Q: Now that you've gotten the hang of the basic strum patters reggae, you can start working on getting the right sound out of your strings. This requires the right amount of pressure on the strings on the fretboard with your left hand. To get a feel for the effect your left hand pressure has on the sound of your guitar, play chords in reggae rhythm and adjust the pressure in your left hand as you play. Try playing chords with while using extremely light pressure, moderate pressure, heavy pressure with your left hand on the strings. Your left hand affects the sound of the strum of your chords not just by pressure on the strings but also duration. While using different levels of pressure, experiment with pressure duration. For example, you might use moderate pressure at the onset followed by the release of your left hand. Staccato is a musical term that means notes are played in a clipped, detached fashion from other notes. This quality can be produced by applying quick pressure to the strings with your left hand followed immediately by a sudden release. In reggae, the stuck line is the guitar part that follows along with the bass guitar. This part is generally muted to give a mellow tone to the acoustic accompaniment of the bass. Use moderate pressure with your left hand on your fretboard when playing the stuck line. Finger pick the notes of the stuck line to create a distinct sound in the notes.
A: Adjust the pressure while strumming. Make your notes staccato. Mute the stuck line when playing in an ensemble.

Q: Although you want to help your parent, your parent's mental health is not your responsibility. Having a suicidal parent is stressful enough without adding any additional burden of responsibility. Help to the extent that you can, but recognize your limits. You can aid in recovery, but it is not your responsibility to heal your parent of their mental struggles; that is the role of a therapist or counselor. Children tend to blame themselves for a parent's mental health. They often feel that they could somehow make the parent all better if they were more obedient, more sensitive and/or more mature. This is not your problem, though; it is your parents's own struggle. If you find yourself overwhelmed, take a less active role. Do not feel ashamed at needing to take care of yourself as well. Although this may seem obvious, it's important to show concern by asking questions if your parent talks about suicide. You won't cause additional harm by asking caring questions. Many people who are suicidal will come up with a specific plan. Knowing how, when, and where they plan to do it will give you key information that you can pass on to your professional mental health provider. Isolation is tempting for people who are feeling suicidal, but this can make the situation worse. Support your parent to the best of your ability by helping out around the house, cooking meals, cleaning, and being a supportive presence. Beyond that, ensure that there is adequate social and professional support. Does your parent have caring friends he or she can talk to? Other family members? A spouse? Does your parent have a supportive community, such as church or another social group? If all else fails, there are crisis hotlines your parent can call to have someone to talk to. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 1 (800) 273-8255. This service is freely available 24/7 and is confidential. Whether the cause of feeling suicidal is mental illness or something else, entering therapy can provide the kind of relationship and safe space necessary for your parent to process those problematic feelings. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an evidence-based treatment that can help your parent examine and change core beliefs/thoughts that may lead to suicidal emotions. Interpersonal therapy is an evidence-based treatment that can assist in coping with personal relationships and help to assess and work on personality issues, reducing the desire to escape by committing suicide. Tell your parent about therapeutic alliance, or the importance of a good patient-therapist fit. Research shows that "fit" is one of the most important aspects of patient recovery. Encourage them to look for the right therapist, even if that means "shopping around." Search for a therapist near you: click here. Prescription medications exist for many of the primary causes of suicide, such as depression and mood disorders. Have them ask their healthcare professional about medication options. Antidepressants can help with depression, although there may also be danger of increasing suicidal thoughts, so be sure to have your parent discuss this decision with a medical professional. Make sure your parent is following doctor's orders with regard to any medications he is already prescribed. Quitting psychiatric medication is a delicate process that should be coordinated with a healthcare professional. Being inconsistent in taking medication or trying to stop cold turkey can cause problems such as anxiety, irritability, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Call emergency services, your mental healthcare professional, or tell someone close by (such as a family member or adult friend) if you think that your parent is in immediate danger from a suicidal impulse. Have emergency numbers written down and easily available. This can be saved to your phone, in a notebook, or even posted on the refrigerator. It can also help give you some peace of mind. Wherever possible, remove dangerous objects from the house. If one of your parents owns a gun, talk to an adult (aunt, uncle, other parent) about making sure it's safe from being easily accessed by the suicidal parent.
A: Realize that you are not responsible. Take your parent seriously. Make sure your parent has support. Encourage your parent to pursue therapy. Talk to your parent about psychiatric medication. Intervene if immediate danger exists.

Q: If you have an older microwave, it's probably got yellow stains from years of use but these are easy to remove with a little nail polish. Dip a cotton ball in acetone nail polish remover and rub the yellow stains until they lift. To remove the harsh acetone smell, wipe the microwave down with a damp cloth.
A:
Wipe away yellow stains with nail polish remover.