Your hands naturally accumulate dirt and oils that can damage coins over time. Before touching your coins, wash and dry your hands. Alternatively, you can use sanitizer. Ideally, you will do all three. How cautious you are with your coins should vary depending upon what type of coin it is. Most coins are only as valuable as the silver they are made of. These you do not need to be careful with. However, if your coin has any special collector's value, you should do everything you can to make sure that it experiences no decay. The face is the most important part of the coin. You do not want to damage the engraving. So, when picking up your coins, always grab them by the edges, touching the surface as little as possible. If you do drop your coin, ensure that it doesn't fall on a hard wood or stone surface. If you working over such a surface, just place a towel or cloth underneath you to protect your investment. Your coins do not appreciate moisture. Refrain from using saliva to try to clean them; it will only make matters worse. Similarly, don't breathe hard on it to try to blow off dust. Keep all biological elements as far from your coins as possible. There are some products that are marketed commercially to clean coins. Most are abrasive and will remove silver, significantly decreasing the value of the coin. Even tap water can cause damage to your coin. Do not attempt to clean any coins on your own.
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One-sentence summary -- Clean your hands before touching the silver. Keep your hands off the face of the coin. Handle over a soft surface. Keep your bodily fluids to yourself. Don't try to clean your coins.

Because trauma often results in hyper vigilance and alertness, you may want to practice relaxation every day for 30 minutes to cope with daily stressors. This can help you deal with stressors as they occur without letting them accumulate. Relaxation can also help you with anxiety, depression, and stabilizing your moods. Schedule a consistent daily time for these activities instead of trying to do them just when you think you need them. By forming these good habits you will be more likely to practice them even when you don't really feel like it or on a bad day, which is when you need to relax the most. If you don't know where to start, try yoga, qi gong, or meditation. You can also listen to calming music, write in a journal, or take a daily walk with your dog. Have "mini-relaxation" activities on hand that you can do when you feel anxious and are not at home. For example, carry around essential oils, a stress ball, a book that you enjoy, or a fidget spinner that you can use anywhere. Connect to the present moment through your senses, especially if you're feeling threatened. Mindfulness involves bringing focused and non-judgmental awareness to your experience. It can help a threatened mind or body come into a calm, non-reactive state. If you feel triggered by something, engage in some mindful practices to bring you back to the present moment. There are lots of ways to practice mindfulness. You can focus on one sense at a time (like listening intently or visually scanning the room in detail) or focus on your breathing. Mindfulness can be challenging at first, but will become much easier with practice. Nobody is adept at this technique when they are just starting out, so don't get discouraged and give up! Consider trying guided meditations to familiarize yourself with it, either in a class or from various online resources. Though trauma is largely psychological, some physical interventions can help you get "unstuck." Do something that requires full-body movements such as walking, running, swimming, or dancing. Notice the sensations in your body as you move and put your focus and awareness fully onto your body. Some sports to try that involve your full body and require concentration include boxing, rock climbing, and martial arts. While you're healing, make sure you're taking care of your body. Get plenty of sleep (7-9 hours each night), eat healthy foods, and live a healthy lifestyle. Keeping on top of your physical health can help you deal with stress and help with feelings of anxiety and depression. Stay away from alcohol and drugs as ways to cope. Prioritize your healing by staying committed to healthy living habits.
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One-sentence summary -- Use relaxation. Practice mindfulness. Start exercising. Take care of your health.

First, measure the surface area of your bone or ivory where you'll draw your image. Then, scan your design to a computer or find an image of it online. Finally, shrink it down so that it's slightly smaller than the surface area of your ivory. For best results, shrink the image so that there's about 12 inch (1.3cm) of extra space on all sides. You will want a small detailed drawing to use as your scrimshaw design. A sketch-like image with good outlines and some shadowing is best for scrimshaw. This is technically not required, since you could also draw your design by hand. However, unless you're experienced in this kind of art, it's much harder to make precise outlines on such a small surface by hand. You'll have to copy your image to a sheet of paper if you weren't able to find a digital version of your design. In either case, have a copy of your design on a sheet of paper that you can place overtop of your piece of ivory. If you have to copy your image by hand, make sure draw it so that it's about the size of the surface area of the object you're working on. Place the ivory or bone on top of the design on the sheet of paper and draw an outline of the object over it. Then, cut out this outline so that you can easily place your design on top of the object. Lay your design face-down on top of your bone or ivory object. Then, wet a cloth with acetone nail polish remover and rub the back of the cutout with it very slightly. Continue doing this until the acetone has soaked through the paper. You don't want to move it around on the surface, or it will smudge your outline. Discard the paper once you're done with it. If the outline didn't come off onto the bone clearly enough, use sandpaper to "erase" the etching. Then, wax the surface of your object and start the transferring process again.
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One-sentence summary -- Find an image of the design you want to draw and shrink it to the ivory's size. Print the image or copy it to a sheet of paper. Cut the design out of this sheet of paper in the shape of your object. Place the cutout of your design on the ivory and use a cloth to transfer it. Lift up the edge of the paper and peel it back quickly.

Even when your partner is on tour, it's important for you two to check in with each other often, every day if you can. Try to move beyond just saying "hello" and "goodbye." Make sure both of your needs are being met by checking to see how each of you is doing emotionally. For instance, you could ask questions such as "How are you holding up emotionally? Are you feeling good about what the band's doing out there? Are you able to find time for yourself?" When you're apart often, it's important to verbally acknowledge your love and gratitude to each other, as you can't express it in nonverbal ways like hugs and kisses. Say you're grateful for him or her, and that you love the person and are proud of what he or she is doing on the road. For example, you could say, "I just wanted to let you know how much I miss you. I'm always glad to hear your voice. Just chatting with you makes my whole day better." When you haven't talked to your partner much, it can be tempting to go on and on about what's going on with you. However, it's equally important to really listen to what the other person is saying. Hear what's going on in his or her life, and respond accordingly. One way to show you're listening is to ask relevant follow-up questions to draw more out of your partner.
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One-sentence summary --
Check in with each other. Express your gratitude and love. Take time to listen.