Give yourself a minute or two to just look things over and think about what it is that you need to absorb from the text. Use the steps in the section "Familiarizing Yourself with the Text" to Identify the basics first: Is it a list of facts? An understanding of a concept? A sequence of events? What sort of learning will you need to do? Especially if you are reading something that was assigned in a class, good questions to consider include: Why am I being asked to read this? What is the purpose of the assignment? How does this assignment fit in with the rest of what we have been doing? It is the main idea? Or, is it just an example or sideline to the main idea? What am I supposed to be getting out of this? (Ideas, background information, procedures, overview?) What level of detail am I going to need to retain? (Do I need to understand everything, or will the main ideas be sufficient?)

Summary: Pre-read the text. Direct your reading with questions about the content you're about to read. Write down your answers to remind you as you read.

If you have a fridge full of beer at home, chances are you will be tempted to drink it. Give away or throw out any beer that you still have in the house. Ask anyone else living with you or visiting you to respect your efforts by not bringing any more beer into your home. Meditation can be very effective for managing alcohol addiction. In addition to reducing stress (a common underlying risk factor in alcoholism), regular meditation can help you achieve greater discipline and self-awareness, and can improve your physical health. Set aside 15-20 minutes every day to sit in a quiet, comfortable place, away from distractions. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. If it helps, repeat a meaningful phrase or mantra to yourself as you meditate. If you're not sure how to start, take a meditation class at your local fitness center. Alternatively, look for guided meditation videos online. Hang out with friends and family who respect your desire to give up beer. If you know someone is going to offer you a beer, give you trouble about your decision not to drink, or tempt you by drinking in front of you, it may be best to avoid that person for awhile. You'll be less tempted to drink beer if you're keeping yourself busy doing other things. Use the time that you would otherwise spend drinking by doing something that you enjoy or working towards something you'd like to accomplish. Try picking up a new exercise routine, working on a creative project, or learning a new skill or hobby. If you feel tempted to drink beer, treat yourself to some other kind of refreshing treat or beverage. Try fruit juice, herbal tea, a sparkling beverage, or an electrolyte-rich sports drink. Alcohol-free beer is also an option, if you really crave the taste of beer but want to avoid the alcohol content. However, keep in mind that many "alcohol removed" beers do contain a very small amount of alcohol. Carbonated beverages, such as sparkling water with lime, lemon, ginger, or mint, can give you the same satisfying fizzy sensation that you get from beer. Fancy carbonated drinks can also help you mingle and feel less out of place in settings where others are drinking alcohol, since they superficially resemble many alcoholic drinks. If you reach a major goal (like 30 days without a drink of beer), treat yourself. Use the money that you saved by not buying beer to buy yourself a nice gift or have a fun (and beer-free) evening out. Use an alcohol spending calculator like this one to figure out how much you're saving by cutting back on beer: https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/tools/Calculators/alcohol-spending-calculator.aspx

Summary: Get rid of beer in your home. Practice meditation daily. Spend time with supportive people. Stay active. Refresh yourself with something else. Reward yourself for not drinking beer.

Paint fumes can induce respiratory problems if used indoors. If possible, paint your golf cart outside. Paint in the garage on windy or stormy days. Wind can inhibit your ability to aim directly at the cart and blow dirt on your fresh coat. If you begin having breathing troubles or experience nausea, remove yourself from the area to a well-ventilated place. Call Poison Control for further instructions. If you are painting in your garage, make sure to open the door to avoid fume inhalation. Spray paint has a less focused range than some painting methods, and you'll want to avoid painting the floor by accident. If you don't have a drop cloth on hand, cover the area directly below your cart's body with old newspapers. Choose canvas over plastic drop cloths, as cloth is less slippery and stays more secure on the floor. Gloves protect your hands from paint or primer stains while you're working on the cart. Try not to use gardening or mechanic's gloves while you're working to avoid staining your carts with dirt or grease. Disposable rubber gloves are ideal to keep your work area clean. Scrub the paint off with soap and warm water immediately if you get paint on your hands. Spray paint can be tough to remove from clothes. Avoid wearing anything you care about in case of any mishaps. An old t-shirt and sweatpants are the perfect attire for painting a golf cart. Spray paint can emit toxic fumes, and some people may be more vulnerable to breathing troubles than others. Wear a dust mask to protect your breathing, especially if you're painting in your garage. Put on a pair of goggles as well to protect your eyes.

Summary: Choose a windless, well-ventilated location. Surround the golf cart with drop cloths. Purchase a pair of disposable gloves. Put on a pair of work clothes you don't mind staining. Wear goggles and a dust mask.

Most of Google's buildings are only accessible by their employees. Exceptions are sometimes made for guests of employees. If you know someone who works at Google's headquarters, call or email them to ask if they can give you a tour of some of the buildings. Be polite and offer to work around their schedule to make the visit happen. If you get the opportunity to visit the Googleplex, be on the lookout for some of the most notable parts of Google's work environment. If you wish to take pictures, ask for permission first. Be as low-key and discreet as possible to avoid distracting employees during their work day. The Google Visitor Center is essentially a mini-museum that showcases Google's history. Access to this exposition of cultural and historical artefacts is restricted to employees and their guests. Ask your tour guide to bring you through the building, which will give you an informative overview of how the company has developed over the years. Note that the visitor center may be closed as of 2019. It's located near the Android statue garden in the Landings building area. The Googleplex cafeteria combines a variety of high-quality restaurants that range from casual dining to upscale cuisine. Ask your Googler tour guide if you can share a meal with them in the cafeteria, which is open to employees and their guests. Choose from restaurants that are color-coded green, yellow, or red for general healthiness. Green represents maximum healthiness. Yellow indicates food that features both healthy and unhealthy ingredients. Red signifies that the food is more decadent and not ideal for a healthy diet. Ask your tour guide if you can see one of the "nap pods" scattered across Googleplex buildings. These enclosed reclining chairs shut out external stimulus so that employees can work quietly or sleep. They also include a built-in Bose music system and a timer to wake up employees after a set time. These "naps pods" were created by a company called MetroNaps using NASA science. Many of the plant-based foods served in the Googleplex cafeteria are grown on-site in the Google Garden. This large organic garden uses Earthbox, a technology invented by Google that waters plants from the bottom instead of the top. Ask if you can visit this impressive space on your tour. The Google Garden also has vast green spaces and meditation spots for employees. The garden also serves as the learning grounds for students of a local horticulture society.
Summary: Ask a friend or contact who works for Google at give you a tour. Observe highlights of the Google headquarters offices discreetly. Visit the Google Visitor Center. Have a meal in the Googleplex cafeteria. Checkout Google "nap pod" sleep stations. Ask if you can see the Google garden.