INPUT ARTICLE: Article: When you are finished using the iron, make sure you give it plenty of time to cool down before you put it away. Irons should be completely cool to the touch before being stored. Put the iron in a place where it won't be in the way like in a cupboard or a closet. Make sure you put a protective covering over the iron (like a plastic bag) to prevent dust from settling on the machine between uses. This will help keep your iron cleaner over time and help protect it from corrosion and humidity.

SUMMARY: Store the iron properly.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Keep your chin level with the ground, your shoulders back, and your stomach in. Let your arms fall naturally at your sides. Place your feet about shoulder-width apart, the same stance you would use for working out. Imagine a string holding you up. As you stand tall, imagine a string is coming from the ceiling, pulling you upwards. Keep your lower back inline, and don't move to your tiptoes. Visualization techniques like this one can guide your sense of the proper position you should be in. Stand with your back against a door or wall. Just touch the wall with the back of your head, your shoulders, and your butt. Your heels should be 2 to 4 inches (5.1 to 10.2cm) away from the wall. Slide your hand behind your back to check for space. You should be able to slide your hand behind your back but only by a little bit. If you have more space than that, pull your bellybutton back towards your spine to help flatten your back a little. If you can't slide your hand behind your back, arch your back so that you can. Try to hold this position as you move away from the wall, rechecking as needed. Away from the wall, if you simply put your head back, tuck your chin in, and pull your abdominals in, then you will find that your spine, shoulders, and chest automatically go into the positions that they're supposed to be in for good posture. Think about it: If you put your head back and tuck your chin in, then your chest will automatically be out front. And the good change in spine position will automatically push your shoulders back, to the correct position, and encourage the proper curve to the middle of your back (near the bottom of the rib cage). Then, it becomes quick and easy to think: "Head back, chin tucked, abs in." Go back to the wall again and notice that the wall actually guides you to achieve this very posture of "Head back, chin tucked, abs in" Make an "X" from your shoulders to your hips. Add a straight line of tape across your shoulders closing the top of the X. Wear this during the day to help retrain your back. This technique works really well if you hold your shoulders back before taping. Use a tape meant for skin, such as a medical tape. Instead of tape, you can buy a posture corrector online. When you rest on your heels, your natural tendency will be to slouch. Instead, stand up straight, shifting your weight forward a bit. Now rock back so that your weight is on your heels. Notice the way your entire body shifts into a "slouchy" posture with this single motion. Imagining a book on your head will help you keep your head up and your back straight. If you're having trouble imagining it, try a real book for a few minutes. Have a good standing posture while moving. Walking with good posture is simply an extension of standing with good posture. Keep your head up, shoulders back, chest out, and eyes looking straight ahead while you walk. Avoid pushing your head forward. Choose shoes that have ample padding to help you hold yourself upright. In addition, make sure they have good arch support. Good posture starts with your feet. Avoid shoes with high heels, as they can change your body's alignment. If you're standing for long periods, add padding to the floor for additional comfort.

SUMMARY: Find your center by standing up straight and tall. Use a wall to teach yourself correct posture. Have someone tape an X on your back to help correct your posture. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Walk as if you have a book balanced on your head. Pick supportive footwear for standing and walking.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Once you have brainstormed your poem, you should sit down and create a first draft. You may decide to focus on certain scenes with your friend that illustrate your friendship. You should use sensory details to describe the scene, such as any smells in the room with you and your friend, any colors or eye catching details, any sounds, and any items that you held or touched. Using sensory details will help the poem feel vibrant and engaging. You may decide to focus on a scene of when you first met your friend or a where your friend did something brave and wonderful for you recently. You should try to describe the scene from your perspective and then discuss why you think what your friend did was so great or so interesting. For example, rather than just write "I met you when I was in high school", you might say, "There I was, my hair in braids and my braces flashing in the light, when I ran into you with your dyed black hair and platform shoes in the hallway and thought, who's that girl?" Make the poem personal to you and your friend by including personal traits about your friend that you admire or find distinct. You may also include personal traits that you both share and discuss how these traits make your friendship stronger. For example, in Mia Pratt's "A Toast to Our Friendship", the author notes personal traits that she shares with the friend she is writing about, comparing them to "a female Jordan and Scottie Pippen", who "both share identical shoe sizes, body weight, and consumption of iron pills" as well as "identical patterns of speech". These details make the poem feel personal and unique to the friendship the author shares with her friend. Though you can decide if the first person or the third person is a good fit for your poem, the first person perspective will help the poem to feel more personal and intimate. The first person "I" perspective will allow you to discuss your friendship from your point of view and address your friend directly by referring to "you" as well as "we" when you are talking about the two of you together. After you have created your poem, you should read it out loud to yourself to hear how the words sound together in each line. Notice if any lines should awkward or not quite right. Check for any words that seem too vague or unclear. You should also make sure you are using specific detail and sensory descriptions to make the poem feel engaging. You may want to mark up the poem to note any awkward lines or words. You can then edit the poem for clarity and tone, focusing on the sections you have marked. Once you are satisfied with your poem, you should share it with your friend as a surprise gift or casually hand it to her the next time you see her. Showing your poem to your friend will allow her to read about how much you value her and appreciate her friendship. She may even be inspired to write a poem about you and share her perspective on your friendship.

SUMMARY: Describe the scene using sensory details. Include personal traits about your friend. Make the poem feel more personal by using the first person perspective. Read the poem out loud. Show the poem to your friend once it is done.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The pumpkins should be uniformly bright orange in color (unless you're growing a white or mottled variety). The vines will begin to shrivel and dry out. Most importantly, the pumpkins' skin will be tough. If you can indent it easily with a fingernail, the pumpkins need more time on the vine. Leave several inches of stem at the top of each pumpkin, since this keeps them from rotting too quickly. Don't pick up the pumpkins by their stems, since if the stems break their bases will rot. As soon as you cut them, they're ready to be removed from the pumpkin patch and used in whatever way you like. Rinse them off (you might need to scrub the dirt off the bottom) and either cut them to make pie or carve them into jack-o'-lanterns. If you store pumpkins in a cool, dry place they'll keep throughout the winter months.

SUMMARY:
Look for signs the pumpkin is ready for harvest. Use shears to cut the stems. Rinse, use and store the pumpkins.