INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Take a moment. See and note whatever's around you. Pay particular attention to colors, shapes, and textures. The idea is to be present in the moment. You can't be cool and laid-back if constant thoughts of the past or the future are tugging on your sleeve. Consider the positioning of your body. Where are your feet? How do they feel? In what position are your hands? Your head? Your shoulders? You don't have to be a new-age spiritualist to recognize how your body feels. This is your chance to sink into relaxation through the 4-7-8 Breathing technique. You should begin to feel your body slow down into a relaxed state. Repeat this breathing technique. Remember: don't worry yet about looking or being "cool"; now you just want your body to find its safe space. Tell yourself affirmations. (i.e. "You have a lot to offer this dinner party. You're going to have a great time.") You might feel silly saying such things to yourself, but hopefully, with your body rested and your mind open, you'll at least give such affirmations a chance. You want to not just say the words, but feel them in your bones. Slowly enter the "real" world, but be open to resume practicing this breathing and perception technique whenever you want to settle down. Meditation isn't for everybody, but for some people, it is a great tool for relaxation of the body and the soul. All you need to get started is a commitment to trying something new, and five minutes of your day. Find a quiet spot that is comfortable but not sleep-inducing. Keep your spine tall, close your eyes, and begin to slowly breathe in and out. Follow your breath. Focus on the feeling of the air passing, and the area between your nose and your upper lip. Don't try to control your thoughts; let them come to you. Some people need help getting in the right frame of mind for meditation. Consider listening to a guided meditation podcast or attending a class.

SUMMARY: Observe your surroundings. Sit down, take a long deep breath, and briefly close your eyes. Breathe through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale through your mouth for eight seconds. Open your eyes as if waking up from a sleep. Consider meditation.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: As everyone knows, choosing the right outfit for a party is a very important task. The first thing you need to consider is the time and location of the party, as this will affect everything - from your outfit and your shoes to your jewelry and makeup. If the party is during the day, at a bowling alley or theme park, you probably want to go with something comfortable yet cool, like jeans and a statement tee. Many people would not describe this as dressing up at all, but dressing up is a relative term. If the party is at night, in a fancy restaurant or club, you will probably need to go a little dressier and wear something like a cute dress, a playsuit or a skirt and top combo. When you're attending a cool party, you want to stand out -- but in a good way. So if you want to be unique, you should come up with a cool alternative to the norm that suits your personality but still fits with the vibe of the party. For example, if you're not the type of girl who would normally wear high heels, but you still want to look glam, you could try wearing a pair of bejewelled sneakers instead! Can you afford to buy a new outfit, or do you need to work with what's already in your wardrobe? If it's the latter, consider combining your existing clothes in new and unusual ways, try layering a couple of tops on top of each other, clashing non-matching patterns or combining unusual fabric -- like a black biker jacket with a pretty silk dress. When it comes to jewelry, decide whether you want to go understated and classic, or bold and over-the-top. For elegant evening parties, things like delicate diamond (or crystal) earrings and pearl necklaces are perfect. For night parties, you can go with bold statement pieces, clash chunky gold and silver chains, or wear large hoop or dangling earrings. Traditionally, women matched their shoes to their purse, but this is no longer the case -- nowadays, pretty much anything goes! You can either pick out a color from your outfit (it doesn't have to be the main color) and match your shoes and purse to that, or you can go for a bold color clash. For example, if you're wearing a simple black dress, something like gold shoes and a neon orange handbag could work really well. After you've taken care of the shoes, the purse and the jewelry, any other accessories you choose to wear are really a matter of personal preference. Consider wearing a boho headband, embellishing your hair with fresh flowers, wearing an anklet or an upper arm band, layering on a chunky belt or rocking a funky trilby hat -- it's completely up to you!

SUMMARY: Think about the time and location of the party. Consider your own personal style. Think about your budget. Choose your jewelry. Match or clash your shoes and purse. Do something unique.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Many cities will require building permits for installing hot tubs outdoors. Check with yours to see if you need to as well. Make sure the spot you choose is large enough for the hot tub as well as some extra leeway for getting in and out and performing maintenance. A safe amount to allot is approximately 10 feet (3.0m) by 10 feet (3 m by 3 m), but it depends on the size of your hot tub. Examine your city's building code to ascertain how far away from your home you must place your hot tub. Many codes require at least 5 feet (1.5 m) of clearance between your home and your property line. Two other regulations you need to consider when finding a place for the hot tub. The hot tub should be at least 10 feet (3 m) away from any overhead power lines, as well as 5 feet (1.5 m) removed from the spa panel. Water and electricity do not mix. Hot tubs, when full, can weigh as much as 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg). For this reason, you will need a firm foundation on which the hot tub can rest. If you don't have a firm foundation, you risk damaging the tub voiding any warranty it comes with. Pouring concrete into a 3 to 4 inch thick (7.62 to 10.16 cm) pad is a common method of creating a solid foundation. Concrete provides a very strong foundation. At the same time, it may not be aesthetically pleasing and will be permanently anchored into place if you ever choose to move the hot tub. Another option is prefabricated spa pads. These pads have interlocking grids that make installation easy, and they can be removed if you ever decide to relocate your tub. At the same time, spa pads may be less supportive than concrete. Make sure you have a solid base to work with, and you choose the strongest pads if you use this option. If you want to place your tub onto a deck, check first with a contractor. They should be uniquely suited to tell you whether the deck will be able to withstand a ton or more of weight bearing down on it like a continuous hammer. The last thing you want to have happen is to break your deck, and then your tub, upon installation. Most modern tubs are self-contained, meaning you won't have to run any plumbing in order to get the tub up and running. But electrical wiring is another matter. Cities usually have codes for using certain types of conduits, so make sure you talk with your local building department. When you have, decide if you'd like the conduit to run under or above ground. Most pumps will require an extra hard-wired circuit, one that's entirely dedicated to the electrical on the tub. A 240V, 50-amp GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) should be sufficient on many tubs. Multiple-pump tubs may require a 60-amp circuit. If you don't have familiarity wiring this kind of circuit, it's best to call an electrician to do it for you.

SUMMARY:
Check to see if you need a building permit. Choose a location for your hot tub. Prep the site, if necessary. Call a general contractor if you decide to place your tub on a deck or build a deck to accommodate the tub. Create a route for the power to reach the hot tub.