The Bloods were originally a Los Angeles gang that rose in prominence as a counter to the infamous Crips. The Bloods have since spread across the United States, often with the profits from the illegal sale of crack cocaine. Often violent and constantly at war with other gangs, the Bloods symbol is a way for gang members to identify themselves to other Bloods. This symbol is not a joke, and can lead to serious trouble if used in the wrong circumstances. If you are in public, especially an unfamiliar area, refrain from using the symbol completely. Gang feuds with the Bloods have spread from Los Angeles into many major urban areas, and you should always choose not to flash the Blood symbol if you have any doubts about local gang politics. When you look down you will be reading the word in reverse. The sign is meant to be read by other people as the word "Blood." Because you will not be able to read the word by looking down, try practicing in front of a mirror to see if you can actually write the word "Blood." It will take some time to be able to form the word quickly.

Summary: Understand the history and power of the Blood symbol. Never use the symbol in unknown public areas. Remember that the symbol will seem "backwards" to you. Practice in front of a mirror to get it right.

You can learn a lot about a person through their body language, including if they like you. If a boy likes you, his body will give him away. Whenever you're together, see if you can pick up on some of these cues. His nostrils will flare. His eyebrows will rise when he talks to you. He will run his hand through his hair or smooth down the top. He'll get closer to you. He'll casually touch you. His texting habits can tell you a lot. See who initiates your texting exchanges to see if it's always you or more of a balance. If he likes you, then he'll sometimes initiate conversations, and he won't be afraid to double text. He'll also make it a habit of keeping the conversation going by asking questions. Ask yourself if he shows an interest in your life. Wait to give him a chance to initiate texting if you've been doing it several days in a row. Next time you spend time together, watch him to see if he focuses on you or the phone. If he chooses talking with you more often than playing with his phone, then he may like you. Find a subject that he knows about and see if you can get him to help you with it, or offer to help him with something you know he struggles with. It will usually give you a chance to hang out with him one-on-one. If he complains about his score on the math test, say, "Why don't you meet me at the coffee shop, and I'll show you how to factor equations." Offer to be his lab partner in science class. Think of a sport you both like. For example, say, "Wow, you're so great at tennis! Can you show me how you do your serve?"

Summary: Watch his body language. Look at his texting habits. See if he pays attention to you more than his phone. Create an excuse to talk to him.

Unfortunately, your home may become unsafe in the event of a war. If your area is no longer safe, do your best to relocate and find another place to live. Where you end up settling depends on the progress of the war. Stay updated on the fighting and try to discern which areas haven't been touched by the war. Try to find areas that aren't near the main fighting. These could be rural areas or strategically unimportant towns. There may be designated civilian safe zones set up. Travel to one of these if there is one nearby. Rural areas may be safer because fighting is often focused around cities and population centers. However, remember that you'll need wilderness survival skills to stay safe here. It may also be more difficult to receive aid, since relief organizations also focus on cities. These buildings types can withstand the most damage and remain standing. Look especially for a building with a basement. This provides added protection and a hiding place if you have to stay out of sight. Search your area for suitable buildings like these and move into one as soon as possible. Try to find a building that you can seal up in case there is a chemical leak or attack. Look for windows still intact that you can close and block off with damp towels. If there are multiple suitable buildings in your area, make a list of all of them and their locations. This will help if you have to flee your current shelter and find a new one quickly. If there are no buildings like this, then find any structure that has a basement to protect you from the fighting. if you settle in a wooded area. If you flee the cities and hide in the woods, your biggest enemy will probably be the elements. Construct a suitable shelter as soon as you enter a new area to protect you from the cold, rain, and sun. Maintain this shelter by fixing any problems right away. Locate the shelter in a spot that's easy to hide in, just in case hostile people pass through the area. To make the job easier, try to build your shelter around an natural feature. A fallen tree, for example, could provide the support for a structure. While a war probably makes you think of fighting, in reality, civilians usually survive a war by avoiding fights as much as possible. Unless you're in the armed forces, in most cases you're much safer avoiding confrontations. Lay low and don't start fights with people. Take care of your family, friends, and yourself, but try not to get involved in problems that don't affect you. If hostile troops enter your area, it's best to hide or avoid interacting with them at all costs. Make it clear you aren't a threat. Don't try to steal from people or hurt anyone except in self-defense. This will lead to confrontations eventually, because desperate people will defend themselves. Avoiding fights may also mean fleeing an area that is unsafe. Always be ready for this possibility to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. While you should try to avoid violence, always be prepared for the possibility. This is much easier if you already have weapons in your home and know how to use them. If not, then gather any weapons you may find and learn to use them. Keep them close at hand in your shelter in case you have to use them. If you have a gun, ammunition might be scarce in a survival situation. Shooting for practice may also draw attention to you. Learn to use the gun as well as you can without firing if you've never used it before. Don't neglect other potential weapons like bows, axes, bats, or knives. These can all help you fight off attackers. Train other members of your family or group to use the weapons as well. Your group is at a disadvantage if only one member knows how to fight. if you have to. While you want to avoid violence, in some situations, fighting may be unavoidable. Some people try to hurt or exploit others during crises. If someone tries to hurt you or your loved ones, or steal supplies that you need to survive, fight back when you can. Try to drive off the people who are trying to hurt you. Having some weapons at hand will help in this situation. Keep all weapons in a safe place, away from children, and grab them quickly if you need them. If you do have to defend yourself or your family, having a good personal relationship with your community is a big help. The community could unite to defend itself from bandits or other people who want to cause harm.

Summary: Move to an area far from fighting if you can. Find a strong, brick building with a basement for shelter. Build an insulated shelter Avoid confrontations as much as you can. Learn to use weapons to defend yourself or hunt. Defend yourself

No meat or dairy. Check on it every few hours. There should be a swarm of fruit flies in 3 hours or so. First, snap a lid on the jar, and then turn it upright. You can then follow the directions below to culture them, or feed them right away to your pet.
Summary: Put scraps of old fruit/vegetables in a large jar. Set the jar near a trash can or near a compost pile (without the lid, but make sure you've got one that fits tightly). Leave the jar there for several hours. When you've got a lot of fruit flies in the jar, you'll have to work quickly.