Problem: Article: While bleach is a common laundry-whitening agent, it can react with certain kinds of fabrics and create a yellowish discoloration. It is especially important to avoid using bleach on wrinkle-resistant cotton, polyester, or polyester blends. Instead of trying to brighten up your white shirts with chlorine-based bleach, add 1 cup (about .25 liters) of lemon juice to your wash along with your regular detergent. Wash only white clothes with lemon juice, as it can cause colors to fade. If your white shirts are coming out of the wash with yellow or orange stains or discoloration, iron in your water may be the culprit. Get a home water-hardness testing kit at your local home supply store, or contact a certified water testing lab in your area and find out how to get a sample of your water tested for iron. If you live in the US, visit the EPA's water lab network website to find an accredited lab in your area: https://www.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork. Iron stains are very difficult to remove from clothing, so the best way to protect your white shirts is to treat your water. If your tests indicate that your water is high in iron, you may need to install a home water filter or water softening system designed to treat iron-rich water. If you are not comfortable installing your own water filter or softener, contact a professional plumber. Someone at a certified water testing lab in your area may be able to advise you on the best type of filtration system for your home.
Summary: Minimize your use of bleach. Use lemon juice as a bleach alternative. Check for iron in your water supply. Install a water filtration system if there is iron in your water.

Problem: Article: In the wild, giant leopard moth caterpillars hibernate all winter as part of their life cycle. Caterpillars can hibernate outside in their containers all winter, or you can put it into the refrigerator. Don't freeze your caterpillar. Your caterpillar will not eat while it's hibernating, but it may be lightly active on warmer days. When it's mildly active, it might eat available food. When your caterpillar wakes up in the spring, it'll be ready to fatten up in preparation for its metamorphosis into a moth, which will take place later in the spring. Make sure that you provide your caterpillar enough food for it to get ready to turn into a pupa, which is its cocoon-phase. Your caterpillar's fuzzy skin will slide off once it has fattened up, leaving a smooth black oval called a pupa. This is it's cocoon phase. You can expect it to shed its exoskeleton during spring. Since you can't pinpoint the actual date of your moth's emergence, keep track of its progress each day. While your pupa does not need food, you may want to mist the caterpillar's home daily to keep it humid. Simply spray a light spritz of water into the container. While their actual time in the pupa can vary, giant leopard moth caterpillars only take a few weeks to metamorphose into a moth. You can choose to keep your moth or set it free.
Summary: Allow your caterpillar to hibernate. Add more food to your caterpillar's diet. Wait for your caterpillar to shed its exoskeleton. Check the pupa daily. Watch your giant leopard moth emerge.

Problem: Article: When talking to a difficult person, stay calm and rational, avoid the temptation to try to win the argument, and don't be drawn into a battle you don't want to wage. You are much more likely to reach a satisfactory outcome if you can stay calm and rational. Think before reacting. Even if someone is extremely angry or rude to you, formulating a calm response is the best approach. It sets boundaries, and sends a message to them that they need to calm down. As previously mentioned, many people behave in a difficult way because they don't feel heard or understood. Just showing that you are listening to what they have to say can sometimes improve the situation. It's a good idea to let the person know you recognize their feelings. Offer your perceptions of their feelings, and ask for feedback, saying something like "It sounds like you're very angry right now, and I'm sorry you feel that way." This shows your willingness to understand their perspective. Ask what they are upset about. You can further show your willingness to empathize if you ask them to tell you about their feelings. Acknowledge valid criticisms. If the person is being extremely critical of you, try to find a kernel of truth in what they are saying, and acknowledge the validity of the point, even if their criticism isn't entirely fair or accurate. This may reduce the person's sense that they are being challenged, even if you then go on to point out where they aren't being fair or accurate. When dealing with a difficult person, it is important to communicate in a clear and open way. Many conflicts arise from misunderstandings. If you can, try to talk to the person face-to-face rather than via email or other technology. This reduces the risk of miscommunication and may foster more empathy. If you must engage in a dispute with someone, bring written evidence for your perspective to the table, and try to steer the discussion toward fact-based argument rather than statements of opinion or emotion. Focus your conversation on the issue or problem you have to solve, rather than the person you are dealing with. This helps prevent the conversation from devolving into personal attacks and may lead to more rational thinking on the part of the difficult individual. This approach has the added benefit of projecting yourself as a problem-solver who really cares about the issue at hand and wants to change the situation for the better. Communicate in a way that allows you to express your views and ideas about the situation at hand in a clear way, but without silencing the other person or making them feel that you aren't listening or being rude. Where possible, ask questions rather than making statements. Difficult people often have strong opinions. If you can lead them to see potential flaws in their reasoning without telling them they are wrong, you can often avoid unnecessary conflict. For example, politely asking them "have you considered this problem?" might be more productive than saying "your way of thinking about this doesn't account for this issue." Use "I" statements. When you do make statements, make them about yourself rather than the person. This can diffuse the feeling that you are challenging or blaming them. For example, saying, "I never received that email" is less provocative than "you never sent that email." Similarly, "I felt disrespected by that comment" could be less inflammatory than "you were very rude."
Summary:
Keep your cool. Acknowledge their feelings. Communicate clearly. Focus on the issue, not the person. Be assertive, but not aggressive.