Problem: Article: During this time, do nothing to the salmon except wait patiently while it cures. Most chefs recommend three days of refrigeration, though some recipes specify curing for two. It's a matter of taste, so if you prefer salmon that's less salty, go for two instead of three. Use a very sharp knife to cut thin horizontal slices from along the top of the salmon (rather than slicing it vertically as you would a steak). Gravlax has a strong flavor, so thinner slices are more palatable. The salmon is now ready to enjoy. Taste the salmon for flavor. If you find it too salty, give in an extra rinse before continuing to slice it. The classic way to serve gravlax is with a fresh bagel, cream cheese, sliced red onion and capers. It also makes a great topping for salads, pizzas, crostini, pasta and more.
Summary: Refrigerate the salmon for 72 hours. Slice the salmon.

Problem: Article: Before attempting to insert an earring when the hole is almost completely closed, you'll want to make sure your skin is soft. This will help to make the piercing go in easier, and reduce any pain you might experience. Try to insert the earring after taking a bath, shower, or even after a swim. Before inserting the earrings, you'll want to make sure your hands and the earrings are clean to avoid infection and irritation. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water then grab some rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Both are great disinfectants. Dip a cotton ball or pad into your chosen cleaning solution and then gently rub it on your earrings. You can also put your earrings in a small bowl of hydrogen peroxide and let them soak for 10-20 minutes. Put your cleaned earrings on a paper towel to dry before attempting to put them in your ear. If the hole isn't completely closed off, you can stretch your earlobe to increase the size and reduce thickness of the hole. To do this, gently tug on the area around the piercing with your thumb and index finger. This should allow your piercing to go right in with little to no pain. Check the front and back of the lobe to see if the hole has widened before inserting the earring. You can use a small, handheld mirror to see the back of the lobe. If you do not see the hole opening, or are worried about pain when you put your earring in, you can numb it with ice. Grab 1 or 2 ice cubes and wrap them in a paper towel. Place them on the front of your earlobe and rub in a circular motion for 15 minutes. Do this on the back side of the ear lobe as well, until the area feels cold and numb. You can also use some numbing cream if you prefer. Now it's time to get that earring back in the hole. A thin tissue membrane may have formed around the hole, so you'll need to apply some pressure to get the earring in. Using a mirror, look behind the ear to see the earring post pushing against the lobe. This is a way for you to find the thinnest part of the lobe so that you can easily push the earring through. You may have trouble getting the earring through the hole from the front. If this is the case, slightly turn your ear lobe and try to insert the earring from the back. The hole may be more open from that side. If you tried to put the earring in from the front and back of the lobe and it still won't go in, try to insert it from different angles. It might go in if inserted at the right angle. Cartilage piercings close quicker than standard ear lobe piercings. Be very careful when attempting to re-insert these piercings, it may hurt! If the earring won't go in with some pressure, the hole might have already completely closed, and you need to see a professional. If you experience a significant amount of pain when applying gentle pressure, or if the earring post starts to bend, stop attempting the insertion. Your earring hole has completely closed, and you'll need to get it re-pierced.
Summary: Take a shower or bath to soften the skin of your earlobe. Wash your hands and sterilize the earring posts. Stretch the earlobe to widen the hole. Apply ice to the earlobe to numb it before inserting the piercing. Push the post through the front of the earlobe with gentle pressure. Insert the earring from the back of the lobe if it doesn't work from the front. Experiment with different angles if the earring won't go through immediately. Contact a professional if the earring won't go back in.

Problem: Article: Birds are typically very clean creatures and they spend a lot of time cleaning, preening, and grooming their feathers. This is natural self-care behavior that is important for birds to do. While preening, birds straighten out their feathers by pulling them through their beaks. This allows them to pull out dislodged feathers, clean out pests and debris, and spread preening oil across their feathers. Preening oil is produced from a gland near a bird's tail and the bird spreads it around to all of its feathers. This oil helps protect the feathers. If your bird has stopped preening, has ruffled feathers, and looks shabby, you should have it looked at by a veterinarian. This could indicate that it is not well. Bathing is an important part of feather maintenance for birds. If your bird stops bathing itself, that is a sign that it is no longer taking care of itself. This could signal depression, body pain, or lack of mobility. Your bird may simply take a quick bath in its water dish once in a while, so you may not catch it every time. However, you may notice water splashed all over the place in your bird's cage. This is a good indicator that your bird has taken a bath. Wing flapping can signal a lot of things, but one reason that birds do it is simply for the exercise. Birds in captivity still want to keep their wings in working condition, so flapping them around keeps the muscles conditioned to some degree. Your bird may also do this to get your attention or simply because it is happy.
Summary:
Look for preening behavior. Make sure your bird is bathing. Look for vigorous wing flapping.