married a US citizen and are seeking an adjustment of status on that basis, you would need to provide a certified copy of your marriage certificate. If you're seeking an adjustment of status because you have a full-time job in the US, you would need documents proving your employment. Typically this includes a letter from your manager or supervisor verifying your employment. Regardless of the category of your application, you'll need financial documents, including copies of your most recent tax return. File your application with USCIS. When you've completed your application and gathered all the required documents, mail them to a USCIS lockbox for processing, along with your application fee. It's a good idea to make a copy of everything you send for your own records before you mail it off. The address where you send your application and supporting documents depends on your eligibility category. Find the appropriate address at https://www.uscis.gov/i-485-addresses. Go to your biometrics services appointment. USCIS uses biometrics to verify your identity. When your application is received, USCIS will send you a notice with the date, time, and location of your appointment. Biometrics appointments are scheduled at an Application Support Center (ASC) near you. During this appointment, you will be fingerprinted and photographed. You will also be asked to sign an acknowledgment certifying that all the information on your application is complete and correct to the best of your knowledge. Attend your interview with USCIS if necessary. In many cases, a USCIS interview isn't necessary for an adjustment of status – particularly if you've had a visa interview recently for a non-immigrant visa. During the interview, a USCIS agent will ask you questions about your application and your reasons for applying for permanent residency. Answer their questions completely and honestly. If you don't understand something or don't know the answer, let them know so they can clarify or give you time to find an accurate answer. If you're applying for permanent residency because you married a US citizen, your spouse typically must attend the interview as well. The USCIS agent may interview each of you separately. Receive a decision on your application. Typically, USCIS will send you a written notice of the decision first. If your application was approved, you'll get your actual Green Card a few weeks after you receive the decision notice. If your application was denied, the notice will tell you the reasons for denial and whether you can appeal the decision. Most reasons for denial do not allow for an appeal. However, you may be able to file a motion for reconsideration (to have your application reconsidered by a different USCIS agent), or a motion to reopen your case (if you want to submit additional supporting documents or information). Live in the US as a lawful permanent resident. Before you are eligible to become a US citizen, you must live in the country as a permanent resident for 5 years. This period is reduced to 3 years if you are married to a US citizen or for other special circumstances such as military service. Your residency must also be continuous, or the time starts over. While it's okay to take brief trips out of the country, at least 30 months of continuous residency in the US is typically required. While you're a permanent resident, take care to follow all applicable laws and local ordinances. Any infractions could make it more difficult for you to become a citizen. Complete an application for naturalization. After you've lived in the US for the requisite period of time, you can apply to become a citizen of the US. The application, Form N-400, is available on the USCIS website. As a Green Card holder, you are entitled to live in the US permanently. However, if you become a naturalized citizen, you have the right to vote and receive benefits, such as Social Security, from the federal government. Fill out the application completely and accurately. Be honest in your answers, even if you think the truth might hurt your chances of becoming a citizen. Before you begin the application process, the USCIS recommends you read the Guide to Naturalization. You can download the guide at https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/article/M-476.pdf. Submit your application to USCIS. Once you've completed your application and compiled any necessary supporting documents, mail it to the appropriate USCIS lockbox facility along with the fees for processing. The Guide to Naturalization provides the addresses for the lockbox facilities. Generally, the address you use depends on where in the US or its territories you currently live. Attend a citizenship interview with a USCIS agent. After your application is processed, you'll receive a notice of the date, time, and location of your interview. The interview typically covers questions about your application, as well as your background, your character, and your attachment and loyalty to the US and the US Constitution. While you are taking your interview, you are considered to be under oath. If the USCIS agent catches you lying about anything, they will terminate your interview immediately and reject your application. Take the US citizenship test. The citizenship test consists of an English test and a civics test. For the English portion of the test, you must be able to read, write, and answer questions in English. The civics test consists of 10 questions about the US government and history. You must answer at least 6 of the 10 questions correctly. There are 100 possible civics questions you may be asked. You can download a copy of these questions from the USCIS website if you want to study. You can also take a preparation course or use a study guide. These resources are available for free at most public libraries. Universities and nonprofit organizations near you may also offer resources free of charge to help you prepare for the test. Attend your naturalization ceremony. If you pass the citizenship test, you will be invited to attend a naturalization ceremony and take the Oath of Allegiance. You are not considered an official US citizenship until you've taken the Oath. The naturalization ceremony is a significant occasion for most new citizens. However, if for some reason you are unable to attend, you have other options for taking the Oath. You can even take the Oath at the end of your test if you choose.

Identify the appropriate category for your visa. Choose someone to sponsor your visa application. Have your sponsor submit a petition on your behalf. Wait for notification from the National Visa Center (NVC). Submit your application, fees, and documents to the NVC. Have a medical examination. Attend your interview with a consular officer. Travel to the US with your immigrant visa. Find out if you're eligible for a Green Card. Complete an application for permanent residency. Gather documents to support your application. File your application with USCIS. Go to your biometrics services appointment. Attend your interview with USCIS if necessary. Receive a decision on your application. Live in the US as a lawful permanent resident. Complete an application for naturalization. Submit your application to USCIS. Attend a citizenship interview with a USCIS agent. Take the US citizenship test. Attend your naturalization ceremony.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Eye-Drops

How to Use Eye Drops

To use eye drops, start by washing your hands with soap and water, and wiping any dirt from your eye with a clean cloth. Then, shake the bottle gently, remove the cap, and tilt your head back. Next, use 1 hand to hold the bottle, and place your thumb against your eyebrow to steady your hand. At the same time, use the forefinger on your other hand to pull down gently on your lower eyelid to create a little “pocket.” Finally, keep your eye open as you squeeze the bottle, letting the drops fall into the pocket.

Wash your hands. Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water. Be sure you wash between your fingers and at least as far up your arms as your wrist or forearm. Dry your hands using a clean towel. Read the instructions. Always be sure you clearly understand the directions on the bottle, or the instructions provided by your doctor. Identify the eye you are instructed to place the drops in, and know how many drops you are to instill with each administration. (Usually it will be just one drop as the eye holds less volume than one typical drop.) Check the clock to be sure it is time for the next use, or make note of the current time so you will know the next time you are to use the eye drops. Inspect the eye drops. Look at the liquid inside the container closely. Be sure you do not see anything floating in the solution (unless there are supposed to be particles in the drops). Be sure the product says “ophthalmic” somewhere on the label. It is easy to confuse ear drops, that say “otic” on the label, with those that are to be administered in the eye. Inspect the container to be sure it has not been damaged. Check the tip of the container, without touching it, to be sure there is no visible damage or discoloration. Check the expiration date of the container. Do not use eye drops that have expired. Eye drops contain preservatives to help keep the solution free of unwanted bacteria. However once the expiration date is passed, there is a risk that the product has been contaminated. Some eye drops are to be used for no more than 30 days once the container has been opened. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist how long your product can be used once it has been opened. Clean your eye area. Use a clean cloth to gently wipe away any dirt or sweat from your eye area. If available, use sterile dressing material, such as sealed 2 x 2 pads, to wipe around your eye area. Use each pad or wipe only once, then discard. Water applied to the cloth or pad may help in removing any crusted or hardened material around your eyes. If you are treating an infected eye, wash your hands again after wiping away any crusted material before proceeding with instilling the eye drops. Shake the bottle gently. Avoid harsh shaking. Gently shaking the bottle, or rolling the bottle between your hands, ensures the eye drop solution is evenly mixed. Some eye drop medications consist of a suspension of particles, so shaking will evenly mix these particles in the solution. Remove the cap from the bottle and place it in a clean place, like on a clean and dry towel. Avoid touching the tip of the container. As you prepare to instill the eye drop, take precaution in every step to avoid touching any part of your eye, including your lashes, to the tip of the container. Touching the tip of the container to your eye can spread germs into the solution, causing it to be contaminated. By continuing to use a contaminated eye drop solution, you are at risk of re-infecting your eye with each drop used. If you accidentally touch the container tip to your eye, wipe the tip with an alcohol pad (70% isopropyl alcohol) to sterilize it or purchase a fresh bottle or let your doctor know you need your prescription refilled. Place your thumb above your eyebrow. With the container in your hand, position your thumb against your skin, just above your eyebrow area. This helps to steady your hand as you administer your eyedrops. Position the eye drop container about ¾ inch above your lower eyelid to help avoid accidentally touching it to your eye area. Tilt your head back. With your head tilted back, gently pull down your lower eyelid with your index finger. Pulling down your eyelid helps to create a space, or pocket, for the drop to settle into. Look up at a fixed point above you. Focus on a spot on the ceiling or something above you and keep both eyes open. This helps to avoid blinking. Squeeze the bottle. Gently squeeze the container until a drop falls into the pocket made by pulling out your lower eyelid. Close your eyes, but do not squeeze them shut. Keep your eyes shut for at least two to three minutes. Tilt your head down as if you were looking at the floor while keeping your eyes closed for the two to three minutes. Apply gentle pressure to the tear duct located on the inner part of your eye for 30 to 60 seconds. This helps the medication to remain in your eye area and also prevents the drops from going into the back of your throat, which can cause a bad taste. Use a clean tissue to gently blot any liquid that forms on the outside of your eye or cheek. Wait five minutes before a second drop. If your prescription requires more than one drop for each dose, wait five minutes before you administer the second drop so it has time to absorb. If you put a second medication in immediately after the first, it will wash away the first medication before it has had time to absorb. If you are to instill drops in both eyes, you can proceed with administering a drop to your other eye in about two to three minutes, once you have kept your eyes shut for the recommended amount of time. Replace the top. Place the top back on the container, without touching it or the tip. Do not wipe the tip, and do not allow the tip to come into contact with anything. It is important to keep the solution free from contaminants. Wash your hands to remove any medication or germs. Wait 10 to 15 minutes for other drops. If your doctor has prescribed more than one type of drop, wait at least 10 to 15 minutes before using the other eye medication. In some cases, ophthalmic ointments are prescribed along with drops. Use the drops first, then wait 10 to 15 minutes before applying the ophthalmic ointment. Store the eye drops properly. Most eye drops are to be stored at room temperature and some are to be kept in a cooler environment. Many prescription eye drops are to be kept in the refrigerator between uses. Be sure you know how to store your eye drops. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Do not keep the eye drops in an area that is exposed to direct sunlight. Watch the dating. Even though the manufacturer's expiration date may still be valid, some drops need to be thrown away four weeks after opening. Record the date you first opened the eye drop container. Also check with the pharmacist or the product literature to determine if they should be thrown out and replaced four weeks after opening. Contact your doctor if you have unexpected symptoms. If you experience symptoms such as eye pain or excessive watering, let your doctor know. Other conditions that warrant contacting your doctor include changes in your vision, red or swollen eyes, and if you notice unusual pus or drainage coming from any part of your eye. Monitor your symptoms. If you do not see any improvement or if your symptoms get worse, let your doctor know. If you are being treated for an infection, watch for symptoms in the other eye. Let your doctor know if you begin to see evidence that the infection may have spread. Watch for an allergic reaction. If you develop skin changes like a rash or hives, difficulty breathing, swelling around your eye area, swelling anywhere on your face, tightness of your chest, or feel like your throat is tightening, you may be having an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction is a medical emergency. Call 911 or seek medical attention the fastest way possible. Do not attempt to drive yourself to a hospital. Rinse your eyes. If you think you are having an allergic reaction from your eye drops, rinse your eyes with an eyewash product if one is available. If you do not have an eyewash product, then use regular water to flush the eye drop solution out of your eyes to prevent further absorption. Tilt your head to the side, hold your eye open, and allow clean water to flush the eye drop solution from your eye. Wash your hands. Be sure to clean your hands thoroughly, as you would if putting drops in your own eyes. Dry your hands completely using a clean towel. Check the eye drops. Before you prepare the child, be sure you have the correct product, you know which eye is involved, and how many drops to instill. Sometimes the medication is needed in both eyes. Check for visible particles floating in the solution, the expiration date, and be sure you have an ophthalmic product. Be sure the container has not been damaged and the tip appears clean and is not discolored. Do not wipe or touch the tip. Gently shake the container to be sure the solution is mixed. Prepare the child. Explain what you are doing. Talk to the child and let them know what you are about to do. In young children, you may need to drop a small amount of the medication on the back of their hand so they can see it does not hurt. Let the child see you go through the motions of putting the drop into your own eye, or into the eye of another adult. Be sure the container has the top secured as you pretend to administer the drops to yourself or another adult. Hold the child gently. It often takes two people to put drops into the eye of a child. One person is responsible for gently holding the child in a comforting way and keeping the child's hands away from their eyes. Take care not to scare the child. If the child is old enough to understand, let them know it is important that their hands are kept away from their eyes. Consider letting the child decide on how to best accomplish that, so the child does not feel trapped. Suggest that they sit on their hands, or lie on their back with their hands beneath them. The assisting adult will need to help keep the child's hands away from their eyes, and the child's head as still as possible. Work as quickly as you safely can in order to minimize the stress and anxiety felt by the child. Clean the child’s eyes. Be sure the eyes are clean and free of crusty material, dirt, or sweat. If needed, gently wipe the eyes using a clean cloth or sterile dressing materials if available. Wipe from the inner part of the eye to the outer part. Discard the cloth or wipe after each use. Do not continue to wipe the eye with a contaminated cloth or wipe. Ask the child to look up. It may be helpful to hold or hang a toy above the child for them to focus on. With their gaze fixed upward, gently pull down the lower lid, and place one drop of the medication in the pocket created. Release the lower lid so the child can close the eye. Encourage the child to keep their eyes shut for several minutes. Place gently pressure on the tear duct to keep the solution in the eye as long as possible. In some cases, you may need to hold both the upper and lower lids open while administering the drop. Avoid touching the container to the eye. Do not allow any part of the eye, including the lashes, to touch the tip of the container. Touching the tip to any part of the eye allows germs to enter the solution, and therefore contaminates the bottle. Replace the cap. Put the top back on the container to avoid touching the tip to any material. Do not wipe or attempt to clean the tip. This can also cause the solution inside to be contaminated. Wash your hands thoroughly after instilling the drop in the child's eye. Praise the child. Let the child know they did a fantastic job of helping their eye to get better. Even if it their behavior was less than cooperative, praise the child for helping. Hopefully the praise will make the next administration time easier. Providing some type of reward along with the verbal praise can be offered. Try another method. For children that are severely distressed by the administration of eye drops, consider using another method. Recognizing that this method does not provide the same level of eye exposure to the medication, it still is better than no administration. Have the child lie flat, close their eyes, then place a drop of the medication on the inner corner of their eye, in the area of their tear duct. Have the child open their eye, and the medication will roll inside. Have them close their eyes for two to three minutes and apply gentle pressure on the tear duct area. Let the child's doctor know if this is the only way to administer the medication. The doctor may alter the prescription or allow for more than one drop to be given as one dose, since less of the medication is entering the eye. Do not give more of the medication without talking with the doctor first. Using more than what is prescribed can cause irritation or sometimes mild burning from the preservatives contained in the solution. Wrap an infant. Young children or infants may need to be wrapped securely in a blanket to make giving them eyedrops easier. Wrapping them helps to keep their arms and hands secured so they are not able to touch their eyes as you apply the drops. You may need to hold both lids open in a young infant if they are not able to focus on an object once you touch their lower lid. Offer a bottle or breast. After instilling the drops, offer something that helps to soothe the infant. Breast feeding, or offering a bottle, immediately after the eye drop can help to calm the infant.

Wash your hands. Read the instructions. Inspect the eye drops. Check the expiration date of the container. Clean your eye area. Shake the bottle gently. Avoid touching the tip of the container. Place your thumb above your eyebrow. Tilt your head back. Squeeze the bottle. Wait five minutes before a second drop. Replace the top. Wait 10 to 15 minutes for other drops. Store the eye drops properly. Watch the dating. Contact your doctor if you have unexpected symptoms. Monitor your symptoms. Watch for an allergic reaction. Rinse your eyes. Wash your hands. Check the eye drops. Prepare the child. Hold the child gently. Clean the child’s eyes. Ask the child to look up. Avoid touching the container to the eye. Replace the cap. Praise the child. Try another method. Wrap an infant. Offer a bottle or breast.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Guys-to-Notice-You

How to Get Guys to Notice You

To get a guy to notice you, one of the most important things is to be yourself and focus on the things you love, since guys are attracted to people who have their own passions. You should also dress in clothes you feel confident in, since you'll look more attractive if you feel good about yourself. Don't be afraid to catch his eye and smile when he notices you looking. If you're not already on speaking terms, introduce yourself and start a casual conversation about something you have in common.

Do what you love, and let your passion show. Whether you're an athlete, an artist, a singer, or a writer: spend time doing what makes you happy. The first step to getting noticed is feeling (or at least appearing) confident and comfortable in your own shoes. If you're in your element, you won't feel so self-conscious. Confidence is attractive, and guys can often tell when you're comfortable with yourself. Focus on doing what you love, and the rest will follow. Have a good time with your friends. Laugh a lot. Guys may find you more attractive if you seem like you're fun to be with. Relationships often sprout from common ground. If you spend time doing what you love, you're more likely to find someone who shares your passions. . Dress to impress When you know you're going to see the guy, wear your cutest outfit. He may notice your outfit, and he may not--but you will likely feel more confident, and that can make all the difference. Consider wearing clothes that the guy might relate to. If you're crushing on a guy who's into music, wear a band t-shirt. If you're crushing on a guy who's into sports, wear a shirt or jersey with the name of his favorite team. If the guy sees that you have interests in common, he may be more likely to think of you. You don't need to wear revealing clothing to impress a guy. In fact, many guys may be turned off by "trashy" clothing that reveals too much. Respect yourself and consider the social consequences of what you wear. Consider wearing makeup , but don't overdo it. A little makeup goes a long way. Ask your mother, your older sister, or another female relative for advice if you haven't applied makeup before. Consider where the guy spends his time. Join clubs, teams, or groups that he has joined, and put yourself into a position to grow close to him. Make it a natural process. If a guy is involved in the science club, consider joining the science club. Only do this if you are genuinely interested in the science club; this approach only works if you can impress him by being as passionate about his hobby as he is. If a guy runs for your school's track team, consider joining the team. Again, only do this is you are genuinely interested in track. You don't want to be noticed for the wrong reasons. If a guy is in a band, consider going to his shows. Get to know the scene and compliment him on his music. Catch his eye. From time to time, gaze over in his direction. When he notices you, discreetly lock eyes with him for a moment, then look away. Smile coyly, if you're feeling bold. Research indicates that guys are more likely to approach girls when they are given clear signals that their interest is returned; smiling will subtly tell him that you're interested. After you lock eyes, don't look over at him for a while. Repeat occasionally. He may begin to glance over at you more often to see if you are looking at him. Avoid looking at him too often. Be flirtatious, but don't be creepy. Consider getting to know the guy's friends. If you have mutual friends, spending more time with them can be a great way to grow closer to your crush. If his friends like you and see that the two of you have chemistry together, they may help convince him to go for you. Be careful: sometimes, getting deep into a guy's social circle can complicate matters. If you share too many of the same friends, your crush may be afraid that asking you out will disrupt the friend group. He may worry about the complications that could ensue if the two of you break up down the line. Be aware that if you grow close to a guy's friends, some of them may fall for you instead. If you aren't open to this, be careful with your flirtation. Be respectful of a guy's space. It is one thing to move in the same circles as someone; it is another thing to follow him around. Stay true to yourself, your friends, and your interests, even as you make an effort to get close to him. Be forward, but not forceful; don't push yourself upon him. Let him notice you for who you are. Introduce yourself. A guy will be more likely to notice you and remember you if he knows who you are. Strike up a conversation that makes sense: talk about a class that you're both in, a holiday that's coming up, or something that he's wearing. If you're members of the same class, club, team, or friend circle, you will probably see each other on a regular basis. Take advantage of this proximity; spend time with him and build a friendship. Make a joke, or comment on an interest that the two of you share. If you're in the same class, ask him about the homework. If he's wearing a band t-shirt, ask him about the band. Use social media to your advantage. Getting to know someone online can mitigate much of the initial awkwardness. If you've gotten to know each other a bit in person, consider adding him on Facebook (or any site that you frequent). Once you're friends online, consider striking up a conversation over instant-messaging. Lead in with something nonchalant: ask him about the homework, or about a deadline for a club. "Hey, I forgot to write down the homework for Mr. Hoover's class. Did you happen to get it?" Once he answers your question, follow up with a more personal question. Something like, "So, any plans for spring break?" Consider throwing in a compliment like, "By the way, good job on your presentation in English today! Your song was hilarious". Keep your first conversation brief, unless it's going particularly well. You can build into longer conversations as you get to know each other. Develop a friendship first. Take the time to get to know this guy and make sure that you like what's beneath the surface. Once you've gotten to know each other, you might decide to take the friendship further. Read the signs. It can be hard to tell if someone is interested, but you should be able to tell if he makes an effort to spend time with you. If he initiates conversation and smiles a lot, then there's a good chance that he is interested. That said: many guys get shy when they like someone, and you shouldn't write someone off just because he hasn't made a move. Invite him along on a group activity, ideally with a mixed group of guys and girls. This can be anything from a trip to the beach to a house party. Don't be afraid to ask him out. Some guys like to make the first move, but most will respect a girl who goes for what she wants. Make sure that you get to know him before you ask him out. It doesn't have to be a fancy proposal. Ask him if he wants to hang out, and have a specific activity in mind: for example, ask him out to a movie, or ask him to a school dance. Some schools hold a "Sadie Hawkins' Dance" or "Sadie's" specifically designed to girls a chance to ask guys. Consider hanging out with him in a group setting before you ask him onto a one-on-one date. This will set the stage and give you a better idea about whether he is interested. Be patient. Wait for the right moment. If you can get him alone, consider asking him one-on-one; you may find that there is much less social pressure when you don't have an audience. Get to know him before you ask him out. Don't approach him out of the blue; make friends, hang out with him in groups Know when to move on. If he isn't interested, don't make him uncomfortable. If you've become friends, try to be satisfied with friendship. Either way: continue to be yourself, and good things will follow. You never know what will happen. Maybe he'll fall for you down the line; maybe you'll fall for one of his friends; maybe you'll meet someone new and wonder why you ever liked the other guy in the first place. You don't want someone who isn't interested; you want someone who truly likes you for you. Don't sell yourself short. Be true to yourself.

Do what you love, and let your passion show. . Consider where the guy spends his time. Catch his eye. Consider getting to know the guy's friends. Be respectful of a guy's space. Introduce yourself. Use social media to your advantage. Develop a friendship first. Read the signs. Invite him along on a group activity, ideally with a mixed group of guys and girls. Don't be afraid to ask him out. Be patient. Know when to move on.

https://www.wikihow.com/Text-Message-Someone-You-Like

How to Text Message Someone You Like

If you want to text someone you like, try to think of a unique way to start a conversation. Ask the person about their day or the things they like, but try to avoid questions that have a simple yes or no answer. Instead, try something like, “Do you have any recommendations for places I could go eat this weekend?” If the person only answers you in one-word texts or they seem annoyed, give them some space and wait a few days to see if they text you first.

Try to think of a personal way to open the conversation. Avoid simply texting the person you like with “Hi” or “Hello.” Instead, try to think of a creative way to make your crush interested in the conversation right from the start. For instance, you might mention something you talked about the last time you saw them, or you could text your crush when something reminds you of them. For instance, you might say something along the lines of, “Hey Jesse! I just saw a shirt that would be perfect for your cowboy Halloween costume. Want to see a picture?” If you're not sure your crush has your number saved, make sure to let them know who you are. You might say something like, “Hey this is Chris, the guy from the coffee shop earlier. I enjoyed meeting you!” Start with something random if you want to show off your playful side. If you're normally silly and random, don't be afraid to let your crush know that right from the start! The next time you have a totally off-the-wall thought, shoot it to your crush as a text. If they go along with it, your personalities might be a good match!” For example, you might say, “I love cheese so much I was thinking of making my own! Do you think it's hard to do?” or “Who do you think would win in a fight, a llama or a raccoon?” Compliment your crush if you want to seem bold. One great way to get a conversation off to a good start is to open with flattery. Not only will this make your crush feel good, but it will make you seem confident and self-assured. For example, you might say, “Hey beautiful!” or “What's up, football star?” You could also say something like, “You looked super cute when I saw you at lunch today!” Open with an open-ended question to help prompt a response. Asking a simple yes-or-no question might get you a one-word response, so try to think of a question that will require your crush to explain their answer. That way, they'll be engaged in the conversation from the beginning. As a bonus, you can learn a little more about them from their responses! Try saying something like, “What did you think of Mr. Miller's science test yesterday? How do you think you did on that essay question?” (If they nailed it and you didn't do so hot, try asking them to help you study for the next test.) You might also ask something along the lines of, “I'm bored. What do you like to do for fun?” You might find that you and your crush have a few hobbies in common! Ask your crush what they're doing. Once you get the opening out of the way, ask your crush what they're doing. If they're not busy, keep chatting with them, but if they say they're in the middle of something, tell them you'll talk to them later. That way, you won't be bothering them while they're busy. They're probably going to appreciate that you were considerate of their time, making them more likely to want to talk to you later. If they say they're having dinner with their family, for instance, you could say, “Cool, well I'll let you eat. Talk to you tomorrow!” Send selfies of yourself having fun. You don't have to send a picture of you posing suggestively to be flirtatious. Instead, try sending pictures of yourself out with your friends having a great time. That will show your crush that you're well-rounded and happy, which will make you seem more attractive. For instance, if you go to get ice cream with your best friend, snap a pic of the flavors you both choose. If you and your friends play flag football on the weekends, try to get a group shot to send to your crush. Make a bet with your crush to show off your daring side. Everybody loves a little friendly competition, and this can be a great way for you and your crush to share a private little joke. Text them with a challenge, a dare, or a bet and see if they're up for some fun! For instance, you might say, "I bet you $1 the gym teacher will wear that red shirt to the pep rally tomorrow." Just be sure to pay up if you lose! You could also dare them to do something, like, “I dare you to say “Quack” during your presentation tomorrow!” Avoid any mean-spirited dares or anything that could get your crush into trouble. Don't dare them to be mean to anyone, for instance, or to break any serious rules. Make specific plans to hang out together. Flirting through text is fun, but if you really like this person, it's important to spend time face-to-face as well. Try to come up with a specific outing or event, then ask your crush if they want to go with you. That's more likely to end up in a date than a generic line like, “We should hang out sometime.” Try saying something like, “I'm going to see the new Men in Black movie tomorrow, wanna go with me?” Add emojis to show your crush how you’re feeling. If you want your crush to know you're into them, try sending flirtatious emojis, like a wink or heart eyes. Don't overdo it—1 or 2 emojis every few messages is plenty. Other cute emojis include a heart, fire (to tell your crush you think they're hot, of course!), and the cry-laughing emoji if your crush says something funny. Some emojis can come across as suggestive, like a smiley with its tongue sticking out. It's best to stick to innocent emojis until you know your crush is into you. Don't feel like you need to wait a certain amount of time before you text. Some people will tell you to wait 3 days before you text someone when you get their number. However, after that much time, they might think you're not interested. Instead of playing games, text the person as soon as you feel like it. That will show them that you're already thinking of them, and they may be attracted to your straightforward approach. However, do avoid texting anyone too late at night or too early in the morning. You might wake them up, which they probably won't appreciate. Avoid using a lot of slang in your texts. When you're talking to your crush, you want them to know how thoughtful and clever you are. Using a lot of abbreviations, acronyms, and internet slang might make you seem unoriginal, and they can make your texts hard to read. Try sticking to regular spelling and correct grammar, instead. Sprinkling a few acronyms into your texts is fine. For instance, “OMG I have to tell you something!” is fine, whereas, “OMG u rnt going 2 believe what I heard” probably isn't going to win your crush's heart. Read your texts before you send them to try to catch any typos, as well. Keep your texts lighthearted, especially at first. When you're first texting someone you like, don't weigh them down with all the problems in your life. Instead, keep your texts positive, clever, or funny. That will show your crush that you're a positive person who's fun to be around. For instance, you might send your crush jokes, cute stories about your day, or funny memes you come across. Avoid too much sarcasm, since it might not come across the right way in a text. Over time, you can gradually open up to your crush, especially if you see them doing the same thing. Don't overthink it. When you like someone, it can be tempting to read into every text they send you, looking for any sign of how they feel. However, the best way to know for sure whether your crush likes you is just to spend time talking to them. It will become clear in time, so just relax and have fun, and let things develop naturally. For instance, just because your crush sends you short texts doesn't necessarily mean they're mad at you or that they don't like you. They may just be busy. Try not to text the other person way more than they text you. If you're constantly sending long blocks of texts and your crush is only sending you back short texts (or not texting you back at all), they're probably busy, and they might get aggravated if you keep blowing up their phone. You don't have to send exactly 1 message for every 1 message they send, but do try to keep it to a close ratio. Don't text the person to ask them why they're not texting you. That can come across as desperate or pushy. If they're not answering, give them some space. If the person rarely responds to your texts or only ever sends short responses, it might be a sign they're not into you. Remember, this doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you—it just means you and that person aren't a match right now. Try to be the first one to end the conversation. If your crush is always the one who has to say goodbye first, they might start to feel like you like them more than they like you. Give them a chance to miss you by ending the conversation a little earlier than they expect. If you're ending the conversation because you have somewhere to go, make sure to mention that so they know you have a busy, well-rounded life! Leave your crush hanging by saying something like, "Oh, remind me tomorrow to tell you about my job interview!"

Try to think of a personal way to open the conversation. Start with something random if you want to show off your playful side. Compliment your crush if you want to seem bold. Open with an open-ended question to help prompt a response. Ask your crush what they're doing. Send selfies of yourself having fun. Make a bet with your crush to show off your daring side. Make specific plans to hang out together. Add emojis to show your crush how you’re feeling. Don't feel like you need to wait a certain amount of time before you text. Avoid using a lot of slang in your texts. Keep your texts lighthearted, especially at first. Don't overthink it. Try not to text the other person way more than they text you. Try to be the first one to end the conversation.

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Climbing-Wall

How to Build a Climbing Wall

Before you can build a climbing wall, you'll need to choose a location in your home where you have enough space to maneuver and climb off the ground. Try attaching the wall to an existing framework in your home, like the wall of your garage. If you can't put in a permanent fixture, you'll need to build a freestanding structure with supports that can handle the weight of the wall and the climbers. No matter which type of structure you choose, you'll need to add handholds to the surface by drilling holes into sheets of plywood. After drilling the holes, screw in the handholds using T-nuts and nails. One you've attached the plywood sheets to your wall, place a soft padding under the wall for protection in case you fall.

Attach the climbing wall to the existing framework in your home if you can. If you are a homeowner and want a permanent fixture for climbing, consider building your wall for added support. This makes it easier to build and design your wall since you have spatial restrictions. Look for a location in your home where you have enough space to maneuver and climb off the ground. Consult with a contractor to make sure the existing structure can support the weight of your climbing wall while you or others are on it. A common place to build a climbing wall is in a garage, but account for any storage space you need or space to park your car. Check if there are electrical outlets in the space you want to build your wall. If so, make sure you can still easily access them if you need to. Build a free-standing wall if you can’t put in a permanent fixture. A free-standing wall doesn't require anchor points or external support structures because they are already built in. Use a free-standing structure if you don't want to damage any of the pre-existing walls in your home. You could also build a free-standing climbing wall outdoors. A free-standing wall is best if you want to transport it or if you're renting. Free-standing walls tend to cost and weigh more since you need to build supports that can handle the weight of the wall and the climbers. Outdoor walls need to be weatherproofed or else the holds will not last as long. Visit climbing gyms for design inspiration. Check your local recreation centers or climbing gyms to see how they have their walls laid out. Write down notes about the wall or draw simple sketches to get new ideas about how you may want to build your wall at home. Consider putting walls at angles or inclines rather than flat against the wall. Look online for photos of how others have built climbing walls at home to see the best way to make use of your space. Make sketches of your climbing wall design on paper. Draw the design in pencil so you can get ideas of how you want to lay out the wall in your space and make changes easily. Make your wall about 4 feet (1.2 m) wide by 8 feet (2.4 m) tall.Try out different inclines and angles in your drawing to see what would and wouldn't work. Narrow down your ideas into the 3 you like the most to give you or the people you live with a choice. Keep your wall at or below 8 feet (2.4 m) tall, or else falling off the wall could cause serious harm. You can build a scale model using cardboard or computer software if you want to visualize the wall in 3D. Typical angles for a climbing wall tend to be between 30-40 degrees from the wall. Draw your design ideas on the wall with a pencil. Use a pencil along with tape, string, and tacks to draw your design on the wall where you plan to build. Make sure everything from the drawing fits well in the actual space, or adjust your design so it fits the space. Double check for any outlets, vents, or light fixtures that you may need to access when you build the wall. Use a stud finder on your walls to find anchoring points if you plan on attaching your climbing surface directly to the wall. Build a support base if you’re making a free-standing wall. Use 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards to run vertical supports the same height as your wall. Then cut the 2 baseboards of your support so it's double the length of the wall's height. Attach the midpoint of the base to the bottom of the vertical support with a plate connector. Measure from the end of the base to the top of the wall to find the length of the angle. Cut 4 boards to that length, and saw each end to a 45-degree angle. Use plate connectors to connect the angled supports to the bases. Frames can vary in shape and weight depending on the shape and height of the wall you plan on building. For example, if you want an 8 ft (2.4 m) wall, your 2 bases would be 16 ft (4.9 m) and your 4 angled boards would be about 18 ft (5.5 m). Cut 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards to your wall’s desired height and width. Use a circular saw or a hand saw to make your cuts. Cut the longest boards first before working on the shorter boards. Always double-check your measurements before making the final cut in your wood. Set aside each board after you cut them to size. Purchase your boards from your local lumberyard or building supply store. Aim to have the width of your wall around 4 feet (1.2 m) and the height around 8 feet (2.4 m).. Assemble the boards into an outline of what you want the wall to look like. Lay the boards on the floor in the shape of your wall so the narrow edges of the boards are face up. Use either a nail gun or hammer where the planks meet and place at least 2 nails at each intersection. Once it's assembled, you'll have the outer edges of a frame for your climbing wall. If your wall is in a corner, make a frame for each climbing surface. You can also use screws and a drill to make your frames. If you want a wall that's 8 ft × 4 ft (2.4 m × 1.2 m), the outline of your frame will be the same size. Place vertical support beams every 16 in (41 cm) on center. Use a pencil and a tape measure to mark your horizontal boards where you need to place a support beam. Cut the beams to size and place them inside your frame, using a nail gun or hammer to set them in place. The term “on center” refers to spacing the center of each board at the specific distance. In this case, the center of each support board should equal 16 in (41 cm). For a wall that's 4 ft (1.2 m) wide on the bottom, you would place 2 more support beams that are 7 ⁄ 3 feet (2.3 m) in the middle of your frame. Anchor the framework to your existing wall or support system. Drill anchor screws through your frame and into the studs of your wall or support. Add screws every 12 in (30 cm) or wherever you notice the frame bowing away from your wall or support. Make sure you know where anything may be behind your walls, such as wiring or pipes. Avoid drilling into them. For a free-standing wall, make sure the support holds the full weight of the frame without tipping over. If there is any wobbling, add more weight to the base with extra boards. Cut 3⁄4 in (1.9 cm) plywood to match the size of your frame. Make sure you have non-perforated wood rather than particle wood for the best support. Use a table saw or circular saw to cut your plywood down to the correct size to fit the frame. Try to keep the boards in the largest sheets possible so you can easily put the wall together. Standard plywood sizes tend to be either 4 ft × 8 ft (1.2 m × 2.4 m) or 3 ft × 8 ft (0.91 m × 2.44 m). Purchase enough to cover all of the framework. Drill holes in the plywood either in a grid or at random. Use a ⁄ 16  in (1.1 cm) drill bit for each hole you plan on making. If you want a clean layout, draw a grid on the plywood so each square is 8 in × 8 in (20 cm × 20 cm). Drill your holes where the lines intersect. If you want a more eclectic look, put the holes in random spots. How you drill the holes is a matter of preference. Either way will work for installing the handholds. Hammer T-nuts into the back of each hole. Use the same number of T-nuts as the number of holes you drilled into the plywood. Flip the sheet of plywood onto its back and use a hammer to pound the nuts into each hole. Make sure the back of the nut is flush with the back of the plywood. T-nuts serve as an anchor point to attach each of the handholds. Attach the plywood to the framework with nails or screws. Put a nail or screw in the top, middle, and bottom of the plywood at each support beam. If you place 2 pieces of plywood next to one another and notice that it's bowing, put another nail or screw in so it lays flat. Screw in the handholds to make different climbing routes. Place the hole in the handhold over one of the holes drilled in the wall. Use the screw provided with the handhold and a drill to secure it to the wall. Add as many handholds as you want depending on how easy or difficult you want the wall. Handholds can be purchased online or at specialty climbing stores. Some handholds can be attached with screws without a T-nut on the back. Make routes on the wall using different colored handholds. For example, space red handholds farther apart to make a difficult route or place green handholds close together to make an easy route. Place soft padding under the wall in case of falls. Place foam gymnastic mats or thin mattress under the walls so you have a cushion in case you fall off the wall. Cover the area around your wall since you will not always fall straight down next to the wall. Use thicker padding or double-layer what you have if you have a wall going higher than 8 feet (2.4 m).

Attach the climbing wall to the existing framework in your home if you can. Build a free-standing wall if you can’t put in a permanent fixture. Visit climbing gyms for design inspiration. Make sketches of your climbing wall design on paper. Draw your design ideas on the wall with a pencil. Build a support base if you’re making a free-standing wall. Cut 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards to your wall’s desired height and width. Assemble the boards into an outline of what you want the wall to look like. Place vertical support beams every 16 in (41 cm) on center. Anchor the framework to your existing wall or support system. Cut 3⁄4 in (1.9 cm) plywood to match the size of your frame. Drill holes in the plywood either in a grid or at random. Hammer T-nuts into the back of each hole. Attach the plywood to the framework with nails or screws. Screw in the handholds to make different climbing routes. Place soft padding under the wall in case of falls.

https://www.wikihow.com/Saut%C3%A9-Vegetables

How to Sauté Vegetables

To sauté vegetables, start by heating some oil in a pan over a stovetop. When the oil starts to shimmer, add your vegetables to the pan and stir them so they're completely coated in oil. Then, spread the vegetables out in an even layer and let them cook over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes. When the vegetables are done cooking, sprinkle your favorite seasonings on them and serve!

Cut the vegetables. The first step is to prepare the vegetables by cutting them into uniform bite-sized pieces. Remove any stems and discolored areas during this process. Do your best to make the pieces the same size. If your vegetables are not the same size (and especially the same thickness), they won't finish cooking at the same time. When you take your vegetables out of the pan, some will either be over or under-cooked. Choose the right pan. In theory, you can sauté vegetables in any pan, but some work better than others. A wide sauté pan with straight sides or a skillet with sloped sides works best. Your pan should have a dense bottom so as to distribute heat evenly. A stainless steel, non-stick, aluminum, or anodized pan will work well. For dense vegetables like potatoes and cabbage, cast iron works well because it holds and evenly distributes heat. Add oil or fat. Choose an oil or fat to sauté your vegetables in. Butter or any kind of oil will work. You can also use bacon fat, though this option is less healthy. While any oil will work, oils with a high smoke-point such as canola oil, peanut oil, and regular olive oil work best. Oils with a lower smoke point like extra virgin olive oil nut-infused oils can be used, but often lose their flavor when cooked at high temperatures. If you choose to sauté in butter, adding a tablespoon of oil to the pan will help keep the butter from smoking and burning. Heat the pan. Turn your burner up to medium-high and allow the pan and oil to heat up. Wait for oil to shimmer. When the oil shimmers, it is hot enough to cook your vegetables. If you put them in before this, the oil won't be hot enough to brown them, and they may stick to the bottom of the pan. In adequate light, hot oil will become iridescent and colorful. When it takes on these characteristics, it's ready. Add flavoring ingredients. If you are adding spicy ingredients like garlic or hot peppers, it's usually a good idea to add them first, as they will impart some of their flavor to the oil. Minced garlic typically should be added one minute before the other vegetables. Hot peppers like jalapeños can be added five minutes before the other vegetables. Since garlic cooks quickly and burns easily, you want to sauté it first, letting it get to a light brown color. Remove it from the pan before adding your other vegetables, then return it to the pan right as the other veggies finish cooking. Add your vegetables. Don't overcrowd the pan. You can cover the bottom, but you don't want more than one layer of vegetables. If the vegetables are piled on top of each other, the steam from the lower vegetables may become trapped. The result can be steamed vegetables rather than sautéed ones. If you have too many vegetables to fit in the pan without overcrowding, cook them in two or more batches. Toss or stir. Turn your vegetables frequently by tossing or stirring them. This ensures even cooking on all sides. You should not stir constantly, as you would with a stir-fry. A few stirs should do the trick, depending on how long the vegetables need to cook. Cook until done. How long this takes will depend on the type of vegetables. Between three and ten minutes is typical, but you'll probably need to experiment some to get this right. Vegetables with the longest cooking times include carrots, onions, and hearty greens like collards. These can take 10-15 minutes. Potatoes can take even longer, and some people simmer them in water first to make them sauté more quickly. Covering your pot with a lid for the first few minutes may help speed up the process. Vegetables with medium cooking times include broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, and Brussels sprouts. These can take eight to 10 minutes. You can shorten the cook time, though, by placing these veggies in the pan with a few tablespoons of water before adding the oil. Wait for the water to evaporate, then add the oil and continue cooking. Vegetables with short cooking times include mushrooms, corn, tomatoes, and asparagus. These can cook in as little as two minutes. Spinach and other greens have the shortest cooking times, as they will quickly wilt. A minute or two should do it. If you are cooking vegetables with different cooking times in the same pan, add the ones that need to be cooked longest first, let them cook partially, and then add the vegetables that require less cooking time. Or, cook individually and then mix. Season as desired. Right before the vegetables are done, add any seasonings you wish to include. This could include salt and pepper, soy sauce, citrus juice, vegetable stock, oregano, or other dried herbs. Ingredients such as these should generally be in the pan for about one minute. Remove from pan. When vegetables are done, remove from the pan quickly to avoid overcooking. Serve and enjoy! Prepare vegetables and pan. An alternative way to sauté vegetables, for an especially tender texture, is to use a piece of parchment paper. For this variation, cut the vegetables and heat the pan as normal Use a pat of butter for your cooking fat. Add water and vegetables. Next, add just a small splash of water, salt and pepper, and your vegetables. Again, be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cover with parchment paper. Cover the pan loosely with a piece of parchment paper. Check the vegetables regularly. Wait for the water to evaporate. Remove parchment and caramelize. When the water has evaporated, remove the parchment and cook for a couple more minutes, allowing the butter to caramelize the vegetables.

Cut the vegetables. Choose the right pan. Add oil or fat. Heat the pan. Wait for oil to shimmer. Add flavoring ingredients. Add your vegetables. Toss or stir. Cook until done. Season as desired. Remove from pan. Prepare vegetables and pan. Add water and vegetables. Cover with parchment paper. Remove parchment and caramelize.

https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Pie-Chart-from-Percentages

How to Draw a Pie Chart from Percentages

Drawing a pie chart from percentages is fairly simple once you understand how to convert percentages to angles of a circle. The whole pie represents 100 percent, or 360 degrees, which is the angle of a circle. This means that you'll need to convert each percent into an angle before you can add it to the pie chart. To do this, first, convert each percentage into a decimal by moving the decimal two spots to the right. Then, multiply that number by 360 to get its equivalent angle. For example, if you have a category that's 20 percent, that would become.20, which multiplied by 360 is 72 degrees. Use a protractor to draw each angle into your pie chart.

Gather your data. Pie charts are used to compare the relative size of different data categories. Pie charts are best used with nominal or ordinal data, in which 6 or fewer categories are represented. If you have more than 6 categories, certain sections of a pie chart may be too small to effectively read and interpret. Nominal data is data that has no specific order or scale, but is categorized only by a name or category type. Examples of nominal data include favorite dessert or college major. Ordinal data is data that is based on position or scale. Examples of ordinal data include level of satisfaction or education level. Calculate the total value of the data. This is the total number of data points that you have. If you conducted a one-question survey, the total number of data points would be the total number of responses you received. For example, if you surveyed 100 American millennials on who their favorite Beatle is, you will have 100 data points. Calculate the ratio of each category. To find a ratio, place the number of responses a particular category received over the number of data points. Turn this into a percentage by dividing the numerator by the denominator. For example, you might have found the following data from your survey: Who is your favorite Beatle? George = 27 100 =.27 {\displaystyle {\text{George}}={\frac {27}{100}}=.27} John = 31 100 =.31 {\displaystyle {\text{John}}={\frac {31}{100}}=.31} Ringo = 20 100 =.20 {\displaystyle {\text{Ringo}}={\frac {20}{100}}=.20} Paul = 22 100 =.22 {\displaystyle {\text{Paul}}={\frac {22}{100}}=.22} Use a compass to draw a circle. Attach a sharpened pencil and hold the point firmly while you swing the compass to create a circle. It doesn't matter how large the circle is, but the larger the circle, the easier it will be to create and read your pie chart. Multiply each category percentage by 360. Use the decimal form of the percentage in your calculation. This will give you the size of each category's section in degrees. Each section needs to be represented as a proportion of 360, since there are 360 degrees in a circle. You might need to round decimals up or down. Make sure your total number of degrees adds up to 360. For example: George =.27 × 360 = 97.2 = about 97 degrees {\displaystyle {\text{George}}=.27\times 360=97.2={\text{about}}\;97\;{\text{degrees}}} John =.31 × 360 = 111.6 = about 112 degrees {\displaystyle {\text{John}}=.31\times 360=111.6={\text{about}}\;112\;{\text{degrees}}} Ringo =.20 × 360 = 72 degrees {\displaystyle {\text{Ringo}}=.20\times 360=72\;{\text{degrees}}} Paul =.22 × 360 = 79.2 = about 79 degrees {\displaystyle {\text{Paul}}=.22\times 360=79.2={\text{about}}\;79\;{\text{degrees}}} Draw the first category section. Place the protractor's origin hole in the center of the circle. Create the first angle by drawing two points, one at the 0 degree line, and one at the line showing the number of degrees of your angle. Remove the protractor, and use its straight edge to draw the borders of the section. Each line segment should begin at the circle's center point, end at the edge of the circle, and pass through either point you drew with the protractor. For example, the John category should be a section that is 97 degrees. So you would draw a point outside the protractor at the 0 degree line, and another point at the 97 degree line. Then you would finish drawing the section by drawing lines through these points. Take care when using a protractor to read it correctly. Most protractors have two sets of numbers. Think about the size of the angle you are making to ensure you are looking at the correct numbers. Draw the other categories. For each new category, place the protractor's 0 degree line over the edge of the previous section. Draw the sections using their degree measurements, just as you did the first section. Color each section. By making each section of the pie chart a different color, it makes it easier for readers to interpret its information. The colors you use don't matter, but if they are too dark or vibrant, reading your chart may be difficult. Label each section category. Your chart should be properly labeled so that anyone looking at it can interpret what its sections mean. Usually the category if each section is written directly on the chart. If a particular section is too small to write clearly inside of it, draw a line connecting the section to an area outside of the chart, and write the category title there. Another option is to make a key. Instead of labeling directly on your pie chart, you can make a small box below it, denoting which color indicates which category. Denote each section's percentage. Even though the pie chart's section indicate their relative size, it is helpful to give readers the exact size by labeling each category's percentage. Write the percentage above or below the category title so that it is clear which percentage applies to which section of the pie chart. Title your chart. Every chart should have a title that tells the reader what information it is displaying. Your title should be descriptive, but not too long. For example, you might name your chart “Favorite Beatle Among American Millennials.”

Gather your data. Calculate the total value of the data. Calculate the ratio of each category. Use a compass to draw a circle. Multiply each category percentage by 360. Draw the first category section. Draw the other categories. Color each section. Label each section category. Denote each section's percentage. Title your chart.

https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-High-School

How to Survive High School

To survive high school, fight the urge to change who you are just to fit in. Instead, be who you are and stay committed to your goals. Staying true to yourself is easier if you find friends who make you feel supported. If meeting new people is challenging, try joining a school club or sports team. Just make sure you save time for your school work and personal activities, like watching movies, playing video games, and hanging out with friends.

Let yourself be who you really are. During high school, you'll feel pressured to change your identity in order to fit in. Do your best to fight these feelings and give yourself permission to be who you want to be. High school gives you an opportunity to find yourself and grow as a person, but it's important that those changes come from within. Create a timeline that lists all the major things you want to accomplish during your life. When you're being pressured to change, think about whether that change will help you meet your goals. If you're dealing with a lot of pressure, find a quiet place where you can clear your mind and look at the situation with a critical eye. Stay positive when times get tough. Having a good attitude will help you keep your spirits up even when it feels like life is falling apart around you. Remember: high school does not last forever, so try to stay calm and relaxed even during stressful periods. Find a style that suits you. Clothes play a major role in high school life, so try to find a style of dress that makes you feel happy. This can be whatever trendy clothes your friends are wearing, or it can be something entirely original. Feel free to experiment until you find something that feels just right. If you have to wear a school uniform, try to give it your own flair by adding small and subtle accessories. If you're able to, modify the uniform or find loopholes in the dress code. Don't wear revealing or inappropriate clothes that violate your school's dress code, this could get you into trouble, which isn't a good way to spend your high school years. Take time out of each day to exercise. If you're not enrolled in a gym class or involved in a sport, try to exercise every day for about 60 minutes. Though you may feel like your schedule is too jam-packed to pay attention to your body, remember that staying fit will make you feel happier while improving your appearance and school performance. Instead of doing traditional exercises like push-ups, try going on walks with friends or participating in physical games and sports, it keeps your mind clear and also gives you a break from the time spent at school doing work Get 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Aside from an occasional late-nighter to finish a project or study for a test, do your best to get around 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Though it may feel like you're wasting time, staying rested will make you far more alert during the day, helping you stay happy and active. To help yourself get enough sleep, go to bed and get up at about the same time each day. Try to get your homework done early so you have enough time to sleep. If you have too much work to complete before bed, ask your teachers if you can get an extension. Talk to your school counselor if you’re dealing with mental health issues. If you're experiencing any emotions that you don't know how to deal with, make an appointment with your school's mental health counselor or a private therapist. These paid professionals can help you better understand how you're feeling and will teach you a variety of techniques to help you cope with your emotions. High school can be a tough few years, so make sure you are open with your feelings if you feel many intense emotions. Some issues many high schoolers suffer from include: Anxiety , which can make you feel constantly worried and stressed out. Depression , which can make you feel incredibly sad or disinterested in life. Low self esteem , which can make you feel like you're worthless or not good enough. Eating disorders like Anorexia and Bulimia , which can make you physically weak and alter your body in extremely unhealthy ways. Take time out to enjoy personal activities. Being a good student is important, but so is your mental well-being. Even if you're swamped with school work and extra-curriculars, take some time each week to do things you love such as watching movies, playing video games, or going to nature parks. If you don't have much free time during the week, try to schedule some during the weekend. Become friends with a variety of different people. Everybody has something to contribute to your growth as a person, so try to interact with a lot of different people. Over time, you'll develop a friend group filled with unique individuals that like you for who you are and add a lot of value to your life. Be nice to all the students you meet whether they are older or younger than you, that way you can slowly gain the respect of the entire school. If you have trouble making friends because you are shy, try to break out of your comfort zone by initiating conversations with people. Find friends who supports you instead of pushing you down. When searching for friends, look for people who make you feel good about yourself and do their best to support you. Even if it consists of only 1 or 2 people, having a group of friends you can trust and rely on will make your high school experience far easier. If a friend starts making you feel worthless, don't be afraid to cut them out of your life. It may be difficult, but it will make you far happier in the long-run. Avoid people who make you feel bad about yourself. Throughout high school, you'll run into people that have no qualms about insulting you or putting you down. Do your best to stay away from these people, and remember that their insults are not true and stem from their own personal insecurities. People who are mean in high school often regret their behavior once they grow older. Let an adult know if you are being bullied. If someone is continually putting you down or making you feel physically threatened, talk to your parents and teachers about it immediately. There's no shame in wanting to be safe, and these authority figures can help you deal with the bully permanently. Get to know your teachers. You don't have to be a teacher's pet, but do your best to be kind and friendly to everybody you take a class from. If possible, spend a few minutes before or after class talking with your teachers about things related to their subject. Not only will you learn a lot during these interactions, but it will make it easier to ask for things like: Homework extensions Extra credit opportunities Letters of recommendation Join a school club or sports team to meet people with similar interests. Extra-curricular activities are a great way to meet like-minded people and make long-lasting friendships. If you're already interested in a specific hobby or sport, see if your school has a club or team based around it. Otherwise, simply look over your school's list of activities and pick something that sounds cool to you. You'll meet more people who are likely candidates for friends if you try this. In addition to the social aspects, club involvement will make you a stronger candidate when it comes time to apply to college. Clubs come in a variety of forms ranging from volunteering groups like Key Club to competition groups like the Business Professionals of America. Some schools even let students make independent clubs based around niche interests. If you're not interested in joining an official sports team, see if you can join a recreational activities club instead. Get a great day planner. To help you stay organized throughout the day, purchase a high-quality planner that you can write your class schedule, extra-curricular schedule, and assignment deadlines in. Make sure to bring it to every class so you can always keep it up-to-date. Carefully mark all of your exam dates in your planner and schedule specific times to study for them. Mark times when you will be busy with friends or social events so you can plan your study schedule around them. Keep your school binders organized. Avoid having an “everything” binder that you keep the notes, assignments, and tests from all your classes in. This will make you incredibly disorganized, and if you lose that binder, you will lose everything. Instead, create separate, clearly labeled binders for each class. In case you forget your main binders at home, keep a spare binder in your locker that has paper, pencils, and other general supplies you can use to get through the day. If you don't have a locker to keep your binders in, store them in a large backpack. Learn strategies to stay focused in class. Do your best to pay attention whenever the teacher is talking. Even if you are not feeling motivated on a particular day, remind yourself to work hard and remember that you will reap the benefits later on. If you have trouble focusing, try putting up small distractions like chewing gum and major distractions like your phone. If your friends want to talk to you in class, ask them to wait until later. Write down the topic of each class session as soon as your teacher reveals it. This will help center your mind on the subject at hand. If you have trouble understanding the material, don't be afraid to raise your hand and ask a question. Take notes during class whenever your teacher allows it. Not only do notes make studying for tests easier, but they can actually help you commit the material to memory. If possible, write the notes by hand because it will make it easier to recall the information down the road. Instead of writing down everything the teacher says, try to listen and then transcribe the most important information. This will make note taking easier, and can also help you learn the information as you write it down. Do your homework. Doing your homework will not only earn you good grades, but it will help you better understand the subject material so you can apply the knowledge to your everyday life. To make sure your assignments get done, schedule in a few hours each night to focus on them. Use dead time like bus rides to catch up on assigned reading. If you get sick, ask a friend to pick up your homework for you. This will keep you from falling behind. Study for your quizzes and exams. If you know you have a test coming up, start studying at least 1 week in advance. This will give you plenty of time to refresh yourself on the material and study up on things you don't understand. If you find yourself struggling with any of the material, ask your teacher for help before or after class. Don't leave all your studying for the night before. Though a quick pre-test cram session will ensure all the material is fresh, it won't give you enough time to really understand the subject. If you have trouble studying on your own, create a study group with friends from the same class. Just make sure you focus on the material! Create a college game plan. The earlier you start thinking about college, the better chance you'll have of getting into the school of your dreams. Talk to your school's guidance counselor as soon as possible so they can help you come up with a multi-year class schedule focused on the things college admissions boards are interested in. Flirt with people you find attractive. If you come across another student you have a physical or emotional attraction to, try flirting with them to see if they have similar feelings toward you. If a person seems uncomfortable with your advances, respect their bubble of privacy and stop flirting with them. Some simple flirting tactics you can use include: Touching them lightly on the shoulder or arm Making frequent eye contact Complimenting them Teasing them gently Ask someone out if you have a crush on them. If you have a crush on a boy or girl at school, don't be afraid to ask them on a date. Even if you're incredibly nervous, approach them with confidence and ask them the question as directly as you can. Try to be specific when you ask your crush out. Try something like "Do you want to go to the movies this Saturday?" Don't worry if they say no! Rejection hurts, but remember that there are lots of other potential partners at your school. Start a romantic relationship if you want to. High school is a perfect time to experiment with romantic relationships, and even if they don't last long, these experiences can help you hone your dating skills for the future. Remember: relationships are emotional roller coasters, so have a friend or family member you can talk to when dealing with break ups and other intense events. Have sex only if you feel comfortable with it. You own your body, so don't let anyone pressure you into doing things you're not comfortable with. If you decide to have sex, make sure you understand the risks involved so you know how to have a safe and pleasant experience. If you're not ready to have sex, don't worry about it! Though lots of high school students spend their time obsessing over sex, many people remain virgins until much later in life. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable. When having sex, make sure to use contraceptives like condoms to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. If possible, talk with your parents before making sexual decisions. It may be awkward, but open communication can help you stay safe and avoid life changing mistakes. If it is too awkward, talk with the counselor at your school.

Let yourself be who you really are. Stay positive when times get tough. Find a style that suits you. Take time out of each day to exercise. Get 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Talk to your school counselor if you’re dealing with mental health issues. Take time out to enjoy personal activities. Become friends with a variety of different people. Find friends who supports you instead of pushing you down. Avoid people who make you feel bad about yourself. Let an adult know if you are being bullied. Get to know your teachers. Join a school club or sports team to meet people with similar interests. Get a great day planner. Keep your school binders organized. Learn strategies to stay focused in class. Take notes during class whenever your teacher allows it. Do your homework. Study for your quizzes and exams. Create a college game plan. Flirt with people you find attractive. Ask someone out if you have a crush on them. Start a romantic relationship if you want to. Have sex only if you feel comfortable with it.

https://www.wikihow.com/Reset-Google-Chrome

How to Reset Google Chrome

Phone or tablet: 1. Tap the three-dot menu. 2. Tap Settings. 3. Tap Privacy. 4. Tap Clear Browsing Data. 5. Select data to delete. 6. Tap Clear Browsing Data. Computer: 1. Click the three-dot menu. 2. Click Settings. 3. Click Advanced. 4. Click Clear Browsing Data. 5. Select data to delete. 6. Tap Clear Data.

Open Chrome on your phone or tablet. It's the round red, green, yellow, and blue icon labeled “Chrome” typically found on the home screen. If you're using an Android, it may be in the app drawer. There is no “reset” option in the mobile version of Chrome, but you can use this method to clear your browser history, cookies, and personal data. Tap ⁝. It's at the top-right corner of Chrome. Scroll down and tap Settings. Scroll down and tap Privacy. It's under the “Advanced” header. Scroll down and tap Clear browsing data. It's at the bottom of the screen. A list of options will appear. Select which data you want to delete. You'll see the "BASIC" tab where you can delete your history, site data, and cache. Tap the box next to an option to select it. To also delete passwords, autofill form data, and media licenses, tap ADVANCED and make your selections. To change the time range for the data to be deleted, tap the drop-down menu at the top-right corner of the list and tap your selection. Tap CLEAR DATA or Clear Browsing Data. It's at the bottom of the screen. A confirmation message will appear. Tap Clear Browsing Data. All selected data will be deleted. Open Google Chrome on your computer. It's in the Applications folder in macOs, and the All Apps are of the Start menu on Windows. Resetting Chrome will disable your extensions, clear your cookies, and reset your default browser settings (including the start page). It will not clear your passwords, bookmarks, or browsing history. Click ⁝. It's at the top-right corner of Chrome. Click Settings. Scroll down and click Advanced. It's at the bottom of the page. Scroll down and click Reset. It's at the bottom of the page. A confirmation window will appear. Click RESET. Chrome will now be restored to its original settings.

Open Chrome on your phone or tablet. Tap ⁝. Scroll down and tap Settings. Scroll down and tap Privacy. Scroll down and tap Clear browsing data. Select which data you want to delete. Tap CLEAR DATA or Clear Browsing Data. Tap Clear Browsing Data. Open Google Chrome on your computer. Click ⁝. Click Settings. Scroll down and click Advanced. Scroll down and click Reset. Click RESET.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Your-Car-Out-of-the-Snow

How to Get Your Car Out of the Snow

If your car is stuck in the snow and you need to get it out, use a tool or a similar shovel to clear away any snow that surrounds the car. Then, use a screwdriver or a similar tool to break up the ice immediately surrounding the tires, but be careful not to puncture through the tires. Check the tailpipe to make sure it's clear of snow before you start the engine, otherwise exhaust could build up in your car, exposing you to deadly carbon monoxide.

Dig out your car. Use a shovel or similar tool to clear away snow that surrounds the car. Try to make it so you can see all the tires. If there is ice be aware of it. In very heavy and/or deep snow, you may have to prioritize your efforts. Be sure to dig out tires and enough so you can get in the car. You may not have to remove ice that is textured. Ice that is rough will add traction, so usually not worth removing. Check the tailpipe before you start the engine. After you've dug out your car, make sure that the tailpipe is free of snow. While you may have removed the snow from around it, make sure the tailpipe itself is clear and doesn't get buried again. This is important, as the exhaust could build up in the car if the tailpipe isn't clear. Put down something gritty around the tires. Pour a gritty substance in front, behind, and on the sides of your tires. Gritty substances will help your tires gain traction when you try to back up or move forward. Some substances you can pour include: Salt, which will not only help tires gain traction, but will melt the ice and snow underneath them. Kitty litter. Car mats, welcome mats, or carpet squares. Sand. Place solid materials in front and behind the tires to gain traction. If gritty materials don't work, look for other materials that could help your tires gain traction. This includes pieces of plywood, ridged sheet metal, or similar items. Then, place the items in front of or behind your tires so you can back or drive onto them and then out of the snow. If you have snow chains, you should put them on. Turn your all-wheel drive on, if you have it. If you have all wheel or four-wheel drive, you should make sure it is activated before you try to drive your car out of the snow. Ultimately, the more tires that can spin, the more traction your car will have and the easier it will be to move out of the snow. Put your car in the lowest gear. Instead of just switching your car into drive, make sure to put it into the lowest gear. Putting it in the lowest gear will provide your tires with more power and make sure they spin slower. This will lower the risk that your tires dig a deeper hole into the snow. Straighten your wheels. Turn the steering wheel so your front wheels are as straight as possible. By straightening your wheels, you'll make it a lot easier to get your car out of the snow. However, make sure to adjust for any obstacles – like fire hydrants or signs – that might be in front of you. Rock the car out. Slowly back your car up. If you move a few inches, you're making progress. Then, drive the car forward. Once again, even a few inches is progress. Continue to do this until you're in a rocking motion. With a little luck, you'll make more-and-more progress forward and will be able to get out of the snow. Do this very gently, without gunning your engine. Rocking back and forth requires finesse. If rocking the car out doesn't work after about 5 minutes, stop doing it. It could damage your transmission. Ride your brakes. Because your wheels may be spinning too fast or at an unequal pace, you should press the brakes slightly as you try to rock the car out. This will make it so all your wheels are working to move you out of the snow. Don't ride the brakes for too long. If you do this, they could overheat. Release a little air from your tires, if you can't get out by rocking the car. Take your index finger and slightly push the pin in the center of the tire's air valve to the side. Release air until you can push the wall of the tire in just a little bit. This shouldn't take more than 20 to 30 seconds. If your tires are already low, don't let any air out. If you don't have any way to re-inflate the tires, don't let too much air out. Avoid spinning your tires. If your tires spin and you're not making backward or forward progress, you should stop the car immediately. This is because tires will slowly be digging themselves deeper into the snow. Clear an area for the jack. Locate an area near a wheel that is stuck more than the other wheels. Dig out all the loose snow and as much ice as you can. Make sure to clear a level and solid area for the jack. This area should be under a solid metal part of the car that can support the jack. Most cars have several “jack points” – places that are engineered so you can use a jack there. Look in your owner's manual to find these points. Place something solid on the spot you've cleared and put the jack there. After clearing an area for the jack, place something solid on the ground. This way, your jack will be level when you start to crank it up. If the jack isn't level, it could fall over and injure you. Crank the jack up. After you've positioned it, start to crank the jack up. Crank it up so the lowest tire is level with the other tires. The bottom of the tire should be level with the snow and ice you'll need to drive on. Be careful, though, as the jack could slip and injure you. Use gloves. Stand back while cranking it up. Verify that the jack is stable. Fill the area below the tire. Place solid items that your tire can gain traction on in the area below the tire. If you have access to it, fill the hole with sand, gravel, and rocks. If not, you can fill it with blankets, plant material, and woodchips. Compact the area after you've filled it. You can do this by patting it with a mallet or some other hard object. Lower and remove the jack. Once you've filled the area under the tire, lower the jack if you need to. Chances are, you won't need to lower it too much. Once you've lowered it, carefully remove the jack. Then, with a little luck, you'll be able to drive out of the snow.

Dig out your car. Check the tailpipe before you start the engine. Put down something gritty around the tires. Place solid materials in front and behind the tires to gain traction. Turn your all-wheel drive on, if you have it. Put your car in the lowest gear. Straighten your wheels. Rock the car out. Ride your brakes. Release a little air from your tires, if you can't get out by rocking the car. Avoid spinning your tires. Clear an area for the jack. Place something solid on the spot you've cleared and put the jack there. Crank the jack up. Fill the area below the tire. Lower and remove the jack.

https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Dirty-Shoes

How to Clean Dirty Shoes

To clean dirty canvas shoes, start by scrubbing dirt and debris off of them using an old toothbrush. Then, clean the soles off by scrubbing them with equal parts baking soda and water. When you're finished, machine wash the shoes on a delicate, cold water cycle before letting them air dry overnight. You can also machine wash white mesh shoes. Just remove any dirt on them with a toothbrush and then machine wash them on a hot water cycle.

Remove dirt or debris from the shoes. Use an old toothbrush or a small shoe brush and gently stroke the dirt or debris that is adhered to the shoe. Use just enough pressure to weaken the dirt's bond to the shoe. This will loosen and remove the debris or dirt. Clean the soles using a baking soda paste. Getting the soles of your canvas shoes clean can be tough, so make a paste using equal parts baking soda and water. Dip the toothbrush in the paste and massage the soles of your shoes. Wipe clean with a wet cloth when finished. Pretreat any stains with a stain remover. If your canvas shoes have any stains on them, place a small amount of stain remover on the stained area of the shoe. Allow the stain remover to sit on the shoe for the time recommended on the stain remover packaging. Make sure you test the stain remover on an inconspicuous part of the shoe first. This way you can make sure the product isn't going to fade or stain your shoes. Wash in a washing machine on the gentle cycle. Add a gentle laundry detergent to the machine, choose cold as the water temperature, and begin running the gentle or delicate cycle. When the machine is about three-quarters of the way filled with water, add the shoes and close the lid. Air dry the shoes. Once the washing machine has completely finished its cycle, it's time to remove the shoes from the machine. Place them in an area that is away from direct sun, heat, or air vents. Allow to dry overnight. Remove any debris or dirt from the shoe’s surface. Using a stiff bristled brush or an old toothbrush, gently removed any dirt from your leather shoes. Take care not to scrub too hard or you might accidentally scratch the surface of the shoe. Wipe grease and grime from the shoe’s surface. Find a clean and dry cloth you can use to gently wipe away any grease, oil, or grime that might be on the surface of the leather. An old washcloth, dish towel, or hand towel works well for this purpose. Wipe down the shoe with a damp cloth. Once you've used the dry cloth to wipe away grease and grime, wet a cloth with warm water and gently wipe down the surface of the shoe. Be sure you don't saturate the leather or you can cause damage. Air dry the shoes. It's important that you give your leather shoes an ample amount of time to air dry once you've finished the cleaning process and before you wear them. Allow shoes to dry for at least 30 minutes in a space away from direct sunlight, heat, or air vents. Treat the leather. Apply a cream leather polish with a soft cloth and allow to sit for a few minutes. Then take the cloth and buff the leather to a shine. This will help preserve and protect your leather shoes. Use a soft shoe brush made specifically for suede and nubuck to remove debris. Brush lightly over the surface of the shoes to remove any dirt or debris that has adhered itself to the surface of the shoe. Be sure you don't apply too much pressure as this can scratch the suede and ruin your shoes. Make sure you brush in the same direction. Brushing in different directions can make the shoes appear to be two different colors of suede. Don't use a wire brush on suede. This can ruin your shoes. Use a rubber eraser to eliminate any smudges or dirt. Sometimes suede shoes get smudged, and an eraser is an easily accessible tool to help you eliminate any unsightly smudges. Gently rub any smudges or smears with the eraser to remove them. In most cases, brushing away dirt and erasing smudges will be enough to restore the suede. Treat with a silicone spray. Using a silicone spray will help prevent new stains or water damage on your suede shoes. Once you've finished removing dirt, debris, and smudges, gently spray the surface of the suede with a silicon spray for extra protection. This can enhance the overall life of your shoes. Remove dirt and debris using an old toothbrush or a soft shoe brush. The first step to cleaning a pair of vinyl shoes is to remove any dirt or debris from the surface and sole of the shoes. Gently brush the shoes to remove the dirt before doing any further cleaning. Remove light scuffs using a pencil eraser. A simple household eraser will help you eliminate any scuffs or smudges from your vinyl shoes. Gently erase these marks with either an art eraser or a regular pencil eraser. Be sure not to use too much pressure. Clean the surface of the shoe with a damp cloth. Find a soft, clean cloth such as an old washcloth or hand towel and dampen it with lukewarm water. You can also add a drop of mild laundry detergent to the cloth. Gently wash the surface of the shoe. If using soap, wipe any soap debris remaining on the shoes with a damp clean cloth before drying. Air dry your shoes. Once you've finished wiping down your vinyl shoes, allow them to air dry before wearing. Place the shoes in a safe space away from heat, direct sunlight, and air vents. Allow them to dry at least 30 minutes, if not longer, before wearing. Clean white leather shoes with a wet cloth and white leather shoe cleaner. Wipe the shoes down with a damp cloth every few days. If you get stains, squeeze a little bit of shoe cleaner made especially for white shoes or white toothpaste onto the shoes and then rub gently with a wet cloth. Use a clean, dry towel to wipe the shoe clean. Scrub white canvas shoes with detergent. Test a patch of the cleaner in an inconspicuous area of the shoe. If it doesn't adversely affect the material or color of the shoe, use a shoe brush to gently scrub the shoes with detergent. Rinse thoroughly and then submerge in hot water with a drop of bleach and airy dry. Clean white mesh sneakers in the washing machine. After removing any excess dirt with a toothbrush, toss them in the machine with a splash of detergent on the hot water cycle. Make sure you remove the laces before washing. Avoid bleach as it can cause synthetic fibers to yellow. Remove the insoles from the shoes. To effectively clean smelly or dirty insoles, you will first need to remove the insoles from your shoes. Grip the back of the insole near the heel and gently pull the insole toward you until it is removed from the shoe. Remove excess dirt and debris with an old toothbrush or a soft bristled shoe brush. Gently scrub the insole with the brush until all visible debris is removed. Don't scrub too hard as this can cause certain insole fabrics to pill. Use a wet cloth and detergent to launder the insoles. Apply a small amount of detergent to a cloth that has been immersed in warm water. Scrub the insole and briefly rinse in warm water before air drying. Air dry the insoles before returning them to the shoes. Once you've cleaned and rinsed the insoles, place them in an area away from heat, air vents, or direct sunlight to air dry. Once they are completely dry, you can return them to the shoes.

Remove dirt or debris from the shoes. Clean the soles using a baking soda paste. Pretreat any stains with a stain remover. Wash in a washing machine on the gentle cycle. Air dry the shoes. Remove any debris or dirt from the shoe’s surface. Wipe grease and grime from the shoe’s surface. Wipe down the shoe with a damp cloth. Air dry the shoes. Treat the leather. Use a soft shoe brush made specifically for suede and nubuck to remove debris. Use a rubber eraser to eliminate any smudges or dirt. Treat with a silicone spray. Remove dirt and debris using an old toothbrush or a soft shoe brush. Remove light scuffs using a pencil eraser. Clean the surface of the shoe with a damp cloth. Air dry your shoes. Clean white leather shoes with a wet cloth and white leather shoe cleaner. Scrub white canvas shoes with detergent. Clean white mesh sneakers in the washing machine. Remove the insoles from the shoes. Remove excess dirt and debris with an old toothbrush or a soft bristled shoe brush. Use a wet cloth and detergent to launder the insoles. Air dry the insoles before returning them to the shoes.

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Dune-Buggy

How to Build a Dune Buggy

To build a dune buggy from scratch, purchase a type 1 Volkswagen Beetle, and buy the parts you will need to create the dune buggy, like the tires, exhaust, suspension, shocks, and springs. Place the Beetle on jacks in a garage so you can work on it, and remove all of the parts from the car besides the frame, engine, suspension, steering wheel, tires, brakes, and driver's seat. Then, start working on replacing the old parts with the new parts that you bought. When you're finished replacing parts, paint the frame and add extras like lights or a modified engine.

Buy a Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle for a pre-made dune buggy. The Type 1 is the perfect size and shape for a dune buggy. If you get a good car, most of the important parts are reusable, so you don't have to purchase or assemble them yourself. In addition to the chassis, you could save the seats, brakes, engine, and other parts. These cars become tougher to find as time goes on. Even if you are able to track one down, it may not be in great condition and could still require a lot of work. Later Beetle models aren't as easy to convert into a dune buggy.. If you need to spruce up a used car, replacing each individual part is still easier and cheaper than starting from scratch. You could work one part at a time if you have the knowledge or take it to a mechanic. Purchase a buggy kit to reduce the amount of assembly required. Some companies sell pre-made dune buggies. Pay for a chassis, then fit the fiberglass frame over it to prepare your buggy for the road. The only problem is you still need to hook up parts like the engine and transmission that you buy separately. Despite that, it saves you the hassle of stripping an old car or building a new frame. Search online for dune buggy kits. There are a few companies that sell them. The finished dune buggies are considered street legal in most areas, which makes them much easier to transport. Kits are pretty expensive. You're going to end up paying at least $2,000 USD apiece for the chassis and the body frame. You also have to consider the cost of shipping and your ability to trick the buggy out with the equipment it needs to run. Buy a construction plan if you intend on building a buggy from scratch. The plan is your blueprint showing you how to construct the buggy. However, you still get to devote plenty of time to creating the chassis, selecting and assembling the mechanical parts, and so on. It's an option that could save you money and give you a sense of pride if you're skilled at working with cars. Plans will run you about $25 unless you stumble upon free ones. Search online for dune buggy plans or blueprints. To build a custom chassis, you will need to know how to weld. Most builders use MIG welding with a MIG electrical torch, a shielding gas, and a metal wire used to solder steel pipes together. Also, check out dune buggy community forums. Get advice from people familiar with dune buggies. They can point you in the right direction when you're looking for plans and parts. Pay for individual parts separately to complete your buggy. No matter how you get your frame, you are still going to need an engine and other parts. The easiest way to do this is by visiting a site that sells buggy parts. Many companies that sell kits also sell rebuilt Beetle parts, which are very difficult to find new. You then need to figure out how to install each part in your buggy unless you have a mechanic do it. Search online for parts stores or, if you're really handy, go to a scrapyard. Another way to get parts is by taking old ones from other vehicles. Ask other dune buggy owners where they get their parts. Many people repurpose parts from old cars or appliances like snowmobiles. Lift the Beetle up on jack stands placed behind the wheels. Park the Beetle on a flat, level surface, then locate the jack spots behind each wheel. Raise the car up with a jack, then slip the jack stands underneath it to hold it up. You will need to get underneath the car in order to detach the frame. Make sure the car feels stable and doesn't move when you touch it. Crawling under a car is dangerous. Take plenty of time inspecting the car, making sure the jacks are well-positioned and stable. Detach the battery and other electrical wires by hand. Start with the car's engine compartment, which is in the back on a classic Beetle. The battery is underneath the back seat and held down by a bracket you can turn counterclockwise with a socket wrench. Do the same thing with the nuts on the battery terminals to remove the red and black wires connected to them. Also, squeeze the plastic connectors on any additional wires you are able to reach nearby in order to detach them.. Every electrical component needs to be detached. That includes the brake lights, the oil pressure switch, and the motor. Some of them are hard to spot at first, but you will get another chance at them as you remove each component. You could cut the wires to remove the parts from the car, but you will then need to replace them if you plan on using the parts again. Remove the bolts holding the body panels to the chassis. Crawl under the car with a box-end wrench in hand. A classic Beetle has about 22 bolts with 17 mm (0.67 in) and 13 mm (0.51 in) heads around its edges. Twist these counterclockwise with wrenches of the same size until you are able to pull them off. There are also bolts on the axles near the wheel, so make sure you get those as well if they are there. Sometimes bolts are missing in older cars. If someone removed them without replacing them, that makes your job a little easier. Be sure to get new bolts if you need them when you begin putting the dune buggy back together. Unscrew the fuel tank and any other bolts under the hood. Check back inside the car for any bolts holding the components in place. There are usually 4 of them around the fuel tank in the front end, but you may find other ones to take care of. Use your box-end wrench again to remove them. If you're able to move the fuel tank, you're on the right track. Moving the fuel tank will help you access some of the wires, including the steering column and brake lights. Detach the fuel and brake fluid lines with pliers. This part gets a little messy, so have some clean storage containers available. Find the fuel line first as it runs from the fuel tank to the chassis. Using a pair of locking pliers, pull the hose free and catch the draining fuel in a container. Then, do the same thing for the brake fluid chamber near the engine and brake lights. Keep the fuel and brake fluid separate. If you can't reuse it, take it up to a car repair shop and ask them if they can recycle it for you. Remove as many components out of the car as you can. Now you get to start the fun part of pulling all the guts out of the car. Try to remove the engine, the fuel tank, and other parts sitting inside the trunk and hood. Lift them up slowly in case you missed any wires that need to be disconnected first. Set them all aside, since most of them can be reused in your buggy. Leave the frame in place for now. It's usually too heavy to move right away, although you could try taking off the doors and hoods by unscrewing them with a Phillips-head screwdriver. If you plan on reusing the wires and hoses still in the car, consider labeling them so you know what parts they attach to. Lift the top part of the frame off of the chassis. Once you have all the internal parts out, detach any remaining body panels. The frame is like the car's metal skeleton that all the parts attach to, while the chassis is the base part that rests over the wheels. The framework is too heavy for a single person to lift, so gather 4 of your strongest friends. Have everyone lift the frame up, and if you have an extra set of hands, have them push the chassis out from under it. Try to remove the body panels by using a socket wrench on the bolts connecting them to the frame. Many times, you can save both the frame and chassis to form the base structure of the buggy. If the panels won't come off, lift the frame off the chassis. If the chassis is intact, you can easily reinstall the engine and other components needed to cruise around in your new buggy. Sell the leftover parts if you're looking for a little extra spending money. Otherwise, repurpose the scrap metal for another project. Inspect the parts for any sign of damage. If you're using an old VW, you're probably working with a lot of rusted parts. Replace anything in bad condition so you can enjoy plenty of safe rides later. Try to get parts that are as similar as possible to the old ones to make the building process simpler. Shop online or take the old parts with you when you go shopping at an auto parts store. Some parts may be stuck. Soak them in a penetrating oil like WD-40 to loosen them for removal. The replacement part doesn't have to be exact, and you're free to get shiny new parts or repurposed parts from other vehicles. Freestyle customizing is possible if you know how to build cars. Place the engine on the back part of the frame behind the seats. The VW Beetle 4-cylinder, air-cooled engine works well in a dune buggy. It is relatively light, inexpensive, and easy to maintain. Secure it to the frame using a box-end wrench and some bolts, then begin twisting the air hoses onto the ventilation spouts with the wrench. Air-cooled engines are much easier to set up than water-cooled engines. You don't need to worry about cooling fluid or much of anything else that complicates things. The engine stays cool by taking in air as you drive. Install a new battery in the car. Find some space in the battery bracket near the engine. Generally, a dune buggy does well with a 12 or 24-volt battery. Use the old battery in the vehicle for comparison if you still have it. Once you have the new battery, cover it with the battery bracket and hold them together using 4 mm (0.16 in) hex bolts and Phillips screws as needed. The battery powers the buggy's starter along with any other electrical parts. Dune buggies don't require the strongest batteries, but if you have a choice, get a larger battery to ensure your vehicle has enough power. Install shocks so the buggy doesn’t bounce as much on the road. A good suspension system gives you that smooth, relaxing ride even when you're driving over some bumpy hills. The old shocks are the coiled spring-like pieces underneath your buggy. Use a socket wrench set and penetrating oil to remove them. Replace them with similar shock absorbers to keep your buggy stable as it moves. A good suspension system keeps a buggy stable and off the pavement. Consider using a basic system from a VW Beetle and then replacing the individual components as they wear out. Replace worn-out tires with new ones. Keep your car jacked up and start removing the lug nuts with an appropriately-sized socket wrench. Hang onto the lug nuts unless they're in bad condition. Then, get some VW Beetle tires as replacements. Look for tires that are the same size and use the same number of lug nuts as the old ones. If your tires are really worn out, you could remove the entire wheel and either clean it or replace it. Fit a new fiberglass body to fit over the buggy’s frame. The easiest way to do this is by purchasing a pre-made fiberglass frame. The underside of the body attaches to the chassis through metal bolts. That allows you to snap the fiberglass panels together and then add any extra bolts needed to secure them. Pre-made frames and kits come with all the bolts you need. This is handy since the bolt size you need to use could vary depending on the manufacturer. Once you finish installing the body, you can give your buggy a fresh coat of paint before taking it out for a drive.

Buy a Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle for a pre-made dune buggy. Purchase a buggy kit to reduce the amount of assembly required. Buy a construction plan if you intend on building a buggy from scratch. Pay for individual parts separately to complete your buggy. Lift the Beetle up on jack stands placed behind the wheels. Detach the battery and other electrical wires by hand. Remove the bolts holding the body panels to the chassis. Unscrew the fuel tank and any other bolts under the hood. Detach the fuel and brake fluid lines with pliers. Remove as many components out of the car as you can. Lift the top part of the frame off of the chassis. Inspect the parts for any sign of damage. Place the engine on the back part of the frame behind the seats. Install a new battery in the car. Install shocks so the buggy doesn’t bounce as much on the road. Replace worn-out tires with new ones. Fit a new fiberglass body to fit over the buggy’s frame.

https://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Loose-Slot-Machine-at-a-Casino

How to Find a Loose Slot Machine at a Casino

To find a loose slot machine at a casino, start by trying machines that are in high-traffic areas, since these tend to have better payouts. Next, check the payout percentage of the machine you're playing on, either in the help menu or online, because a higher percentage means a higher likelihood you'll win. Then, play the maximum number of coins possible because you'll have better odds of a big win that way. Avoid slots with progressive jackpots, since the chances of winning are slim.

Play the maximum number of coins. Many machines require that a player gamble with the maximum amount of money to have a chance at winning the jackpot. Make sure you check the payout table to find out. The payout table is a small printed sticker displaying the percentages of likelihood for the winning combinations. If you don't want to pay the maximum, consider finding a less expensive slot machine. For example, if you play on a machine with a 25 cent minimum but a one dollar maximum, you should play with one dollar to see the best results. This technique is best for machines with a jackpot. However, this is a good method for regular slot machines as well. Test the payout of your machine. Whenever you sit down to a new machine you need to test the payout percentage. Put in a few dollars and see how much you get back. After some time has passed, figure out whether or not you're breaking even. If you are, stay put! It could be a loose slot machine! If not, move to another machine. For example, if you spend about twenty dollars at a machine over half an hour and only get about ten dollars back, that's probably not a loose machine. Leave and find a better one. Avoid choosing a “favorite machine.” If you devote a lot of attention to one particular machine, you won't be as likely to leave it when it stops paying out. Play multiple machines at once. Experienced gamblers will often play two or three slot machines at the same time. This is based off of the belief that loose machines are situated right next to tight machines. These gamblers believe that increasing the number of machines they use increases their chance to find a loose slot. Don't spread yourself too thin. If you use machines that are too far away from one another, you may lose track of which machines you're gambling with. Take care when using this method as you might lose your money that much faster! Know when to stop playing. Before stepping foot into the casino, figure out how much money you can afford to lose. Never spend money that you need for other obligations. Similarly, if you make a big profit, consider pocketing the profit and limiting your gambling to the money you came in with. Adopting this system will minimize your losses. Play machines with good payouts. Typically, the more money you have to use to play, the higher the payout percentage is. For example, machines that require $1 or more generally pay out 95% to 99%, where 25 and 50 cent machines usually pay out 92% to 95%. Be wary of casinos advertising that their machines payout “up to 99.5%.” To make this claim they only have to have one machine that pays out 99.5%. All of the rest can be standard machines. Slot machines don't usually post their payout percentage publically. Look in the machines “help” menu or try to find the information online. A machines payout percentage doesn't change throughout the night. This is a common myth. The payout will stay the same over the course of a few weeks, if not years. Don’t play progressive jackpot machines. Progressive slot machines slowly accumulate money from players and display the total as a jackpot. When playing on these machines, there's a possibility that you may win millions of dollars! However, the odds are very, very slim. These machines make the casino money by reeling customers in with promises of a million-dollar jackpot and then fleecing them. Don't be fooled by these marketing tactics. If you simply can't resist playing a progressive jackpot machine, remember to play the maximum amount of money. Otherwise, you may not be eligible for the jackpot. Some people will avoid progressive jackpot machines unless the jackpot is very, very high. To reach the payout percentage a machine has to pay out money periodically. Therefore, if the jackpot is large, the machine might be ready to pay out. Don’t play multiple payline slots. These machines display multiple paylines, or the line of numbers or symbols that determine your winnings. These machines typically have many possible winning combinations across the different paylines. This can seem like a tempting offer but don't be fooled! These machines usually have a lower payout percentage than your standard slot machine. To spot these machines, look for multiple rows and columns of symbols that advertise “many winning combinations.” The most common kind of multiple payline slot has five rows and five columns of symbols. Gamble in casinos. Casino slot machines typically have the highest payouts at 95%. This means that for every dollar you put in, the machine is programmed to give back 95% of it at some point. Other gambling locations such as airports, bars, grocery stores, and service stations typically stock machines that have a 50% to 75% payout. Las Vegas is famous for having looser slot machines than other gambling cities. Many gamblers theorize that the older casinos in Las Vegas tend to have looser slot machines to compete with the flashier, newer casinos. Ask an employee. Casino employees see thousands of people gambling every week. They probably have a good idea of where the “hot” machines are and may be willing to share this information for a good tip. Ask them if there have been any big slot winnings recently and if so where those machines are. Similarly, ask them which machines they prefer to play themselves. Remember to tip them generously if they help you out, especially if they're also serving you drinks. If they refuse to help don't press the matter. It may be against their company policy to pass that information along and doing so may cost them their job. Find “loose slot spots” in casinos. Many people believe that casinos strategically place loose slots in high-traffic areas to encourage passerby to play. Therefore, choose machines that are in highly visible places such as near the change booths or on elevated platforms. Slots in the “crosswalk,” or areas that other players must cross through to reach other parts of the casino, are famously loose. Keep in mind that this is just a theory. Don't stick to a bad machine just because it's in a high payout location. If you're having trouble finding a good machine ask another gambler if they know where the “hot” machines are. Avoid low payout locations. Many experienced gamblers avoid the main slot areas. This is the location that the highly visible slot machines are trying to draw you to, and these machines are notorious for having low payouts. Similarly, avoid the machines next to gaming table areas and ticket lines. These machines might distract the customers that are spending lots of money on other things; therefore, the payout will be low to avoid drawing attention. Make a special effort to avoid the slot machines near the poker tables. These machines are notoriously tight.

Play the maximum number of coins. Test the payout of your machine. Play multiple machines at once. Know when to stop playing. Play machines with good payouts. Don’t play progressive jackpot machines. Don’t play multiple payline slots. Gamble in casinos. Ask an employee. Find “loose slot spots” in casinos. Avoid low payout locations.

https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-a-Band-Aid-Painlessly

How to Remove a Band Aid Painlessly

The simplest way to remove a Band Aid painlessly is to soak it in water until the adhesive weakens and you can pull it off easily. If that doesn't work, use soap or an oil like olive oil to loosen it. Simply rub some on with your finger and allow it to saturate the bandage. Then, peel up a corner of the bandage to see if it is loose. If it is, rip it off quickly. If not, keep massaging the oil in.

Soak the bandage in water. You've probably had the misfortune of coming across someone's used bandage floating in the gutter of a public swimming pool, and therefore are aware that exposure to water weakens a bandage's adhesion to skin. No, don't go to your public pool. Soak in the bathtub for a bit, and then try removing the bandage. A leisurely shower may work as well. You can also just apply a wet compress (such as a clean rag soaked in warm water) to the bandage and wait for it to soak through. Use oils or soaps to weaken and lubricate the adhesive. People swear by different products -- olive oil, petroleum jelly, baby shampoo, or baby oil, to name a few -- but the process is similar regardless. Try different variations and see what works best for you and your family. Use a cotton ball, cotton swab, or just your finger to massage the product into the adhesive areas of the bandage. Work it in and allow it to saturate those areas of the bandage. Peel a corner of the bandage up to see if the adhesion has been weakened. If not, keep working in the oil or soap. If so, peel away the rest of the bandage in a quick motion. Use your other hand to gently press the surrounding skin down, if necessary. One tip for kids is adding food coloring to baby oil so that you can “paint” the mixture onto the bandage with cotton swabs. Make it a fun experience instead of a worrisome one. Lubricate extra-sticky bandages even more. Instead of yanking off a stubbornly-stuck bandage quickly, weaken the adhesive as mentioned in the last step, peel up a corner, then apply moisturizing lotion to the contact point between skin and bandage as you continue to slowly pull it away. Dissolve the adhesive with alcohol. You can also use the lubricating technique with rubbing alcohol. The adhesive should slowly but surely dissolve, and any adhesive remaining on the skin can be rubbed away with the saturated cotton ball / swab. There are also adhesive removal products marketed for bandage removal. Check medical or surgical supply stores if not available at your drugstore. Don't avoid removing a bandage by not using one. One of those bits of “old-time” wisdom that still circulates today is the idea that it is better to clean a small cut, then let it “air out” and scab over. Like putting butter on a burn or tilting your head back during a nosebleed, however, this is false. Small wounds actually heal better in a moist environment, in which blood vessels regenerate faster and inflammation-causing cells multiply more slowly. So, preventing scab formation actually aids the healing process. It may be no surprise that the company behind Band-Aids promotes covering cuts and scrapes instead of airing them out, but they have science on their side. Prepare wounds properly for bandaging. Sometimes the worst part of pulling away a bandage is not the sticky adhesive, but dried blood / scabbing that pulls away with the bandage and reopens the wound. Proper preparation can make this less likely. Stop the bleeding of a minor cut or scrape by applying pressure with gauze, a paper towel, a clean cloth, etc. Apply gentle pressure for up to 15 minutes, until all bleeding has stopped. For a large cut or wound, an excessively dirty wound, or a wound that won't stop bleeding, get medical help. Rinse the area with clean water and gently clean the wound with soap and water. Rinse again and pat dry with a clean cloth, etc. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or one of those old wound cleaners your grandfather swore by -- just plain old soap and water. Hydrogen peroxide and iodine can irritate an injury. Consider moistening the wound to inhibit sticking. Antibiotic ointments have shown little evidence in helping wounds heal faster, but they do help keep the wound moist and make sticking less likely upon bandage removal. That said, plain old petroleum jelly will provide the same moistening / lubricating benefit. Apply a small dab only over the wound itself, so the bandage will stick where it should. Cover the wound with a bandage. Choose a bandage that is large enough so that the pad (the part that isn't sticky) covers the entire wound with a little room to spare. Try not to touch the pad when applying to reduce infection chances. Especially when wrapping a bandage around a finger (or a larger bandage wrap around an arm or leg), make it tight enough to stay in place and prevent a gap between pad and wound, but not so tight that it hampers blood flow. If your finger tingles or turns purple-ish, it's too tight. Apply a new bandage if the old one gets saturated with water or dirty. Get out your razor, if necessary. If you need to apply a bandage to a hairy area -- for a man, an arm or leg, or even chest or back -- you may want to prevent the inevitable pain of the bandage being stuck to your hair by removing the hair first. Use warm water, a fresh, clean razor, and don't shave over the wound itself. Unless you want to have patchy hairless spots along with your small scars, you probably should try the other bandage removal procedures discussed in this article before resorting to this step. Have faith in medical science. Bandage removal is not just an annoyance -- some 1.5 million people in the U.S. annually, mostly infants and the elderly with sensitive skin, suffer scarring or irritation from bandage removal. However, new bandages are being developed that sandwich a “quick-release” layer between the backing and dissolvable adhesive. So, perhaps painful bandage removals will be a thing of the past soon.

Soak the bandage in water. Use oils or soaps to weaken and lubricate the adhesive. Lubricate extra-sticky bandages even more. Dissolve the adhesive with alcohol. Don't avoid removing a bandage by not using one. Prepare wounds properly for bandaging. Consider moistening the wound to inhibit sticking. Cover the wound with a bandage. Get out your razor, if necessary. Have faith in medical science.

https://www.wikihow.com/Decorate-Candles

How to Decorate Candles

To decorate a candle with glitter, start by taping paper over the parts of the candle that you don't want glitter to get on. For example, you can wrap a strip of paper around the candle to make a stripe, or you can cut out fun shapes and tape them on. Next, brush Mod Podge or liquid glue on the areas you want to cover with glitter, and sprinkle glitter over the candle. Finally, let the candle dry overnight before peeling off the paper.

Place paper on the areas you don’t want to glitter. You can wrap strips of tissue paper around the candle and tie them in place, or tape down individual pieces to create different designs. Plan out what you want your candle to look like, then tie down or attach the paper with Scotch tape to start the decorating process. Brush Mod Podge on the areas you want to cover. Use a paintbrush or a crafting brush to spread a thin, even layer of Mod Podge on the candle. You can paint over the edges of the paper to ensure full coverage, but try not to cover the paper completely. If you don't have Mod Podge, you can make your own or use regular liquid glue, although the glitter may not stay on as long. Sprinkle glitter over the candle. Thick coats of glitter look best on candles, making the glitter look neater and more professional. You shouldn't be able to see any of the candle surface underneath. You'll get glitter on your work surface, so put down newspapers beforehand to catch it. Tap the bottom of the candle gently against the surface when you're done to knock off any extra glitter. Match the glitter color to your candle and your event. You might pair red glitter with a white candle for the holidays, for example, or put black glitter on an orange candle for Halloween. Let the candle dry, then seal it with Mod Podge sealer. Leave the candle standing up on your work surface overnight to dry. When it's dry, remove the paper cut outs and spray the glitter with Mod Podge clear sealer to help it stay on longer. Clean the candle surface with rubbing alcohol to remove any dust. Dampen a lint-free cloth with rubbing alcohol. Wipe the surface of the candle with it to prepare it for painting. Dab your candle with candle varnish and let it dry overnight. Wet a makeup sponge with candle and soap colors varnish, then dab it across the surface of the candle in an even, smooth coat. Let it set overnight. Varnish prepares your candle for paint, keeping the paint in place and protecting it from wear and tear. You can find the varnish online or in craft stores. Mark off the areas you don’t want to paint with tape or rubber bands. If you don't want to paint your whole candle, you can make stripes or designs with painter's tape or rubber bands. Press the paint or rubber bands flush against the candle to make them easy to paint around. Paint the candle with acrylic paint. Use acrylic paint and a thin paintbrush to paint your candle in a smooth, even layer. If you're painting with different colors, paint all of the sections in one color before rinsing your brush and moving onto the next, or use separate brushes. Set down a newspaper on your painting surface to keep it clean. Let it dry overnight and use varnish to give it a shiny finish. Check your candle the next day. If you can see the candle through the paint, apply another coat. Let it dry again, then remove the tape. To prevent the paint from chipping and give it a glossy appearance, you can dab an even coat of varnish over the entire candle. Print a photo onto white tissue paper. Cut a sheet of white or transparent tissue paper just smaller than a sheet of printer paper. Then, tape it onto the printer paper, shiny side down. Feed the paper into the printer so that your image prints onto the tissue side. Most printers flip the paper over before printing, so you'll need to place your paper tissue side-down. Check your printer's instructions to make sure. You can transfer a photo, an illustration, or even a few words onto your candle. Cut out the picture. Use regular scissors to cut the picture out of the tissue paper. Leave a thin border around the edges, and make sure that your picture isn't too big to fit completely on the side of your candle. Place the picture on the candle and wrap wax paper around it. Wrap the picture around your candle so that it's flush against it on all sides. Wrap a piece of wax paper tightly around it, covering the whole candle. Make sure there are no creases in the wax paper. Apply a heat tool, like a hair dryer or heat gun, to the picture. Run an embossing heat gun over the image to embed it into the candle. Watch the ink as you heat it—you should be able to see it coming through darker and more clearly, which means it's done. If you don't have a heat gun, use a hair dryer on the hottest setting. Use the diffuser attachment or wear gloves to protect your hands from the heat. Peel off the wax paper gently and throw it away. Slowly and gently pull away the wax paper, like you're peeling away a temporary tattoo. The picture should stay behind as a unique candle decoration. Bedazzle your candles with plastic jewels. Buy rhinestones or plastic jewels at a craft store and use super glue to attach them to your candle. Arrange them in a cool pattern or fun design, or simply sprinkle them across the candle randomly. Use matching colors on a plain candle for the best look. You can also buy rhinestones with sticky backs that can attach directly to the candle. Ring your candle with cinnamon sticks for a homey look and sweet scent. Buy enough cinnamon sticks to surround the candle. Place a small dot of hot glue on the back of each and press it against the candle, placing it vertically with the bottom in line with the bottom of the candle. Continue all the way around the candle, then tie a piece of ribbon around them for decoration. You can embellish it even more with a sprig of holly or cranberries. Use a ribbon to tie flowers onto your candle. For a simple, pretty decoration, use matching ribbon to tie a real or fake flower to the outside of your candle. You can even layer on multiple ribbons for a fancier look. Consider removing the flowers or cutting them shorter as the candle burns down. Wind bright yarn or fabric around the candle for a striped look. Choose a ribbon or yarn that matches or offsets your candle color, then twirl it around the candle to create a striped, candy cane effect. Tilting the ribbon at an angle, so that the stripes are slanting diagonally across the candle, makes it look even more professional. Glue on seashells and sand for a beachy vibe. Use a paintbrush to spread Mod Podge or liquid glue on the bottom half or third of your candle. Roll it through beach sand, then let it dry overnight. When it's done, glue a shell just above the sand, or tie it on with twine or string. This method looks best with a plain white or cream candle. You can add as many seashells as you like.

Place paper on the areas you don’t want to glitter. Brush Mod Podge on the areas you want to cover. Sprinkle glitter over the candle. Let the candle dry, then seal it with Mod Podge sealer. Clean the candle surface with rubbing alcohol to remove any dust. Dab your candle with candle varnish and let it dry overnight. Mark off the areas you don’t want to paint with tape or rubber bands. Paint the candle with acrylic paint. Let it dry overnight and use varnish to give it a shiny finish. Print a photo onto white tissue paper. Cut out the picture. Place the picture on the candle and wrap wax paper around it. Apply a heat tool, like a hair dryer or heat gun, to the picture. Peel off the wax paper gently and throw it away. Bedazzle your candles with plastic jewels. Ring your candle with cinnamon sticks for a homey look and sweet scent. Use a ribbon to tie flowers onto your candle. Wind bright yarn or fabric around the candle for a striped look. Glue on seashells and sand for a beachy vibe.

https://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-the-Summer-Solstice

How to Celebrate the Summer Solstice

If you want to celebrate the summer solstice with a party, consider inviting your friends over for a bonfire to celebrate light. While everyone's there, you can have a feast of sun-colored foods like papayas and pumpkins that you gathered from local farms or markets. However, if you can't throw a party, you can always start a garden or just commit to taking better care of yourself this summer.

Observe the sky. From an astronomical point of view, the summer solstice occurs sometime between June 20-21 in the Northern Hemisphere, and December 21-22 in the Southern Hemisphere. Find out exactly when it will take place based on the year and your location, and spend time outdoors to witness the summer solstice. Celebrate the light. Spend time outdoors in the sun and give thanks for the light that guides our days. Make an altar of light by arranging candles, summer flowers, and tangerines in a beautiful outdoor space. Allow the tangerines to soak up the sun so you can enjoy them later. Honor the sun. The summer solstice is a great time to honor the sun. You can make solstice sun tea by adding edible flowers and herbs to a jar filled with water, then leave it out in the sun to steep. You can also make a sun mandala with petals from orange and yellow flowers. Arrange the petals in decorative, circular patterns while maintaining a vision of peace and serenity. Make a flower crown. Collect flowers from your garden or get some from a garden shop. Choose flowers with thin stems and fragrant blossoms. To make the crown: Take your first flower and gently split the stem in half, about two-thirds of the way up the stem, to create a small hole. The hole should be just large enough to fit a stem through. Take your second flower and stick the stem through the hole you just made. Then split that stem to create a small hole for the next flower stem to fit into. Continue to add more flowers in the same fashion. To finish, create a larger hole that will fit a whole flower through and thread your first flower through the last stem. Trim the ends if needed. Start a garden. The summer solstice is the perfect time to start a garden. Prepare your soil to receive plants by tilling and mixing in compost or fertilizer. Select plants from your local garden shop, or ask your friends or neighbors for cuttings from their gardens. Then: Dig holes large enough for each plant, and be sure to leave enough space for the plants to grow. Gently place the plants in the holes and fill in the space with dirt or fertilizer. Water the newly planted flowers gently, and enjoy your garden. Visit a local farm. Go to a local farm in order to appreciate how the sun gives life. Pack a picnic and enjoy the sights and smells. Another great activity to do at a farm is to pick sun-ripened berries. You could also volunteer to pull weeds or help the farmers with their chores. Play in the water. Salute the sun while you wade in the water. Visit a local river, lake, waterfall, or even the beach and enjoy the scenery. Float in the water, swim, or simply sit near it and watch for wildlife. Build a sandcastle , make a rock cairn, or gather wildflowers. Use your senses to explore the nature surrounding you, and take note of sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and touches. Do yoga or meditate. The summer solstice is a great time to find inner peace and balance. Try the sun salutation and the tree pose or simply sit quietly for a while. Meditation and yoga are intended to exercise both your body and your soul, balancing both in harmony through thought and physical movement. Begin this routine on the morning of the summer solstice and aim to make it a daily habit from this time on. Seek fulfillment from your life. The summer solstice heralds the beginning of summer, which also represents the time of fulfillment. This is an excellent time to take stock of your life and assess how your goals are progressing. From earlier New Year's resolutions to the big goals in your life, ask yourself how you're doing in achieving these things for yourself and others you care about. Are you still aligned with your goals or have you strayed from them? Take this opportunity to reinvigorate them and to make any necessary changes to achieve your aims in life. Be honest with your goal appraisal––set aside those goals that aren't taking you in the direction you want to go now. We all grow and change over time; make sure you're not hanging onto goals that no longer fit the person you have become. Start a gratitude journal. Keeping a gratitude journal can remind you of all the positive things in your life. Write down things and people you are thankful for, as well as abilities or qualities you possess that you are grateful. Jot down positive experiences you have had as well. Try to recognize all the good and wonderful things in your life, to help you better notice fulfillment when you feel it. Learn new ways to heal. The summer solstice is a great day to decide to learn more about a healing technique that has interested you for a while, such as reiki, therapeutic massage, or acupuncture. You could go to a session and try a new healing therapy for something that ails you, be it stress, pain, etc. Alternatively, if you would like become a practitioner in healing arts, look for courses that you can take. Focus your energy on positive changes. The stability of summer and the promise of balmy, warmer days ahead is considered to be a time to develop yourself, to set yourself free, and to nurture yourself. Take the easier nature of summer as a reason to make greater efforts to make positive changes. Refresh your home by creating a new layout. Rearrange furniture or swap out pieces for things you have stored in your attic or basement. Add new accents, like pillows, art, lamps, etc. Get rid of clutter, but keep things that bring you joy. Readjust your nutrition intake using the fresh fruits and vegetables of summer as your base. Use this opportunity to align your thinking about food to one that involves eating more greens, locally grown foods and organic foods and eating less processed foods. Find an exercise that you really click. Choose something that you enjoy doing, rather than something you suffer through. Think about meditation , yoga , swimming , running , or riding a bicycle. Plan to travel. Consider spending summer solstice away from home, at one of the key destinations where the summer solstice has been celebrated for centuries, or at the site of a solstice festival. Many countries, such as Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, hold summer festivals in which people dance around a midsummer Maypole and decorate their homes with greenery, flowers, and tree branches. Britain's Stonehenge is a must for the avid observer of the summer solstice, and thousands of people celebrate the day as the sun rises. Stonehenge aligns with the sunrise on the solstice, making for spectacular viewing. An ancient sun temple was discovered in 2006 in Cairo, Egypt. This partially uncovered site is the largest sun temple ever found in the capital's Ain Shams and Matariya districts, where the ancient city of Heliopolis — the center of pharaonic sun worship — was located. Consider visiting this landmark and participating in local summer solstice activities. Iceland hosts a “secret” three-day music festival on the solstice. In Russia, the solstice is celebrated by a three-month “White Nights” festival in which opera and ballet are performed. In Peru and Ecuador, the Incan Sun Festival takes place over the summer solstice. In the U.S., the Cleveland Museum of Art (in Ohio) has music performances and late-night viewings on the summer solstice, and a Summer Solstice Music Festival is hosted in Santa Barbara, California. Make a solstice feast. Invite your friends and family to come celebrate the solstice with you. Go to local farms or markets and choose the freshest ingredients for your feast. Make dishes using items the color of the sun, like lemons, squash, papayas, corn, oranges, bananas, carrots, peppers, peaches, apricots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, mangoes, grapefruit, and sweet potatoes. Throw a party with a bonfire. A bonfire is part of the tradition of the summer solstice. Fire has always been a source of protection for human beings, scaring off the beings of the night, both real and magical. Nowadays, you can reinvent the bonfire as a great reason to hold a summer solstice party with friends. Just be sure to choose a location where it is both safe and permitted to burn a bonfire––check with the local authority first and be sure there isn't a fire ban due to the dry conditions. Keep a Solstice fire vigil. Some, especially Pagans, light a candle or fire before sundown and keep it lit until the sun rises to ritually tend the sun's flame through the shortest night until the Wheel of the Year (the seasonal ritual cycle) turns toward the dark half of the year again at dawn. This serves as both celebration of the peak of light, and honoring of the gifts of the coming darkness as the days begin from this point to grow shorter.

Observe the sky. Celebrate the light. Honor the sun. Make a flower crown. Start a garden. Visit a local farm. Play in the water. Do yoga or meditate. Seek fulfillment from your life. Start a gratitude journal. Learn new ways to heal. Focus your energy on positive changes. Plan to travel. Make a solstice feast. Throw a party with a bonfire. Keep a Solstice fire vigil.

https://www.wikihow.com/Breed-Scottish-Cocker-Spaniels

How to Breed Scottish Cocker Spaniels

If you want to breed Scottish Cocker Spaniels, leave them together to mate while the female dog is in the second stage of her heat cycle. You'll know she's in this stage if you notice her vulva is enlarged or that she's giving off a distinct smell meant to attract males. Then, about 30 days after the dogs have mated, ask your vet to do a pregnancy test. If your dog is pregnant, you should build her a dry, safe, and warm whelping box to give birth in, then assist in the delivery process by using a soft towel to remove the membrane sac from each newborn puppy.

Decide between purebred parents or multigenerational breeding. There are two ways that cocker spaniels are bred. The first way to use one purebred cocker spaniel parent and one purebred Scottish terrier parent. This will put the genetics of your puppy at roughly 50% of each breed. Another popular way is called multigenerational breeding; this is where the parents themselves are both Scottish cockers. While they may be the product of multiple generations of breeding, they may not have a perfect ratio of cocker spaniel to Scottish terrier. You can also breed one purebred parent to one multigenerational parent to help strengthen certain breed characteristics in your dog's pedigree. With mixes, it is very difficult to tell the temperament, markings, or characteristics of the puppies, as there is an equal chance that they will inherit something from one ancestral breed or the other. Look to the parents themselves as an example of what the puppies might turn out like. Look into hiring a stud. If you do not have a male dog, you can hire one from a breeder. You can look for other Scottish cocker breeders, or you can find one who breeds either cocker spaniels or Scottish terriers. If you are looking for a purebred stud, contact a local kennel club. They can refer you to a registered breeder. Stud fees can cost hundreds of dollars, especially if the stud is a purebred. Always make sure to have a written contract between you and the breeder beforehand. The stud's owner may ask for a fee. You may also be asked to show proof that your dog is not carrying any diseases. Think about artificial insemination. Artificial insemination is not uncommon in breeding dogs. If you are having trouble locating a stud, you can ask your vet about buying sperm from a semen bank. This frozen semen will be sent to your vet, who will then impregnate your dog at the proper time in her heat cycle. Many of these semen banks have been genetically tested to ensure that you are receiving the proper breed of dog. Artificial insemination is expensive, however. Take the dogs to the vet. A vet can help you decide if your dog is ready to mate and help you determine when they are going into heat. They can also provide genetic tests on both parents. Breeding puppies, even in mixed breeds, can bring the risk of genetic disorders in the litter. While mixed breeds do have a lower incidence of these genetic problems, they are vulnerable to any disorder common in either parent. Cocker spaniels are prone to certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma, Retinal Pigment Epithelial Dystrophy, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy. They may also have hip dysplasia or chronic pancreatitis. Scotties are known for a blood clotting disease known as von Willebrand's disease and neurological issues such as cerebellar abiotrophy. Find homes for the puppies. While your dog may not be pregnant yet, one of the most important things that you can do is start locating homes for the puppies right away. If you are struggling to find people willing to take the puppies, you may want to reconsider breeding Scottish cockers until you are able to find enough interested homes. Do not just assume that adopters will appear when the puppies are born. Consider the pros and cons of breeding your dogs. Puppies are cute, and it can be extremely rewarding to help bring new little lives into the world. There are not many Scottish cocker breeders currently, and by breeding a litter, you can help others find the perfect dog. That said, there are many dogs currently living in shelters. Adopting can save both money and a life. Before you breed, consider the following: Can you afford the medical costs associated with a canine pregnancy? Are you able to supervise the puppies around the clock for the first eight weeks of their life? Do you have potential homes for all of the puppies? What will you do with a puppy if an adoption falls through? Is your dog healthy enough to mate or carry puppies? Wait for the female to go in heat. Heat is the period when your female dog is ready to mate. You may notice that your dog is urinating more than usual or that they are leaving behind a bloody discharge. This is a sign that they have started their heat cycle. Do not mate your dog right away. You should wait until you notice the dog going into the second stage of their cycle. This is marked by: Swelling or enlarged vulva Discharge turning from red to clear or brown The dog's tail moving to the side, instead of tucked under their body The dog giving off a distinct smell meant to attract males If you are uncertain when your dog is ready to mate, the vet can perform either a vaginal smear or a progesterone test to let you know the best window for mating. Mate the dogs. Leave the dogs together. After the male mounts the female, you may notice that the two dogs are stuck together. This is called “tying,” and it is a sign that their mating is complete. Do not attempt to separate the dogs, as this can injure them. They will separate naturally within half an hour. If you have a hired a stud, you should take the female dog to the stud to mate, as male dogs may not mate in an unfamiliar environment. Ask the vet for a pregnancy test. About 30 days after the mating, you can bring your dog into the vet for a pregnancy test. The vet may do an ultrasound, blood test, or abdominal palpitation to screen for pregnancy. Always have the dog's pregnancy verified by a vet, as dogs can sometimes fake pregnancy. Give your dog a well-rounded diet. There is no special diet for pregnant dogs. Your dog will eat roughly the same amount of food for the first half of the pregnancy. After the fourth or fifth week, you can start slowly increasing their meals until they are eating about 25-50% more food than their normal diet. You can use commercial dog food, as long as it has all of the proper nutrients. A good dog food contains at least 29% protein and 17% fat. In the last twenty days of pregnancy, you may want to switch to puppy food to help your dog digest their meals. Small dogs, like Scottish cockers, may prefer wet or canned food during their pregnancy. Designate a whelping box. When your dog is ready to give birth, she will want a dry, warm, and safe area. A whelping box is a special bed where your dog can give birth and raise her puppies. Whelping boxes can be purchased, or you can build your own. Find a quiet and warm area to place the box. Show your dog the box. You may even want to place blankets inside. Do this early on so that your dog is familiar with it. Dogs without a whelping box may choose an area of the house to give in birth in, such as a closet. You may want to set up a heat lamp in one corner of the whelping box. This will keep the puppies warm, especially after delivery. Get an x-ray done. X-rays can help your vet determine how many puppies are to be expected. While this the best way to know the litter size, it can only be done late in the pregnancy. Cocker spaniels may have litters of between four and eight puppies while Scottish terriers tend to have between four and six. You can have x-rays done around day 45 of the pregnancy, but you may have a more accurate litter size if you wait until at least day 56. Watch the mother for signs of labor. Dogs typically give birth after 60 days. You will know when your dog is ready as she will begin to make a nest in her whelping box with blankets and toys. Take the dog's temperature every few hours. The temperature will drop to below 100 °F (38 °C) roughly twenty-four hours before the delivery. When your dog's cervix dilates, she is ready to give birth. Once you notice nesting behavior, you may want to line the whelping box with newspaper. Once the birth is over, you can toss out the newspaper and replace it with blankets. Supervise the delivery. In most cases, you will not need to do anything to help your dog give birth. Do watch the birth carefully in case something does go wrong. In some cases, you may be able to step in and solve the problem. Puppies are born inside membrane sacs. The mother removes these by licking them. If your dog does not remove the sac, you should try opening it yourself within a few minutes of its birth. Break the membrane around the puppy's head with your hands, and peel it back. Rub away any fluids or mucus around the puppy's mouth and nose. If the mother still won't lick the puppy, rub the puppy gently in a towel to help it breathe. Count the puppies and the placentas. There should be one placenta for every puppy. If there isn't, it may be stuck in your dog. Call your vet. If the mother does not chew off the umbilical cord, you can tie it off and cut it yourself, either using scissors or tearing it with your hands. Call your vet. Keep your vet's number on hand should there be any problem with the dog's delivery. You may even want to have the number of an emergency vet if yours is unavailable. You should call the vet if: Your dog has contractions for over 30 minutes without whelping a puppy The dog does not give birth within 24 hours of her temperature dropping The dog's pregnancy lasts longer than seventy days Hours pass without the dog giving birth to all of her puppies Puppies become stuck in the birth canal There are stillborn puppies in the litter Adjust the mother’s diet. The mother may have no appetite during the first two days after the birth. As she continues to lactate, her appetite will increase. Slowly increase her daily meals. After three weeks, you may be feeding her four times a day to ensure that she has enough energy to feed her puppies. Some recommend feeding the mother an additional 25% of her normal food for every puppy that she is feeding. Vaccinate the puppies. Puppies should get their first shots between six and eight weeks of age. Three shots (Distemper, Measles, and Parainfluenza) are needed, but a fourth (Bordetella) is often recommended as well. Wean the puppies. The puppies will be ready to wean from their mother's milk at around three or four weeks of age. You can start offering them puppy food at this time. You might even mix a little bit of puppy food into a puppy milk replacer. This should make up about 10% of your puppies' diet at first. Slowly increase their intake of food over the next few weeks. Your puppies should be eating solid food only by six weeks. Give the puppies to their new homes. Around eight weeks of age, it will be time to take the puppies away from their mother. Contact the new owners, and let them know that their new puppy is ready to take home.

Decide between purebred parents or multigenerational breeding. Look into hiring a stud. Think about artificial insemination. Take the dogs to the vet. Find homes for the puppies. Consider the pros and cons of breeding your dogs. Wait for the female to go in heat. Mate the dogs. Ask the vet for a pregnancy test. Give your dog a well-rounded diet. Designate a whelping box. Get an x-ray done. Watch the mother for signs of labor. Supervise the delivery. Call your vet. Adjust the mother’s diet. Vaccinate the puppies. Wean the puppies. Give the puppies to their new homes.

https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-a-Parent%27s-Death

How to Deal With a Parent's Death

Dealing with the death of one of your parents is one of the hardest things you'll have to do in your life, so it's important to be patient with yourself as you grieve, take care of yourself, and get support from others. Grieve at your own pace and in whatever way feels right, whether it's writing down memories of your parent or crying over your loss. Take care of yourself physically by sleeping at least 7 to 8 hours a night, eating 3 meals a day, and taking time to relax, since you'll need to be fully energized to cope with your loss. If you know something will trigger a memory, such as an activity you did with your parent like shopping, ask for extra support from friends. Although you may want to spend all of your time alone, try to talk to a close friend about your feelings, since expressing your emotions will help you manage them.

Grieve at your own speed. Don't be too hard on yourself and impose a timeline for getting over your loss. The Victorians took two to four years to mourn a death. While that doesn't have to be you, don't expect to be ready to get back into the swing of things after a few weeks, a month, or however much time you think you need. Instead, be patient with yourself and let go of the expectations you may have for yourself. Try to keep in mind that grieving is a process. You'll probably be grieving in some way for a long, long time, though hopefully it won't always be this intense. Work through it in your own time. Accept that your parent would want you to keep living. Though it's normal to be depressed, remember that your parent loved you and wouldn't want this event to cripple your life forever. As you work through the loss, try to get back into doing the things you enjoyed before. Of course, this is easier said than done, but it doesn't mean that you should forget about the fact that your parent was happiest when you were happiest. This doesn't mean you have to sweep all of your negative feelings under the rug, but it does mean that you should make an effort to keep enjoying the little things as much as you can. Of course, if you feel completely devastated by the loss and unable to get back into the swing of things right away, don't let the memory of your parent make you feel guilty about not getting back on your feet. Remember your parent. They will always have been a big part of your life no matter what, even if they have passed away. Write down your memories together because as you go on you probably don't want to forget those moments in your life. You just have to know that they will never leave that place in your heart. Take comfort in the memories you have of that person without obsessing over not remembering every little thing. Just do the best you can. You can talk to the people who also knew your parent about him or her to keep the memory alive. You can also tell stories about the parent to people who did not know him or her, from time to time. You can also ask family members questions about your parent to help understand all of his or her life experiences. This can add a new layer to your relationship with your parent, and can make your memory of your parent even more vivid. Take care of yourself. Be a little more gentle on yourself than you usually would. Take extra time to relax, try to find constructive distractions, and shut down any self-criticism for now. Though you may be filled with too much grief to care about your own well-being, it's important to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep, eat three healthy meals a day, and to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It's likely that you'll be in need of energy because of your loss, and keeping your body in order will help you not feel so sluggish. Of course, sleeping and eating well won't help you forget your parent completely. But it will make it much easier for you to go about your daily life while dealing with your loss. Know your triggers. It's important to be aware of when you'll be the most upset and to know that you'll need extra support. For example, if you lost your father, you may need to spend some extra time with your loved ones on Father's Day; if you lost your mother, then you may get upset during certain activities, like shopping, that you traditionally did with your mother. Knowing what will make you upset will help you prepare to not be alone during those times. Don't get too hung up on the five stages of grief. It's true that there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, but that doesn't mean that you have to neatly go through each of those stages in order to truly deal with the loss of your parent. You may be angry or depressed first, feel denial later, or bargain after you feel depression, and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone grieves in his or her own way, at his or her own time. Avoid making any big decisions at first. Your parent's death may make you realize that your marriage is a lie, that your career is meaningless, or that you should drop everything and become a pineapple farmer in Hawaii. While all of these realizations may be true, you should avoid doing anything impulsive or acting on them until you feel ready to make a rational decision. Making big changes in your life probably won't help you get over your parent's death any faster, and you may end up doing something that you regret. Talk to a close friend. Nobody should be alone during a time of grief. When you're dealing with the loss of a parent, you may want to spend all of your time alone, curled up in a little ball. It's okay to have some alone time for a while, but eventually, you should make an effort to see some of your friends. It'll help you to socialize, get outside your own head, and have someone who can help you deal with your feelings. Make an effort to see the friends who care about you instead of shutting them out. Remember that your friends are likely at a loss too, and they may not know exactly what to do or say. Appreciate the fact that they're trying. This doesn't mean you should hit up the clubs or go to your best acquaintance's 30th birthday boozy brunch; you don't have to go out in big groups if you're not up for it yet. Talk to a family member. Talking to a family member after the loss of one of your parents can be one of the best ways of finding support. If you've lost one parent but still have another, spend as much time with that parent as you can. Your parent will be grieving, too, and will likely need your support. Though being around other family members may be painful because it will remind you of your loved one, it's far better than being alone with your pain. Talking about your parent can help you ease the pain, too. You may not be ready to talk about that person, at first, but after a while, talking about him or her will make you feel better. Consider getting help from a grief counselor. Some therapists or counselors specialize in helping people deal with loss. If you feel like your grief is trapping you and preventing you from moving forward, you might want to contact someone for help. Though talking to your friends or family members can be a big help, sometimes getting the perspective and aid of a person outside of your personal situation can help you take a new approach to your life. Therapy is definitely not for everyone, but that doesn't mean you should be skeptical of trying this approach. A grief counselor may also be able to suggest some new approaches for dealing with your grief. Though there's no one magical solution, getting multiple opinions can help you find the right path. Join a support group. There are many support groups for people who have suffered the loss of a parent. You may feel like there is only so much your friends, or even your other parent or other beloved family members can say, because they cannot completely relate to how you are feeling. Don't be embarrassed about needing some outside help, and look into support groups in your area. You may meet people who are crucial to helping you move forward. Find comfort in your faith. If you're religious, then spending more time at your organization of choice, whether it's a church or a synagogue, can also help you think of the bigger picture and to help you in your grieving process. Your organization likely has plenty of events, from barbecues to volunteer activities that you can participate in, and you can try to be active within your organization to spend some time with like-minded people and working for a greater good. Consider getting a pet. Though you may think this is ridiculous advice, no one is saying that a kitten is going to replace your mother or your father. However, taking care of a pet can make you feel good and needed, and like you're less alone, and can bring you a tremendous amount of joy. If you're feeling very lonely, and especially if you've been talking about getting a cat or a dog for a while, then you should go to your local pet shelter and bring home a puppy or a kitten to take care of. Break up your routine. Once you get back into the swing of things, start mixing it up. If you do the same thing you always did, then you're more likely to keep mourning your parent during certain times of the day. Find a way to switch up your schedule, whether it means going to a new coffee shop to do work, or spending the time you spent on the phone with your mom doing yoga. This doesn't mean you should avoid doing anything that reminds you of your parent, but it does mean that changing your daily schedule can make you move on faster. Try something completely new. If you want to break up your routine, take that painting class you've been meaning to take, grab some coffee with the neighbor who has been asking you to hang out, or even catch up on the last season of The Good Wife. Treat yourself. It doesn't even have to be something that will improve your mind or body. Do the things you used to love. Though it's good to mix it up, it's also important to return to your favorite activities if you want to come close to feeling whole again. Whether you loved to paint, write poetry, or work at your local soup kitchen, don't deny yourself your favorite activities just because you think you're too sad to do them. Soon you'll see that you can find some happiness -- even if only a little bit -- in doing your favorite things. If you don't have the heart to do something you used to do with your parent, such as hiking or running, bring a friend along if you really want to get back into it. Avoid the alcohol for a while. This is not the time to drink heavily and hit up the dance floor with your girlfriends. Though it may make you forget your problems for a little while, alcohol is a depressant, and it may make you feel worse, whether it's when you're coming down from it in the moment, or the next day. You can have a drink or two if you're feeling up to it, but try not to alter your mental state too much. And if you're thinking about taking prescription drugs to deal with the pain, talk to your doctor about whether or not this is a good idea for you. Get busy (but not too busy). Try to fill your schedule with as many meaningful activities as possible. Attempt to see a friend at least a few times a week, and to do something social as often as you're feeling up to it. Make sure, also, to leave the house at least twice a day, no matter what. It's also important that you spend time working or being in school, exercising, and doing the things that matter to you. If something fun is coming up, mark it on your calendar, so you have something to look forward to. Having a busy and active life will make you feel better about everything, even if you have to motivate yourself to keep going strong a bit. This doesn't mean that you should force yourself to be busy 24/7 so you don't have time to sit and think about your parent. Instead, make sure that you do factor in some alone time into your schedule. As long as not all of your time is alone time, it's important to have some time to be alone with your thoughts, even if they aren't happy ones. Spend time on soothing activities. It's important to focus on doing some relaxing things as you go through the process of grieving. This is the time to spoil yourself a little, and to spend time doing things that make you feel better, even if only a little bit better. Here are some things you can do: Write your thoughts down in a journal. Writing daily can help you get in touch with your thoughts. Try yoga or meditation. This can help you center your mind and your body. Spend time out in the sun. Get out of that coffee shop and go read outside instead. A little bit of sunshine and fresh air can go a long way. Reread your favorite novels. Take comfort in them. Listen to some soothing music. Nothing too jarring, please. Go for walks. Get some exercise while getting in touch with your thoughts. Be patient with yourself. As you start enjoying your life again, make sure not to overburden yourself. It really can take months or years to even begin to feel like your old self again, and it's important not to rush it. As long as you have goals and are looking toward the future, it's okay to take the smallest baby steps toward your new life without your parent. You should know that while you'll never be able to fully get over your loss, you will be able to develop a new relationship with the parent you lost, in time. Don't force it. Listen to what your mind and heart is telling you. If you're not ready to make big moves yet, then take your time. This is far better than overexerting yourself and crashing. The important thing is to know that things will get better, even if it takes a long time.

Grieve at your own speed. Accept that your parent would want you to keep living. Remember your parent. Take care of yourself. Know your triggers. Don't get too hung up on the five stages of grief. Avoid making any big decisions at first. Talk to a close friend. Talk to a family member. Consider getting help from a grief counselor. Join a support group. Find comfort in your faith. Consider getting a pet. Break up your routine. Do the things you used to love. Avoid the alcohol for a while. Get busy (but not too busy). Spend time on soothing activities. Be patient with yourself.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Reflexology-for-Migraines

How to Treat Migraines: Can Reflexology Help?

Reflexology is an ancient healing method where pressure is applied to points on your hands and feet to release energy throughout your body and help migraines. You can either go to a professional or do reflexology to yourself at home. If you want to do it yourself, sit comfortably in a quiet, dimly lit room when you have 10 to 20 minutes to spare. All you need to do is press firmly on the pressure points where you're experiencing pain or discomfort and rub them until you feel relief. These include spots between your eyebrows, above your ears, on the back of your neck, and across your hands and feet. You can also use reflexology tools, like a wooden or rubber roller, and wooden balls, to help target your pressure points.

Massage the tips of your toes to relax the frontal sinus. Sinus pain during a migraine can manifest on your forehead, between your eyes, or around your cheeks. The tips of all your toes correspond to your sinuses, so massage all of them equally if you feel sinus pain. Put pressure on the center of your big toes to send energy to your brain. This is a small point on each of your big toes, right around the knuckle on each toe. Accessing these points could help relieve general pain around your head. Massage the tops of your big toes for facial pain. The rest of your big toes correspond with your nose, cerebellum, brain stem, and other parts of your face. If you feel pain in these areas, then focus on your big toes. Press between your middle and second toes for pain around your eyes. Pain around your eyes is very common during a migraine, so this spot can bring relief. Between your second toe (starting from your big toe) and your middle toe, there is a pressure point corresponding to your eyes. Some reflexology maps show that this point also covers the bases of these toes. There's some disagreement in the reflexology community about the specific locations of certain points, and this is an example. Massage below your big toes for pain in your neck. If your migraine pain extends down your neck, there's also a reflexology point for that. Massage the top of your feet, just below the knuckles on your big toes. Sit in a quiet, relaxing position. Reflexology is all about releasing tension, so getting comfortable is the best way to start. Find a quiet spot in your home where you won't be disturbed. Sit on a couch, chair, or on the floor and get comfortable. It's also relaxing to turn the lights down. If you'd like to set a more relaxing mood, try lighting some scented candles. Try letting everyone in your home know not to bother you. Apply firm pressure with your fingers to each pressure point. Pick the pressure points that correspond with the areas that you're feeling pain in. Use your thumbs and fingertips to press each point. Apply as much pressure as you're comfortable with. Then move your fingers in a circular motion to massage the points. If you're just starting out, use light pressure. Then gradually press harder in later sessions when you get used to the treatment. If you feel pain at any point, then you're pressing too hard. The massage shouldn't be painful. Massage each pressure point for 3-5 minutes. There is no set time for a reflexology treatment, so you can practice it for as long as you want. Start out with rubbing each point for 3-5 minutes to see how you feel. You can adjust your touch or the amount of time in future sessions. Let your body return to normal for 24 hours after the treatment. After a reflexology treatment, your body might need some time to rebalance itself. You might experience some euphoria, fatigue or energy bursts, frequent bathroom trips, and heightened emotions. This is all normal and should pass within 24 hours. You might feel thirstier than normal after a treatment, so drink plenty of water afterward. These symptoms are more common for full reflexology treatments from a professional. You might not experience many side effects from a home treatment. Repeat the treatment every few days if you have to. If you have chronic migraines, then you can do reflexology repeatedly. When you're first starting out, try doing 3 treatments per week with at least a day in between to see if this helps your migraines. Don't do a reflexology treatment every day. Your body needs around 24 hours to rebalance itself afterward. Find a reflexologist approved by the American Reflexology Certification Board. This is the leading reflexology organization in the United States, and it oversees the certification process for reflexologists. Visit their website to find a skilled and approved reflexologist. Find their homepage at https://arcb.net/. If you're from a different country, find out if there is a similar professional organization in your country. This way, you'll know you're receiving a quality treatment. Don't visit a reflexologist without the proper licensing and certifications. Tell the reflexologist about your migraines before the session. Professional reflexologists will always have a consultation with you before your first session. This is so they can understand your problem and design a program that will treat it most effectively. Tell them about your migraines and any other pains you feel so they know which pressure points to access. Feel free to ask any questions you might have during the opening consultation. Reflexologists are happy to explain the process more if you need them to. Expect the reflexologist to ask about your health and medical history. This is so they can make sure reflexology is right for you. For example, reflexologists won't work on pregnant women because the process could induce labor. Lay back with your shoes and your socks off. You'll remain fully clothed except for your shoes and socks. The reflexologist might gently wash your feet before starting the session. Feel free to get into a comfortable position. Reflexology is all about relaxation. Relax for 30-60 minutes while the reflexologist works on you. This is how long an average reflexology appointment lasts. You don't have to do much during the session. Simply lay back and let the reflexologist massage your pressure points. You can talk if you want to, or simply relax. Tell the reflexologist what you're feeling and if anything doesn't feel right. They can always adjust their approach of you're uncomfortable. It's normal to feel some tingling, euphoria, or emotional release during a session. This is all part of energy moving to different parts of your body. Get up slowly when the session is done. When the reflexologist finishes, they won't tell you to get up right away. Your body will probably be very relaxed and you might feel unsteady if you get up too quickly. The reflexologist will advise you to sit or lay quietly for a few minutes to recover. When you feel up to it, then you can get up and go home. It's normal to feel very thirsty after a session, so the reflexologist will probably give you some water while you rest. The reflexologist might give you some tips to rest and relax in the 24 hours following the session. Schedule more appointments as often as the reflexologist recommends. You'll probably need multiple sessions to feel the full benefits of reflexology. Talk to the reflexologist for a recommendation on how often you should come back. Commonly, they'll suggest a weekly treatment for a few months, then less frequent tune-ups when you start feeling better. Follow their advice for the most effective treatment.

Massage the tips of your toes to relax the frontal sinus. Put pressure on the center of your big toes to send energy to your brain. Massage the tops of your big toes for facial pain. Press between your middle and second toes for pain around your eyes. Massage below your big toes for pain in your neck. Sit in a quiet, relaxing position. Apply firm pressure with your fingers to each pressure point. Massage each pressure point for 3-5 minutes. Let your body return to normal for 24 hours after the treatment. Repeat the treatment every few days if you have to. Find a reflexologist approved by the American Reflexology Certification Board. Tell the reflexologist about your migraines before the session. Lay back with your shoes and your socks off. Relax for 30-60 minutes while the reflexologist works on you. Get up slowly when the session is done. Schedule more appointments as often as the reflexologist recommends.

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How to Get Rid of Mites

To get rid of dust mites, vacuum and dust your home frequently, and encase your mattress and pillows in dust-proof covers so the mites can't infest your bed. Wash your bedding, curtains, and other household fabrics every 1-2 weeks, and use the hottest water the fabric can handle to kill any mites that are present. If you're really struggling with an infestation of mites, you may need to replace your carpeting with tile or hardwood flooring.

Vacuum often. Dust mites, the most common species of mite in American households, can be easily eliminated with the use of a vacuum cleaner. Dust mites burrow and cling to fabrics, mostly in carpet, furniture and, sometimes, clothing. Regular cleaning by vacuuming or washing fabrics will take care of this problem and alleviate this simple headache. Protect your bed. The place in your home with the highest concentration of dust mites is likely your bed; those little buggers get trapped in the mattress pad and pillows, creating waste as they go. Protect your bed by encasing your mattress and pillows in dust-proof covers. This will block out mites and prevent buildup of dust mite waste. Keep your fabrics clean. Bedding is the most likely home of dust mites, but they are heavily present in most fabrics. Aim to wash household fabrics (bedding, pillowcases, curtains, blankets, etc.) once every 1-2 weeks. Use the hottest water the fabric can handle to kill any dust mites that might be present. Dust often. It may seem obvious, but dust mites tend to accumulate in dust. Therefore, make sure your house is as dust-free as possible by wiping down stationary objects often. Use a damp duster or cloth to avoid simply stirring up the mite waste and allergens. If you are allergic to dust mites, wear a mask as you dust to avoid inhaling irritants. Lower the humidity. Create an environment in which it makes it difficult for dust mites to thrive. These little bugs typically enjoy high humidity, warm environments. Use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity level in your home at 50% or below. You can additionally use an air conditioner to keep your house cool, another deterrent for dust mites. Replace favorite homes of dust mites. If mites are really a problem in your home and you're not opposed to spending a bit of money, make changes to create a house uninhabitable by dust mites. Replace carpet flooring with wood or tile floors, and remove as much fabric as possible. Use bedding made out of synthetic rather than down filler and take down any curtains. Filter out mites. Keep the dust mites that you clean up permanently out of your house by using filters in your vacuum cleaner and vents. HEPA filters will trap the mites and their waste as they pass through, keeping them from re-entering your home. Freeze the mites. If you have certain items that you can't wash but may be full of mites or mite waste, place it in the freezer for 24 hours. This will kill the mites and make it easier to clean up afterwards. Use an insecticide. As a last measure, you can use an insecticide inside your home to kill any dust mites. Look for one that advertises mites as its primary target, or hire someone to come kill the bugs for you. Keep in mind that using a bug-killing spray may give your home an odor or be the source of other limitations. Get rid of ear mites. Use an ear dropper filled with mineral oil for ear mites. Ear mites are extremely obnoxious pests that usually inhabit dogs and cats' ears more often than humans. Find a common earwax dropper at your local pharmacy, and fill it up with mineral oil. Apply to the whole of your pet's ear, inside and around the inside of the fleshy part. Keep your pets outside during this time so they do not spill the oil on your furniture or carpet. Treat for itch mites. Apply sulfur lotion to the entirety of your body if you have scabies (itch mites). Most experts recommend over-the-counter Lindane as a fairly non-toxic substance. Pure sulfur also works, but is harder to obtain and has a very noxious odor. Make sure you shower thoroughly before application. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before use because some of these scabies treatments do require a prescription due to their toxicity. Kill off spider mites. Introduce predator mites in your garden if you have spider mites. Spider mites feast on vegetation in gardens and lawns, killing droves of plants. You can purchase a small colony of predator mites, which actually prove beneficial to your garden's habitat. You can also choose to use chemical treatments, though this may risk the health of your vegetation; so predator mites are an easy, non-toxic alternative. Get rid of bird mites. These mites can be found indoors and outdoors and are carried by birds. The only way to really get rid of them is through insecticide use, but this is best left done by an exterminator. Move any bird nests close to your home and cut down tree limbs near your house. If the mites are present in farm birds - like chickens - replace all nesting materials and add fresh garlic to their drinking water. Keep clover mites to a minimum. Clover mites are reddish brown in color and don't present much of a threat to humans or animals. If they are bothering you though, you can kill them off by mixing borax with warm water and spraying the solution where you notice the mites. This will kill them off and prevent more from joining the party. Increase the number of spiders in your area. The last thing some people may want is to bring spiders willingly into their home or garden. However, spiders are a natural enemy of mites and will work to eat them. Keeping spiders around will reduce the total number of mites you have at any one time, and keep it that way. Therefore, don't kill spiders when you see them in or around your home.

Vacuum often. Protect your bed. Keep your fabrics clean. Dust often. Lower the humidity. Replace favorite homes of dust mites. Filter out mites. Freeze the mites. Use an insecticide. Get rid of ear mites. Treat for itch mites. Kill off spider mites. Get rid of bird mites. Keep clover mites to a minimum. Increase the number of spiders in your area.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Over-the-Guy-That-Has-a-Girlfriend

How to Get Over the Guy That Has a Girlfriend

If you want to get over a guy that has a girlfriend, put an end to any flirting between the two of you, since it will only make things worse for everyone involved. Instead of acting on your feelings, do your best to simply reflect on them, which you could do by writing them down in a journal. Also, try to spend more time away from the guy or even consider cutting off all contact with him, if it will help you move on. To take your mind off of him, spend your time exercising with your friends, trying out new hobbies, or volunteering in your community.

Figure out why you're attracted to him. Think about what made you fall for him in the first place. It could be his looks, personality, or a combination of the two. It could be that you're not even attracted to him and there are other reasons why you're pursuing him—like a vulnerable point in life. Understanding what attracted you to him is the first step to letting go of him. Finding the source of your feelings is also a step towards getting rid of feelings of guilt you may be experiencing. Reflect on your feelings. Take some time to reflect on the emotions you're experiencing. Remember that nothing you're feeling is wrong or bad. It's okay to still be in love with him, to be angry at him, or resentful of his girlfriend. Deeply thinking about the situation will help prevent you from acting out on your emotions. Write down your feelings about the situation in a journal. Accept the reality of it. You may still be tempted to be with him. Accept that you need to move on from him. He has a girlfriend, and it is not you. This is difficult to accept sometimes, but you won't be able to get over him until you do. Keep in mind that he may not have a girlfriend later down the road. You can't be with him now, but that doesn't necessarily mean you won't be with him in the future. Even still, move on in order to better your own life. Reach out to friends. If you have mutual friends, it may not be a good idea to talk to them. Talk to friends and family you trust about the situation. They can listen to you and offer feedback. Even if you don't want feedback, vocalizing your thoughts will help you come to terms with the situation. Stop the flirtation. Your interest may be unrequited, but if he does flirt with you, put an end to it. You can simply stop flirting back, or you can tell him you no longer feel comfortable with this behavior. It's okay if it feels difficult to stop the flirtation. Just realize that the flirtation will only end up hurting you, him, and his girlfriend in the end. Don't become the other woman or mistress. You may get to be with him, but it is unfair to everyone involved. Even if he offers to leave his girlfriend for you, consider if this step would be worth it. Think about it this way: if he is willing to leave his girlfriend for you, what would he do to you when he finds "the newest thing"? Don’t compare yourself to his girlfriend. At some point, you may find yourself wondering why he is with his girlfriend and not you. This is not a healthy way of thinking. Don't look at her pictures and compare yourself to her. You are a unique and wonderful person on your own. It could be that you and the guy are just not meant to be. If his girlfriend is your friend, try to maintain the friendship without taking your feelings out on her. Allow yourself to feel sad. It will probably take some time to get over him. Don't feel like you have to feel happy again very fast or move on immediately. Let yourself cry, feel sad, or even wallow in bed for a day if you need to. Letting yourself feel sad is the only way you can truly feel better later on. If the problem persists for too long, reach out to a professional for help. Spend time away from him. Don't put yourself in a situation where you have to be around him in the early stages. It would too tempting to flirt with him or rekindle your infatuation. If you share a class or work together, make an effort to limit your time around him to as little as possible. This helps you to move forward with your life. Accept him as your friend. After some time apart, consider if you want him in your life. It may not be a good idea to keep him in your life if you had an affair with him. If he was a friend, then it would be okay to try to maintain the friendship. Slowly begin to spend some time with him again to see if you would feel comfortable with a platonic relationship. Cut off contact. It's okay to decide that you can't have him in your life if the friendship doesn't work out. Remove him from your social media and phone. You can be friendly if you have to spend time together, but don't make contact with him if you don't think it's healthy for you. Explain to him your choice if he asks. Get some exercise. Exercise is great for you both physically and mentally. You are doing something good for your body, and you are focusing your mind on something other than the guy. The endorphins produced from exercising will also boost your mood. Choose a method of exercise that you enjoy most. It could be running, yoga, basketball, or even taking a nice walk through the park. Ask a friend to exercise with you. Take up a new hobby. Meeting new people and being exposed to new activities is a great way to take your mind off of the situation. Figure out ways to fill up the time, and it will become easier to move on. Join a sports team, take an art class, or volunteer within your community. Use this time to learn about and practice something you enjoy. Plan a day out. It's good to spend some time reflecting, but don't let your emotions keep you holed up at home. Plan a trip to the park, beach, or go to a museum. You could even do something as simple as a picnic in the park with friends.. Meet other guys. You don't have to do this if you don't feel you're ready. But if you're up to it, the best way to get over a guy is to see who else is out there. You could talk to a guy at a class you attend, try out an online dating service, or have a friend introduce you to someone. You don't have to continue talking to anyone that you don't like, and it's perfectly okay to decide you need more time after you give it a try.

Figure out why you're attracted to him. Reflect on your feelings. Accept the reality of it. Reach out to friends. Stop the flirtation. Don’t compare yourself to his girlfriend. Allow yourself to feel sad. Spend time away from him. Accept him as your friend. Cut off contact. Get some exercise. Take up a new hobby. Plan a day out. Meet other guys.

https://www.wikihow.com/Weigh-Luggage-Before-Your-Flight

How to Weigh Luggage Before Your Flight

To weigh your luggage before a flight, set your bathroom scale in an open area so the bag won't rest against anything while being weighed. Next, weigh yourself and make a note of the result. Then, pick up your bag, get back on the scale, and note down the result. Subtract your weight from the second result to figure out the weight of your bag. Finally, compare the weight of your bag with your luggage allowance on your airline ticket and bear in mind it's a good idea to keep your luggage 1 pound below the maximum weight.

Place the bathroom scale in an open area. This will make it easier for you to weigh your luggage. Keep the scale away from walls or furniture so that your luggage won't be resting on anything. A good place to do this is in the kitchen or any room with lots of open space. Weigh yourself and write down the measurement. After turning the scale on, step onto it and wait for the numbers to pop up. Write down the weight on a piece of paper so that you won't forget it. Step off the scale once you're finished. If you know roughly how much you weigh, you can use this number to check to see if the scale is accurate or not. Writing down your weight is important because you'll need to subtract it from the overall weight later on. Hold your luggage and step back onto the scale. Now you'll weigh yourself while also holding your luggage. Keep all of your weight on the center of the scale, and record this measurement as well. Wait for the scale to zero out before stepping on it again. Subtract your own weight from the overall weight. This will leave you with the weight of just your luggage. Do the math in your head, on paper, or using a calculator. For example, if you weighed 130 lb (59 kg) and the weight of you holding your luggage was 165 lb (75 kg), you would subtract 130 from 165, meaning your luggage weighs 35 lb (16 kg). Check the weight restrictions on your airline's website to make sure your bag is within the proper range. Prop your luggage up on the scale if it’s too heavy to carry. If you're using a huge bag or your luggage weighs too much for you to hold in your arms, place a stool or something similar on the scale. Either zero out your scale so the weight of the stool doesn't show up, or subtract the weight of the stool from the overall weight after you place your luggage on top. Flip the stool over so that the flat part is sitting against the scale, placing your luggage in between the legs of the stool or other prop. Purchase a handheld luggage scale to easily weigh your luggage. This is a great idea if you travel often and are constantly weighing your luggage. Handheld luggage scales can be found in big box stores and online, and you can choose from a variety of different kinds, including digital ones. Handheld luggage scales are super small and portable, making it easy for you to bring them with you on your trip. Most airports sell handheld luggage scales as well. Set the scale to zero. If your scale is digital, press the On button and wait for the numbers to reset to zero. Other scales will need to be zeroed out by using your fingers to move the arrows to zero, pushing them like the arms of a clock. If your scale isn't digital, make sure both of the arrows are set to zero. Your scale should come with directions that you can refer to if necessary. Digital scales will likely need batteries installed before they work. Attach your luggage to the scale. Your scale will be attach to either a hook or a strap. If you're using a hook, place your luggage handle on the center of the hook so that it's hanging securely. If you're using a strap, attach the strap by threading it through the luggage handle and securing the hook. Try to hang your luggage so that the weight is evenly distributed. Lift the luggage up slowly using two hands for 5-10 seconds. If you pull the scale up too quickly, it's going to register more weight than is necessary. Lift the scale with the luggage attached nice and slowly, trying to keep the luggage as still as possible. Using both hands will help even out the weight distribution, giving you an accurate measurement. Look at the scale to see how much your luggage weighs. If you're using a digital scale, the scale will lock in a measurement once it feels it has an accurate weight, meaning the numbers will stop changing. On other scales, the two hands will move to the number that reads the weight of your luggage. You may need to wait longer for a digital scale to record an accurate weight, so be patient and keep the luggage as still as possible while you're holding it. On the regular scales, one hand will return to zero when you put the luggage down, while the other hand will remain on the weight measurement so that you don't forget it.

Place the bathroom scale in an open area. Weigh yourself and write down the measurement. Hold your luggage and step back onto the scale. Subtract your own weight from the overall weight. Prop your luggage up on the scale if it’s too heavy to carry. Purchase a handheld luggage scale to easily weigh your luggage. Set the scale to zero. Attach your luggage to the scale. Lift the luggage up slowly using two hands for 5-10 seconds. Look at the scale to see how much your luggage weighs.

https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Used-iPad

How to Buy a Used iPad

To buy a used iPad, choose a refurbished iPad if you want it to have a new battery, glass, and outer shell. If possible, purchase your refurbished iPad from Apple to get a one-year warranty. This is especially useful for used products, since you don't know if the iPad will have any software or battery issues down the road. Alternatively, for a cheaper option, look to buy a used iPad from a fixed price website, like Amazon or Cell Phone City. However, if you purchase a used iPad from a third party seller, check the serial number on the Apple device website to make sure it wasn't stolen.

Determine the storage capacity, display capabilities, iPad model, and mobile connectivity (currently 3G or 4G, third generation or fourth). Figure out what size iPad you want. The earlier versions of the iPad are thicker and heavier than the new iPad, so, if you're looking for something lighter, the iPad Air might be a better fit for you. If you need a powerful iPad for professional stuff, the iPad pro 12.9" or 9.7" is the perfect one for you. If you don't need a large screen and you need an iPad for daily usage, you might opt for the iPad Mini, which is thinner and smaller than a full-sized iPad. Think about how much storage you need. If you have a lot of music, photos and video, you'll want more storage. Earlier models of the iPad that were released in 2010 only offer up to 64GB of storage, whereas the newer iPad Air models offer up to 128GB and the new iPad pro offer up to 256GB. (“GB” means gigabytes.) Decide whether or not you need an iPad that offers mobile capabilities. All iPads come with Wifi, but if you'd like to use the iPad as a phone or even use a hotspot, getting a 3G or 4G iPad would be wise. Figure out if you need an iPad with retina display. If you really like to play games on your iPad or watch a lot of movies, then getting an iPad with retina display will improve your viewing experience. The older versions of the iPad may not offer retina display, so remember that when selecting a model. Keep in mind that older iPads don't always work with every network. Technically, all iPads should be able to connect to the network of your choosing, but many people have complained that the older versions don't always work like they're supposed to. So remember that when deciding if you want to get one of the older models or generations. Choose the aesthetic style you want. The generation and model of iPad you choose will determine what colors are offered to you. Earlier iPads come in black and white, while newer versions come in silver, space gray, black and gold. Also consider whether or not you'd like to have the iPad engraved. When you purchase a new iPad from Apple, you can get words engraved into the back of the device for free. Since you'll be purchasing the iPad used, a free engraving probably won't be offered with your purchase. However, you can contact the seller and ask if they would do an engraving for a low cost. Figure out how much money you want to spend. New items from Apple are usually on the pricey side — with new iPads usually starting at around $499. Price alone could be a motivator to go used and get an iPad for a half or quarter of the price. Granted, most used Apple items don't come with the accessories that new iPads do (i.e. lighting power cords for charging), so keep in mind that you may be purchasing accessories elsewhere. Determine whether you want a used iPad or a refurbished iPad. The main difference between a refurbished iPad and a used iPad is that a refurbished one receives new glass, a brand new battery and a new outer shell. A used iPad is exactly as it was when it was purchased, and usually does not have a warranty. If you buy the refurbished iPad from Apple (as opposed to another seller) you can also get a one-year warranty and choose to purchase Applecare, just like you would for a brand new iPad. If you buy an iPad that's been refurbished by another seller or company, be wary of whether or not it was refurbished properly. Apple is known for taking good care of their products, but other sellers who tamper with the iPad may not deliver the same results. Buy from a fixed price website. Sites like Amazon, Cell Phone City and Gazelle usually offer pretty good deals on used or refurbished iPads. There isn't a chance to haggle, but there may be no need if the price is right. Fixed price websites often offer accessories with the iPad to sweeten the deal, when auction sites may not. So you may be getting more bang for your buck if you opt for a site like Amazon. Buy from Apple. The Apple Store offers refurbished and used iPads for customers on their website, here. Apple has rave reviews about how well their refurbished and used iPads work, but they can be a little more expensive than if you bought from another seller. If you buy through Apple and end up spending a little more money than you would have if you bought from another seller, you'll still be paying less than you would for a brand new iPad — and you'll be paying for quality. Buy from an auction website like Ebay. Since bidders are the ones who set the price for the iPad, this could give you the opportunity to purchase it for a great deal. The fewer people who bid on the iPad, the more likely you are to buy the iPad for less money. If you're really strapped for cash, this could be the best option. Buy from local, in person sellers or big box stores. Whether you're picking up a used iPad from someone on Craig's List or if you're getting one at Best Buy, in-person purchases allow you to make sure the iPad is in good condition. Sometimes, you may even be able to haggle down the price if the seller is right in front of you and knows you're looking to buy. Check the body of the iPad. This may be difficult to do if you're buying online; if the seller says that it's scratch free or has hardly been used, you basically have to take their word for it. It's good to make sure the seller has a refund policy, so that when the iPad comes in the mail and it's not what you expected, you can send it back. But if you're buying the iPad in a store, this is the perfect time to test out its functions and examine its body to make sure it's worth your money. When checking the body of the iPad, examine the screen for dead pixels, cracks, water damage, dents, scratches or any other signs of wear and tear. Make sure the iPad's basic functions are working properly. Check to make sure that the iPad turns on and off by pressing and holding down the Sleep/Wake button on the top or side of the iPad. The screen should go dark and a button should pop up and say "Slide to Power Off." Slide it to the right to do so. To turn it back on, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button again. Check to make sure the iPad connects to Wifi. Go into the Settings application, select Wifi and then turn Wifi on. If the iPad connects to the closest available network, then the Wifi capabilities work. Make sure that the iPad isn't stolen. Be wary of sellers who may be trying to scam you into purchasing a stolen iPad. To figure out whether or not the iPad was stolen, check out the the serial number of the device in the Apple support website at https://checkcoverage.apple.com , and check to make sure the Find My iPhone Activation Lock is turned off and the device is ready for you to use. You can check the Activation Lock status on Apple's website here. After going to the website, enter your device's IMEI identification number or its hardware serial number, and the page will say whether the device is locked or not. This will show that the iPad you're buying has been cleared of all the previous users' past data and that it truly belongs to you. If accessories are included, check to make sure they're in good condition. Charger cords can be damaged or not work properly, so plug the iPad into its charger to make sure that it works. The older versions of the iPad have a 30 pin connector, while the new iPads have a lightning cord. Do some research online for your specific iPad to make sure you're getting the right charger accessories with your purchase. If a case was offered with the iPad, check it for cracks.

Determine the storage capacity, display capabilities, iPad model, and mobile connectivity (currently 3G or 4G, third generation or fourth). Choose the aesthetic style you want. Figure out how much money you want to spend. Determine whether you want a used iPad or a refurbished iPad. Buy from a fixed price website. Buy from Apple. Buy from an auction website like Ebay. Buy from local, in person sellers or big box stores. Check the body of the iPad. Make sure the iPad's basic functions are working properly. Make sure that the iPad isn't stolen. If accessories are included, check to make sure they're in good condition.

https://www.wikihow.com/Enrich-Uranium

How to Enrich Uranium

To enrich uranium, introduce fluorine gas to convert the ore to uranium hexafluoride. From there, use gaseous diffusion or gas centrifuges to separate the gas so that the desired uranium isotope can be gathered. To use gaseous diffusion, pump uranium hexafluoride through pipelines, then force the gas through a porous filter to separate the desired isotope. To use the gas centrifuge process, assemble several high-speed rotating cylinders and pipe the uranium hexafluoride gas into them to separate and extract the desired uranium isotope.

Decide what the uranium will be used for. Most mined uranium contains only about 0.7 percent U, with most of the rest being the comparatively stable isotope U. What type of fission reaction the uranium will be used for determines what the level of U must be raised to for the uranium to be used effectively. Uranium used in most nuclear power plants needs to be enriched to a level of 3 to 5 percent U. (A few nuclear reactors, such as the CANDU reactor in Canada and the Magnox reactor in the United Kingdom, are designed to use unenriched uranium. ) Uranium used for atomic bombs and warheads, in contrast, needs to be enriched to 90 percent U. Convert the uranium ore to a gas. Most of the methods currently in existence for enriching uranium require the ore to be converted to a low-temperature gas. Fluorine gas is normally pumped into an ore conversion plant; the uranium oxide gas reacts with the fluorine to produce uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ). The gas is then acted on to separate out and gather the U isotope. Enrich the uranium. The remaining sections of this article describe the various processes available to enrich uranium. Of these, gaseous diffusion and gas centrifuge are the two most common, but the laser isotope separation process is expected to replace them. Convert the UF6 gas to uranium dioxide (UO2). Once enriched, the uranium needs to be converted to a stable solid form for its intended use. Uranium dioxide used as fuel in nuclear reactors is made into centered ceramic pellets encased in metal tubes to make 4m (13.12-foot) long rods Pump UF6 through pipelines. Force the gas through a porous filter or membrane. Because the U isotope is lighter than the U isotope, UF 6 containing the lighter isotope will diffuse through the membrane faster than the heavier isotope. Repeat the diffusion process until enough 235U is collected. The repeated diffusion is called a cascade. It may take as many as 1,400 passes through porous membranes to get enough U to enrich the uranium sufficiently. Condense the UF6 gas into liquid form. Once the gas is sufficiently enriched, it is condensed into a liquid and then stored in containers, where it cools and solidifies for transport to be made into fuel pellets. Because of the number of passes required, this process is energy-intensive and is being phased out. In the United States, only one gaseous diffusion enrichment plant remains, located in Paducah, Kentucky. Assemble a number of high-speed rotating cylinders. These cylinders are the centrifuges. The centrifuges are assembled in both series and parallel layouts. Pipe the UF6 gas into the centrifuges. The centrifuges use centripetal acceleration to send the heavier U-bearing gas to the cylinder wall and the lighter U-bearing gas to the center. Extract the separated gases. Reprocess the separated gases in separate centrifuges. The U-rich gases are sent to a centrifuge where still more U is extracted, while the U-depleted gas goes to a different centrifuge to extract still more of the remaining U. This enables the centrifuge process to extract much more U than the gaseous diffusion process can. The gas centrifuge process was first developed in the 1940s, but was not brought into significant use until the 1960s, when its lower energy requirements for producing enriched uranium became important. At present, a gas centrifuge processing plant exists in the United States in Eunice, New Mexico. In contrast, Russia currently has four such plants, Japan and China have two each, while the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany each have one. Build a series of stationary narrow cylinders. Inject UF6 gas into the cylinders at high speed. The gas is blown into the cylinders in such a way that it is induced to spin in cyclonic fashion, producing the same kind of separation between U and U as is achieved in a rotating centrifuge. One method being developed in South Africa injects the gas into the cylinder on a tangent. It is presently being tested with light isotopes such as those in silicon. Liquefy the UF6 gas under pressure. Construct a pair of concentric pipes. The pipes should be fairly tall, with taller pipes enabling more separation of the U and U isotopes. Surround the pipes with a jacket of liquid water. This will cool the outer pipe. Pump the liquid UF6 between the pipes. Heat the inner pipe with steam. The heat will create a convection current in the UF 6 that will draw the lighter U isotope toward the hotter inner pipe and push the heavier U isotope toward the colder outer pipe. This process was investigated in 1940 as part of the Manhattan Project, but was abandoned while still in an early stage of development when the more efficient gaseous diffusion process was developed. Ionize the UF6 gas. Pass the gas through a strong magnetic field. Separate the ionized uranium isotopes by the trails they leave when passing through the magnetic field. Ions of U leave trails that curve differently than those of U. These ions can be isolated to enrich uranium. This method was used to process uranium for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 and was also the enrichment method Iraq used in its nuclear weapons program of 1992. It requires 10 times more energy than gaseous diffusion, making it impractical for large-scale enrichment programs. Tune a laser to a specific color. The laser light needs to be entirely of a specific wavelength (monochromatic). This wavelength will target only U atoms, while leaving the U atoms untouched. Shine the laser light on the uranium. Unlike the other uranium enrichment processes, you don't have to use uranium hexafluoride gas, although most of the laser processes do. You can also use an alloy of uranium and iron as the uranium source, which the Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) process does. Extract the uranium atoms with excited electrons. These will be atoms of U.

Decide what the uranium will be used for. Convert the uranium ore to a gas. Enrich the uranium. Convert the UF6 gas to uranium dioxide (UO2). Pump UF6 through pipelines. Force the gas through a porous filter or membrane. Repeat the diffusion process until enough 235U is collected. Condense the UF6 gas into liquid form. Assemble a number of high-speed rotating cylinders. Pipe the UF6 gas into the centrifuges. Extract the separated gases. Reprocess the separated gases in separate centrifuges. Build a series of stationary narrow cylinders. Inject UF6 gas into the cylinders at high speed. Liquefy the UF6 gas under pressure. Construct a pair of concentric pipes. Surround the pipes with a jacket of liquid water. Pump the liquid UF6 between the pipes. Heat the inner pipe with steam. Ionize the UF6 gas. Pass the gas through a strong magnetic field. Separate the ionized uranium isotopes by the trails they leave when passing through the magnetic field. Tune a laser to a specific color. Shine the laser light on the uranium. Extract the uranium atoms with excited electrons.

https://www.wikihow.legal/Report-Identity-Theft

How to Report Identity Theft

To report your social security card stolen, contact the Social Security Administration as soon as you notice it is gone. You may also want to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the local police department. After you've notified the proper authorities, closely monitor your credit reports for activity or companies you don't recognize. You can also request fraud alerts from an agency such as Equifax.

Use IdentityTheft.gov. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created this web site, IdentityTheft.gov, as a “one-stop resource” for identity theft victims. This is a secure, government sponsored web site that will allow you to report a suspected identity theft, or gather resources to help prevent identity theft in the future. Begin by clicking on the “Get Started” button. If you are using this site because you believe that you have been the victim of an identity theft, you will want to submit a report. You can begin the report by clicking on "Get Started" in the center of the screen. There is also an option to proceed with the entire process in Spanish, if you prefer. You can select this option in the top right corner of the screen. Select the next step that applies to you. On the next screen, you will be provided with five choices. Consider the options and select the one that most applies to your current situation. I want to report identity theft. This will be your selection if you believe that someone has already used your identity for purchases, for unauthorized credit uses, to open unauthorized accounts, or some other similar activity. Someone else filed a tax return using my information. Especially in the early few months of the year, people need to be concerned about fraud schemes that involve intercepting other people's tax return information. In 2013, over five million cases of tax return fraud were estimated to have occurred. If you believe this may have happened to you, make this selection. My information was exposed in a data breach. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, an estimated 86 million credit card data entries were compromised in 2014. If you are concerned about the security of your credit information through a retail store, this is your choice. Someone got my personal information or my wallet, and I'm worried about identity theft. Most people are very careful about their personal information in their purse or wallet, but if yours was stolen or temporarily missing -- even if nothing appears to be taken -- you may want to report the concern here. Something else. Follow the menu selections. Whichever option you choose will lead to further specific questions. Try to answer all the questions as accurately as possible. The information you provide will be collected into a theft affidavit. You will be asked such questions as: Your personal identification Credit card accounts and numbers Identification of the identity thief (if you know) Complete all of the information required as thoroughly and honestly as possible. Your case will be a lot stronger if you can provide specific details. Check for accuracy. Review all of the information you provided. Make sure that it is correct, as much as you know. You will be shown a summary of your complaint, containing all the information you have provided. Verify that it is complete and accurate. At the end, click the "Finalize" button. Submit your complaint. After you verify and finalize the information in your complaint, you will have the opportunity to open an account. This will give you a reference number that you can use to come back to the site and check on the progress. If you choose not to create an account, you can submit your complaint without opening an account. Record your reference number. Make a note of the reference number you are provided at the end of the process. You will need this to make any changes or updates to your affidavit, or to contact someone at the FTC regarding your identity theft. Keep a copy. Print out a copy of your form after it is submitted to the FTC. You will see a screen at the end of the process that gives you the option to print. You can also save it to your computer for future reference. Keeping this record is important in case you need to follow up on the case. It may also be helpful in your further communications with your credit agency or insurance company. Report by telephone. If you are uncomfortable using an online form to submit your theft information, you can contact the FTC by telephone. You can reach a customer service representative at 1-877-438-4338. At the end of your call, ask the representative for your reference number. The representative will record and submit your affidavit for you. You may have a copy of it emailed to you. Use the FTC Affidavit Form. Instead of using the online prompt system, you can go directly to the FTC Identity Theft Affidavit Form. The form is available at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0094-identity-theft-affidavit.pdf. Complete it as much as possible, keep a copy as a record, and take it with you when you report to the police. Continue to follow-up. Using your reference number (if you created an account), you will be able to return to IdentityTheft.gov whenever you wish. Doing this will provide you with: A personal recovery plan to track your progress. Get prefilled letters and forms. If you need letters or affidavit forms, for your credit card company or your insurance company, the IdentityTheft.gov site will provide you with completed forms that already contain the information you have provided. You can return and update your affidavit, if you ever learn new information that may be helpful. Prepare your information. Gather all the documentation you will need for a police report. This includes a copy of the theft affidavit you filed with the FTC as well as any other proof or support you may have. Typically, you will want to have: Valid identification Proof of residence Your personal identifying information (physical description, date of birth, social security number, height, weight, etc.) Brief description of any incident that occurred Go to your local police department. You may want to call ahead to find out if there is a specific department or individual you need to see. Some police departments, particularly in larger cities, may have a full department devoted to identity theft and fraud related crimes. Complete a report on the details of your identity theft. Each office has different procedures. You might have to file a “miscellaneous incident” report if the police will not take a standard police report for this type of crime. If the police department seems reluctant to file a report for a suspected identity theft, you may need to insist. The report will be useful to you when you report to your credit agency or possibly file a loss claim with insurance. Get a copy of the report. When you have finished filing your report with the police department, ask for a copy of the report for your records. If you cannot get a copy right away, ask for the report number so you can request a copy once it is available to you. Report to your financial agencies. Contact any credit card companies, banks, lenders or other financial institutions with whom you have a relationship. They may ask for a copy of your theft affidavit or the police report number, so you will want to have that information available before making the call. Change passwords. Immediately change your Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), security passwords and any other codes or references that may have been compromised. Notify credit bureaus. You should contact each of the three main credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, to report your concerns and file a 90-day fraud alert. Your report will go to an automated telephone system. Reporting this immediately will prevent a thief from opening new accounts in your name. You will soon receive a report in the mail, with information about receiving a free copy of your credit report. Experian – 888-397-3742 TransUnion – 800-680-7289 Equifax – 800-525-6285 Review your credit report. Look carefully for any companies or open accounts you do not recognize. Contact them and provide the documentation they require to remove the account.

Use IdentityTheft.gov. Begin by clicking on the “Get Started” button. Select the next step that applies to you. Follow the menu selections. Check for accuracy. Submit your complaint. Record your reference number. Keep a copy. Report by telephone. Use the FTC Affidavit Form. Continue to follow-up. Prepare your information. Go to your local police department. Complete a report on the details of your identity theft. Get a copy of the report. Report to your financial agencies. Change passwords. Notify credit bureaus. Review your credit report.

https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Down-a-Dress

How to Dress Down a Dress

If you're trying to tone down a dress, adding some layers and pairing it with casual shoes will dress down your look. Throw on a casual jacket, such as a bomber or denim jacket, for a laid-back look, or go with a blazer for a classy way to dress it down. If you're looking for more coverage, try putting on a t-shirt underneath your dress. You could also put on a sweater for a comfy way to downplay your dress. When you're choosing your shoes, go with a pair of comfortable sneakers for a sporty look. For a long dress, go with some flat, strappy sandals for a more elegant way to tone things down. If you want more leg coverage while you're wearing a short dress, tall boots that hit above your knee will do the trick.

Throw on a casual jacket for a laid-back look. Pick a colorful bomber jacket, a distressed denim coat, or an edgy leather jacket. Choose a style that contrasts the style of your dress for a fashionable, casual look. You can wear the jacket as normal, tie it around your waist, or drape it over your shoulders. For example, if you have an elegant lace dress, you could pair it with a leather jacket to make the dress less feminine. If you're wearing a dark-colored dress, like a little black dress, put on a light-wash denim jacket for a contrasting color. Layer a casual shirt under a strappy dress for more coverage. To make a party dress more appropriate for work or a casual occasion, put on a button-up blouse, a long sleeve turtleneck, or a plain white T-shirt under the dress. Experiment with different colors and prints until you find a combination that works well with your dress. For instance, if you want to wear a strappy navy dress, you can put on a red and white-striped turtleneck for a nautical look. Don't be afraid to choose a shirt with ruffles or other fun embellishments. These will help make the outfit more playful! Pair a party dress with a blazer for a classy effect. If you want to make a fancy sequin or satin dress more work-appropriate, pick a blazer in a darker color, like navy or black. Keep the rest of your outfit casual, with flat shoes and minimal jewelry to play down the dress. If you're going to wear a fancier dress, opt for a jewel-tone color, rather than a pastel or muted shade. This will make your outfit look purposeful and add contrast. Wear a sweater over a dress to create a cozy outfit. One of the easiest ways to make a dress less fancy is by turning it into a skirt. Throw on a chunky knit sweater that hits around your waist to give the illusion that you're wearing a skirt and a sweater. Tie a flannel around your waist to dress down a party dress. Flannels are popular in fall and are a great layering piece with dresses of any length. Position the flannel so that your arms wrap around your waist and tie in front of your belly button. You can pull the flannel up slightly to create an A-line look. Try to pick a flannel or plaid pattern that compliments the colors in your dress. For example, if you're wearing a navy dress, you could wear a blue, green, and white flannel. With a black dress, you can wear almost any color flannel. Put on leggings under a lighter dress to transition to cooler weather. If you have a spring or summer dress that's made of a lighter material, like chiffon, you can dress it down by wearing leggings underneath. Choose a pair of dark-colored leggings, like black, dark gray, or navy, and pair it with more cold-weather accessories, like a sweater, to complete the look. This is also a great way to keep warm during the cooler months and extend the wear of your spring and summer dresses! Put on a pair of sneakers for a sporty chic look. If you're wearing a dress to sightsee on vacation or just run some errands, you can protect your feet by wearing a pair of classy sneakers. Try to pick a pair that contrast with the style of the dress for a more pronounced look. One of the most popular ways to get this look is by pairing a shirt dress or bodycon dress with a pair of crisp white tennis shoes. Pair a long dress with flat, strappy sandals to create a boho outfit. Long dresses can make you look taller, giving you a more elegant appearance. To tone things down, pick a pair of sandals with brown or black leather straps. Don't be afraid to pick a pair that have embellishments or stones, like turquoise, in them. For example, if you have a long, flowy, white dress, you can pair it with a pair of strappy brown sandals and a floppy hat to get the perfect, relaxed vacation outfit. Select a pair of oxfords for a more masculine look. Play down a more feminine dress by finishing off your outfit with a pair of leather or suede oxfords with a chunky heel. This is a surprising way to combine styles to create an edgy, exciting outfit. Wear ankle boots with a longer dress to transition to cooler weather. Ankle boots are one of the most versatile shoes and are perfect for making a casual look. Pair them with a midi dress that hits between your knees and ankles. This will draw the eye downward, moving attention away from the fancy dress. For more interest, pick a pair in a bright color, like red, emerald green, or electric blue. Bright colors will make a fashion statement without making the dress look too fancy. Pair tall boots with a short dress for extra coverage. Showing a lot of skin can make your dress look more like party wear than casual wear. Choose a boot that hits above your knee, but leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between the bottom of the dress hem and the top of the boot. Avoid overlapping the hem, which can make the boots look awkward. For even more coverage, you can put on a pair of opaque tights, which will break up the look. Wear a medium-width belt to cinch your waist. Choose a black, brown, red, or navy belt that's about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Fasten it so that it rests loosely around your waist, drawing attention to the area. This will make the outfit look purposeful, but not overly put together. If you're wearing a sweater over the dress, position the belt outside of the sweater. This will accentuate your waist even in a chunky sweater! Choose subtle jewelry to tone down the look. Opt for jewelry made of natural materials, like wooden bangles or a “raw” quartz necklace, to create a bohemian look. Pick out plain earrings and chains and choose stackable rings without any gemstones. This will help make the outfit look purposeful, but keep the look from becoming too dressy with large gems or chunky metals. Drape a light scarf around your neck to cover up a more risque dress. Pick out a fabric scarf in a bright color or exciting print. Wrap the scarf around your neck to cover your chest and shoulders, and let the ends of the scarf hang down on either side of your chest. This draping method will cover up most of the top of the dress, depending on the style of the dress. Alternatively, you can wrap the scarf around your shoulders like a shawl to cover some of your upper arms. Carry a whimsical purse to dress down a business-style dress. Select a mini-backpack, a belt bag, a clutch with a fun print, or a tote in a bright color to make a business dress more casual for daily wear. Don't be afraid to choose a bag made out of a different material, like wool, cloth, or even a “basket” style purse made of woven wood. In general, try to stay away from leather or suede for a casual bag, since they tend to look more expensive and can be perceived as dressier.

Throw on a casual jacket for a laid-back look. Layer a casual shirt under a strappy dress for more coverage. Pair a party dress with a blazer for a classy effect. Wear a sweater over a dress to create a cozy outfit. Tie a flannel around your waist to dress down a party dress. Put on leggings under a lighter dress to transition to cooler weather. Put on a pair of sneakers for a sporty chic look. Pair a long dress with flat, strappy sandals to create a boho outfit. Select a pair of oxfords for a more masculine look. Wear ankle boots with a longer dress to transition to cooler weather. Pair tall boots with a short dress for extra coverage. Wear a medium-width belt to cinch your waist. Choose subtle jewelry to tone down the look. Drape a light scarf around your neck to cover up a more risque dress. Carry a whimsical purse to dress down a business-style dress.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Buttercream-Filling

How to Make Buttercream Filling

To make buttercream filling, use a handheld mixer or food processor with a whisk attachment to beat your butter until it's smooth and fluffy. Next, stir the sugar into the butter until it's creamy. Then, add milk and vanilla and mix for 3 minutes. If the buttercream appears too thin, add more sugar. If it's too thick, add some more milk.

Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Use a handheld mixer or a food processor with a whisk attachment. It will make things much easier. You can use a whisk or a wooden spoon in a pinch. For a less sweet buttercream, use salted butter. Add in half of the confectioners/icing sugar. Beat it into the butter until it is smooth. Adding the sugar a little bit at a time gives the butter enough time to absorb it. This gives you a smoother texture. If you are using a handheld mixer, start at a slow speed. This will keep the sugar from flying out everywhere. To make the texture even smoother, sift the sugar first. This will break up any clumps. Add the rest of the sugar, milk and vanilla. The vanilla extract will give the buttercream a slight ivory color. If you prefer pure white buttercream, use a clear vanilla flavor or extract instead. To give your buttercream color, add in a bit of icing coloring. Using the gel kind instead of the liquid kind will mix easier into the buttercream. Beat the ingredients together until smooth. It will take about three minutes. There should be no streaks, swirls, or clumps. If you are using a handheld mixer, you can increase the speed to a higher one once the sugar is mixed in. Check the texture and adjust it, if needed. This will depend on your preferences. If the buttercream is too thin , add in some more sugar. If the buttercream is too thick, add in some more milk. Start with a tablespoon or two at a time, mix, and add more as needed. Place the butter into a bowl, and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Use a handheld mixer or a food processor with a whisk attachment to do this. It will be faster. You can also use a whisk or a wooden spoon in a pinch. Use salted butter if you want less sweet buttercream. Mix half of the confectioners/icing sugar into the butter. Adding the sugar a little bit at a time will allow the butter to absorb the sugar better. You'll get a smoother cream in the end. If you are using a handheld mixer, start at a slower speed. This will keep the sugar from flying out. Try to sift the sugar into the butter. This will get rid of clumps. Mix in the rest of the sugar, milk, and cocoa powder. Keep mixing until the color and texture are even and smooth. There should be no streaks, swirls, or lumps. It will take about three minutes. If you are using a handheld mixer, you can increase the speed after the sugar and cocoa powder are mixed in. Consider mixing in some extra flavor. Chocolate buttercream tastes wonderful, but you can improve your buttercream by giving it a hint of another flavor. Be sure to mix it thoroughly to evenly distribute the flavor. Here are some ideas that work well with chocolate: To give the buttercream a hint of sweetness, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. To give the buttercream a hint of extra flavor, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract. To cut the sweetness and give the buttercream a richer flavor, add in a splash of brandy or rum. Check the texture and adjust it to your liking. If the buttercream is too thin, add some more sugar. If the buttercream is too thick, add some more milk. Start with a tablespoon or two at a time, mix, and add more as needed. Consider adding in some extra flavor to your finished basic buttercream. After you have made the buttercream, consider adding in one of the flavors in this section. You can use the vanilla extract, or omit it completely. Make a coffee flavored buttercream for walnut or chocolate-based cakes. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of instant coffee in 2 tablespoons of hot water. Let the coffee cool, then beat it to the buttercream until everything is smooth. If the texture is too thin, mix in a few extra tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar. Make lemon flavored buttercream for white cakes. Add up to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the buttercream. For more zest, add 2 tablespoons of grated lemon peel. Mix everything together until smooth. If needed, add in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar to even out the texture. Try an orange flavored buttercream. Add up to 3 tablespoons of orange juice or Grand Marnier to the buttercream. For more texture, add 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel. Beat everything together until the buttercream is smooth again. If the texture is too thin, add in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar. Make a raspberry or strawberry flavored buttercream. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of raspberry or strawberry jam into the buttercream. Beat everything together until it is smooth and there are no streaks or swirls. If the texture is too thin, mix in a few tablespoons of confectioners/icing sugar. Make sure that your pastries are cool before you start to fill them. If you use buttercream on a pastry that hasn't completely cooled off, the buttercream will melt and make an oozy mess. Use a butter knife or palette knife to spread buttercream on the base layer of a cake. Spread the buttercream evenly, right up to the edges. Finish up by placing the top layer on the cake. Add some sliced strawberries along with the buttercream between the cake layers. After you have spread the buttercream filling over the bottom layer, place some thinly sliced strawberries on top of the buttercream. Try to spread them as evenly as you can, so that none of the buttercream is visible. Once you have arranged the strawberries, spread more buttercream on top. When you are done, cover with the upper cake layer. You can also use other types of fruit as well. Perhaps spreading some jams over the buttercream before you put the top cake layer on. Once you have spread buttercream over the bottom cake layer, spread some of your favorite jam over the buttercream. Make sure that the jam is spread evenly, and that there is no buttercream showing. When you are done, cover with the upper cake layer. Use a spoon to hollow out a cupcake before filling it with buttercream. You can use a measuring spoon or even an apple corer. Scoop out a hole on the top of a cupcake. Fill the hole with buttercream. Fit a piping bag with your desired decorating tip (such as a star) and swirl more buttercream on top to cover the hole. Use a piping bag to fill homemade Twinkies. Fit the end of the piping bag with a filling tip. Poke three holes into the bottom of the pastry: one at each end, and one in the middle. Squeeze on the piping bag as you poke each hole; this will fill the pastry. Use a paring knife and a piping bag to fill cream puffs. Cut a large slit into the side of a cream puff. Put the tip of the piping bag into the slit, and squeeze the buttercream into the puff. Stop when the buttercream starts to ooze out from the slit. Repeat this step for all of the cream puffs.

Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Add in half of the confectioners/icing sugar. Add the rest of the sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat the ingredients together until smooth. Check the texture and adjust it, if needed. Place the butter into a bowl, and beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Mix half of the confectioners/icing sugar into the butter. Mix in the rest of the sugar, milk, and cocoa powder. Consider mixing in some extra flavor. Check the texture and adjust it to your liking. Consider adding in some extra flavor to your finished basic buttercream. Make a coffee flavored buttercream for walnut or chocolate-based cakes. Make lemon flavored buttercream for white cakes. Try an orange flavored buttercream. Make a raspberry or strawberry flavored buttercream. Make sure that your pastries are cool before you start to fill them. Use a butter knife or palette knife to spread buttercream on the base layer of a cake. Add some sliced strawberries along with the buttercream between the cake layers. Perhaps spreading some jams over the buttercream before you put the top cake layer on. Use a spoon to hollow out a cupcake before filling it with buttercream. Use a piping bag to fill homemade Twinkies. Use a paring knife and a piping bag to fill cream puffs.

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Argumentative-Research-Paper

How to Write an Argumentative Research Paper

To write an argumentative research paper, choose a topic that can be argued from one or more perspectives, then pick a side. Start your paper with a thesis statement summing up your position, then support your statement with facts and arguments gathered from reputable sources. Use background information or context to help guide your readers through your essay, telling them what they need to know to understand the rest of your argument.

Learn the basic features of an argumentative essay. Argumentative essays have some basic features that you should include in your essay. In general, argumentative essays require you to support the argument you are making using logic and support from your research. You should also be sure to include in your argumentative essay: a thesis statement that makes a clear argument (provided in the first paragraph) claims that help prove your overall argument logical transitions that connect paragraphs and sentences support for your claims from your sources a conclusion that considers the evidence you have presented in-text citations throughout your essay to indicate where you have used sources (ask your teacher about what citation style to use) a works cited page with an entry for each of your sources (ask your teacher about what citation style to use) Ask for clarification. While most argumentative essays share these basic features, your assignment might have some special requirements or guidelines. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you understand your assignment before you get started. As soon as your teacher assigns the paper, read the guidelines carefully and highlight anything that you do not understand. Ask your teacher to clarify the instructions if anything seems unclear or if you just don't understand the assignment. Make sure that you understand how to cite your sources for the paper and how to use the documentation style your teacher prefers. If you're not sure, just ask. Don't feel bad if you have questions. It is better to ask and make sure that you understand than to do the assignment wrong and get a bad grade. Generate ideas for your argumentative essay. It is important to take time to explore your ideas before you choose a topic and start your paper. Take some time to explore your ideas and get some things down on paper by using an invention activity. Invention activities like listing, freewriting, clustering, and questioning can help you to develop ideas for your argumentative essay. Listing List all of the ideas that you have for your essay (good or bad) and then look over the list you have made and group similar ideas together. Expand those lists by adding more ideas or by using another prewriting activity. Freewriting Write nonstop for about 10 minutes. Write whatever comes to mind and don't edit yourself. When you are done, review what you have written and highlight or underline the most useful information. Repeat the freewriting exercise using the passages you underlined as a starting point. You can repeat this exercise multiple times to continue to refine and develop your ideas. Clustering Write a brief explanation (phrase or short sentence) of the subject of your argumentative essay on the center of a piece of paper and circle it. Then draw three or more lines extending from the circle. Write a corresponding idea at the end of each of these lines. Continue developing your cluster until you have explored as many connections as you can. Questioning On a piece of paper, write out “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Space the questions about two or three lines apart on the paper so that you can write your answers on these lines. Respond to each question in as much detail as you can. Think about how you will incorporate ethos, pathos, and logos. An argumentative essay requires you to demonstrate your understanding of three basic rhetorical concepts: ethos, pathos, and logos. You will need to be aware of these concepts as you write your paper and demonstrate your knowledge of them through your writing. Here's what you need to know about ethos, pathos, and logos: Ethos refers to a writer's credibility or trustworthiness. To convince your readers that your argument is valid, you need to convince them that you are trustworthy. You can accomplish this goal by presenting yourself as confident, fair, and approachable. You can achieve these objectives by avoiding wishy-washy statements, presenting information in an unbiased manner, and identifying common ground between yourself and your readers(including the ones that may disagree with you). You can also show your authority, another aspect of ethos, by demonstrating that you've done thorough research on the topic. Pathos refers to your use of emotional appeals. Emotional appeals have a place in argumentative writing, but overuse of them may lead a reader to reject your argument. Make sure that your use of emotional appeals is minimal and appropriate. Some ways that you can incorporate pathos into your paper without turning off your readers includes using descriptive language that evokes the desired reaction (positive or negative) to your subject, especially when you use other people's language—such as quotes—to do so (which avoids damaging your ethos with overly emotional language). You can also invoke pathos by providing relevant examples that evoke an emotional response in your readers and using figurative language (such as metaphors) to help your readers understand and sympathize with your point of view. Logos refers to your use of logic, reasoning, and sequencing. This means setting up your argument in a way that uses logic to achieve your desired endpoint or reaction, often through inductive and deductive reasoning. For example, you can appeal to your readers' desire for logic by organizing your examples in a way that shows your argument in the best light and is easy to follow, such as chronologically, by cause and effect, or by problem and solution. Develop your tentative thesis. Once you have developed your ideas for your argumentative essay, you should be ready to write a tentative thesis statement. A tentative thesis statement can help you to move forward with your ideas while reminding yourself that you are open to changes to the thesis statement. In other words, the tentative thesis statement is not set in stone. Effective thesis statements let readers know what the main focus of a paper is going to be. For an argumentative essay, the thesis should state an arguable claim. A thesis should not be more than one sentence in length. Place your thesis statement at the end of your first paragraph unless your instructor tells you to place it elsewhere. The end of the first paragraph is the traditional place to provide your thesis in an academic essay. Make sure your thesis is arguable. Your thesis should express a clear position on your topic that can be supported using evidence from your sources. Do not state facts or matters of taste. For example, something like "George Washington was the first president of the United States," would not be a good thesis because it states a fact. Likewise, "Die Hard is a great movie," would not work because it expresses a matter of taste. Consider whether your thesis statement is arguable before you move forward. For example, an arguable thesis statement might be something like, “The drinking age should be reduced to 18 in the United States.” This statement is arguable because it presents a position that others might debate by saying “The drinking age should not be reduced to 18 in the US.” Or, others might argue that the drinking age should be abolished altogether or even raised. There are many possibilities for a counter argument, which makes this topic arguable. Make sure your thesis provides enough detail. In addition to having a thesis that is arguable, you should also include some details about why you hold the position. In other words, you should avoid simply saying that something is bad and should be changed and provide a bit of detail about why it is bad and should be changed. What is wrong with the current drinking age? Who would benefit if it was changed? For example, a detailed thesis statement might be something like, “Because youth are more drawn to drinking as a way to rebel, lowering the drinking age to 18 in the United States would help to reduce binge drinking among teenagers and college students.” This thesis still provides a position that could be debated, but it also explains the reasoning behind the position. Providing this detail gives readers a good sense of what the rest of the paper will discuss. Your thesis should tell your reader why your argument matters, and for whom. Develop a rough outline based on your research notes. Writing an outline before you begin drafting your argumentative essay will help you to organize your information more effectively. You can make your outline as detailed or as scant as you want. Just keep in mind that the more detail you include in your outline, the more material you will have ready to put into your paper. Organize your outline by essay part and then break those parts into subsections. For example, part 1 might be your introduction, which could then be broken into three sub-parts: a)Opening sentence, b)context/background information c)thesis statement. Generate key terms and phrases to help you with your research. Before you head to the library or log on to the library's webpage, it is important to take a moment to develop some key terms and phrases that will make the process of finding relevant sources a bit easier. You can use these key terms and phrases to search your library's databases for relevant books, articles, and other sources. As you develop key terms, keep your topic and your position in mind. For example, some relevant key terms and phrases for a paper on lowering the drinking age to 18 might be: “drinking”, “underage”, “minors”, “binge”, “rebellion”, “drinking age”, “binge drinking culture”, “countries with low drinking age”, “drinking and rebellion”, etc. Find appropriate secondary sources for your argumentative essay. In order to find support for your argument, you will need to gather a variety of sources. See your assignment guidelines or ask your instructor if you have questions about what types of sources are appropriate for your assignment. Books, articles from scholarly journals, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and trustworthy websites are some sources that you might consider using. Use your library's databases rather than a general internet search. University libraries subscribe to many databases, such as EBSCO and JSTOR. These databases provide you with free access to articles and other resources that you cannot usually gain access to by using a search engine. Schedule an appointment with a librarian at your school's library if you are not sure about how to use the library databases. If your university doesn't subscribe to any databases, use Google Scholar. Evaluate your sources to determine their credibility. Use trustworthy sources only in your argumentative essay, otherwise you will damage your own credibility as an author. Using the library's databases will also help to ensure that you are getting plenty of trustworthy sources for your paper. There are several things that you will need to consider in order to determine whether or not a source is trustworthy. Author's credentials Choose sources that include an author's name and that provide credentials for that author. The credentials should indicate something about why this person is qualified to speak as an authority on the subject. For example, an article about a medical condition will be more trustworthy if the author is a medical doctor. If you find a source where no author is listed or the author does not have any credentials, then this source may not be trustworthy. Citations Think about whether or not this author has adequately researched the topic. Check the author's bibliography or works cited page. If the author has provided few or no sources, then this source may not be trustworthy. Bias Think about whether or not this author has presented an objective, well-reasoned account of the topic. How often does the tone indicate a strong preference for one side of the argument? How often does the argument dismiss or disregard the opposition's concerns or valid arguments? If these are regular occurrences in the source, then it may not be a good choice. Publication date Think about whether or not this source presents the most up to date information on the subject. Noting the publication date is especially important for scientific subjects, since new technologies and techniques have made some earlier findings irrelevant. Information provided in the source If you are still questioning the trustworthiness of this source, cross check some of the information provided against a trustworthy source. If the information that this author presents contradicts one of your trustworthy sources, then it might not be a good source to use in your paper. Read your research. Once you have gathered all of your sources, you will need to read them. Make sure that you read your sources very carefully and that you stay focused on your topic as you read. Read the sources multiple times if necessary and make sure that you fully understand what each source is about. You should be able to summarize the source in your own words and generate a response to the source. To be certain that you understand your sources and that you are capable of responding to each of them, try writing a paragraph summary and response after you finish each one. Some people find keeping notecards on their sources to be a helpful way of organizing their ideas about each one. Misunderstanding and misrepresenting your sources can damage your credibility as an author and also have a negative effect on your grade. Give yourself plenty of time to read your sources and understand what they are saying. Take notes while you read your sources. Highlight and underline significant passages so that you can easily come back to them. As you read, you should also pull any significant information from your sources by jotting the information down in a notebook. Indicate when you have quoted a source word for word in your notes by putting it into quotation marks and including information about the source such as the author's name, article or book title, and page number. Be careful to properly cite your sources when taking notes. Even accidental plagiarism may result in a failing grade on a paper. Begin your essay with an engaging sentence that gets right into your topic. Your introduction should immediately begin discussing your topic. Think about what you will discuss in your essay to help you determine what you should include in your introduction. Keep in mind that your introduction should identify the main idea of your argumentative essay and act as a preview to your essay. For example, an argumentative essay about lowering the drinking age might begin with something like, “Binge drinking culture is killing teens in the United States, but it hasn't always been this way.” This sentence offers a compelling statement and it also acts as a launch pad for you to provide some background on your topic. Provide background information to help guide your readers. Providing adequate background information or context will help to guide your readers through your essay. Think about what your readers will need to know in order to understand the rest of your essay and provide this information in your first paragraph. This information will vary depending on your argument topic. For example, if you are arguing that lowering the drinking age would help to counter binge drinking among teens and young adults, your introduction should talk about the damage that is being done by binge drinking. Tell your readers about this problem in more detail so that they will begin to see why something needs to change. Keep in mind that your background information in the first paragraph should lead up to your thesis statement. Explain everything the reader needs to know to understand what your topic is about, then narrow it down until you reach the topic itself. Provide your thesis statement at the end of your first paragraph. After you have given your readers some information on the topic and captured their interest, you should provide your thesis. Providing your thesis at the end of your first paragraph will help to guide your readers through the rest of your essay. Make sure that you state your thesis is a very direct manner, so there is no mistaking that this is your position. For example, a thesis statement for a paper on lowering the drinking age might look something like, “Because the current drinking age of 21 in the United States does more harm than good by proliferating binge drinking culture among teens, the drinking age should be lowered to 18.” This thesis provides a straightforward position and reason for that position that readers can easily identify as the author's main argument. In your thesis, you should also address how you'll support your argument and why your argument matters. Use your body paragraphs to discuss specific parts of your argument. Rather than trying to talk about multiple aspects of your argument in a single paragraph, make sure that each body paragraph focuses on a single aspect of your text. Your discussion of each of these aspects should contribute to proving your thesis. For each body paragraph, you should provide a claim at the beginning of the paragraph and support your claim with at least one example from one of your sources. For example, one of your body paragraphs might begin with something like, “Teens are more likely to engage in binge drinking in the United States than in countries where the drinking age is lower or non-existent.” You might then follow up this claim with evidence from your sources. For example, you could provide statistics on teen drinking in other countries where the drinking age is lower, or you could summarize an interview with an authority of the subject, or cite an article that explains the psychological basis of this phenomenon. Whatever source(s) you choose, make sure that they are relevant that they offer convincing support for your claim. Develop a conclusion for your essay. Concluding an essay is the hardest part of writing for many people, but it may make more sense if you understand the purpose of the conclusion. Your conclusion should emphasize what you have attempted to convince your readers about your topic and either frame or reframe the stakes of your argument. In other words, it should offer a final statement that touches on the major points that you have made in your essay. Before you write your conclusion, spend some time reflecting on what you have written so far and try to determine the best way to end your essay. There are several good options for ending an argumentative essay that might help you decide how to format your conclusion. For example, you might: Rephrase your thesis. It is often helpful to remind your readers of the initial argument, but don't simply restate your thesis if you do this. Rephrase it so that it sounds different but has the same meaning. Summarize some of the most important evidence you have offered in your essay and say remind readers of how that evidence has contributed to supporting your thesis. Synthesize what you have discussed. Put everything together for your readers and explain what other lessons might be gained from your argument. How might this discussion change the way others view your subject? Explain why your topic matters. Help your readers to see why this topic deserve their attention. How does this topic affect your readers? What are the broader implications of this topic? Why does your topic matter? Return to your opening discussion. If you offered an anecdote or a quote early in your paper, it might be helpful to revisit that opening discussion and explore how the information you have gathered implicates that discussion. Make sure that you have cited all of your sources. Before you finish working on your essay, you will need to make sure that you have cited all of your sources using the proper format. Not citing your sources using in-text citations or a works cited page may be considered plagiarism by your professor and lead to failure of the assignment or even the course. Ask your teacher what documentation style he or she prefers that you use if it is not mentioned in the assignment guidelines. Visit your school's writing center for additional help with your works cited page and in-text citations. Put aside your paper for a few days before revising. By taking a break after you have finished drafting your paper, you will give your brain a rest. When you revisit the draft, you will have a fresh perspective. It is important to begin writing a paper far enough ahead of time to allow yourself a few days or even a week to revise before it is due. If you do not allow yourself this extra time, you will be more prone to making simple mistakes and your grade may suffer as a result. Give yourself plenty of time to revise. Revision is just as important, if not more important, than the drafting phase of writing a paper. Therefore, you will need to give yourself time to do a thorough revision of your paper. Plan to finish writing your draft at least a few days before the final version is due. Giving yourself plenty of time can help you avoid simple mistakes like typos and punctuation errors, as well as major problems such as poor logic or faulty arguments. Consider your paper from multiple angles as your revise. As you revise your paper, you should consider multiple aspects of your writing to make sure that your readers will be able to understand what you have written. Consider the following questions as you revise: What is your main point? How might you clarify your main point? Who is your audience? Have you considered their needs and expectations? What is your purpose? Have you accomplished your purpose with this paper? How effective is your evidence? How might your strengthen your evidence? Does every part of your paper relate back to your thesis? How might you improve these connections? Is anything confusing about your language or organization? How might your clarify your language or organization? Have you made any errors with grammar, punctuation, or spelling? How can you correct these errors? What might someone who disagrees with you say about your paper? How can you address these opposing arguments in your paper? Proofread a printed version of your final draft. Read your paper out loud to make sure that it is polished and ready for your teacher to read it. Use your final read through as a chance to weed out any typos, grammatical errors, wordy or incomplete sentences, and other minor mistakes that may have a negative effect on your grade. Highlight or circle these errors and revise as necessary before printing your final copy.

Learn the basic features of an argumentative essay. Ask for clarification. Generate ideas for your argumentative essay. Think about how you will incorporate ethos, pathos, and logos. Develop your tentative thesis. Make sure your thesis is arguable. Make sure your thesis provides enough detail. Develop a rough outline based on your research notes. Generate key terms and phrases to help you with your research. Find appropriate secondary sources for your argumentative essay. Evaluate your sources to determine their credibility. Read your research. Take notes while you read your sources. Begin your essay with an engaging sentence that gets right into your topic. Provide background information to help guide your readers. Provide your thesis statement at the end of your first paragraph. Use your body paragraphs to discuss specific parts of your argument. Develop a conclusion for your essay. Make sure that you have cited all of your sources. Put aside your paper for a few days before revising. Give yourself plenty of time to revise. Consider your paper from multiple angles as your revise. Proofread a printed version of your final draft.

https://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Medical-History

How to Take a Medical History

To take a medical history, start by collecting information about your family's medical history for the past three generations, since many conditions have a genetic component. Next, describe any past or present conditions that you have, either physical and mental. Specify when the condition developed, what your symptoms were, past treatments, surgeries, hospitalizations, and so on. Also, list any allergies you have and provide your vaccination history. Finally, give the doctor a list of all the medications you take currently, and those you've taken in the past.

Collect information on your family. Information on your family members' health is important for identifying conditions that may run in your family. If your family members have a condition that has a genetic component, you might, in some cases, also be vulnerable. Your medical history should go back at least three generations. This means you should include your: Parents Grandparents Children Grandchildren Siblings Aunts and uncles Cousins Include as much medical information as possible. The more information you can provide, the easier it will be for the doctor to reconstruct what conditions your family members may have had. Try to include as much of the following as you can for each person: Date of birth Sex Ethnicity — this can be helpful because some ethnic groups have higher risks for particular conditions Age at death Cause of death Medical conditions — this includes physical and mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities Age when the condition was diagnosed Pregnancy complications such as miscarriages, birth defects, fertility problems Details about the person's lifestyle, such as drinking or smoking If there is any possibility that your parents are related to each other through blood. If the person was with physical malformations at birth that was, repaired such as cleft lip Search persistently. You may be able to get some information easily through what you know about your family or simply by asking. However, for relatives that are deceased or with whom you may not have contact, this can be more difficult. Depending upon your situation, sources of information may include: Family records including family trees, genealogies, baby books, letters, or electronic health records. Public records such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, obituaries, records from religious institutions. Newspapers and government offices often contain birth, death and marriage announcements. Your adoption agency. If you were adopted, the agency that managed your adoption may have either provided medical information to your adoptive parents or may keep it on file. You can also contact the National Adoption Clearinghouse or go to www.childwelfare.gov Your sperm/egg bank. If you were conceived with donated sperm or eggs, the bank likely has medical records that they collected while screening the donors. This information is often provided to the parents and children. You can also search for donor sibling registries online to determine whether you may have half siblings via the same donor who might have developed health conditions. Describe any past or present conditions that you have. This may includes both physical and mental health and acute and chronic conditions. You should tell the doctor: When the condition developed How long you had it What symptoms you had How it was treated Tell the doctor about any past surgeries or hospitalizations. The doctor will likely want to know: What the problem was How it was treated Where you were treated — the doctor may ask for medical records from the procedures or treatments If there were any complications during the treatment If you had any adverse reactions to anesthesia Give the doctor a list of all medications that you take. This should include both drugs you are currently taking and those you have previously taken. It includes prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, alternative medicines, herbal remedies, dietary supplements and vitamins. It is important for the doctor to know about everything because some substances, even herbal remedies or vitamins, can interact with medications. If you are unsure how to describe it to your doctor, you can bring the pill bottles to your appointment and the doctor will be able to obtain the necessary information from the prescriptions. For everything you take, the doctor will want to know: The dosage The frequency with which you take it What you take it for How long you have been taking it Describe your allergies. Many people see the doctor for relief from seasonal allergies, but there are also many other things that trigger allergic reactions. For each type of allergy you have, describe what the trigger is and how you react to it. Common triggers for allergic reactions include: Seasonal sources like plant pollen Dust Pet dander Anesthesia Latex Foods, for example nuts Bee stings Medications, including some antibiotics Provide your doctor with your vaccine history. This is important for determining whether you may need boosters for some vaccines. Tell your doctor when you last received which vaccines and whether you have recently or will soon travel to a place where you may need additional vaccines. Vaccines are available for: Flu (nasal spray or shot) Pneumonia Polio Tetanus Chicken pox Diphtheria Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Measles Mumps Rubella HiB Pertussis Rotavirus Yellow fever Answer honestly when your doctor asks about your lifestyle. Your doctor will likely be interested in the health risks you encounter in your environment and helping you to minimize them. Your doctor may ask about: Your job. Some jobs have health risks including exposure to dangerous chemicals or radioactive substances. Your doctor may be able to advise you on how to reduce your exposure through using protective gear. Substance use. This may include the use of alcohol, tobacco, or recreational drugs. If you are interested in quitting drinking, smoking, or taking drugs, your doctor will be able to advise you on what resources are available to help you. Sexual activity. You may feel that the doctor is asking very invasive questions, but it is important you answer as honestly as possible. She may ask about how many partners in the past year, the sex of your partners, if you practice anal intercourse, if you use contraception, if there have been any pregnancies, and so on. Your doctor will be able to provide you with information about the risks and possible solutions, including different forms of birth control. Your dietary and exercise habits. Eating healthy and exercising reduces your risk for many conditions, especially cardiovascular conditions. This means that your doctor will probably want to know if your diet and exercise habits are likely to be improving or harming your long-term health. Ask your doctor if you need regular screenings. Your doctor may suggest regular screenings if you are at a high risk for developing a particular condition. If this is the case, the doctor will tell you how frequently to come into be checked. You many need screenings based on the following: A family history of a condition like cancer which may have a genetic component A prior diagnosis of a serious condition that is now in remission Warning signs that you may be at the early stages of developing a health problem Your age and gender, such as colonoscopies beginning at age 50, etc.

Collect information on your family. Include as much medical information as possible. Search persistently. Describe any past or present conditions that you have. Tell the doctor about any past surgeries or hospitalizations. Give the doctor a list of all medications that you take. Describe your allergies. Provide your doctor with your vaccine history. Answer honestly when your doctor asks about your lifestyle. Ask your doctor if you need regular screenings.

https://www.wikihow.com/Give-Advice

How to Give Advice

To give someone advice, start by listening to everything they have to say before asking questions to get more information, such as “Why did you say that?” After that, try to point out problems they've identified and ask them, “What's stopping you from moving past this?” Next, help them think through potential solutions to the problems, so they have a range of options for moving forward. Finally, work together to evaluate those options, pointing out the pros and cons as neutrally as possible so they can decide how they want to handle the situation.

Don't judge them. The first, most basic step in giving good advice (or any at all really) is to not judge the other person. No one should be thought of as less or as bad for a single decision that they made. We're all playing with a different set of cards and what you have in your hand and what you managed to do with it doesn't have anything to do with what someone else has. Keep a straight face and remember what your mother taught you: if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Remove your bias. We of course all have our own opinions on what is and isn't right or what someone should do, but when you give advice, the idea is to give someone the tools to make their own decision, not make the decision for them. Try to remove your own opinions from the conversation and just focus on helping them come to their own conclusion. For example, if your friend is considering an abortion but you don't believe in it, don't spend the whole time telling her how bad it is. Instead, talk her through the arguments that you know of for and against it, in equal balance. Only when someone asks you "What would you do?" should you let your own personal opinion shine through. Just make sure that you give the reasons why you have the opinion that you do, so that they can understand your logic. Be honest. Let them know if you're not an expert. You don't have to be a lot of the time, since all they really need is a sounding board. But it's important that you don't give them the impression that you're an authority when you're not. It's okay to not say "I know how you feel", too. Instead, say something like "You're right to be upset about that" or "I can see how that would make me feel neglected". Express confidence in them. Sometimes all someone needs to make the right decision is to know that someone believes in them and that someone thinks that they can do the right thing. Be that person for them, especially if no one else can be. Tell them something like, "This is a really tough decision, but I know you want to do the right thing. And I know you will do the right thing. You just have to let all that bravery that I know you have shine through." Know when it's appropriate and when it's inappropriate to stage an intervention. An intervention is when you give someone advice that didn't ask for it and probably doesn't want it. This can often be done with several other friends and family members of that person backing you up but it can also be done just on your own. Of course, it's important to know when you should and shouldn't intervene and give someone advice that they don't want. Generally, you should reserve this only for when you are worried that someone is a danger to themselves or others. If it's just something like keeping a boyfriend you don't approve of because of his personality or religion, that's not a good reason. However, if you're worried that your friend is being physically abused by the boyfriend because she shows up to school with bruises, this is a good time to get involved. Sometimes a firm hand is what is needed to get someone to make the right choice but often this can make someone more defensive. This is a very tricky situation and you might be gambling a bit. Just listen. When someone is talking and trying to get your advice, start by just listening. A lot of the time, all someone needs is a sounding board. They need to be heard. This gives them the chance to sort out issues for themselves and come to accept a situation in their own mind. Don't talk until they're done, unless they seem to need a direct response. Sometimes if you listen to the whole story you can easily pinpoint the problem. Don't offer opinions yet. If they ask for your opinion part-way through the story, give evasive answers and ask to get all of the information first. This is because you need to form a full, informed opinion before you can really give them good advice. They might manipulate the story and try to get an answer from you before you have all the facts, in order to get the answer that they're really hoping for. Ask lots of questions. After they tell their story, ask them questions to get more information. This lets you develop a more full, informed opinion, but it can also help them to think about things that they hadn't considered, like alternatives or other points of view. Ask questions like: "Why did you say that?" "When did you tell him that?" Ask if they even want advice! One good habit is to ask them if they even want advice. Some people just want to talk and they don't want to be told what to do. If you feel they really need to hear your advice however, let them know it's just a suggestion, and you don't expect them to do it. If they say that they would like advice, give it. If they say no, then just say something like, "Well, if you keep having problems I'm here and happy to help you through it." Take time to think about the issue, if you can. If you can have a day or even a few hours to think about their problem and possible solutions, take that time to really think about every possible solution or way of approaching the problem. You could even take the opportunity to ask someone else for advice, if you know someone who's more knowledgeable on the issue. However, a lot of the time people need immediate help by the time they actually ask for advice, so you might just have to respond to the best of your ability and follow up later. Talk them through the hurdles. Go over with them what that difficult parts of the situation are and why those things pose a problem. Something that they see as an impassable barrier might actually be easy to overcome, with a little outside perspective. "So, you want to move but you're worried that it's impossible. What are the things stopping you from moving? You need to find a job first, right? Okay. What else? You can't leave your dad alone here? Right." Help them evaluate the problem from the outside. Sometimes peoples can't, as they say, see the forest for the trees. They have a hard time seeing the entirety of their situation or even possible solutions because they're so fixed on a few small problems. Help them take a step back by going over the big picture, from your outsider's perspective. For example, if your friend is worried about bringing her new boyfriend to a party because he's older than she is and she doesn't want to be judged, you could point out that she probably won't know anyone at the party anyway so what difference does it make. Open them up to all of their options. Walk them through all of the options that they've thought of. Then, try to think of some new options that they haven't thought of and give them those as well. In this early stage, it's important to try to keep them from crossing out any options, so that all options can be weighed equally and in light of the others. When they're dismissive of options, try to find out the real reason why. Sometimes they my object based on false understandings. Say something like: "So you want to tell your husband that you're pregnant again but you need to do it carefully because money is tough right now. You can wait to tell him until after you find out about this new job or you can tell him now so that he can have more time to look into other options. Have you considered seeing what assistance programs you might qualify for and then talking to him?" Help them evaluate those options. Once everything is on the table, walk through all the options with them and brainstorm the pros and cons together. Between the two of you, you should be able to come up with a less biased picture of what can be done to solve the problem. "Telling your boyfriend that you want to get married is an option but knowing him it will just make him feel like you're judging him. Another option would be to double date with me and James. James can have a man-talk with him and maybe try to find out why he's so hesitant." Give them what information you can. If you have any advice from experience or even just more information about what they might expect, give them that information once the options have been discussed. They can then use that extra information to solidify their feelings regarding the options. Again, remember to try to keep bias and judgement out of your voice and words when you give them this advice. Know when to be tough and when to be soft. Most of the time people need a positive but motivational pep talk. Sometimes, however, people really need to hear it how it is. Sometimes, people just need a serious kick in the pants. You have to learn to gauge when it's one vs the other, which is tricky. There's no set formula. Generally, when someone is really just hurting themselves and not learning their lesson, that's when it's time to intervene. However, if you don't have a good relationship with this person or if they tend to handle criticism very poorly, telling them what they need to hear might not do your relationship any favors in the short term. Even when you do give someone this helpful nudge, it's important to not just be outright mean. Emphasize that you don't control the future. People, when they seek advice, will often be wanting a guarantee. Remind them that you can't give this, that there's no way to predict the future. Let them see that you are there for them though and that even if things don't turn out like they hope, life will still go on. Give them help if they want it. If they are dealing with a situation where another person can actually do something, such as many interpersonal situations or overwhelming work problems, offer to help them. They will likely refuse, but it's important to follow through if you do offer. Of course, if you know you would be terrible at helping them, don't offer your own help but you can offer to help them find someone else who can help. Continue to support them. As they navigate the difficult situation that they're in, continue to support them as much as you can. This can be as basic as being their cheerleader or it might mean something like covering their shift at work if they need to leave to deal with the situation. Knowing that you still have their back can make a world of difference. Find them some supporting materials. Do a little research on the problem that they're having and send them helpful links. You can even buy them a book, if you find one that covers their problem. This is a great way to give someone the tools they need to solve their own problems. Follow up on the issue. If they don't offer any follow up information or updates, you should ask them (unless they clearly don't want to talk about it). This will let them see that you really do care about them and that you really are invested in seeing their problem solved.

Don't judge them. Remove your bias. Be honest. Express confidence in them. Know when it's appropriate and when it's inappropriate to stage an intervention. Just listen. Don't offer opinions yet. Ask lots of questions. Ask if they even want advice! Take time to think about the issue, if you can. Talk them through the hurdles. Help them evaluate the problem from the outside. Open them up to all of their options. Help them evaluate those options. Give them what information you can. Know when to be tough and when to be soft. Emphasize that you don't control the future. Give them help if they want it. Continue to support them. Find them some supporting materials. Follow up on the issue.

https://www.wikihow.pet/Care-for-an-Abandoned-Kitten

How to Care for an Abandoned Kitten

To care for an abandoned kitten, start by holding it against your body to keep it warm, since being too cold can be life-threatening to kittens. Once the kitten is warmed up, put it in a box with a towel-wrapped heating pad set to low. Then, feed it every 2-3 hours, using a bottle and giving it kitty-formula cat food. When you feed the kitten, position it in your lap with its feet down and its head straight, so it can latch on to the nipple. After it has eaten, burp the kitten, and massage its anal area to help it defecate if it's less than 3 weeks old.

Determine if the mother is gone. The mother cat may be out looking for food or became scared when she heard you approaching. Observe the kitten from a distance for 1 or 2 hours to make sure the mother has not come back. You want to be 100% sure that the kitten is actually abandoned. If the kitten looks very clean, this is a sign that the kitten may not be abandoned. Place some flour around the kitten while it is sleeping. If you notice some paw prints when you come back, that is a sign that the mother may have been there. If the kitten appears to be in immediate stress or danger, go ahead and take the kitten. You do not need to wait and see if the mother returns. Determine how old the kitten is. The age of the kitten will help you decide what you need to feed the kitten. This is especially important of you are unable to take the kitten to a veterinarian immediately. These are estimates and are not a substitute for a professional evaluation. If the eyes are closed and the ears are folded, the kitten is 1-14 days old. If the eyes are open, but the kitten is kind of wobbly, it is probably 2-3 weeks old. If the eyes are open, the ears are up, and the kitten can walk, it is probably 3 weeks or older. Take the kitten to the veterinarian. Once you find the kitten, take it to a veterinarian as soon as possible. The veterinarian can give the kitten a thorough examination. The veterinarian will be able to tell the age of your kitten and how to care for your kitten. Your kitten could be very sick or have some health conditions that require medical attention. Get all of the supplies you need. Although you may not know the exact health situation of your kitten, there are basic supplies that you will need. Get these supplies as soon as you can. You may need to take care of your kitten for a few days before you can take it to a veterinarian. Bottles Kitten formula Heating pad Blankets and/or soft towels (to place in the nest) Bottle cleaning brush Nipples, teats, or syringes Nesting box (e.g. cardboard box, carrier) Determine if the kitten is warm. If the pads of the kitten's feet or the ears are cold, your kitten is cold. You can also place your finger in the kitten's mouth to see if it feels cold. If the kitten feels cold, address this immediately and check the temperature again in an hour. Being too cold is a life threatening situation for your kitten. Use a rectal thermometer to check the kitten's temperature. Put some Vaseline on the tip before you insert it. The rectal temperature should be between 97–102 °F (38.9 °C). Lower temperatures in that range are for newborn kittens. Warm the kitten with your body. It is important that you keep the kitten warm even when you are holding it. If the kitten feels cold, place the kitten against your body so it can absorb your body heat. Wrapping the kitten in a blanket is not enough. Wrap the kitten and hold it close to your body. This is especially important if you are trying to feed your kitten. Do not feed the kitten if it feels cold. Wait until the kitten warms up before you feed. The heating pad should not consume the entire carrier or box that you place your kitten in. The kitten should be able to move to another area if it gets too hot. Warm the nest to the right temperature. Keeping your abandoned kitten warm is the most important thing you can do. This is more important than feeding. The temperature depends on the age of the kitten. At 0-1 week, the temperature should be around 90° F. From 1 week to 1 month, the temperature should be around 80–85° F. After one month, the temperature should be around 75° F Use a heating pad to warm the kitten's box. You can use a heating pad to keep the carrier warm. The heating pad should be set on low to prevent overheating. Cover the heating pad with a couple of towels. Also place a soft baby blanket in the nest so the kitten can burrow if it wants to. Do not leave the heating pad on when you leave the house. Heating pad alternatives include a hot water bottle, SnuggleSafe disk, or a sock with rice. Microwave the sock for 60 seconds and it will stay warm for 2- 3 hours. Use kitty formula. Go to the cat section of the pet store to purchase kitten formula. You can purchase canned or powdered formula. Choose one and do not switch back and forth between using powdered and canned formula. This can cause diarrhea Smell the formula when you open it. It should have a sweet smell. If it smells badly, it may be expired. Refrigerate the powdered formula after you open it. Prepare the bottle. Wash your hands and prepare the formula according to the instructions on the container. Warm up the bottle by placing it in a cup of water that you microwaved for a couple of minutes. Do not put the bottle with the formula in the microwave. Shake the bottle once it is warm to make sure everything is mixed well. The bottle and nipples should be sterilized by placing them in boiling water for a few minutes. You may want to buy several bottles and nipples, sterilize them, and keep them in the refrigerator so they are ready to use. The amount of formula you use depends on the age and weight of your kitten. You do not want to over or under feed. Squeeze a drop of the milk on your wrist to make sure that it isn't too hot or cold. Never give your kitten cow's milk. Position the kitten. Sit down and place the kitten in your lap. The kitten should have its feet down and its head straight. Never feed the kitten with its feet in the air. Do not try to raise the kitten's head. Do not hold the kitten on its back like you are feeding a baby. This position is actually dangerous for your kitten. The proper position is crucial. Feeding the kitten in the wrong position can cause the kitten to get formula in its lungs or have difficulty latching on to the nipple. Place the nipple in the side of the kittens mouth and then center it. Allow the kitten to get in a comfortable position. Help the kitten if it has trouble latching on. Bottle feeding is not natural for kittens. It may have trouble latching on at first. If you notice that the kitten is not latching on, gently hold its face with the heel of your palm and your fingers to keep its head from moving. The kitten will probably be able to latch on during the second try. You may squeeze the bottle one or two times to get the milk to come out. This will let the kitten know that there is milk inside the nipple and cause the kitten to suck on its own. Be sure to hold the bottle at a 45 degree angle. Burp the kitten. Kittens should be burped after each feeding. Hold the kitten against your shoulder and gently pat it on the back. You can also place one hand under the kitten's belly and pat the kitten on the back. Always be gentle when you are burping the kitten. Feed your kitten at regular intervals. If your kitten is very small or weak, feed every 2 hours. If the kitten is eating well and does not have diarrhea, you can feed the kitten every 3 hours. Regular feeding intervals also helps prevent diarrhea. Kittens that are 1-2 weeks old usually need 6 feedings per day. Kittens that are 3 weeks old usually need about 4 feedings per day. Kittens that are 4 weeks old usually need about 3 feedings per day. Your kitten may need to eat more or less. If your kitten seems content, sleeps well, and is warm enough, then you are probably doing just fine. Help your kitten eliminate. Kittens are not able to eliminate until they are 3 weeks old. Up until this point, you will need to assist. Take a washcloth or paper towel and massage the anal area. Use a circular or back and forth motion. Stimulate the kitten immediately after you are done with the feeding. The kitten should pee after every feeding and poop once a day. If the kitten has not peed for 12 hours or pooped in two days, take the kitten to the vet. The kitten should pee and poop.The poop should be mustard or brown colored. If the poop is yellow, green, or watery, you may have overfed the kitten. Check for fleas first. Before you bathe your kitten, look for fleas. If you see any fleas, remove them using baby shampoo and a flea comb. Fleas are easiest to spot on the kitten's belly. You can also use a flea spray that is specially formulated for kittens. Always read the instructions before using. Once you have sprayed the kitten, place the kitten on a towel for 20-30 minutes. This gives the spray time to kill the fleas. Use a gentle shampoo. You can purchase kitten safe shampoo from the pet store. If you do not have kitten shampoo, use Dawn or Lemon Joy dish washing liquid. You only need to use a few drops of the soap. If the kitten has open sores from fleas, use a surgical soap instead of shampoo. There is no need to dilute the soap; you are only using a very small amount. Bathe your kitten. Hold the kitten by its neck and clean the head and tail area first. Place a drop of the soap on the kittens belly and then lather up the rest of the body. Be sure you work the soap into the kitten's skin. Rinse the kitten with clean water as soon as you are done. Do not leave the soap on long and do not get any soap in the kitten's eye. Talk to the kitten in a calm, soothing voice while you are bathing it. You can warm up the bathroom first by running a hot shower and closing the door. This will help keep the kitten warm. Never submerge the kitten in water or pour water over the kitten's head. You do not need to bathe your kitten more than once a week. If the kitten gets dirty, just wipe it down with a damp,warm cloth. Dry the kitten immediately. As soon as the bath is finished, remove the kitten from the tub and dry it off. Use a soft towel to dry off the kitten. You can also use a blow dryer to dry off. Keep the blow dryer on the lowest setting and never point the dryer at the kitten's face. Keep in mind that the dryer noise may scare your kitten. Towel drying may be best. Place the kitten back in its warm nest after you dry it off.

Determine if the mother is gone. Determine how old the kitten is. Take the kitten to the veterinarian. Get all of the supplies you need. Determine if the kitten is warm. Warm the kitten with your body. Warm the nest to the right temperature. Use a heating pad to warm the kitten's box. Use kitty formula. Position the kitten. Help the kitten if it has trouble latching on. Burp the kitten. Feed your kitten at regular intervals. Help your kitten eliminate. Check for fleas first. Use a gentle shampoo. Bathe your kitten. Dry the kitten immediately.

https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Market-Share

How to Calculate Market Share

To calculate market share, determine the period you want to examine for the company you're investigating. Calculate the company's total revenue first, then look up the total market sales, which is the total amount of sales (or revenue) the entire market is acquiring. Divide the company's total revenue by the entire industry's total market sales. The result of this division equals your company's specific market share!

Determine the period you want to examine for each company you are investigating. In order to make sure you are making an apples-to-apples comparison, you must examine sales in a specific time period. You can examine the sales over the length of a quarter, a year, or over several years. Calculate the company's total revenue (also called total sales). All publicly-traded companies must release quarterly or annual financial statements. These statements will include a record of all of the firm's sales, and may also include an itemized explanation of sales of specific product or service types within the footnotes of the financial statements.. If the company you are examining sells a wide variety of products and services, it may not be useful to simply examine all of the revenue streams of the firm together. Look for information regarding its sales of a particular type of product or services. Find the total market sales. This is the total amount of sales (or revenue) the entire market is acquiring. The total market sales amount may be found through industry trade associations or publicly-available research reports. For a fee, companies such as NPD Group provide specific information about sales in a variety of national and international market sectors. Alternatively, you can add up the sales of the largest companies in a given product or service market. If a handful of firms dominate the industry with smaller firms making insignificant sales--such as major home appliances or automobiles--total the sales for all of the companies in the industry to calculate total industry sales. Divide the target company's total revenue by the entire industry's total market sales. The result of this division equals your company's specific market share. So, if a firm made $1 million dollars selling a particular product and all firms in the industry sold $15 million worth of it, you would divide $1 million by $15 million ($1,000,000 / $15,000,000) to determine the market share of the firm. Some prefer market share to be represented by a percentage, while others do not even simplify it into the smallest possible fraction (leaving it as $40 million/$115 million, for example). The form you prefer is irrelevant, as long as you understand what figure represents. Understand a company's market strategy. All companies make their products and services unique and offer them at different price levels. Their aim is to capture the specific customers that will enable the company to maximize profit. Large market share, whether measured in units sold or total revenues, does not always correlate with high profitability. For example, the market share of General Motors in 2011 was 19.4%, more than 6 times the share of BMW at 2.82%. GM reported profits of $9.2 billion while BMW reported profits of about $4.9 billion Euros ($5.3 billion U.S.) during the same period. Whether measured by per unit sales or total revenue, BMW showed a higher degree of profitability than GM. Profit per unit, not just market share, is the goal of most companies. Define the market parameters. Companies seek to capture as much market share as might be available consistent with their strategy. To again use the automotive example, BMW knows that not every car purchaser is one of its potential customers. It is a luxury car manufacturer, and less than ten percent of car buyers are in the luxury car market. Luxury car sales make up a tiny fraction of the total 12.7 million cars purchased annually in the US. BMW sold 247,907 cars in 2011, more than any other luxury car maker including GM's Cadillac and Buick lines. Clearly identify the specific market segment you intend to research. It can be general, focusing on total sales, or restricted to specific products and services. You must define the market on like terms as you examine the sales of each company. Otherwise, you are comparing apples to oranges. Identify changes in market share year to year. You can compare a single company's year-to-year performance. Alternatively, you can compare all the companies within a competitive space. Changes in market share might mean the company's strategy is effective (if market share is rising), faulty (if market share falls), or was not implemented effectively. For example, BMW's number of autos sold and their market share increased from 2010. This indicates that their marketing and pricing strategies were more effective than competitors like Lexus, Mercedes, and Acura. Understand what market share can demonstrate about a business. Market share is not an end-all tool that tells you everything you must know; quite the opposite, it is more of a tool of initial inquiry. You must understand both the strengths and limitations of it as an indicator of value. Market share is a good tool to use to compare two or more similar companies that compete against each other in a market. Though not exactly a popularity contest, it does demonstrate the extent to which one firm's product out-competes (or fails to compete against) the rest of the field. Consequently, market share can indicate likelihood of a firm's growth. If a firm has claimed increasing market share for several consecutive quarters, they have clearly figured out how to manufacture or market an especially desirable product. Companies that are losing market share may be suffering from just the opposite. Comprehend the limitations of the market share indicator. As noted above, market share is a limited tool that can help you develop an initial perception of a firm. Taken by itself, it means little. Total revenues--the sole factor used to determine market share--provide little information about the profitability to a company. If one company holds a larger portion of the market but makes substantially smaller profit (revenue minus expenses) than another, market share becomes a substantially less significant indicator of current or future success. The market share may indicate more about the market than the company you are evaluating. Some markets have been consistently dominated by a single or small group of companies, and little perceivable change has taken place over the course of many years. The power of an entrenched monopoly can be almost impossible for other companies to break, and so an examination of market share will only demonstrate that fact. However, small firms may still successfully carve out a niche for themselves, and profitability is still possible. Think about how market share should shape your investment strategy. The extent to which a company is leading or struggling in its market should impact how you perceive it. Companies that have not shown a growth in market share in years may not be worth investing in. Firms with a growing market share are worth keeping an eye on. Unless they are poorly managed and unprofitable (which you can also determine by examining all of the publicly released financial documents of a traded company), the value of the company is likely to the rise. Firms with declining market share may be struggling. It is not the only factor that must be examined to determine this, but the company should be avoided if they also have declining profits or no new product or service offerings forthcoming.

Determine the period you want to examine for each company you are investigating. Calculate the company's total revenue (also called total sales). Find the total market sales. Divide the target company's total revenue by the entire industry's total market sales. Understand a company's market strategy. Define the market parameters. Identify changes in market share year to year. Understand what market share can demonstrate about a business. Comprehend the limitations of the market share indicator. Think about how market share should shape your investment strategy.

https://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Living-Room-Furniture

How to Choose Living Room Furniture

Before choosing living room furniture, measure the dimensions in your living room. Once you have measurements, pick out your essential furniture first, like your sofa, loveseat, and coffee table, making sure that your pieces will fit well your living room. Choose modern pieces of furniture, which have clean lines and neutral colors, or choose traditional pieces, which are more formal and tend to be in cool tones, like blues and grays.

Take measurements. Use a tape measure, yardstick, or meter stick to measure the length and width of your room. Also account for the dimensions of any alcoves or other recessed spaces in the room. Create a floor plan. You can use formal grid paper, but you can also sketch it out on notebook paper or plain printer paper. Determine how much space you can spare for furniture and sketch out a few different ways that furniture can fit into the room. You should also factor in at least one yard (1 meter) of free space in between pieces of furniture. Anything smaller than that will make you feel as though you have to squeeze in between your furniture as you walk. Check your doorways. Measure how wide your doorways are to prevent potential delivery mishaps. You do not want to purchase a piece of furniture only to discover that you cannot get it into your house. Stage your living room. After determining how much space you can spare for furniture and where you want potential pieces to go, mark those spaces on the floor to get a better visual. Use painter's tape or spread out sheets of newspaper. Think about how the room will be used. If your living room will act as a daily family hangout, you will need sturdy, stain-resistant furniture, especially if your kids are still young. On the other hand, if your living room will only entertain the occasional guest, you can opt for more fragile pieces made with delicate fabrics. Note the room's natural architecture. Some rooms contain built-in design elements that may help you determine the type of furniture that will look best inside the room. For instance, if you have a rustic fireplace, cabin décor may be a better option than stark modern furniture. Modern furniture may be the best option for a living room of an apartment with a view overlooking the city, however. Start with the basics. Most living rooms contain a sofa, armchair, side table, and coffee table. Look for these basic elements before adding extra pieces such as ottomans and additional tables. Buy investment pieces. Look for solid furniture with sturdy wood frames and sinuous steel springs. High-quality pieces may cost a little more, but they tend to hold up better and last longer. Look for high-quality, stain-resistant fabrics. Luxurious, high-quality materials will keep you feeling more comfortable and tend to last longer than cheaper fabrics. Stain-resistant fabrics are especially useful if you have young children, but they might still be a good idea even if you only plan on using the space for guests since spills and stains can happen to anyone. Look for cushions made of wrapped foam. Foam is comfortable and durable. Some cushions may be filled with down, but down usually breaks and wears quickly. Test the strength of the frame. Lift one leg of the piece about six inches (15 centimeters) off the floor. If the adjacent leg has not risen as well, the frame is too flexible and too flimsy. Coordinate your pieces. Each piece of furniture in your living room should complement the others. Otherwise, your room will look chaotic and thrown together. If you have an interior design theme, such as modern or traditional, stick with pieces that fit with your theme. Know your themes. There are a number of ways to divide up interior design themes, but the main ones often include modern, contemporary, traditional, casual, and Old World. Modern and contemporary furniture has sleek, clean lines and usually makes use of white, beige, or other neutral colors. Glass, metal, and shiny black lacquer are used more often than traditional woods. Traditional furniture is elegant. It tends to look a little more formal and may include details like rolled arms and skirted bottoms. Colors range from ivory to rich hues of red and other colors. Casual furniture is friendly and cozy. Many pieces make use of plaid, small prints, and other patterns. Old World furniture combines styles from French, Spanish, and Italian designs. Rustic, antique pieces are especially appropriate, and you should look for deep, earthy colors. Opt for a loveseat instead of a sofa if you have a smaller space. Loveseats typically provide seating for two individuals. If you have a small family or only intend to use the space for entertaining an occasional guest, a loveseat could save you space while providing you with as much as you need. Fill the room in with additional pieces as space allows. Chests, flat-top ottomans, and extra tables or seating can add a lot to a large living room, but too many of these pieces will crowd out a smaller space.

Take measurements. Create a floor plan. Check your doorways. Stage your living room. Think about how the room will be used. Note the room's natural architecture. Start with the basics. Buy investment pieces. Look for high-quality, stain-resistant fabrics. Look for cushions made of wrapped foam. Test the strength of the frame. Coordinate your pieces. Know your themes. Opt for a loveseat instead of a sofa if you have a smaller space. Fill the room in with additional pieces as space allows.

https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Daily-Interest

How to Calculate Daily Interest

To calculate daily interest, first convert the interest rate percentage into a decimal by dividing it by 100, then divide that number by 365. Multiply this rate by the principal investment to get the amount that your money will earn each day. Finally, check your math to be sure you didn't make any calculation errors.

Gather the information needed to calculate interest. This includes the amount of money you will be investing or saving, the length of the term and the proposed interest rates. You may have several sets of variables if your intention is to compare alternatives. You will need to prepare a calculation for each alternative in order to complete your comparison. Launch a computer spreadsheet application to help you calculate interest. You will be entering the data from Step 1 into specific cells on the spreadsheet and then setting up formulas. Once the formulas are calculated you can easily evaluate many different alternatives. Popular spreadsheet programs include Microsoft Excel and iWork Numbers. You can also find free spreadsheet applications online such as Google Docs or Zoho Sheet. Assign labels in column A, rows 1-4, for the Principal, Interest Rate, Periods and Daily Interest. You can expand the cell by clicking on the right line of the column number, A, B, or C, etc. (Arrows will then show that you can manipulate.) These labels are for your reference only. Enter the details for your specific transaction in column B, rows 1-3, to coincide with the labels. Convert the percent interest to a decimal by dividing it by 100. Leave cell B4 (Daily Interest) blank for now. The interest rate is usually shown as an annual figure; it will need to be divided by 365 in order to reach the daily interest rate. For example, if your principal to invest is $10,000, and your savings account is offering.5 percent interest, you will enter "10000" in cell B1 and "=.005/365" in cell B2. The number of periods determines how long your investment will remain in the account untouched, except for the compounding interest that is added. You can use a sample term of one year, which will be entered in cell B3 as "365." Create a function in cell B4 to calculate the annual interest as a daily amount. Functions are special formulas offered by the spreadsheet designers to make your calculations easier. Do this by clicking first on cell B4 to select it and then by clicking inside the formula bar. Type "=IPMT(B2,1,1,-B1)" in the formula bar. Press the Enter key. The daily interest earned on this account, for the first month, is $.1370 per day. Gather the details needed to calculate interest. This includes the amount of money you will be investing or saving, the length of the term and the proposed interest rates. You may have several different interest rates that you want to compare. Convert the percent interest rate to a decimal. Divide the number by 100 and then divide this interest rate by 365, the number of days in a year. This will give you the interest rate to use in the formula. An annual percentage rate of.5 percent or.005, when divided by 365, is equal to.00137 percent, or.0000137. Multiply the principal by the daily interest rate. If the principle is $10,000, when multiplied by.0000137, it is equal to $.1370. Rounded up, this account will earn approximately $.14 per day, based on these examples. Check your math. Multiply the principal, $10,000, by the annual percentage rate of.5 percent or.005 to calculate interest manually. The answer is $50.00. Multiply the daily interest amount of $.1370 by 365 days; the answer is also $50.00. Collect the necessary information. Unless you are withdrawing the daily interest you are accumulating, it will be added to the original amount of your principal which is a great way to save. To calculate, you will need the principal amount, the annual interest rate, the number of compounding periods per year (365 for daily) and the number of years the money will be in your account. Launch your preferred spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel. Assign labels in column A, rows 1-5, for the Principal, Interest Rate, Period, Number of Years and Compound Interest Balance. You can expand the cell by clicking on the right line of the column number, A, B, C, etc. (Arrows will then show that you can manipulate.) These labels are for your reference only. Enter the details for your specific calculation in column B, rows 1-4, to coincide with the labels. Period is 365 and the number of years is whatever you choose to calculate. Leave cell B5 (Compound Interest Balance) blank for now. For example, principal = $2,000, interest rate = 8% or.08, compounding periods = 365 and the number of years is 5. Click on cell B5 to select it and then click inside the formula bar to enter this formula: =B1*(1+B2/B3)^(B4*B3) and click enter. Compounded daily, the total principal and interest earned balance is $2983.52 after 5 years. You can see it is a good idea to reinvest your interest earned. Calculate compound interest manually. The formula to use is Initial investment * (1 + Annual interest rate / Compounding periods per year) ^ (Years * Compounding periods per year). The ^ indicates an exponent. For example, using the same information from Step 3, principal = $2,000, interest rate = 8% or.08, compounding periods = 365 and the number of years is 5. Compound interest =2,000 * (1 +.08/365) ^ (5 * 365) = $2983.52.

Gather the information needed to calculate interest. Launch a computer spreadsheet application to help you calculate interest. Assign labels in column A, rows 1-4, for the Principal, Interest Rate, Periods and Daily Interest. Enter the details for your specific transaction in column B, rows 1-3, to coincide with the labels. Create a function in cell B4 to calculate the annual interest as a daily amount. Gather the details needed to calculate interest. Convert the percent interest rate to a decimal. Multiply the principal by the daily interest rate. Check your math. Collect the necessary information. Launch your preferred spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel. Enter the details for your specific calculation in column B, rows 1-4, to coincide with the labels. Click on cell B5 to select it and then click inside the formula bar to enter this formula: Calculate compound interest manually.

https://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Israeli-Citizen

How to Become an Israeli Citizen

The easiest way to become an Israeli citizen is to be born in Israel, or have 1 or both parents who are Israeli citizens. You can also establish permanent residency in Israel by living there for 3 out of 5 years before applying for citizenship. Alternatively, if you're an ethnic or religious Jew, you're automatically eligible for citizenship. If you meet the requirements, bring your birth certificate to the Israeli consulate to begin your application. After submitting your application, consider getting an Israeli driver's license so you have more proof of your residence status.

Be born in Israel to an Israeli parent. One of the easiest ways to gain Israeli citizenship is by being born in Israel. If one or both of your parents is an Israeli citizen at the time of your birth, you are automatically granted citizenship. You can prove that you were born in Israel by providing a legal document like a birth certificate. Citizenship will likely be granted when you are born in this case. Have Israeli citizens as parents. Even if you were not born in Israel, it is possible to become an Israeli citizen by birth if one or both of your parents is also an Israeli citizen. Your parents' Israeli nationality can have been acquired by birth, by naturalization, by residence, or by the Law of Return. To prove that your parents were Israeli, you'll need to go to the Israeli consulate and bring any documentation you have attesting to their Jewish heritage. This can include passports, identification cards, birth certificates (if this info is listed on the document), marriage licenses, letters from Orthodox rabbis, etc. Be born in Israel with no other nationality. If you were born in Israel and have never been granted any other official nationality, you can acquire Israeli citizenship. To do so, you must apply for it between your 18th and 25th birthdays. You must also have been a resident of Israel for at least five consecutive years at the time of your application for citizenship. To apply, you'll need to go to the Israeli consulate. They will be able to give you the appropriate forms. You'll need to bring an official document (like a birth certificate) proving that you were born in Israel, along with any other identifying documents you have to explain the status of your nationality. Understand the Law of Return. The Law of Return is a rule enacted by the Israeli government in 1950 that allows all Jews, both ethnic and religious, to return to Israel as their homeland and gain citizenship. This law was created largely to create a route to safety for Jews who were misplaced by the Holocaust, and for their descendants. A returning Jew is called an oleh (male) or olah (female). Rely on your Jewish heritage. If you're Jewish, which is defined as being born to a mother who is Jewish or having converted to Judaism, then there is not much that you need to do. Israel will welcome you with open arms. All you have to do is go there and formally request citizenship. You can also be considered a Jew according to this law if you converted to Judaism and are not a member of another religion. If you converted to Judaism, you'll need a letter from an Orthodox rabbi that you can bring to the rabbinical court. This group is part of the Israeli justice system and they determine who is considered Jewish or not. Avoid being considered a threat to the Israeli state. The Israeli government can deny anyone citizenship under the Law of Return who they deem might be a threat to the Israeli population or who might engage in activities intended to harm Jews. This caveat is meant as a safeguard for the existing citizens of Israel and to keep people out who mean them harm. This means that you should avoid any involvement in extremist groups, especially those who are anti-Semitic. You should also ensure that you have no criminal record and that you aren't infected with a contagious disease. Go to Israel. If you are the descendent of an Israeli citizen or Jew, or if you have married an Israeli citizen, you are able to apply for citizenship if you intend to settle permanently in Israel. You must settle in Israel to prove that you want citizenship for the right reasons and not just to gain an Israeli passport. There is no time limit here on residency here. You just need to show proof that you are settling in Israel permanently. This kind of proof can include rental agreements for housing, work contracts, utility bills in your name, etc. You are not required to work during this time, but it will only help your case if you have work documents to show when you apply for citizenship. Prove your descent. Visit the Israeli consulate or the Ministry of the Interior (Misrad Hapnim) with your birth certificate to prove your descent. You should also take your marriage certificate to the Ministry if your spouse is Jewish or an Israeli citizen. This is where the first stage of the application process takes place. They will give you the correct application forms to complete and tell you what other documents they may require from you. Obtain an ID and citizenship. Once you have completed the application, you will be granted an Israeli identification card, along with citizenship documents (including a passport, though this document can take a bit longer to process). Apply for an Israeli driver's license so that you have more documentation proving your residence status. The process for attaining an Israeli driver's license includes getting an eye exam, visiting a physician for a health exam, scheduling a driving lesson, and taking a written examination. Live in Israel for three out of five years before applying. Before you are eligible to apply for naturalized Israeli citizenship, you must have established your permanent residence in Israel for at least three out of five of the years immediately preceding your application. This helps ensure that those applying for citizenship genuinely desire to be part of the Israeli community and have demonstrated it through their ability to live successfully in the country for a reasonably long period of time. Become entitled as a permanent resident. To become a citizen of Israel, you must prove to the government that you intend to settle in Israel permanently. This means residing in Israel, locating employment in Israel, and becoming part of the community. Learning how to speak Hebrew is important at this stage as well. Renounce other nationalities. In order to become an Israeli citizen, you must renounce any other nationalities that you currently hold. This does not mean that you must give up your other citizenship, but that you will agree to adhere to the Israeli laws regarding naturalization and gaining citizenship. Alternatively, you can prove that you will no longer be a foreign national from the time of becoming a citizen. This can be proven, depending on the circumstance, through various documentation such as your birth certificate, passport, marriage license or divorce decree, etc.

Be born in Israel to an Israeli parent. Have Israeli citizens as parents. Be born in Israel with no other nationality. Understand the Law of Return. Rely on your Jewish heritage. Avoid being considered a threat to the Israeli state. Go to Israel. Prove your descent. Obtain an ID and citizenship. Live in Israel for three out of five years before applying. Become entitled as a permanent resident. Renounce other nationalities.

https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Ratios

How to Calculate Ratios

To calculate a ratio, start by determining which 2 quantities are being compared to each other. For example, if you wanted to know the ratio of girls to boys in a class where there are 5 girls and 10 boys, 5 and 10 would be the quantities you're comparing. Then, put a colon or the word "to" between the numbers to express them as a ratio. In this example, you'd write "5 to 10" or "5:10." Finally, simplify the ratio if possible by dividing both numbers by the greatest common factor.

Be aware of how ratios are used. Ratios are used in both academic settings and in the real world to compare multiple amounts or quantities to each other. The simplest ratios compare only two values, but ratios comparing three or more values are also possible. In any situations in which two or more distinct numbers or quantities are being compared, ratios are applicable. By describing quantities in relation to each other, they explain how chemical formulas can be duplicated or recipes in the kitchen expanded. After you get to understand them, you will use ratios for the rest of your life. Get to know what a ratio means. As noted above, ratios demonstrate the quantity of at least two items in relation to each other. So, for example, if a cake contains two cups of flour and one cup of sugar, you would say that the ratio of flour to sugar was 2 to 1. Ratios can be used to show the relation between any quantities, even if one is not directly tied to the other (as they would be in a recipe). For example, if there are five girls and ten boys in a class, the ratio of girls to boys is 5 to 10. Neither quantity is dependent on or tied to the other, and would change if anyone left or new students came in. The ratio merely compares the quantities. Notice the different ways in which ratios are expressed. Ratios can be written out using words or can be represented using mathematical symbols. You will commonly see ratios represented using words (as above). Because they are used so commonly and in such a variety of ways, if you find yourself working outside of mathematic or scientific fields, this may the most common form of ratio you will see. Ratios are frequently expressed using a colon. When comparing two numbers in a ratio, you'll use one colon (as in 7 : 13). When you're comparing more than two numbers, you'll put a colon between each set of numbers in succession (as in 10 : 2 : 23). In our classroom example, we might compare the number of boys to the number of girls with the ratio 5 girls : 10 boys. We can simply express the ratio as 5 : 10. Ratios are also sometimes expressed using fractional notation. In the case of the classroom, the 5 girls and 10 boys would be shown simply as 5/10. That said, it shouldn't be read out loud the same as a fraction, and you need to keep in mind that the numbers do not represent a portion of a whole. Reduce a ratio to its simplest form. Ratios can be reduced and simplified like fractions by removing any common factors of the terms in the ratio. To reduce a ratio, divide all the terms in the ratio by the common factors they share until no common factor exists. However, when doing this, it's important not to lose sight of the original quantities that led to the ratio in the first place. In the classroom example above, 5 girls to 10 boys (5 : 10), both sides of the ratio have a factor of 5. Divide both sides by 5 (the greatest common factor) to get 1 girl to 2 boys (or 1 : 2). However, we should keep the original quantities in mind, even when using this reduced ratio. There are not 3 total students in the class, but 15. The reduced ratio just compares the relationship between the number of boys and girls. There are 2 boys for every girl, not exactly 2 boys and 1 girl. Some ratios cannot be reduced. For example, 3 : 56 cannot be reduced because the two numbers share no common factors - 3 is a prime number, and 56 is not divisible by 3. Use multiplication or division to "scale" ratios. One common type of problem that employs ratios may involve using ratios to scale up or down the two numbers in proportion to each other. Multiplying or dividing all terms in a ratio by the same number creates a ratio with the same proportions as the original, so, to scale your ratio, multiply or divide through the ratio by the scaling factor. For example, a baker needs to triple the size of a cake recipe. If the normal ratio of flour to sugar is 2 to 1 (2 : 1), then both numbers must be increased by a factor of three. The appropriate quantities for the recipe are now 6 cups of flour to 3 cups of sugar (6 : 3). The same process can be reversed. If the baker needed only one-half of the normal recipe, both quantities could be multiplied by 1/2 (or divided by two). The result would be 1 cup of flour to 1/2 (0.5) cup of sugar. Find unknown variables when given two equivalent ratios. Another common type of problem that incorporates ratios asks you to find an unknown variable in one ratio, given the other number in that ratio and a second ratio that is equivalent to the first. The principle of cross multiplication makes solving these problems fairly simple. Write each ratio in its fractional form, then set the two ratios equal to each other and cross multiply to solve. For example, let's say we have a small group of students containing 2 boys and 5 girls. If we were to maintain this proportion of boys to girls, how many boys would be in a class that contained 20 girls? To solve, first, let's make two ratios, one with our unknown variables: 2 boys : 5 girls = x boys : 20 girls. If we convert these ratios to their fraction forms, we get 2/5 and x/20. If you cross multiply, you are left with 5x=40, and you can solve by dividing both figures by 5. The final solution is x=8. Avoid addition or subtraction in ratio word problems. Many word problems look something like this: "A recipe calls for 4 potatoes and 5 carrots. If you want to use 8 potatoes instead, how many carrots will you need to keep the ratio the same?" Many students try to add the same amount of each quantity. You actually need to use multiplication, not addition, to keep the ratio the same. Here's an example of the wrong and right to solve this example: Wrong method: "8 - 4 = 4, so I added 4 potatoes to the recipe. That means I should take the 5 carrots and add 4 to that too... wait! That's not how ratios work. I'll try again." Right method: "8 ÷ 4 = 2, so I multiplied the number of potatoes by 2. That means I should multiply the 5 carrots by 2 as well. 5 x 2 = 10, so I want 10 carrots total in the new recipe." Convert to the same units. Some word problems get tricky by switching to a different unit partway through. Convert to the same unit before finding the ratio. Here's an example problem and solution: A dragon has 500 grams of gold and 10 kilograms of silver. What is the ratio of gold to silver in the dragon's hoard? Grams and kilograms are not the same unit, so we'll need to convert. 1 kilogram = 1,000 grams, so 10 kilograms = 10 kilograms x 1 , 000 g r a m s 1 k i l o g r a m {\displaystyle {\frac {1,000grams}{1kilogram}}} = 10 x 1,000 grams = 10,000 grams. The dragon has 500 grams of gold and 10,000 grams of silver. The ratio of gold to silver is 500 g r a m s G o l d 10 , 000 g r a m s S i l v e r = 5 100 = 1 20 {\displaystyle {\frac {500gramsGold}{10,000gramsSilver}}={\frac {5}{100}}={\frac {1}{20}}}. Write your units in the problem. In ratio word problems, it's much easier to catch mistakes if you write the units after each value. Remember, the same unit on the top and bottom of a fraction cancels out. After you cancel out as much as you can, you should end up with the right units for your answer. Example problem: If you have six boxes, and in every three boxes there are nine marbles, how many marbles do you have? Wrong method: 6 b o x e s ∗ 3 b o x e s 9 m a r b l e s =... {\displaystyle 6boxes*{\frac {3boxes}{9marbles}}=...} Wait, nothing cancels out, so my answer would be "boxes x boxes / marbles." That doesn't make sense. Right method: 6 b o x e s ∗ 9 m a r b l e s 3 b o x e s = {\displaystyle 6boxes*{\frac {9marbles}{3boxes}}=} 6 b o x e s ∗ 3 m a r b l e s 1 b o x = {\displaystyle 6boxes*{\frac {3marbles}{1box}}=} 6 b o x e s ∗ 3 m a r b l e s 1 b o x = {\displaystyle {\frac {6boxes*3marbles}{1box}}=} 6 ∗ 3 m a r b l e s 1 = {\displaystyle {\frac {6*3marbles}{1}}=} 18 marbles.

Be aware of how ratios are used. Get to know what a ratio means. Notice the different ways in which ratios are expressed. Reduce a ratio to its simplest form. Use multiplication or division to "scale" ratios. Find unknown variables when given two equivalent ratios. Avoid addition or subtraction in ratio word problems. Convert to the same units. Write your units in the problem.

https://www.wikihow.com/Cross-the-Street

How to Cross the Street

If you're walking and you need to cross the street, find a designated crosswalk, or painted lines on the road that indicate that it's safe for pedestrians to cross. If there is a Walk/Don't Walk sign, check it to see if there is a button that will cause the lights to change, then cross when the Walk symbol comes on. If there is no light or crosswalk, look both ways for oncoming cars and cross the street with extra caution.

Use a crosswalk as a pedestrian if one is available. Look for a crosswalk at an intersection or an entrance to a place that gets high foot traffic. In many cases, crosswalks are painted along the street to indicate where pedestrians should walk. You may also see a pedestrian crosswalk system installed on poles near the crosswalk, which tells you when to “walk” or “don't walk.” Some crosswalks use several rectangular blocks of paint to indicate where you should walk across, while others use two parallel lines to designate the crossing area. You will typically find crosswalks at an intersection with another street. However, they may sometimes be in the middle of a block if you're in an area that has high foot traffic. Follow the directions on the pedestrian crosswalk system if there is one. Look for an electronic sign across the street that says “walk” or “don't walk.” If you see one, then your crosswalk has a pedestrian crosswalk system. Press the button on your side of the street to activate the system if there is one. Then, wait until the sign says “walk” before you go. While a pedestrian crosswalk system will help you stay safe, it doesn't guarantee that drivers will be obeying the law. Before stepping into the street, check for crossing traffic just to be safe. Cross at a corner and follow the traffic signals if there’s no crosswalk. Some streets don't have crosswalks, especially if they're in a rural area or neighborhood. When this is the case, always walk down to the corner of the street to cross. Look for traffic lights or stop signs at the intersection. Cross when the light going your direction is green or while cars are stopped at a stop sign. If there's a traffic light, follow the traffic that's moving in the same direction as you are. Stop for red or yellow lights, and go when the light is green. However, keep in mind that some cars may be turning right on red, so you still need to be careful. If the intersection has a stop sign, wait for any cars that are there to stop. Walk when it's your turn, as long as you've made eye contact with any drivers who are waiting to go. Make sure you can see both directions clearly before trying to cross. It's possible parked cars, large bushes and other items may block your view. However, it's important that you have clear visibility in both directions. If your view is blocked, move to a different spot where you can see better. If there are stopped cars, it's okay to step out to the edge of the cars if you know they aren't moving. However, never, ever step into the street until you know for sure there are no cars coming. Keep in mind that cars can't see you if you can't see them. Stop at the edge of the street so you can check for cars. When you reach the crosswalk or corner, walk out to the edge of the road and stop. This will give you the best visibility of the roadway and ensures you're crossing the shortest distance possible. Wait until it's safe before you cross. Stand on the curb or just outside the entrance to the crosswalk. Don't stand so close that you might get clipped by a car. You should still be out of the roadway while you're waiting to cross. Check left, right, then left again before crossing the street. Cars move really fast, so double check that the road is clear before you cross. Look to the left first because traffic will be closer to you on that side. Then, look to the right to see if any vehicles are coming. Finally, check left again right before you cross to make sure the road is clear. If you think you might see something coming, stop and wait to see if it's anything to worry about. It's better to take your time and be safe. Look around as you cross the street so you can spot oncoming cars. Don't stop watching for oncoming cars after you check left and right, as cars and motorcycles can come upon you quickly. Monitor your surroundings as you cross so you can stop and get out of the way if a vehicle approaches. For instance, check to your right again when you reach the center of the road, just in case a car is coming. Make eye contact with drivers when you’re crossing a busy street. On a busy street, you may have to cross while cars are waiting to go. While drivers are supposed to stop for you, they may not see you. Keep in mind that drivers may be distracted or could have poor visibility. Wait until you've made eye contact with the driver before you walk across so you know they saw you. You might also wave or nod at them so you know they see you. Wait for them to wave or nod back. Some drivers may refuse to yield the right-of-way. While this is unfair, it's more important for you to be safe than right. Don't try to cross the street if someone is driving dangerously. Cross quickly so you aren’t in the road for long. Being in the roadway is unsafe, especially when traffic is busy. Although it's never safe to run, move at a quick pace and don't stop until you reach the other side of the street. This will minimize your risk of being struck by a vehicle. You might feel tempted to run, especially if cars are driving aggressively. However, it's much more dangerous to run, as you might fall. It will be very difficult for cars to see you if you're on the ground. Stay off your cell phone so your full attention is on the road. Staring at your phone screen or chatting with someone can distract you, making it hard to safely cross the street. Put your phone away before you cross the street and don't check it again until you're on the other side. You might be using your phone's GPS or could be listening to music. Even if this is the case, stop using your phone until you're safely on the other side of the street. Ask an adult to cross the street with you if you’re a child. While there are times when it's safe to cross the street alone, it's best to cross with an adult if a street is busy. It's hard for drivers to see you when you're small, and it may be difficult for you to figure out when it's safe. Ask a trusted adult to help you cross so you're not in danger. For instance, a parent, guardian, crossing guard, neighbor, or teacher may help you cross. Even an older sibling can be a good crossing buddy if they're old enough. Wear bright clothing so people can see you at night. You probably know that it's harder to see in the dark. When you wear dark clothing, it's extremely difficult for drivers to see you. Instead, pick bright colors like white, yellow, hot pink, or pastels. This way you'll be very visible when you're crossing a road. Carry a flashlight to increase your visibility. Even with bright clothing, you'll be difficult to see in the dark. Additionally, it'll likely be hard for you to see what's around you. Bring a flashlight with you when you're walking in the dark so you can illuminate your path. Drivers will also be able to see your light, which will help them see you better. You can use the flashlight on your phone in a pinch. However, don't look at your phone or play with your phone while you're walking because it puts you in danger. Obey traffic lights and signs when you’re at an intersection. Cars, motorcycles, and bicycles must all obey the same traffic laws. Stop if you see a red light or stop sign when you approach an intersection. Additionally, yield to oncoming traffic if you're at a yield sign. Go only when the traffic light is green. Look both ways to double check that other vehicles are obeying traffic signs before you go. Keep in mind that some cars may choose to run a red light as the traffic signal is turning. Play it safe even if it's your turn to go. Generally, all drivers will stop at 4-way stops. The first person to reach the 4-way stop has the right of way. If drivers arrive at the stop at the same time, the driver to the right will proceed first. If there's a 2-way stop, the driver who has a stop sign must wait for all traffic to clear before crossing. Stay in the bike lane if there is one when traveling by bicycle. Some streets have bike lanes to help bicyclists travel safely around the city. Always use these lanes when you're riding a bicycle, including when you're crossing a street. This allows you to travel as safely as possible. Cars and motorcycles will be most aware of you while you're in the bike lane. Look for pedestrians before crossing a street and yield if you see any. All vehicles, including bicycles, must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are in a crosswalk or crossing at an intersection. Check both sides of the street for a pedestrian before you cross a street. If you see a pedestrian, stop and wait for them to cross before you proceed. Collisions between a vehicle and a pedestrian can cause life-threatening injuries, so be very careful. Always stop for pedestrians even if you may have the right-of-way. Bicycles must follow all the same rules as cars, so remember to always stop. You may be faster than a pedestrian, but you still have to stop for them. Watch for cars merging or turning to the right if you’re on a bicycle. Crossing the street on a bicycle can make you feel vulnerable, especially if other drivers are being aggressive. Since it's legal for cars to turn right-on-red, collisions can happen if drivers aren't watching for bicyclists. As you cross, monitor the other cars at the intersection to check for movement. Be aware of cars that may be turning, as they may not notice you. Pay careful attention to cars that may be turning onto the street you're on, as well as cars coming up behind you. You have the right-of-way if a car is turning right-on-red into your lane. However, don't risk your health and safety just because you're in the right. Stop or move out of the way if someone is turning into your lane unsafely. Dismount and walk your bike across the street when in a crosswalk. You may decide to use the crosswalk when crossing a busy street on a bike. In many areas, it's illegal to ride your bicycle in a crosswalk. In addition to getting in trouble, you may put pedestrians at risk if you ride in the crosswalk. If you want to use the crosswalk, get off your bike and wheel it across.

Use a crosswalk as a pedestrian if one is available. Follow the directions on the pedestrian crosswalk system if there is one. Cross at a corner and follow the traffic signals if there’s no crosswalk. Make sure you can see both directions clearly before trying to cross. Stop at the edge of the street so you can check for cars. Check left, right, then left again before crossing the street. Look around as you cross the street so you can spot oncoming cars. Make eye contact with drivers when you’re crossing a busy street. Cross quickly so you aren’t in the road for long. Stay off your cell phone so your full attention is on the road. Ask an adult to cross the street with you if you’re a child. Wear bright clothing so people can see you at night. Carry a flashlight to increase your visibility. Obey traffic lights and signs when you’re at an intersection. Stay in the bike lane if there is one when traveling by bicycle. Look for pedestrians before crossing a street and yield if you see any. Watch for cars merging or turning to the right if you’re on a bicycle. Dismount and walk your bike across the street when in a crosswalk.

https://www.wikihow.com/Study-the-Bible

How to Study the Bible

To study the Bible, choose a translation that uses Greek or Hebrew as the source language, as this will be closer to the original text. Also focus on the New Testament first as the Old Testament will make more sense if read second. Furthermore, consider starting with John, as it's the easiest Gospel and prepares you for the other Gospels. After studying John, move on to Mark, Matthew, and Luke. Once you finish the Gospels, read the letters from Romans and Jude. When you are familiar with with the major prophets, then tackle Revelation.

Plan your study. Set aside a time and place to study. Develop a plan of what you want to read each day in a calendar. Having a plan excites you to discover what you learn from God's Word for that day; it will also keep you organized, keeping track of what passages you have covered and what lessons you have learned from each. Get a good study Bible. Choose a translation to use during your study. You should select from translations as opposed to simple paraphrases, as this makes sure you are reading the originally translated text not a commentator's interpretation. Avoid bibles that have been translated from Latin, rather than the original Greek and Hebrew. These, like a game of telephone, can get incorrectly translated. Always ensure your understanding of a passage you have read fits with the entire doctrine of the Bible (which is God's Redemption Plan of Salvation, 2 John 1:7-10); any revelation you get that does not fit the doctrine of Jesus alone must be cast away. Also you must look at years of Church history to compare your findings with history. If you discover something that everyone in Church history disagrees with, you are most certainly wrong (heretics don't proceed with caution- they go ahead thinking they are the new prophet in town!) To be thus a good student of the Word, you should research: the Puritan Hard drive is a good place to start as well as Ligonier Ministries and Wretched radio (it has links to great Biblical Christian sites and Church History). Be careful not to be arrogant in the course of studying. It's so easy to boast of your findings rather than prayerfully meditate on them. Studying extensively is good, you should know what the foundations of the faith are but make sure your ability to recall names of people throughout Church history does not exceed your ability to remember the Scriptures Word for Word! (Food for thought, Joshua 1:7-9) Remember even those who are illiterate can have a deeper understanding of the Word and deeper relationship with God than you do because they meditate on it. Simply knowing names and things is not good enough. You must practice and preach what you practice. Good formal equivalence translations include the New Revised Standard Version or the English Standard Version. Good combination translations include Today's New International Version and the Holman Christian Standard Bible. A good dynamic equivalence translation is the Contemporary English Version, although strictly dynamic equivalence translations are usually frowned on by serious scholars. Study the Bible with an attitude of prayer. This should be the first step in understanding the Bible. Bible study should be approached with a prayerful desire to learn. Discipline yourself to be with the Word. The Bible will come alive for you. It is spiritual food. Pray. Ask God to help you understand his word before you even begin (In Ephesians 1:16-23 there is a prayer for Wisdom and Revelation that Paul prayed for the Church that you can also pray for yourself. In Ephesians 3:14-21 there is a prayer for Spiritual Maturity that Paul prayed for the Church, and that you can pray for yourself). God will reveal His Word to you. Don't assume a parable or story just because it seems vague. Don't try to interpret the Bible. "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation." (2 Peter 1:20,21) That's where misunderstandings come from. Focus on the New Testament first. Though the New Testament complements the Old, and the Old complements the New, it is better to read the New Testament first if you are a novice. The Old Testament will make better sense if you read the New Testament first. Consider reading John first. It's best to start with John, as it's the easiest Gospel to read, identifies who Jesus really is, and prepares you for the other 3. It would help to read it 2 or 3 times to get a good understanding of the author, topic, context, and characters. Read 3 chapters per day. Concentrate on your reading. and be patient. When you're done with John, move on to Mark, Matthew, and Luke. As those tend to be the next easiest material. Read all the books -one after the other- until you have read all the Gospels. When you're done with the Gospels, consider reading the letters from Romans to Jude. Because Revelation is pure prophecy not covered in the New Testament, stay out of there for now. When you get a good familiarity with the major prophets, then tackle Revelation. Pick out topics to study. A topical study is very different than a book study or a chapter study. The subject index of most Bibles have specific areas of study. Once you have found an interesting topic, you begin by doing a rough read through of the verses. This will give you a general oversight of what the verses have to say. For example: salvation, obedience, sin, etc. Remember: reading a chapter several times will help you find things that you might have missed or skipped over before. Use the dictionary. Make sure that you look up words in the chapter that you are reading from. This will help you understand the Bible better. Have a Bible notebook. This will keep you accountable to reading every day. Also, ask yourself questions and write them down in your Bible notebook. Use the "who", "what", "when", "where", "why", and "how" formula for your studies. For instance, "Who was there?", "What was happening?", "Where is this happening?", "How did it turn out?". This simple formula will make the story make sense. Highlight important stuff or things you really like in your own bible. But don't do this if it belongs to someone else. Use cross-references and footnotes if you have them in your Bible. These are little numbers and symbols which tell you to look somewhere else in the text for more information, or show you when something was previously discussed. Footnotes, usually found at the bottom of a given page, will tell you where information is coming from or explain complex ideas or historical events and concepts. Try picking out a few words that jumped at you and looking them up in a concordance to find other verses talking about the same thing. Follow the references in your Study Bible back to the first time it was used. This is where a chain reference Bible is essential. Keep a journal. You don't have to write a lot. Just use a notebook page with the date, book/chapter/verse on the top. Ask yourself some questions and outline what you are reading. This helps to show you what God is revealing to you through His Word. Write out ideas or verses or thoughts that come into mind as you read. Think "Who, What, When, Where, Why, How." Answer every possible question under each category. Compare your findings with what you know the Bible teaches. Then look them over and pray about it. Get rid of all distractions. Turn off the television or radio. Unless you're studying with a group , try to find a quiet place where you have a table to read and take notes. This is alone time between you and God. Find a Bible study group. Find a group of people that you can study with. The text is very complicated and having some help to get through it will be very important. They will also help keep you motivated and inspired. Share what you have found with others within your Bible study group. Discuss what you have read with others who may have more experience reading and studying the Bible than you do. Don't take what someone else says about the topic, except as a guide. Let the Bible inspire you. Increasing your knowledge about Biblical Principles will only come after years of dedication, hard work, and just plain reading. The Bible is not just one book from Genesis to Revelation. There are 66 books, each from different authors at different times. Several authors have written more than one book, but they were written at different times for different reasons. You will find similar subjects and meanings throughout all the books of the Bible. Decide your order. You can certainly read the New Testament in order if that suits you, but there are some plans that read the books out of order for a purpose. One is described in the following steps. Start with the Gospels. Each Gospel paints a different picture of Jesus. Matthew shows Jesus as King; Mark shows Jesus as Rabbi (Many scholars believe that Mark is Peter's son. (1 Peter 5: 12 & 13) Further study shows that this Mark is actually the missionary that worked with Paul 2 Tim 4:11); Luke shows Jesus as man (Luke was a physician, probably a Greek, from Asia Minor (Col 4:14); and John shows Jesus as God, that is, the Messiah. Read John again for continuity. This will give you a more complete picture of the Gospels. John was the last Gospel written. Matthew through Luke are known as the "Synoptic Gospels" because they tell the same basic story, bringing in their own points as directed. John fills in the gaps of what the others leave out. It's a book that completes the story of the Gospels. Read Acts next. Acts, also known as "The Acts of the Apostles" was written by Luke, and is a picture of the revelation and development of the early church. Read Galatians through Philemon. These 6 shorter letters are personal letters from Paul to 3 of the churches he had visited, and to 3 of his friends, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Read The Epistle to the Romans. This shows the means, and the path to Salvation, then the Epistles to the Corinthians. This is the introduction to the Holy Spirit and develops His doctrine and Gifts, followed by Hebrews through Jude. The teachings of the early church elders. Unless you have been a Christian for some time, and you have a good grounding in prophecy, leave Revelation for the more serious students in their study times. Move on to the Old Testament. The Old Testament is compiled in the order for convenience, not chronology. You can read it by groups to make things easier. There are 929 chapters in the Old Testament. If you read 3 per day, you will have read it in 10 months. Read Genesis. This is the creation and early relationship with God. Move on to Exodus through Deuteronomy. This is the Law. Read the history books. Joshua through Esther. Following the history section, read the books of wisdom and poetry. Job, often said to be the oldest book, shows how one man's relationship with God and man went, and is full of lessons on how it could have gone better. It's a great lesson on what God expects of man. The Psalms is the writings of a king of Israel who was a man after God's own heart despite the fact that he was not only a sinner, but a convicted killer. The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, was written by King Solomon in his youth. It was a work of poetry by a young man in love. King Solomon was the wisest and wealthiest man in the world. Proverbs was King Solomon's writings as an adult when he was King of Israel and was learning his hard lessons. Ecclesiastes was King Solomon's lamentations of a man who had spent his life on riotous living, many wives, concubines, wine, women and song. Ecclesiastes is the book of lessons of what not to do. Following the books of wisdom and poetry, get started in the 5 major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, & Daniel. Move on to the 12 minor prophets to finish the Old Testament.

Plan your study. Get a good study Bible. Study the Bible with an attitude of prayer. Pray. Focus on the New Testament first. Consider reading John first. Pick out topics to study. Use the dictionary. Have a Bible notebook. Highlight important stuff or things you really like in your own bible. Use cross-references and footnotes if you have them in your Bible. Follow the references in your Study Bible back to the first time it was used. Keep a journal. Get rid of all distractions. Find a Bible study group. Share what you have found with others within your Bible study group. Don't take what someone else says about the topic, except as a guide. Decide your order. Start with the Gospels. Read Acts next. Read Galatians through Philemon. Move on to the Old Testament.

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How to Live Off Interest

If you want to live off of interest, you will need to create an investment strategy in which you determine how much money you can afford to invest each month. Make an appointment with a financial adviser who can provide you with advice about your savings and investment choices. Choose investments that pay dividends at different points of the year so that your earnings will be spread out. If you need payments right away, you can use a lump sum to purchase an immediate annuity.

Create an investment plan. Taking your salary and expenses into account, make a plan for earning and investing money. Look at your monthly income and necessary expenditures, such as rent and utility bills, to see how much money you can spare for investments. Decide how much money you will invest each month, and how much you will keep for travel, entertainment, and other indulgences. Consult with a financial advisor. Setting up your investments so that you can live off interest requires careful planning, which will be made easier with the help of an expert. Visit with a financial advisor who can provide advice about your savings and investment choices. You can find a financial advisor through your bank, insurance company, or an independent financial consulting company. Make investments that will pay off at different times of the year. To ensure that you can live off interest year-round, build a portfolio with a mix of trusts, funds, and other income-paying investments. Choose investments that pay dividends at different points of the year so that your earnings will be spread out. This will not guarantee even payments throughout the year, but it will ensure that you have income to live off of. Sell off bad investments. It is not prudent to hold onto investments that bring you big losses in the hope that they will improve. Sell bad investments to strengthen your overall portfolio. Avoid holding on to investments for reasons of loyalty or sentimentality (e.g. your company's stock, or stock you once thought had great promise.) Purchase an immediate annuity to get income right away. An annuity is essentially an insurance contract that guarantees that you will have money throughout your retirement. For a lump sum you can get an immediate annuity, which will generate payments right away. The payments received will depend on the lump sum you invest, current inflation rates, and your age. Ask an agent form your insurance company to outline your annuity options to invest your savings wisely. These payments can be received monthly, quarterly, or annually. You can choose to get payments up until a certain age, or until death. For older people, the annual payout of an immediate annuity can be as high as 10%. Get a deferred annuity if you are still years away from retirement. if you do not need to earn an income from interest right away, opt for a deferred annuity. This will give you time to invest tax deferred money from each paycheck while you are working, which will grow tax free for you to collect, in regular payments, starting at a later date. See what deferred annuity options your insurance company offers to start building your financial security as early as possible. Contributions to your deferred annuity do not have to happen at regular intervals or in equal amounts. There is no yearly contribution limit so you can invest large sums whenever you want to have them build interest, tax free. Choose a variable income annuity to diversify your investment. With a variable annuity, the money you invest will be split between different bonds, stocks, according to your risk level and preferences. There is a minimum income generated, which depends on variables like your age and the nature of the investments you've chosen. Ask your insurance provider about setting up a variable income annuity if you want your investment to be split into several subgroups with multiple opportunities for growth. Sign up for a high yield online savings account to earn 1% interest. Online savings accounts can offer interest rates of 1% or more since they don't have to maintain branch locations. Transfer money from your regular savings account into one of these high yield accounts, or save money gradually with each paycheck. Depending on how much you save, your interest money could cover certain living expenses like groceries or utilities. Get a credit card that offers cash-back on your purchases. Cash-back credit cards can offer up to a 5% return on your total purchases in cash or gift cards of equivalent value. Using these cards to pay for everyday expenses is a good way to yield money without any extra effort or risk. Speak to a representative at your bank or credit card company to find a card that will yield you the biggest cash benefits. Be sure to read the fine print on your credit card agreement before signing up for a new card. Some cards may have a limit for yearly cash-back earnings. Certain cards only offer cash-back for specific categories of purchases, such as restaurants or gas stations. Buy U.S. treasury bonds to earn interest bi-annually. Investing with the government treasury is entirely safe and the interest that you yield will be exempt from state and municipal taxes. Interest is paid every 6 months at a fixed rate. Purchase treasury bonds directly through the U.S. Treasury website at https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/products/prod_tbonds_glance.htm. Treasury bonds have maturities of 30 years, but they can be sold before then. Interest earned on treasury bonds is still subject to federal taxation.

Create an investment plan. Consult with a financial advisor. Make investments that will pay off at different times of the year. Sell off bad investments. Purchase an immediate annuity to get income right away. Get a deferred annuity if you are still years away from retirement. Choose a variable income annuity to diversify your investment. Sign up for a high yield online savings account to earn 1% interest. Get a credit card that offers cash-back on your purchases. Buy U.S.

https://www.wikihow.com/Conduct-a-Self-Analysis

How to Conduct a Self Analysis

Conducting a self-analysis can help you reflect on where you are in your life and how to best move forward. Consider if you have healthy or low self-esteem. Healthy self-esteem is when you believe you're worthwhile and valuable, whereas low self-esteem is when you see yourself in a negative light and lack confidence in your abilities. Keeping track of your moods can also help you learn more about your self-esteem and thought patterns. If you have healthy self-esteem, you'll usually experience an accepting and reassuring inner voice. However, if your self-esteem is low, then your inner voice may be harsh or critical. By journaling about your shifts in moods or thoughts, you can discover a lot about your deeply imbedded thoughts and feelings toward yourself and the world around you.

Reflect on your childhood experiences. Understanding who you are and why you do the things that you do is not always easy. Much of what drives behavior and self-perception is the result of subconscious attitudes and beliefs. It's important to dig deep in order to figure out how you truly see yourself on a subconscious level. Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself: As a child, did I feel listened to or was I harshly criticized? Was I spoken to respectfully or was I ignored, criticized, or teased? Did I get appropriate attention and affection or was I neglected? Was I physically, verbally, or sexually abused? Were my accomplishments recognized? Were my shortcomings and failures accepted or was I berated? Was I always expected to be perfect? Keep track of your moods. Keep a journal with you for an entire day. Whenever you feel a shift in your mood, write down what you are feeling. This is the first step in identifying what your inner voice is communicating to you. The inner voice is not actually a voice that you hear with your ears. Instead, it is the collection of thoughts that you experience. These thoughts are often so deeply embedded in the subconscious that you may not even recognize them when they occur. Instead you'll probably just experience a change in mood. Your inner voice is either affirming or self-defeating. People with healthy self-esteem usually experience an accepting and reassuring inner voice. However, people with low self-esteem generally experience a harsh, punitive, and critical inner voice. Journaling can be tough for some people, especially if you write about past traumas that you have not fully processed. If you find that journaling is upsetting you or causing you difficulty handling everyday life for the day or week after attempting to journal, talk with a counselor who can help you journal productively while keeping you healthy. Write down what you were thinking. The thoughts that you were experiencing immediately before your mood shifted is a good reflection of your inner voice. They are called automatic thoughts and generally reflect how you see yourself, others, and the world. Writing down these thoughts throughout the day will help you see if a pattern emerges. Automatic thoughts originate in the subconscious so sometimes they are difficult to pinpoint. You can start by asking yourself “What made me feel this way.” Then dig deeper by asking yourself probing questions like “What does that say about me?” “Why did that make me feel that way?” The first few answers are often superficial responses. Keep asking yourself “What else?” until you are able to probe into the deeper automatic thoughts. For example, if a co-worker said something that made you angry, you may initially write down “Andrea said that what I did was incorrect.” “That made me angry.” “She tried to make me look like I was incompetent.” And after asking yourself several times “What else?” you may eventually pinpoint a thought that you didn't realize was there, such as “I'm not as good at this as everyone else.” Evaluate the thinking patterns. After you have written down several automatic thoughts, you'll probably see a pattern begin to emerge. Ask yourself what the underlying theme is among your thoughts. Are they healthy and liberating or are they negative and self-defeating? Common thought patterns that tend to emerge from negative automatic thoughts include: All-or-none thinking occurs when a person thinks that one misstep makes his or her or the situation a failure. For example, if you make one error at work you may think that you're a failure at your job. Disqualifying the positive is when a person only focuses on what he or she has done wrong and ignores or forgets about all of the good that he or she has done. For example, a person may focus on getting one problem wrong on a test when he or she has gotten all of the other questions right. Jumping to conclusions is when a person makes a judgment without having all of the facts. For instance, you may see your best friend running in a direction away from you in a parking lot. You may assume that your friend is trying to avoid you. However, your friend may have been late for an appointment and did not notice you. Labeling happens when a person applies a label to his or herself (or someone else) rather than acknowledging the action or behavior. For example, instead of thinking, “I could have handled that differently” you may think, “I'm a bad person.” Examine if you have healthy or low self-esteem. Healthy self-esteem reflects a person's belief that he or she is worthy and worthwhile. Alternatively, a person with low self-esteem often feels poorly about him or herself and constantly needs other people's approval. If you notice that you have a lot of negative thinking, then you may be dealing with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem has a negative impact on the way that you see yourself so it's important to intentionally work on having a healthy and balanced view of who you are. If you're still not sure it you're experiencing low self-esteem, consider these three “faces” of negative self-esteem: The Victim: This person acts like he or she is helpless and waits for others to come to the rescue. He or she tends to use self-pity or indifference to masque underlying fears of failure. He or she tends to be unassertive, may be an underachiever, and excessively relies on others for reassurance. The Imposter: This person acts as if he or she is happy and all is well when really petrified of failure. This person needs to always be successful in order to be happy, often leading to perfectionism, competition, and burnout. The Rebel: This person tries to downplay others, particularly people of authority. He or she lives in constant anger about not being good enough and tends to focus on not being hurt by the criticism of others. This can lead to blaming other people for his or her problems and he or she may frequently oppose authority. Take out a piece of paper and place it in front of you. The paper should be in the landscape position so that the longer edge is facing you. Make sure that a hard surface is available for you to easily write on. Draw five lines vertical across the paper. Make sure that the lines are evenly spaced. You will be writing in the boxes that these lines create, so make sure that there is adequate space in between the lines. Write one of the following terms next to each vertical line: “Extraversion,” “Neuroticism,” "Conscientiousness," "Agreeableness," and "Openness to Experience.” These terms reflect “The Big Five” personality traits. Most researchers agree that these five personality traits reflect the general components of personality that are most important in interpersonal interactions. Keep in mind that these “Big Five” traits are not personality types but dimensions of personality. For example, someone may be high in “Agreeableness” (friendliness) but low on “Extraversion” (sociability.) This person is probably not very social, but he or she is in fact quite friendly. The “Emotional Stability” dimension is also sometimes referred to as the “Neuroticism” trait. Neuroticism is on the other end of the Emotional Stability-Neuroticism spectrum. Similarly, Sometimes the “Openness to Experience” dimension is referred to as “Intellect.” The terms are interchangeable. Decide where you are on each of the five dimensions. People generally fall in the high spectrum or the low spectrum of each personality dimension. Take a minute to think about where you fall in each area. Write “High” or “Low” in each corresponding box on your paper. Here are descriptions of each trait to guide you with your self-assessment: Extroversion reflects a keen interest in other people and external events. Highly extroverted people tend to be very confident and have no problem exploring uncharted territories. People who are low in extroversion are often referred to as “introverts” and tend to prefer solace and quiet environments. Neuroticism reflects anxiety level. People who are high in this dimension tend to experience negative emotions stronger than their counterparts. If you find yourself worrying and freaking out a lot, then you may want to rate yourself as high in this area. Openness to Experience indicates a person's willingness to adjust their thinking when new information arises. If you are high in this area then you are probably unconventional and “free spirited.” If you are low on this dimension, then you are probably more conventional and concrete with your thinking patterns. Conscientiousness refers to how much a person considers other people when making decisions. It also reflects one's level of self-control. If you are high on this dimension then you are probably disciplined, well organized, and function well with autonomy. If you are low in this area then you are probably quicker to follow your impulses and do well in environments that are fluid and constantly changing. Agreeableness indicates the degree to which a person is compatible with other people. It also reflects how much a person cares about others. If you are high in this area then you are probably quite empathetic and can quickly and easily understand other people. You are probably often described as “nice” and “tender hearted.” If you are low in this area then you put less emphasis on emotions when determining how to behave. There is generally a gender difference on this trait with women generally being higher and men generally being lower. Think about how these five traits influence your personality. People are likely to engage in behavior and select environments based upon what is comfortable for their personality. This self-assessment may give you a huge insight into why you behave the way that you do. People can be high or low in each dimension. However, 45 different personality combinations emerge when all of the different possible combinations are combined. Choose a convenient time. Be sure to set aside a time when you will have at least one hour for some self-reflection. During this time you'll want to focus on your habits, goals, competencies, and general performance. An hour will also give you plenty of time to review personal notes and other information that will help you write an accurate self-evaluation of your performance. Write down all of the accomplishments that you’ve amassed in the workplace over the past year. Do not be shy about listing all of the great things that you have done. In fact, it's okay to be proud of yourself. The main goal of this kind of self-analysis is to highlight your accomplishments. Consider all of the projects that you've worked on, extra duties that you were assigned, and all the ways that you have brought value to your organization. Whenever possible, use specific examples during your self-assessment. Reviewing your emails is a good way to remember some of the things that you accomplished earlier in the year that you may otherwise forget to include. If there is a place where your work is documented on a regular basis, such as a log or computer data entry system, you may be able to jog your memory by reviewing that documentation. Ask yourself questions to help with your self-reflection. For example, you could ask “Did my efforts further the company's mission?” or “In what ways did I take on leadership roles?” Use the STAR approach if you're having a hard time pinpointing your accomplishments. This method allows you to highlight a specific situation when you brought value to the company. This detailed approach can be used multiple times and before you know it, you will have a comprehensive list of accomplishments. Here is an outline of the STAR approach: Identify the (S)ituation: Briefly describe a situation when you felt very proud of your job performance. Describe the (T)ask that was at hand regarding this situation. What is it that you had to do? Describe the (A)ction that you took in order to complete the task. Highlight the (R)esults that was achieved through your action. Write down the areas that you would like to improve on. It can be tempting to only focus on your accomplishments, but it is very important to be objective during your self-analysis. Consider areas where you could be a bit more effective or times when you did not meet your goal. By reflecting on your challenges too, you can get a more accurate reflection of your actual performance. Although you are using this opportunity to do some self-reflection, reviewing your supervisor's feedback from recent performance evaluations could help you to get some honest feedback on your performance. Make a list of 5-6 goals that you would like to accomplish over the next year. This part of your self-analysis is your action plan and should focus on things that you can do to enhance your work performance. Make sure that the goals clearly demonstrate your commitment to providing more value to the company. List any recent life changes. Change can be good, like getting married, having a child, or getting a promotion at work. It can also be not so good; just ask anyone who has lost a job or is in the middle of a divorce proceeding. Keep in mind that change of any kind can be stressful as you get adjusted to your new life experience. Take a minute to think about and jot down all of the changes that you may have experienced in the last six months that may be causing stress. Think about your values. When the way that you are living your life contradicts with what you believe and value, this can cause you to experience a significant amount of stress. For example, if you highly value ambition and competitiveness but feel stuck in a boring dead-end job, you will likely experience stress because your values aren't lined up with your life right now. When your beliefs and value systems are mismatched to your actual life experience, stress and unhappiness can occur. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine if any mismatch is contributing to your stress levels: What values do you find very important? Kindness? Honesty? Success? Family time? Does your behavior conflict with these values? For instance, let's say that you value family time. Do you find yourself spending enough time with your family or are you prevented from doing so by other things? Do your job, relationships, friendships, or other areas of your life conflict with these values? For instance, let's consider the same example above. Is your job preventing you from spending time with your family? Evaluate your surroundings. Where you live, work, and spend most of your time can be a significant factor regarding your stress level. If you are surrounded by crime, overcrowding, noise, pollution, litter, or other unpleasant elements in your surroundings, then it can result in increased stress levels. Consider how much your environment is contributing to your stress. Reflect on your personal problems and social dynamics. Personal problems and social factors can have a huge influence on your level of stress. Here are some dynamics to consider when you are trying to evaluate how these aspects are affecting your level of stress: Finances: Do you have enough money to cover your basic needs such as housing, food, clothing, and transportation? Family: Are their issues with your spouse or children or are you a caregiver to an elderly family member? Health: How is your health and the health of your loved ones? Track your sleeping. Lack of sleep affects many areas of your life, which of course can increase your stress levels. Log how many hours you are sleeping each night. Although the amount of sleep that is needed varies per person, if you are an adult getting less than 6-8 hours of sleep per night, then other areas of your life are likely being impacted. As a result, your stress levels may be higher than they would otherwise be. Here are some of the areas that lack of sleep may impact: Thinking and learning slows down Accidents increase Health challenges, including elevated risk of diabetes and increased risk of death Increased depression and forgetfulness Lower libido Premature aging and weight gain Impaired judgment Consider how you can work on decreasing your stress level in these areas. Make a list of things that you can do to improve your overall life experience. After all, the goal of a self-analysis is to do use reflection to promote growth. Consult a counselor or therapist. Some people believe that therapy is only for when you have problems that seem insurmountable. However, that's far from the truth. A counselor or therapist can help you with your self-analysis because she is a trained, impartial person who understands the common thought traps that humans can fall into. People go to therapy for a variety of reasons, from past traumas to wanting to learn to cope with everyday life. There is no "bad" reason to seek counseling, and it's a sign of strength and self-care to seek help when you could benefit from it. A therapist also provides a safe, welcoming space for you to explore your own thoughts and feelings in. She will not judge you or make you feel silly for having thoughts. This type of environment can be very productive for self-discovery. Look for an expert in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a type of psychotherapy focused on the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. For example, if you've identified that you have self-esteem issues, a therapist trained in CBT can help you identify the unhelpful thought patterns that are contributing to that problem, such as negative self-talk. A CBT professional can help you learn new ways of thinking and behaving that will help you lead a happier, healthier life. CBT has been demonstrated as a helpful treatment for a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Even people with chronic pain may be helped by CBT. Search for a trauma specialist if you have had past traumas. If during your self-analysis you realize that you have had traumatic experiences that you need to deal with, a therapist who specializes in trauma can help. It can take time and effort to process past injuries and work through them, but a trained specialist can help you through the process. CBT is a very common treatment for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Other types of treatment include exposure therapy, where you learn to overcome the trauma by talking about it repeatedly, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, where you focus on bodily stimuli as you think or talk about your traumatic memories. Find someone you feel comfortable with. There are many ways to find a therapist. You can search online, ask your doctor or friends for a referral, or cold-call various providers or clinics. The key to successful therapy is realizing that it is a relationship, and you should feel comfortable with your provider. That isn't to say you will always feel comfortable with what you discuss, but you should feel like your therapist is there to support you. If after several sessions you just aren't "clicking" with your therapist, it's okay to try another one. Distinguish between types of mental health professionals. Psychiatrists and psychologists aren't the only providers who can offer mental health services, including therapy. There are a range of mental health professionals who can help you, so consider your options. Below are some types of mental health professionals: Psychiatrists are medical doctors. They can diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, and offer therapy. Because of their specialized and extensive training, they are often rather expensive to see, but they are excellent for people who may have more severe disorders. Psychologists have doctorate degrees in Psychology, such as Ph.D. or Psy.D. In some states, they can prescribe medication, but most cannot. They can diagnose conditions and offer therapy. Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) have a master's degree in Social Work and have had extensive clinical experience to earn their license. They can offer therapy and a variety of other services that connect you with community resources. Psychiatric nurses are registered nurses (R.N.s) with specialized training in psychiatry and therapy. They can usually prescribe medications and can offer therapy. Marriage and Family therapists (MFTs) have a master's degree in marriage and family therapy. They have training and clinical experience in offering therapy, but cannot prescribe medications. Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) have a master's degree in a professional counseling field. They have training and clinical experience in offering therapy, but cannot prescribe medications. LPCs tend to have a wide range of counseling areas, such as career counseling, in addition to mental health counseling.

Reflect on your childhood experiences. Keep track of your moods. Write down what you were thinking. Evaluate the thinking patterns. Examine if you have healthy or low self-esteem. Take out a piece of paper and place it in front of you. Draw five lines vertical across the paper. Write one of the following terms next to each vertical line: Decide where you are on each of the five dimensions. Think about how these five traits influence your personality. Choose a convenient time. Write down all of the accomplishments that you’ve amassed in the workplace over the past year. Use the STAR approach if you're having a hard time pinpointing your accomplishments. Write down the areas that you would like to improve on. Make a list of 5-6 goals that you would like to accomplish over the next year. List any recent life changes. Think about your values. Evaluate your surroundings. Reflect on your personal problems and social dynamics. Track your sleeping. Consider how you can work on decreasing your stress level in these areas. Consult a counselor or therapist. Look for an expert in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Search for a trauma specialist if you have had past traumas. Find someone you feel comfortable with. Distinguish between types of mental health professionals.

https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Robot

How to Draw a Robot

To draw a robot, start by using a pencil to sketch out the wireframe of the robot's pose and general frame. After you have the robot's shape figured out, draw circles where you want joints to be. Then, add in 3-dimensional shapes like rectangles or squares for different body parts, like legs and arms. Use your creativity to add mechanical equipment, such as weapons or gadgets, if you want. Erase the lines you sketched at the beginning, add in details, and then color in your robot to finish your masterpiece.

Sketch the wireframe to represent the robot's figure and pose (each circle represents a joint). Use 3 dimensional shapes such as cylinders, box shapes and circles to sketch the body parts needed. Use your creativity to sketch robot features over the sketch to create your own design. Refine the sketch using a smaller tipped drawing tool to add more detail. Outline your sketch to finalize the artwork. before coloring. Erase and remove sketch lines to create clean outlined drawing. Add color. Design a robot using different kinds of 3 dimensional shapes (different box shapes, cylinders, wedges, etc. ..). Sketch additional details and parts like joints, equipment and tools. Refine the sketch by using a smaller tipped drawing tool. Create outlines by drawing over the final sketch. Erase and remove the sketch lines to create a clean outlined drawing. Color your robot. Draw the head and the body. For the body, draw a simple box then draw a curved line on top of it for the head. Draw the limbs. Attach curved rectangles to the body for the limbs. On the head, draw 2 small circles for the robots eyes. Add design on your robot. For this illustration add smaller circles on the top and the bottom of the body as bolts. Draw lines on the hand and feet to add design on your robot. Add two curved rectangles on each of the robot's hands. Erase unnecessary lines. Color your drawing. Draw quick sketches of robots. By using silhouette drawing you can record your ideas and decide what robot you want to draw. It could be a four legged robot, based on an animal or a battle type robot or just a simple household robot. From your drawings, choose a design you like the most. You can also combine some elements present in your other designs. Draw your line art. Start with the basic shapes, make it simple and clear. Erase your silhouette drawing and add finer details, like the wires, cables, design on the head and chest, etc. Color your drawing. Finished.

Sketch the wireframe to represent the robot's figure and pose (each circle represents a joint). Use 3 dimensional shapes such as cylinders, box shapes and circles to sketch the body parts needed. Use your creativity to sketch robot features over the sketch to create your own design. Refine the sketch using a smaller tipped drawing tool to add more detail. Outline your sketch to finalize the artwork. Erase and remove sketch lines to create clean outlined drawing. Add color. Design a robot using different kinds of 3 dimensional shapes (different box shapes, cylinders, wedges, etc. Sketch additional details and parts like joints, equipment and tools. Refine the sketch by using a smaller tipped drawing tool. Create outlines by drawing over the final sketch. Erase and remove the sketch lines to create a clean outlined drawing. Color your robot. Draw the head and the body. Draw the limbs. On the head, draw 2 small circles for the robots eyes. Add design on your robot. Draw lines on the hand and feet to add design on your robot. Erase unnecessary lines. Color your drawing. Draw quick sketches of robots. From your drawings, choose a design you like the most. Draw your line art. Erase your silhouette drawing and add finer details, like the wires, cables, design on the head and chest, etc. Color your drawing. Finished.

https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-You%27re-in-Love

How to Know if You're in Love

To know if you're really in love, think about whether you imagine your future with them by your side. If you're in love, you'd want to share life's big moments with them like moving somewhere new and growing old. While you don't have to be obsessive about your partner, check whether they cross your mind every few hours. For example, if you wonder what they would think about a certain movie you saw or if you want to call them just to hear their voice. In addition to thinking about them often, see if you're perfectly happy spending hours talking to them about random things, like a TV episode, or doing little activities together, like grocery shopping. Even mundane stuff like this is enjoyable with someone you love!

See if you can’t picture a future without your loved one. If you're really in love, then you shouldn't be able to picture your future without them. Whether at night, or in the morning, or with your friends, the fact that you can't stop means you're in love, and may have found "the one". Whether thinking of moving to a new city, having children, spending a year abroad, or reaching any of your future goals, you should be thinking of doing these things with your significant other by your side. If you can't imagine going through life without your significant other — not just next summer, or next year, or whenever— then you may be truly in love. Here are some other signs that you're truly in love: If you can't think about starting a new chapter of your life, whether it's a new job or a move to a new place, without your loved one at your side. If you've thought about having children but can't imagine having kids with anyone other than your loved one. If you can't imagine growing old without your loved one by your side. See if you can’t go a few hours without thinking of your loved one. To be in love, you don't have to be obsessive about your loved one; in fact, quite the opposite is true. If you have a healthy loving relationship, then you should be able to spend time apart from your loved one without obsessing over what they're doing every five seconds. However, if you can go a whole weekend, or a whole month, without your loved one once crossing your mind, then you may like them a lot, but you may not necessarily have reached the love stage yet. Here are some other signs that you're really in love: If you read a book or see a movie without your loved one, you may wonder what they would think of it. If you're trying on clothes without your special someone, you may think about how they would like your new look. If you call or text your loved one just because you want to say hi or hear their voice, then you may be falling in love. See if you truly value the opinions of your loved one. If you're really in love, then you won't just be thinking of your loved one as a perfect object that should be worshipped, but as a living, breathing human being with an interesting perspective and many unique opinions. If you're really in love, then you should value your loved one's opinion and should care about what they think, whether it's about your next career move or the political situation in your country. Though you don't have to care what they think about absolutely everything, if you don't truly value the input of your loved one, then you may not be in love yet. Here are some signs that you've truly found the one: If you take your loved one's ideas into account when you're making a big decision, then you take your partner seriously enough to be in love. If you're in a difficult social situation and value your special someone's opinion of what you should do, then you may be falling in love. If you care what your loved one thinks about the news, politics, art, or anything else that truly matters to you, then you may be falling in love. See if your loved one makes you want to be a better person. If you're really in love, then you shouldn't just be completely comfortable in your status quo, even if you're very content with your loved one. Though being happy with the relationship you have and the person that you are is essential, being with your loved one should make you want to take your life to the next level and to be the best person you can possibly be—eventually. Here are some more signs that you're truly in love: If you want to read more, know more, care more, and just to be a more well-rounded person not just to please your loved one but because they really motivate you to want to change your life in a positive way, then you may be in love. If you want to work on addressing your flaws and developing your character just from being around your loved one, then you may be falling in love. See if you feel like the best version of yourself when you’re with your loved one. If you're in love, then the person you love should bring out the best in you. After all, if you're in love, then you should want to be with the person you're with for the rest of your life, so that person should make you feel like your best self. If you feel like you can never fully be who you are, or that you're inadequate in some way when you're around your loved one, then you may not be in love. Here are some signs that you've fallen in love: If you feel at your most handsome or beautiful when you're around your loved one, even if you're just rocking a casual look. If you feel like you're at your smartest and sharpest when you're talking something through with your partner. If you feel you're most confident around your loved one, and never have to worry if you're going to sound stupid when you begin to say something. See if you’re aware of your loved one’s flaws – and are okay with them. If you're really in love, then you should be able to see your significant other as a real live human being with real human flaws – not as a god or a goddess. If you insist that your loved one is perfect, then you have a real problem. But if you're comfortable admitting that your loved one can be a bit selfish or isn't the world's greatest listener, then you have a more realistic perspective on the relationship and are much more likely to be in love for real. Being aware of your loved one's flaws doesn't mean you shouldn't help them address them if that's the right thing to do. If you can't possibly think of two or three things that make your special someone less than perfect, then you may not be truly seeing the person for who they are. If you and your loved one are comfortable enough with each other to laugh about one another's flaws, then you're more likely to be really in love. See if you take pleasure in helping your loved one. Love is about giving and take. If you're in love, then you should enjoy the giving just as much as the taking. You should take pleasure in making your loved one lunch, giving them a ride when they need one, or even doing your loved one's laundry if they're having a rough week. Though you shouldn't get taken advantage of, you should be able to enjoy helping your loved one when they need it and be prepared to be helped in return. Here are some more signs that you're really in love: If you feel good about getting your loved one coffee or surprising them with a dessert from your favorite bakery without feeling like you're wasting your precious time. If you enjoy teaching your loved one how to do something, whether it's to make the perfect burger or to solve a complicated math problem. See if your loved one makes you laugh. Love doesn't have to be so serious all the time. Sure, you can spend hours staring longingly into the eyes of your loved one, but that can get a little boring. If you're really in love, then you should be able to goof off and laugh with your loved one and to enjoy the sense of humor of your loved one. Though neither of you has to be comedians for your relationship to work, it helps to be able to laugh with each other from time to time. This shows that you're comfortable enough (and happy enough) with each other to be in love. If your special someone has the ability to make you crack up even when you're in the worst of moods, then you may be falling in love. See if you enjoy doing the little things with your loved one. True love isn't like an episode of The Bachelor — though taking a helicopter ride with your loved one or having a romantic picnic in a vineyard can be intensely romantic and an incredible experience, real love means being able to find the fun in the mundane things with your loved one, from having a beer or two at your local bar to buying kitty litter and stopping to get ice cream on the way home. Here are some signs that you truly appreciate all of the time you spend with your loved one: If you like just sitting around and watching your favorite TV show with your loved one. If you like stepping out to get ice cream with your loved one as much as you like enjoying a delicious fancy four-course meal together. If you enjoy a night in with your loved one as much as you like the occasional extravagant date. See if you’ve made it through the tough times. Love isn't a bed of roses, though if you're truly in love, the good days should far outnumber the bad, and you should be comfortable staying in your relationship during less-than-ideal circumstances, from a job loss to the death of a loved one. Tough situations can test the strength of your relationship, and if you've never had to overcome a significant hurdle with your loved one, then you may not have enough information to know if you're in love yet. If you were able to work through a tough problem in your relationship, whether it was trying to make it work with one of your insanely busy schedules or dealing with one person's disappointment in a major life event, then your relationship should be stronger for it. If you were able to stay strong during the death of a loved one, then you're more likely to feel truly in love. See if you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone for your loved one. If you're really in love, then you should be willing to try something new and unexpected for your loved one, even if it makes you a little scared or queasy. This doesn't mean that you should walk across hot coals or embarrass yourself just to win over the person you love, but it does mean that you should be ready to take a far-away trip to see your loved one's distant relatives in Guatemala or go on a hike or two with your loved one if he's obsessed with hiking. If you're willing to do something that you thought you would never do, such as learn a new language or learn to swim, because it's really important for your loved one, then you're more likely to be in love. If you've found yourself being more comfortable with being uncomfortable, with or without your loved one, then you may be in love. See if you’re willing to compromise for your loved one. If you're really in love, then you should know that you can't always get your way. If your loved one is always giving in to your demands because you're so stubborn, then you're not really in love. Being in love means getting what you want sometimes, and letting your loved one get what s/he wants sometimes; or better yet, finding a solution that makes both people happy. If you're in love, then you should not only be able to compromise with your loved one, but you should feel good about reaching a decision together, instead of feeling like you didn't really get what you wanted. If you're really in love, then both people should be able to compromise, instead of one person doing all the giving in every time. See if you’re comfortable with maintaining your individuality. If you're really in love, then you shouldn't turn into a clone of your loved one, copying all of their interests and hobbies and shedding anything that gave you pleasure before you started your relationship. Instead, you should be able to maintain your sense of self while growing together with the person that you love. If you're truly in love, then you should be doing the following things: Being comfortable hanging out with your friends without your special someone, and letting them do the same. Being okay with maintaining your own interests, such as yoga or soccer, even if your special someone doesn't do them. Being happy having some alone time instead of always hanging out with your significant other. See if you can truly say what’s on your mind in front of your loved one. If you're really in love, then you shouldn't hold back when you talk to your loved one. This doesn't mean that you should tell them every little thing that's bothering you or nag them because you feel like you're being honest, but it does mean that you should be comfortable enough in your relationship to be able to bring up something that's bothering you, or sharing your true feelings, without feeling like it's not worth it because your loved one will be bored, angry, or just won't care. If you can tell your partner exactly how you feel about something without worrying that you sound immature or stupid, then you may be falling in love. If you're okay with cracking a joke, no matter how corny it may be, then you and your loved one are on the same page. See if you’re happy to spend hours talking about nothing with your loved one. If you're really in love, then you and your loved one don't have to have deep discussions about the meaning of life or about the status of your relationship all the time. A lot of love lies in the little things, and most of your conversation won't be earth-shattering or celestial, and that's perfectly okay. If you're really in love, then you should be happy dissecting the latest episode of Breaking Bad with your loved one, or making small talk during a baseball game, and feeling that it's enough. If you've gotten off the phone with your loved one after laughing the whole time and wondering, "What did we just talk about?" then you may be in love. See if you’re comfortable revealing your weaknesses to your loved one. If you're truly in love, then you should be comfortable enough to let your loved one see the real you, even if that means showing your less-than-flattering side. If everything you say is devised to make your significant other like you or want to be with you even more, then you're not comfortable with them enough to be really in love. If you're willing to open up and talk about your past mistakes or grievances, then you're more likely to be in love. You don't have to tell the person you love every last thing that has caused you pain, but you should be able to feel better after mentioning it. If you're in love, you'll accept each other, flaws and all. See if you’re always finding new ways to compliment your significant other. If you're really in love, then when you feel the urge to compliment your partner, you should feel a fresh thought come to mind. If all you can think of is, “You're so hot” or “You're so funny,” then you have to dig deeper to find why you really love the person you're with. You should be able to compliment the strong suits of the person you're with — inside and out. If you're always finding yourself pleasantly surprised by the seemingly endless good qualities that your loved one demonstrates, then you may be in love. If you often tell the special someone things you love about them — and really mean it — then you may be in love. If you're in love, then you will notice them for their inner beauty, not (only) their outer beauty.

See if you can’t picture a future without your loved one. See if you can’t go a few hours without thinking of your loved one. See if you truly value the opinions of your loved one. See if your loved one makes you want to be a better person. See if you feel like the best version of yourself when you’re with your loved one. See if you’re aware of your loved one’s flaws – and are okay with them. See if you take pleasure in helping your loved one. See if your loved one makes you laugh. See if you enjoy doing the little things with your loved one. See if you’ve made it through the tough times. See if you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone for your loved one. See if you’re willing to compromise for your loved one. See if you’re comfortable with maintaining your individuality. See if you can truly say what’s on your mind in front of your loved one. See if you’re happy to spend hours talking about nothing with your loved one. See if you’re comfortable revealing your weaknesses to your loved one. See if you’re always finding new ways to compliment your significant other. If you're in love, then you will notice them for their inner beauty, not (only) their outer beauty.

https://www.wikihow.com/Start-Mountain-Biking

How to Start Mountain Biking

To start mountain biking, begin by choosing a mountain bike that matches your height and body type so that you can ride as efficiently as possible. Additionally, make sure you have a helmet and other safety gear, such as gloves and shin guards, to prevent serious injury if you fall. On your first ride, focus on getting comfortable on your bike and becoming used to the feel of unpaved ground. As you ride, keep your head up so that you're looking ahead, which will help you stay balanced and keep an eye out for any obstacles.

Get an appropriately-sized mountain bike. Your bike should match your height, body type, and the length of your leg. If a bike doesn't fit you well, then it will be uncomfortable and inefficient to ride. A good bike shop will be able to set you up with a bike specific to your needs. Many will offer repair, service plans or discounts on future purchases. In general, there are three styles of mountain bike that you can check out, depending on your interests: Rigid mountain bikes have no suspension, meaning that there are less mechanical parts to worry about on your bike, and you can transition to riding it and learning the parts more easily. It's more difficult to ride off-road, however, offering none of the cushioning effects of more complicated bikes. Hardtail bikes are good for most beginners who want to start tackling difficult terrain, offering--as the name suggests--a suspension fork on the front wheel and a rigid back wheel. Full suspension bikes are the most expensive kind of mountain bike, but offer suspension in both the front and back, making them the most effective and comfortable bike to ride on the kind of difficult road mountain biking demands. You don't need to buy a bike right off the bat, so consider borrowing one for a few rides to see if mountain biking is right for you. Bike shops near some state parks featuring trails will often rent appropriately-sized bikes, so check out your options. There is no use in investing hundreds of dollars in a brand new bike if it's something you won't enjoy. Get a helmet that fits properly. A good helmet should be priority one if you want to start cycling off-road. Your helmet should fit snugly, but not obscure your vision or pull down hard over your ears. Never go mountain biking without a proper helmet. Consider extra safety gear. While not necessary for your preliminary rides, there are several pieces of safety equipment you can get, at varying levels of expense. As you progress further into the sport, you may find you require more, but it's entirely up to you, your riding style, and your needs. Some mountain bikers would consider a trail incomplete without: Gloves Shinguards Arm braces Water bottle Come prepared to take a beating. On your first rides, and probably most rides afterward, it's likely that you'll fall at some point, and certain that your bike will take a beating. You'll be catching air, riding over rocks, bumping up against branches, and tearing around having a great old time on your bike. You might get some scratches and bruises on your first couple of rides, so prepare for light abrasions. It's also a good idea to carry water and a phone with you when you ride. Make sure you or someone in your group has: Plenty of water Band-aids and blister kits Patch kit and multi-tool Small air pump Extra socks Rain gear or warm clothes Get in shape. Mountain biking is part nature walk, part aerobic exercise, and part BMX. Other than a good bike, a healthy body will be your most important piece of gear. You don't want to get out into the middle of a trail with steep grades and realize you're too tired to hoof it back. While most mountain bikers, even experienced ones, will often get off their bikes and walk especially difficult turns in the trail, it's generally easier to stay on your bike and keep your momentum going. Stopping and starting too much because you're out of shape will eventually make the ride more difficult, instead of less. If you haven't ridden a lot lately, but want to start mountain biking, go on some long rides to get comfortable being on a bike again. Go several miles, alternating between cruising and sprinting to get yourself back into good bike shape. Start slow. Get comfortable on your bike first, adjusting the seat and handle-bars to the proper specifications so you'll feel comfortable riding. You don't need to hit up master-level trails or start free-riding to learn to mountain bike. Find some unpaved but level ground to ride on to get used to the different feel of biking on a less-than-smooth surface. Ride it around in the grass to get comfortable and get the bike dialed in. Next, work up to some hills to practice your shifting and balance on your bike. Try riding off curbs or doing bunny hops to prepare before heading out on the trails. Look ahead, not down. When you're on a trail, especially, you want to keep your eyes scanning about 15 yards (13.7 m) ahead of you for obstacles, low-hanging branches, and steep turns that'll come up in the trail. It can be tempting to lock your eyes on a particular turn or branch and look it toward you, causing you to lose your balance and ignore the upcoming obstacles. You'll have an easier time staying balanced and letting the bike do the work for you. Brake properly. Experienced mountain bikers learn to shift their weight slightly to increase the braking effect on their bike without braking for very long. It's more of a controlled fall than an extreme slowing down. When going downhill, push your bottom back in the saddle so you're crouching over your rear wheel. Apply your brakes evenly. Clamping too hard on the front can cause you to flip, while brake too much on the back can cause you to go into a skid, so be careful. There's more weight carrying you with the front tire, so use that brake to slow yourself and control your descent. It can be tempting at first to want to clamp onto the bike brakes as soon as you see your first steep downhill, narrow channel, or gnarly turn. On the trail, try to avoid riding your brake and instead learn to use speed to your advantage over difficult obstacles. The bike is made to take the beating for you, and it's easier to lose your balance at slower speeds, making the obstacles more dangerous. If you want to learn to control speed, “feather” the brakes by putting slight pressure on them at the same time. Learn the correct up and downhill techniques. Approaching grades effectively will keep you moving through the course quickly and comfortably, maximizing your efficiency. Learning to properly negotiate up and downhills is a big part of mountain biking: When you're going uphill , stay seated and lean forward into the hill. On the road, standing can give you extra power in your pedals, but it can make you spin out on dirt. Keep your butt in the seat. Go easy on the pedaling to go light on the chain and downshift before you hit the hill, then pedal, pedal, pedal. When you go downhill , the most important thing is to relax. Lower your saddle, and don't oversteer or try to control things too much. Stay focused on obstacles, and stand up off the seat, keeping your pedals parallel to the ground. Don't lock your elbows or joints, which can be quite painful if you jam a tire or flip. Develop the proper shifting technique. Shifting gears allows you to slip the bike chain onto a smaller or larger diameter gear on the bike, making the pedaling require more or less power to pedal, respectively. It's important to try to shift before it becomes absolutely necessary for you to do so, anticipating up-hills that will require you to shift up and switching gears before you'll be slowing down considerably. Shift after a power-stroke. If you feel you need to lessen the power it takes to pedal, make one extra-hard stroke, followed by a "soft stroke" that you'll earn yourself with the momentum you created. Shift on the soft stroke to make sure the chain slips appropriately. Keep pedaling and stay on your bike. Speed is your friend. Going quickly means you can work less hard and use momentum to your advantage, maximizing the efficiency of your bike and your body. Keep moving and try not to slow down too much, even if you're concerned about a grade. Keep moving and the bike will do the work for you. At the same time, don't be foolish. Slow down, stop, and check out extremely difficult-looking turns or descents before you blunder into them too quickly. When you're first starting out, stick to beginner trails and take it easy anyway. Ride with company. One of the best ways to build mountain biking skills is to go out and hit the trails with experienced riders. When you're actually on the trails, don't try to hit every jump, root, and rock or keep up with more the experienced people. Go at your own pace and skill level, your technique will mature with time. Be sure and wear your helmet and keep riding and having fun. Talk to your local bike shop employees. Other riders in your area should be familiar with local places that allow bicycles on their trails. Many state parks have some that are built specifically for mountain biking. Also, in many towns, there are clubs that will build and maintain trails specifically for riding. Learn which would be most appropriate for the beginner and check it out with some other mountain bikers to learn. Common mountain bike trail locations include: State or national parks Fire roads Rural access roads Private property (with permission) Look for trail-finding apps to help locate new trails and read reviews from other bikers who have used them. Learn the rules. When you're riding trails, you need to stick to bike-friendly trails and give pedestrians the right of way. Often, beginner trails will also be walking trails, and sometimes you'll come across hikers, dogs, people on horses, and children playing, so it's important to stick to the rules and watch what you're doing. Don't go too fast if it's an especially busy day on the trail, and don't blindly shoot around corners. Be sure to be aware of other riders around you and step off the path when they approach you from behind. Don't be one of the cyclists that gives the community a bad reputation. Don't shoot around people walking and spray sod in their face. The road doesn't belong to you. It's shared. Walk the trails first. It's common to want to familiarize yourself with parts of the trail while walking. It's a good idea to know what you're expecting, where the big hills are, and what you're going to need to do. It can be a fun project to scout your trail, making the first ride through it all the more exciting. Think of it less as "ruining a surprise" and more as "preparing like a pro." Seek out well-known and popular trails. Lots of online and local communities exist which can help you find trails in your area, but you also might consider making the trip to a popular mountain biking destination, once you get some experience with the sport. Colorado and North Carolina are the two states with the most mountain biking trails in the US. Some popular and scenic trails rated for the beginner include: Rustler's Loop in Fruita, CO Dead Horse Point State Park in Moab, UT Bell Rock Trailway in Sedona, AZ Blue Heron in Greensboro, NC Evans Loop in Morrisville, NC

Get an appropriately-sized mountain bike. Get a helmet that fits properly. Consider extra safety gear. Come prepared to take a beating. Get in shape. Start slow. Look ahead, not down. Brake properly. Learn the correct up and downhill techniques. Develop the proper shifting technique. Keep pedaling and stay on your bike. Ride with company. Talk to your local bike shop employees. Learn the rules. Walk the trails first. Seek out well-known and popular trails.

https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Cats-from-Shedding

How to Keep Cats from Shedding

To help keep cats from shedding, brush your cats regularly using a soft-bristle brush once or twice a week to remove loose fur. If your cat doesn't like to be brushed, try using a grooming glove that feels more like being petted. You can also try giving your cat a bath in warm water to remove excess fur. To reduce shedding long term, invest in high-quality cat food that lists real meat as the first ingredient and give your cat wet food that contains omega fatty acids to keep its skin and coat shiny and healthy.

Brush your cat on a regular basis. Brush your cat for five to ten minutes at least once a week to manage shedding. If your cat has long hair or sheds heavily, you may need to brush it once every two to three days or more. A soft-bristle brush will work for short- or medium-haired cats. A wire-bristle (“slicker brush”) or specialized cat comb will work best for long-haired breeds. The brush shouldn't get snarled or require tugging. Using a comb to get down to the skin will help get the loosened undercoat to the surface. Finish with a quick rubdown using a chamois or cloth. Avoid the face and ears while brushing, and be careful near the sensitive stomach area. If the cat does not tolerate grooming with a brush or comb, try using grooming gloves, which feel more like stroking. These gloves are especially handy since you can just take off all the hair and dispose of it in one go. Mini cat-grooming vacuums are another option. The noise they produce may frighten your cat, though. You may have to start with the vacuum in another room, and gradually bring it closer over the course of a few days or weeks before the cat accepts the device being used on them. Using treats can be a good idea to create a positive association. Help accustom your cat to regular brushing. You may need to train your cat to tolerate grooming. Be attentive to your cat's response and body language. Some cats are hypersensitive to touch. Watch the cat's body language to avoid overwhelming or overstimulating it. Watch for tail or ear twitching. If you see either, stop brushing, praise the cat and/or offer it a treat, then let it go. If you continue brushing, your cat may bite or scratch you. Bathe your cat. To actively reduce shedding, bathe your cat every one to four weeks. Because most cats don't like water, your cat may not be enthusiastic about a bath. You may need to gradually work your cat up to a full bath. To help your cat become accustomed to a bath, start by filling a bathtub with three to four inches of warm (not hot) water. For the first few times, just put the cat in the water so that just its feet get wet and let the feet soak for a short period. Gradually build up to getting more of the cat's body wet each time. Always build up slowly to avoid frightening your cat and understand that some cats may never tolerate a bath. When you're ready to bathe your cat, begin by wetting its fur. Use a soap-free, oatmeal based pet shampoo to lather the fur everywhere but the cat's face. Rinse the fur thoroughly, again, avoiding the eyes, nose, and ears. Dry the cat with a large towel. Use cat-cleaning products. Visit a pet store and look for wipes or sprays that clean a cat's fur without water. These can replace baths entirely for uncooperative cats. Or, you can use them between baths if the cat gets dirty or starts shedding. Alternatively, to quickly remove loose fur from the top coat, use a paper towel or cloth dampened in warm water. Visit a professional groomer. Make an appointment with a professional groomer if you're unable to manage the shedding yourself. A visit to a professional groomer may be necessary for cats with long, thick fur or for cats that react aggressively to grooming. Consider having a long-haired cat shaved down once or twice a year to decrease shedding. Feed your cat high-quality food and offer plenty of fresh water. A nutritious diet will help keep your cat healthy, which may lead to less shedding. Look for wet cat food that lists specific meats (like chicken, beef, or fish) as the first two or three ingredients. Because cats need animal-based protein, these are vital to a healthy cat's diet. Dry cat foods and low-quality wet foods contain a lot of grains or other carbohydrates like wheat, corn, and soy. These ingredients are not as nutritious for cats as meat-based proteins. They may even cause allergic or digestive issues that lead to dry skin and shedding. Help an overweight cat lose weight. Overweight cats have more difficulty grooming themselves and are prone to having more loose fur. You can tell if you cat is overweight if you can't feel its ribs without pressing. If you don't see a narrowing waist in front of the hips when looking at the cat from above, this is another warning sign. A veterinarian can give your cat a specific diet plan if needed. You can also try reducing your cat's intake to the recommended amounts and refraining from giving treats. Play with your cat regularly so it gets enough exercise. Increase your cat’s intake of omega fatty acids. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are particularly important to keeping a cat's skin and fur healthy. This can help reduce shedding. You can find omega fatty acids in wet cat foods that contain salmon oil or flax oil. You can also buy omega fatty acid supplements that you can feed your cat separately or mix into its food. Your vet is best able to judge appropriate diet modifications. But, adding omega fatty acids should be safe if you choose a supplement made for cats and don't go beyond the recommended amount. Make sure your cat doesn’t have fleas or other parasites. If your cat is scratching vigorously (and thus perhaps shedding more), it could be the result of fleas or parasites. Look for dark flea feces near the base of the tail. If you discover fleas or flea feces, treat your cat for fleas. Then, keep your cat on a monthly flea-control regimen. Ask your veterinarian to help you choose a flea-control product. If you're unable to trace the source of the itching, take your cat to the vet. In addition to ectoparasites, your cat could have hypersensitivity to pollens, molds, or grasses. It could also have food allergies. All of these can contribute to itching and shedding. Use a cat repellent spray. Look in pet stores for a cat repellent spray that's safe for use on furniture. You can use both natural and commercial sprays to deter a cat from going (and then shedding) on surfaces you don't want it to. Get a cat bed. Place a comfortable cat bed where your cat enjoys sleeping. This will help keep the shedding contained to a small area and off of your furniture and floors. Cats generally prefer sleeping in places that are safe, partially hidden, and warm. Try to find a location with those features and set up the cat bed there. Store-bought cat beds may smell of unfamiliar places and materials, which cats find deterring. If your cat seems hesitant to lie in the bed, try covering it with a cloth or shirt that smells like you or your cat. Cover your furniture. Though perhaps not an ideal solution, you can cover your furniture with a sheet, blanket, or slipcover. You can then wash it to remove accumulated cat fur. If there's a particular spot on the furniture your cat frequents, toss a throw, mat, or pillowcase over that spot. Clean up shed fur with a lint roller or vacuum.Use lint rollers or a vacuum (some of which have anti-fur attachments) to clean up fur on clothes, furniture, and floors. Keep a lint roller in your purse or car so you can de-fur your clothes after leaving the house. A circle of duct tape with the sticky side out can also work as a makeshift lint roller.

Brush your cat on a regular basis. Help accustom your cat to regular brushing. Bathe your cat. Use cat-cleaning products. Visit a professional groomer. Feed your cat high-quality food and offer plenty of fresh water. Help an overweight cat lose weight. Increase your cat’s intake of omega fatty acids. Make sure your cat doesn’t have fleas or other parasites. Use a cat repellent spray. Get a cat bed. Cover your furniture. Clean up shed fur with a lint roller or vacuum.Use lint rollers or a vacuum (some of which have anti-fur attachments) to clean up fur on clothes, furniture, and floors.

https://www.wikihow.com/Train-for-Boxing

How to Train for Boxing

To train for boxing, practice punching a heavy bag, which will help build your arm endurance. You should also do interval training several times a week so you get used to the short bursts of high energy that are needed for boxing. Try jumping rope as well to strengthen your agility and coordination, which will make you a better boxer. Also, practice fighting in the ring by yourself to get used to throwing punches and moving quickly on your feet.

Focus on your punching technique to improve power and endurance. Good punches are efficient punches, transferring power to your opponent with grace and ease. While you should work on training your speed and endurance, better technique will always lead to a better boxer. While doing the following drills, focus on: Leading with your elbow. Think of throwing your elbow at your opponent, not your wrist. Staying compact. You don't want to flail or move your body unnecessarily. Keep your non-punching hand close and your legs sturdily underneath you. Letting your arms rest and move during breaks. When you're not punching, leave your arms loose, or "breathing," so that they rock comfortably with your body. Don't try and clench and hold them rigidly-- it will only tire you out faster. Focus on smooth, clean speed bag drills. Speed bags hang from the ceiling and require you to develop a strong, consistent rhythm to your punches. You hit with a regular, circular motion, keeping your hands and the bag moving. This is one of the best ways to build your endurance, connection, and coordination with your hands. Run the speed bag for 3-5 3-minute sessions, resting 30 seconds between each interval. Hit the heavy bag for 3-minute intervals 3-5 times each training session. The heavy bag ( the enormous hanging bag for punch training) is going to become your best friend. You want to hit it for 3-5 minutes, punching like you would in a fight. However, make sure you're not just standing there trying to hit. Stay on the balls of your feet, keep moving like in a real fight, and stop occasionally to duck, dodge, and block, like you would in a real fight. In general, the more like the real thing you can make it, the better the workout will be. For a more tiring workout, give the bag a swing before beginning. This forces you to focus in on a moving target. Try out 30-second punching "sprints" to build arm endurance. Using a heavy bag, take 30 seconds to throw as many punches as you possibly can. Focus on speed, not power, as you throw the punches. After 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds and then repeat 4-5 more times. Begin a strength training regime. You can choose to lift or simply use you body weight to build muscle. No matter what your style, mix in 2-3 days of strength training every week, cutting down to 1 on fight weeks. Luckily, boxing is so muscle intensive that you will be making gains each time you spar, fight, or shadowbox as well, so strength training should not be the focus of your workouts. Aim for big, multi-muscle exercises to build the most muscle the fastest. Some good exercises to try include: Body weight : If you can't go to the gym, are under 16 years old, or just would rather not lift weights, there are plenty of great exercises to try: Push-ups , close-handed and wide stance. Dips Do front and side planks. Try body-weight rows, or inverted rows. Pull-ups and chin-ups. Weight lifting: Focus on smooth, fluid technique. You want to move both up and down with control for the safest, best results. Rows, seated and standing Bench press Shoulder raises and flies Bicep curls. Try slow sparring. A great tool for beginners, slow sparring takes all of your work into the ring for a safe, technique focused exercise. It is just like normal sparring with a partner, but you want to throw punches at 75% of your normal speed. This is the best way to work up your opposite hand, focus on techniques or moves that you don't have down yet, and build up confidence in the ring. Since you have to react to a live fighter, even at a slow pace, this is a great way build essential skills. Focus on coordination -- follow through on your punches, keep your feet moving, and focus on hand positioning in all circumstances. All of your body parts should be moving in concert with one another. Do interval training 2-3 times a week. The classic long runs seen on Rocky are not actually great training for boxing. Boxing is about short, sustained bursts of high energy, and the best way to train for this is interval training. Intervals are when you alternate high energy, quick sprints with short rest periods. As you get more fit you can shorten the rest periods by 10-15 seconds, improving your gains even more. A good starter workout would be: 1-mile warm up at slow, easy jogging pace. 6 600m sprints, resting for 1 minute between each. You want to be running at roughly 75-80% of your top speed..5 mile slow, easy recovery jog at the end. Mix in long runs, shadow boxing, and short sprints on non-interval days. Interval training will make up the bulk of your cardio workouts, and they are the best way to quickly and effectively train for several explosive rounds of boxing. However, you still want to move your legs on the off days. The best way to do this is with a mixture of full body workouts, longer, slower distance runs, and some light, quick sprints. The following activities, used at the US Olympic training camps, should be mixed and matched into a 30-60 minute long workout: 1-2 mile run for warm-up (moderate to fast pace). Shadowbox 1 round (3-minute round). Run backward 200 meters. Sprint 100 meters. Jog with hands up, throwing realistic punches, for 400 meters. Pepper in 1-2 long, slow distance runs each week to rest and stretch your legs. The classic 4-5 mile morning run still has its place in boxing training. Use it on days where you need to recover, especially after 2-3 straight days of intense workouts. Longer, slower runs are also best in the days leading up to a fight, as you don't want to be sore and tired when you step in the ring. Run for 30 minutes to an hour at a nice, comfortable pace, and stretch before and after. Many trainers recommend doing your runs first thing in the morning, giving you time to refuel and rest for the skills workout later on. As you jog, keep your hands in defensive position, occasionally throwing mock punches, to get your arms warmed up. This is why most boxers call running "roadwork." Jump rope every day you train. Jumping rope is one of the most fantastic boxing workouts imaginable, strengthening your heart, agility, timing, and coordination. You should aim to fit 15 minutes of jump rope into every workout. Start with the basic jogging technique, alternating feet as you spin the rope. As you improve, try alternate, more technical foot patterns: Jump with both feet together. Cross your hands. As the rope is coming down, past your nose, cross your wrists over each other, then uncross them once the rope is passed your feet. Move as you jump. "Walk" forwards, backward, and side to side by hopping around as you jump. Work on agility drills, like ladders and quick cuts. Ladder drills are common in gyms across the world, and can be adapted easily into a variety of workouts. To do them, set up cones or a workout ladder, and focus on quickly moving your feet through ever single space. As you progress, mix up the routine by skipping every other foot, touching in each space 2 times, working in and out of the ladder forward and backward, etc. Ladder workouts are common in many sports , and you should constantly try new movements. Focus on good footwork technique. Having good footwork is not just about training your heart and lungs. To be a better boxer, you need to train with good form so that you don't think about your feet during a fight. When working on footwork, focus on: Staying on the balls of your feet. These are the "knobs" right before your toes. This makes pivoting, moving, and shifting much easier. Keep your spine straight. Avoid hunching or leaning back. This keeps your center of gravity even and allows for smoother movement. Relax your upper body. You want loose shoulders and pecs. Make sure your diet consists only of healthy foods. Choose proteins as the basis of your diet, and eliminate high-calorie junk like fried foods, cakes, creams, butters, and sugars. Drink plenty of water each day. The more water you take in, the better it will be for your body. A good meal might include: Lean proteins, like eggs, fish, and chicken, are essential. Good, unsaturated fats, found in fish, avocados, and nuts. Complex carbohydrates, like pasta, whole wheat, and quinoa, instead of white rice, white bread, and other simple sugars. If you're thirsty, at any point in the day, get some water. If you're drinking to keep thirst at bay, you're well hydrated. Make sure you always have a lot of water available when training. Shadowbox by yourself in the ring. Shadowboxing is just you and the ring as you move around, throw punches, and mimic the rhythm of a real fight. This is the best way to train into fighting shape without worrying about injuries or taking punches. However, you need to be focused on getting the most out of it. Keep your feet moving, alternate between throwing punches and blocking, and keep the intensity up. Most importantly, make sure you time each "bout" to last the same time as a standard round -- 3 minutes for amateur fighters. Focus on your movement around the ring. Keep active as you move, dart, and dance. The hardest part of shadowboxing is the mentality. You need to convince yourself to practice with intensity or you're not going to get a lot out of it. Do pull ups and chin ups to build back and arm strength essential for a good punch. Even if you don't do any other strength training, make sure you're doing pull-ups. Perform a few each day, and try to work up to higher amounts over time. Focus on a slow, even motion both up and down for the best workout. While they are difficult at first, try to start with at least 10 a day, gradually working up. The differences between pull-ups and chin-ups are your grip and the muscles used. For pull-ups, both palms face away from you, hands shoulder-width apart. They work your back, shoulders, and core, focusing on your back. For chin-ups, both palms face towards you, hands shoulder width apart. They work your back, biceps, chest, and core, focusing more on chest and biceps. Build a strong core. Your core, made up of your abs and obliques, is where you transfer energy from your upper body to your lower. As such, it cannot be underestimated when training for boxing. You should work on core every day, mixing in 3 sets of 20 reps of: Body holds. A modified crunch to protect your back, start by sitting on your butt with knees and feet in the air. Place your palms under the floor, underneath your back, and curl your head up towards your knees for one exercise. Planks (1-2 minutes each side, repeated 2-3 times) Leg lifts. Watch other fighters with a critical eye. Like any other sport, you can learn a ton by watching the greats. Make watching fights a part of your training routine. As you watch, spend each round watching specific things. In one round, watch their feet -- how they get out of trouble, move around the ring, and position themselves on offense and defense. Then watch their hands. When are they throwing punches, how do they react and counter-attack on defense? Find a sparring partner and spar 1-2 a week. This is the only way to get realistic practice. You get used to hitting and being hit by a moving opponent that fights back unlike a heavy bag. This is the time to get a full body workout, work on new techniques, and grow as a boxer. There is no substitute for sparing when it comes to training. Try and spar with better boxers whenever possible. They will push you to learn more and help you grow quicker as a fighter.

Focus on your punching technique to improve power and endurance. Focus on smooth, clean speed bag drills. Hit the heavy bag for 3-minute intervals 3-5 times each training session. Try out 30-second punching "sprints" to build arm endurance. Begin a strength training regime. Try slow sparring. Do interval training 2-3 times a week. Mix in long runs, shadow boxing, and short sprints on non-interval days. Pepper in 1-2 long, slow distance runs each week to rest and stretch your legs. Jump rope every day you train. Work on agility drills, like ladders and quick cuts. Focus on good footwork technique. Make sure your diet consists only of healthy foods. Shadowbox by yourself in the ring. Do pull ups and chin ups to build back and arm strength essential for a good punch. Build a strong core. Watch other fighters with a critical eye. Find a sparring partner and spar 1-2 a week.

https://www.wikihow.com/Comfort-a-Girl

How to Comfort a Girl

Before you try to comfort a girl who is feeling upset, try to find out what is bothering her, so you'll know how to approach the situation. Ask her if she wants to talk, and if she does, then be there to listen to her. If you're close friends or you're dating each other, a hug or other gentle touch can be a reassuring reminder that you're there for her, but respect her space if she doesn't want to be touched.

Read the situation. What is the girl really upset about? Is it something completely devastating, like the loss of a grandparent, or something a little more manageable, like a fight with a friend? The problem can help you find out what she wants the most. If she's dealing with a real loss, then you don't want to try to make her laugh or distract her with a ridiculous story; but if she's just dealing with some friend drama, then you can take a more lighthearted approach. But don't talk much about that reason, or she will just get madder. It's better to leave her alone for a couple minutes, and when you think that she is ready to talk to someone, go for it. If you know her, you can ask a simple question, such as "What's bothering you?". If you don't know her well, you should introduce yourself and let her know that you'd like to help her feel better. Not all problems are created equal. The more you know about the situation, the better you can know how to respond. Figure out what she wants. This is important. If she says, "I want to be left alone" and she really means it, then you should give her some time to herself and not make her feel worse by sticking around when she just wants alone time. But if she says that and wants you there, then it's harder to pick up on; if you know her well, you'll know if she really wants to cool off or if she's just saying that because she doesn't want to bother you. Is she the kind of girl who is often upset or is this the first time you have seen her like this? If she's been upset before, think of how you reacted then and try to do the same thing if it worked out. Ask if she wants to talk. See if she wants to have a conversation about the problem or if she just wants you to be there to offer moral support. Give her some affection. Okay, so most girls would like a hug or some affection when they are upset. This is true if you're dating the girl or if you're close to her and she doesn't feel like you're making a move. Some girls, however, may not want a hug right when they're upset, and that's okay too. If you're close to her, just putting your arm around her or touching her shoulder, hand, or knee will make her feel better. When she's upset, what she wants most of all is to feel that you're really there for her, and giving her some affection will do this. You can gently touch her on the leg or on the back, but don't carry on touching her if she seems like she isn't enjoying it, or if things start feeling awkward. Bring her a tissue, a cup of tea, a warm blanket, and anything else she needs to feel more comfortable. Let her express herself. The thing she wants most is to tell you exactly how she feels, if she doesn't just want to be left alone. So, let her cry, let her talk, let her kick her furniture if she has to. Don't get in her way and try to pose concrete solutions, ask a million questions, or get in the way of her just letting you know what's going on. If she just got upset, then it's likely she hasn't processed the situation yet. Don't try to jump in and offer a million solutions at first. When she wants your advice, she will ask for it. But for now, focus on just letting her let it all out. You may think you know exactly what to do, but this is not the moment to just jump in. Be a good listener. If the girl is upset, then she wants you to listen more than anything else. She's not looking to hear your twenty most important thoughts on the matter and wants a kind ear instead. So, let her talk without interrupting to ask questions or give your opinion, make eye contact, and contribute little comments like, "I can't imagine how hard that is for you..." to let her know you really care. Let her finish and don't cut her off. You can nod and show her that you really care, but don't nod too eagerly or she'll think you're rushing her or faking it. Show her that you're being attentive. Put away your phone, and don't gaze around the room when she is talking. You don't want her to think you have somewhere else to be if she finally starts opening up. Don't try to minimize her problems. If you want to make the girl feel better, then the worst thing you can say are things like, "It's not the end of the world" or "It's going to be okay." Sure, you may be able to see that she's upset about something that isn't that big of a deal, like a failed test grade, or a break-up with a loser she was only dating for a few weeks, but you can't let her know that, or she'll just feel worse. In the moment, she just wants to be upset and to talk about her feelings, not to be told that they aren't a big deal. You may think that you're helping her by putting things in perspective, but you'll only be making her feel worse for feeling upset, and she may turn on you. She wants you there for support most of all, not your own opinion. Ask her if you can do anything to help. Once she's gotten it all out, you can ask her what you can do to make her feel better. Maybe it's a concrete situation where you can go do something, whether it's help her figure out her car insurance situation, help her mend a relationship with a friend, or even help her save some money by helping her fix something yourself. Maybe all you can do is go with her to do something unpleasant and offer moral support. Or maybe she really has to do it alone, but you can help just by being "on call" if she needs you. Just asking the question will let her know that you care and that you want to do something more for her. This will make her feel better about the situation. It's likely that she feels very lost and alone. Asking her if you can help will make her feel more liked and wanted. Don't try to say you know exactly how she feels. She wants to be heard, not told that you know exactly how she feels. Maybe she lost a grandparent and so did you, and you can help out by saying you've been through it too; if it's such a direct situation, you can mention this, but in general, don't try to compare yourself to her or she'll think you're fighting for attention. The focus is on her. If she's going through a bad long breakup, don't compare her three year relationship to your three month relationship, or she'll cry, "It's not the same!" It's better to say, "I can't imagine what you're going through," or "I can't even begin to understand how you feel..." Most of the time, this is more often the case, and will make the girl feel justified in her feelings. Tell her you're sorry for how she feels. This is nice and simple. Just say, "I'm sorry that you're going through this," or "I'm sorry that you're dealing with such a difficult situation." Even though it's not your fault, just a little apology can show that you really sympathize with the situation and that you wish that things were different. This will make her feel better, even if there's not much you can do. She may say, "It's not your fault!" and you can just say, "I know, but I still feel bad." That will make her feel like you're really on her side. Just be there for her. Sometimes, you can't help, you can't say much, and you can't do much to make the situation better. If she got some really bad news, all you can do is to be there with her and to let her know she's not alone. If you had big plans that weekend, see if you can cancel them to spend some time with her; if she has something to do, ask if you can do it together. Sometimes all that you can do is offer your time and your loving presence. You can't just comfort her and say you have to go and fall off the radar for a few days, or she will feel unwanted. Let her know that she will be a priority for you. You may have other things on your mind, but you won't let her out of your reach. Distract her. She may want to be alone after being upset, but if you can, try to get her out of the house as much as you can. Even if she doesn't feel like socializing, getting out into some fresh air is guaranteed to make her feel better and make her forget about her problems, if only for a little while. Here are some things that you can try: Invite her to see a comedy. A lighthearted movie will make her laugh and feel better for a little while. Take her out to dinner or for coffee or ice cream. Just a simple treat will make her feel better. Plus, if she's upset, she may be forgetting to eat and take care of herself. Just don't take her out for a drink -- if she's upset, alcohol is not the solution. Take her out on a walk. Getting some light exercise and fresh air can help her clear her head and feel more centered. Don't invite her out to loud events with lots of people, or she'll feel overwhelmed and unable to deal. Do some easy tasks for her. She may be feeling so overwhelmed that she can't deal with her daily life. So, bring her a cup of coffee or lunch when she needs it; offer to clean up her room if it's getting out of control; do her laundry if it's necessary. If she's upset in class and can't focus, take some notes for her. If she needs to put gas in her car, do it for her. It won't take long to put an extra effort into your relationship and it will help her feel less overwhelmed. Obviously, you shouldn't let her take advantage of you. But doing some light chores or tasks for her at first can make a big difference. Check in on her. This is an important part of comforting the girl. Even after you're done talking to her, you need to offer your support. Make sure to call her, text her, visit her, and see when you can hang out again. You don't have to be annoying and text her asking if she's okay every few hours, but you should check in every once in a while to let her know you care. Even sending her a funny note or funny YouTube clip can make her laugh and make her feel special. Be creative. Send her a card or a bouquet of sunflowers. Let her see that you care about her beyond your conversation. Just let her know you're thinking of her. If she wants to be left alone, you don't have to rehash the conversation every few hours. A little message to let her know you care about her can go a long way.

Read the situation. Figure out what she wants. Give her some affection. Let her express herself. Be a good listener. Don't try to minimize her problems. Ask her if you can do anything to help. Don't try to say you know exactly how she feels. Tell her you're sorry for how she feels. Just be there for her. Distract her. Do some easy tasks for her. Check in on her.

https://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Fat-Without-Doing-Exercise

How to Reduce Fat Without Doing Exercise

To reduce fat without doing exercise, reduce the number of unhealthy calories in your diet. Avoid eating foods that are high in carbs, sugary snacks, anything fried, and other foods that are high in calories but low in nutrition. Instead, opt for a diet high in lean proteins, healthy grains, legumes, fresh fruit, and vegetables of every color. Leafy greens are especially nutritious, so try to eat 1 1/2 to 2 cups of these veggies each week.

Calculate how many calories you currently consume. For a few days, keep a log of everything you normally consume. Read the labels of everything you eat and drink, and note the total calories and fat content per serving for each item. Add up the total calories and calories from fat that you consume per day. Keep a written list of the items you consume and how much of them you're consuming or track them using a calorie counting app. For items that don't have labels, such as produce or meat, search online or on your tracking app for calorie and fat estimates. Find out your recommended daily calorie allowance. Look up the daily amount of calories recommended for your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. Compare your recommended intake with the numbers in your food log. This will give you an idea of how many calories to cut from your diet. For example, suppose you've been consuming around 3500 calories per day. If your recommended daily caloric intake is 2500, aim to cut around 1000 calories from your diet. Use MyPlate's calculator to find your recommended daily caloric intake at https://www.choosemyplate.gov/MyPlate-Daily-Checklist-input. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. The calculator will list how many calories you should consume to maintain your current weight and how many you should cut from your diet to get to a healthy weight. Lower your calorie consumption gradually. Reduce your caloric intake slowly, even if you're consuming hundreds of calories more than your recommended amount. Try reducing your calories by around 150 per day. You'll have an easier time adjusting to your new diet, and you'll be more likely to stick with it. Don't cut your calories drastically or consume fewer calories than the estimate you found on MyPlate. For example, if you need 2500 calories per day to meet your basic needs, consuming 1000 per day wouldn't provide your body with the fuel it needs. Additionally, your body might interpret a sudden drop in caloric intake as a sign it should store more fat. Your body evolved this fat-storing response in order to deal with periods when food is scarce. Control your portion sizes. Plan your portions and meals to ensure you consume your target amount of calories. When you're just starting out, use measuring cups and weigh items with a scale. Eventually, you'll get a feel for what a 3 oz (85 g) portion of salmon or ⁄ 2   c (120 mL) of cooked spinach look like. Plan your portions in advance, as you're more likely to cheat on your diet when you make decisions on the fly. For example, on Sunday night, list portions and meals for Monday through Wednesday. Track your portions and calories in a journal or with an app. Write lists of meals and portion sizes in a journal or a food tracker app. Search online or on your app for the amount of calories each item in a meal contains. Use that information to ensure your daily meals meet your calorie target. Suppose you're having baked chicken breast, rice, and broccoli for dinner. Look up calorie counts online or on your app for an average-size chicken breast (380-520 calories), ⁄ 2 c (120 mL) of brown rice (108 calories), and 1  c (240 mL) of broccoli (31 calories). Be sure to measure your portions carefully so your calorie counts are accurate. Swap sugary and whole-fat beverages for lower-calorie options. You can cut a substantial amount of calories by drinking water instead of high-calorie beverages. Additionally, go for low-fat or fat-free milk, limit the amount of fruit juice you drink, and choose lower-calorie options if you drink alcohol. For example, if you top your breakfast cereal with fat-free milk instead of whole milk, you'll cut 60 calories. If you swap your 20  fl oz (590 mL) bottled soft drink at lunch for water, you'll cut 225 calories. As for low-calorie alcoholic beverages, light beer contains between 8 and 100 calories per 12  fl oz (350 mL) bottle. You could also have 1  fl oz (30 mL) of vodka, which contains around 60 calories, with soda water, which is calorie-free. Replace high-calorie foods with filling, low-calorie options. Since you're consuming fewer calories, you might be worried that you won't get full. However, it's the amount of food you eat that makes you full, not the number of calories. Fruit and vegetables contain fewer calories than junk food, and they're packed with water and fiber, which help make you feel full. For example, a 2 ounce (57 g) carrot has 25 calories, but a 1 oz (28 g) candy bar contains around 150 calories. Furthermore, a carrot contains vital nutrients; the candy bar is just loaded with sugar and saturated fat. Other filling, low-calorie options include oatmeal (make it with water or fat-free milk), fat-free or low-fat Greek yogurt (try topping it with berries), and lentils and beans (try making soup with black beans and kale). Eat a variety of veggies every week. Each day, you should eat about 2 ⁄ 2 to 3  c (590 to 710 mL) of vegetables. Go for all the veggie groups, which include leafy greens, starchy vegetables, legumes, and red and orange vegetables. You don't have to eat vegetables from each group every day, but you should consume a minimum amount of each group weekly. Include leafy green veggies, such as broccoli and spinach. Try to eat 1 ⁄ 2 to 2  c (350 to 470 mL) of leafy greens per week. Servings of leafy greens include 2  c (470 mL) of cooked spinach or 1  c (240 mL) of broccoli. Go for starchy veggies, like potatoes and corn. For starchy vegetables, have 1 ear of corn, 1  c (240 mL) of green peas, 1 medium baked or roasted sweet potato, and 1  c (240 mL) of mashed sweet potatoes or yams. Go for 5 to 6  c (1.2 to 1.4 L) per week. Fill up on garbanzo beans, soybeans, and other legumes. Example servings of legumes include a 1  c (240 mL) serving of cooked kidney, garbanzo, split, or soy beans. Eat 1 ⁄ 2 to 2  c (350 to 470 mL) per week. Brighten up your meals with red and orange veggies. Have 5 ⁄ 2 to 6  c (1.3 to 1.4 L) per week. Example portions for red and orange veggies include 2 medium carrots, 1  c (240 mL) of chopped or sliced fresh red pepper, and 1 large tomato. Include servings of ungrouped veggies. You should also eat 4 to 5  c (950 to 1,180 mL) per week of vegetables that don't fall into these groups, such as cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, and zucchini. Portions for non-grouped veggies include a salad with 1 ⁄ 2   c (350 mL) of romaine lettuce and a sliced cucumber, 1  c (240 mL) of steamed zucchini, and 1  c (240 mL) of sauteed cabbage. Snack on fresh fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Eating fruit is the healthiest way to get your sweet fix, so try to eat ⁄ 2 to 1  c (120 to 240 mL) per day. While a glass of 100% fruit juice also counts as a serving, juice can add sugar and calories to your diet. Furthermore, whole fruits contain fiber, which can help you feel full. Examples of ⁄ 2 c (120 mL) servings include 1/2 a small apple, 1/2 a large banana, 1/2 a large orange, and about 16 grapes. Like veggies, go for a variety of fruits to maximize your nutrient intake. Try having a sliced banana with your breakfast cereal, snack on grapes in the afternoon, and have fat-free Greek yogurt with strawberries and slivered almonds for dessert. Go for plenty of healthy grains every day. Try to eat 6 to 8 oz (170 to 230 g) daily, and choose whole grains whenever possible. Go for brown rice and breads, breakfast cereals, pastas, and crackers marked whole grain. Incorporate lean protein into your diet. Eat 5 ⁄ 2 to 6 ⁄ 2  oz (160 to 180 g) of lean protein per day. Choose lean options, such as boneless, skinless chicken breast, ground turkey, seafood, nuts, and legumes (such as beans and soy products). Avoid fatty cuts of red meat, processed meats (such as bacon and deli meats), and don't purchase pre-marinated meats, which might contain lots of fat, sugar, or salt. Common portions include 3 oz (85 g) servings of chicken breast or salmon. A can of tuna fish also counts as a 3 oz (85 g) serving. An egg counts as 1 oz (28 g). 1  c (240 mL) of cooked lentils and 1 soybean patty each count as 2 oz (57 g). Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat options. Try to eat or drink 3  c (710 mL) of dairy per day. Dairy products are rich in calcium and are an important part of your diet. Just be sure you buy low-fat and fat-free options to keep your fat and calorie consumption in check. Common dairy portions include: 1  c (240 mL) of low-fat or fat-free milk or calcium-enriched soy milk. A standard 1  c (240 mL) container of 2% yogurt that doesn't contain a lot of sugar. 1  c (240 mL) of low-fat frozen yogurt. Use plant-based oils in moderation. Avoid cooking with animal-derived oils, such as butter and lard. Instead, use vegetable oils, such as olive, peanut, and canola oils. Your daily recommended allowance for oils is 20% of your daily total calories, so use oil sparingly. A tablespoon of cooking oil, an avocado, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter each contain about half of your daily oil allowance. Ask friends or relatives to eat healthier with you. You and a friend or relative could support each other, hold each other accountable, and make dieting fun. You could go grocery shopping together, cook with each other, and organize a weekly healthy potluck. If you can't recruit a friend or relative to join you, have someone to check in with you about your dietary changes. Ask them to remind you to stay on track, and give them a call if you feel tempted to cheat on your diet. Try using smaller plates to make your meals look bigger. Large plates make moderate portion sizes look tiny. Smaller plates can make your meals appear more satisfying and help curb the temptation to heap on extra food. Check restaurant menus ahead of time when you go out to eat. You're more likely to make healthy choices if you plan what to order ahead of time. Choose a restaurant in advance, and search for their menu online. Look for low-fat meals, such as baked fish with steamed veggies or grilled chicken breast over a salad. If an entree comes with a fatty side dish, call the restaurant and ask if you could substitute it with a healthier option. For instance, ask if they'd let you swap fries for fruit or mixed greens. Motivate yourself with non-food rewards. Celebrate your successes, such as going a week without a cheat meal or unhealthy snack, reducing your body fat percentage, or losing weight. You could buy yourself a reward, like music, a video game, or an accessory, or take an afternoon off to relax. Choose small, frequent rewards for daily or weekly goals. For larger achievements, like 6 month or 1 year milestones, more substantial rewards could be a spa day, a day or weekend trip, or a new gadget. Avoid using snacks or a day off from your healthy diet as rewards. Don’t let setbacks discourage you. Nobody is perfect, so don't be hard on yourself if you indulge in a cheat meal or snack. Acknowledge that you had a setback, then move on. Remind yourself of your health goals, continue on with your routine, and don't give up just because you slipped.

Calculate how many calories you currently consume. Find out your recommended daily calorie allowance. Lower your calorie consumption gradually. Control your portion sizes. Track your portions and calories in a journal or with an app. Swap sugary and whole-fat beverages for lower-calorie options. Replace high-calorie foods with filling, low-calorie options. Eat a variety of veggies every week. Include leafy green veggies, such as broccoli and spinach. Go for starchy veggies, like potatoes and corn. Fill up on garbanzo beans, soybeans, and other legumes. Brighten up your meals with red and orange veggies. Include servings of ungrouped veggies. Snack on fresh fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Go for plenty of healthy grains every day. Incorporate lean protein into your diet. Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat options. Use plant-based oils in moderation. Ask friends or relatives to eat healthier with you. Try using smaller plates to make your meals look bigger. Check restaurant menus ahead of time when you go out to eat. Motivate yourself with non-food rewards. Don’t let setbacks discourage you.

https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Sweet-to-Your-Girlfriend

How to Be Sweet to Your Girlfriend

If you want to be sweet to your girlfriend, start with everyday basics like listening to her and asking her questions about herself or her day. Take time to be intimate, which you can do by giving her a hug when she's sad or kissing her hello and goodbye. Make your girlfriend feel special by taking her on dates to places she likes or doing things she wants to do. Finally, remember to do something extra special for her birthday and other big days, like Valentine's.

Tell her that you love her. This is a fairly simple step, but it goes a long way. People that are in long-term relationships tend to forget, after the first month of dating, that they should say the simple words "I love you." Simple works best, rather than long drawn out speeches about your overwhelming love for her. Casually mention it to her when she is particularly stressed. This will lift her spirits, and show that you are there for her in her time of need. Try to say it when you leave her for the day, and when you first see her again. Saying "I love you" never gets old. Use variations of "I love you." You could say things like "You mean so much to me," or I don't know what I would do without you." Change it up every so often so that it doesn't become formulaic. Share moments of intimacy. Hug her when she is feeling sad, or when she is elated over excited news. Before you leave her, and when you see her, always give her a kiss. Being there when she needs physical intimacy is also crucial. When you date someone, part of a healthy relationship is to have physical contact. This could mean a deep kiss, or sex, depending on the moment/situation. It is also key to let her have space when she needs it. There is nothing sweet about a constantly horny guy always seeking sex. Make sure that she wants physical contact before you engage. Sometimes even simple things like a pat on the back, or a rub on the shoulder can comfort her in both good and bad times. Analyze the situation to pick the best means of physical contact. Listen to her. Find out what kind of person she is. Ask her questions about her childhood, likes, dislikes, hobbies, jobs, family, friends, and anything else that you can think of. Listen to her when she tells you these stories. If you both begin to talk at the same time, let her speak first. This shows that you respect what she has to say, and are there for her. The key is to be interested in what she has to say, even if you aren't so interested in the topic. This means that you care about a particular topic, because she cares about it. Stay engaged when you are listening to her talk. Nod your head, and occasionally give input, or ask a follow up question. If she becomes teary eyed over a sad story, rub her shoulder, hug her, or wipe away her tears. Take note of what she has to say. By listening to her, you can pick up hints about certain things. She might talk about a diamond ring she saw, that you can later pick up as a birthday present. She might talk about how much she hates a certain music artist, so you can make sure to never have their songs playing in the house. Be confident when you are around her. This doesn't mean that you have to be a tough guy. Rather, sit up straight when you are around her. Put your arm around her shoulder. Speak calmly and clearly when you want to say something. It is sweet when you can just talk to her without feeling worried about what she might think. In particular, being confident is about being open. This could mean that you tell her something that has been bothering you. It could be that your parents aren't doing well health wise, or you think that something needs to change in the relationship in order for it to work. Being confident also includes talking about your fantasies. This could mean sexual fantasies, or just your hopes for the future. Be imaginative in what you have to say. You and your girlfriend might also end up having a lot in common if you explore what is deep inside. Look good for her. If you always look like you have just gotten out of bed, try cleaning yourself up a bit. You don't have to go overboard, but you can go out and get a fresh haircut. Shave off that stubble that always scratches her face. Wear a dress shirt and khakis rather than sweatpants and a t-shirt. Take a nice long bath, followed by deodorant and body spray. Make sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day. Your girlfriend will appreciate it when you go to kiss her. Not only is this about you taking care of your own personal hygiene and well-being, but also showing that you care about your girlfriend. She wants to be around someone who smells good, and takes care of himself. Make her feel special. Don't just treat her as a friend. You want to show her you put her above everyone else in your life. This could mean that you don't hang out with your buddies one night watching football. Instead, you spend the evening cuddling with your girlfriend in bed. Don't always spend time complaining about what is happening in your life. Spend more time talking about her problems/successes and your goals as a couple. Take your girlfriend on dates. Even if you are a committed couple, it is always nice to go out on dates. This shows your girlfriend that you care about her and want to always win her over. You can go out to a nice restaurant. Maybe go somewhere she has always wanted to go to, like New York, or a local play. Take her somewhere surprising, like an amusement park or a hiking trip. The possibilities are nearly endless. When you go on a date, it is always polite to volunteer to pay. If you already have decided to mutually share the cost, then go with your normal routine. This can be a great time to get to know your partner better as well as to become more intimate. Be chivalrous. Open doors for her, pull out a seat for her, and pick up her things if she drops them. If you are on the train/bus, give her your seat if there are no others. Offer to carry her bag. When you walk on the sidewalk, you should walk on the side closest to the street to protect her from cars, and splashes in the rain. While some of these things are old-fashioned, they show her that you care about her. Never think you are less of a man because you are treating your girlfriend with respect. Not only will your girlfriend appreciate your chivalrous actions, but you will also feel great seeing that smile on her face. Celebrate birthdays and/or special events. Do something special for Valentine's Day, and always remember her birthday. Buy a card from the nearest drug store, or you can even make your own. Buy her gifts, such as stuffed animals, chocolate, flowers, etc. For her's and your's anniversary, you should go all out. This means you should make reservations at a nice restaurant, or cook a nice meal at home for her. Dress up nicely when you go out, shave, and appear presentable. Decorate the house with rose pedals and/or anniversary streamers. You might want to run a warm bath for her on her birthday. Pour in a lot of bubble bath mix as the warm water pours out of the faucet. Lay down rose pedals into the bath so that she will follow them and be happily surprised. Keep in touch with her. You can send your girlfriend a sweet text message, simply saying "I love you," or asking her how her day is going. Call her to ask if she wants anything from the grocery store, or if she is having an emergency. If you are far away from her for a while, you can always send an email. This way you can lay out a larger amount of information, rather than a single, short text message. Another great option is a letter. It is an antiquated, yet timeless way to show your partner you care. Because it takes more time to write a letter out and send it, your girlfriend will be even more impressed and thankful. Visit your girlfriend's parents. This can be a sweet gesture, and allow you to familiarize yourself with your girlfriend's family. You can do this on any day, but particularly around holidays. Bring a gift for them, such as chocolate or flowers. This will make a good impression with your girlfriend, as well as keep you in good standing with her parents. Make sure to compliment them on their house when you visit. Check with your girlfriend ahead of time to find out what they are interested in. This way you will always have something to talk about (don't want to argue politics, especially during the first meeting). Tell them how much you like being with their daughter, and what an amazing person she is. However, this can quickly go into the creepy realm. Try and stay away from overdoing it, kissing your girlfriend intensely in front of them, etc. Join an activity she is in. This can be an sweet thing to do, especially if you are not good or fond of the activity. You might join a book club she is in, or you might join her tennis team. She might like hiking, biking, or simply taking a run every morning. As long as you put forth effort, she will take notice. The objective is to try your best, and show that you care about what she cares about. Make sure to not intrude on her space. While most activities couples can do together, there is some healthy separation time needed in every relationship. If she would rather do an activity on her own, respect her wishes. This is also a great time to get to know your partner better. When you are running, or climbing a mountain, you have time alone with her that you can ask her questions. Get more intimately engaged as time goes on. Surprise her. Bring her roses simply because you want to do so. Maybe bake her a special treat for lunch. Go out a buy her some chocolate when she is having a bad day. The key thing is to always be "seeking" your girlfriend, trying to win her over. You never want to become too complacent when you date someone, so doing little surprises will let her know she is constantly on your mind. Go to her job and bring her something special. This not only shows that you care, but will also impress her coworkers, and show them that she has picked a great guy to be with. Leave little notes on her pillow, the kitchen counter, or on the fridge. These notes could read something sweet like "I love you" or "I hope you have a great day at work." Something simple and sweet goes a long way to showing how much you think about her.

Tell her that you love her. Share moments of intimacy. Listen to her. Be confident when you are around her. Look good for her. Make her feel special. Take your girlfriend on dates. Be chivalrous. Celebrate birthdays and/or special events. Keep in touch with her. Visit your girlfriend's parents. Join an activity she is in. Surprise her.

https://www.wikihow.com/Groom-a-Beard

How to Groom a Beard

To groom your beard, start by washing it with shampoo and conditioner so it's softer and easier to trim. Then, let your beard dry completely before trimming it to an even length with a beard trimmer. Next, comb your mustache straight down and use scissors to trim any hairs that extend over your lip. Finally, use a regular razor to clean up the lines along the top of your beard and along the bottom of it on your neck.

Invest in the right tools. To properly trim your beard, you'll need a wide-toothed comb, scissors and a beard trimmer. Consider purchasing a pair of professional barber's scissors for daily maintenance and trimming flyaway hairs. Invest in a quality beard trimmer for shaping and to trim consistent lengths. For the sake of convenience, consider buying a rechargeable cordless model. Keep a pair of sharp tweezers on hand to pluck out ingrown hairs. A fine-toothed comb can be helpful when grooming a mustache. Begin by shampooing and conditioning your beard. Use a mild shampoo to cleanse your beard, then condition it with a product made specifically for beards. The conditioner softens the hair, making it easier to trim. Allow the hair to fully dry before you begin trimming. Never trim a wet beard or mustache. Wet hair appears longer, so once it dries you may find you've trimmed too much off. Brush out your beard. After shampooing and conditioning, use a quality beard brush to comb through your dry beard. Boar bristle brushes will help distribute natural oils properly. Then use the brush against the grain of your beard to make the hairs stand up. This makes trimming easier and allows you to easily spot inconsistencies in length. If you have a particularly coarse beard, conditioning may not soften the hairs enough for trimming. Apply beard oil if you need to soften it further. After applying beard oil, always comb through with a beard brush to properly distribute the oil. Trim your beard to an even length with a beard trimmer. Trimmers come with adjustable guards that allow you to precisely control how closely you're trimming your beard. Start off with a bigger guard, especially if you aren't familiar with your trimmer yet. This will keep you from accidentally trimming it too short. Start near your ear on one side and work your way down to the chin. Then repeat on the other side, checking frequently to make sure both sides are balanced. Your trimmer should come with instructions and a trimming guide, so refer to these for details about your specific model and its guards. After using the trimmer, look for any stray hairs that you missed and take care of them with your scissors. Trim your mustache. Before you trim it, comb your mustache straight down with a fine-toothed comb. The hairs that fall down over your lip are the ones you need to trim off. Begin in the middle of your mustache and trim your way to one side of your mouth, then the other. You can use a trimmer or scissors for your mustache, but unless you have a very steady hand, opt for scissors. Scissors offer more control because they can only trim few hairs at a time. Check to make sure both sides of your mustache are evenly trimmed and look balanced. Clean up the lines at the top and on the neck. After trimming your beard and mustache, maintain the shape of your beard by cleaning up and defining the lines. The lines on your cheeks and the neck line will probably need daily maintenance. You can use a beard trimmer with the guide removed to keep the lines well-defined, but be very careful if you do. Most people just use a regular razor for this part. Use warm water and a sharp razor to shave along the grain. Only go over these areas once with your razor. Wash it regularly with a mild shampoo. Rinse your beard thoroughly every day in the shower to keep the skin under the hair clean. Use a mild shampoo or beard cleanser to wash your beard several times per week. Be sure to rinse the shampoo out thoroughly because residue can cause drying and flaking. You can use a conditioner to make your beard feel softer if you want to. Apply it to your beard after shampooing and be sure to rinse well. After cleansing, use a soft towel to gently pat your beard dry. Avoid rubbing your beard vigorously with a towel, since this can cause split ends and frizz. Moisturize your face regularly. The skin beneath your beard needs to be kept both clean and moisturized to prevent flaking and break outs. Use a good moisturizer that contains sunscreen to hydrate and protect your skin from sun damage. Dab a small amount of moisturizer onto your face, then gently massage it into the skin all over your face and beneath your beard. After shaving your neck area with a razor, apply a little more moisturizer there, too. Brush it daily. Use a wide-toothed comb to remove any tangles in your beard. Then use a quality beard brush with boar bristles to distribute natural oils properly. This will prevent greasiness and add shine. A daily brushing will keep your beard looking neat and also helps train the hairs to grow in a downward direction. Treat ingrown hairs properly. The occasional ingrown hair is inevitable for almost everyone who shaves their face. Whenever you spot one, put a hot towel over it for a minute or two to open up the pore. Dab a small amount of alcohol onto a cotton ball and disinfect the area around the hair. Then use a pair of clean, sharp tweezers to pull it out. Try to grab the hair as close to its base as you can. Avoid jerking at the hair from the top, which might fail to remove the hair and instead split it in half. Never pick or squeeze ingrown hairs. This can lead to infection and permanent scarring. Apply beard oil to soften hair and tame flyaways. A high quality beard oil can help weigh down dry and unruly whiskers. It will also soften your beard and keep it looking shiny and healthy by sealing moisture into the hair. Put three to four drops of beard oil in both palms and rub them together. Then apply the oil to a clean, dry beard using a sweeping upward motion, starting with the underside. Style it with a beard comb or brush. After applying beard oil, use a quality comb or brush to distribute it evenly throughout your beard. Comb gently to style your beard into place. Daily brushing keeps your beard looking neat and also helps to train the hairs to stay down. Don't forget to use a comb for your mustache, as well. If needed, use a small amount of medium-hold wax to keep your mustache in place. Use a soft-hold balm or pomade if you want to sculpt your beard shape further. Consider using a blow dryer on a longer beard. A blow dryer can help style a longer beard and give it a fuller appearance. If you're using styling products like balm or pomade, apply these when your beard is still damp, then blow dry it into place. For additional volume, angle the blow dryer under your neck and direct the air upward. Once your beard is fully dry, angle the blow dryer downward to set the hair into its final place. Finish up by gently combing through to get rid of tangles. Then use a boar bristle brush to make sure everything is in place.

Invest in the right tools. Begin by shampooing and conditioning your beard. Brush out your beard. Trim your beard to an even length with a beard trimmer. Trim your mustache. Clean up the lines at the top and on the neck. Wash it regularly with a mild shampoo. Moisturize your face regularly. Brush it daily. Treat ingrown hairs properly. Apply beard oil to soften hair and tame flyaways. Style it with a beard comb or brush. Consider using a blow dryer on a longer beard.

https://www.wikihow.com/Install-an-Attic-Fan

How to Install an Attic Fan

To install an attic fan over a gable vent in your attic, trace the body of the fan onto a piece of plywood that's wide enough to mount on the studs on each side of the vent. Then, cut out the circle with a reciprocating saw and mount the fan over the cutout using a drill. When the fan is securely mounted, carry it over to the vent and nail the plywood into the studs on each side. Make sure the fan is centered over the vent, with the back of the fan facing in toward the attic.

Measure the distance between the studs on the left and right side of your vent. Use a tape measure to get an accurate measurement. When you're finished, write the number down somewhere — you'll need it to find the right size piece of plywood for your attic fan to be installed on. Find a piece of plywood that’s at least as wide as the distance between the studs. You're going to be mounting the plywood on the 2 studs, so it needs to be able to reach both of them. Look for plywood that's around ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) thick. For example, if the studs are 2 feet (0.61 m) apart, you'd need a piece of plywood that's at least 2 feet (0.61 m) wide. Trace the circular body of your attic fan onto the center of the plywood. Don't include the fan's mounting bracket in the circle you draw. Make sure the circle isn't bigger than the actual fan or the fan won't mount properly in the plywood. Check the box your attic fan came in to see if the manufacturer included a pre-cut circle that's the same size as the fan's body. If they did, you can trace that instead. Use a reciprocating saw to cut out the circle you traced. A reciprocating saw is a handheld power saw with a blade that rapidly moves in and out of objects as it cuts them. To cut out the circle, drill a pilot hole in the center of the circle so you have a starting point for the saw. Then, carefully follow along the circle with the saw until it's completely cut out from the plywood. Dispose of the plywood circle once it's cut out. Mount the attic fan onto the plywood so it’s centered over the hole. Lay the plywood on a flat surface and line the fan up over the hole you cut out. Drill the screws that came with the fan through the screw holes on the fan's mounting bracket and into the plywood. When you're finished, the fan should be securely mounted on the piece of plywood. Nail the plywood into the studs on each side of the gable vent. When you position the plywood and fan over the vent, the back of the fan should be facing you and the front of the fan should be facing toward the vent. Center the fan over the vent before you nail the plywood to the studs. Once the fan is centered, nail the plywood into the studs to secure the fan over the vent. It might be helpful to have someone holding the fan while you hammer in the plywood. Mount the fan’s thermostat to a nearby stud. The thermostat is the box that's connected to the fan by a wire. You'll use the thermostat to control the fan. To mount the thermostat, insert the screws that came with the fan through the screw holes and into the stud you're mounting the thermostat on. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to wire the fan to your attic. Keep in mind that you'll need to follow your local electrical codes and have your wiring inspected by a codes official. Wiring your attic fan improperly can be dangerous and lead to serious injury. If you're unsure, it's best to hire a professional electrician to wire your fan after you install it. Turn off the electricity in your attic. Use the main fuse box or circuit breaker box to shut it off. Never try to install an attic fan on your roof with the electricity on. It's also a good idea to turn any wall switches in the attic to the off position. Drill a pilot hole through the roof where you want your fan to go. That way you'll be able to tell where to cut out the hole when you climb up on the roof later. The pilot hole should be in the center of where the hole will be. Make sure the hole you're going to cut out will be centered between 2 rafters so the fan fits. Draw a circle on the roof matching the diameter of your fan. The pilot hole you drilled should be in the center of the circle. Use a tape measure to determine the diameter of your fan, or check the manufacturer's specifications. Then, get on the roof and draw the circle around the pilot hole with a piece of chalk. Wear a hard hat and boots with good traction when you're up on the roof. Ask someone to be there with you when you get on the roof in case you need help for any reason. Don't get on your roof if it's wet or you could slip. Cut out the circle with a reciprocating saw. A reciprocating saw is a handheld power saw with a blade that rapidly goes in and out of a surface. Use the pilot hole you drilled earlier as a starting point for the saw. Follow along the line you drew with the saw until the hole is cut out. Pop the cut-out section of wall or roofing out from the hole and dispose of it. Loosen the shingles surrounding the hole with a pry bar. You need to loosen the shingles so you can slide the attic fan's flange (the flat rim that extends off the body of the fan) between the shingles and the roof underneath them. If you encounter any nails or staples while you're loosening the shingles, remove them with the pry bar. Just loosen the 2 corners closest to the hole on each shingle. Don't take the shingles all the way off. Slide the attic fan over the hole so the flange goes under the shingles. Place the fan flat on the roof just below the hole and gently slide it up into place. As you're sliding it up, the flange should slip underneath the shingles you loosened. Only the bottom 2 corners of the flange should be exposed. When you're finished, the center of the fan should be centered directly over the hole you cut. The open vent on the fan should be facing down into your attic, and the closed off top of the fan should be facing up. Screw the bottom two corners of the flange into the roof with a drill. There should be two screw holes located on the bottom corners of the fan's flange. Screwing the flange down will secure the attic fan to your roof. Make sure the bottom edge of the flange is squared with the shingles before you screw it down. Reattach the shingles you loosened using a roofing adhesive. Roofing adhesives are thick, glue-like substances that can be used to seal things into place. Lift up the shingles you loosened and apply a generous amount of roofing adhesive between the shingles and the fan's flange. Firmly press the shingles into the adhesive to reattach them to the roof. You can also apply a dab of roofing adhesive over the screws on the flange to protect them from water damage. You can find a roofing adhesive online or at your local home improvement center. Mount the fan thermostat to a nearby rafter inside your attic. The thermostat is the box you'll use to control the attic fan. Once you're back in your attic, look for a rafter that's close to your fan and screw the thermostat into it using the screws that came with the fan. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on how to wire your attic fan. Look up your local electrical codes online, and prepare to have your wiring inspected by a codes official when you're finished. Wiring your attic fan on your own can be a safety hazard and result in serious injury. Hire a professional electrician to wire your attic fan if you're not confident in how to do it yourself.

Measure the distance between the studs on the left and right side of your vent. Find a piece of plywood that’s at least as wide as the distance between the studs. Trace the circular body of your attic fan onto the center of the plywood. Use a reciprocating saw to cut out the circle you traced. Mount the attic fan onto the plywood so it’s centered over the hole. Nail the plywood into the studs on each side of the gable vent. Mount the fan’s thermostat to a nearby stud. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to wire the fan to your attic. Turn off the electricity in your attic. Drill a pilot hole through the roof where you want your fan to go. Draw a circle on the roof matching the diameter of your fan. Cut out the circle with a reciprocating saw. Loosen the shingles surrounding the hole with a pry bar. Slide the attic fan over the hole so the flange goes under the shingles. Screw the bottom two corners of the flange into the roof with a drill. Reattach the shingles you loosened using a roofing adhesive. Mount the fan thermostat to a nearby rafter inside your attic. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on how to wire your attic fan.

https://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Safe

How to Open a Safe

To open a safe with a 3 wheel combination, start by turning the dial to the left past the first number 3 times before stopping on that number. Once you line the first number up with the marker at the top of the dial, turn the dial to the right past the second number 2 times. After going past the number twice, line up the number with the dial marker. From that position, carefully spin the dial to the left past the third number just once before stopping at the number. With all the numbers in the combination matched, slowly turn the dial to the right until it stops and the bolt retracts. At this point, you should be able to turn the handle and open your safe. If not, you'll need to go back and start from the beginning.

Locate the combination for your safe in the manufacturer’s paperwork. Most combination-locked safes come with a card that has the combination on it. Store the combination card in a safe place and try to memorize the combination as well. Many manufacturers can provide you with the combination for your safe if you lost the combination card and don't know what it is. You will just have to provide documentation that you are the legal owner of the safe. Turn the dial to the left past the 1st number 3 times, then stop on the number. Spin the dial to the left and count the number of times you pass the 1st number of the combo. Line the number up with the marker at the top of the dial after you pass it 3 times. Always refer to the owner's manual of your safe first to verify what the procedure is to enter the combo. Turn the dial to the right past the 2nd number 2 times, then stop on the number. Rotate the dial to the right and be careful to only pass the 2nd number of the combo 2 times. Then line the number up with the marker at the top of the dial. If you accidentally pass the 2nd number more than twice, you will have to start the process from the beginning again. Turn the dial to the left past the 3rd number 1 time, then stop on the number. Carefully spin the dial to the left and only pass the last number in the combo 1 time. Line up the last number of the combo with the index marker at the top of the dial. If you pass the 3rd number more than once by accident, then you will need to enter the combo from the beginning. Slowly turn the dial to the right until it stops and the bolt retracts. When the dial stops you will hear the safe unlock. You can now open the door of the safe. If the safe does not unlock, you probably made a mistake in the combination or in the process of entering it on the dial. Double-check the numbers and try it again. Turn the handle and pull the safe door towards you to open it. Most larger safes have a handle that you need to turn after you unlock it. Turn the handle counterclockwise after you complete the combination and pull the door carefully open. Safes generally have heavy doors, so make sure to open them slowly and stand away from them while you open the safe to avoid injury. Keep the handle turned all the way counterclockwise until you close the safe door again, or you may have to enter the combo again to close it. Find the combination for your safe in the original paperwork. Combination safes usually come with a combination card. Keep the combination card in a safe place where you can find it in case you forget the combo to your safe. If you lose the combination to your safe, then contact the manufacturer and see if they can provide you with the combo. Usually if you can prove that you are the legal owner of the safe and give them the serial number of your safe, then they can tell you the combo. Turn the dial to the right past the 1st number 4 times, then stop on the number. Spin the dial to the right and count the number of times you pass the 1st number of the combo. Line the number up with the marker at the top of the dial when you pass it 4 times. Always read the manufacturer's instructions for your safe to verify the procedure needed to open it. Turn the dial to the left past the 2nd number 3 times, then stop on the number. Spin the dial to the left until you pass the 2nd number of the combo 3 times. Line the number up with the marker at the top of the dial before you pass it a 4th time. Rotate the dial slowly and be careful not to pass the number too many times or you will have to start over. Turn the dial to the right past the 3rd number 2 times, then stop on the number. Rotate the dial to the right and pass the 3rd number of the combo twice. Line the number up with the marker at the top of the dial after you pass it 2 times. If you pass the number more than twice, then start the combination over from the beginning. Turn the dial to the left past the 4th number 1 time, then stop on the number. Spin the dial to the left and only pass the last number in the combo 1 time. Line up the 4th number with the index marker at the top of the dial to complete the combo. Be very careful on the last number of the combo not to pass it more than once! Turn the dial to the right slowly until it stops and the bolt in the door retracts. You will hear the safe unlock when the dial stops. Now you're ready to open the safe door. If the door of the safe does not unlock, then enter the combo again from the beginning. Double check the numbers in the combination and be careful not to pass any of them too many times. Turn the handle on the safe door and pull it carefully towards you to open it. Larger safes have a handle that you need to turn to open the door. Rotate the handle to the left after you have unlocked it and pull the door open. Don't turn the handle back to the right until you are ready to lock the safe again or you might have to enter the combo over again. Punch in the code on the number pad to open a digital safe. Locate the code to your safe, or recall it from memory, and punch the numbers in on the keypad to open the safe. Pull the door open when it is unlocked. Most electronic safes have a code between 4-10 digits long. Pause for 1 second between each number that you enter to allow the system time to process the code. If there is an “enter” key, press this when you are finished entering the code. Swipe your combo card and enter the code to open a card-swipe safe. Card-swipe safes require both a pre-programmed card and the code to open. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to program your combo card with a code, then swipe it and enter the code on the safe to open it. These types of safes make it very easy to reprogram the code if you need to, since everything is digital. Put the key in and turn it to the left to open a key-lock safe. Line up the key with the lock correctly and insert it. Turn it counterclockwise and pull the door towards you to open the safe. If you lose your keys, contact the manufacturer to see if replacement keys are available. Find a trusted locksmith in your area. Check online or in your local phone book to find a reliable locksmith. Call them to make sure that they offer safe-opening services and find out what the fees are. The most common reason to need a locksmith is because you have forgotten or lost the combination to your safe. Occasionally safes can also jam or become damaged, in which case you will require the services of a locksmith to get them open and repair them. Ask the locksmith if you will need to provide documentation to prove that you are the owner of the safe before they will open it. Set an appointment with the locksmith to have them open your safe. Schedule a house call, or take your safe in to the locksmith if it is small enough to transport yourself. Make sure you have enough time for the scheduled appointment, some safes will take longer to open depending on the complexity of the lock. Many locksmiths offer 24-hour services, in case you need something out of your safe urgently. Reset the combination and write it down in a safe place. Have the locksmith reset the combination on your safe. Store the new combo in a file cabinet or digitally where you can easily find it next time you need it. If you called a locksmith because your safe jammed or broke, make sure they perform any necessary repairs and that it is functioning before they leave.

Locate the combination for your safe in the manufacturer’s paperwork. Turn the dial to the left past the 1st number 3 times, then stop on the number. Turn the dial to the right past the 2nd number 2 times, then stop on the number. Turn the dial to the left past the 3rd number 1 time, then stop on the number. Slowly turn the dial to the right until it stops and the bolt retracts. Turn the handle and pull the safe door towards you to open it. Find the combination for your safe in the original paperwork. Turn the dial to the right past the 1st number 4 times, then stop on the number. Turn the dial to the left past the 2nd number 3 times, then stop on the number. Turn the dial to the right past the 3rd number 2 times, then stop on the number. Turn the dial to the left past the 4th number 1 time, then stop on the number. Turn the dial to the right slowly until it stops and the bolt in the door retracts. Turn the handle on the safe door and pull it carefully towards you to open it. Punch in the code on the number pad to open a digital safe. Swipe your combo card and enter the code to open a card-swipe safe. Put the key in and turn it to the left to open a key-lock safe. Find a trusted locksmith in your area. Set an appointment with the locksmith to have them open your safe. Reset the combination and write it down in a safe place.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-White-Wine-Sauce

How to Make White Wine Sauce

To make white wine sauce, start by heating oil or butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Then, add garlic, mushrooms, and onions and cook until golden brown. Next, add the white wine, whipping cream, salt, pepper, and seasoning. Whisk all of the ingredients while bringing the sauce to a boil. As soon as the sauce begins to bubble, lower the heat and whisk in the flour. Simmer the sauce until it thickens, then serve it over any pasta dish you like.

Heat up the oil or butter in a saucepan on medium heat. While this heats up, mince the garlic and chop up onions and mushrooms, if desired. Cook the garlic in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes. The garlic should be slightly golden. Add the mushrooms and onions as well, along with an extra 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Add the white wine, whipping cream, salt, pepper, and seasoning. Stir everything well with a whisk or wooden spoon. Bring to a boil. Raise the heat and quickly bring the sauce to a boil so that many bubbles are reaching the surface and popping. Do not let the sauce keep boiling -- you only need it to reach this temperature quickly. Lower the heat to medium and whisk in the flour. Stir the flour in quickly after lowering the heat. The sauce should be simmering, with a few bubbles breaking on the surface. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. You can simmer the sauce for as long as you want before serving. The longer you leave it on, the thicker and richer it will be. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add hot broth to thin it out without sacrificing flavor. Use the sauce over pasta dishes. White wine sauce pairs well with chicken and shellfish in particular. Some recipes to try include: Shrimp, cracked red or cayenne pepper, sauteed onions and bell pepper Chicken, broccoli, and peas Chicken, mushrooms and onions. Sauteed carrots, onions, and zucchini, lemon, cracked black pepper. Heat up the oil or butter in a saucepan on medium heat. While this heats up, mince the garlic and chop up onions and mushrooms, if desired. Cook the garlic in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes. The garlic should be slightly golden. Add any mushrooms and onions as well, along with a tablespoon of butter. Cook another 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent (slightly see-through) Add the white wine and reduce the heat to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to stir and scrape up any bits of caramelized onion from the bottom of the pan. The heat should be on medium-low. This is the "reduction" phase. Mix the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in another dish. Use you fingers to lightly mix the flour into the butter. Set this aside. Add the broth to the saucepan once the wine has almost evaporated. There should only be a little bit of wine remaining -- roughly a fourth. Add the broth and bring the liquid back to a simmer. It can help to preheat the broth in a microwave before adding it. Slowly stir in the butter/flour mixture. Add the butter a little bit at a time, stirring the whole time with a spoon. Add any seasonings and let the sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes. The longer it simmers, the thicker the sauce will become. Serve over pasta, chicken, or shellfish. The sauce is incredibly versatile, and goes well with vegetables and white meats or fish. If you want to add shellfish, like shrimp or clams, add them with the garlic to cook with the sauce.

Heat up the oil or butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook the garlic in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine, whipping cream, salt, pepper, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and whisk in the flour. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Use the sauce over pasta dishes. Heat up the oil or butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook the garlic in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce the heat to a simmer. Mix the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in another dish. Add the broth to the saucepan once the wine has almost evaporated. Slowly stir in the butter/flour mixture. Add any seasonings and let the sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes. Serve over pasta, chicken, or shellfish.

https://www.wikihow.com/Chrome-Plate

How to Chrome Plate

One of the easiest ways to achieve a beautiful chrome finish is by apply metallic-chrome spray paint. First, clean the item well to remove any dirt or grime from the surface. Then, apply the spray paint using smooth, back-and-forth strokes, working from the top to the bottom. Once you've finished one side of the item, wait 2 to 3 hours for the paint to dry before turning it over and painting the other side. For a shinier finish, add more layers of spray paint. You can also use a spray plating kit if you want to simplify the process. Follow the included instructions for spraying the chrome solution on the object and finish up by applying a sealant to protect the new finish.

Rinse and wipe your object with water and a clean cloth. Start by washing the metal object that you're going to work on. Run the object under a stream of cold water and rotate it in your hand to get the entire item wet. Use a cloth to wipe the surface clean and remove any surface stains, dirt, or grime. If the object that you're working with is greasy or oily, skip this step. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and wear protective eyewear. Most commercial degreasers are skin and eye irritants. To avoid harming your skin or eyes, wear long sleeves and put on a pair of protective goggles. Grab a clean pair of rubber gloves and throw them on to avoid harming or irritating your skin. Use a degreaser to remove any oils or grease. Get a commercial degreaser designed for kitchen, bicycle, or metal cleaning. Spray your degreaser over the surface of your object and give the degreaser 3-5 minutes to soak into your item. Then, take a clean cloth and scrub the degreaser into the item and remove any oily substances. Pick up a degreaser at your local cleaning supply or home goods store. If you want to create your own degreaser, mix 3 tablespoons (43 g) of baking soda with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water. Buff the surface of metal objects with a scouring pad. Grab a dry, thick, scouring pad. Scrub your item using firm, circular strokes. Cover each section of your object 3-4 times to ensure that you've scrubbed any residual impurities away. Then, rinse and dry the item. Don't use a scouring pad on plastics that you're planning on spray painting. Simply rinse the item under water and wipe them dry. Purchase a chrome spray paint from a home supply or auto parts store. Go to a home supply, construction, or auto parts store. Look for a can of spray paint that is labeled “chrome” or “chrome plating.” Check the label carefully to see if it contains VMP (vacuum metalized pigments), which are chrome-plated paint pigments. Avoid cans of paint that simply say “silver” or “gold” to get an authentic color that actually replicates the color of chrome plating. These spray paints are often marketed as “metallic” spray paint. This is the best option if you have an inexpensive object, like a cheap necklace or vase, that you want to turn chrome for decorative purposes. Spray painting something chrome isn't technically chrome plating. However, spray painting is the easiest method to get a chrome finish, and it's safer than the other methods. Take your item outside and lay a drop cloth underneath it. Aerosol paint can become a lung irritant if you aren't working in a well-ventilated area. To stay safe, take the object that you're painting outside. Lay a drop cloth down underneath it to avoid accidentally painting the ground or walls around your item. You can throw on a respirator or dust mask if you want, but it's not required if you're working outside. Put on a pair of rubber gloves if you want to keep your hands clean. Wear long sleeves and pants to keep paint particles from getting on to your skin. Hold the can of spray paint 8–16 in (20–41 cm) away from the item. Take your can of spray paint and shake it for 20-25 seconds until you hear the ball inside rattling around. Point the nozzle down at your item and hold the can 8–16 in (20–41 cm) away from the surface of your item. You cannot spray paint while holding the can upside-down. Spray your item using smooth, back-and-forth strokes to apply the paint. Start at the top of your plastic or metal object. Press your finger down to release the spray paint. Move the can back and forth along the top of your item, working down towards the bottom as you spray. Avoid holding the can in one location for too long to prevent drips from forming on the surface of your item. Spray painting can feel kind of odd if you've never done it before. If this is your first time using spray paint, try practicing on an item you don't care about first, like a cardboard box or empty milk carton. Wait 2-3 hours for the item to dry and flip it over. Once you've covered one side of your item, wait 2-3 hours for the paint to dry completely. Once the item has air dried, flip it over to expose any unpainted areas that you haven't covered yet. Normally, spray paint can dry in 15-30 minutes. VMP spray paint tends to take a little longer to dry. Waiting a few hours is a good way to play it safe and ensure that the paint is completely absorbed by the metal or plastic. Paint the remaining sections of your item and let it air dry. Paint the unpainted sections of your metal or plastic item using the same process you used on the first side. Hold the can roughly 8–16 in (20–41 cm) away from the item and use a smooth back-and-forth stroke to completely cover the object. Wait another 2-3 hours for the paint to dry. The chrome paint should hold up for 6-8 months before it starts to erode. Repeat this process to add additional layers if you want a shinier finish. Once you've let your first layer dry, you can stop if you're happy with the color and sheen of your chrome paint. If you'd like a brighter finish or a more evenly-textured look, feel free to apply additional layers of paint using the same process you used to paint the object the first time. Apply an additional 2-4 coats of paint to brighten the color and improve the finish. Buy a chrome plating spray kit from a chrome plating supply company. Chrome plating spray kits are DIY kits that uses a variety of chemicals to apply a chrome finish to a metal object. These kits typically cost between $150-500, and can only be purchased from companies that specialize in chrome plating. The finish is more durable than standard spray paint, but utilizes dangerous and abrasive chemicals. Spray kits will not only give your items a beautiful shine, but they'll protect metals from rust and erosion! Unless you have a ton of objects that you're trying to chrome plate, it's usually cheaper to simply take your item to a shop that offers chrome plating services. You can use a chrome plating spray kit on durable plastic or metal including steel, brass, copper, and aluminum. Put on long sleeves, a hood, a respirator, goggles, and gloves. It's incredibly important that you avoid coming in contact with any of the chemicals you're going to use to turn your item chrome. Wear a long-sleeved sweater with a hood and drawstrings. Put on thick rubber gloves and protective eyewear. Grab a pair of thick pants to stay safe while you're spraying your item. Put on a respirator and tie it tight. A dust mask won't offer enough protection for most spray chrome kits. Set your item up in a well-ventilated area. Take your materials outside to avoid exposure to any of the chrome plating chemicals. If you're only plating one side of an item, put a thick drop cloth down underneath your item to ensure that you're only spraying your object. You can also set the object up on a stand or stable work surface if you want to spray your entire item at once. Do not do this on a windy day when the chemicals are going to be blown all over the place. Cover the object in your activating solution spray. Hold your activator 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) away from the surface of your object. Pull the trigger on your bottle to cover your object in the activating solution. Spray 10-20 times across every section of the surface to completely cover it in the activating solution. Your item must be dripping with the activating solution by the time you're done. The activator coats the object in a solution that will bind your chrome spray to the material of the item. Some kits will refer to the activator as a primer. Every spray kit is different. If your instructions tell you to do something before applying an activator, or don't mention an activator at all, go ahead and skip this step. Mix your chroming solution with deionized water. Read your specific kit's instructions to determine how your chrome spray solution should be mixed. Most kits provide the deionized water, so you simply have to combine 2-3 bottles into a single spray bottle and shake it up. Some kits will only require a deionized water rinse before the chroming solution is applied. If you need to make deionized water yourself, run tap or spring water through a DI system. DI systems can be purchased from a chemical engineering company, water purification company, or online retailer. Deionized water is essentially water that has had all of the minerals, contaminants, and additives removed. Spray your item with the chroming solution. Take the spray bottle filled with the chroming solution and hold it 6–10 inches (15–25 cm) away from your item. Pull the trigger on the bottle to spray your item 10-15 times, starting at the top of the object and working your way to the bottom. Allow the solution to drip off of your item and on to your work surface or drop cloth. Work your way around the entire item if you're chroming the entire thing. If you can adjust the nozzle setting on your spray bottle, use a medium nozzle setting to avoid ricochets. If you use a wider nozzle setting, the thinner application may result in an uneven coat. You should see your item changing color almost immediately as the activator, water, and chrome spray bind to the object's surface. Depending on your specific kit, you may have to apply multiple coats of different-density chrome solutions to complete the process. Apply your sealant by spraying it on. Either apply your sealant immediately or wait for your chroming solution to dry based on your specific kit's instructions. Spray your sealant all over the item that you're spraying. Use the same method that you used for the chroming solution, spraying the object by holding the bottle 6–10 inches (15–25 cm) away from the surface. Spray it with the sealant until you've covered the entire item on every side. The sealant will protect your chrome from fading for at least 1 year. Blow dry your item to complete the process. Use a blow dryer on the coolest setting or grab an air gun. Blow your object dry by moving the hose or blow dryer back and forth across the surface of your item. Work in back-and-forth strokes and start from the top before working your way down. Once your object is totally dry, you've finished applying your chrome! Every chrome spray kit is different. Follow the specific instructions of your spray kit to get the best possible finish for your item. Chrome plating that has been applied with a spray kit lasts anywhere from 1-5 years.

Rinse and wipe your object with water and a clean cloth. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and wear protective eyewear. Use a degreaser to remove any oils or grease. Buff the surface of metal objects with a scouring pad. Purchase a chrome spray paint from a home supply or auto parts store. Take your item outside and lay a drop cloth underneath it. Hold the can of spray paint 8–16 in (20–41 cm) away from the item. Spray your item using smooth, back-and-forth strokes to apply the paint. Wait 2-3 hours for the item to dry and flip it over. Paint the remaining sections of your item and let it air dry. Repeat this process to add additional layers if you want a shinier finish. Buy a chrome plating spray kit from a chrome plating supply company. Put on long sleeves, a hood, a respirator, goggles, and gloves. Set your item up in a well-ventilated area. Cover the object in your activating solution spray. Mix your chroming solution with deionized water. Spray your item with the chroming solution. Apply your sealant by spraying it on. Blow dry your item to complete the process.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Jamaican-Dumplings

How to Make Jamaican Dumplings

To make boiled Jamaican dumplings, start by whisking flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl to make the dough. Then, knead the dough until it's smooth, and divide and shape it into 6 flattened patties. Next, bring some salted water to a boil over high heat and boil the patties for 15-20 minutes or until they float to the top of the water. Finally, remove the boiled dumplings and serve them with soup, stew, or curry.

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder. Put 2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl along with 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt, and 1 tablespoon (12 g) of baking powder. Whisk the dry ingredients for about 30 seconds. Cut in the butter or margarine. Cut 3 tablespoons (42 g) of cold unsalted butter or margarine into 3 pieces and add it to the dry ingredients. Use your fingers, a pastry blender, or a food processor to blend the fat into the dry mixture until it feels like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in cold water to form a shaggy dough. Get out ⁄ 4 cup (180 ml) of cold water and pour about half of it into the bowl. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix the water into the dry ingredients. Continue to mix in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water at a time until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and you can form a ball. You may not need all of the water if the dough comes together quickly. For a richer flavor, use cold milk, such as low-fat or whole milk, instead of the cold water. Wrap the dough and refrigerate it for 15 minutes. Leave the dough in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Put the dough in the refrigerator and let it chill while you heat the cooking oil. Resting the dough will relax the gluten so the dumplings aren't tough. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of vegetable or canola oil into a skillet or frying pan and set it on the stove. Turn the burner to medium and heat the oil until it shimmers. Form the dough into 8 small balls. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator and pull or cut the dough into 8 evenly sized pieces. Roll each piece between your palms or on your work surface to make a smooth ball of dough. Flatten each ball of dough and prick it with a fork. Press down on each ball until they flatten to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Then poke the dumplings on both sides with the tines of a fork. If you prefer to leave the dumplings round like a ball, you'll need to heat extra oil in the skillet. Pour in enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the round dumplings and heat the oil until it shimmers. Fry the dumplings for 6 to 10 minutes. Slowly lower half of the dumplings into the hot oil and fry them until they're browned and crispy. You'll need to use tongs or a slotted spoon to turn the dumplings halfway through the cooking time so they fry evenly. The dumplings will puff up a little and they should sound hollow if you tap them. Let the oil heat back up before you fry the remaining batch of dumplings. Remove the dumplings and serve them. Lay paper towels on a plate and use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the fried dumplings to the plate. Let the excess grease drain and serve the dumplings while they're hot. If you like, sprinkle the dumplings with a little salt or sugar. Since the fried dumplings will become soggy, avoid storing leftovers. Bring salted water to a boil over high heat. Pour 4 cups (950 ml) of water into a pot and stir in 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt. Put the lid on the pot and turn the burner to high. Heat the water while you prepare the dumpling dough. Whisk the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Put 2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour and the remaining 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt into a bowl. Whisk or stir the dry ingredients until the salt is combined. If you want to make boiled cornmeal dumplings, reduce the flour to 1 1/2 cups (187 g) and add 1/2 cup (75 g) of cornmeal. Stir in the cold water to make a rough dough. Slowly stir in ⁄ 3 cup (79 ml) of cold water and mix it until the flour starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It's fine if the dough still looks crumbly since you'll knead it. You can add a few extra spoonfuls of water if the dough won't come together, but avoid adding so much water that the dough becomes sticky. Knead the dough until it's smooth. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and use your hands to knead it for 1 to 2 minutes. The dough should become firm and will stretch a little if you pull a piece of it apart. If the dough is too sticky to work, sprinkle a little extra flour on the work surface. Form the dough into 6 patties. Tear or cut the dough into 6 evenly sized pieces. Then roll each piece into a ball and press down to form a 1 inch (2.5 cm) disc. Press your thumb in the center to make an indentation. The indentation will help the center of the dumpling cook. Boil the dumplings for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the salted water comes to a boil, carefully lower the flat dumplings into the pot. Keep the burner at high heat and boil the dumplings until they're fluffy and float to the top of the water. To determine if the dumplings have finished boiling, insert a knife into the center of a dumpling. It should come out clean once the dumpling is cooked. Remove and serve the boiled dumplings. Turn off the burner and use a slotted spoon to take the dumplings out of the hot water. Serve the boiled dumplings with soup, stew, or curry. Store the leftover dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can rewarm the dumplings over low heat on the stove or microwave them. If you prefer, eat the leftovers cold.

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter or margarine. Stir in cold water to form a shaggy dough. Wrap the dough and refrigerate it for 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Form the dough into 8 small balls. Flatten each ball of dough and prick it with a fork. Fry the dumplings for 6 to 10 minutes. Remove the dumplings and serve them. Bring salted water to a boil over high heat. Whisk the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the cold water to make a rough dough. Knead the dough until it's smooth. Form the dough into 6 patties. Boil the dumplings for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and serve the boiled dumplings.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-over-the-Crush-You-Have-on-Your-Guy-Friend

How to Get over the Crush You Have on Your Guy Friend

Having a crush on a guy friend can be a tricky situation, especially if he doesn't seem to feel the same way about you. If your guy friend isn't interested or available, then the best thing you can do is cut back on the amount of time you spend with him. Being around him will make it harder to get over your crush, so tell him “I have a lot going on right now. I might not see you much for a while.” Seeing less of him on social media can also help you get over him faster, so unfollow or mute him for a while. Another way to get over your crush is to vent to a close friend or family member about your hurt feelings. Writing can be another great way to deal with your feelings, or try expressing yourself through art or music. If you're still feeling overwhelmed by your emotions, try distracting yourself by making plans with friends, learning a new hobby, or spending extra time at work or studying.

Acknowledge your feelings rather than trying to ignore them. Pretending that you don't have feelings for your guy friend won't make them go away. First and foremost, admit to yourself that you like this guy. Even if he's not available or he doesn't return your feelings, it's important to be honest with yourself. Try simply saying out loud to yourself, “I like my friend Derek and I wish he was more than a friend. I'm worried it could hurt our friendship if I tell him, but I can't deny how I feel.” Decide if telling him how you feel might be an option. If your guy friend is available and you think there's a chance he might like you, too, then you may consider telling him how you feel about him. It can be scary to do this since it could change your friendship, but there's also the potential for a great romantic relationship if he feels the same way about you. Take some time to reflect on how he interacts with you and whether there might be something there. For example, has he ever flirted with you or dropped hints that he's interested? Is he single? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then go ahead! Tell him how you feel about him. Tell the guy how you feel if they’re available and you feel ready. As long as your guy friend is not involved with someone else and as long as you think there could be a chance that they like you, it's fine to tell them. You might never know if you don't make the first move, so gather up your courage and tell him how you feel. Choose a time to talk when you'll be alone with him. Try saying something casual and straightforward, such as, “I like you. Would you like to go on a date with me sometime?” Or, you could say, “We have an amazing friendship, and I don't want to lose it, but I think I have feelings for you.” Give him some time to think after you tell him how you feel. Even if your guy friend likes you back, he might be pretty surprised by your confession. Unless he immediately confesses that he likes you too and you seal the moment with a kiss, be prepared to give him some time to think about how he feels. He might have never thought of you that way before, so he might be unsure if he has feelings for you and need some time to reflect. Try saying something like, “You don't have to tell me how you feel right away. Take all the time you need to think about it.” Cut back on the amount of time you spend with your guy friend. If it turns out that your guy friend is not interested or not available for a relationship, such as if he's dating someone else, then it's important to cut way back on how often you see him. Being around him all the time can make it harder to get over a crush, especially if he's involved with someone else. Look for other friends to spend time with and cancel upcoming plans with him if needed. Chances are he will understand what's going on. However, if he questions why you're cancelling plans with him, try saying something like, “I just have a lot going on right now, I might not see you much for a while.” Unfollow your guy friend on social media. You don't need to unfriend your guy friend, but seeing less of him on social media may help you to get over him faster. Unfollow or mute him on social media outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. When you are ready to go back to just being friends, you can follow him again, but give yourself at least a month before you do so. Look for additional ways to avoid him if you see him every day. If you work or attend school together, you might need to start going out of your way to avoid him. Try taking a different route to school or work, sit somewhere else at lunch time, or change desks (with your boss or teacher's permission). If you do run into him, plan an excuse so that you can limit the interaction. Try saying something like, “Sorry, I can't talk, but I'm running late. Have a good day!” Avoid spending time alone with your crush if they’re unavailable. Spending time alone with a crush who is unavailable due to a relationship is a potential recipe for disaster. If they have feelings for you too, then you might end up in a situation where you're causing them to cheat on their significant other. This can lead to much bigger issues for your friend and it's unlikely to end in a happy relationship for you. If you like him and he might like you but he's already taken, then don't spend time alone with him. Try making an excuse for why you can't see him, such as that you're not feeling well or that you have other plans. If you do have to see him, make sure that someone else will be there or bring along a friend. Cut contact with him completely if he rejects you or is unavailable. You'll need time to process your feelings if he rejects you or if a relationship with him is not possible, such as if he's already with someone else. Don't call him, text him, or interact with him in any way for a while so you can work through your feelings. It can be hard to do this, especially if you're close, but remember that it is what's best for you. If he calls you, try letting it go to voicemail or have a friend answer and tell him you're busy. If he asks why you're not taking his calls any more or texting him, try saying something like, “I've just had a lot going on lately.” Talk with a trusted friend or family member about your feelings. Venting to someone about how you feel and why things didn't work out can be a great way to feel better. Choose a friend or family member who is a good listener and who cares about you. Tell them all about your crush and why it didn't work out. They might even have some similar experiences, which may help you to feel less alone. Make sure to talk with someone who will keep what you say confidential, especially if the guy friend is already in a relationship. Write about how you’re feeling if you need an additional outlet. Even after talking with someone about your feelings, you may still feel the need to talk. Writing can be a great way to get your feelings out when you can't talk with someone. Write about what happened and how it made you feel. Write as much or as often as needed until you feel better. Another option is to write about traits you liked about your guy friend, which might help you to find someone else you'll click with when you're ready to start looking again. For example, if you like his smile and sense of humor, these can be important features to look for in the next person you date. Stay busy with other activities to distract yourself. If your emotions are overwhelming, then fill your days with lots of things to pre-occupy your mind. Make plans with your friends, learn a new hobby, exercise, read, visit a museum, volunteer for a local charity, or do something else that will keep you busy and make you feel good about yourself. If you're in school, devote extra time to studying. If you work, ask your boss about any special projects you could get involved in. Devote extra time to taking care of your needs. Self-care is a way of seeing to your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs on a day-to-day basis. This involves many different things, and it's especially important to keep up with your self-care during tumultuous periods in your life. Make sure that you are making time every day for things like: Personal hygiene, such as bathing and brushing your teeth Health and wellness, such as exercise and eating healthy Relaxation, such as doing yoga and meditating Doing things you enjoy, such as knitting, baking, or reading Find a therapist if you’re experiencing ongoing feelings of sadness. If your feelings of sadness and longing over your crush do not go away within a month or if your feelings are interfering with your life, then you may benefit from speaking with a therapist. They can help you to find healthy tools to cope with negative emotions and work through your feelings for your guy friend. You can ask your doctor for a referral or look into therapists in your area. Find a therapist who you feel comfortable talking with.

Acknowledge your feelings rather than trying to ignore them. Decide if telling him how you feel might be an option. Tell the guy how you feel if they’re available and you feel ready. Give him some time to think after you tell him how you feel. Cut back on the amount of time you spend with your guy friend. Unfollow your guy friend on social media. Look for additional ways to avoid him if you see him every day. Avoid spending time alone with your crush if they’re unavailable. Cut contact with him completely if he rejects you or is unavailable. Talk with a trusted friend or family member about your feelings. Write about how you’re feeling if you need an additional outlet. Stay busy with other activities to distract yourself. Devote extra time to taking care of your needs. Find a therapist if you’re experiencing ongoing feelings of sadness.

https://www.wikihow.com/Solve-the-Water-Jug-Riddle-from-Die-Hard-3

How to Solve the Water Jug Riddle from Die Hard 3

To solve the water jug riddle from Die Hard 3, start by filling a 5-gallon jug completely to the top with water. Then, use that water to fill a 3-gallon jug, so that you're left with 2 gallons in the larger jug. Next, empty the 3-gallon jug and transfer the water from the 5-gallon jug into it. Once there are 2 gallons of water in the 3-gallon jug, fill the 5-gallon jug again. Finally, pour water from the full 5-gallon jug into the 3-gallon jug until the smaller jug is full, which will leave 4 gallons of water in the 5-gallon jug.

Simplify the question and your options. Setting the movie aside for the moment, think of the riddle in its most basic terms. What do you know, what's your goal, and what are your options? A simpler way to look at the riddle might be: You have two empty water jugs in your hands. One holds 3 gallons of water, the other holds 5 gallons of water. You need to use these two jugs to measure exactly 4 gallons of water. You have an unlimited amount of water to do so. Determine where you will keep the 4 gallons of water. In order to measure out your 4 gallons, you need to put it somewhere. As John McClane rightly deduces, you couldn't possibly fit it in the 3-gallon jug, which means the right answer must involve getting the right amount of water in the 5-gallon jug. Know that, like all good riddles, you have everything you need for a solution. The solution does not involve bringing in another jug, or eyeballing the water levels perfectly, or finding fractions of jugs. You have two jugs and an unlimited supply of water. How can you use just those things to get to 4 gallons? More specifically, how can you use 3 and 5 to get to 4? Unlimited water means you can use or pour out as much as you want. You are not able to guess exactly how much water is in the jug unless you fill it all the way up. Realize that this is, at heart, a simple math problem. Ignore the water and the jugs for a moment if you are still stuck. How can you add or subtract 3's and 5's to get to 4? This is really all you are doing; the numbers just happen to represent gallons. Adding water or dumping it out is really just addition and subtraction. Fill the 5-jug up completely. There will be, of course, 5 gallons in the 5-jug. You must fill all the gallons up to the top, otherwise you don't actually know how much you have. Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. You're left with 3 gallons in the 3-jug and 2 gallons in the 5-jug. Pour out the 3-gallon jug. You're left with nothing in the 3-jug and 2 gallons in the 5-jug. Transfer the water from the 5-jug to the three jug. You're left with 2 gallons in the 3-jug. And nothing in the 5-jug. Fill up the 5-jug completely. You now have 2 gallons in the 3-jug and 5 in the 5-jug. This means that there is 1 gallon (3.8 L) of space left in the 3-jug. Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. Fill up the last gallon of space in the 3-jug with the water from the 5-jug. This leaves you with 3 gallons in the 3-jug, and 4 gallons in the 5-jug. Fill the 3-jug completely with water. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water. Transfer this water into the 5-jug. You now have nothing in the 3-jug, and 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 5-jug. Re-fill the 3-jug with water. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 3-jug and 3 gallons in the 5-jug. Fill the 5-jug with water from your 3-jug. You now have 1 gallon (3.8 L) in the 3-jug and 5 gallons (18.9 L) in the 5-jug. This is because, in the last step, you only had 2 gallons (7.6 L) of space left over, so you could only pour 2 gallons. Pour out the 5-jug and refill it with your 1 gallon. You now have nothing in the 3-jug and 1 gallon in the 5-jug Fill up the 3-jug. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 3-jug and 1 in the 5-jug. Transfer the 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water into the 5-jug to end up with 4 gallons (15.1 L). Simply pour over your three gallons into the 5-jug, which only had 1 gallon (3.8 L) in it previously. 1+3=4, and a successfully defused bomb.

Simplify the question and your options. Determine where you will keep the 4 gallons of water. Know that, like all good riddles, you have everything you need for a solution. Realize that this is, at heart, a simple math problem. Fill the 5-jug up completely. Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. Pour out the 3-gallon jug. Transfer the water from the 5-jug to the three jug. Fill up the 5-jug completely. Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. Fill the 3-jug completely with water. Transfer this water into the 5-jug. Re-fill the 3-jug with water. Fill the 5-jug with water from your 3-jug. Pour out the 5-jug and refill it with your 1 gallon. Fill up the 3-jug. Transfer the 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water into the 5-jug to end up with 4 gallons (15.1 L).

https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-African-Clawed-or-Dwarf-Frogs

How to Care for African Clawed or Dwarf Frogs

To care for African Clawed or Dwarf Frogs, start by choosing a roomy, filtered tank for the frog's habitat. Keep in mind that Clawed Frogs need more space than Dwarf Frogs, which are much smaller. Both types of frogs prefer a temperature range between 70 and 75 degrees F, and they're happiest when they have plenty of hiding places, such as terracotta pots, caves, driftwood, and silk plants, in their habitats. While the living conditions for both frogs are similar, they cannot coexist peacefully, so don't house them together. How often you feed your frog depends on what type you have, but both eat the same diet of pellet food, bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp.

Remember to keep these frogs separate. Although the living conditions for both types are frogs are similar, it is crucial for you to keep ADF and ACF frogs separate from one another. When ACFs grow to be full-sized, they will actually eat smaller creatures like ADFs. Obtain a tank the right size. The only major difference between tanks for ACFs and tanks for ADFs is the size of the tank and the amount of water it holds. For ACFs, a good rule or thumb is to have ten gallons of non-chlorinated water per frog. For ADFs, the rule is to have only one gallon of non-chlorinated water per frog. This is quite a big difference! A filtered tank is your best option. You can get away with an unfiltered tank if you clean it thoroughly every two weeks. Be sure to secure the lid on your tank. These frogs are known for trying to escape. Choose a substrate or bare-bottom habitat. Both types of frogs enjoy either a substrate made of rocks or a bare-bottom tank. Be sure to use rocks too large for the frogs to eat. (For ACFs, you'll want large river rocks and for ADFs, medium sized rocks). Bare-bottom tanks may not be as pretty too look at, but they are much easier to keep clean. Check the temperature. ACF and ADF frogs thrive in similar temperatures. When they are froglets, you should aim for temperatures between 74 -78F (23-25C). When frogs are adults, aim for temperatures between 70-75F (21-24C ). As long as you maintain a warm temperature in your home, you should not need to use a fish tank heater (although that is an option). Frogs can survive as long as the temperatures stay between 65F and 80F (18 and 26C). Supply hiding places and other décor. Both types of frogs need hiding places in their tanks, such as terracotta pots, caves, driftwood, and silk plants. Without adequate places to hide and recharge, frogs can actually become stressed to the point of death. Avoid both real and plastic plants. Both can be toxic to these frogs. Stick to silk plants. Maintain your tank. In order to keep your frog habitat healthy, you will need to do some daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance. Each day, you must check the filter, water temperature, and any other equipment. Each week, you must check the overall water quality. Finally, and most importantly, once a month, you must remove 10-25% of the total water volume and replace it with fresh water. Determine how often you should feed. How often you should feed your frog will vary depending on the species. ACF tadpoles should be fed daily, while adult ACFs should be fed every 2-3 days. As ADF frogs are smaller in size, they must eat smaller quantities of food more often. Both ADF tadpoles and ADF adults should be fed 1-2 times per day. Serve food the right size. In general, ACFs and ADFs can consume the same diet. The only major difference is that ADFs must have their food broken down into much smaller pieces for them. Additionally, ADFs will consume much smaller portions. There is not an exact science to portion sizes for frogs. Start with a small amount of food at each feeding, and gradually increase until you have an understanding for how much your frog likes to eat. Sprinkle pellet food in the tank. Both ACFs and ADFs can eat pellet food for aquatic life. You can find this pellet food at any pet store. Pellet food is particularly important for tadpoles of either species, but it should also be a staple component of adult frog diets. Simply sprinkle a small amount in your frog's tank at each feeding. You will want “sinking pellets.” Do not feed your frogs “flake” fish food. Provide bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. Bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp are other staples in the diets of ACF and ADF frogs. Look for these items at your local pet store. You may find them fresh, dried, or frozen, all of which are good options for your frogs. If you have ADF frogs, be sure to break up the food into small pieces. When using frozen food, be sure to thaw beforehand. Understanding the size difference. Although ACFs (African Clawed Frogs) and ADFs (African Dwarf Frogs) look almost the same when they are small, ACFs will grow very large as they age. As a result, they must be kept in larger tanks, and cannot be kept with small fish or frogs (including ADFs). In short, it is crucial to know if you are dealing with ACF or ADF frogs. Research laws in your state. Additionally, ACFs have been outlawed in some places. In certain areas, these frogs have gotten into the water supply and gobbled up everything in sight. If you would like to keep ACFs as pets, be sure to research the regulations in your area. For example, ACFs are currently illegal to own in California and Oregon. Evaluate the eyes. Although the differences in these frogs are subtle (when they are young), there are a few notable characteristics you can look for. The first has to do with the eyes. ACFs will have “buggier” eyes that protrude a bit, while ADFs will have flat eyes that do not stick out. Also, ACFs will have eyes positioned on top of their heads, while ADFs will have eyes on the sides of their faces. Look at the claws and webbing. Another way to distinguish these types of frogs from one another is to take a look at their claws. ACFs will have claw-like front hands. ADFs, on the other hand, will have dark colored, claw-like back feet. Additionally, ADFs will have webbing between the fingers of all four hands, whereas ACFs will only have webbing on their hind legs. The claws will become more defined as they age, so this is not the easiest way to tell the difference in very young frogs.

Remember to keep these frogs separate. Obtain a tank the right size. Choose a substrate or bare-bottom habitat. Check the temperature. Supply hiding places and other décor. Maintain your tank. Determine how often you should feed. Serve food the right size. Sprinkle pellet food in the tank. Provide bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. Understanding the size difference. Research laws in your state. Evaluate the eyes. Look at the claws and webbing.

https://www.wikihow.com/Put-a-Collar-on-a-Cat

How to Put a Collar on a Cat

To put a collar on a cat, start by placing the collar on the ground so your cat can inspect it for a little while. Then, when your cat is calm, gently put the collar on its neck. As you put the collar on, talk to your cat in a soothing voice and give it a few treats to make it feel more comfortable. Don't worry if your cat fidgets and tries to get the collar off, which is normal. After a few minutes, take the collar off and try again the next day. Keep doing this every day, leaving the collar on for longer and longer each time, until your cat is comfortable wearing it.

Select a time to put the collar on. The collar will be a new experience and sensation for your cat, so it will be important to choose a time of day when she will be a little less resistant to having the collar put on. You could try putting it on during her meal time or play time, when she will be distracted with another activity. You could also choose a time when she is calm, such as when you are spending quiet time with her. Let your cat investigate the collar. Place the collar on the ground near your cat so that she can get used to it before you put it around her neck. To help her get more comfortable with the collar, you can put her own scent on it. To do this, you can rub the collar on your cat's bedding. You can also rub a soft cloth around your cat's mouth (if she will let you) and then rub this cloth on the collar. The collar may not seem so foreign and strange to her if she recognizes her own scent on it. You could also purchase a synthetic pheromone spray at your local pet store and spray this on your cat's collar. Do not rush your cat's investigation of the collar. Put the collar on your cat. When your cat is calm and content, slowly and gently place the collar around her neck. Talk to her in a soothing and reassuring voice while you are putting the collar on to make the experience as comfortable as possible for her. Give her a treat when you have the collar on so that she can begin to make a positive association with wearing it. Your cat will probably fidget with, or scratch at, the collar and try to get it off the first time that you put it on. The first time that you put the collar on, leave it on for a few minutes then take it off. Put the collar on your cat each day, leaving it on for longer and longer each time. Your cat may need some time before she's more comfortable with wearing the collar all day. Consider giving her a treat each time that she has the collar on and doesn't try to get it off. Eventually, she will get used to the collar being on without needing a reward. If she manages to get the collar off on her own, put it back on but do not give her a treat—she may think that she is being rewarded for getting the collar off. Check the fit of the collar. It is very important to make sure that your cat's collar does not fit too tightly or loosely around her neck. You will know that the collar fits correctly if you can snugly yet comfortably slide two to three fingers between the collar and your cat's neck. Your cat may tense her neck when she has the collar on for the first time, so you may need to wait a few minutes until she relaxes her neck muscles before testing the fit. Do not put pull or tug on the collar when you are sliding fingers under it. If the collar does not fit correctly the first time, remove it from your cat and adjust it accordingly. Check your cat's collar on a regular basis. Your cat may lose or gain weight as she gets older. If significant enough, her weight changes could cause her collar to become too loose or too tight. If you notice that her collar is hanging loosely around her neck or seems to be squeezing her neck, take it off and make the necessary readjustment. Choose a safe collar. When you walk into your local pet store, you will notice that there are many types of cat collars from which you can choose. Despite the many choices, keep in mind that safety is the most important feature of any cat collar. Breakaway collars are considered to be the safest type of collar for cats, since they will automatically open up if your cat accidentally gets her collar stuck on something (e.g., window blinds, furniture). Breakaway collars will typically have a fastener that will automatically unclasp with enough pressure. Some collars come with attachments, such as bells. Although these attachments can be useful for an outdoor cat (e.g., alerting potential prey to the cat's presence), they can also get caught or stuck on things, which could be dangerous for your cat. Examine the collar. Before you purchase the collar, run your fingers along the entirety of the collar. It should not have any rough or sharp edges that could irritate your cat's skin. You should also check to see if the stitching has started to unravel. If the collar has a fastener, make sure that the fastener does not have any sharp edges when fastened. Consider testing the strength of the fastener before leaving the store. Pull on the collar with varying amounts of pressure. The fastener should release with a moderate amount of pressure. If it releases with barely any pressure at all, then your cat could slip out of the collar too easily. The amount of pressure needed to release the fastener will depend on your cat's weight and size. For example, a heavy cat would probably need a fastener that releases with more pressure than would be necessary for a light cat. Avoid elastic collars. Some cat collars will have a section of elastic fabric woven into them, which would stretch to the point where your cat could get out of the collar if it gets stuck on something. However, elastic collars can serious injury to your cat if she happens to get her leg stuck through it. Elastic collars also have the potential to get stuck over your cat's jaw, which can cause serious injury. If you choose an elastic collar and it gets stuck on your cat in a way that causes injury, take your cat to your veterinarian immediately for treatment.

Select a time to put the collar on. Let your cat investigate the collar. Put the collar on your cat. Check the fit of the collar. Check your cat's collar on a regular basis. Choose a safe collar. Examine the collar. Avoid elastic collars.

https://www.wikihow.fitness/Do-Pistol-Squats

How to Do Pistol Squats

Pistols squats are a great exercise for building your leg muscles. To do a basic pistol squat, start by stretching your arms straight out in front of you to help you balance. Then, lift one foot off the ground at about a 45-degree angle from your body. Keeping your arms in front of you, slowly squat until you're a few inches from the ground. While you lower yourself, straighten your other leg out in front of you. If you struggle to balance, try holding onto a pole, doorframe, or other fixed object. Hold the stretch for 1 second, before you slowly raise yourself back to your starting position. For a short walkout, do a few sets of 5 to 10 repetitions. Make sure you rest for 1 minute between sets so you don't injure yourself.

Lift one foot off the floor. Stand with your back straight. Stretch your arms straight out in front of you for balance, and lift one foot off the ground. Your leg should be about 45 degrees away from your body. This is the starting position. Always keep the toes of the standing leg straight. Do not turn your toes to the right or left of your body. Lower yourself into a squat. With your standing leg, slowly lower yourself into a squat. Go as far as your body will let you. As you do this, straighten your lifted leg in front of you. When you reach the bottom of the squat, the lifted leg should be straight in front of you off the ground. Hold this for a second. Make sure that the knee of your supporting leg does not extend past the toes of your supporting leg. Raise yourself back to starting position. Lift yourself back up by standing on the working leg. Go slowly so that you can maintain your balance. As you lift yourself, return the raised leg to a 45 degree angle relative to the rest of your body. Your heel should never leave the ground as you raise yourself. You should be extending through your leg and pressing through the heel. If your heel does keep lifting off the ground, try placing a weight plate underneath it. This will help you press down through your heels instead of through your toes. Repeat. Do two or three sets of five to ten reps of pistol squats. Rest for a minute or two between sets. Do not do too many pistol squats or you may cause injury to your knees. You may want to start small with this exercise. You do not want to cause injury by overexerting yourself too soon. Start with two sets of five and work your way up to three sets of ten. Practice normal squats first. If you have difficulty with two legged squats, you may not be ready to do a full pistol squat. Make sure that you can do at least twenty two-legged squats without a problem before progressing to this move. To do a normal squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and lower your body as though you are about to sit in a chair. Squat onto a chair. Instead of lowering yourself towards the ground, place a chair beneath your body. When you lower yourself, squat down onto the seat and raise yourself again. This will help you build leg strength without hurting yourself. You can also use a stool or box if you need to squat higher or lower. Gradually lower the height of the seat until you are comfortable and stable going into a full squat. Hold onto a stable object. If you're having trouble keeping balance while doing a pistol squat, you can hold onto a pole, doorframe, barre, or other fixed object to keep you stable through the exercise. Face the pole or frame. As you lower yourself, hold onto it for balance. Your standing leg should still be doing most of the work. Use a counterweight. Use a dumbbell or kettlebell that weighs between ten or fifteen pounds. Hold it in front of you with your arms straight as you lower yourself. Once you are comfortable with the movement, progress gradually to smaller and smaller weights until you do not need a counterweight at all. Strengthen your vastus medialis muscles. If you find yourself consistently falling from one side to another, you may need to work out your upper leg muscles around the knee. Some exercises you can do include: Step-ups: face a bench while holding a dumbbell in either hand. Step up onto the bench, then step back down. Split squats: stagger your stance with one foot forward and one foot back. Raise the back leg, and lower yourself into a squat. Raise yourself up again. Leg extensions: at the gym, find a leg extension machine. Place your feet beneath the pads, and grasp the handle bars. Raise your legs but keep the rest of your body still. Barefoot pistol squats: practice the pistol squat without wearing shoes or socks. This will help your foot grip the ground and build strength through your leg. Place your hands behind your back. If you have mastered the pistol squat with your hands in front of you, you should try clasping them behind your back instead. Start from the bottom. Using both legs, lower yourself into a traditional squat. Then try lifting one leg and stretching it straight in front of you before you raise yourself on the other leg. Jump. Lower yourself into the pistol squat, then push up with your standing leg to jump. Try doing a normal jump at first. Remain in place as you spring up. You can also try jumping sideways onto a box or bench. Be very careful with this move. Try to avoid jumping forward or backwards as you are likelier to injure yourself.

Lift one foot off the floor. Lower yourself into a squat. Raise yourself back to starting position. Repeat. Practice normal squats first. Squat onto a chair. Hold onto a stable object. Use a counterweight. Strengthen your vastus medialis muscles. Place your hands behind your back. Start from the bottom. Jump.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Transfer-Paper

How to Use Transfer Paper

To use transfer paper, start by making a copy of your image or design, since the transfer process can ruin an original drawing. Next, clean the surface where you plan to transfer your design with a soft rag to get rid of any dirt and dust. Then, cut your transfer paper to a size slightly larger than the design, and align the paper with the dark side down on the receiving surface. Finally, set your design on top of the transfer paper and trace it with a ballpoint pen or stylus.

Make a copy of the image to be transferred. If you are working with an original image or drawing, you should make a copy to use for transferring the design. Transfer paper will require you to push down and trace over your design, which could ruin an original drawing. If you are not working with original art, simply print out or draw a template for the image, pattern, or text you plan to transfer. Clean the surface of the receiving object. Transfer paper works on a number of surfaces, including ceramics, wood, canvas, drywall, and many others. No matter what surface you work on, though, it needs to be clean. Take a microfiber towel or other soft rag and wipe down the surface of the object. This eliminates dirt and dust. Cut your transfer paper to size. Your transfer paper sheet should be slightly larger than the design you plan on transferring. Use your print-out of the design as a guide to cut your paper to the appropriate size for your transfer. Cut using sharp scissors or a precision knife to ensure that the edges of the paper do not rip or snag. Align the paper with the dark side down on the receiving surface. Place your transfer paper over the spot on the receiving object where you want to transfer your design. The dark side of the transfer paper should be facing the receiving surface. Some people find it helpful to use masking tape or drafting dots to hold down the paper so that it does not move while you are tracing the design. Set your design on top of the transfer paper. Place your design pattern or image on top of the transfer paper. Make sure it is aligned properly before you begin the transfer process. You may opt to use masking tape or drafting dots to hold down the design while you trace. This will prevent your design from sliding and give you the best possible transfer. Trace your pattern or design. Using a ballpoint pen or a stylus, trace your pattern or design. Be sure to press down firmly, as this will ensure a better transfer onto the receiving surface. Some people opt to use a pen with a specific ink color like red or purple to trace the design. This way, they can see what parts of the pattern they have already traced as they go through the design. Remove the image pattern and transfer paper. Once you have completely traced the image, you can remove both the image pattern and the transfer paper. Your design should now be visible on the receiving surface. Remember that transfer paper does not provide permanent markings in most cases. You will still need to draw, paint, glaze, burn, or use another tool to make the marks permanent. The transfer paper simply gives you an outline with which to work. Print out your vinyl. You can do this on your home die-cutting machine, or you can send your design to a professional print shop that offers vinyl stickers. Print out your intended vinyl text or design in your chosen color or colors. Clean the receiving surface. Before you get started with the transfer paper, you need to make sure that the surface on which you will be placing your vinyls is clean. Use a microfiber cloth or another soft, residue-free rag to wipe away any dirt and debris. Do not wet the surface, as this could prevent the vinyl from adhering. Remove the background from your vinyl. If your vinyl still has its background intact, carefully peel away the background, leaving only the design or text that you want to transfer. Do this slowly, as you do not want your vinyl design to stick to the background. Some people find using a tool like a seam ripper or orange stick to be helpful in lifting the vinyl background. Many vinyl print shops will remove the background for you. It is alright if your vinyl does not still have the background intact. Apply the vinyl transfer paper to the vinyl. Peel the backing off the vinyl transfer paper, and press the transfer paper on top of your design. Use a scraper tool to smooth the transfer paper over the vinyl and ensure that it sticks properly. Align the transfer paper on the object. Once you have rubbed down the transfer paper, slowly peel it back, ensuring that the vinyl comes up with it. Then, align it over the surface on which you want to transfer the vinyl design. Gently press the vinyl and transfer paper down with your hand so that it sticks to the receiving surface. Pressing lightly ensures that the vinyl is not completely stuck down. This way, you can adjust or reposition the vinyl if necessary before final transfer. Use a scraping tool to press the vinyl down. Once you have your vinyl in place, use a scraping tool or your fingernails to run the vinyl onto the receiving surface. Then, slowly peel back the transfer paper, taking caution to make sure the vinyl sticks to the receiving surface. If the vinyl is sticking to the paper, use your scraper or fingers to press it down harder, then continue to peel. Wash your fabric. Your design will stick better if you wash the fabric, or use a pre-washed fabric. Wash your fabric in accordance with the manufacturer recommendations and allow it to dry completely before transferring any design onto it. Print your heat transfer design if you are using a photo or intricate design. If you are transferring a photo or intricate design, use a printable heat transfer paper. This allows you to print out your design directly from your computer using a heavy paper setting. Remember that your design will be mirrored when you print it, so if you are including text or want to preserve direction in your image, you will need to flip it horizontally in a photo editing software before printing. Print a template if you are transferring a solid pattern. If you are transferring a simple pattern in just 1 or 2 colors, you can print your template directly on your heat transfer vinyl sheets. Then, use a precision knife or scissors to cut out your design. Remember that your design will be mirrored when you print it. If you are including text or want to preserve direction in your design, you will need to flip it horizontally in a photo editing software prior to printing. If you have a die cutting machine, you can use it to cut your vinyl design, instead. Arrange your design on the fabric with the backing facing up. Once your design is prepped, arrange it on your fabric. Once you start to iron on the pattern you cannot move or rearrange it. Take time now to ensure everything is where you want it. Make sure that the backing is facing up, as you want to iron the backing, not the vinyl. Use a hot iron to transfer your design. Different transfer papers require different heat settings, so be sure to check the manufacturer's requirements to properly heat your iron. Then, slowly move the hot iron over the backing. Typically, you will want to hold the iron over each part of the design for 10-20 seconds to ensure that it sticks completely. Be sure to cover the whole design with the iron. Parts of the design that don't get heat won't transfer correctly. You may want to stick a thin towel or a piece of parchment paper in between the transfer paper and your iron to prevent wrinkles or scalding. Peel off the backing. Once you have finished using the iron on your design, allow it to cool for 30-45 seconds. Then, peel off the backing to reveal your newly completed design. If you find any parts of the transfer still sticking to the backing, run your iron over them again before continuing to peel.

Make a copy of the image to be transferred. Clean the surface of the receiving object. Cut your transfer paper to size. Align the paper with the dark side down on the receiving surface. Set your design on top of the transfer paper. Trace your pattern or design. Remove the image pattern and transfer paper. Print out your vinyl. Clean the receiving surface. Remove the background from your vinyl. Apply the vinyl transfer paper to the vinyl. Align the transfer paper on the object. Use a scraping tool to press the vinyl down. Wash your fabric. Print your heat transfer design if you are using a photo or intricate design. Print a template if you are transferring a solid pattern. Arrange your design on the fabric with the backing facing up. Use a hot iron to transfer your design. Peel off the backing.

https://www.wikihow.com/Print-a-Webpage

How to Print a Webpage

If you need to print a webpage, pull up the page in your browser. If you're on a PC, press Ctrl + P to pull up the Print dialog box. If you're on a Mac, press Command + P instead. You may also be able to pull up this box from your browser's options page. For instance, on Google Chrome, you would click the 3 vertical buttons, then click “Print...” Make sure your printer is selected, then click the “Print” button.

Open the page you want to print in Google Chrome. You'll usually find Chrome in the Start menu (PC) or in the Applications folder (Mac). Press Ctrl+P (PC) or ⌘ Command+P (Mac). This opens the Printing window. A preview of the printed version of the page will appear. Because websites are made to be viewed on the screen, the printed version may look different than it does in your browser. Scroll through the preview to see what the print-out will look like, and then continue with this method to make any necessary changes. Select a printer. If the printer you want to use is not already selected, select it now. Select which pages to print. If you don't need to print all of the pages that appear in the preview, enter the page range you want to print into the blank(s) under “Pages.” To edit additional options, such as whether you want your pages to print on both sides (if supported by your printer), click More Settings at the bottom, and then make your adjustments. Click Print. This sends the webpage to your printer. Open the page you want to print in Safari. To launch Safari, click the blue, red, and white compass icon typically found on the Dock. If you're printing an article that has ads (and would prefer to print only the text and images), try enabling Reader Mode. Click the button with 4 horizontal lines on the left side of the address bar, if available for the current site. Press ⌘ Command+P. This opens your Mac's Print dialog window, which displays a preview of how the print will look. Because websites are made to be viewed on the screen, the printed version may look different than it does in your browser. Scroll through the preview to see what the print-out will look like, and then continue with this method to make any necessary changes. Select your printer from the “Printer” drop-down menu. It may take a few seconds for your printer to appear in the list. Click Show Details to expand more printing options. It's at the bottom of the window. Select which pages to print. If you don't need to print all of the pages in the preview, check the box next to “From” under “Pages,” and then enter the page range. For example, if you want to print pages 1, 2, and 3, enter “1” into the first box next to “From,” and “3” into the second box. Select additional preferences. Before you print the page, go through the remaining print options and make sure you've selected or deselected all desired options. Click Print. This sends the webpage to your printer. Open the page you want to print in Microsoft Edge. You'll usually find Edge in the Start menu. If you're printing an article that has ads, try enabling Reading View so the ads don't wind up in your print job. To do this, click the open book icon on the right side of the address bar (at the top of Edge). Reading View is not available for all websites. Press Ctrl+P. This opens the Print dialog box, which displays a preview of how the print will look. Because websites are made to be viewed on the screen, the printed version will usually look a little different than the version on the web. Scroll through the preview to see what the final printed document will look like. All printers and setups are different, so you may see different options or menu names on your computer. Select your printer from the drop-down menu. It's at the top-left corner of the window. Select which pages to print. Click the “Pages” drop-down menu, and then select your desired option. #* To print everything on the page you have open, select All pages. To print only the page that appears in the preview on the right side of the window, select Current page. To choose which pages to print, select Custom range , and then enter the range. For example, enter 1-3 if you want to print the first, second, and third pages. Adjust the size and margins as needed. If the preview cuts off parts of the page you want to print, select Shrink to fit from the “Scale” menu so the entire page fits into the printing area. If you want more white space around the printing area, select Moderate or Wide from the “Margins” menu. To reduce the margins, select Normal or Narrow. To edit additional options, such as whether you want your pages to print on both sides (if supported by your printer), click More Settings at the bottom, and then make your adjustments. Click Print. This sends the webpage to your printer. Open the page you want to print in Firefox. You'll usually find Firefox in the Start menu (PC) or in the Applications folder (Mac). Click the ≡ menu. It's at the top-right corner of Firefox. Click Print. This opens a preview of the printed page. Because websites are made to be viewed on the screen, the printed version may look different than it does in your browser. Scroll through the preview to see what the print-out will look like, and then continue with this method to make any necessary changes. All printers and setups are different, so you may see different options or menu names on your computer. Click Page Setup. It's at the top of the screen. Adjust your preferences and click OK. The printing preview will update to reflect your changes. Click Print. It's at the top-left corner of the preview screen. This opens your PC or Mac's printer window. Select a printer. If the printer you want to use is not already selected, select the correct one now. Click Show Details if you’re using a Mac. If you see “Hide Options” instead, just skip to the next step. Select which pages to print. If you don't need to print all of the pages that appear in the preview, enter the page range you want to print into the blank(s) under “Pages.” Enter additional printing preferences. Before you print the document, go through the remaining print options and make sure you've selected or deselected all desired options. If you're using Windows, click Properties or More Settings to see other settings. Click Print or OK. This sends the webpage to your printer.

Open the page you want to print in Google Chrome. Press Ctrl+P (PC) or ⌘ Command+P (Mac). Select a printer. Select which pages to print. Click Print. Open the page you want to print in Safari. Press ⌘ Command+P. Select your printer from the “Printer” drop-down menu. Click Show Details to expand more printing options. Select which pages to print. Select additional preferences. Click Print. Open the page you want to print in Microsoft Edge. Press Ctrl+P. Select your printer from the drop-down menu. Select which pages to print. Adjust the size and margins as needed. Click Print. Open the page you want to print in Firefox. Click the ≡ menu. Click Print. Click Page Setup. Adjust your preferences and click OK. Click Print. Select a printer. Click Show Details if you’re using a Mac. Select which pages to print. Enter additional printing preferences. Click Print or OK.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Hair-Silky-and-Shiny-with-Vinegar

How to Make Your Hair Silky and Shiny with Vinegar

To make your hair silky and shiny with vinegar, start by diluting ¼ cup of white or apple cider vinegar with ¼ cup of water, since vinegar is too strong to use by itself. Then, shampoo your hair as usual, using lukewarm or cool water, since hot water can make your hair look dull and frizzy. Next, pour the diluted vinegar over your hair, massage it into your scalp, and smooth it into your hair from the roots to the tips. Let the vinegar sit for 5-10 minutes before rinsing your hair with cool water, and repeat the process 1 to 2 times a week for the best results.

Mix vinegar and water. Plain vinegar is too strong to use on hair, so it's important to dilute it with water first. One-fourth cup of vinegar and one-fourth cup of water should be enough for a single hair rinse. If your hair is quite oily, you can add an extra tablespoon of vinegar. If your hair is dry or you tend to have dandruff, add a tablespoon of water. Curly hair and color treated or permed hair should be treated with a much more diluted solution, anywhere from 2 to 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar work well here. Many prefer using apple cider vinegar in the shower because the smell is less intense. Shampoo your hair as normal. Go ahead and wash your hair with your normal shampoo. If possible, use lukewarm or cool water. Using hot water causes hair to look dull and frizzy. Cold water will help your hair shaft lie flat and contribute to the shiny, smooth look you're after. Skip the conditioner. Since you're using a vinegar rinse, there's no need to condition your hair after shampooing. The rinse will leave your hair soft and smooth. Pour the rinse into your hair. Slowly pour it over your scalp and try to distribute it evenly over the top of your head. Use your fingers to massage it into your scalp and smooth it into your hair from the roots to the tips. Wait five to ten minutes. This will allow the rinse to fully soak into your hair. Use the time to complete your shower routine. Rinse your hair with cool water. Give it a quick rinse to remove the extra vinegar from your hair. There's no need to go overboard, since the smell of the vinegar will be gone once your hair dries. your hair as usual. Dry Either let it air dry or use a hair dryer to dry your hair. When you're finished, it will be silky and soft. The vinegar smell should be gone. Repeat once or twice a week. You may love the results of your rinse so much you're tempted to repeat it every time you wash your hair. However, vinegar can dry out your hair if you use it too often. Use it just once or twice a week to remove buildup in your hair and restore shine. Try adding a tablespoon of honey. Honey has both clarifying and moisturizing properties, making it a great addition to a hair rinse. This is especially helpful if your hair tends to be a little dry. Honey also smells fantastic and can combat the vinegar smell while you're in the shower. If you want to try adding honey, here's how to do it: Make your vinegar rinse with warm water to help the honey dissolve. Pour it into a container with a lid. Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey. Put the lid on the container and shake well before use. Use an egg white for extra shine. Egg whites, like vinegar, clarify hair and make it look beautifully shiny. Since you've already got the vinegar out, why not try adding an egg? You can also use an egg white in place of vinegar if you happen to be out when your hair needs a rinse. Here's how to use an egg white in your rinse: Mix up your vinegar rinse as normal. Place it in a container with a lid. Separate one egg, letting the white drop into the container with the vinegar. If you have dry hair you can apply the yolk to the ends for extra moisture. Place the lid on the container and shake well before use. Consider using a little oil to moisturize your hair. If your hair is quite dry, you can massage a bit of oil into the ends before rinsing your hair with the vinegar. Try: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond oil 1/2 to 1 teaspoon olive oil Scent the vinegar with nourishing herbs. If you're having trouble with this rinse because you don't like the smell of vinegar, you might want to try scenting it with herbs. The herbs impart a gentle scent that helps to mask the vinegar and make it more pleasant to use. Here's how to do it: Mix your vinegar rinse as usual, and pour it into a small saucepan. Add a tablespoon of your favorite dried herb, like lavender, rose hips, sage, mint, or rosemary. Bring the rinse to a simmer and let the herbs cook for 10 minutes. Strain the herbs from the rinse and let it cool before use. Try it with essential oils. Using essential oils is another easy way to mask the scent of the vinegar and make your rinse smell great. Some essential oils are even beneficial to hair in their own right. Mix up your rinse as usual and stir in 5 to 10 drops of one of these essential oils: Lavender. It has a soothing effect and is often used in skin and hair products. Tea tree oil. It can help combat dandruff and has a strong herbaceous scent. Lemongrass. This energizing scent effectively masks the vinegar smell.

Mix vinegar and water. Shampoo your hair as normal. Skip the conditioner. Pour the rinse into your hair. Wait five to ten minutes. Rinse your hair with cool water. your hair as usual. Repeat once or twice a week. Try adding a tablespoon of honey. Use an egg white for extra shine. Consider using a little oil to moisturize your hair. Scent the vinegar with nourishing herbs. Try it with essential oils.

https://www.wikihow.com/Jump-Rope-for-Weight-Loss

How to Jump Rope for Weight Loss

If you want to lose weight by jumping rope, make sure to use a rope made from plastic rather than cotton, since it'll last longer and the faster speed will make for a more intense workout. When you start out, master the basic jump by practicing for 15 to 20 minutes a day. While it might be tempting to jump as fast as you can, focus on your form because it's important to keep your hands at your hips and elbows close to your sides. Once you're better at jumping, incorporate it into a strength training circuit by alternating exercises like lunges, pushups, and planks with rope jumping. To add variety to your jumping, practice hopping side to side while doing basic jumps.

Look for a beaded or plastic rope. Plastic “speed” ropes are more durable than cotton ropes and whip around faster, which will create a more intense workout. They're also good for doing advanced jump rope moves, like the single leg jump or the alternate foot jump. Measure the rope to your height. It's important to use a rope that fits your height. To measure the rope: Stand in the middle of the rope. The handles should extend to your armpits. If the handles go past your armpits, cut and adjust the length as necessary. Jump on a waxed or wooden floor. This will help to gradually prepare your lower body for the impact of jumping. Don't jump on hard surfaces like concrete, as this can put stress on your knees and lead to injury. Practice a basic jump. Master the form of the basic jump before you try any variations or tricks. Hold the rope with your hands at hip height and keep your elbows slightly bent. Make sure your upper arms are close to your sides. Roll your shoulders back and down and keep your chest out. Jump one to two inches off the floor, giving the rope just enough space to slip under your feet. Land on the balls of your feet. Keep your elbows close to your sides as you turn the rope. The movement should come from your wrists and forearms, not from your shoulders. Make turns that are no bigger than two inches, as any bigger will cause you to jump too high. Make your jumps small and consistent. Do 10-15 jumps to warm up and get the feel for the basic jump. If you get tired before you finish 15 jumps, drop the rope but keep your arms and legs going. You can work up to using the rope full-time. Jump rope every day for 15-20 minutes. Once you feel comfortable with the basic jump, practice jumping rope once a day. Keep track of how many jumps you can do in 15-20 minutes. Don't sacrifice form for speed. Make sure you keep your elbows in as you turn and you do not jump higher than one to two inches off the ground. Integrate the basic jump into a strength training circuit. This will help you lose weight and get better at jumping rope. Try a 15 minute circuit, once a day, to burn fat and tone your body. You will need a jump rope, a timer, and an exercise mat. Jump rope for 1 minute, with both feet together. Do 20 lunges, 10 per side. Jump rope for 1 minute. Do 10 pushups. Jump rope for 1 minute with both feet together. Do a 30-second plank. Jump rope for 1 minute. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this circuit one more time, with a one minute rest between each circuit. Do side to side jumps. Hold the jump rope in the correct position. Jump a few inches to your left as you swing your rope. Then, jump a few inches to your right as you swing the rope. Get into a rhythm as you jump from side to side. Practice 10 side to side jumps, or as many as you can do in one minute. Practice alternate foot jumps. Instead of jumping with both feet at once, alternate your feet, as if you are running in place. Keep your knees lifted to the front and try to jump a little higher than 1 inch off the floor. As you land, stay on the balls of your feet. Do 10 alternate foot jumps, or as many as you can do in one minute. Try single leg lift jumps. Begin by jumping only on your right foot. Land softly on the balls of your feet. Then, switch to jumping only on your left foot. Land softly. Keep your shoulders rolled back and your upper body straight as you jump. Continue to do single leg lift jumps, five on each side. Or do as many as you can in one minute. Do a 15 minute jump rope routine. Once you feel you are comfortable with these variations, try to put them all together into a jump rope routine that will burn calories and tone your body. You will need a jump rope and a timer. Start with the basic jump, for one minute. Go into side to side jumps, for one minute. Do alternate foot jumps, for one minute. Finish with single leg jumps, for one minute. Switch legs each time you jump. Repeat this circuit two to three times, with a one minute break between each circuit. Practice this routine once a day to see improvements.

Look for a beaded or plastic rope. Measure the rope to your height. Jump on a waxed or wooden floor. Practice a basic jump. Jump rope every day for 15-20 minutes. Integrate the basic jump into a strength training circuit. Do side to side jumps. Practice alternate foot jumps. Try single leg lift jumps. Do a 15 minute jump rope routine.

https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Web-Design

How to Learn Web Design

If you want to learn web design, there are a ton of tools and resources to help you get started. Web design can be a little complicated, so take some college classes or do an online course to learn the basics. Start with HTML, which is one of the most common languages used to format websites. Try downloading some website templates to experiment with and learn how HTML works. Once you're comfortable with HTML, move onto CSS, which is a popular style sheet language that lets you apply different style and design elements to a website. After you've mastered HTML and CSS, consider learning more complicated languages like JavaScript, Python, and PHP to expand your skillset.

Check online for web design courses and tutorials. The Internet is full of detailed information about web design, and a lot of it is freely available. You might start by taking some free online courses on Udemy or CodeCademy, or joining a coding community like freeCodeCamp. You can also find web design video tutorials on YouTube. If you know exactly what you're looking for, try doing a search using specific terms (e.g., “class selectors in CSS tutorial”). If you're a beginner with no web design experience, start by learning about the basics of coding in HTML and CSS. Look into taking a class at a local college or university. If you are attending a college or university, check with your school's computer science department or consult your course catalog to find out if any web design courses are available. If you're not in school, check to see if any colleges or universities near you offer continuing education classes in web design. Some universities offer online web design classes that are open to anyone who wishes to enroll. Check websites like Coursera.org to find free or affordable web design classes taught by university instructors. Get some web design books from the bookstore or library. A good book on web design can be an invaluable reference as you are learning and applying your craft. Look for up-to-date books on general web design or specific coding formats and languages you would like to learn. Reading magazines and blog articles about web design is also a good way to learn new techniques, get inspiration, and keep up with the latest trends. Download or purchase some web design software. Good web design software can help you build websites more efficiently and effectively, and is also great for helping you learn the ins and outs of applying coding, scripting, and other key design elements. You might benefit from using tools such as: Graphic design programs, like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or Sketch. Website building tools, such as WordPress, Chrome DevTools, or Adobe Dreamweaver. FTP software for transferring your finished files onto your server. Find some website templates to play with as you get started. There's nothing wrong with using templates as you learn the basics of web design. Do a search for webpage templates you like, and take a close look at the code to get an idea of how the designer put the page together. You can also experiment with changing the code and adding your own elements to the template. Do a search for free website templates to get started, or experiment with templates that come with your web design software. Familiarize yourself with basic HTML tags. HTML is a simple markup language that's used to format the basic elements of a website. You can format different elements of your website by using tags. Tags appear in angled brackets <> before and after each element, and provide instructions about how that element will function on the page. To close the tag, put a / in front of the final tag inside the angled brackets. For example, if you want some of your text to be bold , you would surround the element with the <b></b> tag, like this: <b>This text is bold.</b> A few common tags include <p></p> (paragraph), <a></a> (anchor, which defines linked text), and <font></font> (font, which can help define various attributes of the text, like size and color). Other tags define the different parts of the HTML document itself. For example, <head></head> is used to contain information about the page that will not be visible to the viewer, like keywords or a page description that would appear in search engine results. Learn to use tag attributes. Some tags need additional information to specify how they should function. This additional information appears within the opening tag, and it is called an “attribute.” The attribute name appears immediately after the tag name, separated by a space. The attribute value is attached to the attribute name by an = sign and surrounded by quotation marks. For example, if you wanted to make some of your text red, you could do it by using the <font></font> tag and an appropriate font color attribute, like this: <font color=“#FF0000”>This text is red.</font> Many of the effects that were once routinely achieved with HTML tag attributes, such as setting different font colors, are now typically done with CSS coding instead. Experiment with nested elements. HTML also allows you to place elements within other elements in order to create more complex formatting. For example, if you wanted to define a paragraph and then italicize some of the text within the paragraph, you could do it like this: <p>I <i>love</i> coding!</p> Get acquainted with empty elements. Some elements in HTML don't need both opening and closing tags. For example, if you're inserting an image, you only need a single “img” tag containing the tag name and any other necessary attributes (such as the image file name and any alternative text you wish to add for accessibility purposes). For example: <img src=“PGWodehouse.jpg” alt=“A photograph of author P. G. Wodehouse”> Explore the basic layout of an HTML document. In order for your HTML-based website to function properly, you'll need to know how to format the entire page. This involves defining where your html code begins and ends, as well as using tags to determine which parts of the code will be displayed versus which are there to provide hidden background information. For example: Use the tag <!DOCTYPE html> to define your page as an HTML document. Next, contain your entire page within the tags <html></html> to define where your code begins and ends. Place any information that won't be displayed to the viewer, such as the page title, keywords, and your page description, within the <head></head> tags. Define the body of your page (i.e., any text and images that you want the viewer to see) with the <body></body> tags. Use CSS to apply styles to your HTML documents. CSS is a stylesheet language that allows you to apply different style and design elements to your webpage. For example, if you want to selectively apply a specific font or text color to some of the text elements on your page, you can create a CSS file to do that. Then, you can insert the CSS file into your HTML document wherever you like. For example, if you wanted a CSS file to turn all the paragraph elements in your HTML document green, you could create a.css file containing the lines: p { color: green; } You would then save the file with a name like style.css. To apply the stylesheet to your HTML document, you would insert it as an empty link element within the <head></head> tags. For example: <head><link href=“styles/style.css” rel=“stylesheet” type=“text/css”></head> Get familiar with the elements of a CSS rule set. An individual piece of CSS code is called a “rule set.” The rule set contains the different elements that define what you want your code to do. These include: The selector, which defines the HTML element you want to style. For example, if you want your rule set to affect paragraph elements, you would start your ruleset with the letter “p”. The declaration, which defines the properties you would like to style (such as font color). The declaration is contained within curly brackets {}. The property, which specifies which property of the HTML element you want to style. For example, within the <p></p> tag, you can specify that you want to style the color of the text. The property value defines specifically how you want to change the property (e.g., if the property is font color, then the property value would be “green”). You can modify several different properties within a single declaration. Apply CSS to your text to make your typesetting look nice. CSS is useful for applying a variety of effects to your text without having to individually code each property in HTML. Experiment with changing different typesetting properties in CSS, including: Font color Font size Font family (e.g., the range of fonts you want to use in your text) Text alignment Line height Letter spacing Experiment with boxes and other CSS layout tools. CSS is also useful for adding attractive visual elements to your page, such as text boxes and tables. Additionally, you can use it to change the overall layout of your page and define where the different elements are positioned relative to each other. For example, you can define attributes like the width and background color of an element, add a border, or set margins that will create space between the various elements on your page. Learn JavaScript if you want to add interactive elements to your pages. JavaScript is a great language to learn if you're interested in adding more advanced features to your websites, such as animations and popups. Take a course or look for online tutorials about how to code in JavaScript and incorporate those coded elements into your web pages |using HTML. Before you can get comfortable with JavaScript, you'll need to be familiar with the basics of building pages in HTML and CSS. Familiarize yourself with jQuery to make JavaScript coding easier. jQuery is a JavaScript library that can simplify Java programming by allowing you to access a variety of pre-coded JavaScript elements. jQuery is a great tool if you are already familiar with the basics of JavaScript coding. You can access the jQuery library and lots of other valuable resources through jQuery.org, the website of the jQuery Foundation. Study server-side languages if you’re interested in back-end development. While HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are ideal for web designers who are focused on what the user sees and does on the website, server-side languages are useful if you're more interested in behind-the-scenes work. If you want to learn about back-end development, focus on learning languages like Python , PHP, and Ruby on Rails. These languages are useful for managing and processing data that the user does not see. For example, PHP can be used to build secure password creation tools on websites that require a login.

Check online for web design courses and tutorials. Look into taking a class at a local college or university. Get some web design books from the bookstore or library. Download or purchase some web design software. Find some website templates to play with as you get started. Familiarize yourself with basic HTML tags. Learn to use tag attributes. Experiment with nested elements. Get acquainted with empty elements. Explore the basic layout of an HTML document. Use CSS to apply styles to your HTML documents. Get familiar with the elements of a CSS rule set. Apply CSS to your text to make your typesetting look nice. Experiment with boxes and other CSS layout tools. Learn JavaScript if you want to add interactive elements to your pages. Familiarize yourself with jQuery to make JavaScript coding easier. Study server-side languages if you’re interested in back-end development.

https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Wine-Connoisseur

How to Become a Wine Connoisseur

To become a wine connoisseur, start by paying attention to the color, aroma, and taste of the wine as you sip it, and try to notice what makes it unique. Also, make sure you learn the various wine aroma terms like fruity, mineral, and spicy, so you can appropriately describe the wines you're tasting. Then, to keep track of the wines you've tried and what you've learned, download a wine diary app for your phone or keep a small notebook handy. As you learn more, try visiting websites like wineeducation.com, where you can take quizzes to test your knowledge about wine.

Drink wine with the 4 S's in mind. Even if you don't know much about wine, you probably know that there's a certain way you're supposed to drink it. Truly, you can drink it however you want – but to get the most out of its aroma and taste, a legitimate art has been formed. Here are the basics in four steps: See it. Examine the color. If it's older, a white will be darker and a red will be lighter (by and large). The color can also tell you a bit about the aging processed use. A Chardonnay, for example, will be more golden if aged in oak barrels. Swirl it. Coat the sides of the glass by swirling the wine around gently. This releases the aroma, helping you truly taste what's in front of you. Smell it. If it's white, look for citrus-y or tropical notes, like lemon and lime, or even melon. You may also be able to detect vanilla or oak. Generally speaking, cooler places produce more citrus-y, tangy wines. If it's red, look for berry or plum scents. Cooler places will fall on the red berry side of the spectrum (like strawberry and cherry), while warmer places will showcase darker scents, like blackberry or plum. You'll also find coffee, smoke, and chocolate as major contenders. Sip it. This will be a combination of taste and smell. As you sip it, simply ask yourself whether or not you like it. Then you can move onto why. Know your tannins and terroir. Oenophiles and connoisseurs will throw around the term "tannin." This is a textural element of wine that makes it "dry." Try a very "dry" wine, and you'll get the sense for what this word means (obviously any liquid isn't actually dry). Tannins are naturally occurring in grapes (and bark and wood and leaves, actually) and they add a bitterness, astringency, and complexity to a wine's flavor. For the record, this applies mostly to red wines. "Terroir" is basically the wine's background – the climate and soil type of where it was grown, the topography, and what other plants were growing in the area. This largely influences the grapes. After all, some wines (American) are bottled by grape, sure, but others (European) are bottled just by region. Terroir is what makes a wine, well, itself. Get your temperatures right. Each type of wine should be served at a slightly different temperature for its best taste to surface. Here's what you should know before you throw that wine-tasting gala and invite all your friends over to your house: Red wine should be served between 59–64 °F (15–18 °C) Pink or rosé wines should be served slightly chilled around 44–55 °F (7–13 °C) White wine and sparkling wine should be kept in the fridge below 43–50 °F (6–10 °C) After that wonderful wine-tasting party, make sure to drink light wines (less alcohol, around 11%) 3 days after opening. Bolder wines are fine for consumption up to a week. Use the right glass. Each type of wine does best in a certain size and shape of glass to open up their aroma to the fullest. To do your wine justice, put it in the right glass: A standard wine glass will do well for most reds. A Cabernet Sauvignon should have a slightly taller, narrower bowl, and make sure your Pinot Noir pour is just an ounce or two. White wines are also good in standard glasses – but Chardonnay needs a slightly wider brim. A Port needs to be in a large flute; Madeira should be in a large hock glass; Sherry is best in a narrow martini-esque glass. Vintage sparkling wines are best in a coupe, tulip, or flute. Know how to hold the glass, too. You will never be mistaken for a wine connoisseur if you're holding your glass incorrectly. To look like an expert, holding and swilling wine like it's your job, make sure to hold the glass by its stem. This goes double for white wines that are chilled – you don't want the heat of your hands warming the bowl, altering the taste. To swirl the wine around the bowl, rotate at your wrist, not your entire arm. The smell of the wine will then fill the bowl of the glass, opening up its flavor profile. Familiarize yourself with how to describe a wine's aroma. Being a wine connoisseur is mainly about being able to describe what you're tasting and recognize what's happening on your palette. To get at a wine's aroma, there are generally five categories: fruity, mineral, dairy and nutty, sweet and wooden, and spicy and savory. Here's what "flavors" fall under each: Fruity. Pretty much any fruit, including the aroma of jam Mineral. Flint, stones, earthen, gasoline Dairy and nutty. Butter, cream, yeast, bread, toast, grilled nuts, biscuits, almonds Sweet and wooden. Chocolate, toffee, butterscotch, honey, vanilla, oak, and cedar Spicy and savory. Tobacco, smoke, licorice, pepper, truffles, bacon, coffee, cinnamon Go to a wine shop and ask the staff for recommendations. Look for bottles of wine with write-ups near them, award citations and high magazine ratings. Try to go when you know the store is holding a tasting with samples – for many, this is on Saturday mornings. Pick the staff's brains – what are their favorites and why? Come in with a meal plan in mind. That way you can buy wines that match the taste of the food you're serving and start exploring combinations. As a rule of thumb, red wines go with red meat; white wines go with white meat. And champagne goes with just about everything, but master the basics first. Attend a local wine tasting or a wine appreciation class. These are held at adult schools, wine-making schools, wineries, and fine restaurants. Don't feel intimidated – many people who think they can distinguish between a $2 bottle of dirt and a nice vintage often can't. If you visit a winery, make time to go in for more than just the tasting. You'll learn how wine is made, see how the grapes are grown and be taught the proper procedure for drinking wine. Join a wine group. Wine is trendy. There are wine bars, wine stores, wine newsletters, and even wine podcasts. Finding a group of wine-lovers in your area is probably much easier than you think it is. Finding like-minded people who have connections and know what's going on in the area is the first step to developing your expertise. Most groups have individuals at all levels – from those that want to buy their own winery to those who just like drinking wine. There will be a place for you in yours. Have an informal tasting at home, a friend's house, or a BYOB restaurant where each person brings a different bottle of wine. This way you can taste a bunch of different things without spending a lot of money. And, not to mention, you get a great deal of wine experience (and wine!). Make sure you have palette cleansers to munch on or drink between sips. Stick to bland crackers (like water crackers) or bread (a plain french loaf; nothing grainy) and water. Graber olives and rare roast beef are also sometimes used. Stay away from cheeses and fruits that are normally served with wines, as those will mask the true flavor of each. Buy a notebook (or get the app for that). Now that you're about to be fully immersed in the wide world of wines, get something to remember your experiences with. This could be as simple as a notebook and pen or an app on your phone (search for "wine diary" or something similar). This way you remember which bottles you love, which you hate, and the characteristics of each wine you run across. Some websites like Cellartracker are community based. You can then share and compare notes with other oenophiles and dive head-first into the cyber wine-loving community, too. Start exploring wine varieties. Many people start with a fruity white white that is subtle in flavor and some happen to stop there. You probably have a couple of wines that you know are safe – so start branching out! Move onto rose wines, and start busting into reds with a vengeance. Even if you don't like it, now you know if you like it or not. Not only should you switch up varieties, but switch up brands and years, too. Just because you dislike one producer's Chardonnay doesn't mean you won't like another's. Every wine is unique – and it can depend on your mood, too. Find your "Aha! " wine. Plenty of people spend years in the realm of, "Oh, I don't really care for robust reds," or "Moscato is just too sweet," and their expertise and understanding stops there. And then bam – an "aha" wine hits. It's that wine where you can actually taste the cedar, or the smoke, or the chocolate. All of a sudden, you get it. And how do you find your "aha" wine? Trial and error. And an "aha" wine doesn't have to be good or, rather, one you enjoy. It simply has to be one where all of a sudden your palette gets it. It can sort out the variety of aromas in a single glass and knows what it likes and dislikes and better yet, why. Start researching. Now that you've got your feet wet, start going outside of your own circle for information. Read books and blogs on wine. Try The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia by Tom Stevenson or wineeducation.com, where you can even take quizzes on your growing wine knowledge. Purchase wine guides. Subscribe to wine magazines. The possibilities are almost endless. Subscribe to free, informative online wine newsletters. Do a quick Google search for reputable websites that are devoted to building a community of wine lovers. GrapeRadio is a podcast devoted to wine – even in the midst of rush hour, you could be honing your skills. Get bolder and bolder. So you've got the taste of a Pinot Grigio down. You know the difference between a good Merlot and a good Cabernet. But there's so much more to it than that. You've done the basics, so let's get bold. Here's a few to try: Syrah / Shiraz Malbec Petite Sirah Mourvedre / Monastrell Touriga Nacional Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot Start widening your "wine-describing" vocabulary. The difference between someone who loves wine and someone who is a wine connoisseur is largely the fact that they can confidently talk about it to others (and accurately, to boot). Here's a few goals to hit when describing your next few glasses: You can name more than 2 fruits as flavors in the wine You can name more than 3 other characteristics such as cinnamon, oregano, roses, chalk or baking spices The palate of the wine changes from the moment you taste it to the moment you swallow, and you can identify how Try sparkling wines, ice wines and dessert wines. You've gone bold, now let's go a bit off the main path: try other wines, like sparkling, dessert, and ice wines (ice wines are made from grapes that have experienced a frost). They're not the wines you'll be experiencing with a main course at a 5-star restaurant, but they're important nonetheless. Experience wines from a variety of countries and various locales, such as a New Zealand and British wines, or wines from South Dakota and Idaho. Don't just stick to Californian wines or European wines – even when it comes to sweet, dessert wines. Learn about different grape varieties. Traditionally fine wine was made from mainly French grape varieties, but now a much wider range of grape varieties are being used. Wineries are popping up all over the place, and the "terroir" of your average grape is changing. How do you feel about each region and variety? France, Italy, Spain, China,Turkey, and the US are the main producers of wine (though they are by no means the only), and each have specific varieties of grapes that are able to grown in their respective regions. Because of this, wines from different areas of the world will taste different. What's your take on them? Go back to the basics. Now that you're a world traveler when it comes to wine, go back to the very first wines you tried. There will be such difference you'll wonder who the person was that tasted it originally, or how it's possible the wine has completely morphed – but it's undeniable that it has. Take that basic Chardonnay that's been sitting in your cupboard and take a sip, basking in your progress. It'll become evident to you how much your palette has changed. It'll also become evident which wines you love and which you won't even bother trying anymore. For a real challenge, get blind taste-testing glasses and see if you remain consistent. Look for a wine school in your area. Most host courses or tastings, offering you some sort of "certificate" or "accreditation" upon finishing. Local adult schools and restaurants also hold wine appreciation classes. When people ask if you know wine, you can mention that you've even studied it. Though, for the record, just like anything else, you don't need school to become a connoisseur. It's just an easy way to prove that you know your stuff. Take the Court of Masters test. In America, to be a master sommelier, you need to take the Court of Masters test. There's a course you can take (you have to apply), though you can take the test without taking the course. This is as high as you can get in the wine world – and it comes with quite the badge of respect. They also offer international courses. Currently there are only 140 Master Sommeliers in North America. Ready to be the next?

Drink wine with the 4 S's in mind. Know your tannins and terroir. Get your temperatures right. Use the right glass. Know how to hold the glass, too. Familiarize yourself with how to describe a wine's aroma. Go to a wine shop and ask the staff for recommendations. Attend a local wine tasting or a wine appreciation class. Join a wine group. Have an informal tasting at home, a friend's house, or a BYOB restaurant where each person brings a different bottle of wine. Buy a notebook (or get the app for that). Start exploring wine varieties. Find your "Aha! Start researching. Get bolder and bolder. Start widening your "wine-describing" vocabulary. Try sparkling wines, ice wines and dessert wines. Learn about different grape varieties. Go back to the basics. Look for a wine school in your area. Take the Court of Masters test.

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Low-Cost-Home-Gym

How to Build a Low Cost Home Gym

You can easily build a low-cost gym at home with only a few hundred dollars or less. To cut down on costs, start by buying equipment you know you'll use frequently. If you're a runner, it makes sense to buy a treadmill, but if you're more into weightlifting you can probably skip it. If you want to lift weights, invest in a high-quality adjustable bench since this can be used for all sorts of exercises. Then, supplement bigger equipment with inexpensive but useful items like a yoga mat, an ab wheel, an exercise ball, dumbbells, and resistance bands.

Measure the dimensions of your workout space. Before you buy any equipment, you'll want to know how much room you have to store it in. Write down your measurements and have them on hand when you're shopping for supplies for your home gym. If you're converting a small space into a home gym, keep in mind that you may not have room for a lot of big equipment. Try to prioritize which equipment is most important to you. Decide what your fitness goals are. Knowing your goals will help you make smarter choices when you're buying equipment. Write your goals down and organize them by exercise type (endurance, strength, balance, etc) so you know what kind of equipment you should be getting. For example, if your goal is to work on your endurance, it may make sense for you to get a treadmill. But if you're only interested in building muscle, a treadmill probably isn't a good thing to spend your limited resources on. Count the outlets in your workout space. If you want to buy workout machines for your home gym, you'll need somewhere to plug them in. If your workout space only has one outlet, it may be a hassle if you have 3 different machines. Keep that in mind when you're doing your shopping. Skip out on workout machines if you want to save more money. Workout machines can be expensive, and it's possible to do most workouts at home using weights, resistance bands, and an exercise ball. You can also install a pull-up bar so you can workout your back muscles without large equipment. If you feel like you need a workout machine, try to find one that's versatile so you get the most bang for your buck. Seek out equipment-less exercise. Particularly for cardio and general fitness, a lot can be accomplished with little financial investment. The web is full of useful guides to full, high-intensity cardio workouts which require no equipment. Yoga and pilates are two disciplines which practice exercise using next to no equipment. Buy a foam roller. One item that's accrued tremendous popularity in the past several years is the versatile foam roller. Basic, quality foam rollers can be found starting from $10. If you're looking for the even more cost-effective route, buy a length of PVC pipe at the hardware store and wrap it in a beach towel for a DIY foam roller. Purchase an ab wheel. Whether to help your back or to change things up, you may be wanting to move past crunches and planks when exercising your abdominal muscles. An ab wheel is a simple, one-step solution to this problem. A common item, you should be able to find one for less than $20. Get a burst-resistant stability ball. These balls are one of the most versatile items in all of fitness. They are excellent for abdominal work as they support the spine and isolate the stomach muscles. A stability ball works the abs better than a crunch or sit-up. These balls are highly versatile. The ball may even take the place of a bench in some exercises. Consider splurging for a cardio machine. Ideally this will be a stationary bike. Good quality stationary bikes can usually be found for only a couple of hundred dollars, whereas an equal quality treadmill might go well into the thousands. Stationary bikes are also adjustable, so you won't have to worry (as you would with an elliptical) about finding one that fits your body. Keep an eye out for gyms going out of business. Usually they'll offload their equipment to the public, and there's usually no cheaper way of buying quality equipment. Get a high quality adjustable bench. If you can only go big on one item, have this be it. An adjustable bench will replace the need for an incline bench, a flat bench, and a decline bench. One adjustable bench will save you hundreds of dollars compared to buying all three single benches. An adjustable bench is highly versatile and can be used in almost any exercise. If an adjustable bench is out of your price range, use an exercise ball instead. Pick up a set or two of dumbbells. Dumbbells have long been hailed as the better choice among strength training equipment. They are much smaller than large home gym machines and much cheaper. If you could only buy one thing to go towards strength training, this should be it. Dumbbells/free weights will always form the foundation of any budget home gym. If you are already quite strong you should get the standard Olympic dumbbells, which weigh about 12lb (unloaded) and can be loaded with up to 200lbs each. If you don't have the space to keep dumbbells, consider using resistance bands instead. Make some sandbags. If you happen to have spare construction materials this is a great way to make use of them. You'll also need an old duffel bag or exercise bags; fill either with sand or gravel and tape the opening up well. These can be used for any number of exercises which call for weight resistance. Buy some resistance bands. The simplest and lowest cost of strength equipment, you can switch dumbbells for resistance bands in any exercise that uses them. Find a place to anchor one side of the band and you can emulate any standing machine to work out whatever your other equipment has left lacking. Build a pulling sled/tire. A bit of a DIY endeavor, building a pull sled is a cost-effective way of building leg strength and general physicality. The most basic recipe calls for simply a tow rope and a large tire; attach one to the other and you're good to go. Other more involved plans will usually involve some welding. Purchase a pull-up bar. Usually they can be found for no more than $15 to $20. Make sure you have a sturdy door frame in your home on which to use it. Try to buy one that doubles as a bar to do tricep lifts and push-ups; having one of these bars makes it much easier on your wrists when doing push-ups. Invest in an Olympic bar with bumper plates. If you can afford it, this big purchase will bring your strength training up a level. Bumper plates are more durable compared to ordinary plates as they're rubber coated and allow to be dropped on the floor. Barbells allow mini increments in weight used from 100GMS-1KG. This is highly useful for the higher level lifters who are plateauing. Keep in mind that an Olympic bar with bumper plates will take up a lot of space. Have it secluded. While not a consideration for the budget, do your best to have your home gym in a place of little disturbance. This will aid tremendously in committing to your exercise by cutting down on distractions, encouraging you to focus on the task at hand. Regardless of how much you spend, don't spend it on stuff you'll end up not using. Having a special place for it all gives a proper home and makes it less likely to be labelled "clutter." Don't skip the flooring. Unless your home gym is floored with carpet, you should seriously consider buying some padded flooring, if only for a corner of the room. Necessary for yoga and other stretches, padded flooring is an advantage for all exercises. It will make most exercise much more comfortable by reducing the wear and tear faced by your knees and other joints. Keep a TV or stereo in the room. Take a cue from professional gyms and allow yourself a bit of distraction while working out. A television is doubly useful if you are a fan of exercise videos to follow along with. Music can also be an effective stimulant for your work-out; there have been studies linking music with the appropriate rhythm to longer-lasting work outs. Consider buying wall mirrors. More than just a cosmetic touch, having a mirror to watch yourself exercise is helpful in troubleshooting any problems of form. Since you'll most often be exercising alone in your home gym, you won't have a partner to advise on your technique. Don't let looking good in the mirror drive your exercises, however. Be sure to target more than just the "show" muscles.

Measure the dimensions of your workout space. Decide what your fitness goals are. Count the outlets in your workout space. Skip out on workout machines if you want to save more money. Seek out equipment-less exercise. Buy a foam roller. Purchase an ab wheel. Get a burst-resistant stability ball. Consider splurging for a cardio machine. Get a high quality adjustable bench. Pick up a set or two of dumbbells. Make some sandbags. Buy some resistance bands. Build a pulling sled/tire. Purchase a pull-up bar. Invest in an Olympic bar with bumper plates. Have it secluded. Don't skip the flooring. Keep a TV or stereo in the room. Consider buying wall mirrors.

https://www.wikihow.com/Touch-Your-Toes

How to Touch Your Toes

To touch your toes, start by squatting down toward the ground and gripping your toes with your fingers. Then, slowly raise your butt and straighten out your knees, keeping your fingers on your toes. Once your legs are fully extended, hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds. Finally, squat back down to the ground and repeat.

Do stretching after a warm-up or exercise. When muscles have been properly warmed up there is better blood supply to the connective tissues, which can prevent injuries during stretching. Studies also show reduced performance after stretching, so now the recommendation is the opposite of what it used to be; only stretch after you exercise and if you're not planning on doing any serious exercise, be sure to warm up before you stretch. Stretch your lower back. Many people don't consider the muscle groups in their lower back when considering flexibility, but you can stretch these muscles to help avoid strains for any number of exercises. The cat-camel stretch is a great way to stretch lower back muscles. Simply get down on all fours and alternate between rounding your back toward the ceiling and pushing your stomach toward the floor while lifting your buttocks. Hold each position for 15-30 seconds at a degree where you feel a nice stretch but no discomfort. The alternating concave and convex postures will help stretch out several of your lower back muscles. For several other lower back stretches, you can consult How to Do a Lower Back Stretch Safely. Stretch your hips. A great hip flexor stretch consists of getting down on one knee as though you were proposing in a traditional fashion, and then leaning forward to put weight on the front leg to stretch the hip flexors in the lowered leg. You want to hold the position for roughly 30 seconds before switching legs and completing the exercise again. If you're working on total flexibility, you can find other great hip stretches at How to Perform Hip Flexor Stretches. Stretch your hamstrings. Though stretching several muscle groups helps, you are most likely to feel the stretch of touching your toes in your hamstrings. You can easily stretch your hamstrings by laying on the floor next to a wall corner or doorframe and placing the heel of one foot up on the wall before slowly straightening the knee until your feel a good stretch without discomfort. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds before switching to the other leg and repeating. Since stretching your hamstrings is so integral to touching your toes, you may also want to look at some of the other exercises elaborated at How to Stretch Hamstrings. Stretch your calves. Next to your hamstrings, your calves are the second largest muscle group you'll feel while touching your toes. You can stretch your calves in a similar fashion to the hip flexor stretch, but this time remain stranding and keep the heel of your back foot firmly planted while leaning forward on the opposite foot. You also want to hold this stretch for 30 seconds before switching legs. Make sure you don't rotate your feet at all, and it may also help to brace against a wall in front of you with your hands. For this and additional methods for stretching your calves, you can consult How to Stretch Your Calves. Massage your plantar fascia. The above calf stretch is also good for one's plantar fascia, but in addition to this, you can also massage these tissues on the bottom of the foot by placing a hard ball such as a lacrosse ball or baseball on the floor under the arch of your foot and rolling it side to side and back and forth with your foot for up to two minutes. You want to place some weight down onto the foot in order to feel the muscles stretch but not enough to cause any discomfort. Touch Your Toes. Once you have warmed up and stretched all of the component muscle groups needed to reach your toes, you should find it much easier to reach them, or at least get closer than you previously were able. Lay on the floor with your legs straight out and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Now that you've done all of the necessary stretches, you can work on actually reaching those toes. Begin by laying flat on the floor with your toes pointed up. Put your arms straight above your head. This may look as though you're reaching for the ceiling, but some people find it easier to lower into the stretch with their arms rather than lunge them forward toward their feet. Complete a sit up. Stretch farther forward the way you would at the top of a sit up but without returning to the ground. Touch your toes. Now that you've reached the full extension of your stretch, you should be able to touch your toes. However, don't strain if you can't. It can take several weeks or more of these various stretches before you can actually reach your toes. Hold for 20-30 Seconds. Hold the position for as long as you can without straining up to 30 seconds. You may also choose to repeat touching your toes multiples times as part of your exercise routine. Always perform the exercise in a controlled, steady fashion and without darting your hands toward your feet because that will only lead to strains. Squat down toward ground. Now that you've touched your toes while sitting, try doing it from a standing position, which many people find more difficult. Begin by squatting down. This position will look like a frog-like squat with your knees bent and your back arched. Place your fingers on your toes. Since this method requires starting with your fingers on your toes, then straightening your legs out after, put your fingers on your toes while squatting. Some may find it easier to place their fingers under their toes in order to actually grip their toes instead of touching them alone. Raise your buttocks and straighten your knees. Stand up slowly, but keep your fingers on/under your feet. Contract your core muscles to keep your lower back supported and lift the pelvic floor muscles and keep them braced before lifting up. As you lift, you will especially feel the stretch in your glutes and hamstrings. Try to reach the point where both your legs and back are straight. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds. Hold the position but don't strain yourself. Keep your head in line with your spine. Additionally, if you can't quite reach the point where your legs are straight, hold it at a position where you feel a nice stretch without discomfort. The full extension will come in increments with continued attempts. Once you can easily touch your toes, the next step in this stretching exercise is to build up to doing it with your palms flat on the ground just in front of your feet as opposed to simply touching your toes. Repeat it multiple times. As with touching your toes while sitting, you may choose to do this stretch several times over the course of your stretching routine.

Do stretching after a warm-up or exercise. Stretch your lower back. Stretch your hips. Stretch your hamstrings. Stretch your calves. Massage your plantar fascia. Touch Your Toes. Lay on the floor with your legs straight out and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Put your arms straight above your head. Complete a sit up. Touch your toes. Hold for 20-30 Seconds. Squat down toward ground. Place your fingers on your toes. Raise your buttocks and straighten your knees. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds. Repeat it multiple times.

https://www.wikihow.com/Weave-a-Willow-Basket

How to Weave a Willow Basket

To weave a basket, first cut 8 thick willow shoots to 30 centimeters each for the base, or longer if you want a bigger basket. Make sure you have presoaked your willow shoots to be pliable. Then, use a sharp knife to cut vertical 5 centimeter slits in the centers of the base shoots. To form the slath, line up 4 of the base shoots and weave them through the slits of the remaining 4 shoots. Finally, secure two thin shoots at the base, and begin weaving in a circle using an over and under pattern.

Get a bundle of willow shoots. Baskets can be made with any type of pliable reed, grass, vine or branch, but willow is a popular choice because it creates such a sturdy basket when it dries. You can cut your own willow or buy dried willow shoots from a craft store. You'll need a great big bundle of thick, medium and thin shoots for the different parts of the basket. Make sure you have plenty of long, thin shoots - the longer the better, so you don't have to add new ones as often. If you cut your own willow shoots, you'll need to dry them before you use them. Willow shoots shrink when they dry the first time. Lay them out to dry for several weeks before using. Rehydrate the willow shoots. In order to use willow shoots to weave, you'll need to rehydrate them to make them pliable. Soak the shoots in water for a few days, until they will easily bend without breaking. Cut the base shoots. Choose several thick shoots that will serve as the basket's base. Use a hand pruner to cut 8 pieces of willow of equal lengths. The size of your base willow pieces will determine the circumference of your basket's bottom. For a small basket, cut each length to 30 centimeter (11.8 in). For a medium basket, cut each length to 60 centimeter (23.6 in). For a large basket, cut each length to 90 centimeter (35.4 in). Slit the centers of 4 of the pieces. Start by laying one piece in front of you on your work surface. Use a very sharp knife to make a 5 centimeter (2.0 in) vertical slit in the center of the willow piece. Do the same with three more of the base pieces, so that you have 4 pieces with slits in the middle. Construct the slath. This is the foundation of the basket base. Line up the 4 slitted pieces so that the slits are adjacent. Thread the 4 remaining pieces through the slits so that they lie flat and are perpendicular to the slitted pieces. You now have a cross shape composed of the 4 slitted pieces threaded through with the other 4 base pieces. This is called a slath. Each limb of the slath is called a spoke. Insert two weavers. Now it's time to actually start weaving your basket! Find two long, thin shoots of similar length. Insert the ends of the shoots into the left edge of the horizontal slit in your slath, so that the small shoots extend outward next to one of the spokes. These two thinner shoots are called "weavers." Weavers are woven around the spokes to create the basket shape. Do a pairing weave to secure the slath. "Pairing" is a type of weaving that uses two weavers, creating a secure base for your basket. Separate the weavers and bend them to the right over the adjacent spoke. Place one weaver over the spoke and one weaver under the spoke and gather them on the right side of the spoke. Now bring the bottom weaver up over the next spoke on the slath, and bring the top weaver under the spoke. Turn the slath and keep weaving, bringing the weaver that is now the bottom weaver over the next spoke, and the top weaver under the spoke. Keep pairing around the 4 spokes until you've created 2 rows. Make sure each twist in the weave goes in the same direction. Weave tightly so that the rows lie snugly next to each other. Separate the spokes. The third time around, it's time to separate the individual spokes to form the round shape of you basket bottom. Now, instead of pairing around the grouped spokes, separate them and pair around each one individually using the exact same weaving method. It might help to first bend each spoke outward so that they fan out like bicycle spokes. Ensure each spoke is separated by the same amount of space before you start weaving. Continue pairing around the spokes until the basket base has reached the diameter you want. Add new weavers when necessary. When you run out of length and need to add a new weaver, select one as close as possible to the side of the old weaver. Use a knife to create a pointed tip on the new weaver. Insert it between the weave of the last two rows and bend it to follow the path of the old weaver. Make sure it's securely in place, then use the hand pruner to trim off the end of the old weaver. Continue weaving using the new weaver. Don't replace more than one weaver at a time. Replacing two or more weavers in the same place could create a weak spot in the basket. Stake up the basket. Choose 8 long, medium-sized willow shoots to serve as the basket's "stakes." These are the vertical pieces that form the structure of the sides of the basket. Use your knife to sharpen the ends of the stakes into points. Insert a stake alongside each of your spokes, pushing each one down into the weave as close to the center as possible. Bend the stakes upward so that they are pointing toward the sky. Use the hand pruner to trim the spokes back so that they're level with the edge of the weave, then tie the stakes together at their tips to keep them in place. Weave two rows of three rod wale. This weave requires three weavers, which are woven among the stakes to set them in position. Find three long, thin shoots. Sharpen the ends into points. Insert the shoots into the base of the basket on the left side of three consecutive stakes. Now do two rows of the weave as follows: Bend the far left weaver to the right in front of two stakes. Pass it behind the third stake and out to the front. Take the next far left weaver and bend it to the right in front of two stakes. Pass it behind the third stake and out to the front. Continue weaving this way, always starting with the far left weaver, until you have two rows of three rod wale. Untie the stakes at the top. Add weavers to the sides of the basket. Find 8 long, thin shoots. Use your knife to sharpen the ends into points. Insert one weaver into the basket behind a stake. Bend it over the next stake to the left, pass it behind the stake to the left of that one, and pass it back to the front. Now insert a second weaver behind the stake to the right of the starting point of your first weaver and do the same - pass it over the stake to the left, under the stake to the left of that one, and back to the front. Continue adding weavers this way until there is one weaver next to each stake. When you insert the last two weavers, you'll need to lift up the first weavers a bit to make room to add the last weavers underneath. Use an awl or a long nail. This type of weaving is called French Randing. It's a popular weave that results in even, upright sides. Weave the sides. Take a weaver and pass it in front of the stake to the left, then behind the stake to the left of that, and bring the end out to the front. Take the next weaver to the right of the starting weaver and pass it in front of the stake to the left, then behind the stake to the left of that, and bring the end out to the front. Continue weaving this way around the whole basket, always starting with the next weaver to the right. When you get back to the start, you'll see that there are two weavers behind the last two stakes. Both weavers need to be woven around the stakes. Do the bottom weaver first, then do the top weaver. For the last stake, do the bottom weaver first, then the top weaver. Continue randing until you've built up the sides as high as you'd like them to go, then trim the tips of the weavers. Secure the weave with a row of three rod wale. Find three long, thin shoots. Sharpen the ends into points. Insert the shoots on the left side of three consecutive stakes. Now do one row of waling as follows: Bend the far left weaver to the right in front of two stakes. Pass it behind the third stake and out to the front. Take the next far left weaver and bend it to the right in front of two stakes. Pass it behind the third stake and out to the front. Continue weaving this way, always starting with the far left weaver, until you have a row of three rod wale. Finish the rim. Bend one of the stakes to the right and pass it behind the first two stakes. Pass it in front of the third and fourth stakes. Pass it behind the fifth stake, then pass it back to the front. Repeat with the next stake to the right of your starting stake. The last two stakes won't have other stakes to weave around, since they'll all be woven into the rim. Instead of weaving around stakes, follow the same pattern but thread the tip in and out of the border. Cut the tips of the woven stakes even with the side of the basket. Make the base. Find a thick shoot to use as the base. Bend it over the basket, holding the ends in place, to find out how high you want the handle to be. Cut it to size, leaving several inches of extra length on each side. Sharpen the ends into points and insert them into the basket next to two stakes directly opposite each other. Insert five thin shoots into the weave alongside the handle. Sharpen the ends and insert them deep into the weave so that they lay right next to each other. Wrap the handle with the shoots. Gather the shoots and wrap them around the handle like a ribbon until you reach the other end of the handle. Make sure the shoots lie flat right next to each other. Tuck the tips under the top of the woven rim. Insert five thin shoots on the other side of the handle. Working in the other direction, wrap the shoots around the handle to fill the the gaps where it isn't already covered by the first set of shoots. Keep wrapping the handle until you reach the other side, then tuck the ends into the top of the woven rim. Secure the sides of the handle. Insert a thin shoot into the weave alongside one side of the handle. Bend toward the handle and wrap the base of the handle several times to secure the wrapped shoots in place. Keep wrapping tightly until the base of the handle is secure, then pass the end of the shoot under the last wrap and pull it tight, then trim the tip. Secure the other side of the handle the same way.

Get a bundle of willow shoots. Rehydrate the willow shoots. Cut the base shoots. Slit the centers of 4 of the pieces. Construct the slath. Insert two weavers. Do a pairing weave to secure the slath. Separate the spokes. Add new weavers when necessary. Stake up the basket. Weave two rows of three rod wale. Add weavers to the sides of the basket. Weave the sides. Secure the weave with a row of three rod wale. Finish the rim. Make the base. Insert five thin shoots into the weave alongside the handle. Wrap the handle with the shoots. Insert five thin shoots on the other side of the handle. Secure the sides of the handle.

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Narrative-Paragraph

How to Write a Narrative Paragraph

A narrative paragraph tells a chronological story that can either be real or fictional. A good narrative starts with a strong topic sentence that draws the reader in and introduces the tale you're going to tell. For example, you might start your paragraph with "I'll never forget the day I picked out my new puppy." Once you hook your reader, introduce any major characters involved in the tale. After you set the scene, introduce the main conflict in the story, which you'll want to resolve by the end. For instance, you might write "When we arrived at the breeder's, I was disappointed. There weren't any puppies in sight. But then I heard a whistle and saw a bunch of puppies race around the corner." Your narrative paragraph should be around 9 sentences long.

Plan to tell your narrative from the first or third person perspective. Use "I," "he," "she," "it," or "they" as the subject to tell your story. While narrative paragraphs are most often told from the first person perspective—relating a story that happened to you—they can also be told from a third person perspective. You could relate something that happened to someone else, even a fictional person. Use a consistent tense. Refer to the prompt or guidelines for the assignment, if applicable, to determine which tense you should use. If there are none, you can choose either past or present tense. Just be sure to use 1 tense consistently throughout the entire paragraph, and avoid switching between tenses. The exception would be if you were switching between the current discussion of the story's meaning (in present tense) and the narrative of the story's events (past tense). Create an engaging topic sentence. Draw the reader into your narrative paragraph by creating excitement or suspense with your opening sentence. This sentence should introduce the purpose of the paragraph—the story—and make the reader want to read further. A good first-person topic sentence might be, “I'll never forget the time I picked out my new puppy.” If you were using third person, the same topic sentence would be written, “He would never forget the time he picked out his new puppy.” Present any major characters involved in the story. Introduce any people who will play an important role in the story so the reader understands who is a part of the narrative. You don't need to introduce every character you will talk about, but it's helpful to introduce people who advance the action. For the first-person example about picking out a new puppy, you might continue, “My mom drove me to the breeder, which was 45 minutes away.” Set the scene of the story. Provide a setting for your story and orient your reader to the time your story happens. This helps them place themselves in the narrator's shoes and understand their state of mind for the events. You might say: “I was 11, so the car ride seemed like an eternity. We lived in Wisconsin at the time, and the breeder was in Chicago.” All background information after the topic sentence, such as other characters and where the story takes place, should be approximately 1-4 sentences long. Plan to write a narrative paragraph of at least 9 sentences. Write 1 topic sentence, 1-4 sentences of background information, 2-4 sentences to start the story, 3-5 sentences to present the conflict, 1-3 sentences to resolve the conflict, and 1-2 sentences to provide a conclusion. While the length of your paragraph will vary based on the content, a standard 5-sentence paragraph likely will not provide enough detail to tell a complete narrative. Present the story chronologically from its beginning. Start the story by describing the problem or idea that kicks off the action. It could be anything from a telephone call to a desire for some milk. This start to the story should be 1-4 sentences. You could say, ”When we arrived at the breeder, I felt dismayed. I didn't see any puppies at all.” Relate the central conflict of the story. Add narrative detail to explain what happens next in the story. Over 3-5 sentences, this should rise to a central point of drama or conflict. You might continue, ”The breeder whistled. I was relieved when the puppies bounded around a corner and into the entryway. I saw a puppy in my favorite color—white—with two black spots. 'Mom, can we keep him?' I asked hopefully. She paused for a minute, seeming to reconsider getting a puppy at all.” Provide resolution to the story. Detail for the reader how the story ends. In a good story, often this ending will be a surprise twist or simply a happy moment. If there were any special consequences for the narrator, relate those as well. You could end, “Then, mom smiled. 'Only if we can name him Oreo.' I hugged her, and Oreo gave me a lick of approval.” Resolution could be as brief as 1 sentence or as many as 3. End the story with a conclusion that reflects on the event. Use your conclusion to give an opinion regarding the story. It might give insight into how the event affects the narrator (perhaps you) in the present day or how it affected choices the narrator made since that event. Typically this is 1-2 sentences long. Regarding the puppy story, you might say, ”It was the happiest day of my life.” The nature of your conclusion will depend greatly on the tone and content of your story as well as the perspective the story is told from. Proofread your paragraph for spelling and grammar issues. Look over your paragraph to make sure it is readable and doesn't have typos or grammar mistakes. Print out a hard copy of your paragraph rather than trying to edit it on the computer. Reading your story out loud is a great way to listen for grammar problems and other spots that don't quite flow. Don't rely on spell-check, as it won't catch everything! Reread your paragraph to make sure the story stands on its own. Give your paragraph a final read to make sure the story makes sense. If someone walked up to you and told you this story, would you need additional information? If so, provide any additional details necessary to comprehend the story easily.

Plan to tell your narrative from the first or third person perspective. Use a consistent tense. Create an engaging topic sentence. Present any major characters involved in the story. Set the scene of the story. Plan to write a narrative paragraph of at least 9 sentences. Present the story chronologically from its beginning. Relate the central conflict of the story. Provide resolution to the story. End the story with a conclusion that reflects on the event. Proofread your paragraph for spelling and grammar issues. Reread your paragraph to make sure the story stands on its own.

https://www.wikihow.com/Wind-a-Watch

How to Wind a Watch

To wind a manual movement watch, hold the watch face up in your non-dominant hand and use your dominant hand to find the “stem,” which is the small dial on the side of the watch face. Pull the stem out, and then turn it so that the watch hands move clockwise. Stop winding when you feel resistance in the stem, then press it back into its place.

Lay the wristwatch on a table. Remove the wristwatch from your arm or storage. If you wind a watch while it is on the arm, with the watch tight against the skin, the winding motion may not be effective. Winding a watch while attached to your arm places strain on the mechanics in the watch because of the angle on your arm and the stem. Locate the stem, which will be pulled out to wind the watch. The stem is a small dial on the side of the watch. Hold the watch face up in your left hand. Reverse the position, if you are left-handed. The stem may have several settings, including settings for time, calendar, alarm, or time zone. The settings are located at little "clicks" as you pull the stem out or push it in. Use trial and error to feel the clicks and identify the winding position. Pull out the watch’s stem. Use your thumb and index finger to carefully pull out the watch stem by the stem's top or "crown." This can be difficult because you do not want to over-wind the mechanism. Wind the watch’s stem. You should wind the watch clockwise until you feel resistance. Be conservative and don't keep turning once you feel resistance. You can damage the watch if you continue to wind the stem past resistance. In time, you will develop a feel for the resistance. If the watch runs down sooner than you like, you know you did not quite hit the maximum tension. Depending on the size of the watch, 20 to 40 forward turns should lead to resistance; over-winding will strain or break the mechanism. Return the watch to its normal state. Press the crown to return stem to its place. Be careful to put the watch's components back exactly as you started. Never shove or force parts when handling the stem and crown of a watch. Research your watch. Sometimes manual movement watches can last up to five days with one wind. This doesn't mean your watch operates on automatic movement. Check the packaging details or research the serial code online to find out more info. You can always wait to see how long your watch lasts from one wind. If it is an automatic movement watch, the watch will operate for a long time. The automatic movement will lose wind if it is not worn regularly. Prepare your watch. Take the watch off your wrist to properly set the wind. It is important that you be cautious when handling the stem of the watch. The stem is connected to several important mechanisms inside your watch that you don't want to break. Fiddling with the stem of your watch while it's attached to your arm could bend or damage it. Locate the crown. Automatic movement is similar to a manual movement watch, except that it is powered by a rotor which maintains the watches energy. The crown should also set the time, date, or other function on your watch. Like a manual movement watch, you'll need to pull the crown out to expose the stem. A good way to test what each level of the stem does is to test each one. The level that winds the watch shouldn't appear differently on the outside. Wind the crown. Once you've determined which level of the stem affects the wind, you're ready to set your watch. Twist the crown clockwise until you feel resistance. It's important not to go past the point of resistance on your stem. You can break mechanical bits in your watch if you twist too far. Go to a watch specialist if you've twisted the stem too far. Put the watch back together. Once you've wound the watch, you can set the time and other functions. Check the face of your watch to be certain which components you're affecting. Use a digital watch to set an accurate time and date. Wind the watch daily. A wound watch will run accurately from 18 to 36 hours - depending on the mechanism. Larger watches have larger mechanisms. Smaller watches have smaller, more delicate mechanisms. Mechanical watches should be wound at least weekly, even if they are in storage. It might become routine if you wind the watch when dressing in the morning or before bed. Clean your watch. You don't need to purchase specialty oils or cleaners to care for your watch. Clean your watch with a toothbrush and warm water. Dip the toothbrush in the warm water and wipe off the bristles to remove excess water. Scrub the exterior and inside the stem with the toothbrush. Don't use too much force when cleaning inside the stem and crown. Don't remove the screws and attempt to clean the gears, unless you know how to. Consult a watch specialist about cleaning the inside of your wristwatch. Store your watch properly. Watches are delicate instruments and you should be cautious when putting one away in storage. The best way to protect your watch is by wrapping it in a protective coating. This could be bubble wrap or another packaging protective fabric. You should store the watch in an environment that is cool, clean, and dust free. Keep the watch out of direct sunlight. You should attempt to wind it every week while in storage.

Lay the wristwatch on a table. Hold the watch face up in your left hand. Pull out the watch’s stem. Wind the watch’s stem. Return the watch to its normal state. Research your watch. Prepare your watch. Locate the crown. Wind the crown. Put the watch back together. Wind the watch daily. Clean your watch. Store your watch properly.

https://www.wikihow.com/Polish-Rocks

How to Polish Rocks

To polish a stone with sandpaper, start by removing any parts of the rock you don't want with a hammer or chisel. Then, use 50 grade sandpaper to continue shaping the stone to your liking. When you're happy with the shape, use 150 grade sandpaper to remove scratches left by the rougher sandpaper. For the last sanding stage, use sandpaper between 300 and 600 grade to get rid of any remaining scratches. Finish by rubbing the stone with a piece of leather covered in clear polish.

Choose the right rock. You can polish any stone you wish, but there are certain characteristics of a stone that will make it easier to polish. If you want an easy stone to polish, pick a somewhat softer stone like onyx, limestone or calcite. Stones that are very hard will take a much longer time to polish. However, though hard rocks take a long time to sand, they yield more shine than softer rocks. To tell if a stone is soft, scratch it with another rock. If the scratch looks chalky, the stone is soft. Also try to pick a rock with a roundish shape, without major protrusions or indentations. Wash the rock. If your rock is dirty, wash it thoroughly with soap and water. Use a scrub brush to remove any stubborn dirt or debris. After you are done washing the rock, pat it dry. Shape the rock. If you want your rock to be rounder, use a small hammer or a chisel to chip away at the stone. Put on safety glasses to protect your eyes from chipped off rock, and wear safety gloves if you wish. Chip at any outcroppings or sections that jut out. If you are happy with the shape of your rock, don't worry about shaping it. You can also rub the stone over a slab of concrete to break off any protrusions. Rub the stone of rough grade sandpaper. 50 grade is the roughest grade of sandpaper, and is great for further shaping your rock. Use the sandpaper on any protrusions or bumps in the rock you want to smooth. If you are happy with the overall shape of the rock, give the rock an even sanding with the 50 grade sandpaper to smooth it evenly. Use fine grade sandpaper to remove scratches. Take the stone and rub it with the 150 grade sandpaper. You may notice that the coarse 50 grade sandpaper left scratches in the rock; go over these scratches with the 150 grade sandpaper to smooth and erase these scratches. Sand with 300 to 600 grade sandpaper. Do an overall sanding of the rock with sandpaper in a grade from 300 to 600. Focus particularly on any scratches in the rock. This grade of sandpaper is fine and won't create scratches, but it can correct any scratches left by the sandpaper in other grades. Rub the stone with a piece of leather with polish. After you are done sanding your rock, polish it using leather and tube polish. Purchase a tube of polish and a sheet of leather from a hardware store if you don't already have them around the house. Then put a couple dabs of polish on the leather and rub the stone against it. This should give the stone a beautiful, lustrous shine. Make sure not to buy colored polish, or it may stain the stone. Buy a rock tumbler and grit. Rock tumblers are great for rock polishing because they give the rock a more defined shine than hand-polishing, and they can polish dozens of rocks at once. You can buy rock tumblers online from specialty sites or Amazon. Keep in mind that pricing of rock tumblers varies dramatically, so buy one in accordance with your needs. Also purchase grit designed for rock polishing in coarse (80 grit), medium (220 grit) and fine (400 grit) grinds. A cheap, plastic tumbler is a good option if you only want to use it a few times. Spring for a more expensive tumbler if you can see rock polishing as a new hobby. Select and sort your rocks. Before you start polishing your rocks, sort them so that the rocks you put into the tumbler are of similar hardness and surface shape. You don't want to put rocks of different hardness in the tumbler because the harder rocks will wear down and scratch the softer rocks. You also don't want to put in differently shaped rocks, with some being jagged while others round, because the rounder rocks will get polished faster than the irregular rocks. Try to put in rocks of various sizes. This will help the rocks achieve a more uniform shaping. Fill the tumbler ½ - ¾ full of rocks. First, wash your rocks with soap and water. Once washed, drop the rocks of similar hardness and shape into the tumbler. Then take the rocks out of the tumbler and weigh them. After weighing them, put them back in the tumbler. Run the tumbler with course grit. Measure out.1 pound of grit for every pound of rocks in the tumbler. Then pour water into the tumbler until it reaches the bottom of the top layer of rocks. Seal the lid of the tumbler and turn it on. Run the tumbler for 24 hours and then open it to check on the progress of the rocks. Then put the lid back on and start the tumbler again. Tumble the rocks for 3 to 7 days, checking every 24 hours to make sure that everything is going smoothly. The coarse grit is meant to smooth out the shape of the rocks. For rounder rocks, it should only take about 3 days to get a nice shape. For more jagged rocks, it may take about 7 to even the surface out. Checking every 24 hours lets you see the progress of the rocks. After checking, you may decide that either they are ready for the next step, or that you want to keep tumbling them for another day. Take the rocks out of the tumbler. After 3-7 days, take the rocks out of the tumbler and place them in a pan. Clean the grit off of the rocks and clean the inside of the tumbler. Don't wash the grit down the sink because it will solidify and clog your drain. Instead, throw it in the garbage. Thoroughly wash your rocks and the tumbler until they are spotless. Having even small amounts of coarse grit left over can disrupt the next part of the process. Run the tumbler with medium grit. Place the clean rocks back in the tumbler. Put in the same amount of medium grit as you did coarse grit. Then fill the tumbler with water until the water reaches the bottom of the top layer of rocks. Seal the lid on the tumbler and turn it on. Run the tumbler for four or five days, checking every 24 hours. After four or five days, stop the machine and open it up. Place the rocks in a container and clean out the grit. Again, make sure that the rocks and the container are completely clean, and throw out the grit instead of flushing it away. Tumble with fine grit. Place the clean rocks back into the tumbler. Put in the same amount of fine grit as you did coarse and medium. Pour in water until it touches the bottom of the top layer of rocks. Then put on the lid and start the tumbling process. This cycle should take about 7 days. Check every 24 hours to check the progress. This is the last stage of using grit, so don't cut the cycle short until you are happy with the smoothness and shininess of the rocks. You may need to clean a rock off to see the shine when you're checking in on the progress of the rocks. Clean the rocks and the tumbler. Thoroughly clean the rocks and the tumbler. Make sure that you have removed all the grit from the nooks and crannies of the tumbler, as this can affect its future performance. When you remove the grit from your rocks, you'll see that they are brilliant and shiny! Do a final polish. Sometimes soft rocks don't get the brilliance you need just by tumbling. To add a finishing touch to rocks that need more shine, use leather and polish. Dab a bit of polish onto a sheet of leather, then rub the rock against it, making sure to use the polish on the entire surface. This gives the rock the brilliance that you want!

Choose the right rock. Wash the rock. Shape the rock. Rub the stone of rough grade sandpaper. Use fine grade sandpaper to remove scratches. Sand with 300 to 600 grade sandpaper. Rub the stone with a piece of leather with polish. Buy a rock tumbler and grit. Select and sort your rocks. Fill the tumbler ½ - ¾ full of rocks. Run the tumbler with course grit. Take the rocks out of the tumbler. Run the tumbler with medium grit. Tumble with fine grit. Clean the rocks and the tumbler. Do a final polish.

https://www.wikihow.com/Smash-in-Badminton

How to Smash in Badminton

To smash in badminton, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. When the shuttle comes toward you, hold your racket upright and as far back as possible. Then, inhale deeply and and swing your racket to connect with the shuttle at the highest point possible. As you hit the shuttle, shuffle your feet forward, then follow all the way through with your swing.

Approach the shuttlecock with a forehand grip. Be on your toes and ready to return the shuttle with a smash at any instant. You never know when a smash-worthy shot will present itself. When the shuttle is hit to your end of the court, get underneath and behind it as quickly as possible. The sooner you reach the spot where the shuttle appears to be incoming, the higher it will be and the more time you'll have to set up a killer smash. You may hear serious badminton players call this kind of maneuver “injection of pace.” All this means is that you add a boost of speed so you have more time to react. Assume a surefooted stance. If the shuttle comes in hot, you might not have a lot of time to react. In ideal conditions, both of your feet will be pointing to the side of the court. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your eyes tracking the ball. Balance is more important at this point than winding up for your smash. If you're not well-balanced, it'll negatively impact your smash. Raise your arms and prepare to strike. Hold your racket upright and as far back as possible while still being comfortable. The arm of your non-racket hand should be bent at the elbow and the hand should be at about chin level. The fingers of your non-racket hand can be positioned however you like. Curling your fingers into a fist is most popular, but you can leave them spread out, too. As you prepare to strike, imagine the angle the shuttle will travel. It should be as steep downward as possible while still making it over the net. Raising your non-racket hand will act as a counterbalance for your racket hand, providing greater stability for your smash. Strike the shuttlecock. Aim to connect with the shuttle at the highest point possible. Inhale deeply before you swing and stretch out your non-racket arm so it's roughly shoulder level. Swing with your full racket-arm and exhale as you do so. As you swing, your racket foot should shuffle forward. Power is important at this point, but even more important is hitting the shuttle with the center of the racket. When you feel the racket come in contact with the shuttle, snap your wrist downward. This will add power and steepness to the stroke. You can increase the power of your smash by contracting your abs at the same time you swing at the shuttle. Follow through with your swing and recover for the next rally. An overhead smash will be much more difficult for your opponent(s) to return. But in the event they manage to get it back over the net, you'll need to be ready to send it right back. Get under and behind the shuttlecock quickly. Getting to the shuttle quickly is even more important for a jumping smash. If you move too slowly, the shuttle will be too low for you to get the most out of this swing. Hold the racket in a forehand grip on the approach. An overhead smash is very similar in the beginning to a regular smash: your body and feet should face side-court and your stance should be firm. The jumping smash will return the shuttle with greater power and at a steeper angle, making it even more difficult to return. Keep your body loose but ready. It's common to tense your muscles when preparing to jump, but this can restrict your range of motion. Prepare to jump. While keeping your eyes on the shuttle, stretch back your racket arm as far as you can. Your non-racket arm will be about level with your ribs and bent at the elbow. Bend a little at the knees and lean forward slightly. All set? Now you're ready to jump. Jump to intercept the shuttle at the highest point you can reach. Take a deep breath and drive downwards with your racket foot to jump into the air. Stretch out your non-racket arm so it's above your head and off to your side to maintain balance while in the air. Timing is the key for a wicked jumping smash. In the best case scenario, you'll be airborne and starting to swing at the highest point of your jump. When going into the jump, your legs should be mostly straight. As you reach the intercept point, bend your legs backwards. Smash the shuttle over the net. Swing your racket forward to hit the shuttle and, as you do so, lower your non-racket arm to your side and straighten it at the elbow. Simultaneously, squeeze your abs as hard as you can and bring your racket foot forward a little. Envision a clear mental picture of the angle you want to send the shuttle on back over the net. This will help improve accuracy. If you have not started far enough behind the shuttle, or if you're too far behind it, you won't be able to fully extend your arm as you swing. This will decrease the power of your smash. Follow through and stick the landing. Continue the motion of your swing after hitting the shuttle until your arm is facing forward and mostly straight. As you approach the ground, bring your racket foot farther forward so you're ready to land. Stabilize after landing and be ready to return the shuttle. Jump smashes are most suitable on poor returns, where the shuttle is launched high toward the center of the court. Choose your moment carefully. The backhand smash is an advanced, offensive strike that is one of the most difficult shots to return. The backhand smash is ideal for returns that send the shuttle high but relatively short. This shot gives your opponent little chance to react. Because this stroke is a little more difficult, make sure you've gotten the hang of the backhand stroke before attempting it. To perform a backhand smash, it's especially important to be able to switch to a backhand grip quickly and naturally. Position yourself to backhand smash. Get underneath and slightly behind the shuttle, as you would normally. Switch to a backhand grip and point your body at the back of the court. The faster you are able to switch your grip, the more power this smash will have. Opposite of most other smashes in badminton, to get the most devastating smash, you'll need your racket arm as close to your body as possible. Much like other smashes, your non-racket arm should act as a counterbalance for your racket arm throughout this stroke. Crush the shuttle and get ready for the return. This should be a smooth, complete motion that extends through the point of contact until your arm is roughly straight. Upon contact, snap your wrist quickly in a flicking motion. Avoid gripping your racket too tightly for the best control. As your racket approaches the shuttle, imagine the angle that will take it over the net with as little clearance as possible. It's very easy to lose your balance when performing the backhand smash. Remember to use your non-racket arm to stabilize yourself.

Approach the shuttlecock with a forehand grip. Assume a surefooted stance. Raise your arms and prepare to strike. Strike the shuttlecock. Follow through with your swing and recover for the next rally. Get under and behind the shuttlecock quickly. Prepare to jump. Jump to intercept the shuttle at the highest point you can reach. Smash the shuttle over the net. Follow through and stick the landing. Choose your moment carefully. Position yourself to backhand smash. Crush the shuttle and get ready for the return.

https://www.wikihow.com/Rap

How to Rap

To be a great rapper, start by rapping along to your favorite songs to feel their rhythm. Rap over instrumental versions and adapt songs to other beats and tempos, then try a capella in your own voice and style. Once you're comfortable rapping on different beats, start creating at least 10 of your own honest, authentic rhymes every day. Practice your raps a few times a day, stressing consonants, keeping your words sharp, and staying on rhythm, then challenge yourself to freestyle and create your own beats.

Listen to lots of rap. If you want to rap, you've got to immerse yourself in the culture and the sounds of hip-hop music. It's a style of music deeply ingrained in city life and culture. Find an artist you like and trace their influences back to get some sense of the foundation of hip-hop and develop your knowledge of the style. Listen to popular rap artists (e.g. Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Snoop Dogg), listen to underground artists (e.g. R.A. The Rugged Man), listen to old-school rappers (e.g. Kurtis Blow, The Sugarhill Gang, LL Cool J), listen to complex rhymers like Nas, Eminem, Big Pun and Rakim. Listen to the music of different regions: listen to New York-style "boom-bap" hip-hop, West Coast gangsta rap, Dirty South chopped-and-screwed rap, and also the hip-hop of the underground. Listen to the music in your region. Contemporary rap music is linked to mixtape culture. An online version of the old-school mixtapes is available at record stores, most rappers album-quality material is available for free download as a promotional tactic. Check out your favorite rapper's mixtapes and branch out. It's free, so you can listen to stuff you might not even like and form an opinion about it. Get rhythm. Rapping is about more than saying something that rhymes. If you want to rap, you'll have to get a feel for the music in your bones. If your brain and body are not conscious and in tune with the beat, your rap will feel stiff and unnatural. When you listen to some rap that you like, try to ignore the words. Just listen to the instrumental, and how the flow of the words seems to fit into the beat. Consider beatboxing as a tool to learning rhythm—not only will this help you understand rhythm, but it will be a useful technique once you start rapping yourself. Rap along. Memorize the words to your favorite rap song and rap along in your earphones, in your stereo, in your car, etc. Do it loud, and do it with confidence! Try to rap along until you have every word memorized and (more importantly) you can hit all the beats correctly. See if you can find the instrumental track of the rap song that you've got memorized. If not, find one that's similar. You can download from many websites online. Practice the verses you've memorized over the instrumental beat. Again, do your best to stay on-beat. This will help you learn how to keep a rhythm and tempo. Once you're able to perform the rap song that you've memorized fairly consistently over the instrumental beat, try to adapt it to another beat. Pick one with a different sound and possibly a different tempo. Again, you can find rap beats online in many places. The point here is that you are working on becoming adaptive to the music that you are rapping on. Rap a cappella. Once you have mastered rapping along to a beat, trying rapping the song completely by yourself. If you can do this correctly for many songs, it's safe to say you've mastered rhythm and staying on-beat. Practice by just reading the lyrics. Then, read the lyrics like you're trying to get a raise from your boss. Try to get it on the beat. Imagine when you are rapping that you are doing it in front of someone you know well and respect. Don't try to make your voice sound like someone you're not. Relax. Write some lyrics. Once you feel comfortable rapping on different beats, start to make up rhymes of your own. No need to worry about what you are rapping about, just pick out things that you see around you. You could even rap about getting dressed in the morning, walking the dog, cooking your dinner, commuting to work, or even about a conversation you had with someone. Write at least ten rhymes a day. Even if you don't like what you've written, later on you could come back and re-word those rhymes into something you do like. When you finally like what you're hearing, test them in front of your friends and hear what they think. Get a rhyming dictionary to help improve your rhymes, and try to develop your vocabulary by reading as much as you can. Depending on who you're influenced by, the content of rap songs can differ greatly. Every Lil Wayne song is basically one-liners about the greatness that is Weezy F Baby, while a rapper like Raekwon will tell complicated stories with peppered with flights of sonic wordplay. Try different things and see what feels natural. Rap constantly. GZA said that "Wu-Tang" stood for "Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game," which is as good a description of any as what it is we're looking for in good rap music. To make it second-nature, you've got to rap all the time. Listen to rap music as much as you can, analyze it, and draw inspiration from everything. Successful rapping takes hours and hours of practice, so you should do whatever you can whenever you can. Make a rap journal. Keep track of your raps, and practice them out of the journal. Carry it everywhere so that when inspiration strikes, you have a place to write your thoughts down. A regret can last a lifetime, don't simply not write down an excellent idea because you think you'll remember it, because the chances are, that you'll probably forget. Jay Z doesn't write his rhymes down and as a result of this, has said he's forgotten entire albums' worth of rhymes. Learn how to rap effectively. Beyond good lyrics and attention to rhythm, there are a few techniques you can use to be better understood and get your message across. Stress the consonants. If you try to rap the way you talk, it won't be comprehensible. Keep your words clear. Pay attention to keeping your words sharp. Rhythm is more important than rhyme. Don't stumble or stop if your freestyle doesn't rhyme—just stay on-beat and everything will be fine. Be loud! While being too loud is never a good thing, it's important to both literally and metaphorically be heard. Think ahead of what you're rapping so you don't get stuck stuttering or searching for the words. Nothing's worse than having to stop in the middle of a rap flow. Be able to think about your next line while still giving 100% to the line you're currently rapping. Be real. Even though it's tempting to emulate your favorites, it'll be hard to rap about your global cocaine empire if you're a teenager from the suburbs. You don't necessarily have to tell "the truth" 100% of the time, but you do have to be real and be believable. Figure out what's unique about you, and what you bring to the table of rap. You don't need to have an ingenious or cookie-cutter answer to this question, but don't try to be just like another rapper, even if they're one of the best. In order to do well, you will need to introduce something fresh to the industry. Try to freestyle. Poet Allen Ginsberg once said, "First thought, best thought." Start with a line you've already written and then go straight off the dome: if you're becoming proficient at rhyming quickly, doing it on the fly can be a way to open up your skills and surprise yourself with what you come up with. Supposedly Lil Wayne never writes rhymes and just raps this way, by listening to the beat and diving right in. Make your own beats. To make truly original music, start developing your own beats to work with. This will free you up to make the kinds of beats you want to make, use the kinds of samples and sounds you like, and surprise people with completely original sounds. Alternatively, you can hook up with a producer who's eager to share beats. It could lead to a fruitful relationship. Rap with friends. Find some people who also like to rap and take turns making raps together. It's easier to get creative when you can get inspired and feed off of somebody else's flow. Give yourselves pseudonyms and adopt a crew name.The Wu-Tang Clan did this to showcase individual talents and share resources. Perform. Be proactive about finding gigs and showing yourself off. Start small—perform to little groups of your peers and get feedback. When you feel comfortable with that, start looking around for open mics where you can perform. Freestyle battles are a unique opportunity in hip-hop and can be a good way of making connections, but only if you've really honed your freestyle skills and are familiar with the conventions of a freestyle battle. It can seem confrontational and mean, since it involves lots of crude disses, so go check some out before you decide to sign up. Record your raps. Hook up with a producer or another rapper who's got some recording equipment and get yourself recorded. With original beats, write new rhymes and keep the best of it. Be judicious in deciding--it can be tempting to like the first stuff you make too much, because it sounds "real." Make sure it's something you'll actually enjoy listening to. Try recording yourself. Increasingly, the recording technology on home computers and smartphones is high quality. It's always better to use real equipment, but in the beginning do it yourself. Put your music on the Internet. Once you've got some good recordings of yourself rapping, start to cultivate an online presence for your music. Start a YouTube channel for your music and try to get a mixtape released. Put it out there for free and see what happens. Chicago rapper Chief Keef signed a several-million dollar deal based on the strength of a single mixtape and a few YouTube videos that had become very popular.

Listen to lots of rap. Get rhythm. Rap along. Rap a cappella. Write some lyrics. Rap constantly. Learn how to rap effectively. Be real. Try to freestyle. Make your own beats. Rap with friends. Perform. Record your raps. Put your music on the Internet.

https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Freelance-Artist

How to Become a Freelance Artist

Being a freelance artist gives you control of your own work and commissions without being tied down to one client. However, you'll have to manage your own time and your income can be unstable. It's generally a good idea to start by getting experience working for others or building an impressive portfolio before you search for clients. Then, you'll need to register as a business, since you'll be in charge of your finances. If you don't have the right equipment and technology, like paints, pencils, and a drawing tablet, you'll need to purchase those too. Since you'll be working for yourself, you'll also need a studio space either in your home or in a rented office space.

Assess your abilities as an artist. Before you begin planning to work as a freelance artist, you first need to honestly assess your abilities. Taking an objective view of your skills can help you decide if freelancing is the right option for you. An excellent way to assess your skills is to compare your work to other artists who use similar mediums in your area. Is your work comparable or better? You can't expect to be successful if you can't compete. Do you frequently have people asking or complimenting you about your work? If so, this might be a good sign that your skills are in demand, especially because word of mouth can be a powerful advertising tool. Would you be willing to spend money on your creations? If you don't offer something people—or you—might want, you're likely to not be a successful freelance artist. Think about how freelancing will fit into your lifestyle. Consider how having a freelance business will fit into your lifestyle and even that of your family. Knowing whether or not the time, emotional, and physical demands fit in with your lifestyle is important if you want to run a successful business. Are you able to handle the physical demands? Depending on what type of artist you are, you may need to stand or sit hunched over a canvas for long hours. Think about if being a freelance artist fits your personality. Client management is a significant part of the job and if you don't like working with people, this may not be the right choice for you. You will need to allot specific times to work and find a space to work and meet with clients. Are you willing to structure your time and possibly rent an office? You will not have benefits or paid sick time as a freelancer. You may also want to consider your location. If you are in an isolated region, it may be difficult to capture potential clients or for them to reach you. Examine if freelancing meets your financial needs. Freelance artists earn on average about $44,000 per year. This amount can change depending on how often and where you work. Only proceed with your plans if the average pay or below meets your financial needs. The average salary for a freelance artist works out to $13.85 per hour, which is above the minimum wage. An excellent way to gauge prices is by checking the prices of comparable services in your local area. You want to stay competitive with your prices while making sure you're compensated fairly for your work. A mentor may be able to help you figure out fair prices for you and your clients. One aspect to consider when assessing your prices is how long each job and any post-production may take. If it takes you a longer time to produce a work of art, you'll want to adjust your prices based on your speed to help ensure you're getting paid an amount commensurate to your skills and work. Start lower with your prices and then increase them as you sell more of your work. Remember that you will have to pay taxes and other fees for your business. Check your current equipment. You'll need to have high-quality equipment that can withstand repeated use. You'll also need sufficient supplies to produce your art. If you need to invest significantly in freelancing, it may not be the right decision for you. Remember that quality equipment is the core of your business and will allow you to garner income. Many freelance artists often find themselves in feast or famine situations. You may have to fend for yourself as you develop your business. Freelancers have an unsteady income, especially early on, and you should plan on having long periods without income. Start your business. You may need to found a legal entity to legitimize your business. Starting your business as a legal entity, including having a marketing strategy and billing structure, can help show potential clients that you are a serious businessperson. If you have any questions, consult the Small Business Administration, which was set up to help smaller companies. Check with local authorities to ensure you have all of the correct licenses, certificates, and any insurance you need to start your business. The Small Business Administration can also help if you have any questions. In some cases, you may not have to set up a legal entity for a freelance business. However, it may be advisable to establish a proper business to limit your potential personal liability if problems with your business arise. Make sure to register your business with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or other tax authorities. You may want to hire a local accountant to help you navigate the financial side of your business, from registering with the IRS to budgeting. Create short and long-term business plans. Write out short and long-term plans to guide your business. This is important to help develop your business and accommodate for any contingency, such as an illness or a lawsuit. Be as detailed in your plan as possible. List your responsibilities. Create a working list of services and prices that you can tailor to demand. Finally, make sure to calculate any costs you may have to take on for supplies and payroll. Designate a space for a studio. You will need to have a designated space in which to run your freelance business. Set aside a room in your home or rent an office space where you can do your work without interruption. You will need sufficient space to meet with clients, complete your projects, and store your materials. Make the space warm and inviting to your clients. It should be clean and tidy. If you are using a space within your home, set up a separate entrance to your studio for your clients. Otherwise, you will have customers walking through your home, which will require you to have it tidy, clean, and presentable at all times. Purchase supplies. You should have listed your various supplies in your business plan. Once you've established your company, purchase any additional supplies you may need to get started. In addition to having a high-quality tools and a backup materials, make sure you have sufficient supplies. Find a mentor for you and your business. Seek an experienced mentor who understands either small businesses or freelancing. She will help grow your business and guide you through difficult times or situations. This person can offer invaluable advice on everything from pricing to dealing with difficult clients or continuing your education. Offer different products and services. Most artists will offer different products services such as digital and print photographs, paintings, or ceramics. The more diversified you are, the more likely you are to appeal to a broader public be successful. If you decide to offer additional products and services, you'll need to make sure you're aware of different trends and methods. You can find this information by reading trade publications and art magazines. Even if you offer several different services, it's a good idea to have a type of art in which you specialize to help attract clients. For example, maybe you make beautiful landscape photographs. Consider specializing in pictures of landscape features and selling them to magazines or local businesses. It's important to not be too diversified. Offer several different products or services that you do well instead of dozens that you do marginally. Set up a pricing structure. Set up pricing structure for your services. Knowing how much you want to charge in advance can make you appear more professional when you meet with potential clients. You may want to set base rates and tailor them according to how much work each individual job will cost. Looking at what other freelancers charge will give you a point of reference. Make sure your prices are commensurate with your experience and the location in which you're offering your work for sale. For example, freelance art in places such as Michigan won't cost as much as New York or Los Angeles. Install an invoicing and payment system. Once you know your price structure, install an invoicing and payment system. Consider the types of payment you will accept and how you will write receipts, which will help legitimize your business and make it easier to report income. Make sure to have separate bank accounts for your business and for your personal finances. Likewise, have separate credit lines for your business and for your personal use. Make sure every aspect of your pricing and billing is transparent to clients and vendors. Maintaining fair business practices is vital to your success. Make a portfolio of your work that shows your signature style. This will be one of your many calling cards that you can show potential and actual clients. You can also use your portfolio to advertise on the web and social media. Having a special or signature style that distinguishes you from other freelance artists and can attract clients to your business. Take pictures of any works you complete and consistently update them on your web presence. Make sure to include a different types of artwork to appeal to a wide variety of tastes and budgets clients may have. Set up a marketing strategy. Ads are often the first impression potential clients have of you and you'll want to consider different media to attract clients. Hooking your potential customers and keeping the message simple and concise can help attract a wide array clients. If you decide to design your own ads and website, research local businesses advertising to guide your design. You want your brand to be simple, distinctive, and attractive to your clients and potential customers. Design your ads to complement your brand. Use similar color and design schemes so that clients and potential customers associate these elements with you. Freelancers rely heavily on word-of-mouth advertising. Build clientele through referrals and maintaining strong business relationships with your clients. Partner with other businesses to advertise your business. You can work out a system where other local businesses display your business cards in their office in exchange for putting theirs in your home studio. Getting involved in community activities is a type of free marketing. Donating an artwork service or making a contribution to a charity gets your name out in the public you want to serve. Design your web site. Consider creating a website for your business. Your web site should present a snapshot of the services and experience a client will enjoy when working with you. It is important that you have a professional looking Internet presence because it can draw in potential clients and help keep your current customers. The design should match your brand and mirror the feeling your clients will have when they work together with you: maybe it's calm and serene; maybe it's vibrant and lively. Include sections on different services and types of art you do. Include your prices any specials you may offer. Structure the web site so that search engines can easily locate and bring potential clients to you. Promote yourself through social media. People are increasingly getting information about artists and businesses from social media accounts. Setting up Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter accounts can help advertise your work. Write posts about specials or events happening in your or another gallery, or events at which you'll display your work for sale. Post pictures of your work and use hashtags to increase your visibility. Stay on top of new artists tools, methods and trends. Art can be a very trendy business. Staying abreast of current methods and trends can help your business succeed. Read trade publications, attend conventions or gallery openings, and network with other artist can help you stay current in your skills and styles. Sell your products at different sales venues. If you make original pieces of art, consider selling your products in different sales venues. There are options to sell your products at festivals and online, which can help increase your profits. Online venues for artwork are one good place to get broader exposure for your artistic talents. Local craft fairs, farmer's markets, and festivals may also provide an option for you to sell your work and increase your profits. These venues will also increase your exposure to potential clients in your area. List yourself on freelance sites. The Internet is rife with websites that not only advertise freelancers who offer their services, but also people looking for freelance artists. Place an ad or link to your business on freelancing sites or comb them to see what extra work you might be able to get.

Assess your abilities as an artist. Think about how freelancing will fit into your lifestyle. Examine if freelancing meets your financial needs. Check your current equipment. Start your business. Create short and long-term business plans. Designate a space for a studio. Purchase supplies. Find a mentor for you and your business. Offer different products and services. Set up a pricing structure. Install an invoicing and payment system. Make a portfolio of your work that shows your signature style. Set up a marketing strategy. Design your web site. Promote yourself through social media. Stay on top of new artists tools, methods and trends. Sell your products at different sales venues. List yourself on freelance sites.