Article: Before you go about getting rid of people in your life, make sure you're doing it for sound reasons. Are you stressed? Are they stressed? If so, now may not be the right time. But if this has been going on for a prolonged period of time and you just don't feel good around them anymore, this is probably the right decision. Life is too short to be around those who don't make us feel our best. Knowing exactly why you want to the friendship over with will help you explain to this person (or persons) why you're deciding to cut off the friendship. When you're strong in your convictions, they'll be a lot harder to argue with and to get angry about. Make sure you're not doing this on a whim or out of anger. If you get the impulse to end the friendship, sleep on it. If you still feel the same urge the next day, it may be safe to move forward. Initially, telling the truth about your feelings that the friendship has drawn to a natural conclusion may seem hard, but it can be the kindest thing to do in the long run and may save you the trouble of having to go through any other steps to end the friendship. Broach the topic gently with them. Take care to avoid placing blame or suggesting that your friend has character flaws that you can't stand anymore. This is partly about you, too. For example, you might say something like, "I don't know know how you feel and I am willing to listen to what you think. But it's important that you understand that I don't feel like our friendship is working well anymore. There are now many times when I feel we've [grown apart/started to bicker all the time/gotten too used to putting each other down, etc.] and even though I've thought hard about this, I just don't feel we can fix this anymore. I feel we should see less of one another and be honest about what has happened to our friendship." Be aware that if you give specific reasons for ending the friendship, these reasons must be as objective and blame-free as possible. Any reasons that attack the character or actions of the other person are open to your friend responding by saying that they'll be a better friend, etc. and you risk getting stuck in an unwinnable argument. Focus on you and how you feel things they cannot change. To avoid a defensive response, keep your reasons for ending the close friendship broad and non-judgmental. You want to stay the bigger person in this situation. Do not say negative things about your friend's character; this will raise defensiveness and can make you look mean and petty. If that happens, you may feel obliged to "repair" your nastiness and it'll take many more months before you feel strong enough to try undoing the friendship again. Criticize how you feel in the friendship rather than picking on your friend's annoying habits. You do not want them to feel attacked nothing good can come from that (especially if you have mutual friends). Be aware that anything you say will likely be construed negatively. This is only human and is a way of coping with pain. With this in mind, keep your message simple, kind and clear. This isn't a case of being "won over" by your friend's arguments that things will still work it's about having the courtesy to show that you have listened. You can summarize how you see their side of the story and then repeat that despite that, you still feel that it's over from your side of things. This conversation is likely to cause a lot of sadness, hurt and even anger on behalf of your friend. Be prepared to acknowledge this but don't let it be a reason for sweeping the problems under the carpet. Don't stand about taking abuse; angry responses are a sign that a timeout is needed. If closure doesn't happen, that's fine. You did what you had to do. If your friend becomes upset during the conversation, don't feel compelled to explain your ways. Just repeat that you don't want to be close friends anymore. Emotions are going to be on high alert during this time, so it's important you stay as logical as possible. In some cases, it will be obvious to both of you that the friendship has been going nowhere for a while. Most likely, the friend will be having the same feelings and be relieved that you have been open about it so try it. You shouldn't have to be stuck in a friendship that you aren't interested in. Since you did it openly and honestly, both of you know where the pieces lie. It'll be easier for both of you to interact in the future, if and when you need to. However, if this isn't doable, the next section discusses abandoning the friendship in an indirect, passive way.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Be certain in your own mind why the friendship is no longer working for you. Get your friend in private and speak your mind. Stay objective and blame-free. Try to focus on facts, not opinions, and your own feelings. Be prepared to listen to what your friend has to say. If things get heated, suggest that you meet up later to finish the conversation. Be realistic when assessing the fate of the friendship.
Article: Find the car you want by visiting car dealers or auctions in Japan, have a friend do this for you, or search online for a car. Or choose to import a car you already own and keep in Japan. Check your own car or buy a car that conforms to U.S. standards for safety and emissions by checking official lists for vehicles that conform or can be modified to conform to all requirements. Check to see if the vehicle complies with U.S. standards by inspecting or having the vehicle inspected by someone else for two different stickers. Look for a Department of Transportation (DOT) sticker in the doorjamb on the driver's side of the car, and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sticker on the car's engine. If either of these stickers are missing, you will need to get a letter or certificate from the certified manufacturer of the car that states that the car meets U.S. standards. If you are importing a vehicle that is 25 years old or older, it does not need to conform to EPA and DOT requirements, although you will still need to complete EPA and DOT paperwork in order to clear your vehicle through Customs and Border Protection (CBP). If the vehicle does not meet U.S. safety and emissions standards, you will need to import it through an independent commercial importer (ICI) to perform modifications to make the car EPA compliant, or a registered importer (RI) to make DOT-approved safety modifications, before it is released to you. Note that some vehicles may not be eligible for these importer modifications. Consult the Environmental Protection Agency's website to find an ICI before you begin the process of importing your vehicle. Refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to locate an RI. The advantage of using an ICI or an RI is that you may be able to import the vehicle you wish even if it doesn't comply with U.S. standards to begin with. However, the disadvantage is that the fees associated with modifying and importing a car in this way are very high.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Visit Japan or look online. Look for a compliant car. Inspect the vehicle for valid stickers. Get an independent importer for a nonconforming car.