Q: You'll be spending a lot of time with your travel companions, so think of people who have similar general travel habits and are flexible and relaxed. If you enjoy trips with lots of walking or hiking, but your friend would rather lounge by a pool all day, consider how much you'll both be willing to compromise and if it's worth it to invite them or not. Also consider whether a friend is an early riser or prefers to go to sleep late, and how high-maintenance they tend to be. Ask your friends when they can take time off from school or work. Narrow down preferences to a date and timespan that works for the most people. The larger your group is, the harder it will be to find a time that works for all of you. Be patient and flexible, and compromise when you can. If one or two people simply aren't available, tell them that you're sorry it didn't work out for this trip and that you'll let them know when you're planning your next holiday with friends. Ask your friends to be open about how much you're each willing to pay for the trip, between travel, accommodation, food and entertainment costs. You'll plan your itinerary around these loose budget constraints. For example, you could say, "I know it's awkward, but we should talk about a budget before we start planning everything. I know I'd like to keep the full cost of the trip under $2,000, if we can!" If it starts getting too expensive for any of your friends, let them know that you understand if they're not able to splurge for this trip, and that you're excited to travel with them at a time that's better for them.
A: Choose friends you get along well with. Decide on a date. Discuss a budget early on.

Q: You don't want your camera to die on you or run out of storage space during the middle of your photography session! Check that you have a minimum of 8Gs of free space, and fully charge the battery the night before. RAW is a type of file format for images. Unlike JPEG files, RAW files store all the data recorded by your camera's sensor when you snap a photograph. JPEG files compress some of this data. You'll generally want to make some post-photography edits with nighttime photographs, and taking RAW files gives you more control over those adjustments. RAW files also record higher levels of brightness, or steps from black to white, than JPEGs. This gives you a smoother transition in color tone, a crucial feature for nighttime pictures. Be sure to minimize the vibration and movement your camera is subjected to while you photograph. Either set up your tripod or place your camera on an extremely flat and stable surface. The aperture is the size of the opening in your camera's lens, measured in f-stops. Moving from one f-stop to the next doubles or halves the size of the opening and, as a result, the amount of light you let in. Start with a small f-stop, such as f/2.8, to let in a higher amount of light. Wide-open apertures are optimal for shots of the starry night sky. Experiment with higher f-stops, such as f/16, f/18, or f/22, for low-light exposure. Low lighting can also produce great nighttime shots, especially if you're photographing landscapes that have streetlights. The shutter speed refers to the amount of time your camera shutter is open, measured in seconds. This affects the level of light let in and the amount of movement that's captured. For night shooting, start with slow shutter speeds, such as 10-30 seconds. This long exposure time should provide you with excellent shots of the stars, nighttime traffic, or cityscapes. The ISO refers to the sensitivity of your camera's image sensor to light. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive the camera is to light, which results in less grain in your image. Higher ISOs of above 500 will give you more light sensitivity and more grain, which is important for nighttime photography. If you're worried about "noisy," or overly grainy shots, you can experiment with lower ISOs of between 100 and 500. Most cameras have a light meter reading on their viewfinder or live view display. This readout gives you the exposure value of your image, which indicates whether your image will be properly exposed based the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. You want your light meter to hover just over zero, rather than a negative or positive number. Adjust your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO based on your needs for the photograph while also aiming for zero. This will pre-flip the mirror, exposing your digital image sensor, before your push the button to take your shot. As you won't be able to use the viewfinder after you've set up the mirror lockup, choose this feature only after your shot is completely set up. While your phone isn't comparable to a digital camera, it can still capture images in the dark. Stabilize your phone on a tripod or flat surface, minimize your use of the flash, and don't engage the zoom.
A: Ensure that your camera is fully charged and contains an empty memory card. Shoot your images in RAW mode. Stabilize your camera. Set your camera's aperture. Choose a slow shutter speed to capture movement and light. Increase your camera's sensitivity to light with a high ISO. Use the camera's light meter to check for proper exposure. Engage the mirror lockup function to further minimize vibration. Snap a photo with your smartphone.

Q: OTC H2RAs work by reducing the production of stomach acid, which in turn makes heartburn less likely. They often work best when taken about 30 minutes before your main meal of the day, but follow the package instructions or your doctor's recommendation. OTC brand names include Pepcid, Zantac, and Tagamet. Even though these are OTC medications, they can cause serious side effects or drug interactions. Talk to the pharmacist or your doctor before using an H2RA. H2RAs are typically meant to be taken once per day for up to 14 days. Talk to your doctor if you believe you need to use the medication for a longer term. Like H2RAs, PPIs reduce stomach acid production, but they do so through a different process. Therefore, some people have better results with a PPI. Like H2RAs, PPIs usually work best when taken about 30 minutes before your largest daily meal. As with H2RAs, follow the package directions or your doctor's instructions. And check with your doctor or pharmacist regarding potential side effects or drug interactions before starting on a PPI. Don't use a PPI for more than 14 consecutive days without your doctor's guidance. OTC brand names include Prilosec, Protonix, and Nexium. Antacids like milk of magnesia (magnesium hydroxide) and calcium carbonate (e.g., Tums, Rolaids) can help to reduce and neutralize stomach acid when you are experiencing heartburn. They cannot, however, help prevent heartburn from occurring in the first place. Antacids come in many brands, and in liquids, chewables, powders, and other forms. They all work in roughly the same manner, however. As with any OTC medication, you should check with your doctor or pharmacist before using antacids, especially if you take other medications or have underlying medical conditions. If you have frequent heartburn (more than twice per week) or less-frequent but severe instances of heartburn, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Whether you have GERD or just recurring heartburn, however, you should visit your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment options. Your doctor may prescribe a prescription version of a PPI or H2RA medication for daily use. Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions for taking it. They may also be able to provide advice on dietary and lifestyle changes.
A:
Try an over-the-counter (OTC) H2 receptor agonist (H2RA) medication. Use an OTC proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication as another option. Use antacids to relieve, but not prevent, heartburn. Talk to your doctor about prescription medications.