Before you transfer your entire tape collection over to your hard drive, make sure you're getting a good recording. Record what you did, then give it a listen. If you set up everything correctly, you should have a fairly clean digital copy of your old analog tapes. If the recording is too quiet or too noisy (the music is quiet but there's lots "fuzzy" noise), the output was too low and the recording did not have enough signal to offset the noise. If the recorded sound sounds like it's being played through a broken speaker or a meat grinder, your recording was too loud, and the sound's distorted. You can adjust your computer's sound settings to help offset the above issues. You may not need to do any editing, but if you want to cut out silences, erase some tracks, or change the volume, for example, most sound recording programs will allow you to do so. Programs such as Audacity (available on both Windows and Mac computers) can perform basic editing, while more advanced paid programs may be able to clean up your recording. When editing, it is a good idea to keep the original file as a backup and change the names of edited files when you save them in case you find you made a mistake. When you're sure you like the edited file, you can delete the original to save drive space on your computer. Once you have a basically good recording, you can improve it by using audio tools, chief among which is a process called "normalization". Normalizing your audio will ensure that the loudest peaks are at or near 100% of full scale (e.g, when all the meters are lit, or 0dB, depending on your metering). Most audio-editing programs offer some form of normalization. This is not something you will use for every recording you make, as it can render a lot of music lifeless. It works by keeping the loudest sounds about where they started while bringing up the level of the quieter passages. You lose the difference between the highs and lowsor dynamicsand in return, you get an apparently louder recording. When listening at home, this isn't necessarily desirable, but if you're making a CD for your car, it can be very useful. Depending on your speakers, how they're set up, and the quality of your overall playback system, adjusting the EQ to taste can be helpful. A word of caution, though: like compression, "good" EQ is subjective. While you may adjust the EQ so it sounds great on your system, the same music may sound distorted or off on another system. Once you've gone through the trouble of converting your old cassettes, make saving a copy of your recording the first thing you do before you start any reconstructive (or just destructive) edits (normalization, EQ, compression, etc.)
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One-sentence summary -- Record a small amount at first. Edit your recording. Normalize the audio if needed. Apply compression. Equalize (EQ) the audio. Always work with a copy.

You can purchase activated charcoal from your local health food store or online. It is best to find activated charcoal in powder or capsule from, as opposed to tablets, since you will need to use the powder to make the face soap. You can purchase one hundred activated charcoal capsules online for $8.49. Look for activated charcoal made from natural sources such as coconut shells. Place a medium sized bowl on the counter. Working above the bowl, open the capsules of activated charcoal and dump them in the bowl. Then, add the coconut oil and the baking soda to the bowl. Mix the coconut oil, activated charcoal and baking soda together in the medium sized bowl. Mix the ingredients together until the activated charcoal is well distributed throughout the mixture. It should look like a black liquid. Pour the face wash mixture into a clean plastic container. Close it tightly with a lid. It should store for a three months. Store it out of direct sunlight. You could also reuse an old face wash container. Unscrew the top and clean it out. Let it dry and then add your activated charcoal face wash. You can purchase face wash containers in a variety of sizes online.
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One-sentence summary -- Obtain activated charcoal. Combine the ingredients. Store the face wash.

Mobile phones and tablets have become extremely powerful and convenient but can be tricky to master. Phones sometimes offer different ways of texting. Make sure to read the manual and allow yourself a few hours to explore all the options. Once you're comfortable with one, train your fingers to type or swipe quicker and think about the position of your hand. Using a mobile phone can trigger several joint problems. Use yours wisely. It is important to keep your contacts organised on your phone if you want to find your interlocutors as quickly as possible. Use their full first and last names and try to avoid nicknames. If you have several contacts, use directories and lists. Separating your friends, your family and your colleagues is the best way to be fast and avoid mistakes. Depending on your phone, the SMS tool might be too basic or totally unreliable. It might be worth installing a new application to make texting far more efficient and user-friendly. There are many applications available online. Try to look for one with a predictive text system to gain time. Applications don't always support all languages. If you don't use English, check carefully that your language is included. Some applications use speech recognition to text. This can be useful if you have to text and drive.
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One-sentence summary -- Know your phone. Organise your contacts. Customize your phone.

The letter may become part of future legal proceedings. Regardless of how upset you may be regarding unfair accusations or possible threats contained in the demand letter, respond with calm and accurate language. Never try to match threats with anyone, as this can cloud the issues involved for a judge or jury that may have to evaluate a later lawsuit. Whatever you do, be sure to respond both promptly and politely. The three most common responses to a demand letter include: (1) truthfully denying that you have breached the contract, (2) asserting an affirmative defense indicating that circumstances beyond your control prevented you from acting, or (3) apologizing for your actual error and asking if you can "cure" or "fix" the breach in a specific way by a new, mutually agreeable date. Keep in mind that if you do provide an acceptable affirmative defense, you will still need to propose an agreeable way to "cure" the unavoidable breach. Carefully quote the terms of your contract and attach documentary proof, if necessary, that clearly indicates how you upheld your duties or which circumstances beyond your control prevented you from timely handling them. Unless you're determined to get out of the contract and have your lawyer file a lawsuit, politely suggest alternative ways you can readily "cure" any perceived contract breach. Remember to include notation of any errors included in the initial demand letter. Correct any factual errors but be sure to keep the tone calm and professional. Properly format your letter. Make the correspondence as professional as possible. Make one copy of your reply for each party and one for yourself. For example, if there are two Plaintiffs, you should make three copies, one for each of them, and one for yourself.
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One-sentence summary --
Respond carefully. Decide on the tone and type of response you will send. Write your response letter. Print, sign, and prepare your letter for mailing.