The last thing you want when ironing your flowers is any kind of moisture or steam, so take a minute to empty out the water tank and don't refill it. Plug in the iron and switch the setting to the lowest, driest heat setting available. You may be tempted to use higher heat to make the process go even faster, but high heat could burn the flowers and turn them brown, making them lose their beautiful color. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes total to press your flowers unless you're using really thick blooms, like peonies or orchids. To check the flowers, gently lift the top sheet of parchment paper and touch the blooms. If they feel papery thin and dry, they're done! If they are still retaining moisture, keep ironing them. Don't forget to unplug the iron when you're done and refill the water tank so it's ready to go the next time you need to use it on your clothes.

Summary: Empty all water from your iron and turn it on to the lowest setting. Iron the flowers in 10-second increments until all the moisture is gone.

Modeling your hand signals, body language, and facial expressions off of other directors is the best way to understand the kinds of signals to which experienced singers are already accustomed to. Watch videos of other choir directors online. Watch live performances of professional choirs and focus on what the director does and how the singers respond to each signal. Go to live choir performances and watch the director. Be sure you choose a seat that enables a clear view of the director. Take notes about what seems to work especially well. Sit in on a choir rehearsal and watch the director from the singers' points of view. Writing down the signals that you plan to use will lead to more consistency when used. Most signals must be exaggerated for your singers to see them clearlyparticularly with a large choir or with children. However, try not to exaggerate so much that the audience would be distracted by your movements. Direct in front of a mirror or videotape yourself directing and determine whether your signals are clear. The more you practice using your directing body language, the more comfortable you will be doing it in front of an actual choir. Play your favorite choral music and pretend that you are directing it. If you know another choir director, ask if you can "borrow" their (already trained) choir for a part of a rehearsal. Then ask for feedback or tips from the singers or the choir director.

Summary: Watch other directors. Make yourself a "cheat sheet" of signals. Go big. Watch yourself directing. Practice frequently.

If the leather is naked or aniline, it has no protective treatment, and will need to be cleaned by a professional. Wet a paper towel, and let one drop of water fall onto the leather. If it soaks into the leather instantly, do not attempt to clean it yourself. If it remains in a bead on the surface, however, the leather can withstand home treatment. If it is a fresh, still-wet stain, you stand a good chance of being able to nip this problem in the bud. If the stain is old and well set, however, the leather will likely need to be professionally re-dyed. Many leather objects come with instructions or a tag that offer instructions for cleaning. This may give you an idea of what will and will not work in removing a stain. Apply whatever cleaning agent you plan on using to an inconspicuous part of the leather object. It should be an area rarely, if ever, visible. Let it dry, and see how the leather holds up. Because time is of the essence with leather stains, if the stain is still wet, you may not want to wait for the spot test to fully dry before moving on to the actual stain. This is a bit of a gamble, so you need to weigh your concerns about doing further damage by cleaning against your concerns about allowing the stain to set. There is no single right answer, as the right course of action varies from leather to leather.

Summary: See if the leather is finished or unfinished. Evaluate how old the stain is. Consult the instructions. Do a spot test.

Pay attention to how much alcohol your loved one consumes. Were they once only able to handle a few beers before becoming intoxicated, but now they can down an entire case? Needing more and more alcohol to get the same effects may indicate alcoholism. Another key sign that your loved one has alcohol dependence is them making several unsuccessful attempts to quit. Recall if you've heard them vow to stop drinking on multiple different occasions despite it never happening. Many alcoholics may be in denial about their situation and think they have it under control. They may even believe they can stop drinking, if only they tried. A common sign of alcoholism is a person lying about or trying to conceal their drinking habits. Maybe your loved one shows up at the bar an hour early so that others don't see how much they consume. They might keep a stash of alcohol where others can't find it or pretend they are doing other things when really they are drinking. Have you ever seen your loved one drink early in the morning or mid-day to combat issues like shakiness, anxiety, depression, sweating, or headache? They may even need to drink alcohol to function normally because they are so used to having it in their system. People with alcohol dependence may start to experience withdrawal symptoms--like headache or shakiness--when the effects of alcohol wear off. When they drink again, these symptoms will disappear. One potentially dangerous consequence of chronic alcohol abuse is "blacking out" or forgetting things after consuming alcohol. During a blackout, the person may act as usual, but later be unable to recall what they said or did. If your loved one regularly blacks out after a night of heavy drinking, this is not normal. This is a sign of alcohol dependence.
Summary: Figure out if the person's tolerance has increased. Check if the person has tried to stop, but can't. Determine if the person tries to hide their drinking from others. Observe if the person uses alcohol to deal with withdrawal. Recall episodes of blackouts or memory loss.