INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You need 2 4-foot (1.2 meter) boards from 1-by-3-inch (20 by 65 mm) or 1-by-4-inch (20 by 90 mm) of pine lumber. The finished flat will measure 8 feet (2.4) tall. Lumber dimensions refer to the unfinished boards, so 1-by-3-inch lumber actually measures 34 inch (1.9cm) (19 mm) by 2-1/2 inches (64 mm). And, 1-by-4-inch lumber actually measures 34 inch (1.9cm) (19 mm) by 3-1/2 inches (89 mm). If you're using 1-by-3-inch lumber, the stiles should be cut to 91 inches (230cm) (2.31 m); if using 1-by-4-inch lumber, cut the stiles to 89 inches (230cm) (2.26 m). Don't attach the boards to one another. One board will become the toggle. Place this inside the frame between the two stiles so it divides the frame into equal top and bottom sections. Two boards will serve as corner braces. Cut these on the miter and place them between the top rail and left stile, and the bottom rail and left stile. Attach them to the 4 corners of the frame, where the rails meet the stiles, with carpenters glue and pneumatic staples. Use these to attach the corner braces to the rails and stiles and to attach the left side of the toggle to the left stile. Use glue and staples. Attach this to the right side of the toggle to the right stile with glue and staples. Lay the cloth over the frame and staple it into place along the insides of the rails and stiles. Paint the boards with thinned carpenter's glue and smooth the edges back do wn. It will stiffen and shrink slightly, becoming taut.

SUMMARY: Cut lumber for the rails, which will form the top and bottom of the flat. Measure and cut 2 boards to form the sides of the flat, called the stiles. Assemble the boards into a rectangle on the floor of your workspace. Measure and cut 3 additional boards from the same lumber. Cut 4 triangular pieces of plywood to serve as corner blocks. Measure and cut 5 straps from the plywood. Cut a trapezoidal piece of plywood to be the keystone. Turn the frame over and cover the front with muslin or canvas. Fold the edges of the cloth back so the rails and stiles are exposed. Go over the edges with a damp sponge, let the glue dry, then trim the cloth. Cover the cloth with a coat of paint to size it.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you're saying 'thank you' in person, remember to smile and make eye contact with the person whom you're thanking. These small gestures add a massive amount of sincerity to the 'thank you.' Showing your gratitude to someone else is awesome. Gushing over them and falling all over yourself to say 'thank you' is overdoing it, and could end up embarrassing the person you're trying to thank. Keep your gratitude simple, to the point and pleasant. You should be thanking someone because you honestly and sincerely are grateful for something they did. You shouldn't be thanking someone because you were told to do it, or because you felt it was somehow required. Insincere gratitude is obvious and unappreciated. This is especially important for those who work in a retail environment where they may feel obligated to thank customers on a regular basis. If you aren't actually sincere about the thanks, the customer can tell. Even if it's your job to thank a customer, you can still make it sincere. There are certain situations that require more than just an in-person 'thank you,' such as being treated to dinner, being giving a present, etc. When these situations occur, a written 'thank you' is vital. Whomever treated you to this extra-special kindness deserves the same in return, and writing a 'thank you' note or card is the best way to show how much you really do appreciate what they did. If you decide to use a card, blank ones work best in these situations. Blank cards allow you to write a brief, but custom, note inside. Whatever form your 'thank you' note takes, it should specifically mention the reason you're saying 'thank you.' While emails can obviously be personalized, avoid sending an email in these situations. Emails just aren't as sincere and well-meaning as an actual note or card. Do not ask someone else to send someone a 'thank you' on your behalf, do it yourself. It isn't a sincere 'thank you' if it isn't coming from you directly. If you're a really busy person who doesn't have a lot of extra time, have some custom 'thank you' cards made for you and keep them handy. Or buy several boxes of blank cards to keep in your desk.

SUMMARY: Smile and make eye contact. Keep it simple. Be sincere in your thanks. Write a thank you note or card. Avoid delegation.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Rest your fist on you rib cage so that you pinky touches your torso and your thumb faces up. Keeping your other fingers clenched, raise your thumb so it stands parallel to your body. " Like before, curl your finger so that the tip of your index finger touches the joint of your thumb. Move your index finger so it is comfortable and makes a visible circle. " Touch the tip of your middle finger to the first joint of your index finger (the "d") to form the second "O." The middle sections of your right ring finger and left middle finger will be touching.

SUMMARY: Clench your hand into a fist. Point your thumb up towards your head. Curl your index finger against the thumb to make a lowercase "d. Use your left middle finger to form the second "O. Push the two "O's" together to form the word Blood.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Sometimes songs require a singer to hold a note for an extended period, and if you aren't prepared for this or don't have the right technique, you may not be able to hold the note for the full length. To practice holding a note: Expand your ribs, tuck in your lower belly, and relax your shoulders and neck. Inhale slowly as you open your throat, arms, and chest, as though you were just surprised by something. Hold this openness while staying relaxed. This is the same technique you will use to hold a note. Now, choose a note in the middle of your range, repeat the above steps, but this time sing that note and hold it for as long as you can, keeping your throat open and relaxed as you sustain the note. If you're going to be singing a song that requires you to hit some high notes, there are ways you can practice for this. The problem with high notes is that you can damage your vocal chords if you strain too hard to hit the notes. To reach high notes without causing damage, you need to: Practice keeping a steady flow of air as you sing. Keep all your muscles relaxed. Keep all your resonance chambers (the throat, mouth, nose, chest, etc.) open as you sing. Pick a song with high notes and practice it in sections until you become comfortable with each section. Practice the song once through without singing the words: instead, vocalize a single sound to go through all the pitches. When you're comfortable with that, sing the song, words and all, through entirely. A song with low notes can also be difficult to master because with low notes, you can easily lose control of the sound, because your vocal chords relax as the pitch descends. To maintain control of your lower notes, it's important to keep your throat relaxed and maintain resonance in your face. If you stop feeling the resonance in your face as you reach for lower notes, shake your head from side to side to open your throat and try again. Don't worry if your volume drops with the lower notes, because lower notes cannot be sung at a loud volume. Instead, focus on maintaining the tone and clarity of the note, rather than the volume of your voice.

SUMMARY:
Hold a sustained note. Work on hitting high notes. Reach for low notes.