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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Simple-Chocolate-Cake

How to Make a Simple Chocolate Cake

To make a simple chocolate cake, start by putting 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, ½ a stick of melted butter, ½ a cup of milk, and 2 eggs in a bowl. Then, beat the ingredients with a mixer for 3 minutes. Next, pour the mixture into a greased cake pan, and bake it in a 325°F oven for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, you can test your cake for doneness by inserting a metal skewer into the center. If it comes out with batter on it, you should bake your cake for another 5-10 minutes. You'll know your cake is done when the skewer comes out clean.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place all ingredients in a bowl. Beat with an electric beater until the mixture is smooth. Beat for around three minutes. This is a fairly wet mixture and the beating is important. Beat through enough to make a smooth batter but not too much that the air is taken out. Pour into grease and base lined (baking paper on the bottom) cake tin. Bake for approximately 40 minutes at 325°F (160°C) or until cooked when tested. Test by inserting a clean metal skewer into the centre of the cake and when the skewer is pulled out, it should be clean. If there is a sign of batter on the skewer, the cake is not fully cooked. If the cake is still wet and/or moist when tested place back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Add frosting, sprinkles, and any other sorts of decoration. Place the mixing bowl out on the bench. Pour the oil into the mixing bowl. Add the caster/superfine sugar to the oil. Mix to combine. The sugar will soak up the oil and won't mix completely. Add the cocoa, flour and baking powder to a separate mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Crack the eggs into the oil mixture. Add the flour mixture. Mix to combine. Grease or line the baking pan/tin. Pour the batter into the pan. Place in the preheated oven to bake. Bake for half an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven using oven mitts. Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack before serving.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place all ingredients in a bowl. Beat with an electric beater until the mixture is smooth. Pour into grease and base lined (baking paper on the bottom) cake tin. Bake for approximately 40 minutes at 325°F (160°C) or until cooked when tested. Add frosting, sprinkles, and any other sorts of decoration. Place the mixing bowl out on the bench. Pour the oil into the mixing bowl. Add the caster/superfine sugar to the oil. Mix to combine. Add the cocoa, flour and baking powder to a separate mixing bowl. Crack the eggs into the oil mixture. Grease or line the baking pan/tin. Bake for half an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven using oven mitts.

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Complaint-Letter-to-an-Attorney

How to Write a Complaint Letter to an Attorney

To draft a complaint letter against an attorney, start by including your address and a phone number where you can be reached. State your complaint clearly at the top of the letter, describing exactly why you are dissatisfied. Then, back your complaint up with as many facts as possible, including specific times and dates. End the letter with an actionable request for relief that will leave you satisfied, like a formal apology or refund.

Consider who you can make a complaint against. If you have a grievance against an attorney, you may want to write them a complaint letter or file a formal complaint with the state they practice in. While some states limit your ability to file a complaint against an attorney you have not hired, most states will allow you to file a complaint against any lawyer you believe has acted criminally or unethically. For example, in New York, you can make a complaint against a lawyer even if you have not hired them. Also, in Washington, you can make a complaint against your present attorney, your past attorney, or even opposing counsel. Know the types of complaints you can make. In general, you can make a complaint about any action your attorney takes that you believe is unethical or improper. Attorneys have to abide by a certain set of state mandated rules that govern the ethics of the practice of law. If an attorney breaches any one of these rules while representing you, you may want to consider making a complaint. While it can be difficult to know if an attorney is following the rules or not, the following are common examples of legitimate complaints: Your lawyer is holding money for you and will not return it to you or provide you with an accurate accounting of how it was spent; Your lawyer consistently does not respond to inquiries about your case, inform you of court dates, or appear in court; Your lawyer does not tell the truth or asks you to lie; Your lawyer fails to do what they say they will do or does not perform their duties in a timely manner. Know the types of complaints you cannot make. While there are endless amounts of complaints you can legitimately make against your attorney, there are some topics that will typically not be entertained by your lawyer, a disciplinary board, or a court. If your lawyer's conduct does not rise to the level of an ethical violation, your complaint will be thrown out. You may not like what your lawyer does, but that does not necessarily mean you have a legitimate complaint against them. Generally, the following types of topics are not cognizable: Your lawyer's personal life (e.g., disagreements with neighbors, creditors, or spouses). Your belief that your lawyer generally did a bad job. Your belief that your lawyer was rude. Your lawyer made a single, honest mistake. Consider this your first option. If you have a legitimate complaint against your lawyer, start by sending them a personal letter. Oftentimes, an attorney will be happy to work with you to resolve your issue so it does not reach the state bar. Also, your attorney may not know about your dissatisfaction, and if you write them a letter before filing a complaint, they may be able to fix it quickly and amicably. While this is your first option, if the informal complaint letter does not lead to the outcome you desire, you may have to file a formal complaint against your attorney. Draft your letter. When you sit down to write your complaint letter, use a computer and write in a professional tone. Furthermore, Your letter should include the following information: Your contact information, so your attorney can get in touch with you. Also, you should request a response from the attorney within a specified period of time. A clear statement of your complaint. This should be towards the top of your letter and should lay out exactly why you are dissatisfied. For example, if you believe the lawyer has lied to you, clearly state that you believe they have been dishonest. An easily understood statement of facts that back up your complaint. For example, if you believe your attorney has been dishonest with you, walk them through the facts that lead you to believe this. Include as much information as possible, including times, dates, and places. A request for relief. At the end of your letter, you should request some sort of relief that will satisfy you. Make sure the relief you ask for is reasonable, as an attorney will be much more likely to oblige if you do so. For example, if you believe your attorney has been dishonest with you, you may want a written apology and then you may want to find a new attorney to handle your case. Note here that you never need your attorney's permission to fire them; you can do this whenever you want. If your complaint is about money (e.g., excessive fees or the return of unused funds), you might ask for the funds back. Submit the letter to your attorney. Once you have written your complaint letter, send it to your attorney, return receipt requested. In addition, you may want to deliver a copy, in person, to their office as well. Always keep a copy for your own personal records. Wait for a response. An attorney will usually respond to a complaint quickly, as they know the possible repercussions of having a formal complaint filed against them. If your attorney responds and agrees with you, hopefully this will satisfy you. However, if your attorney responds and disagrees with your claims, you may have to file a formal complaint in order to have a third party look at the issue. If your attorney fails to respond at all, your letter can be used as evidence during the formal complaint process. Protect your rights. Once you have exhausted all informal options, including writing a complaint letter to your attorney, you may have to resort to filing a formal complaint in order to resolve your issue. While it is not necessary to hire an attorney to help you with the formal complaint process, it may be advantageous to do so. For one thing, you might have other legal options apart from a formal complaint. An attorney will help you assess your options and can help you make important decisions about how to proceed against your other attorney. Contact your state's bar association. In general, the formal complaint process against attorneys is handled by each state's bar association. For example, in California, the State Bar is an arm of the California Supreme Court and they have the ability to investigate and prosecute complaints against lawyers. However, while any complaint alleging an ethical violation should be brought to your state bar's attention, if you are claiming that your attorney is doing something criminal, you need to contact the district attorney's office. For example, if you believe your attorney is engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, you need to contact the district attorney's office because, if found to be true, the unauthorized practice of law is a crime. Access the correct complaint form. If you are making a complaint to the state bar, which will handle any complaint alleging unethical behavior from your attorney, you will need to access their complaint form so you can fill it out. In general, each state's formal complaint form will be available for you on the state bar's website so you can download and print it. If you believe your attorney has engaged in any criminal activity, you can contact the district attorney's office directly and inform them of your complaint. This can usually be achieved with a phone call or an in-person discussion, and there is usually no form to fill out. Fill out the form. Once you have printed the form, you will need to fill it out completely and accurately. In most states, the bar association will want the following information: Your contact information; The lawyer's contact information who you are complaining about; A description of the relationship between you and the lawyer (e.g., client, past client, opposing lawyer); Whether there is a court case associated with your grievance, and if so, what the case name and file number is; An explanation of your grievance, which includes a description of what happened; Attachments of any relevant documents, which might include written fee arrangements and any other correspondence between you and your attorney.<ref Meet the applicable filing deadline. After preparing your complaint, you will have to file it with your state bar association within a certain time period. These time limitations will vary by state, but in general it is a period of years. For example, in Florida, you have six years from the time the matter giving rise to the complaint is discovered. Know where to file your complaint. Before you file your complaint make sure you are sending it to the correct entity. Not only do you have to worry about whether to make a complaint to the bar association or to the district attorney, you also need to make sure you make the complaint to the correct office. For example, in California, you need to send your complaints to the state bar's Office of the Chief Trial Counsel/Intake. In New York, the address you send your complaint will vary depending on where you live. File your complaint. Once you know where to send your completed formal complaint, you will do so. In general, there is no filing fee for making a complaint against an attorney. Wait for an initial response. After you send in your formal complaint, you should hear back in a matter of weeks. The initial response you receive will be based on a review of the information you submitted. In general, the response will let you know whether the state bar is: Opening an investigation; Asking you for more information; or Notifying you that there will be no action taken. Take part in a hearing. If the bar opens an investigation into your complaint, you may have to take part in an official hearing. In some instances, you may even be required to appear as a witness. If you are required to do this, show up to the hearing on time, dress professionally, and answer the questions asked of you completely and honestly. Get notified of the final action taken. Once the disciplinary process is complete, you will be notified of its' outcome.

Consider who you can make a complaint against. Know the types of complaints you can make. Know the types of complaints you cannot make. Consider this your first option. Draft your letter. Submit the letter to your attorney. Wait for a response. Protect your rights. Contact your state's bar association. Access the correct complaint form. Fill out the form. Meet the applicable filing deadline. Know where to file your complaint. File your complaint. Wait for an initial response. Take part in a hearing. Get notified of the final action taken.

https://www.wikihow.com/Hide-a-Security-Camera-Outside

How to Hide a Security Camera Outside

To hide a security camera outside, conceal it in a birdhouse or bird feeder. You can also put your camera in the thick leaves and shrubbery of a tree or bush. If you'd prefer a designated place for your camera, you can buy a fake rock or a garden gnome and drill a hole in it for the lens to look out of. Additionally, you can buy a camera that looks like a light fixture or doorbell.

Place your camera inside of a birdhouse or bird feeder. Point your security camera so the lens is facing out of the small opening in the front of the birdhouse or feeder. Point the feeder or house in the direction you want to monitor. Hide your camera in a bush or tree. Thick leaves and shrubbery can hide the appearance of a security camera. Place your camera inside of a bush or tree and check the camera's video feed to make sure that the lens isn't obscured. Conceal your camera in a fake rock or garden gnome. You can purchase a hollowed out garden gnome or rock online. Use a drill bit that's as big as the lens on your camera and drill a hole in the fake rock or garden gnome. You can then place your camera inside of the fake rock or gnome and point the lens of the camera out of the hole. You can also place the camera on the inside of a clay pot. Attach the camera to the inside of the object with electrical tape to hold it in place. Purchase a camera designed to look like a light fixture or doorbell. Some security cameras are designed to look like other things, like a light or doorbell. Look online for security or spy camera lights or lamps, and find one that fits your budget and need. Put your camera inside of your mailbox. Hide your camera inside of your mailbox or the mailbox post. Drill a hole through the mailbox so that your camera can record what's happening outside of the mailbox. Use PVC pipe to hide the wires on a wired camera. Leaving exposed or visible wires leading up to your camera will make the placement obvious to other people. If you plan on using a security camera that has wires, you need to dig a trench so that you can bury the PVC pipe that will house the wires. You may need to install a metal conduit or PVC pipe to hide the wires from an elevated camera. Install a fake camera to take attention off your real camera. You can purchase a fake or "dummy" security camera online or at hardware stores. These will serve as a visible deterrent and will take attention off of your actual security cameras. Put these cameras in an area that people are able to see. Fake security cameras are usually $10-$30 USD per camera. Buy a smaller sized security camera. Large bulky cameras will be harder to conceal in plain sight. The smaller your camera, the easier it will be to hide. When considering your options, look for cameras that are smaller in size. Smaller sized cameras include the Netgear Arlo Pro, LG Smart Security Wireless Camera, and Nest Cam IQ. Purchase a wireless security camera. Getting a wireless camera will prevent you from having to hide the wires that come with a wired camera. Wireless cameras are usually more expensive but will be much easier to hide. Popular brands of wireless security cameras include the Netgear Arlo Q, Belkin Netcam HD+, and the Amazon Cloud Cam. Buy a camera that uploads to cloud storage. Purchasing a camera that automatically uploads video to cloud storage will ensure that you won't lose important footage if your camera is tampered with or gets destroyed. Popular brands of security cameras that can upload to the cloud include the D-Link Day/Night Network Cloud Camera, Logitech Alert 750n Indoor Master System, and Netgear VueZone Video Monitoring System.

Place your camera inside of a birdhouse or bird feeder. Hide your camera in a bush or tree. Conceal your camera in a fake rock or garden gnome. Purchase a camera designed to look like a light fixture or doorbell. Put your camera inside of your mailbox. Use PVC pipe to hide the wires on a wired camera. Install a fake camera to take attention off your real camera. Buy a smaller sized security camera. Purchase a wireless security camera. Buy a camera that uploads to cloud storage.

https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Preschool-Teacher

How to Be a Preschool Teacher

If you think you want to be a preschool teacher, make sure you not only love teaching, but that you also love working with children. If that sounds like you, look into getting your bachelor's degree in early childhood education. You'll also need to pass an exam, complete 480 hours of working with children, and finish 120 hours of formal education to get certified.

Obtain a high school diploma. The minimum requirements to be a preschool teacher are to have a high school diploma and a certificate in early childhood education. If you do not have a high school diploma, you can obtain a high school equivalency credential by taking the GED exam. Sign up for test-prep classes through your local community college or technical college to prepare you for the GED exam. The GED Testing Service also offers low-cost and free practice tests and tutorials online. Get a degree in early childhood education (ECE). Once you have your GED, you can either obtain an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in ECE to become a preschool teacher. However, many public schools require that their teachers have a bachelor's degree or higher in ECE to be a preschool teacher. Teachers in private schools or daycare settings may only be required to have an associate's degree in ECE. A certificate is also a typical requirement to be a preschool teacher in private schools. Preschool teachers working in public school programs, like Head Start, may only be required to have an associate's degree and experience working with children. However, most have a bachelor's degree in ECE. Become certified. Certification for preschool teachers in public schools includes passing state certification exams after the completion of a bachelor's degree. In order to earn the Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate, a candidate must have a high school diploma or equivalent, have completed 480 hours of experience working with children, and 120 hours or more of formal education. Some states accept the National Child Care Association's Certified Childcare Professional credential if a candidate does not hold a college degree, or has a college degree in a field unrelated to childhood education. Look into your state's requirements for teaching preschool children. Maintain certification. To maintain your CDA certification, you will need to continue your education. If you work in a private school setting or a childcare center, you will need to keep your first aid certification up-to-date, demonstrate active teaching practice, and have a membership in an approved organization for childcare professionals. Public school preschool teachers are required to participate in professional development hours during each renewal period to maintain their certification. Obtain relevant work experience. You can gain the necessary experience to work with children by babysitting, tutoring, and by working at a day care or as an assistant in a preschool program. Offer to babysit or tutor friends', family members', or neighbors' children. You can also find babysitting and tutoring jobs through Internet job sites, like Craigslist or Indeed. Try contacting schools in your area to see if tutoring opportunities are available. Preschool programs usually require teaching assistants to have either an associate's degree, or be in the process of completing a bachelor's degree. Know your options. Apply for jobs at public, private, and charter schools. Make sure to check the qualifications before you apply. Most public schools and charter schools require teachers to hold a bachelor's degree and have the CDA certificate. On the other hand, private schools may only require you to have an associate's degree, as well as certification. Attend job fairs. Attend back-to-school job fairs for pre-k and elementary school teachers. You can search for local job fairs by visiting your local school district office, or by visiting school's websites. School websites sometimes post job openings and dates for upcoming job fairs. You can also contact your local chamber of commerce to obtain a list of preschools in your area. You can also visit the websites of the biggest companies in your city. These companies sometimes offer daycare facilities to their employees, and may have job openings. Explore job agency websites. Monster, Indeed, and Glassdoor are just a few examples of websites that regularly post preschool teaching jobs. You can also register with an employment agency that specializes in finding jobs for people in the educational sector, for example Earlychildhoodteacher.org. Create a resume. Write a two to three sentence personal summary at the top of your resume that briefly outlines who you are, your experience, and your goals. The next section should outline your academic qualifications, i.e., your degrees and certifications. Then, state each employer with a list that outlines your duties and responsibilities. After your work experience section, list key skills and competencies, like communication skills, creativity, organizational skills, and patience, for example. Ask for recommendations from previous jobs. Ask the parents of children you have either babysat or tutored for a personal recommendation. You can also ask the head teacher or leader of a daycare program or preschool you worked at for a professional recommendation. Be ready for an interview. Common questions that an interviewer might ask are: "Can you tell me about yourself?" "If I were to walk into your classroom during a math or reading activity, what would I see?" "What are some of your positive guidance strategies?" "How will you communicate with families? and "What makes you the best candidate?" Write-up and memorize your answers to these questions, then practice in front of the mirror. Some interviews might have multiple rounds. If you are called in for a second interview, you might have to demonstrate how you work with children, or come up with a sample lesson plan. Set-up your classroom. A preschool classroom needs to be engaging, organized, fun, and safe. Divide the classroom into centers, and organize the children by groups. This way the children can rotate between centers. You can paste pictures, letters, and numbers on the walls. Also, post signs denoting the name of each center. Some examples of classroom centers are writing, math, science, arts and crafts, reading, building, and free playing centers. Try to avoid putting active centers, like arts and crafts, next to more quiet centers, like reading centers. Also, label the groups by colors so that the children can easily remember which group they belong to. Create a lesson plan. Keep your lesson plans simple and structured. They should cater to the age group you are teaching. Effective preschool lesson plans are ones that involve the children in various, fun activities. For example, familiarize the children with the ABC's by asking them to act out the animal the letter starts with. If it is the letter C, ask children to act or imitate a cat. Each state has their own guidelines and requirements for creating a preschool curriculum. You can find these guidelines in your state's Department of Education website. However, the basic requirements are that you create a curriculum that provides age-appropriate enrichment, development, and proficiency. Establish a daily routine. Routines help children feel safe and comfortable. They will know what to expect every day, which provides a sense of comfort. A routine will also help you to be organized and stay on task. Therefore, establish a morning routine, as well as an afternoon routine. The time you spend on one activity might change from one day to the next, but the order of the activities and what you do during the activity should stay the same. For example, the morning could consist of circle time and story time, while the afternoon consists of lunch, nap time, and centers. Each day can have a different routine, but try to keep it minimal. For example, three different routines for the whole week. Maintain good relationships with your coworkers. Maintain good relationships with your coworkers by communicating with them frequently about important information and concerns. Be open and honest about who you are, and try to find common interests between you and your coworkers. For example, perhaps you and a coworker both have a dog. This could be a common point of interest that might develop you and your coworker's relationship. Try inviting your coworker out to lunch. If they decline, don't take it personally.

Obtain a high school diploma. Get a degree in early childhood education (ECE). Become certified. Maintain certification. Obtain relevant work experience. Know your options. Attend job fairs. Explore job agency websites. Create a resume. Be ready for an interview. Set-up your classroom. Create a lesson plan. Establish a daily routine. Maintain good relationships with your coworkers.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Dishwasher-Pods

How to Use Dishwasher Pods

Dishwasher pods are a convenient and easy way to clean your dishes without messy liquids, powders, or gels. For a regular dishwashing load, use 1 pod. If you have a full load of heavily soiled dishware, add a second pod. However, if you have a very light dishwashing load, you might have leftover residue from the pod, so wait to turn your dishwasher on until you have close to a full load. Put the pod in your dishwasher detergent dispenser and close the latch tightly. For the best results, add a finishing liquid with the pod to help clean away caked-on food and grease. If your dishwasher has temperature control settings, adjust it between 125 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make sure all of your items are dishwasher-safe. The first step before adding your pod to the dishwasher is ensuring that all of the items you have loaded are dishwasher-safe. Avoid adding items that are made of cast iron, crystal, plastic, copper or nonstick pans, and insulated mugs into the dishwasher as these might be ruined by the heat and detergent. Items that are not dishwasher-safe often have a warning on their packaging or right on the product, so check the product before you add it to your load. Try not to let your dishes sit for more than 24 hours. The less time you leave them sitting in your dishwasher, the less likely you are to have caked on food and grease. Use a single pod for a regular-sized load. One of the benefits of the pods is that they are individually packaged and measured for a typical dishwasher load, which makes it convenient and easy for you to pop one into the dishwasher. If you have a regular dishwashing load, use one pod. If you have a full load that is heavily soiled, you should add in a second pod. Be sure not overload your dishwasher. Be aware that very light dishwashing loads may have leftover residue from the pod, so you may want to wait to turn on your dishwasher when you have a close to a full load. Place the pod in your dishwasher detergent dispenser. Ensure that you are placing the pod in the correct place in your dishwasher – this is typically located on the inside of the door to your dishwasher and is designated for dish detergents or dishwashing pods. Close the latch tightly on the dispenser before closing the door to your dishwasher. Do not try to pierce or open the dishwasher pod in any way. The casing of the pod is meant to help measure out the individual packaging of the pods, as well as easily dissolved in the dishwasher with the contents. Breaking the outer casing of the pod can create a mess and can be irritating to your skin. Add a finishing liquid to your dishwashing load for optimal results. In some cases, adding a finishing liquid with the pod can help the pod clean away caked on food and grease, and leave your glassware shiny and streak free. Fill the rinse-aid dispenser in your dishwasher with the finishing liquid, and it will automatically add the correct amount of liquid to the load for you each time. Turn your dishwasher on and let the pod work its magic. If your dishwasher has temperature control settings, adjusting the temperature between 125 °F (52 °C) and 140 °F (60 °C) is the optimal heat setting for the pods to clean your dishes. Choose a high-quality dishwasher pod. To ensure that your dishwasher pod is going to effectively clean your dishes, you'll need to find the right set of pods that work for best for your needs. Choosing a powerful dishwasher pod will ensure that you don't have to use an extra one (and extra water and energy) on another cycle if there is food left behind. Look for pods that are labeled with concentrated cleaning power, for example, “15 X Power” or “12 X Power.” This means there are more grease-fighting ingredients per pod. Depending on your preference, you can choose between scented pods, which come in fragrances like Fresh or Lemon, or if you'd prefer you can opt for the odorless pods with no added dyes or fragrances. High-quality dishwasher pods tend to steer clear of toxic ingredients like synthetic dyes and chemicals, which will be printed on the labels. Select pods that are environmentally friendly. If you tend to rinse your dishes quite well before you put them in the dishwasher and like to choose eco-friendly cleaning products for your kitchen, select a pod that is environmentally friendly to reduce your green footprint. In general, if you are looking for a more eco-friendly product, make sure to pick a dishwasher pod that is biodegradable and free from artificial fragrances and phosphates. It's good to remember that even if a product states on its packaging that it is “green,” you should always read the list of ingredients because this may not be the case. Store your pods in a fresh and dry environment. Since detergent is water-activated, be sure to keep the pods stored in a place where they will not be in contact with water. Keeping your pods away from the sink and stored in a kitchen cabinet near the dishwasher is optimal.

Make sure all of your items are dishwasher-safe. Use a single pod for a regular-sized load. Place the pod in your dishwasher detergent dispenser. Add a finishing liquid to your dishwashing load for optimal results. Turn your dishwasher on and let the pod work its magic. Choose a high-quality dishwasher pod. Select pods that are environmentally friendly. Store your pods in a fresh and dry environment.

https://www.wikihow.com/Calibrate-the-Compass-on-Google-Maps-on-iPhone-or-iPad

How to Calibrate the Compass on Google Maps on iPhone or iPad

To calibrate the compass on Google Maps on your iPhone, start by turning on location services for Google Maps, which you'll find in the Privacy section of your phone's settings. Then, go to the System services option and slide the Compass calibration setting to On. Once you've turned on compass calibration, open the Compass app and tilt your phone according to the on-screen instructions to move the red ball around the circle, which will complete the compass calibration process. If you want to establish your current location, open Google Maps and tap the Location icon to display your location at the center of a map.

Open your iPhone or iPad’s Settings. It's the {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/7\/7e\/Iphonesettingsappicon.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Iphonesettingsappicon.png\/30px-Iphonesettingsappicon.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of an iPhone icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} icon typically found on the home screen. Scroll down and tap Privacy. It's at the bottom of the third group of settings. Tap Location services. It's at the top of the list. If the “Location Services” switch is disabled/white, toggle the switch to the On {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/1\/15\/Iphoneswitchonicon1.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/15\/Iphoneswitchonicon1.png\/46px-Iphoneswitchonicon1.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":300,"bigWidth":"46","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of an iPhone\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} position. Scroll down and tap Google Maps. Select your location preference. Tap Always if you plan to use Google Maps for navigation, traffic, transit updates, and places to see near you. Tap While Using the App if you'll only be using Maps to look up directions or locations. Open your iPhone or iPad’s Settings. It's the {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/7\/7e\/Iphonesettingsappicon.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Iphonesettingsappicon.png\/30px-Iphonesettingsappicon.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of an iPhone icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} icon typically found on the home screen. Scroll down and tap Privacy. It's at the bottom of the third group of settings. Tap Location services. It's at the top of the list. Slide the “Location Services” switch to On . If the switch was already on/green, there's no need to toggle the switch. Scroll down and tap System Services. It's at the bottom of the list. Slide the “Compass Calibration” switch to On . If the switch was already set to the On position, your iPhone or iPad is already set to calibrate automatically. If you don't see this option (this could be the case on older phones and tablets), skip to the next step. Open the Compass app. It's a black icon with a white compass and red arrow inside, typically found on the home screen. If you were able to calibrate the compass using the previous steps, you should now see your current direction, and there's no need to continue with this method. However, if the compass must be calibrated manually, the “Calibrate” screen will appear, along with some on-screen instructions. Tilt the screen to move the red ball around the circle. Follow the on-screen instructions to rotate your phone or tablet so that the ball makes its way around the circle. Once the ball reaches its starting point, the compass will be calibrated. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad. It's the map icon labeled “Google Maps.” You'll usually find it on the home screen. If you haven't yet enabled location services or calibrated the compass , you should do so before you continue. In addition to GPS/the compass, Google Maps can also use Wi-Fi and local cell towers to find your location. For the most accurate results, connect to Wi-Fi and/or your cellular data network. Tap the location icon. It's on the right side of the map, toward the bottom. Look for a solid gray dot surrounded by a gray circle with 4 directional points. The map will re-center to display your current location as a blue dot surrounded by a lighter blue circle. Within the lighter blue circle is a darker blue beam. This beam is aimed in the direction your phone or tablet is pointing. Troubleshoot location issues. If the blue dot doesn't appear or is gray, Google Maps cannot find your location. Make sure location services are enabled , and that you're connected to either a Wi-Fi or data network. If the location of the blue dot is incorrect, it could be due to physical obstructions between you and cellular towers (such as tall buildings or structures). You may also need to restart your phone or tablet.

Open your iPhone or iPad’s Settings. Scroll down and tap Privacy. Tap Location services. Scroll down and tap Google Maps. Select your location preference. Open your iPhone or iPad’s Settings. Scroll down and tap Privacy. Tap Location services. Slide the “Location Services” switch to On . Scroll down and tap System Services. Slide the “Compass Calibration” switch to On . Open the Compass app. Tilt the screen to move the red ball around the circle. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad. Tap the location icon. Troubleshoot location issues.

https://www.wikihow.com/Seduce-Your-Friend

How to Seduce Your Friend

Seducing your friend can put your friendship at risk, but if you play it cool and keep things light and friendly, it may lead to something great for both of you. When you're ready to take things to the next level, keep it light and playful, like lightly touching your friend's arm or giving them a hug. Additionally, make some flirty remarks, like "Your hair looks great today. It really suits you." If your flirtation is met with smiles, then you can make a bolder move, like giving your friend a kiss. However, if your friend looks uncomfortable, it's likely a sign that you should back off.

Be a good friend first. Making sure you have a great relationship as friends before moving onto anything else should be considered as much more than simply preparing for your big seduction. If you are friends with someone already, they are going to base your seduction on what they know of you as a person, moreso than the seduction itself. There are friendships in all varying degrees, but many things should be true for all of them. Try to make a regular habit of talking to them. Even if it's small talk, it goes to show that you're interested in them as a person and care about the little things. Make them feel good about themselves. People choose the people in their life usually depending on how they make each other feel. This is true for relationships as much as friendships. Make sure the circumstances are right. You only want to make your move if you think the timing is right. If your friend just heard some bad news and is looking for a shoulder to cry on, a seduction might not be a good idea. The same is true if there is a lack of chemistry between the two of you at the given time. If you think things aren't working at the moment, it's better to wait it out. Try not to wait too long, however. In doing so, you might let someone else take your friend into a relationship, thus ruining your chances at seduction. Spend a lot of time together. As a general rule, the more two people of the opposite sex spend together, the more chance there is for something to spark. Before you go in for a direct seduction, sometimes simply asking to hang out often says a lot on its own. If you don't spend time together on a regular basis, you should ask them to meet up. Even if you are just meeting as friends, it's a great way to maximize the chances of something happening. Time in a group is okay, but there is little chance of something special coming out of that. One on one time is different however, as it means the two people are there specifically for time with each other. Find a quiet moment together. A proper seduction cannot take place if you're in a crowded area. To be intimate, you need an intimate space. This could be at the end of a night at a party together, or after one of you has invited the other over. A quiet, private setting is important because you don't want any external pressures affecting the way the seduction is received. Even if someone wants to be seduced, they may feel shy about it if they think their friends will be there to see it happen. Make the interaction light and playful. Even if your friend finds you physically attractive, you will have a hard time of properly seducing them if you're bringing their mood down. Emphasize your positive side. This can be done as simply as making a conscious decision to be pleasant around the person you would like to seduce. Being cheerful leads to opportunities to flirt more openly, whether you consciously mean to or not. A proper seduction is very rarely a serious thing. Express attraction through light touching. Touch is an important part of flirting. It's the way that's going to break the two of you past the barrier between friends and something more. Light touching can include anything from a hug to a brief touch on the arm. These movements aren't risking a lot, and you can usually tell from the way they're reacting to it whether they'll accept bolder gestures. You can try to keep your flirtations subtle if you want to save the chance of pulling back if you decide your affections aren't being reciprocated. Hold your friend's gaze. While it's normal to make eye contact with a friend while you're talking, prolonged eye contact usually hints at something more. Studies have shown that holding someone's gaze for an extended amount of time can provoke intense feelings. Even if you normally spend time with this friend, make a point of keeping eye contact while you seduce them. The reaction of eye contact can be positive or negative. A lot of it depends on whether the other person finds you physically attractive. Work flirtation into your conversation. If the friend you want to seduce is already close and comfortable enough with you, regular conversation should come naturally to the two of you. With the foundations in place, you'll want to work playful flirting into your talk. Exchanging light, teasing remarks into your conversation is a great place to start. Compliments are a more direct way of showing interest, especially if those compliments are aimed at things you're typically attracted to. An example of a flirtatious remark: "Your hair looks great today. I think it really suits you." Gauge your friend's current reaction. A simple but important thing to do before you make the final push is to reflect on the ways in which your friend has reacted towards your flirtations thus far. If they've smiled when you've touched them or responded to your teasing with teasing of their own, it's probable your friend is inviting you to make a move. On the contrary, if your friend is looking uncomfortable, it's probably a sign you should back off. Everyone's psychology is different. If you are already friends with this person, you should have at least a basic idea how you think they'd react to someone they're attracted to. Make a bold move. All seductions involve a moment of truth. Most often, this means a kiss, although it might also mean an overtly sexual or romantic comment. If your friend has responded well to non-committal overtures, you can move in. Kissing on the lips is often seen as something that is reserved for more than just friends. Once you think the time is right, move in. Don't be too quick about it either. It may be stressful, but it's not an experience you want to rush. All bold moves are risky by their very nature. It's a good idea to feel out your chances before making a commitment to the seduction. Open yourself to the possibility of being seduced. A strange thing about seduction is that it sometimes becomes hard to know who is seducing who. Women generally tend to play a more submissive role in seductions, but women sometimes play it off as an active way to pull a man in. If you think there is mutual attraction there, they may well be waiting for the right moment to make their own move. You should let them know that it's a good idea to step in. Accept the consequences. Consequences for a seduction could be very good, or very bad. Your friendship could give birth to a one-night stand or even a long-term relationship. On the other hand, things can get uncomfortable and awkward quickly. If this is the case, the best way to repair a friendship (provided you want to repair it) is by talking openly about what happened. Explain what you felt and why you wanted to do what you did. It's usually best not to pry into questions like why they rejected you. Focusing on the rejection itself can lead to bitterness on both ends. If all is indeed lost, you have to accept your losses. Not everything is going to work out the way you want it to; the same is especially true in pursuing relationships. Talk things through. If the seduction has failed for whatever reason, there's going to be a spot of awkwardness. It is best to turn this into an opportunity for both sides to vent their feelings and say how they feel. This may lessen the impact of the rejection, but it's necessary if you want to keep the friendship alive. Be honest with how you feel. If the other person tries to brush it off as a joke, it may be best to follow through with that and move past the episode as quickly as possible. Otherwise, it's a good idea to talk about what happened as friends. Make sure to let your friend that you care about them as a friend, in spite of any added attraction you've had for them. You might start a conversation with something like this: "I know how this might look. While I am attracted to you, I also value you as a great friend. I hope you don't think I feel any less of you because of this." Take things forward. Following the seduction, you need to move forward. This is true whether the seduction worked, you're staying friends, or the friendship was ruined as a result. The outcomes vary wildly, but even in the worst case, there is no benefit in letting yourself suffer over it. An important part of life lies in accepting your decisions and learning from them. Even if you regret making the seduction, you should forgive yourself as soon as you can. After all, you were taking a risk, and for that, you should feel proud of yourself. If the seduction fails completely and your friendship is terminated, fill the emotional void with something new and fresh. Keep yourself occupied. The people who heal from emotional pain the fastest are those who stay busy. Don't take it personally. Move on, and fuel your frustrations towards getting to a better place in life. If the seduction fails but you manage to remain friends, try to let things resume as they did. Staying friends is easiest if you manage to talk things through when the seduction happens. Accept that some feelings aren't mutual, while others are. If you're rejected at first and the friendship stays together, they might begin to see just how much you value them. If you let the subject be for the time being, there is the chance they might change their mind and realize what a catch you are. Consider your chances. If you are already friends with someone, there is some chance you can figure out your chances of success based on your existing interactions. Is there already some flirting involved in your interactions together? Are they involved with someone else already? Do you get the impression they already find you attractive? If you get a less-than-desired answer for at least one of these questions, it does not necessarily mean there is no hope for you. Rather, you'll have to play your cards right, and possibly change things about yourself to suit their needs in a partner. Having expectations beforehand is an important part of making things work. Even if you do successfully seduce your friend, things can go sour quickly if you don't know where to go from there. Recognize that your friend may already want to be seduced. Seduction is essentially a form of positive attention, and there isn't a person who doesn't enjoy feeling wanted. Whether they respond well to your seduction is another thing, but you should keep in mind that you friend may already have feelings for you that you haven't noticed yourself. If you go about it in a way that isn't weird or demanding, the gesture can seem affectionate if anything. Determine whether or not a seduction is worth it. Unlike trying to date a stranger, there is more of a risk factor in meaning to seduce a friend. For starters, you could ruin your friendship. Even worse, the fallout from it could affect other mutual friendships as well. On the other hand, a friendship that is strong enough can usually survive a failed seduction, provided things are discussed openly. Cross-reference your expectations with your expected chances and decide for yourself whether you should go through with it. There is no easy answer to a question like this, but it is important that you live with whatever decision you make. Although going for the seduction may seem like the riskier move, staying quiet can result in just as much pain if you really like the person. Pinpoint your expectations. It should also be said that there are varying degrees of success that relate to your expectations. If you want a relationship but think you'll only get a one night stand at best, it is up for debate whether it is worth it. Likewise, it is also dubious to attempt a one-night stand with someone you think may get emotionally tied to you after the fact. Decide what you want from your friend. There are a lot of degrees by which you could seduce a friend. You may want to get a full relationship with them, and it's possible you may otherwise prefer a 'friends with benefits'-type situation. If a 'friends with benefits' arrangement is what you're specifically looking for, it's recommended you try looking for one of your friends that is already open and comfortable with sexuality.

Be a good friend first. Make sure the circumstances are right. Spend a lot of time together. Find a quiet moment together. Make the interaction light and playful. Express attraction through light touching. Hold your friend's gaze. Work flirtation into your conversation. Gauge your friend's current reaction. Make a bold move. Open yourself to the possibility of being seduced. Accept the consequences. Talk things through. Take things forward. Consider your chances. Recognize that your friend may already want to be seduced. Determine whether or not a seduction is worth it. Pinpoint your expectations. Decide what you want from your friend.

https://www.wikihow.com/Lead-Worship

How to Lead Worship

To lead worship, you'll need to decide on the theme you'll focus on and be energetic and encouraging during worship. Choose songs and scripture readings around a certain theme so the service makes sense. After you've chosen your songs, practice the lyrics so you can effectively lead the congregation in song. During the service, create an excited presence on stage by making eye contact with worshippers and talking with enthusiasm. As you speak and sing, maintain a good posture and make eye contact with the worshippers to keep them engaged. Focus on what the words you're reading mean, which will show the congregation that you're sincere.

Know your purpose. Know what worship is and is not. Worship should be all about praising God, and as a worship leader, your main purpose is to encourage the entire congregation to praise God through song and prayer. Instead of modeling personal worship on stage, focus on leading community worship. Worship is not a time to show off your own talents or worry about making yourself look good. You may not mean to glorify yourself, but pride often finds its way in undetected, so keep a watchful eye out for it. Pray. Give thanks to God for the opportunity to lead others in the act of worshiping Him, and ask for the guidance, humility, and courage to make the worship session a good one. A few things worth considering as you pray may include: Understanding of the lyrics you sing and the ability to convey that understanding Love for the people you lead Wisdom in selecting the songs and verses used for worship The ability to act on the truths you sing and speak The humility to lead in a way that glorifies God instead of yourself or the congregation The ability to guide the congregation to an improved relationship with God Build your worship around the lesson. Find out from the pastor what that week's lesson will be about and try to choose songs around that theme. Doing so will make the entire service more cohesive and meaningful. You'll also need to pick out short scriptural verses that go along with the songs and the overall lesson, as well. Pick songs that others can sing. The idea is to get others to actively participate in worship by singing along. If the congregation doesn't feel comfortable singing that songs you've chosen, they probably won't sing. People generally don't sing songs that are unfamiliar to them. Stick primarily with songs you know the congregation will know. When you introduce a new song, plan on including it in multiple worship services so that people will have more opportunity to get used to it. Also note that some songs are meant for solo singers while others are more suited to group singing. Obviously, the songs you use for group worship should be songs that groups of people can sing together. You may have a superb vocal range, but know that most people do not share that same skill. The songs you pick need to fall within a shorter, more concentrated range so that more people can sing along. Consider the format. Know how many songs you need to pick out. In many churches, there is already some set order to the service. In others, you may have a little more flexibility. Regardless, you should pick out enough songs to fit the format and select the right songs for the right parts of the service. Memorize. Know the lyrics to the songs you plan on singing. Memorize any verses you plan on saying. You can have an open Bible or sheet music in front of you during the service, but it's best not to rely on them. As you practice saying these readings, emphasize verbs instead of pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. Verbs typically convey the greatest amount action and meaning, so emphasizing them can help draw out the truth of the text. Learning the words you'll be singing and saying beforehand will make you feel much more comfortable during public worship, which will allow you to lead worship in a more natural manner. Practice. You might be the only one leading worship at church. Then again, you might have an entire worship team to work with. No matter how many people are involved, it is crucial that you practice the songs you plan on singing a few times before you have to perform them at church. Make sure that everyone on your worship team knows when each song will be sung. Try to keep everyone as informed as possible so that there are no surprises. Listen to the input of others on your worship team. If the general consensus goes against your initial opinion, rethink your ideas and consider altering them as needed. Energize yourself before the service. Worship is a spiritual thing, but as a physical being, you also need to keep your physical strength up. Get a full night's sleep the night before. Hydrate yourself and eat enough that morning to give yourself the energy you'll need to make it through the service. If you're the sort of person who easily gets sick on a full stomach, make sure that you only eat enough to wake yourself up and not enough to make yourself feel queasy. Warm up before the service. Meet up with any other members of the worship team before the service to do one final, quick practice session. As a worship leader, try to show up 15 minutes or so before the rest of the worship team is due to arrive for your final practice. During that time, do sound tests to make sure that the equipment is set up, tune any instruments you'll be using, and flip through your notes to make sure that everything is in order. Watch your body language. Your body language needs to convey energy and sincerity. Even though worship is not about you, you'll still need to have enough of a stage presence to catch the congregation's attention. If you don't seem excited about worship, those you're leading probably won't get excited, either. Consider asking someone to take a video of you as you lead worship. Watch that video later and review your body language. Note which movements seem awkward or distracting and which are helpful. Make sure that you look the part, too. You need to look clean, and your clothes and accessories should be neat, modest, and understated. Maintain good posture and make eye contact during the service. Smile when appropriate and keep a friendly yet strong presence. Watch the congregation. Keep an eye on the congregation as you lead them in worship and take cues from them as needed. Be prepared to make small changes as needed during the service to get things in sync with the rest of the church. If people seem bored or confused, they may not know the song or feel comfortable singing it. You can encourage them to sing by making a statement like, "Let's worship God together," but avoid guilt tripping them with statements like, "I don't hear anyone singing with me." It's also possible that a technical error prevented words from displaying correctly on the screen, so glance behind your shoulder to make sure that things are on track. Worship like you mean it. The easiest way to worship like you mean it is to actually mean it. Focus on the words you sing and speak as you lead. If you're only going through the motions without being sincere, people are bound to notice. While you don't need to "act out" each song, try to use body language and verbal language that matches the tone of the songs you sing. Smile and move around when you sing joyful songs. Be more subdued during serious or reflective songs. Your movements do not and should not be theatrical, but the right movements can emphasize the importance of what you're saying more effectively. Trim the fat. Keep people actively involved during worship. Lengthy instrumental solos and content of that nature are an open invitation for people to let their minds drift. These things may sound pleasing to your own ear, but they if they aren't practical, you should leave them out. You don't need to cut out all the instrumental parts, but ask yourself which are really necessary and which aren't. When an interlude provides a helpful transition, keep it. When the arrangement breaks up the flow of community worship, discard or shorten it. Pray and recite scripture. As noted before, the verses you read should be picked out and memorized beforehand. The prayers can be written beforehand, as well, or you can ad lib them if you believe that doing so will make them more sincere. As with the songs and the readings, your prayers also need to connect to the message or lesson being conveyed. Pay attention to other leaders. When it's time for the pastor to deliver his sermon or for someone else to speak, give that person your undivided attention. You're a leader in the church whether you're “on” or “off,” so your actions will be noticed by the rest of the congregation even when you aren't singing or speaking. Be real. While you need to set aside your personal feelings to some extent, you shouldn't push yourself to make a show of worship if doing so doesn't come naturally to you. On days when you feel more subdued, allow your worship to be more subdued. On days you feel energized, let it show. A little bit of honesty can go a long way, but again, make sure that you do not spend time focusing on yourself as you lead others in worship. Instead of saying, "I'm having a really bad day," point out that there are times in life when praise can be difficult, but state that it's important to continue worshiping during those times nonetheless. Pray some more. Prayer is vital throughout all parts of this process. Thank God for the worship session after it passes, even when things did not go the way you would've liked. Ask God for guidance as you reflect on the service and plan for next time. Take notes. Shortly after the service ends, write a few notes for yourself about what did and did not work. Use these notes to as you plan for future worship sessions. A few things you might need to work on may include diction, volume, and pitch. You may not know how you'll sound in the sanctuary until you actually lead worship there once or twice. Make adjustments to the way you speak as needed to compensate for things like echo and poor acoustics. If others critique you or make suggestions, listen to them humbly and with an open mind. Some of the advice others give may not be practical, but some of it will be. Make sure that you're able to honestly distinguish the difference between helpful criticism and destructive criticism without letting your ego get in the way. Let go of past mistakes. Learning from your mistakes and mishaps is great. Dwelling on those problems and allowing them to negatively taint your thinking is not so great. Think about ways to correct mistakes of the past and let go of those errors as soon as you make plans to avoid them. Flaws and mistakes often serve as helpful reminders to keep yourself humble. Those imperfections can also remind the people you're leading that all of us are only human. If you accept your own faults gracefully, you can encourage those watching you to do the same.

Know your purpose. Pray. Build your worship around the lesson. Pick songs that others can sing. Consider the format. Memorize. Practice. Energize yourself before the service. Warm up before the service. Watch your body language. Watch the congregation. Worship like you mean it. Trim the fat. Pray and recite scripture. Pay attention to other leaders. Be real. Pray some more. Take notes. Let go of past mistakes.

https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-Culottes

How to Wear Culottes

If you want to wear culottes, try pairing them with a long-sleeve button down, a blazer, and strappy heels for a dressy look. Alternatively, for a laid-back look, try complementing your culottes with a tucked-in white t-shirt and a pair of sneakers. You can also wear a crop top with your culottes to accentuate your waist.

Pick culottes that are full but not bulky. The unusual shape of culottes can quickly go from trendy to frumpy if the fit is bulky or too structured. Choose a lighter fabric that has a little swing to it, like jersey, chiffon, silk, or satin. The legs should be loose-fitting and drape naturally. Avoid stiffer heavy materials like tweed, wool, and heavy linen. These may obscure your waist and hips. Go with a black pair with minimal detail for a slim silhouette. Black always looks slimming. Avoid details around the waist area, like pleated fronts, tie belts, and other embellishments. Get a pair with a basic vertical zipper in the front to keep the lines smooth. If you're new to culottes, a basic black pair is a great place to start. They're easy to style and wear. Try a pleated pair made of flowing material for an elegant look. The key is getting the right fabric – go with something loose and flowy, like silk, jersey, or chiffon. The fluid pleated material creates smooth lines that hang gracefully. These culottes tend to look more like elegant midi skirts instead of pants. For example, wear a cream-colored silk pair of culottes with a conservative white top, like a long-sleeved button-down or silk tank top. Top it off with a fitted blazer for a work-ready look. For an edgier look, wear a cropped and fitted black leather jacket instead of the blazer. Make a statement with a patterned pair. Culottes are already a statement garment, but you can play that up even more by choosing an eye-catching print or pattern. Experiment with floral prints, vertical stripes, and polka dot prints. When wearing a print, always choose neutral colors for your other pieces, like your top and shoes. Keep accessories simple, as well, and let the culottes take center stage. For example, wear boldly patterned culottes with a neutral white top. Go for something classic, like a sleeveless button-down. Wear white strappy sandals or nude pumps to complete the look. Give a culotte jumpsuit a try for a casual summery look. This all-in-one style is great for warm weather and casual settings. Go for a sleeveless version in a cute, vintage-looking pattern like polka-dots. To jazz it up, opt for a jumpsuit that has interesting details on the back – lace, straps, or even cut-outs that show a little skin. The result is polished and cute. It's perfect for a garden party or brunch with friends at a trendy café downtown. Play up the retro vibe by wearing a pair of oversized or cat-eye sunglasses and a swipe of matte red lipstick. Complement the casual summer vibe with an oversized tote and nude strappy sandals. Choose slim-fitting or draped tops to help define your waist. The trick to looking balanced and polished in culottes is making sure your waist is defined. Opt for fitted pieces like tank tops, t-shirts, and button-ups. Slinky materials, like silk, also work well because they are both clingy and flowy. Wear short tops or tuck in loose tops to look shapely in culottes. You can also define your waist by wearing short tops, such as crop tops. If the top you have in mind isn't cropped, try tucking it into the culottes. As long as your waist is defined, you can wear loose-fitting tops and still look shapely. Wear a cropped knit sweater or fitted cardigan on colder days. A cropped knit sweater in a fun color like purple can add a little pizzazz to a pair of simple black culottes. Create a retro vibe by wearing a fitted cherry red cardigan over culottes with a black and white polka dot print. Add a pair of black Mary Janes and cat-eye sunglasses to complete the look. Treat them like jeans and wear a fitted white t-shirt. Casual staples like plain white t-shirts can create a chic laidback vibe with culottes. Tuck the t-shirt in and throw a cool vest over it for a breezy look. If your culottes are made of denim , try wearing a graphic tee, like a band t-shirt, to create an edgier look. Wear strappy heels with flowy silk culottes for a dressy look. The flowing silk already creates a formal, feminine vibe, and adding your favorite pair of strappy heels emphasizes that even more. Treat the culottes just like you would a gorgeous dress when choosing heels. A pair of patent leather heels in a neutral color like black can look really chic. Heels can make your legs look longer and slimmer in culottes, too. You could wear this look on a date, to a dressy event, or even to work. Choose wedges if you want a slightly more casual look. Wedges have a similar height to heels, but their overall vibe is a bit more casual. The height can lengthen your leg line and make your legs look slimmer. Wear a dark pair of culottes with a white silk blouse, fitted blazer, and a pair of refined wedges for a work-ready look. Try a pair of cute booties for an edgy look. Booties and ankle boots can look polished and edgy with culottes. For a fun look and a pop of color, go with a pair of peep toe red leather booties. Black suede ankle boots can look edgy and sexy with a slinky pair of black culottes. Experiment with other booties to suit your personal style. Wear flats or athletic shoes for a casual look. Ballet flats work perfectly when you're trying to create a chic vibe with a flirty twist. If you have a sporty style, wear casual culottes made of sweatshirt material with a flat bottom pair of sneakers, like classic Converse, and head to the gym or into town to run a few errands.

Pick culottes that are full but not bulky. Go with a black pair with minimal detail for a slim silhouette. Try a pleated pair made of flowing material for an elegant look. Make a statement with a patterned pair. Give a culotte jumpsuit a try for a casual summery look. Choose slim-fitting or draped tops to help define your waist. Wear short tops or tuck in loose tops to look shapely in culottes. Wear a cropped knit sweater or fitted cardigan on colder days. Treat them like jeans and wear a fitted white t-shirt. Wear strappy heels with flowy silk culottes for a dressy look. Choose wedges if you want a slightly more casual look. Try a pair of cute booties for an edgy look. Wear flats or athletic shoes for a casual look.

https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Wet-Dreams

How to Stop Wet Dreams

If you want to stop wet dreams, it's important to remember that they're natural and nothing to be ashamed of. Not having control over them can be stressful, though, and it's understandable if you want to stop them. You can start by sleeping on your side or back in loose-fitting pajamas, since sleeping on your stomach can increase your chances of having a wet dream. Relaxing before bed by taking a bath or reading a book can help, since you won't be going to bed stressed or overstimulated. Masturbating regularly can also help prevent wet dreams, because it allows your body to release built-up semen.

Avoid sleeping on your stomach to reduce the possibilities of a wet dream. Lying on your stomach may make you more likely to have a wet dream. Try sleeping on your side or back to help prevent them. Use pillows or an extra blanket to help you avoid rolling back onto your stomach. It's normal to roll over during your sleep, so don't get upset if you wake up on your stomach. Your body may just be comfortable sleeping this way. Relax in the hours before you go to bed so you don’t feel stressed. Stress may be connected to wet dreams, though this isn't the case for everyone. You may be able to prevent wet dreams by managing your stress and relaxing right before bed. Spend at least an hour before bed calming your mind and body. Try meditating for 10-15 minutes. You can simply focus on your breath or follow a guided meditation. Write your thoughts in a journal. Read a book. Do a few yoga poses. Masturbate regularly to reduce your body’s need to release old sperm. While this isn't guaranteed to stop your wet dreams, it may help. Semen can build up in your testicles and is eventually reabsorbed back into your body. In the meantime, you may have wet dreams if your body wants to release old semen. Masturbating may help keep your fluids in check so you're less likely to have wet dreams. Try masturbating right before bed to help lower the chances of a wet dream. Masturbation is normal, so don't feel embarrassed about it. If you're still having wet dreams frequently even with masturbation, it may not work for you. If you are part of a religion that forbids masturbation, don't panic. You can try other ways to make them stop. Develop a healthy relationship with sex if you’re sexually active. Communicate with your partner to maintain a healthy and open sexual relationship that keeps you both fulfilled. Talk to them about what safe sex looks like for both of you. While sex may not stop wet dreams for everyone, it can help decrease your chances of having one. Wet dreams are typically not about arousal, so the sexual release is not what helps. Just like with masturbation, releasing your built-up semen can help you reduce the likelihood that you'll have a wet dream. If you are part of a religion that restricts sex to marriage, this step may not be suitable for you. Talk to a counselor if your wet dreams are causing you distress. While wet dreams are nothing to be embarrassed about, it's okay if you feel upset or confused by them. Fortunately, a counselor can help put your mind at ease. They can help you understand your feelings and use strategies to deal with them. They'll also help you work through the reasons that you're bothered by your wet dreams. Look for a counselor online or ask your doctor for a referral. If you have insurance, your sessions with a counselor may be covered. Drink sage tea in the evening to help your body relax. As part of an Ayurvedic diet, sometimes sage tea is used as a night time drink that aids sleep and relaxation. By helping you relax, the tea may help reduce the likelihood that you'll have a wet dream. However, there's no evidence that this treatment works, and it won't affect everyone the same way. To make the tea, heat a pot of water until you see bubbles forming on the bottom of the pot. Then, pour the water over a bag of sage tea and steep for 2-3 minutes. Chew 2-3 garlic cloves before bed to reduce blood flow to your genitals. Garlic contains allicin, which may help reduce how much blood flows to your genital area. This might help prevent erections so that you don't have wet dreams. However, there's no guarantee that this will work. To try it, eat 2-3 raw garlic cloves right before bed. Garlic has a strong taste, especially if you eat it raw. This might not be a great option if you don't like the taste of garlic. Add a spoonful of honey to an equal parts fenugreek and celery mixture. Measure out about.5 cups (120 mL) of fenugreek juice and combine it with about.5 cups (120 mL) of celery juice. Then, add a spoonful of honey to taste. Drink the mixture in the evening before bed. It may help cool your body, but there's no guarantee that it will help prevent wet dreams. This drink is thought to support a healthy reproductive system. Try a warm bath with essential oils to help you relax before bed. Run a warm bath, then add a few drops of a relaxing essential oil. Great options include peppermint, lavender, sandalwood, or rose oil. Soak in the bath for at least 20-30 minutes to help you relax. Relaxing may help reduce your chances of having a wet dream. However, there's no guarantee that this will work. Keep a towel or rag near your bed for when you wake up. When you have a wet dream, you can quickly clean up using a towel or rag so that no one knows. After you use it, toss the towel or rag in with your regular laundry. Don't forget to replace it with a fresh towel or rag. For instance, keep your towel in your nightstand. Most people have wet dreams at one point or another. If you feel comfortable sharing with your family or friends, there's no need to hide your reason for wanting a towel nearby. Take a change of underwear with you when you sleep away from home. It's normal to be worried about having a wet dream when you're sleeping at someone else's house. Keep in mind that it's likely your friend feels the same way. Just in case it happens, bring extra underwear with you. This way you can quickly change if necessary. When you brush your teeth at night, leave your bag in the restroom so you can easily retrieve your underwear if you need them. Wear pajama bottoms to help keep your sheets clean. A thick pair of pajama bottoms may absorb a lot of the fluids so your sheets won't be as wet. This will help you avoid having a big spot in the morning. Always wear pajama bottoms to bed. If you have a wet dream, wash your pajamas before wearing them again. Try to get a pair that buttons over your crotch so that it doesn't gape open. If it does, your pajamas may not soak up the semen. Keep an extra set of sheets so you can wash yours if they’re sticky. It's normal for a wet dream to make your sheets wet and sticky. When this happens, it's best to put your sheets in the wash. Replace your dirty sheets with a clean set.

Avoid sleeping on your stomach to reduce the possibilities of a wet dream. Relax in the hours before you go to bed so you don’t feel stressed. Masturbate regularly to reduce your body’s need to release old sperm. Develop a healthy relationship with sex if you’re sexually active. Talk to a counselor if your wet dreams are causing you distress. Drink sage tea in the evening to help your body relax. Chew 2-3 garlic cloves before bed to reduce blood flow to your genitals. Add a spoonful of honey to an equal parts fenugreek and celery mixture. Try a warm bath with essential oils to help you relax before bed. Keep a towel or rag near your bed for when you wake up. Take a change of underwear with you when you sleep away from home. Wear pajama bottoms to help keep your sheets clean. Keep an extra set of sheets so you can wash yours if they’re sticky.

https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-a-Waffle

How to Eat a Waffle

While there's no wrong way to eat a waffle, the most traditional toppings are butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, and confectioners sugar. Experiment with different combinations of these, like butter and maple syrup or confectioner's sugar and sliced strawberries. You can even pile on all of the toppings if you like! Once the waffle is topped how you like it, use a fork and knife to cut off a small bite, and enjoy!

Preheat the waffle iron. A waffle iron, or waffle maker, is a small appliance that's specifically designed to make waffles. Preheat the waffle maker to 365 F (185 C), or setting three or four. As the waffle iron heats up, you can make the batter. Most waffle irons will beep when they reach temperature. Mix together the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk everything together to remove lumps and combine all the ingredients. For some additional flavor and spiciness in your waffles, add ½ teaspoon (1.3 g) of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients. Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl one at a time. Add the milk and oil. Whisk until all the wet ingredients are incorporated and the eggs are light and fluffy. For even richer waffles, use melted butter in place of the oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix the batter with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula as you pour. Once you've added all the liquids, stir the batter until all the ingredients are just combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and make for chewy waffles. It's ok if there are a few lumps left in the batter. Cook the waffles. For waffle irons that don't have a non-stick coating, spray the inside with cooking spray or brush it with a thin layer of oil. Measure between ⅔ and ¾ cup of batter, depending on the manufacturer's instructions, and pour the batter into the bottom plate of the preheated waffle iron. Close the lid, secure the latch, and cook the waffles for four to six minutes. Some waffle irons will beep when the waffles are ready. For irons that don't beep, cook the waffles until there's no more steam escaping from the waffle iron. Remove the waffle. When the waffle is cooked, unlatch the waffle iron and open the top. Use a rubber spatula or silicone knife to remove the waffle without scratching the iron. Transfer the waffle to a plate and serve warm. Add more cooking spray to the iron, and repeat with the remaining batter until all the waffles have been cooked. Garnish the waffle with the toppings of your choice. There are a number of garnishes you can put on a waffle, but some of the most traditional are butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, and confectioner's sugar. You can top your waffle with any combination of these, and classic topping combinations include: Spread butter over top of the warm waffle, and then drizzle maple syrup on top until the syrup runs down the sides of the waffle. Spread a layer of sliced strawberries or sliced bananas on top of the waffle, and then cover the fruit with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Add some fresh fruit to the waffle and sprinkle a dusting of confectioner's sugar over the fruit. Eat the waffle with a knife and fork. In many places, waffles are served and eaten with a knife and fork. Pierce the corner of the waffle with your fork, and use the knife to cut off a small, bite-sized piece. Use the fork to pick up the piece and bring it to your mouth. Wait until you chew and swallow before cutting another small piece. If the syrup drains off the waffle piece when you pick it up with the fork, dip it into the excess syrup on the plate before taking your bite. If your waffle has toppings life fruit and whipped cream on top, pick up a piece of fruit and cream with each forkful of waffle. Try the traditional Belgian way as an alternative. This method of eating works best for waffles that aren't garnished with fruit, cream, syrup, and other toppings that can fall off easily. Leave your waffle plain, or garnish it with some powdered sugar. Wrap the waffle in a napkin or piece of waxed paper, and eat the waffle by taking little bites at a time. In Belgium, there are two main types of waffles, Brussels and Liege waffles. While Brussels waffles are eaten with a knife and fork, Liege waffles are generally eaten with the hands. Liege waffles are sold as street food, and they typically aren't garnished the way other waffles are. Instead, Liege waffles have rocks of sugar in the batter, and the sugar melts and crystallizes when the waffles cook. Top your waffle with a cream cheese glaze. Waffles are extremely versatile, and you can top them with any type of garnish you like, including a homemade cream cheese glaze. Simply drizzle the glaze over your waffle in place of syrup. To make the glaze, beat together in a mixing bowl: 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter 2 ounces (57 g) of cream cheese ¾ cup (94 g) of powdered sugar ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract Try chicken and waffles. Chicken and waffles is an American dish that combines a breakfast-style waffle with dinner-style chicken. The waffle is typically served with butter and syrup, and the chicken is deep fried and served with one or two dipping sauces. When eating chicken and waffles, you can opt to eat the two components of the dish separately, or you can combine the chicken and waffle in every bite. Make a savory waffle sandwich. Waffles don't have to be a breakfast dish, and you can eat them with savory toppings like cheese, meat, and vegetables. In fact, you can use two waffles in place of bread to make a sandwich, such as a waffle Monte Cristo. To make this meal, or one like it, butter the waffles and make a sandwich using: Dijon mustard Thinly sliced ham and turkey, or other deli meats A couple of slices of Emmental or other cheese Red currant jelly A dusting of confectioner's sugar Make waffle-style bread pudding. Bread pudding is a tasty dessert that's popular around the world, and you can make your own creative version using waffle pieces instead of bread. Bread pudding typically requires stale bread, and you can replicate this by leaving the waffles out and exposed to the air for a day or two. To make the bread pudding more like a traditional waffle dish, use maple syrup instead of sugar, and use heavy cream instead of milk to replicate whipped cream. Transform it into a pizza. Waffles make a great creative alternative to pizza dough, and you can make a customized waffle pizza with all your favorite toppings. To make the pizza, put fresh toppings on a pre-cooked waffle and heat it in the oven. Popular toppings to try include: Cheese Tomato paste or sauce Olives Spinach Pepperoni Stuff your waffles. Stuffed waffles are a delicious variation on traditional waffles. To make a stuffed waffle, you cook the toppings right into the waffle rather than using them as garnish. Pour the batter, add your favorite toppings, close the lid, and cook the waffles. Toppings you can try include: Peanut butter and jam Caramel or chocolate sauce Fresh fruit or fruit compote Chocolate-hazelnut spread

Preheat the waffle iron. Mix together the dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Cook the waffles. Remove the waffle. Garnish the waffle with the toppings of your choice. Eat the waffle with a knife and fork. Try the traditional Belgian way as an alternative. Top your waffle with a cream cheese glaze. Try chicken and waffles. Make a savory waffle sandwich. Make waffle-style bread pudding. Transform it into a pizza. Stuff your waffles.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Computer-Keyboard

How to Use a Computer Keyboard

To use your keyboard, hold down the shift key while pressing a letter to capitalize it. You can also hold down the shift key and press a number to use the symbol that's on that key. In addition to using the shift key, you should use the arrow keys that are located on the bottom right of the keyboard to move the cursor in different directions. If you're typing and want to move the cursor directly to the start or end of the line, try pressing the “Home” and “End” keys. To erase what you've just typed, simply press the backspace key once to delete a letter, or hold it down to erase as much as you like.

Sit with good posture. In order to prevent strain on your hands, back, neck, and other joints, you'll want to sit at the keyboard with good posture. Sit slightly reclined in your seat, allowing the chair to support your lower back. Ideally, your elbows should be angled down slightly to promote circulation. Your feet should be planted firmly on the floor. Standing desks are growing increasingly popular, but an improper desk can promote bad posture. Your standing desk should be elbow-level or just slightly lower. Your monitor should be eye-level to keep you from hunching over, and should be around two feet from your eyes. Center the keyboard. When typing, your keyboard's spacebar should be centered to your body. This will help keep you from having to rotate to reach the keys. Avoid resting your palms or wrist. Your hands should float above the keys while you type. This will help you reach keys by moving your hands instead of stretching your fingers. Resting your palms or your wrist on the front of the keyboard and stretching your fingers promotes carpal tunnel syndrome Use a soft touch. Most keyboards are fairly sensitive and don't need much pressure for the key to register. Lightly tapping keys will help keep your fingers active and will improve your speed. Keep your wrists straight as you type. Twisting your wrists can cause discomfort and unnecessary stress. Relax your hands when you’re not typing. When you're not actively typing, rest your hands. Keeping your hands tense when not typing can increase stiffness and soreness later. Open a word processor. Nearly every computer has a word processor installed. Even a basic text editor like Notepad will work. This will let you see what you type while you practice. Find the Home position with both hands. The Home position is where your hands will start when your typing, and where your fingers return to after striking a key. Most keyboards have raised bumps on the F and J keys. These indicate where your index fingers are placed. Slightly arch your fingers and place your fingers on the keys next to F and J. Your left pinky rests on A , your left ring finger on S , and your left middle finger on D Your right pinky rests on ; , your right ring finger on L , and your right middle finger on K. Your thumbs rest on the spacebar. Practice typing the home keys. Get used to pressing each key with its corresponding finger. Memorize the key that each finger rests on through repetition. You want the home keys permanently imprinted in your memory so repetition is essential. Use the Shift key to capitalize the home letters. You can capitalize letters by holding the ⇧ Shift key when you press the letter. Use your pinky to press and hold the ⇧ Shift key using the hand that isn't pressing the letter, and then press the letter you want to capitalize. Expand to the keys surrounding the home keys. Once you have a good handle on the Home keys, you can start expanding to the other keys on the keyboard. Use the same repetition exercises to memorize the locations of the other keys. Use the nearest finger to reach the key. If you are keeping your wrists elevated, you will be able to easily strike the keys that are slightly outside of your reach. Practice typing basic sentences. Now that you are able to reach most keys without looking, it's time to start typing sentences. Try transcribing something else on your screen without looking at your keyboard. Sentences like "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" contain every letter in the alphabet, allowing you to practice with all the keys. Learn the positions of punctuation and symbols. Punctuation marks such as. , ; , and " are located on the right side of the keyboard. You can reach these keys using your right pinky. Many symbols need to have the ⇧ Shift key pressed in order to type them. Symbols are located above each of the number keys that run along the top of the keyboard. You will need to have the ⇧ Shift key pressed in order to type them. Focus on accuracy over speed. While typing fast may seem useful, it won't matter if you're making a lot of errors. Speed will come with practice, so focus all of your efforts on avoiding mistakes. You'll be typing faster before you know it. See this guide for more tips on learning how to type. Find a game or program to teach typing skills. There are lots of programs and games for all ages that teach typing skills through exercises and gameplay. These can making typing practice a bit more fun, and can do a lot for your accuracy and speed. Move up, down, left, and right. The arrow keys ↑ ↓ ← → are your main navigation keys on the keyboard. You can use them in a word processor to move around and between lines, use them on webpages to scroll, and use them in games to move around. Use your right hand to press the keys. Scroll quickly through pages. You can quickly scroll through documents or webpages with the ⇞ Page Up and ⇟ Page Down keys. If you are using a word processor, these keys will move your cursor one page up or down from the cursor's current location. If you are viewing a webpage, these keys will scroll the page up or down one screen-length. Jump to the beginning or end of a line. You can move the cursor directly to the start or end of a line with the ⇱ Home and ⇲ End keys. These keys are most useful in word processors. Understand the difference between Delete and Backspace. The ← Backspace key will delete a character to the left of the cursor, while pressing Delete will delete a character to the right of the cursor. You can also press ← Backspace to go back on a webpage. Use Insert to toggle Insert mode. The Insert key changes the text input mode for your word processor. When Insert mode is toggled on any character you input will replace the character to the right of the cursor. With Insert mode toggled off, existing characters will not be replaced. Open the calculator program. Using a calculator program is the best way to get used to the keys on the numeric pad. You can use the numeric pad keys to perform calculations in the calculator program. Use NumLock to toggle the numeric pad. When the numeric pad is not activated, the 8 , 4 , 6 , and 2 keys will act as arrow keys. Press NumLock to enable the keypad. Some laptop keyboards do not have a separate numeric pad. They often need to be activated using the Fn key, which changes keyboard functions. Find the Home position. Like the main part of the keyboard, the numeric pad has a Home position. On the 5 key, you will feel a raised bump similar to the F and J keys. Place your right middle finger on the 5 key, and then place your right index finger on the 4 key. Place your right ring finger on the 6 key, and your thumb on the 0 key. Your pinky rests on the ↵ Enter key. Enter numbers. Use your fingers to press the number keys. you will see the numbers appear in the calculator program. Use repetition to memorize the number placement and which fingers you use to press them. Perform calculations. Around the edge of the numeric pad, you will see the basic arithmetic keys. These let you divide ( / ), multiply ( * ), subtract ( - ) and add ( + ). Use these keys to perform a variety of calculations. Use Keyboard shortcuts. You can use your keyboard to quickly perform a variety of tasks in Windows. Keyboard shortcuts are a better option then a mouse, since you wouldn't need to reach for the mouse, when using a computer. These are especially useful if you don't want to use your mouse or for saving time by not having to dig through menus. Below are some of the most common shortcuts: Alt + Tab ↹ : Switch between windows ⊞ Win + D : Minimize or restore all windows Alt + F4 : Close active program or window Ctrl + C : Copy selected item or text Ctrl + X : Cut selected item or text Ctrl + V : Paste copied item or text ⊞ Win + E : Display Windows Explorer ⊞ Win + F : Open the Search tool ⊞ Win + R : Display Run dialog box ⊞ Win + Pause : Display System Properties dialog box ⊞ Win + L : Lock the workstation ⊞ Win : Open the Start menu/Start screen ⊞ Win + L : Switch Users ⊞ Win + P : Change active display Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + Escape : Task Manager Use word processor shortcuts. Most applications have their own keyboard shortcuts. These vary from program to program, but most word processors share basic shortcuts. Below are some of the most common: Ctrl + A : Select all text Ctrl + B : Bold selected text Ctrl + I : Italicize selected text Ctrl + S : Save document Ctrl + P : Print Ctrl + E : Center alignment Ctrl + Z : Undo Ctrl + N : Create new document Ctrl + F : Find text in document Use Keyboard shortcuts. You can use your keyboard to quickly perform a variety of tasks in Mac OS X. Keyboard shortcuts are a better option then a mouse, since you wouldn't need to reach for the mouse, when using a computer. These are especially useful if you can't use your mouse or for saving time by not having to dig through menus. Below are some of the most common shortcuts: ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + A : Open the Applications folder ⌘ Cmd + C : Copy selected item/text to the Clipboard ⌘ Cmd + X : Cut ⌘ Cmd + V : Paste ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + C : Open the Computer window ⌘ Cmd + D : Duplicate selected item ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + D : Open desktop folder ⌘ Cmd + E : Eject ⌘ Cmd + F : Find any matching Spotlight attribute ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + F : Find Spotlight file name matches ⌥ Option + ⌘ Cmd + F : Navigate to the search field in an already open Spotlight window ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + G : Go to Folder ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + H : Open the Home folder of the currently logged-in user account ⌥ Option + ⌘ Cmd + M : Minimize all windows ⌘ Cmd + N : New Finder window ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + N : New folder ⌥ Option + ⌘ Cmd + Esc Open the Force Quit window Use word processor shortcuts. Most applications have their own keyboard shortcuts. These vary from program to program, but most word processors share basic shortcuts. Below are some of the most common: ⌘ Cmd + A : Select all text ⌘ Cmd + B : Bold selected text ⌘ Cmd + I : Italicize selected text ⌘ Cmd + S : Save document ⌘ Cmd + P : Print ⌘ Cmd + E : Center alignment ⌘ Cmd + Z : Undo ⌘ Cmd + N : Create new document ⌘ Cmd + F : Find text in document

Sit with good posture. Center the keyboard. Avoid resting your palms or wrist. Use a soft touch. Relax your hands when you’re not typing. Open a word processor. Find the Home position with both hands. Practice typing the home keys. Use the Shift key to capitalize the home letters. Expand to the keys surrounding the home keys. Practice typing basic sentences. Learn the positions of punctuation and symbols. Focus on accuracy over speed. Find a game or program to teach typing skills. Move up, down, left, and right. Scroll quickly through pages. Jump to the beginning or end of a line. Understand the difference between Delete and Backspace. Use Insert to toggle Insert mode. Open the calculator program. Use NumLock to toggle the numeric pad. Find the Home position. Enter numbers. Perform calculations. Use Keyboard shortcuts. Use word processor shortcuts. Use Keyboard shortcuts. Use word processor shortcuts.

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Business-Letter-to-Customers

How to Write a Business Letter to Customers

To write a business letter to customers, use a professional-looking letterhead that features your business name or logo. Open with a polite salutation and state the purpose of the letter right away in the first line. To establish an assertive tone, be sure to write in the active voice, adding any relevant details to clarify the letter's purpose. Wrap up your letter with a call to action and don't forget to proofread the letter carefully before sending it out!

Use a professional letterhead. The business letter will be a representation of your company. So it should look distinct and high quality. It should also bear your company's logo or brand. You can create a letterhead using predesigned color letterhead templates in Microsoft word. Be sure to use your existing logo or brand in the letterhead. Open a word processing program. You should always type up a business letter on a computer. Create a new document and set up 1 inch margins for the document. Use a serif font such as Times New Roman, Georgia or Ariel. Be sure to use a font size that is no larger than 12 points, but no smaller than 10 points. The letter should not be difficult to read because of font choice or font size. Make sure the document is set to single spaced. Set up the block form. The block form is the most common format used for business letters. It is also the easiest to setup and follow. Each heading must be left aligned and there should be one space between each heading. Beginning from the top the bottom of the document, your business letter should have the following headings: Today's date, or the date you are sending the letter. The date is important as it can be used for your records and the receiver's records. As well, it may have legal use. So make sure it is accurate. The sender's address. This is your address, formatted in the standard address style. If your address already appears in your letterhead, you can skip this heading. The inside address. This is the name and address of the person you are writing to. The use of Mr/Mrs is optional. So, for example, if you were writing to Nina Brown, you can leave the Ms/Miss off of her name if you are not sure what her marital status is. The salutation. This could be “Dear Ms Brown” or “Dear Nina Brown”. If you are not sure who is going to be reading the letter, use “Dear Sir, or Dear Madam”. You can also use “To Whom It May Concern”, but only as a last resort if you have no idea who your audience is. The body of the letter. We will focus more on this in the next section of the article. The closing of the letter, with a signature. This could be “Sincerely”, or “Kind Regards”. Identify your audience. The tone of the letter should always remain professional, regardless of the audience. But you will likely adjust your language or word choice based on who you are writing to. If you are writing to the human resources department at another business, you may need to use more formal language. But if you are writing to a specific customer, you may use more informal or casual language. Identifying your audience also means you will avoid confusing your audience. Avoid using terminology your reader won't understand. A customer likely won't know the acronyms used for the space program at your company, for example, so avoid using them in the letter. The number one rule of writing a good business letter is to be clear, concise, and courteous. State the purpose of the letter in the first line. Consider the purpose of the letter. Is it to let your customers know about your new location in a new part of town? Is it to remind a customer about an unpaid bill or outstanding balance? Or respond to a customer complaint? With this purpose in mind, craft a first line that lets the reader know right away what the letter will be about. Don't be vague about the purpose of the letter. Cut to the chase. Start by using “I” if you are stating your opinion as a business owner. Use “we” if you are writing on behalf of a company or organization. Focus on a direct statement such as: “We are writing to inform you” or “We are writing to request”. You can also use an “I” statement if you are writing as the owner of the business. Such as: “I am contacting you because” or “I recently heard about...and would like to know more about…” For example, you (the business owner) are writing Nina Brown about an unpaid bill from last month. Begin the letter with: “I am contacting you because you have an outstanding balance on your account from March 2015.” Or, you are an employee at a company and are writing in response to a customer complaint against the company's space program. Begin the letter with: “We received your complaint about our Mars space program.” You may be writing to inform the reader they won a contest, or they received a spot in a graduate program. Begin with a phrase like: “I am delighted to inform you…” Or “We are excited to inform you…”. If you're delivering bad news, begin with a phrase like: “We regret to inform you…”. Or, “After careful consideration, I have decided not to…”. Use the active, rather than the passive, voice. We use the passive voice all the time in common speech. But the passive voice can make your writing seem dull or confusing. The active voice is much more effective in a business letter because it establishes a more assertive tone. An example of the passive voice might be: “What specific complaints can I address for you?” The subject of the sentence, the customer ("you"), appears at the end of the sentence, rather than at the beginning of the sentence. An example of the active voice might be: “What can I do to address your complaints?” This version of the phrase, in the active voice, is much clearer and easier to understand for the reader. The use of the passive voice can be a good way to get your message across without calling attention to an error or an unflattering point. But use it only in this instance. In general, the active voice is much more effective in business letters. Refer to a previous event or a previous communication with the reader, if applicable. Maybe you contacted Nina Brown earlier last month with a warning about her unpaid bill. Or perhaps a customer expressed their frustration with the space program last month at a conference. If you have already been in touch with the reader, acknowledge this. It will remind the reader of your previous contact and make the business letter feel more immediate and important. Use a phrase like: “Per my previous letter about your unpaid bill…” or “Thank you for your payment in March." Or “It was very useful to hear about your issues with the space program at the conference in May.” Make a request or offer help. Establish a positive tone with the reader by making a polite request or offering help in the form of a working relationship. Say you are a business owner trying to get a customer to pay a bill. Use a phrase like: “I would appreciate your immediate attention in the matter of your unpaid bill.” Say you are writing on behalf of your company. Use a phrase like: “We would like to set up a face to face meeting with you and our head of Human Resources.” You should also offer to answer any questions or concerns the reader may have. Use a phrase like: “I would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about your bill.” Or, “Would you like us to provide you with more details about the program?” Wrap up the letter. Include a call to action, on your part, or on the part of the reader. This could be a demand for payment by a certain date, or a note about setting up a formal meeting with the reader. Include a sentence about talking to the receiver of the letter in the future. “I look forward to seeing you at the budget meeting next week." Or “Looking forward to discussing this further with you during your visit to our headquarters.” Note any documents you have including with your letter. Add a phrase like “Please find enclosed your unpaid bill” or “You will find enclosed a copy of our space outreach program.” End the letter with a closing phrase. Use “Sincerely” or “Sincerely yours” for clients or customers. Use “Yours faithfully” for formal letters to individuals you do not know at all. Only use “Regards” or “Best” if you are writing to someone you know well or have a working relationship with. Proofread the letter. All your careful formatting and writing will be for naught if the letter is full of spelling errors! Look for any instances of the passive voice, and try to adjust the sentence to the active voice. Notice any sentences that run long or are not clear and direct. In a business letter, less is usually more, so pare down the length of your sentences if possible.

Use a professional letterhead. Open a word processing program. Set up the block form. Identify your audience. State the purpose of the letter in the first line. Use the active, rather than the passive, voice. Refer to a previous event or a previous communication with the reader, if applicable. Make a request or offer help. Wrap up the letter. Proofread the letter.

https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Travel-Agency-From-Home

How to Start a Travel Agency From Home

To start a travel agency from home, try to figure out who is most likely to use your service so you know how to market to them. Once you know who the service is for, you should start estimating what you'll need and how much it will cost to open the store. You'll also need to open 2 bank accounts, 1 to handle business expenses, and the other 2 handle client booking funds. Finally, you'll need to decide whether you want to choose a travel niche or be a general travel agency.

Check local and state laws. Before you start working as a home-based travel agent, you need to make sure you comply with all applicable laws concerning home-based business and travel booking. Depending on where you live, you may have to file paperwork to legally work from home. You will also likely need to file appropriate paperwork to become established as a recognized business in your state. Look for your state's business zoning laws online. Develop a business plan. Not only will this provide you with a clear plan for running your agency, but it will help you secure funding from investors if you need additional capital to start your business. If you want to get financial backing for your agency, your business plan will need to include a great deal of information about your plans and projected financial information. For tips on how to create a business plan, check out How to Write a Business Plan. Don't forget to state your personal licenses, degrees, skills, and qualifications in your business plan. This information should include essentially anything you would put in a resume. For purposes of obtaining financing (if needed), you will need to show your potential lender that you are capable of assuming responsibility for your business. Identify a target audience. Do some online research to figure out what demographic is likely to be most interested in your services and plan to target them specifically. You should use your target audience to help you figure out how to market your business. For instance, if you are targeting retirees, you should probably not rely solely on social media for advertising. Analyze demographic information for your area, which can be found at your city or county auditor's office or website. Find travel statistics for your proposed specialty area and also find out what proportion of people near you fit your target demographic. Use these data to estimate your anticipated business over a given period and what your profit might be. Anticipate start-up needs. Create a detailed list of what you require (equipment, supplies, employees, etc.) in order to begin business operations. For each item in your list, include a justification for its need and its estimated cost. This information should also go into your business plan. Since your business will be run from your home, you may find that you already have many of the items or materials you will need to operate your travel agency (such as basic office supplies). However, you might wish to keep your personal and business materials separate for tax reasons. Keep receipts for everything you purchase for your business so you can include them as tax write-offs. Calculate projected cash flow. Consider all your likely financial obligations; this might include insurance premiums, business licensure, and applicable taxes. Then consider your projected income, which should be based on current travel market data and on the presence of your local target demographic. This sort of information will be a critical component of your business plan, but will also help you figure out whether your home travel agency will be viable. Be sure to do your homework on this so you don't overestimate your likely earnings. Don't forget to account for one-time and/or emergency expenses. For example, perhaps some of your expenses during the first few months of operation will not recur. Open two bank accounts. One account is for your business and will serve the purpose of handling business expenses and receiving all income. The other account is for holding all your client booking funds, which will be allocated specifically to covering the expenses associated with your clients' travel arrangements. It is a good idea to select a financial institution that has special deals for small businesses (such as rewards or waived annual account fees). For ease of tracking and transferring funds when necessary, have both bank accounts be through the same banking institution. For tax and legal reasons, do not combine your business accounts with your personal checking or savings accounts! Choose a travel specialty. Consider whether you'd rather operate a general travel booking agency or have a more specialized business niche. You can do business by referring others to bigger companies (thereby earning a referral fee), or you can focus on booking and selling specialized travel packages. There are tons of options here! As a home travel agent, you could focus solely on cruises, vacation homes, luxury travel, or standard travel specializing in booking flights and hotels. Consider whether you wish to specialize in a certain geographical area. You might be able to offer unique services or deals not found elsewhere by doing repeat business with a handful of resorts (for example). Draw from your personal expertise and/or experience in choosing a specialty. Going with what you know is often a solid decision. Check regulations in your area. In order to have customers visit your home for business purposes, you may have to comply with certain health, fire, and building codes pertaining to your home office. It is even possible that you will not be able to establish a home office without a separate entrance for your office and a minimum square footage for your space. Check your city and state government websites for specific information. You may also have to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for your home office, which could include making your home office accessible to wheelchairs. Certain safety precautions may be required for your office space, such as having a smoke detector and/or a fire extinguisher in the room. Designate a room for work only. Your home office should be a dedicated area within your home that is used solely for business purposes. This conveys professionalism to your customers, who probably don't want to see your kids' toys strewn across the floor of your office. If possible, select a room in your home close to the building entrance so your customers don't have to trek through your house to get there. Whether or not your local or state building codes require it, having a separate entrance for your office space is a great feature, as it helps keep your home and work spaces separate and preserves your family's privacy. Put a lock on the door that lead from your home into your office. This will keep children, house guests, etc. from getting into your workspace when they shouldn't. Purchase a desk. You will need to have a desk in your home office that you can sit behind while working with customers. In addition to appearing professional, this is a functional necessity as your transactions will involve document signing and possibly pamphlet or brochure material viewing. Make sure your desk is large enough to be useful, yet small enough to fit comfortably in your office. Cramming an enormous desk into a tiny room will make the area feel too small and could create awkward experience for your customers. Get a flat-top executive-style desk with no built-in pieces on top that would be positioned between you and your customers. You want your office space to seem as uncluttered as possible. While a desk is an important office accessory, you should also leave room for additional essentials, such as a filing cabinet and chairs for your customers. Decorate tastefully. While a minimal amount of artwork and knick-knacks are acceptable, try not to overdo it when decorating your home office. As a travel agent, it might be a good idea to decorate with photos or paintings of picturesque landscapes of places to which you offer travel arrangements. Reserve some wall space for any diplomas or certificates you have received (especially those relevant to your work as a travel agent). Frame these and hang them on the wall behind your desk or next to where your customers will be seated. Add some plants to your office to make your office feel more comfortable and inviting. Plants add color and help freshen the air; just be sure they don't get so big they encroach on your workspace. Keep it clean and organized. Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your home office to maintain an image of professionalism is to ensure that it is well-organized and clean. This means tidying up regularly, dusting and vacuuming at least every few days, and emptying trash bins at the end of each work day. Make your office a cleaning priority; most of us occasionally allow our homes to fall into disarray when we are busy or overworked, but customers expect to see cleanliness and order in a professional office, even if it is in someone's home. A customer who finds your workspace to be cluttered and disorganized may be hesitant to entrust you with their travel arrangements; professionalism is the name of the game here! Create a website. This is essential for the successful operation of an at-home travel agency, because the majority of your business (including most of your initial contact with clients) will be conducted online. Additionally, having a well-maintained website conveys professionalism to potential clients and is the best way to have your business discovered by interested customers. You can create a website for free using a number of services, including OnlineAgency.com. Look into referrals. Contact large, well-established travel companies to negotiate package deals that you can offer to your clients. Some large companies will allow you to operate privately as a contractor, but only if you comply with their regulations and licensure. While you're at it, ask what kind of referral commissions you can earn by sending customers their way. If you choose to operate under a "host agency," you may have to check with them regarding your freedom to have a referral relationship with other companies. Referrals are a good option to keep open because it can both offer your clients a wider range of travel options and give you more chances to increase your profits. Contact multiple companies and try to establish relationships with all of them. The more companies you work with, the more business you will likely see! Join professional travel agent organizations. These organizations can increase your visibility to consumers and your credibility as an agent. You can join the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA), or the International Air Transport Association (IATA). If possible, join all 3 to give your business the biggest boost. Professional organizations such as these allow you access to educational materials such as webinars and online discussion forums and hold annual conferences you can attend to learn about new developments in the travel industry. Some organization websites have cycling membership features, which (should you be featured) would be massively helpful for increasing your visibility as an agent. Some particularly shrewd customers might look for agents who belong to these memberships so they know they are dealing with a vetted professional. Check to make sure that your name and business contact information can be found online in organization databases. If your name can't be found on the organization website, then being a member won't increase your visibility much. Most professional organizations require an annual membership fee, so build this into your financial projections/business plan if you intend to join any. Determine whether you need to meet additional requirements for organization membership (such as nomination by a current member) by visiting the organization website(s). Consider taking a few business courses so you can learn more about how to start and maintain your travel agency most effectively. Search the course offerings at your local community college and online. Any fees paid to enroll or participate in courses related to the operation of your business are tax deductible. You may be able to find training courses specific to running a travel agency. Even if you have previous business education or experience, a refresher course can be very helpful, especially for learning up-to-date laws. Promote your business. This can be done in a number of ways and should depend at least in part upon your target demographic and their consumer habits. However, much of modern marketing is online, and this is where you should start as a home-based travel agent -- especially since the majority of your business will likely be conducted online! Use social media! Create a profile page on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or some other widely-used social media site. Post often about offers and services. This should help you attract business through visual exposure. Create a channel on YouTube or Vimeo and showcase destinations or resorts with whom your customers have recently booked. You can link the videos to your social media accounts. Establish a customer incentive program. In order to get more business via word-of-mouth, offer rewards to clients who refer additional customers to you. These can be in the form of a simple voucher for discounted future services, gift certificates to local restaurants or stores, or just about anything else you choose. If you aren't sure what sorts of incentives your customers are most likely to be interested in, offer a range of rewards for successful referrals. You can also survey customers to discover majority preferences and use this to design your incentive program. If you can figure out an incentive system early enough, incorporate this into your business plan.

Check local and state laws. Develop a business plan. Identify a target audience. Anticipate start-up needs. Calculate projected cash flow. Open two bank accounts. Choose a travel specialty. Check regulations in your area. Designate a room for work only. Purchase a desk. Decorate tastefully. Keep it clean and organized. Create a website. Look into referrals. Join professional travel agent organizations. Consider taking a few business courses so you can learn more about how to start and maintain your travel agency most effectively. Promote your business. Establish a customer incentive program.

https://www.wikihow.com/Perform-a-Male-Manicure

How to Perform a Male Manicure

A male manicure will leave your hands softer and your nails tidier. Start by filling a large bowl with warm water and soaking your hands in it for 10 minutes to soften your skin and nails. Then, scrub your nails with a nail brush to get rid of any dirt and loose skin underneath them. If you have a metal manicure stick, use this to clean under your nails too. Once you've cleaned under your nails, trim them like normal and smooth the edges with a nail file. Finally, apply a few drops of cuticle remover to your nails, then push your cuticles back with a cuticle pusher or a wooden orange stick.

Fill a bowl with warm water. For the manicure, you'll need a large bowl. Ideally, it should be large enough that both hands can fit inside at the same time. Add enough warm water to the bowl to cover the hands. You don't need to heat the water on the stove. It should be comfortably warm to soak your hands in, so it's fine to take it straight from the sink. Soak your hands for several minutes. Once the bowl is full of water, submerge both hands. Allow the hands to soak for approximately 10 minutes so the skin and nails both have time to soften. If your bowl isn't large enough to soak both hands at once, it's best to use two smaller bowls so you can still soak your hands at the same time. If you have to soak the hands separately, the water will likely cool by the time you're ready to soak the second hand. Dump out the old water, and refill it with warm water. You can skip soaking your hands if you take a warm shower just before you do the manicure. Scrub your nails with a brush. When you're finished soaking your hands, pat them dry with a clean towel so they're not dripping. Next, use a nail brush to gently scrub the nails and surrounding skin to remove any dirt, grime, or loose skin. Be sure to choose a soft nail brush that won't be too rough on the skin and nails. Clean under your nails. It's also important to clean under the nails. Use a metal manicure stick or wooden orange stick to gently remove any dirt or grime that may be underneath the nails. It's best not to use the pointed end of the manicure or orange stick when you're cleaning your nails because you may hurt yourself. The slanted, rounded side usually works best. Rinse your hands with warm water and pat dry. After brushing your nails and cleaning underneath them, wash your hands with warm water and soap. Pat your hands dry with a clean towel. Use a soap that's meant for the hands so you don't dry out your skin. Antibacterial soaps are generally not recommended as they are more drying, do not clean better than regular hand soaps, and contribute to bacterial resistance. Clip your nails. With a pair of nail clippers, trim your nails to your desired length. Keep the shape square because trying to round the nails may cause ingrown nails. Make sure to use a good quality pair of clippers. A stainless steel pair is the best option, but check the feel of the pair too to ensure that there's no risk of your thumb slipping off when you're clipping. Don't trim your nails too short. That can expose the nail bed at the tip of your finger, which may remain sore until the nail grows back. Apply a cuticle remover. The cuticle is the thin band of dead skin that grows up over the bottom of the nail. To get rid of it, rub a small amount of liquid cuticle remover over the bottom of all of your nails to soften the skin and make it easier to remove. You usually have to allow the cuticle remover to sit on the cuticle for 30 seconds to 1 minute for the skin to be properly softened. Consult the package instructions to be sure. You can purchase cuticle remover at a drugstore or beauty supply store. Push back your cuticles. Once the cuticle remover has had a chance to soften the skin, use a metal cuticle pusher or wooden orange stick to remove the cuticles. Some of the cuticles will easily wipe away, but you'll need to gently push more stubborn ones back. Never cut, trim, or snip your cuticles. They can easily become infected. Smooth the edge of each nail with a file. While clipping your nails can get them to the right length, it usually leaves them with an rough, uneven edge. Use a nail file or a nail block to gently file the edge of your nails so they're soft and smooth. It typically takes only a couple of strokes to file the edge of your nails. File your nails in the same direction rather than going back and forth. That helps round out the shape of your nails for a neater look. Buff the nails until they’re smooth. Nails can develop ridges that give them an uneven surface. Use a sponge buffing block to gently buff your nails so they're smooth and even. Pay attention to the instructions that come with your buffing block. One side is typically meant for buffing away ridges and smoothing the nails while another is meant for buffing shine into the nails. Use the proper side for your desired effect. You can buff your nails to give them a subtle shine that's not as obvious as a shiny topcoat. However, some men don't like the shiny look so be careful when buffing. Massage hand cream into the hands. When your nails are properly filed and buffed, moisturize your hands, nails, and cuticles by applying a hydrating hand cream. Rub it into your hands in a circular motion until it's completely absorbed. Massaging the hand cream into your skin also helps boost circulation to your fingers and hands.

Fill a bowl with warm water. Soak your hands for several minutes. Scrub your nails with a brush. Clean under your nails. Rinse your hands with warm water and pat dry. Clip your nails. Apply a cuticle remover. Push back your cuticles. Smooth the edge of each nail with a file. Buff the nails until they’re smooth. Massage hand cream into the hands.

https://www.wikihow.com/Butcher-Deer

How to Butcher Deer

To butcher deer, start by skinning the deer, and removing the hooves and organs with a knife. Next, wash the meat in cold water before hanging the deer from a meat hook in a garage or outbuilding to age for a week. Once the meat is aged, lay out the carcass on a flat surface and cut through the backbone where it meets the ribs with a saw. You should also remove the cuts of meat from the hind quarters, neck, and shoulders. Finally, cut the meat into the cuts you want to eat before freezing it.

Field dress your deer as soon as possible. After you shoot a deer, it's OK to take a moment to congratulate yourself, but then you need to get working. All of the organs need to be removed to avoid tainting the meat and increasing spoilage. The quicker you get the animal field dressed and cleaned, the safer the meat will be. Some people like to winch the carcass up to hang it by the antlers, while some prefer the feet when breaking down the carcass initially. Either works. If you want to save the antlers, you might hang the deer upside down and take special care in dealing with the skull. Remove each of the hooves at the elbow. With the point of your knife, find the joint and make an incision. Then, move your knife around the joint with the flat of the blade, cutting the ligaments and carefully working your knife around the elbow joint as deeply as possible. Twist the joint firmly and snap it off. Begin cutting through the skin at the base of the animal's skull. Next, cut around it the base of the neck, then down towards the breastbone, and finally to the stomach, pelvis and the forelegs. Take care to cut only the skin, and not the muscles or abdominal tissues, as hair will contaminate the meat in these areas. Begin pulling the skin off the shoulders and neck. Work your way downward toward the chest. If muscle tissue is pulling loose with the skin, scrape or slice through it so it doesn't tear loose as you go. Slicing the subcutaneous membranes will make the skin easier to pull free. Pull the skin off the carcass. If skinning by hand, pull the skin down a bit, as if you were peeling paper off a wall, then slice the tissue that attaches it to the muscles underneath it, working a little at a time. If you want to save energy and use a four wheeler or even a truck, you can tie a golf ball or a similarly sized stone under the skin, looping your rope around it, then tie the free end to the vehicle. Drive slowly away from the carcass, pulling the remaining skin from the deer with very little effort. Remove the head. Take the deer down and lay it out on a flat work surface. Just under the jaw, cut the ligaments to loosen the connective tissue around the neck. You'll need to twist the head sharply to break the neck and remove the head completely. If you want to save the antlers, but not the head, you'll need to use a saw to remove a portion of skull about an inch from the base of the antlers. If you want to save the entire head, keep it cool and skin it. Save any meat from the skull you wish to keep and boil the skull for several hours, removing the tissue and bleaching the skull. Clean it afterward with hydrogen peroxide to get it white. Rinse the deer's carcass after the skin is removed. This will wash away any hair that has stuck to the meat and will also help cool the meat while you are completing the job. If you plan to have your deer commercially processed, it's ready to go to the processor after removing the organs. If you want to break it down yourself, let it cool thoroughly and take it indoors or to a clean cutting surface on which you can work. Wash the venison with plenty of cold water, then transport it with ice. Do not wrap it with cling wrap or butcher paper at this point, which will trap heat in the meat and promote spoilage. Make sure the carcass is cool and dry. As soon as possible, the meat needs to be transported and stored at 34–38 °F (1–3 °C). Avoid freezing the meat right away, as freezing will inhibit the aging process and speed its spoiling after the meat is thawed. Find a suitable location for aging. The most difficult part of the process is finding a space big enough for your deer that can be temperature controlled. The most popular location is generally a garage, shed, or an outbuilding. Places that receive some heat seepage from the house, like a garage, tend to be particularly effective. If you don't have a garage, talk to friends and other hunting acquaintances to find a suitable location. Or follow the first few steps of the breaking down process to quarter the meat and age it in a spare refrigerator. The quarters from an average deer should fit in a standard fridge. Err on the side of too cold. Generally, you'll freeze at least some of the meat after breaking it down anyway. Be very careful not do let your venison spoil by aging it above 40 °F (4 °C). Make sure to keep a thermometer in your aging space. Hang the carcass. Use a meat hook and chain or rope to affix the meat to a sturdy rafter in your aging location. If you don't have a meat hook, try using an old wire hanger inside the carcass to hang the deer. Age the meat for at least a week. Like beef, aging the meat causes the collagen in the muscle cells to break down. The quality and flavor of the venison is greatly improved by letting the meat sit for a week in a cool space with good air circulation. This causes the surface of the meat to dry, but don't worry--this can be trimmed off during the butchering process. The meat will continue to grow more tender for 16-21 days. Prepare a clean work surface and assemble your tools. It's helpful to have a large cleaver and a boning knife for this task. Make sure your tools are sharp and clean and that you've got a sterile work surface large enough to handle big pieces of meat. Try setting up a portable card table or picnic table and cleaning it with food-safe sanitizer before you begin. Split the backbone in half. To separate the chuck meat (front quarters) from the round (hind quarters), use a saw or a meat cleaver and find the point at which the rib cage meets the backbone (it should be between the 12th and 13th rib). Cut through the spine using firm pressure with the cleaver. After you've made an incision, you may need to put one hand on the hind quarters and one hand on the for legs or neck area and bend them toward each other to break the back in half. Remove the backstraps and tenderloins. Probably the most tender and tasty cut of venison, the tenderloins are the dark, lean, red meat found inside the cavity, running alongside the backbone. The backstraps or ribeye are also called the "outside tenderloins," and are found opposite the tenderloin, along the backbone on the other side of the ribs. To remove them, run your knife along the inside of the backbone (for the tenderloin) or the outside of the backbone (for the backstraps), and work the meat loose of the ribs and keeping the edge of your knife as close as possible to the bone, to get as much of the meat as possible. Use long even cuts as you pull the meat away from the bone. You'll find these in both the hind quarters and rib section of the carcass. This is the best cut for steaks or roasts. Saw through the ribs near the spine. Cutting them all the way down the backbone, you can either separate the ribs, or leave them intact as whole side of ribs. The brisket can be found on the outside of the ribs, near where you've opened the belly for removing the organs. Alternatively, you can leave the entire backbone area intact for cutting into chops with a meat saw later. To do this, leave the tenderloins and backstraps in place, and remove the upper shoulders by cutting the muscles that attach them to the chest, working from the bottom (the armpit) up, lifting on the leg as you do so. Since there are not joints in the bones connecting the front shoulders to the chest, a good, sharp knife is all you will need. Remove the shoulder and neck meat. Many people do not realize how much meat a deer's neck has in it. This meat isn't as good for steaks, but is ideal for grinding into sausage or cubing for stew meat. Work your knife around the shoulder joint, twisting the arm away from the body as you loosen it. Separate the hams from the hock joints. The hams of the deer are the fatty meat found around the back hips or the rump of the deer, and the hocks are the remaining leg meat above the joint where you removed the hooves. Hams make decent steaks and hocks are good for stewing. If you want to leave the bone in, cut the hindquarters from the deer by sawing through the pelvic bone on either side of the spine, then separate the ham from the hock by cutting through the joint. If you want to remove the hams from the bone completely, work the hind legs off the hip by working your knife into the ball and socket joint, lifting the leg away from the carcass as you work. Next, position the ham at a perpendicular angel and about ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) from the top, perpendicular to the leg bone, and cut straight down through the ham. Cut the meat from the leg bone by shifting your knife parallel to the bone. You can immediately cut this meat into steaks or leave it whole for stewing or roasts. Prepare steaks and chops as you work. It's usually more effective to cut the meat into the cuts you'll want to eat before you freeze the meat. That way, you'll be able to defrost a little at a time, rather than having to worry about defrosting a whole side of ribs that will be difficult to use all at once. Use the lower half of the hams for stews and pot roasts. Cut round steaks from the top half of the hams. Leave the backstraps as long tenderloin cuts or consider cutting into loin chops. Cut chunks of soup meat form the lower ribs, belly meat, and the neck meat. If you've got a meat grinder, this also makes excellent ground venison or venison sausage. Use the front legs for pot roast or consider cutting into chops if you like. Prepare it for freezing. With a very sharp boning knife, remove fat, cartilage, and any bruising, discoloration and dry spots that result from the aging process. Much of the toughness or undesirable gaminess negatively associated with venison can be lessened by removing these parts. Freeze the meat. In labeled meal-sized portions, pack the meat into plastic freezer bags. Squeeze as much of the air as possible out of the bags and that the bags are sealed tightly before placing them in the freezer. Don't forget to date the meat. Meat prepared this way should remain good for at least a year. Ground venison and sausage might lose their flavor more quickly. For the best quality, try to use the ground meats first. Consider curing or smoking some of your venison. If you want to prepare and keep some of your meat without freezing it and you have the equipment to smoke meat, venison makes for great cured summer sausage. You can use a corning brine to create your own venison version of corned beef. Make venison jerky. One of the most popular preparations among hunters, venison jerky is a chewy and delicious way of preparing venison and keeping it for a long time on the shelf. Use a commercial food dehydrator to remove the moisture from the meat, flavoring it to your taste.

Field dress your deer as soon as possible. Remove each of the hooves at the elbow. Begin cutting through the skin at the base of the animal's skull. Begin pulling the skin off the shoulders and neck. Pull the skin off the carcass. Remove the head. Rinse the deer's carcass after the skin is removed. Wash the venison with plenty of cold water, then transport it with ice. Find a suitable location for aging. Hang the carcass. Age the meat for at least a week. Prepare a clean work surface and assemble your tools. Split the backbone in half. Remove the backstraps and tenderloins. Saw through the ribs near the spine. Remove the shoulder and neck meat. Separate the hams from the hock joints. Prepare steaks and chops as you work. Prepare it for freezing. Freeze the meat. Consider curing or smoking some of your venison. Make venison jerky.

https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Physician-Assistant

How to Become a Physician Assistant

To become a physician's assistant, complete the necessary academic prerequisites, like classes in biology, anatomy, chemistry, and physiology, and work or job shadow in a healthcare setting to get experience. Then, apply to physician assistant programs near you using the Central Application Service for Physician's Assistants. Once you get accepted, pass all of your classes and complete the necessary clinical rotations for your program. After that, pass your certification exams and obtain a state license.

Meet the right prerequisites for physician assistant programs. You will need to graduate from an accredited physician assistant school. However, most programs require that you've met certain educational and experience requirements first. Most physician assistant programs are very selective, and they require about two years of college coursework in specific areas. Research the entrance requirements for the physician assistant program you are interested in well in advance. Some programs require a bachelor's degree (usually in the sciences). Generally, physician assistant programs want to see that you've taken courses in the sciences in such areas as chemistry, anatomy, microbiology, physiology, and biology. These courses prepare you to work in a healthcare setting upon graduation, such as a hospital or doctor's office. It's a good idea to start researching physician assistant programs when you are a freshman in college. That way you can make sure you take the right courses. Obtain healthcare experience. You will probably need to have healthcare experience before you apply for a physician assistant program. Most programs will require it. You could get such experience by volunteering for non-profit organizations, such as the Peace Corps. Some physician assistant programs require a minimum number of hours in non-clinical volunteer work in addition to other health-related experience. Check with the specific program you are interested in as entrance requirements may vary. You will need to work in non-volunteer areas that give you healthcare experience also, such as a paramedic, a lab assistant, a medic, or a registered nurse. Open an account with the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Most of the programs you'll be considering will ask that you apply through this service. CASPA applications take a long time to complete, so apply early. It helps to gather all of your educational and employment information before you apply. Because it's centralized, CASPA simplifies the process of applying to multiple physician assistant programs. Apply for an accredited physician’s assistant program. Usually, such programs will last about two to three academic years. At the end, you will be awarded a master's degree. As of 2010, there were 154 such accredited PA programs in the United States. You will be taught in a classroom setting in areas of the sciences, including behavioral science, anatomy, pharmacology, medical ethics, and other classes. Most programs require candidates to complete clinical rotations as well. These are often at least 2,000 hours, and they could place you in a number of real-life settings, including a family medicine office, or facilities specializing in things like emergency medicine or psychiatry. The clinical rotation usually occurs in the second year of the program. You may want to consider entering an accelerated four-year program. These enable you to obtain a bachelor's degree and then a graduate level PA certificate in a four-year sequence. To be accepted into any physician assistant program, you will likely be asked for letters of recommendation, and you will need to meet a certain grade-point average threshold. Obtain certification as a physician assistant. You will qualify (and need to) become certified after you've graduated from the accredited PA program. The certification exam is called PANCE. It stands for Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam. You will earn the title of PA-C or Physician Assistant –Certified if you pass it. Before sitting for the exam, many people read books and other resources that are designed to help prepare people for taking the exam. You can take practice exams before you take the actual exam. If you don't pass this exam, you will not be able to work as a physician assistant. Obtain a state license. Requirements for state licenses may vary depending on where you live, but all states require that you passed the PANCE exam and graduate from an accredited physician assistant program. All states require licensing for physician assistants. It's recommended that you obtain a state license application early, and start working on it. The requirements might include such things as fingerprinting and letters of reference. States often handle their licensing procedures through state license boards. The American Academy of Physician Assistants has state chapters. Your state chapter should be able to help direct you in how to find out more about your state's licensing requirements. Some states might require continuing education credits for licensing. Research your own state's rules! Maintain your certification. Once you become a certified physician assistant, you will be asked to maintain your certification. In 2014, physician assistants started having to comply with a 10-year certification cycle divided into two 5-year segments. Physician assistants have to log 100 credits of continuing certification education every 5-year period. The segments are shorter pre-2014; look up the rules for your own particular situation. Apply for jobs as a physician assistant. The good news is that physician assistants are paid well. And the job is highly in demand due to an aging population. Most work full-time, and they can work long hours. The average physician assistant is paid over $90,000. Physician assistants work in many health care settings, ranging from emergency medicine to doctor's offices. These programs are competitive; however, the government has reported that employment of physician assistants should grow 38 percent from 2012 through 2022. This is considered faster job growth than the average for most professions.

Meet the right prerequisites for physician assistant programs. Obtain healthcare experience. Open an account with the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). Apply for an accredited physician’s assistant program. Obtain certification as a physician assistant. Obtain a state license. Maintain your certification. Apply for jobs as a physician assistant.

https://www.wikihow.com/Pit-a-Cherry

How to Pit a Cherry

To pit a cherry without cutting the fruit in half, grip the cherry between your fingers with the bottom exposed. Then, push a drinking straw through the cherry until the pit is pushed out. Alternatively, push one end of a paperclip into the fruit from the stem side. When the paperclip is alongside the pit, twist it around the pit, and use it as a lever to scoop the pit out.

Set aside the necessary materials. You will need the following: Cherries. A knife. A cutting board. Wash and inspect the cherry. If there are any bruises, splits, or patches of mold then dispose of it and pick another one. If it is fine then continue. Wash the cherries in water that is roughly 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) above room temperature in order to prevent damage to the fruit. Look for the "mark". On every cherry there will be a little line that is shaped a bit like a small valley. We will call this "the mark". Place the cherry mark side up on the chopping board. Carefully place your knife on the mark and press down. Stop when you hit the pit. Roll the cherry along the knife edge. You should end where you began, making a straight cut along the mark and around the other side. Gently twist both sections until they come off from the pit. Throw the pit and stem away. Repeat the process until you have as many cherries as desired. Find a paper clip of the appropriate size. You will need one that is no wider than the pit of the cherry. Wash it before use. Wash and inspect the cherry. If there are any bruises, splits, or patches of mold then dispose of it and pick another one. If it is fine then continue. Wash the cherries in water that is roughly 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) above room temperature in order to prevent damage to the fruit. Push one end of the paper clip down into the cherry from the stem side. Try to stay close to the center, making sure not to unnecessarily cut out too much of the cherry. Stop pushing it in when it is alongside the pit. Twist the paper clip around the pit. Keep it as close to the pit as possible to avoid removing the flesh of the fruit. Pull the stem to remove the pit. If the stem has fallen off, use the paper clip as a lever to pull the pit out. Repeat the process with as many additional cherries as you wish. Find a straw of the appropriate size. You will need a straw that is fairly rigid but not too large. If it is too big it will cut an unnecessarily large hole in the cherry. Wash and inspect the cherry. If there are any bruises, splits, or patches of mold then dispose of it and pick another one. If it is fine then continue. Wash the cherries in water that is roughly 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) above room temperature in order to prevent damage to the fruit. Grip the cherry between your first two fingers and thumb, but do not squeeze it. Hold it on the sides, leaving the top (with the stem) and bottom exposed. Push the straw down around the stem until it reaches the cherry. Continue to push the straw through to the other side. The pit will be pushed out, hopefully with a minimum of the fruit. Discard the stem and pit. Repeat the steps on additional cherries until you have all you need. Finished.

Set aside the necessary materials. Wash and inspect the cherry. Look for the "mark". Carefully place your knife on the mark and press down. Roll the cherry along the knife edge. Throw the pit and stem away. Find a paper clip of the appropriate size. Wash and inspect the cherry. Push one end of the paper clip down into the cherry from the stem side. Twist the paper clip around the pit. Pull the stem to remove the pit. Find a straw of the appropriate size. Wash and inspect the cherry. Grip the cherry between your first two fingers and thumb, but do not squeeze it. Push the straw down around the stem until it reaches the cherry. Discard the stem and pit. Finished.

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How to Buy a Turtle

To buy a turtle, start by going to a reputable seller, like a well-established pet store, and looking at the captive-bred turtles. When deciding on a species, consider things like the climate, how large the turtle will become, and if it looks healthy. Once you pick your turtle, you'll also need a glass aquarium, turtle food, a UV-A basking bulb and a UV-B fluorescent bulb, and a filtration system. In order to keep your turtle happy and interested in its environment, also provide it with places to hide, climb, and explore, such as rocks, wood, and aquarium decorations.

Purchase from a reputable seller. Look for clean facilities with healthy-looking animals and readily available documentation regarding the breeds of turtles offered. Well-established pet stores are usually safe choices, although the selection of species they offer may be limited. Private sellers and breeders are another option, but should be dealt with more cautiously. The illegal sale of wild turtles is surprisingly common. Sellers who are reluctant to provide information about their turtles' breeding should be avoided. Buy only captive-bred turtles. The sale and purchase of some species of wild turtles is illegal. Furthermore, wild-caught turtles are more likely to be unhealthy in captivity, and removing turtles from their natural habitat can harm wild turtle populations. If you are purchasing a turtle from a private breeder, be sure to ask for verification that the turtle has been bred in captivity. If they can't provide you with verification, assume that the turtle is not suitable for purchase as a pet. Choose a species carefully. While it may be tempting to select a turtle based on their appearance, you should pay much more attention to the care requirements (especially the temperature and food requirements) of each species. For instance, if a turtle is native to a climate much hotter or cooler than the one in which you live, you may have a hard time maintaining the proper temperature for it to thrive. Another important consideration is the adult size of each turtle species. Some species grow to a larger size than others, and you may end up with a turtle who eventually outgrows the habitat you prepare for it. Ask the seller for assistance and recommendations, but be sure to verify the information with credible independent sources. Misconceptions are common, even among pet dealers. Choose a healthy turtle. When choosing a turtle, ensure that it has clear eyes and is responsive and reasonably active. A turtle that has swollen or cloudy eyes, or shows signs of a runny nose is probably sick. Unless it is of a soft-shell species, it should have a firm shell (though cracks and pits are not necessarily a sign that anything is wrong). A turtle that appears to be gasping through its mouth, or makes a wheezing sound when it breathes, is probably sick. Identify the turtle's sex. Especially if you are considering owning multiple turtles some day, it is important to be able to identify your turtle's sex. Otherwise, you may end up with unexpected babies. Here are some clues to look for: A male turtle typically has a slightly concave underside, while a female turtle's underside is usually flat or slightly bulging. In many species, an adult female will be larger than a male. In some species, such as red-eared or painted turtles, males will have slightly longer fingernails than females. The sex of a turtle can be hard to identify. The seller may be able to help you. Start with just one turtle. If you purchase more than one turtle at first, you may find yourself overwhelmed and unable to properly care for all of them. Once you are comfortable caring for your turtle, you can consider purchasing more. Multiple turtles kept in the same tank may not get along. They may become aggressive to each other, requiring them to be separated. Keep in mind also that two turtles will require double the space and water filtration. If you do decide to keep multiple turtles in the same tank, ensure that they are roughly the same size. A larger turtle can hurt a smaller one if it becomes aggressive. Research the specific needs of your turtle species. Most turtle species require specific temperature, light and water conditions to be healthy. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for caring for turtles. Consult a reputable book or website (such as http://allturtles.com/turtle-species/ ) to determine the specific needs of your chosen turtle species. Prepare a big enough habitat. Glass aquariums are the most popular choice for turtle habitats. As a general rule, you should provide a tank with a capacity of 10 gallons (37.9 L) for every inch of the turtle's shell. Be careful to use the measurement for a fully grown adult turtle of the species you select, rather than the measurement of the turtle at the time of purchase. Turtles can and will outgrow their habitat if it isn't large enough. Select the right foods for your turtle. Turtles require daily feeding. Don't assume that a particular food is suitable for consumption by your turtle unless you have specifically verified it. The diet of your turtle will depend on its species, but common turtle diets include: Fresh fruits and vegetables Live feed, such as crickets and mice Turtle feed Freeze-dried shrimp Provide adequate UVA and UVB lighting. Turtles are cold blooded, requiring energy from the sun to function. To simulate the natural light your turtle requires to be happy and healthy, you will need to provide two sources of lighting: a UV-A basking bulb and a UV-B flourescent bulb. Both of these light sources must be on and available to the turtle all day, although you may turn them off at night. Be sure to select bulbs which explicitly provide UV-A and UV-B light. Many generic basking lamps are insufficient for reptile care. Your UV-A bulb should be positioned over a region of dry terrain in your turtle habitat, so that the turtle can bask in it outside of water. You should use a ground fault circuit interrupter, a device used to prevent electrocution, to connect your lamps to the electrical outlet. This will ensure that if a lamp falls into the habitat's water it will not electrocute your turtle. Ensure that your turtle has access to enough water. All turtles, even those dwelling mostly on land, require access to a substantial volume of fresh, clean water to drink and swim in. The amount of water required will vary, depending on the species you choose. On the other hand, even predominately aquatic turtles require dry ground to roam around and bask on, such as a turtle dock. Be sure that your habitat accommodates both needs. Install a filtration system. Because turtles excrete waste in the water in which they swim, you will need to install a filtration system and pump for aquatic turtles, just as you would with a pet fish. Because turtles can be quite messy, you should choose a system rated for an aquarium twice the volume of the habitat you've selected. Provide hiding places. Your turtle may sometimes wish to hide itself from light, and breaking up the space inside your habitat will make it more interesting for your pet. Use rocks, pieces of wood, or aquarium decorations to provide a varied environment for your turtle. Determine whether your turtle should hibernate. Many varieties of turtles naturally enter a dormant state, called hibernation, during the coldest months of the year, while others do not. If your species hibernates, you may need to prepare a suitable environment for it to do so. Research the variety of turtle you have. Non-tropical turtles hibernate in the wild. However, many common pet species do not actually need to. If in doubt about your turtle's hibernation needs, contact your veterinarian or local turtle club. If you do allow your turtle to hibernate, the details of the environment it needs will vary depending on the species. You should thoroughly investigate your turtle's hibernation requirements before starting this process. Generally, hibernating turtles require a cool, isolated and stable environment for between 2 and 4 months of the year. Many find it convenient to allow their turtle to hibernate in a refrigerator, or other cool, dry location. Don't allow your turtle to roam outside. When non-native turtle species are allowed to enter the natural environment, they can disrupt or even destroy native turtle populations. Releasing your turtle into the wild is therefore irresponsible and dangerous. If you decide that you can no longer care for your pet turtle, contact your local animal shelter or humane society to donate it for adoption, or return it to its original seller. Think about the care requirements for a turtle. Despite the popular perception that turtles are easy to care for, they in fact require specialized, daily care to survive and thrive. Your turtle may live 25 years or longer, depending on the species, so you should be prepared for a long-term commitment. Many turtles require live food, such as mice or insects, to thrive. If you are uncomfortable feeding your turtle live animals, you may wish to reconsider your choice. Consider the space and cost requirements. A small aquarium or plastic habitat will not be sufficient for most turtles. Due to their specialized needs, setting up a proper environment for a turtle is likely to cost you between $500 and $1200, depending on the species. You will also need to provide adequate clean water (and space) for them to swim in, as well as enough dry ground for them to roam about and bask on. Specialized lighting and water filtration equipment will also be a requirement. Look into the health risks of owning a turtle. Turtles can carry salmonella, a bacteria which can cause infection and illness, especially in children and elderly people. This is a serious health concern, and if any at-risk individuals are present in your home you should strongly reconsider purchasing a turtle. Remember that you do not need to touch a turtle to contract salmonella from it. Mere proximity to the turtle may be enough to risk infection. Recognize normal turtle behavior. Turtles are shy, quiet animals. They will withdraw into their shells if startled and may remain like this for some time. They can, however, learn to recognize their owners and will often swim to the surface or near the glass when you enter the room. Turtles will also learn when it is feeding time, and may become especially active at the appointed hour. Turtles are not social creatures. They will not display affectionate or playful behavior. It is normal for them to sit still a lot. If you are looking for an active, affectionate pet, turtles may not be for you.

Purchase from a reputable seller. Buy only captive-bred turtles. Choose a species carefully. Choose a healthy turtle. Identify the turtle's sex. Start with just one turtle. Research the specific needs of your turtle species. Prepare a big enough habitat. Select the right foods for your turtle. Provide adequate UVA and UVB lighting. Ensure that your turtle has access to enough water. Install a filtration system. Provide hiding places. Determine whether your turtle should hibernate. Don't allow your turtle to roam outside. Think about the care requirements for a turtle. Consider the space and cost requirements. Look into the health risks of owning a turtle. Recognize normal turtle behavior.

https://www.wikihow.com/Fiberglass-a-Pond

How to Fiberglass a Pond

To fiberglass a pond, you'll need fiberglass cloth, epoxy or polyester resin, and some flowcoat. First, you'll want to cut the fiberglass cloth into strips that will fit in your pond. Then, you'll need to apply the resin to the sides and bottom of the pond and press the fiberglass cloth strips into it. You should apply 3 coats of fiberglass cloth and then let everything dry. Once it's dry, you'll need to sand the surface of the fiberglass to get rid of any bumps and imperfections. Finally, you can use a paint roller to apply a coat of flowcoat over the fiberglass.

Purchase fiberglass cloth, resin, and flowcoat. You can buy the materials you need to fiberglass your pond from the hardware store or online. The typical fiberglass used for ponds is a 450g chopped strand mat. This fiberglass is durable enough to retain the water from a pond. Purchase an epoxy or polyester resin when you buy the fiberglass sheets. Flowcoat looks like paint and comes in a variety of colors. Adding a layer of flowcoat over the fiberglass is the finishing touch for your project and will make the walls of your pond shiny and smooth. It should cost around $5-$10 for 3 by 3 metres (9.8 by 9.8 ft) of fiberglass mat. Polyester resin should cost around $20-$30 for 1 gallon (3.8 L) while epoxy resin can cost up to $100 for a gallon. Flowcoat should cost between $5-$20 for 1 gallon (3.8 L). Tape off areas that you don’t want to fiberglass. Use painter's tape to tape off the areas around the lip of the pond. Apply the tape so that it wraps around the entirety of the pond's perimeter. Wear gloves when handling fiberglass. A thick pair of rubber gloves will stop the fiberglass from agitating your skin and will prevent you from damaging the fiberglass cloth. Wear a respirator when working on an indoor pond. If the pond is indoors, make sure that you're working in a well-ventilated area and use a respirator. Wearing the proper gear will prevent you from inhaling the toxic fumes from the resin and particles from the fiberglass sheets. Measure the walls and floor of your pond. Measure the height of the pond's walls. Then, take the width and length measurements of the pond's floor. This will help you determine how much fiberglass cloth you need. The surface area of a wall or floor is the length multiplied by the width. Write down the measurement so that you know the dimensions of your pond. If you need irregular or curved portions of the pond, use a tape measure and break the pond into separate 5 by 5 feet (1.5 by 1.5 m) parts. Once you get the surface area of all parts of your pool, add them together to get how much fiberglass cloth you need. Measure the fiberglass cloth. Fiberglass cloth will usually come in a roll that you can purchase online or at a hardware store. Carefully roll out the fiberglass and measure it so that it's 5–8 inches (13–20 cm) longer than the height of your walls. This additional slack will lay on the outer lip and the floor of the pond. Cut the fiberglass cloth with a rolling cutter or fiberglass scissors. Purchase a rolling cutter or fiberglass scissors at an art and crafts store or online. Cut out the sheets to your measurements. Rolling cutters cost anywhere from $15-$30 while fiberglass scissors cost $40+. Mix your resin according to the instructions. Many epoxy resins will also come with a hardener that you must mix with the resin. Read the instructions on the package so that you know how to mix them properly. Continue to mix your resin as you work so that it doesn't harden. 2 kg (4.4 lbs) of resin is suitable for 2 square meters (6.5 sq. feet) of fiberglass cloth. You can purchase the resin at hardware stores or online. Apply the resin to the wall with a brush or roller. Saturate a brush or roller into the resin. Apply it to the wall on the wall in long, horizontal strokes. Break up your work into 5 by 5 feet (1.5 m × 1.5 m) spaces. Working in smaller portions will help you manage the entire project and will prevent the resin from drying out while you work. Lay a sheet of fiberglass cloth over the resin. Drape the cloth over the resin and flatten the sheet out with your hand, making sure there aren't any air bubbles in the cloth. Apply more resin to the top of the fiberglass cloth. Saturate your brush again and apply the resin over the top of the fiberglass sheets in long horizontal motions. The sheets should become transparent once saturated. Lay a second and third sheet of fiberglass cloth over the first one. Drape another sheet of fiberglass over the first sheet. Press against the second layer of fiberglass and get the wrinkles out of it and apply another coat of resin over that cloth. Repeat the steps until there are three coats of fiberglass cloth on the walls. The third layer of fiberglass should have resin applied over the surface of the cloth as well. Repeat the steps until all of the walls are covered in fiberglass. Continue to apply the fiberglass to the walls of your pond until all of them have been covered in three layers of fiberglass. Repeat the process to fiberglass the floor. Once all of the walls and the floor has fiberglass applied, you'll be done applying the fiberglass cloth. Let the resin dry for two hours. Cover the pond with a tarp so that dirt and other debris doesn't get stuck to the resin. Once you've given the fiberglass time to dry, you can apply the flowcoat. Sand the surface with 80 grit sandpaper. Sand over the surface of the fiberglass cloth once it has dried. You don't want to sand through the fiberglass cloth, but you do want to sand off bumps and imperfections. Mix the Flowcoat. You will usually have to mix a catalyst with the flowcoat before applying it to the walls. Read the instructions on the back of the flowcoat and mix it until it reaches a paint-like viscosity. Spread Flowcoat onto the fiberglass with a brush or roller. Use a roller or a brush and spread the flowcoat in horizontal, then vertical strokes. Cover the walls, then the floor of the pond. The flowcoat should look like a dark black paint. Work in 5 by 5 feet (1.5 m × 1.5 m) areas until the entire pond is covered. Continue to apply the flowcoat over the surface of the pond's walls, then the floor of the pond. Working in smaller sections will help you manage the flowcoat and help you achieve equal coverage. Lay a tarp over the pond and let the flowcoat dry. Allow the flowcoat to dry for a full 72 hours. Lay a tarp over the pond so that nothing can disrupt the flowcoat while it sets. Once it's dry, you've successfully finished applying a fiberglass coating on your pond.

Purchase fiberglass cloth, resin, and flowcoat. Tape off areas that you don’t want to fiberglass. Wear gloves when handling fiberglass. Wear a respirator when working on an indoor pond. Measure the walls and floor of your pond. Measure the fiberglass cloth. Cut the fiberglass cloth with a rolling cutter or fiberglass scissors. Mix your resin according to the instructions. Apply the resin to the wall with a brush or roller. Lay a sheet of fiberglass cloth over the resin. Apply more resin to the top of the fiberglass cloth. Lay a second and third sheet of fiberglass cloth over the first one. Repeat the steps until all of the walls are covered in fiberglass. Repeat the process to fiberglass the floor. Let the resin dry for two hours. Sand the surface with 80 grit sandpaper. Mix the Flowcoat. Spread Flowcoat onto the fiberglass with a brush or roller. Work in 5 by 5 feet (1.5 m × 1.5 m) areas until the entire pond is covered. Lay a tarp over the pond and let the flowcoat dry.

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How to Get Over Being Left Out

If you're feeling left out, start by considering the possibility that your exclusion was accidental. If you think it was an accident, you can talk to the people involved to solve the issue. If you're sure you were left out on purpose, try to avoid acting upset in front of the people who excluded you. It's totally normal to feel sad, angry, and confused about being left out, so talk to someone you trust or vent in your journal to process your emotions in a healthy way. In the aftermath, you may experience negative feelings about yourself, which is normal, but don't let the incident lower your self-esteem. Be ready to challenge and reframe those thoughts in a positive light. If you want to prevent exclusion in the future, consider inviting people to do things with you and organizing gatherings yourself!

Consider the possibility that it was a mistake. People do not always leave others out on purpose. Sometimes it just happens and it is not meant to make you feel bad. For example, you might have been left out simply because there was a missed communication, such as a lost letter or unsent text message. Or, you might have been left out simply because the person was not thinking clearly and she might feel really sorry for leaving you out. Acknowledge your emotions. Being left out can cause you to feel lots of different negative emotions. For example, you might feel sad at first and then become angry and jealous. These emotions are normal, but they will pass. Instead of denying your emotions, give yourself some time to feel them. Talk to someone about how you feel. Sharing your feelings with someone who cares about you can be helpful. Try talking to a parent, a good friend, or someone else who you feel that you can trust. Explain what happened and be honest about how it made you feel. The person who you share with may be able to tell you about a time when he or she was left out and may even be able to give you some advice about how to deal with your situation. If being left out has been an ongoing problem or if you are experiencing distress as a result, then you may want to consider talking to mental health professional. If you are still in school, then you can talk to a school counselor. If you are no longer in school, then you can find a therapist. Write about your emotions. Journaling has a wide range of physical and emotional health benefits. It can help you to understand your feelings better, reduce stress, and improve your ability to solve problems. To use journaling to help you deal with being left out, get yourself a journal or notebook and start writing in it for a few minutes every day. Your first entry could be about being left out. You could describe what happened and how it made you feel. Try to sympathize with those who left you out. Although being left out hurts, it might help you to consider what might be going on with the people who leave you out. Chances are that their decision to leave you out is more about them and their insecurities than it is about you. People who exclude others on purpose probably have some insecurities and biases that are skewing their ability to interact with certain people in a kind way. People who exclude others also want to be in control and they may be leaving you out because they see you as a threat to their control. Reframe negative thoughts. Negative thinking is common when something bad happens, such as being left out. However, you can challenge and reframe your negative thoughts to improve the way that you feel. For example, after being left out, you might find that you think to yourself, “Nobody likes me!” Of course, this thought is not true or realistic. It is an overreaction. To reframe this thought, you might change it to something like, “I am a good person and a good friend. The people who really matter in my life enjoy spending time with me.” Act like you are not upset in front of those who excluded you. If the exclusion was intentional, then it is best to avoid showing your emotions to those who excluded you. Bullies often use exclusion to get a rise out of people, so even if you are upset about being excluded, try not to show it. You may be giving a bully what he wants by showing that you are upset about being excluded. Instead, try to act like you are not bothered by it. For example, if you were not invited to a party or some other social event over the weekend, try telling someone about something fun that you did with your family. If someone mentions the party, then try saying something like, “It sounds like you had fun. That's awesome! I didn't know about it, but I was too busy anyways. What else did you do this weekend?” Consider asking what happened. If you think that you were left out by accident or if you are confused about why you were left out, then you might consider talking to the person(s) who left you out. You might find out that it was an honest mistake, or you might have an opportunity to point out to the person that his or her actions were not appropriate. If you think it was a mistake, then try saying something like, “I think there must have been a mistake with your birthday invitations. I did not receive an invite to your birthday party.” If you think that you were left out on purpose, then try saying, “I noticed that I was not invited to your party. It is your party, so you have the right to invite who you want, but I am just curious about why I was not invited.” Forgive the people who excluded you. Forgiveness is more about you than it is about other people. Carrying resentments about people who have hurt your feelings is harmful to your well-being. Therefore, it is beneficial to your happiness and well-being to forgive the people who have hurt you, even if they do not apologize to you. Try writing a letter to the person that you do not send. In the letter, express how being left out made you feel and explain that you want to forgive the person for your own benefit. Look for inclusion elsewhere. If a group of people have been excluding you on a regular basis, then it may be time to look for some new friends. Real friends do not exclude you. Look for people who will appreciate you for who you are and who will not do things to hurt your feelings, such as leaving you out. Try joining a special interest club or after-school sports team to meet people who will share your interests. Invite people to do things with you. Another way to avoid being left out is to take the initiative and invite people to do things with you. Invite your friends to meet you at the mall or to go see a movie with you over the weekend. Or, throw a party and invite everyone, even those who have excluded you in the past. Enjoy your alone time. It is hard to be left out, but sometimes having time to yourself is a luxury so try to enjoy it if you can. If you are left out and you don't have anything else to do, then try to do things that you really want to do on your own. For example, you can read that book you have been dying to check out, finish drawing a self-portrait, take a long bubble bath, or watch one of your favorite movies.

Consider the possibility that it was a mistake. Acknowledge your emotions. Talk to someone about how you feel. Write about your emotions. Try to sympathize with those who left you out. Reframe negative thoughts. Act like you are not upset in front of those who excluded you. Consider asking what happened. Forgive the people who excluded you. Look for inclusion elsewhere. Invite people to do things with you. Enjoy your alone time.

https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Acid-Reflux

How to Treat Acid Reflux

If you're suffering from acid reflux, avoid foods which create an excess of stomach acid, such as chocolate, spicy or fried foods, garlic, or onions. Eating smaller, more frequent meals rather than a few big meals a day may also help to decrease your acid reflux. In addition, wait at least 3 hours after you eat before you lie down to give your body a chance to digest your food. These lifestyle changes, in combination with acid reflux medication or over-the-counter antacids, may help to give you relief from your symptoms.

Eliminate foods that trigger excess production of stomach acid. If you experience acid reflux frequently, you may have noticed an increase in your symptoms when you eat certain foods. Try cutting back on the following foods to experience acid reflux less often: Chocolate Spicy food Garlic and onion Fried or greasy foods Acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus fruits Mint and peppermint Eat smaller, more frequent meals. When you eat a big meal, it causes your stomach to stretch, putting excessive pressure on lower esophageal sphincter (the ring of muscle that controls the opening between your stomach and your esophagus). This allows acid and other stomach contents to enter your esophagus. To avoid this, limit your portions to 1 serving size each. Wait until you no longer feel full before eating more food. Allow several hours between eating and lying down. Give your digestive system an assist from gravity by not eating too close to bedtime. Wait at least 3 hours after eating before you lie down. . Lose excess weight Obesity is a chief contributor to acid reflux. The extra weight puts pressure on the sphincter between your stomach and your esophagus, causing acid to rise back up. Diet and exercise may eliminate symptoms without requiring further treatment. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian to get advice on how to lose weight safely and effectively. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages. Alcohol and caffeine loosen the sphincter that controls the passage of the esophagus into the stomach, allowing acid to flow backward. Avoiding them, especially before bedtime, can ease the symptoms of GERD. Drinking too much alcohol can also aggravate GERD by causing your stomach to empty more slowly and your intestines to work less efficiently. Stop smoking. Smoking interferes with digestion and can damage the lining of the esophagus. Even if you can't quit, it's important to cut back as much as you can. If you're struggling to quit, make an appointment with your doctor. They may be able to offer practical advice or prescribe medications that can help. Wear loose-fitting clothes. Tight waistbands compress the internal organs and may block digestion. Wear pants and skirts with elastic waistbands. If you wear form-fitting clothes and heavy fabrics at the office, change into sweats or other comfortable clothing as soon as you get home. Raise the head of your bed 4 or 5 inches (10.2 or 12.7 cm) higher than the foot. Simple gravity is a contributor to GERD, especially if you are overweight or have a hiatal hernia or other abnormality of the passage from the esophagus to the stomach. If your head is higher than your feet, stomach acid may not back up as easily. Use blocks to raise the whole head of the bed. Raising your head with pillows isn't as efficient, because it exaggerates the bend in your waist. Ask your doctor about using digestive enzymes and probiotics. Some people experience GERD because they don't produce enough stomach acid, which can contribute to poor digestion and imbalance your digestive tract's natural good bacteria. Talk to your doctor about whether your acid reflux might be related to low stomach acid, and whether digestive enzymes and probiotic supplements might help. Try an over-the-counter medicine. Over-the-counter antacids, such as Tums or Alka-Seltzer, may ease symptoms of occasional indigestion. Recurrent or severe heartburn and acid reflux require consultation with your doctor. See your healthcare provider if heartburn or indigestion recurs for more than 2 weeks. Always talk to your doctor before you begin taking antacids on a regular basis. Antacids can affect the way your body absorbs other medications. Take any other medicine at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after taking antacids. Check with your doctor to find out how antacids might interact with your other medications. Try H2 blockers. Medications such as ranitidine (Zantac), cimetidine (Tagamet) and famotidine (Pepcid) act to block the histamine receptors that signal your stomach to produce acid. Take H2 blockers before eating to prevent symptoms of acid reflux, or after eating to treat heartburn. H2 blockers are available over the counter. Treat acid reflux with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Medications such as omeprazole (Prilosec) or esomeprazole (Nexium) prevent the production of stomach acid. Taking PPIs for up to 2 weeks may not only relieve the symptoms of acid reflux, but can also repair the damage done to the esophageal lining. Some PPIs are available over the counter. Others require a prescription. Taking PPIs or other acid-reducing drugs over several years can reduce your body's ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals, such as B12, folic acid, calcium, iron, and zinc. Talk to your doctor about whether you should take supplements to prevent deficiencies. Try home remedies. If you'd rather go the natural route, there are a few home remedies that are said to reduce acid reflux: Drink 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of baking soda mixed with water. Eat raw almonds, which are low in acid and high in calcium, and may help calm acid reflux symptoms in some people. Drink 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of apple cider vinegar mixed with a glass of water every day. This may help your digestive system do its job properly. Drink chamomile tea. Drink aloe vera juice. Ask your doctor about herbal remedies for GERD. Herbs have been used for generations to reduce excessive stomach acid secretion. Before the invention of newer drugs like H-2 receptor blockers and Proton Pump Inhibitors, only herbal remedies were available to treat the gastric acid reflux. Herbs such as Glycyrrhiza glabra or liquorice, Asparagus racemosus, Santalum album, Cyperus rotundus, Rubia Cordifolia, Ficus benghalensis, Fumaria parviflora, Bauhinia variegata, and Mangifera indica may help reduce gastric acid secretions. Always consult your doctor before using herbal remedies. Some herbal medications may interact with other medications or cause unwanted side effects. Do not rely on herbal remedies alone to treat potentially life-threatening conditions, such as H. Pylori infections or erosion of the lining of the stomach and esophagus. See your doctor for medical attention if you suspect you have one of these conditions. Consult your doctor for persistent or hard-to-treat acid reflux. In some cases, home remedies, lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications won't be sufficient. If your symptoms are painful, last more than 2 weeks, or happen 2 or more times per week, consult your doctor. Undergo testing to determine causes and rule out other conditions. Ulcers , cancer, and other conditions can cause acid reflux to occur. Tell your doctor you'd like to find out if an underlying condition is causing your symptoms. Explore the possibility of surgical repair. Certain problems, such as hiatal hernias, can be corrected through surgery. If you have chronic acid reflux, you may want to consider this option. Traditional surgery can reconstruct the stomach opening to block reflux. Less invasive options, done with endoscopic tubes, include stitching to tighten the loose sphincter, balloon stretching to ease blockages from scar tissue, and cauterizing to remove damaged tissue.

Eliminate foods that trigger excess production of stomach acid. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Allow several hours between eating and lying down. . Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages. Stop smoking. Wear loose-fitting clothes. Raise the head of your bed 4 or 5 inches (10.2 or 12.7 cm) higher than the foot. Ask your doctor about using digestive enzymes and probiotics. Try an over-the-counter medicine. Try H2 blockers. Treat acid reflux with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Try home remedies. Ask your doctor about herbal remedies for GERD. Consult your doctor for persistent or hard-to-treat acid reflux. Undergo testing to determine causes and rule out other conditions. Explore the possibility of surgical repair.

https://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Vipassana-Meditation

How to Practice Vipassana Meditation

Insight meditation, also known as “Vipassana”, is a form of mindfulness that can help you be more present in life. Start by setting a timer for 10 to 15 minutes, sitting comfortably, and closing your eyes. Then, focus on your breath wherever you feel it most clearly, like your nostrils, lungs, or diaphragm. Whenever another sense catches your attention, like a sound, smell, bodily sensation, or thought, just label it and gently return to your breath. For example, if a car goes past, label it as a sound, then come back to your breathing. This simple method will help you recognize how your mind works. It's natural to get frustrated or to feel like you're doing something wrong in the beginning, but be patient with yourself and enjoy the sense of calm.

Set aside a specific time. While insight meditation is about embracing that which is happening right now, and being openly aware of what draws your attention, meditation in general is less effective when it's surrounded by distraction or obligation. An ideal time is before you have to do anything in the morning, when you first wake up. Start the process with a dedicated stretch of time – 15 minutes is a good starting point – to practice. Find a quiet location to meditate. Suggestions from the Buddha are under a tree in the forest or a very quiet, isolated location. The key is to be somewhere you can be completely comfortable and away from as many distractions as possible. Being in a room alone may do the trick, but beware of sounds from adjacent rooms or from outside. A light, open room with plenty of space can aid in the meditation process, and an unkempt room can harm the process. Do not try to soundproof the location. Having some exterior sounds can actually aid the process. Sit in a comfortable position. Cross your legs and sit in an erect posture at roughly a 90 degree angle. Sitting for long periods with a curved back could cause pain or fatigue and distract you from the meditation process. An additional benefit is the core muscle focus required to sit straight for an extended period of time. If you have back issues, and a normal, crossed-leg position is uncomfortable, then using a chair may help you to get into the correct posture. To put your body at peace, you may have to sit for a long period of time. Ensure the position is one you can sit comfortably in for quite some time. Various meditation positions such as Half or Full lotus are also acceptable. Close your eyes. Once you sit down and find your comfortable position, close your eyes and start relaxing. Closing your eyes will help you to reduce distractions and allow yourself to completely focus on mediation. Start breathing normally. You do not have to change the way that you breathe. Just breathe naturally and think about the pathway of the breath moving from the nostrils, down your chest, filling your lungs and abdomen. Focus on a portion of the breathing. Focusing on a specific part of your respiratory system, like your nostrils, lungs, or diaphragm, will help your mind to stay focused. It sharpens your attention. It's possible to become somewhat sleepy when you are really focusing on breathing. Refocus your attention to the breathing, letting your mind and concentration take control. Find a beginning, middle, and an end to the breathing. Awareness of the different sensations during the breathing process, how the chest and abdomen rise and lower, should be continuous. Do not segment the breathing just so you can identify each part or each muscle movement. Instead, just breathe deeply and identify when each part is happening. It may help to associate the process with simple words or phrases (e.g. full, empty, high, low) and think about them while breathing. Sometimes placing a palm on the abdomen helps focus on the breathing. Visualize the abdomen rising and falling. Do not focus on the muscles or the abdomen itself. Think about the movement on the outside of the abdomen. Imagine the movement going forward and backward, as if there were a general line at the starting and ending point. Think of this process as a buoy's movement in the water. When focusing on a buoy, you notice the movement of the buoy. It floats up and down, and you hardly notice the actual water forcing the movement. Focus briefly on distractions. Whenever there is an outside noise, any sort of disturbance, you should consciously and immediately focus awareness towards that sound. Just as you labeled the rising and falling of the abdomen, label the exterior sound in your mind. Set meditation minimums. If your mind is playing tricks on you, or convincing you to stop, you may need to set a specific limit or focus. Avoid the internal distraction by telling yourself to meditate for just one minute per day without distraction. Or try to focus solely on a single rise or fall of the abdomen. Repeat the process until you're in a natural rhythm and can expand into longer periods of meditation. Return to breathing. Once the disturbance is noted and labeled, and your meditation is focused, return to breathing. It's possible for the meditation process to bounce back and forth from distraction to breathing fairly regularly. Remain undistracted by living in the current moment, embracing interaction, and allowing a connection between breathing and the outside world to occur naturally. The process can be free of thought, just allowing the mind to focus on the surroundings. If you're distracted, refocus on your breathing until you can establish a calm understanding of smaller sounds around you.

Set aside a specific time. Find a quiet location to meditate. Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Start breathing normally. Focus on a portion of the breathing. Find a beginning, middle, and an end to the breathing. Visualize the abdomen rising and falling. Focus briefly on distractions. Set meditation minimums. Return to breathing.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Diaper-Cake

How to Make a Diaper Cake

Before you can make your rolled-up diaper cake, you'll need a pack of 64 diapers, a pack of rubber bands, and some ribbon. To begin making it, roll up each diaper and secure it with a rubber band. You should use 7 upright diapers in the top layer, 16 in the middle layer, and 32 on the bottom layer. Carefully stack the layers, and hold them in place with 1 or 2 wooden dowels.

Select diapers with a fun design. Most diaper packages have a see through side panel or a picture of the diaper on which you can see the design on the diapers. Buying diapers with a colorful design will enhance the fun look of the cake. Form the top of the diaper cake. Roll up a diaper, starting at the "open" top end. Wrap a rubber band around the rolled diaper to stop it from unrolling. Again, using colorful rubber bands can be a nice touch.This diaper will form the center of the layer. An alternative is to use a baby bottle as the center of the top layer. Roll up and secure seven more diapers. Place them around the center diaper (or baby bottle) so that they are all evenly spaced. Keep them together by placing a large rubber band around all of the diapers. Large rubber bands can be purchased at your local office supply store. The rolled up diapers should form a circle. Create centerpiece for the middle layer. Again, this can be a rolled up diaper or some oblong gift (such as a bottle of baby lotion). Roll up 15 more diapers and place them around the centerpiece. Secure them with a large rubber band. Create the base in the same fashion. Place a rolled up diaper or a gift (perhaps a toy or rolled up piece of baby clothing) in the center. Roll up 30 diapers, securing each with its own rubber band. Place them around the centerpiece and secure with a large rubber band. For the base, make another middle layer. Then add about 30 more diapers around it using a larger rubber band. Secure the layers together by carefully inserting one or two wooden dowels through the base layer. Next, carefully stack the other two layers on top of the base layer, being careful to get the dowels between the diapers and not through any of the diapers. Place a half-finished roll of paper towels upright on a table. The roll of paper towels will be the centerpiece of the cake that will hold the layers together. You can also used a rolled up blanket or a large bottle of baby lotion as the centerpiece. However, a roll of paper towels will be the easiest centerpiece to work with. Remove the diapers from the package and flatten them out. Place one diaper so that it is lying horizontally along the roll of paper towels. Place another diaper along the paper towels so that it is overlapping the first. Repeat this process so that you form overlapping layers of diapers around the paper towels. You can make this bottom layer as large or as small as you want, just keep in mind that this is the base layer so the other two layers will get progressively smaller than this one. Place a large rubber band around this base layer. If you have someone to help you do this, it will be easier. Hold the diapers in place around the paper towel roll. Have your helper slip the rubber band over the diapers so that they are secured against the roll. Repeat this process to form the other two layers. The layers should get progressively smaller than the base, with the top layer being smallest. Secure each layer with a large rubber band. Create the base for the cake out of cardboard. Place the cake on a piece of cardboard and outline it with a pencil. Remove the cake and cut the circle out of the cardboard. You could also place your cake on a decorative plastic tray or a cheap pizza pan. Wrap a ribbon around each layer. Make sure that the rubber bands are covered. Cut the ribbon so that both ends overlap slightly. Secure the ribbon together by taping the two ends together. You can wrap more than one type of ribbon around the cake. Wrap each layer in a different type of ribbon or wrap a large ribbon around each with a thinner ribbon layered over the larger one. Place decorative embellishments on the cake. Add fake flowers to the cake by sticking the stems between diapers. Stuff colorful pieces of tissue paper down the paper towel roll (if you used Method Two) and add flowers coming out of the top. Go to your local craft store and see what decorations you can find. You can also add baby travel sized products for extra flair. You can wrap the diaper cake in cellophane or netting to help with transportation. (This is an optional step.) Tie the netting together at the top with a bow, or add a stuffed animal to the tie for a "topper" to the cake.

Select diapers with a fun design. Form the top of the diaper cake. Roll up and secure seven more diapers. Create centerpiece for the middle layer. Create the base in the same fashion. Secure the layers together by carefully inserting one or two wooden dowels through the base layer. Place a half-finished roll of paper towels upright on a table. Remove the diapers from the package and flatten them out. Place another diaper along the paper towels so that it is overlapping the first. Place a large rubber band around this base layer. Repeat this process to form the other two layers. Create the base for the cake out of cardboard. Wrap a ribbon around each layer. Place decorative embellishments on the cake. You can wrap the diaper cake in cellophane or netting to help with transportation.

https://www.wikihow.com/Tie-Your-Shoes

How to Tie Your Shoes

To tie your shoes using the bunny ear method, start by cross the laces over each other, and pass one of the laces through the loop. Pull both laces away from each other to tighten the knot. Then, make a bunny-ear-shaped loop with one of the laces, and pinch the base of it with your thumb and index finger so it stays in place. Repeat with the other lace. Once you have 2 bunny ears, cross the ears over each other. Pass one of the bunny ears through the loop. Finish by pulling the bunny ears away from each other to tighten the knot. To tie your shoes the more traditional way, start by crossing one lace over the other. Then, pass one of the laces through the loop underneath where the laces are crossed. Next, pull on the ends of both laces to tighten them. Once you've done that, make a loop with one of the laces, and hold it between your thumb and index finger. From there, wrap the other lace around the loop so it's coming toward you, not away. Now, pull the lace through the hole between both laces to create a second loop, but don't bring the end of the lace through. Finally, hold onto both loops and pull them tight.

Place the shoes on a flat surface. Let the laces fall to either side of the shoe. If you're demonstrating this technique to someone, point the toe side of the shoe toward them so they can see your hand movements. To make it easier for children, color the bottom of one shoelace brown, the middle part of the lace green, and the top part of the lace brown. This way, when you instruct them to make a loop with the lace, it can look like trying to form a “tree” by always making sure the green part of the lace is at the top of the loop, like the leaves at the top of a tree. Tie a basic knot. Take both laces and thread one lace over the other and then pull them tight. They should form a knot in the middle of the shoe. Make a loop with one of the laces. You should be holding the lace between your thumb and your first two fingers. If you are using the “tree” trick, instruct your child to form a loop with the colored lace so the brown parts of the lace are on top of each other (the trunk of the tree) and the green part sits at the top of the loop (the leaves of the tree). Use your other hand to wrap the other lace around the loop. You should be holding it over your fingers and around the loop. Wrap the other lace toward you rather than away from you. Again, if you are using the “tree” trick, instruct your child to wrap the shoelace with the knot over the “trunk” of the tree. Pull the shoelace through the hole to form another loop. You should use your free hand to pull the shoelace through. There should now be a hole between the looped shoelace and the wrapped shoelace. Pull the wrapped shoelace through so it comes through this hole. Another way to explain this is to have your child poke the knot on the shoelace through the hole to make another loop. Hold both loops and pull them tight. You should now have a nicely tied shoe. You can also instruct your child to pull the knot and the top of the tree trunk to either side, tightly. Place the shoes on a flat surface. Let the laces fall to either side of the shoe. Tie a basic knot. Take both laces and thread one lace over the other and then pull them tight. They should form a knot in the middle of the shoe. Make a “bunny ear” loop with one of the laces. You should be holding the lace between your thumb and your first two fingers. The loop should be small and the “tail” should be long. Make a “bunny ear” loop with the other lace. Hold the lace between your thumb and first two fingers. Make the “tail” long and the loop small. Tie a basic knot with the “bunny ear” loops. Place one loop over the other, then tuck it behind the other and thread it through the hole that is created. Pull the “bunny ear” loops tight. Now your shoes are tied nicely. Place the shoes on a flat surface. Let the laces fall to either side of the shoe. If you're demonstrating this technique to someone, point the toe side of the shoe toward them so they can see your hand movements. Tie a basic knot. Take both laces and thread one lace over the other and then pull them tight. They should form a knot in the middle of the shoe. Tie another knot, but don’t tighten it. Keep the second knot loose. Notice there is a circle shape formed by the knot. Hold the circle shape with your hand and lay it flat against the shoe. Thread one shoelace into the circle. Make sure it comes up through the circle and over to one side. You can keep it loose, but make sure it does not slide all the way out of circle. Thread the other shoelace into the circle. It should come up through the circle and over to the other side of the shoe. You should now have two loops on either side of the knot in the center of the shoe. Pull the loops tight. Use your hands to pull the loops tight so they are secure. Now your shoes are tied. Place the shoes on a flat surface. Let the laces fall to either side of the shoe. If you're demonstrating this technique to someone, point the toe side of the shoe toward them so they can see your hand movements. Tie a basic knot. Take both laces and thread one lace over the other and then pull them tight. They should form a knot in the middle of the shoe. Grip one of the shoelaces. Use your thumb and forefinger on your right hand to grip one of the shoelaces. Your fingers should be facing toward you. Make sure your pinky finger is also gripping the shoelace. You should be making a half rectangle shape (or lobster claw shape) with your thumb and forefinger, as you grip the shoelace. Grip the other shoelace. Use your thumb and forefinger on your left hand to grip the other shoelace. Again, your fingers should be facing toward you. Don't forget about your pinky finger. Make sure it is also gripping the shoelace. You should be making a half rectangle shape (or lobster claw shape) with your thumb and forefinger. Pull your fingers towards each other so you feel some tension. Twist your fingers so they are facing each other. It should look the the two halves of the rectangle or the two lobster claws are coming toward each other. You should be forming an “X” shape with the laces. Pull the laces through using your thumb and forefinger. Pinch the laces between your fingers and pull them tight. As you tighten the laces, you should now have two loops on either side of the shoe and a nice, clean tie in the middle of the shoe.

Place the shoes on a flat surface. Tie a basic knot. Make a loop with one of the laces. Use your other hand to wrap the other lace around the loop. Pull the shoelace through the hole to form another loop. Hold both loops and pull them tight. Place the shoes on a flat surface. Tie a basic knot. Make a “bunny ear” loop with one of the laces. Make a “bunny ear” loop with the other lace. Tie a basic knot with the “bunny ear” loops. Pull the “bunny ear” loops tight. Place the shoes on a flat surface. Tie a basic knot. Tie another knot, but don’t tighten it. Thread one shoelace into the circle. Thread the other shoelace into the circle. Pull the loops tight. Place the shoes on a flat surface. Tie a basic knot. Grip one of the shoelaces. Grip the other shoelace. Pull your fingers towards each other so you feel some tension. Pull the laces through using your thumb and forefinger.

https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Chronic-Vomiting-in-Cats

How to Treat Chronic Vomiting in Cats

To treat chronic vomiting in a cat that's otherwise healthy, try switching it to a bland diet that consists of white meats like chicken breast, turkey, and cod, which can help settle its stomach. Also, if you recently switched your cat to a new kind of commercial food, try switching back and seeing if the problem subsides. You can also talk to your vet about giving your cat prescription medication to help with an upset stomach.

Determine if your cat is healthy aside from its chronic vomiting. If your cat is healthy despite vomiting often, it means that there is most likely no underlying medical cause that needs to be treated. Instead, aspects of your cat's lifestyle might need to be changed. Signs that this may be the case include: Your cat is not losing weight. Your cat acts like it normally does, and seems generally healthy. Your cat only vomits about once every week. Keep in mind that if your cat's health gets worse, the vomiting gets more frequent, or your cat becomes lethargic or loses weight, you should seek the help of a veterinarian. Adjust your cat’s food. If the vomiting coincided with a change of diet, put your cat back onto a type of food that it was fine with before the chronic vomiting began. Some cats can have food intolerance, or food allergy, and it is possible that the new food contains a protein your cat is allergic to. When a cat eats a protein that it is sensitive to, the protein molecule bridges a receptor in the bowel wall, which triggers an inflammatory reaction. It is this inflammation that causes the vomiting. When the food that is causing the allergy is taken away, the inflammation should settle in 1 to 2 days. Switch your cat to a bland diet to help settle its stomach. A cat with chronic vomiting that is fed a rich diet, such as a premium supermarket food, may be sensitive to the humectants and additives, or indeed the rich nature of the food itself. Try changing your cat's diet to a bland, white meat diet such as chicken breast, turkey, rabbit, cod, or coley. Feed your cat 100% meat for a few days, rather than a meat-flavored food. An average-sized cat needs roughly 250 kcal a day; this is equivalent to feeding your cat around 250 grams of chicken breast a day. Keep in mind that this should only be a temporary change. Your cat cannot get all of the necessary nutrients from 100% meat diet, which could result in broken bones and joint disease. An alternative to meat is to feed your cat one of the many prescription diets that are designed to speed up the healing of the bowel. Diets like Hills ID or Purina HA are ideal for a cat recovering from sickness. Give your cat Famotidine. Famotidine is commonly sold as Pepcid AC. If your cat's mucosal lining in its stomach is damaged, then giving it medications to repair the lining can help to stop the vomiting. When the lining is damaged, the stomach acid can eat away at the exposed stomach wall. Antacid medications such as famotidine decrease stomach acid production and give the lining a chance to repair itself while the inflammation subsides. This drug should be used with caution in cats with heart disease because it can slow the heart rate. However, this is usually only a problem when the medication is given intravenously. The prescribed dose is generally 0.5 mg/kg once a day by mouth. A 5 kg cat thus requires 2.5 mg; the lowest tablet size is 10 mg, which equates to a quarter of a tablet, once a day. Talk to your vet about giving your cat non-prescription gastroprotectants. Kaolin and Pectin (Kaopectate) are both gastroprotectants that can help to protect the lining of your cat's bowels. The kaolin and pectin absorb toxins produced in the gut, and also line the gut wall to provide a protective barrier. However, this medication is not effective in all cats. Consider calling your vet before giving this medication to your cat. Always check the contents of any gastroprotectant medicine you give your cat. Some of these contain aspirin, which is toxic to cats. Bring your cat to the vet. If your cat is unwell and has other symptoms, such as weight loss or diarrhea, along with vomiting, then seek veterinary advice. Vomiting is usually a symptom of a problem rather than a diagnosis in itself. Identifying the cause of the vomiting and treating the underlying problem will help to stop the sickness. Determine whether the vomit is a reaction to a drug. If the mucosal barrier lining the stomach is damaged, digestive acids come into contact with the stomach wall and cause an erosion, or ulcer. Certain medications such as steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause side effects which include gastric ulceration that leads to vomiting. Diagnosis: An ulcer may be suspected if the cat has a recent history of taking NSAIDs or other medications; especially if they were given on an empty stomach by accident (food protects the lining of the stomach). Imaging such as ultrasound or endoscopy (putting a fiber optic camera into the stomach) may be required to identify the lesion. Treatment: Treatment involves stopping the medication that caused the initial problem, and using gastroprotectants and antacid drugs to help your cat's stomach to heal. Look for signs of a liver infection. Liver infection (a condition known as cholangiohepatitis) is commonly associated with vomiting. This is a self-seeded infection where bacteria from the bowel reflux up the bile duct and create an infection in the liver. Cats with cholangiohepatitis vomit, have poor appetites, and may be jaundiced. Diagnosis: Your veterinarian will run blood tests to look for raised liver enzymes, and a high white cell count. They will also scan the liver using an ultrasound to make a diagnosis. Treatment: The majority of cats respond well to a therapy of antibiotics, anti-sickness injections, and intravenous fluids if the cat is dehydrated. Treat kidney disease. A diseased kidney is not efficient at filtering the natural waste products of the digestive process. Instead, these toxins gradually build up in the blood where they cause inflammation and ulceration of the stomach lining, and sometimes the gums. Diagnosis: Kidney disease is usually diagnosed with a blood screen, which measures the levels of toxic metabolites such as urea and creatinine, and the build-up of minerals such a phosphate. Treatment: Treatment includes putting your cat on a prescription food that is low in toxic metabolites. Another treatment is angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) such as benazepril. ACEI work by inhibiting an enzyme cascade that causes blood vessel contraction. This leads to a dilation of the blood vessels supplying the kidney, which mean blood supply to the kidney is increased. Lower your cat’s phosphate levels. Phosphate, which is associated with kidney disease, is recognized as a cause of nausea in cats. However, cats can also have an increased phosphate level without having kidney disease if the phosphate levels are lowered early on. Diagnosis: Like with kidney disease, vets can use a blood screen to look for a build-up of phosphate. Treatment: The use of phosphate binders such a Renalzin, which is added to food and binds to the phosphate content, means less phosphate gets into the bloodstream. Renalzin comes in a pump; a typical dose in 1 or 2 pumps, twice a day with food. Work with your vet to treat your cat for pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is a painful condition in which digestive juices leak into the tissue of the pancreas. This causes a lot of local inflammation, pain, and irritation, which can lead to vomiting. Treatment through diet: Mild cases of pancreatitis can be managed with a bland diet, which requires less digestive juices to process than fatty diets. Treatment through medication: Very sick cats need hospitalization for supportive care with intravenous fluids, antiemetics, and pain relief. The antiemetic most commonly used is maropitant. Understand that overactive thyroid glands can lead to vomiting. The thyroid produces thyroxine, which is a hormone that governs metabolic rate. Too much thyroxine acts like a stimulant, a bit like being permanently high on caffeine. It overstimulates the gut and can cause sickness and diarrhea. Diagnosis: Your veterinarian will diagnose the condition by feeling for enlarged thyroid glands in the neck and running blood tests to check the levels of thyroid hormones in your cat's bloodstream. Treatment: Treatment for hyperthyroidism includes giving your cat a medication called Thiamazole (Felimazole) that regulates the production of thyroid hormones. Help your cat get rid of Helicobacteria. This is a spiral shaped bacterium which burrows into the stomach lining, causes inflammation, and can make your cat vomit. Treatment: Treatment helicobacteria with a combination of antibiotics. This combination includes either doxycycline with metronidazole, or amoxicillin with metronidazole. You will most likely have to give your cat these antibiotics for 10 to 21 days. Understand that a foreign body in your cat’s stomach can make your cat sick. A hairball or a small toy can sit in your cat's stomach and rattle around, much like a lone sock inside a tumble dryer. The foreign body either blocks the exit to the stomach, or else it irritates the stomach lining, and makes the cat sick. Diagnosis: Your vet will diagnose the foreign body through x-rays or ultrasounds after a thoroughly physical examination. Treatment: Removing foreign bodies generally involves surgery. A laparotomy is generally used to gain access to the stomach.

Determine if your cat is healthy aside from its chronic vomiting. Adjust your cat’s food. Switch your cat to a bland diet to help settle its stomach. Give your cat Famotidine. Talk to your vet about giving your cat non-prescription gastroprotectants. Bring your cat to the vet. Determine whether the vomit is a reaction to a drug. Look for signs of a liver infection. Treat kidney disease. Lower your cat’s phosphate levels. Work with your vet to treat your cat for pancreatitis. Understand that overactive thyroid glands can lead to vomiting. Help your cat get rid of Helicobacteria. Understand that a foreign body in your cat’s stomach can make your cat sick.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Sticky-Notes

How to Use Sticky Notes

To use sticky notes, write down something you want to remember. Peel the top sheet off of the adhesive pad, then press the sticky strip on the back of the note to put it where you want it. Try to put it somewhere you'll see it, like beside your bathroom mirror, on your computer monitor, or on your fridge. You can use sticky notes to remember important phone numbers, to keep track of appointments, or even to help you study for a test.

Mark your book. Sticky notes are great for marking pages or passages in a book you are studying. Just stick the note on the relevant page and maybe write a brief note or a few key words that indicate why you have marked this section. As well as the traditional square sticky notes, you can purchase slim and tall ones which work particularly well to mark pages in a book. These slimmer notes will mark the page without covering over much of the actual text. You can also tear the regular square notes into thinner strips and use these as markers. Sticky notes are great as a representation of what's important, especially when you restructure that information in your own words. Make some notes. Sticky notes are a great way for you to make some brief notes on a topic you are studying or working on. Whereas you would make longer more detailed notes in a workbook, sticky notes are great for writing down key words or phrases that you want to learn. You can then stick them up on the wall around where you are working. You can organise the notes and move them around to help you visualise the information you are trying to learn. If you are studying for a history exam and want to learn a chronology of events, you can stick the notes in order and separate them by year or month. You can also use sticky notes to condense important paragraphs into your own language, which helps you summarize important information but also reteach the information to yourself. Writing up key vocabulary and sticking the notes up around your house, can be good way to practice a foreign language. Write up a to-do list. If you have a long list of tasks to complete or things to study, sticky notes can be a useful way to organise your to-do list. You can write down a task on each sticky note, and then shift them up and down in the list according to your priorities and deadlines. Alternatively, you could group together similar or related tasks on one note, in order to better visualise what you have to do. If you have a to-do list of sticky notes on the wall, it will give you some satisfaction to pull down the note of a task when you have completed it. If you are using the notes for study, sticking them up above your desk is probably the best place. You could also stick them up somewhere prominent around your house, such as on your computer monitor, or on the fridge. Label your folders. Use sticky notes to label your different folders and collections of notes to make it easier to find what you need when you are studying. You can trim down the sticky note so you are just using the slim adhesive-backed section, and write a brief title for the contents of the folder. You could stick the label on the side or spine of the folder to make it easier to find what you are looking for. Label your cables. Sticky notes can be very helpful for organizing yourself and your house in a number of ways. If you find that you have developed a confusing tangle of cables behind your TV or computer, and it always takes some painstaking work to discover what cables is for what, sticky notes can help. Tear or cut the note down so you just have the adhesive strip left, and then write down the name of the appliance of each cable, “TV,” “DVD,” “Stereo,” etc. Then wrap the label around the appropriate cable, taking care to fasten it tightly in a ring around the wire. Mark your food. If you live in a shared house, you may want to label your food to make sure that none of your housemates eat it. Sticky notes are ideal for this as you can quickly and easily label your supplies just by writing your name on a note and attaching it to your eggs, milk, or anything else. Try to have some restraint when it comes to labelling food. Labelling absolutely everything can seem somewhat over the top. Consider just labelling a few key things that could easily be mistaken for somebody else's. Leave messages and reminders. Sticky notes are a convenient and easy way to leave notes and reminders for people you live or work with. Write down a reminder to pick some milk on the way home from work, or that the electricity bill is overdue, and stick it somewhere prominent. Research has shown that people are actually more likely to respond to, and act on, a message or request made on a sticky note than communicated in some other ways. It is thought that sticky notes work so well because it is more personalised. It is also harder to ignore as it sticks out from its environment. Seeing a note stuck on the fridge may make you want to deal with it so you can take it down, and free the fridge door of mess and clutter. You can also use sticky notes as a reminder for studying by putting them someplace you know you'll be looking at often, like a laptop. They'll function as behavioral prompts you can't miss! Make a colourful schedule or plan. You can use sticky notes to make a colourful, visually engaging, and flexible plan or schedule for everything from work, to study, to household chores. If you are making a schedule for everybody's weekly chores, you can write up each chore on a note and arrange them in groups. Once a task has been completed, the person responsible can tear down the note. You can use notes to make meal plan so you know what you will be eating through the week. This could also help you to realise if you need to buy any ingredients. Using sticky notes to make schedules and plans allows you to move around the meals or tasks. You can easily reassign a task to somebody else, or change the meal plan. Make a mosaic. If you are feeling a bit more creative, you can use the brightly coloured sticky notes to make a mosaic on your wall. Think of each note as a tile, and experiment with different arrangements to create a striking mosaic. Sticky note mosaics are increasingly popular and there are examples of people spending months and using thousands of sticky notes to realise their vision. Try to plan out the mosaic you are going to make before you get started sticking things to the wall. Using squared paper and colouring in the squares could be a good way to try out some different designs on paper, before using actual sticky notes. Try some origami. You can use your sticky notes as the raw materials for all kinds of 3D models and origami creations. Making models of your old notes can be fun way to re-use the notes and celebrate tasks you have completed. You could start off by making a simple hat, a pelican, a jumping frog, or a star. Look online for easy to follow folding instructions for all sorts of origami and 3D models. Remember that if you are just using one small sticky note, your options will be somewhat limited. Clean your keyboard. An often overlooked use for sticky notes is as a handy cleaning device for your keyboard. Keyboards will often get little pieces of fluff and detritus stuck down in the spaces around the keys, and these can be hard to clean out easily and effectively. You can use the adhesive strip of a sticky note to clean these narrow spaces. Fold or tear the note so that the adhesive strip is on both sides, and then slide it into the space around the keys on your keyboard. This is painstaking but satisfying work, and you'll be amazed how much dirt gets into your keyboard. Use a note as a coaster. You can use a small stack of sticky notes as a makeshift coaster for a hot or cold drink, to help protect your furniture from any marks or stains. You will have to get a few sticky notes, rather than just one, to help ensure that the liquid from your drink doesn't get through the coaster and onto your table. If you have sticky notes in a variety of colours available, favour those are not so brightly coloured. Avoiding neon or highly saturated colours reduced the chance of the colours running and staining your furniture.

Mark your book. Make some notes. Write up a to-do list. Label your folders. Label your cables. Mark your food. Leave messages and reminders. Make a colourful schedule or plan. Make a mosaic. Try some origami. Clean your keyboard. Use a note as a coaster.

https://www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Note

How to Hold a Note

It can be hard to hold a note while you're singing, but with the right practice, you can do it. While you're singing, breathe in quickly and steadily throughout the song. Stand with good posture, and try to push out your voice with your sternum. Intentionally release less air when you first hit the note you want to hold, which will help you save your breath to carry you through the end of the note. As you come to the end, engage your stomach muscles, and avoid letting your ribcage and shoulders collapse as you run out of air.

Breathe in quickly and steadily. Singing uses more breath than speaking, so you might be tempted to gulp your lungs full of air. This is not as helpful as taking steady quick breaths while you sing. Practice drawing in ordinary amounts of air at the beginning of each phrase you sing. If you catch yourself gulping or gasping, pause and begin again. Trust your lungs to do their job. You will need more air to sing long notes, but you'll get more duration of a slow exhalation than you will out of a deep inhalation. Exhale slowly. Your breath carries your voice. If you force out air, or try to choke it back, you will not be able to hold long notes. As you sing, notice yourself pushing or halting your exhalation. If you are pushing, you may sound shouty or breathy. Relax your abdominal muscles and try again. If you are choking your exhalation, try this exercise: sing a vowel at a pitch in the middle of your range, then gradually shift the note to being a stream of air with no vocalization. Once you have mastered moving gradually from a clean tone to a breathy tone to no tone while maintaining pitch, you can try the technique on higher notes. Notes that are held are often high, so this is an exceptionally useful exercise. Release more air at the end of a note than at the beginning. Oftentimes, people run out of air while attempting to hold a note because they let a lot of air escape at the beginning of the note. To combat this, intentionally release less air when you first begin to sing a note so that you can release more air as the note comes to an end. Let no air escape. You need breath to sustain a note. Practice singing without releasing air by listening to your voice. Do you sound breathy? Try to sing the same note again, clearly. Hold a mirror in front of your mouth while you sing the note. The mirror will fog up if you are releasing breath. Generally, trying to actively control the flow of your breath will cause you to inadvertently choke or force the air, leading to uneven tone and loss of breath. Breathy sounds are sometimes intentional and are often used in specific genres like pop. The breathiness comes from air escaping as your vocal cords vibrate. However, this uses a lot of air and will shorten the length you are able to hold a note. Hiss. Breathe in, and exhale while saying "SSSS." Release your breath evenly and entirely. Do it again, trying (without pressing or forcing) to say "SSSS" for slightly longer. Don't press or force your "S," but try to release your air evenly and slowly. Incorporate this exercise into your regular warm-up routine. Lie on your back and breathe. Lie on the floor with your knees up, and inhale and exhale slowly. Feel your back press into the floor. Balance a book on your stomach and exhale. The book should rise: you want to be breathing into your belly, not your chest. This exercise helps you regulate your breathing and can train you to trust your lower back to support your voice. Use the Farinelli technique. In this technique, breathe in for 3 seconds, hold your breath for 3 seconds, and release your breath for 3 seconds. Your inhalation, hold, and exhalation of breath should be even and should not leave you gasping for air. Once you have completed the cycle smoothly, go immediately into the next cycle, this time breathing, holding, and exhaling for 4 seconds each. Do as many cycles as you comfortably can, each time adding a second per stage. Stop when you feel abdominal pressure or lightheadedness. Six cycles is probably your maximum for your first round, unless you are already a trained vocalist. Once you have reached your maximum, repeat the exercise in reverse, subtracting one second per cycle. Use a stopwatch or metronome. Do this daily, increasing your seconds per cycle, without pausing between cycles. Sing on a lip trill to transition between breath exercises and song. Singing on a lip trill is a great bridge. It can help you learn to deliver a lot of air without straining your vocal cords. To do a lip trill, gently blow out air from your lips; they will vibrate and make a repeated "br" sound. Then, try to do this while singing a note. Imagine air spinning out of your mouth. As you sing, picture the breath you exhale spinning quickly out of your mouth. This technique helps to keep your larynx loose and will energize your breath. Raise your sternum. Raise your arms over your head as you inhale. Keeping your sternum in the same position, lower your arms as you exhale. Another technique is to layer your hands on your lower back, palms outward. Practice the posture of singing with a lifted sternum until it becomes natural. Singing with good posture will help you sustain high notes. Your sternum should be raised, and your chest should stay in the same position. Sing in front of a mirror to monitor your posture. Avoid letting your ribcage and shoulders collapse as you run out of air; engage your stomach muscles even more at this point. Lift your ribcage and stand up straight to stay in control of your breath. Engage the muscles that affect your diaphragm. Before you sing, spend a moment flexing and noticing the muscles of your lower abdomen, lumbar spine, and pelvic floor. As you sing, check in again with these muscles, and engage them if they are relaxed. The air flowing through your diaphragm is controlled by these muscles, and engaging them allows you to control the flow of your breath. Use your lower abdomen, lumbar spine, and pelvic floor muscles whenever a vocal coach tells you to "use your diaphragm." Use this technique rather than that of contracting your abdominal muscles. This will cause uneven pressure and result in injury. Check for tongue tension. When you sing long notes, which are often high notes, you need your tongue to be relaxed. As you sing, check if your tongue is tense. Push your thumb underneath your chin, which is where the bottom of your tongue is rooted. If you feel tension, massage under your chin while continuing to sing. This will help you practice relaxing your tongue as you hold those long high notes. Note that the tongue is connected to many small muscles in your neck and throat, so keeping it relaxed is essential for holding long notes and releasing air slowly.

Breathe in quickly and steadily. Exhale slowly. Release more air at the end of a note than at the beginning. Let no air escape. Hiss. Lie on your back and breathe. Use the Farinelli technique. Sing on a lip trill to transition between breath exercises and song. Imagine air spinning out of your mouth. Raise your sternum. Engage the muscles that affect your diaphragm. Check for tongue tension.

https://www.wikihow.life/Clean-a-Jetted-Tub

How to Clean a Jetted Tub

To clean a jetted tub, start by filling it with hot water so all of the jets are covered. Then, add 2 tablespoons of liquid dishwashing detergent to the water, followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar or bleach to disinfect the tub. Once you've added everything, run the jets for 10-15 minutes and then drain the tub. When all the water is out, refill the tub with cold water, and run the jets for an additional 10 minutes to rinse out any residue. Finally, drain the tub and wipe it clean with a rag.

Fill the tub with hot water to 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) above the highest jets. Turn the hot water on and let it fill the tub. Turn it off when the jets are covered by 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) of water. Clean your jetted tub every 1-3 months if you use your tub daily or several times a week. Clean it at least once every 6 months if you only use it a few times a month. Turn off the air induction valves by turning them fully clockwise. This forces the water to circulate only in the internal plumbing of the tub to concentrate the flow and clean deeper. Leave them open if the manufacturer of your tub states to do so in the owner's manual. Always refer to manufacturer's instructions for cleaning your specific model of tub. Add 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of dishwashing liquid to the water. Use a low-foaming dishwashing liquid so you don't overflow the tub with bubbles. Use 4 tbsp (56.7 g) of powdered dish detergent if you don't have liquid detergent. The detergent will loosen greasy residue left behind in the jets by soap or bubble bath liquid. Pour 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of white vinegar or bleach into the tub. Choose vinegar for a more eco-friendly option. Use bleach if there is any mold present in the jets. Only use one or the other and do not mix them. Both vinegar and bleach serve to disinfect during the cleaning. Run the jets at full capacity for 10-15 minutes. Set the jets to the highest pressure and turn them on to clean them out. You will see any gunk caught in the jets coming out into the water. If there is still grime coming out of the jets after 15 minutes, then keep the jets on until it looks like no more dirt is coming out of them. Drain the tub and refill it with cold water. Fill the tub up to 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) above the jets again, but with cold water this time. Cold water is fine for the second cycle because you are just going to give the jets a final rinse. Don't add any cleaning products to the water this time. You just want clean, cold water for rinsing. Run the jets for another 10 minutes on high power. This will remove all the last bits of residue that you loosened with the detergent and hot water. Make sure no more gunk is shooting into the water before you turn the jets off. Let the tub run for another 5 minutes if it looks like the jets are still blasting out last bits of dirt. Drain the tub and wipe it clean. Let all of the dirty water drain out of the tub. Use a clean rag to wipe away any residue that is left on the surface of the tub. You can use an old toothbrush to get into the crevices of the jets if there is anything lodged in them still after cleaning. Wipe them clean and rinse away the debris after doing so. Get a biofilm removal liquid and read the instructions on the container. Purchase a biofilm removal liquid at a store that sells Jacuzzi and hot tub cleaning supplies, or online. Biofilm removal liquids are designed specifically to clean away all the gunk that accumulates inside the plumbing of a jetted tub. Biofilm is a natural film that is created by the buildup of bacteria, mold, mildew, and other biological materials. Cleaning your jetted tub with biofilm removal liquid is a method of cleaning to be used on its own, instead of cleaning your jetted tub with detergent and vinegar or bleach. You can use either method to regularly clean your tub effectively. Fill the tub with hot water 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) above the jets. Turn the hot water on and let the tub fill until there is about 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) of water above the jets. Turn off the water so the tub doesn't fill anymore. It's important that the jets are completely covered with water so that, when you turn them on, the motor doesn't get damaged and so they don't spray water up into the air. Add the specified amount of biofilm remover to the water and turn the jets on. Pour in an amount of the cleaning liquid specified by the product's instructions. Turn the jets on at their highest power to start circulating the cleaner. The biofilm cleaner's instructions may specify different amounts depending on if it is a regular cleaning or the first cleaning in a while. Alternate running the jets and letting the tub sit in 30 minute intervals. Always refer to the biofilm remover's instructions for any additional steps. Turn the jets on for 30 minutes, then turn them off and let the tub sit for 30 minutes, then turn the jets back on for another 30 minutes before you drain it to clean out the plumbing thoroughly. You can drain the tub and repeat this process if you want to give it an extra good cleaning. Drain your tub and clean any residue around the sides. Use a clean rag or sponge to wipe away any gunk left on the surface after you drain it. Use a toothbrush or other small brush to clean away anything that is stuck in or around the jets. You can repeat the cleaning process another time before you rinse the tub if it still looks dirty or if you want to be extra sure you got everything out of the internal plumbing. Refill the tub with cold water and run the jets for 10-15 minutes. This will rinse out the last of the gunk from the plumbing and rinse away any remaining biofilm remover. Drain the tub after 10-15 minutes and give it a final wipe with a clean rag. Some manufacturers recommend doing this rinsing process after each use of the jetted tub to help get rid of soap scum, oils, dead skin, and other gunk that builds up after each use. Keep your jetted tub clean by repeating this whole cleaning process approximately every 5 uses, regardless of how often you use it.

Fill the tub with hot water to 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) above the highest jets. Turn off the air induction valves by turning them fully clockwise. Add 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of dishwashing liquid to the water. Pour 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of white vinegar or bleach into the tub. Run the jets at full capacity for 10-15 minutes. Drain the tub and refill it with cold water. Run the jets for another 10 minutes on high power. Drain the tub and wipe it clean. Get a biofilm removal liquid and read the instructions on the container. Fill the tub with hot water 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) above the jets. Add the specified amount of biofilm remover to the water and turn the jets on. Alternate running the jets and letting the tub sit in 30 minute intervals. Drain your tub and clean any residue around the sides. Refill the tub with cold water and run the jets for 10-15 minutes.

https://www.wikihow.com/Hire-a-Pet-Sitter-or-Dog-Walker

How to Hire a Pet Sitter or Dog Walker

To hire a pet sitter or dog walker, look on platforms like Craigslist, or in the local newspaper, to find sitters in your area. Once you find a potential candidate, reach out to them and ask them about their training and experience to make sure they'll do a great job taking care of your dog. After you decide on a sitter or walker, give them a list of your specific needs, like the times and days you'll need their services as well as your dog's specific needs to ensure they're prepared to take care of it. Then, before hiring them, discuss what fees you'll pay for their services. If you're unsure how much to offer, check with your friends that have hired a sitter or walker in the past to make sure you offer a reasonable rate.

Find potential pet sitters or dog walkers. The process of hiring a dog walker or pet sitter begins with locating people to interview. Using online platforms, newspapers, and word of mouth, try to locate a few potential individuals, and set up meetings with each of them. Post an online ad (such as on Craigslist) Place an ad in a local newspaper Perform an internet search for dog walkers and/or pet sitters in your area Talk to friends Review any training, qualifications, or licenses. Although dog walking and pet sitting is a largely unregulated field, some companies, groups, and individual dog walkers will have credentials that you can verify. Inquire about these at each interview. Your pet sitter should have first aid training, both for humans and your pet. Ask if they have a membership with either National Association of Professional Pet Sitters or Pet Sitters International. These are established groups that offer training and licensing programs to their members. They should be able to provide references to you. Some cities require dog walkers to get certifications, so check with your local Animal Care and Control department to see if who you hire needs them. Specify your needs. In order to hire the right person, you must make sure that the dog walker/pet sitter can consistently work the schedule you need, as well as take care of any special needs you or your dog may have. Take some time to create a list of your specific needs. You might write down: The times and days you will need this service The length of time you'd like your dog walked Any dates that you'll be away Everything you'd like this dog walker/pet sitter to handle (feeding, playing, cleaning, etc.) Inquire about any additional services. Your dog walker or pet sitter may offer other services, in addition to basic pet care. Asking about these services and how much they might cost can help you decide if a pet sitter or dog walker is the right one for you. Some dog walkers and pet sitters will offer bathing services for your pet. Your pet sitter may offer to water your plants or bring your mail into your house for you. Find out if they work with a veterinarian. Some dog walkers and pet sitters will have a working relationship with a local veterinarian. Having this relationship can help your pet get medical attention should an emergency occur. Ask your potential dog walker or pet sitter if they are in contact with a local veterinarian. You can also provide contact information for your own veterinarian. Make sure they take notes. A good pet sitter or dog walker will take notes of any specific care needs that you indicate. Someone who doesn't seem to be paying attention or making an effort to take these details down should be passed over. Always make sure your potential pet sitter or dog walker pays careful attention and makes some kind of note about your instructions. Ask about backup plans. Ask your potential dog walker or pet sitter about any backup plans they have, should they be unable to care for your pet during the time you schedule. Problems and emergencies can arise, and a good pet sitter or dog walker should have a plan in place to ensure that your pet still receives proper care. Look for proof of insurance or bonding. Your dog walker or pet sitter should have either liability insurance or be bonded to an agency or company. Liability insurance will help cover both parties (both you and the dog walker) in the event of loss or accidents. Bonding can repay the value of any items that were proven to be stolen by a pet sitter or dog walker. Discuss fees. Knowing what to expect when it comes to the cost of a pet sitting or dog walking service can help you decide if the service is right for you. Costs will vary, depending on the level of qualification and amount of services offered by your dog walker or pet sitter. Make sure you ask for the full price before agreeing to any services. The average cost in the U.S. is $15 to $20 for every 30 minutes someone watches your pet. Sign a contract. Many dog walkers or pet sitters will offer a contract that explains what services are offered and detail the responsibilities of both parties. These contracts are also legally binding and can help resolve any issues should they arise. If your dog walker/pet sitter does not have a contract prepared, consider creating one yourself. Carefully read over any contract that is offered and make sure the terms are agreeable. Make sure your pet is comfortable around people. Before you consider seeking out the services of a pet sitter or dog walker, you will have to make sure that your pet is comfortable around other people. If your pet is nervous around other people it could create a potentially dangerous situation for both the person you hire and your pet. Bring your pet to meet the pet sitter or dog walker before you hire them. Make sure both are comfortable around one another. If your pet is aggressive or nervous around strangers, you should not hire a dog walker or pet sitter. Check your pet's tags. Your pet's tags should contain up-to-date information about where your pet lives and how to contact you. Although it's unlikely, your pet may escape the care of your dog walker or pet sitter. Providing current contact information on your pet's tags is a great way to help get your pet back home quickly and safely. Engraving machines can be found in most pet stores. Make sure your pet is wearing their vaccination tags as well. Leave contact information and care-instructions. Preparing detailed care instructions is a great way to make sure your pet is properly cared for. Leaving contact information for your pet sitter or dog walker can help them reach you if an emergency arises or if they have any questions. Leave information for multiple methods of contact such as phone numbers, email address, or physical addresses. If your pet has special dietary requirements or medical needs, you should leave them with your pet sitter. Make sure supplies are stocked. Chances are your pet sitter or dog walker will bring only minimal supplies. If you are requiring their services over a period of time, you will need to leave enough supplies to properly care for your pet while you are away. Make sure your pet will have enough important items such as food or any medicines they need. Leave extra supplies in case you are delayed upon your return. Tell your pet sitter about your home. If you are having a pet sitter stay in your home for a period of time you will need to let them know about important aspects of your home. Giving your pet sitter a detailed tour of your house will help them keep your pet and your home safe while you are away. Tell them where the fuse box or circuit breaker is located. Let your pet sitter know where you keep your fire extinguishers. If you have an alarm system you should let them know how it functions. Make sure your pet sitter or dog walker can access your home. Before you leave your home and your pet, you will need to make sure your pet sitter or dog walker can access your house. Talk with your dog walker or pet sitter and tell them any specific details they might need to know in order to enter your home and care for your pet while you are away. If you have a security code to enter your home or apartment you will likely need to leave this with your pet sitter or dog walker. You will want to leave your pet sitter or dog walker a spare key that they can use to enter your home. Inform them of any additional security measures that your house or apartment may have.

Find potential pet sitters or dog walkers. Review any training, qualifications, or licenses. Specify your needs. Inquire about any additional services. Find out if they work with a veterinarian. Make sure they take notes. Ask about backup plans. Look for proof of insurance or bonding. Discuss fees. Sign a contract. Make sure your pet is comfortable around people. Check your pet's tags. Leave contact information and care-instructions. Make sure supplies are stocked. Tell your pet sitter about your home. Make sure your pet sitter or dog walker can access your home.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Own-Game

How to Make Your Own Game

To make your own game, start by summarizing the game's main purpose in writing. Next, explain the main action of the game and establish the game's rules, like how many people can play and what the boundaries are. Write the rules down below the summary so they can be easily referenced. Then, gather a few friends and play a quick test round to see how well the game works and if everyone understands it. Finally, get feedback from the players, make adjustments to the game, and play it again!

Write down a summary that explains what your game is about. Writing down a summary will help you to form the game's main purpose. Detail the main action of the game. For example, if it involves some people hiding and some people looking, explain how many people are hiding. Where people are allowed to hide. Who is looking? What happens when the looker finds someone who is hiding? You want to come up with a central aspect to your game. Does it revolve around you and your friends running around the neighborhood? Can you play it inside? Do you need any equipment? These are questions you should answer when writing down a summary to better establish your game. Establish the rules. Once you know generally what your game is about it's time to create some rules that will flesh out the details. Write your rules down below your summary or somewhere that you can easily refer to. Having your rules written down will help you to explain the game and remember everything. Establish how many people can play. Since you're creating your own game you may allow as many people who want to play, or you may limit it to a certain number. Create rules that help to form the structure of the game. Be specific with details. For example, if the game takes place outside, create boundaries. You might say that going inside a house or past a certain house is out of bounds. If your game is inside, establish what players are allowed to touch or interact with. Perhaps the floor is made of lava and anyone who touches it is out. Get input from your friends. Now that you have a summary and some rules locked down it's time to ask your friends for a second opinion. After all, you're probably not playing this game alone. Feedback from your friends will help you to get some good ideas to add to your game. It will also help you get other people to play with you. Your friends are more likely to play your game if you let your friends add rules and ideas. Letting others help establish your game will make everyone feel like this new and awesome game is a collaboration. Assemble any items you need. Gather up anything you need to play the game like balls, flashlights, pillows, etc. Maybe you can't play your own version of Ghosts in the Graveyard without flashlights. So make sure you can get all the materials you need. If you realize that you don't have something for your game, that's ok. You're creating this game, so just change the structure or the rules to accommodate what you do have at your disposal. Test your game out. Play a quick test round to see how well the game works and if everyone has an easy time understanding it. You want your game to be fun. But you also want it to be easy to play. If you're playing some sort of flashlight tag, hide and seek hybrid game, this test round will give you a good idea of how well people understand the rules. You'll learn how easy or hard it is to play the game in your area. Then you can adjust. Perhaps you find that with the number of people it's too hard to find a hiding spot or people aren't stopping when tagged by the flashlight. After your test round, make the necessary adjustments. Maybe you decide that the flashlight is only used to help the seeker find other players. But the seeker still has to physically tag a player to get that player out. Talk with your friends and find out what everyone liked and didn't like about the test round. Then make adjustments. Make any adjustments and play again. After you've gotten input from everyone it's time to make the changes you've discussed. Then, once you've all agreed on how the game will work moving forward, go ahead and play it for real. You may want to do another test round to see how the new version of the game operates. Or, you can just go ahead and play it. Remember that you've made up your own awesome game. So the rules and the way you play it can always change. Listen to your friends and take notes from everyone to make your game the best version for everyone to play and enjoy. Write down your ideas. Write out some ideas of what kind of board game you want to create and play. Write down genres you like such as strategy, trivia, or adventure. With so many types of board games, you'll begin to narrow down your own creation by writing down your ideas. Create a list of your favorite board games for inspiration. Writing out your ideas will also give you a good idea of the materials you will need later. Pick a game style. Once you have a bunch of ideas written down, look for ones that are similar and go together. Circle these winning ideas and begin to think about what kind of play style and game board will work best. Try to combine aspects of your favorite existing games. Perhaps you love Risk or Settlers of Catan as well as Monopoly. Or maybe you like something that doesn't use a dedicated board like Munchkin or Werewolf. You can create your own game based on existing board games you like and even borrow pieces from other games. Sketch out the design of the game. Once you have an idea in your mind of what kind of board game you want to make and what the setup will look like, it's time to sketch it out. Sketch the layout of the game on paper to get a sense of what the actual game will look like. If your game board is something like Monopoly, then go and fill out the details of the squares on the board. Maybe you have a winding road like in LIFE. Make note of what each square, area, or portion means. Establish the rules. Now that you know what the game looks like and the general purpose of it, it's time to lay down some rules so people know how to play. It's easiest to keep your rules short and simple. If you create too many long or convoluted rules it will be hard for you to explain the game. It will also be harder for others to pick it up and have fun. Let the physical design of your game help guide the rules you create. For example, if you're on a map like in Risk, then establish rules on where people can be on the map, how the turns work, and how movement across the map works. Build your game board. With all the details down, now you just have to construct your physical board, cards, and anything else that you need to make your game. You can make your own materials like a game board with something as simple as cardboard and paper with your design pasted on top. Or, you can go online and find materials or order custom designs by uploading your artwork and rules to a site like thegamecrafter.com Use items from other games. Take the army pieces from Risk to use in combination with the cards from Settlers of Catan. You can also get custom 3D pieces printed online if you really want to make this game your own and last for years. Try using note cards if you have a card component in your game. Draw on the note cards if you're feeling creative or just simply write down what each card does. Play the game. With everything set up and ready to go, it's time to play your game with your family and friends. Take your time during the first playthrough. You'll have to explain the rules and components of your game to your friends and it may take some time to get it all down. Make notes of what works well and what doesn't. You'll probably find that there are parts to your board game that need improvement. That's ok! This is version one. After you play through the first time, go back and make the changes you need to keep fleshing out your game. Then keep playing and enjoy your hard work. Use the sporting equipment you already have to give you ideas. You can easily make up your own sport with sporting equipment you already have at home. Something as simple as a baseball bat and a kickball can be combined to create tons of different games. Draw inspiration from other made up games as well. Think about what the goal of the game is. Is it about accuracy, speed, getting the most points, or being the last person standing? The equipment you already own can help you narrow down what kind of new sport you create. Maybe you have a basketball hoop and a pair of rollerblades. You can create a sport like basketball but played while rollerblading around. Combine your favorite sports. You can combine your favorite aspects from your favorite sports to create your own super sporting game. You can use equipment, terms, positions, and scoring methods from other games to help you create your own. For example, if you like football and baseball, you can take a bit from each game to craft your own. And feel free to go as far away from the original sports as you can. Maybe you decide to use the football. But you want the three strike rule from baseball. So you decide that a player has to kick the football a certain distance to start the play. The player also has three chances to do it correctly or that player is out until the next round. Establish rules. Knowing what kind of equipment you have to use will help you figure out what to do with it, and help you start making up the rules to your sport. Work with your friends to come up with rules together. Decide how people score points, win, what players have to do to get points or where players have to move, etc. Come up with rules on what happens if a person breaks a rule or fouls. Decide how long the game will be played. Is it a certain time, or to a certain score? Feel free to use and adapt rules from other sports. Perhaps you like soccer and make a rule that only the goalie can touch the ball with his hands. If you are using a football with that rule, you're bound to have a fun and funny time playing your sport. Gather your friends. You can't play most sports alone so gather up your friends and pick teams. Tell your friends the rules of your sport as the rules currently stand. Explain the game's dynamics. Then get input. The best made up games come from a group collaboration. Get your friends to pitch ideas to make the game more enjoyable from everyone. You may find that someone has a really great idea that you didn't think about. Pick a name for your sport. Try to come up with something creative and memorable with your friends. It can have something to do with the sport like “Baseball” or “Football” does, or it can be a made up term like “Quidditch”. Test out your game. Now that the rules have been laid down and you have everyone present, it's time to test out your sport. You may find that not everyone remembers the rules right away or plays it correctly. That's ok. Part of the fun of making up your own sport is to adapt and change it as you go along. Take note of any parts that you should change after your first playthrough. Then go ahead and make those adjustments for next time. Try not to keep score or get really competitive the first time. You're all learning together so take it slow and make sure that you all understand the mechanics of the game. Play your game. With a revised version of your game ready to go, it's time to play it again for real. Gather up your buddies, pick teams and play it for real this time keeping score and trying not to stop if something gets messed up. You can get as invested as you want and even design uniforms and pick team names if you and your friends play your game often.

Write down a summary that explains what your game is about. Establish the rules. Get input from your friends. Assemble any items you need. Test your game out. Make any adjustments and play again. Write down your ideas. Pick a game style. Sketch out the design of the game. Establish the rules. Build your game board. Play the game. Use the sporting equipment you already have to give you ideas. Combine your favorite sports. Establish rules. Gather your friends. Test out your game. Play your game.

https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Students-from-Cheating

How to Prevent Students from Cheating

There will always be students trying to cheat on their exams, but you can help prevent this by limiting their access to their belongings and watching them carefully. Once you've printed the exam papers for a class, make sure you keep them locked away to deter any students from stealing a copy. When they sit their exam, have them place their backpacks at the front of the room so they can't hide notes in there. You can also make them remove labels from water bottles, since students can easily hide notes inside. During the test, watch your students carefully for suspicious activity. If they have any questions, make them come up to the front so you can still watch the class while you answer the question.

Don't allow access to test materials. It is important to keep test materials secure before a test. This includes making sure that all copies and the original are accounted for after copying. Some students may try to access test questions before a test, even if that means they have to break into your classroom or office to get them. To prevent this, never leave your keys hanging in the door and don't give them to a trusted student for any reason. Also, do not assume that tests and answer guides left at school will be safe. If you are going to leave such test materials at school, be sure to lock them in a file cabinet and keep the key with you at all times. Be sure to change your test content from year to year. This will stop siblings and friends in different grades from passing on last year's answers. Create several versions of your test. Tell the students that there will be several versions given out and then give the different versions to alternating students. This will prevent students from assuming that they can cheat off their neighbor's test. Be sure that you keep track of what test version each student has. This can be done by numbering the version and having the students write the number they have on their tests. Do not distinguish different versions in a way that can be seen from a distance, for example, by color. Otherwise, students can look around for other students with the same version. Give open book or open note tests. One way to prevent cheating is to allow students to bring information with them into class on the day of a test. This forces them to study the material before the test and to figure out what they need to bring. The students don't necessarily need to memorize all the information they will be tested on, but they will need to know the content overall. Eventually your students will learn that having the material at the their fingertips is of no use unless they have already spent time studying the material. Give access to test questions before the test if it's closed-book. If you don't want to have an open book or open note test, but you want your students to focus their studying, consider giving them the test questions before the test. You can give them a list of more questions than you plan on giving them, and tell them that you will choose your test questions out of this list. That way, they will be forced to review more information than you are actually going to test them on but they will be prepared for the test. Require students to show a student ID to take a test. If your class is so big that you don't know everyone enrolled in it, then a common way of cheating for students is to have someone else take the test for them. To stop this, require the students to show you their IDs when they enter and check this against your class roster. This can be done either when entering the exam room or when collecting the exam. Tell students ahead of time that you will not permit entry into the exam room or not grade an exam if the student does not appear on your roster, the student does not have an ID with them, or the student has a false ID. Allow students to use only items that you provide. If you are worried about students bringing answers into the test, then supply all items they will need for the test. That way, you can make sure that the students are taking an exam with a clean sheet of paper, for example. If leaning over to copy is a problem in your class, you may consider investing in dividers that you pass out at test time to keep students from looking over at one another's papers. Letting students know you will be doing this beforehand will prevent some students from trying to cheat in the first place. However, it may drive some students towards other more elaborate ways of cheating. Have students take all items off their desks. Do not allow students to have cell phones, notebooks, lunchboxes, or books out on their desks during tests. This will eliminate older ways of cheating, such as writing answers on the desk, and many newer methods of cheating, such as putting answers in their phones. If you are especially worried about cheating, do not even allow students to have labeled water bottles on their desk. It is a common trick to write answers on the inside of the label and re-glue it to the bottle. You may also require that backpacks be placed in the front of the room (or some other open space) rather than underneath desks for the duration of the exam. Watch the students carefully during testing. Do not leave the classroom during test administration and keep an eye on what your students are doing throughout the test. You may have honest students, but even then you should not give them the opportunity to cheat by leaving the room. If you are teaching a large class, you might have teaching assistants that are helping with your class. Have them watch the students during testing, so that more of the room can be observed at one time. Request that students walk up to your desk to ask questions. Walking over to your students' desks to answer questions during an exam puts your attention on one student, giving others the chance to cheat. Instead, have students walk up to your desk if they have questions. This allows you to help them while still keeping the rest of the class in view. Be cautious about students leaving the room. If you allow a student to leave the classroom during an exam, make sure they are not taking any test materials with them. In general, you should only allow students to leave the room if they absolutely need to. In cases where you do decide that it is okay for a student to leave the room, such as if they need to use the restroom, you need to make sure that they do not take any notes or electronics with them. Allow only one student to leave the room at a time. This will allow you to keep track of who leaves and how long they are gone. If someone is taking frequent bathroom breaks, there is a chance that they have stashed answers in the bathroom. You may tell a student that they must show you where their phone is, and require that it stay in the room. Keep track of where students are sitting. You can create a seating chart or you can require students to write down the names of those sitting directly next to them on their test. If an allegation of "I saw someone looking at my test" arises, it can make it easier to figure out who to talk to. It also allows you to compare answers of those sitting close to each other during grading. This would be especially useful in very large university courses, where students may not know the names of those sitting next to them during the exam. You can also create a seating chart documenting who sat where, if you have a small class. This way you can create a chart that keeps friends from sitting right next to one another. If you have a large class, number the seats and have students write their seat number on their test. Move students you suspect are cheating. If you believe a student's eyes are wandering too much, reseat them. First, reassure the student that you are not accusing the student of cheating, and that you simply want to ensure that they are showing their own work. If they choose to comply, take no action. If they are unwilling to comply, you can assume that they were cheating or had the intention of cheating. If you need to reseat a student, try to put them somewhere where they are away from other students. Being a seat away from other students may make it easier for that student to focus on their own test. Limit a student's ability to change their answers. With short answer exams, you can draw a tight box around the response or draw a line across any blank space while grading. This prevents students from trying to add to their answer before requesting a regrade. For scantron exams, draw lines connecting the filled in answer choices before returning the scantron sheets to students. This will prevent students from changing their answer and claiming that the machine made a mistake. There are some websites that allow you to return exams electronically. After all exams have been collected, you can scan them, match the submissions to students, grade the exams, and then release the grades online. Students will login to see their scores and a scan of their exam. Review the honor code. If your honor code states that students are not supposed to cheat and they need to report any cheating they suspect, this sometimes works well. On assignments and exams, you can require that they sign an honor pledge stating that they did not cheat and they reported any cheating they witnessed. You may choose to not grade an assignment or exam that doesn't have a signed honor pledge attached to it. Make it clear what the consequences of cheating are when they sign the honor code. You should also have these consequences posted on the syllabus for the class, so that students can refer to it whenever needed. Build trust with your students. A key part of preventing cheating is building a relationship with your students so they don't want to disappoint or get in trouble with you. Some ways to build trust include being fair when grading, not having overly high expectations, and explaining your reasons for grades and class content. If you express your desire to build a relationship of trust with your students, and then support them and trust them in return, then they are less likely to cheat. Part of building trust with your students is showing your students that you care about them. They are less likely to break your rules if they know that you are looking after their best interests and are invested in their success. Emphasize honesty with parents. It is important to talk about academic honesty with parents, in addition to talking about it with your students. If you discuss your expectations and methods for avoiding cheating with your student's parents, they can help drive the message home to their children. This will be especially helpful for students who have very involved parents. Make homework a small part of a student's grade. Make homework count for only roughly 10% of a student's grade. This is typically enough to ensure that the students do the assignments. However, it will make other types of work, such as tests, more important. Most cheating on homework is in the form of excessive collaboration or searching for answers on the internet. If you use this type of weighting and thoughtfully construct your exams, the exams will enforce the no cheating policy for homework better than you can. The students who choose to cheat will likely have their grades lowered as a result of poor performance on exams. Those who are too used to being able to freely collaborate or use the internet may have a hard time with individual assessments. This makes it so there is very little incentive for copying solutions and not very much energy needs to be put into dealing with cheating on homework. Have students show their work. Require that students show all of their work and/or provide reasoning for the answer they arrived at. It is very easy to simply copy a final answer off of another student on an exam. If you suspect a student copied off of another student for an exam question or changed their answer after the fact, ask them to reproduce or interpret their solution individually in your presence a few days later. If there is a large difference in their ability to produce that solution during the exam and reproduce the solution individually in your presence, cheating may have occurred. Assign group projects and presentations. There are certain types of homework assignments that are more difficult to cheat on than others. Group projects and presentations are particularly hard for students to cheat on, unless they are all in on it together. In a group, each student will have specific responsibilities and they will be accountable to each other for the final product. When students are working together, individual students will find it harder to cheat, since that cheating will be exposed to their classmates. While group projects and presentations will not eliminate cheating altogether, they do make cheating less likely. Copy assignments before returning them to students. A very common way of cheating is submitting a modified assignment for a regrade. Having a photocopy or scan of the original will allow you to see if the resubmitted work has been altered. Should you catch a student modifying and submitting their work for a regrade, the photocopy or scan becomes hard evidence when you report the case for academic action. This can often happen with students who are very close to the next grade up, who hope to potentially raise a B- grade to a B, for example. So, when photocopying or scanning a sample of exams before returning them, focus especially on those with scores near the grade boundaries. Do not accept any homework submitted after solutions have been released. Once solutions are released you have no control over where they can end up. The copying of solutions is definitely a possibility for any homework attempted to be submitted after that time. To make up for this strict policy, you can choose to drop the one or two lowest homework scores. If a student has a good reason for not turning in an assignment on time, they should be given a slightly different assignment from the rest of the class, so that no cheating can occur. Define plagiarism for your students. Before you assign a paper, have a discussion with your students about what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. This will help students to know what to avoid when writing their papers. It will also eliminate their ability to claim ignorance is they get caught plagiarizing. Create unique essay prompts. If you want to prevent students from cheating, make them write essays that are unique to your specific class. A prompt that compares readings or specific content from your class will produce more unique essays than a general prompt. These essay prompts should be changed when teaching new classes. Students may be tempted to plagiarize if students they know have written on the prompts you are giving. Make your expectations clear. If you don't want your students working on essays together, you need to make that clear before the assignment is even given. Some students will work together effectively, which can enhance the learning process. However, it can be a problem if one student just copies another student's essay. Decide whether you want students to work independently and then let them know, so that they cannot claim ignorance of your policy. You can always state that you are OK with students working together, but what they turn in must be their own work. This allows them to work together but it also requires them to do some independent work as well. Use software that checks for plagiarism. Since many students are very technologically savvy, you can use that knowledge to your benefit. Have students turn in assignments through an online software program that checks it for plagiarism, such as Turnitin or PlagScan. Most universities have this type of program built into the websites that they use for students. If your school doesn't have this type of program available, discuss getting access to one with your supervisor. There tend to be more cases of cheating in the computer science department than other departments at many universities, simply because they have great resources for automated cheat checking. Make regrade request deadlines soon after the assignment was returned. Students should only require roughly one week to request a regrade after work is returned. Make the deadline the same for everybody, regardless of whether they picked the assignment or exam up before your set deadline. This way, once the class ends, you are not pressured to review a ton of assignments that were returned months ago. Students, especially those near the course grade boundaries, may want to make attempts to seek extra points to raise their course grades at the end of the term.

Don't allow access to test materials. Create several versions of your test. Give open book or open note tests. Give access to test questions before the test if it's closed-book. Require students to show a student ID to take a test. Allow students to use only items that you provide. Have students take all items off their desks. Watch the students carefully during testing. Request that students walk up to your desk to ask questions. Be cautious about students leaving the room. Keep track of where students are sitting. Move students you suspect are cheating. Limit a student's ability to change their answers. Review the honor code. Build trust with your students. Emphasize honesty with parents. Make homework a small part of a student's grade. Have students show their work. Assign group projects and presentations. Copy assignments before returning them to students. Do not accept any homework submitted after solutions have been released. Define plagiarism for your students. Create unique essay prompts. Make your expectations clear. Use software that checks for plagiarism. Make regrade request deadlines soon after the assignment was returned.

https://www.wikihow.com/Find-and-Train-a-Barrel-Horse

How to Find and Train a Barrel Horse

To train a barrel horse, start by setting up 3 barrels and walking your horse through the cloverleaf pattern used in barrel racing. Once your horse is comfortable walking the pattern, try increasing its speed to a trot. Then, gradually work up to a canter so your horse is finishing the course faster. Keep up with training your horse for 1 hour 4-5 times a week so it gets better at running the course.

Look for Appaloosa, Quarter, or Paint Horses for the best barrel racing breeds. These breeds are versatile and have good feet and legs to make the turns necessary in barrel racing. Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, and Paint Horses all are easier to train so you don't need to break them in as much as other breeds. Avoid picking thoroughbred or gaited horses since they're trained to run and probably won't turn around the barrels as well. Check online or at a tack shop for a horse to buy. Many breeders will post horses they have for sale on online sales websites or advertise at tack shops. Look for horses near your area and send query messages to the seller about the horse. Pick a few different horses to choose from in case one of them sells. You can find online postings on sites like EquineNow or HorseClicks. If you're searching online, make sure to look for locations close to you since it's difficult to travel with a horse over long distances. Lease a horse if you don’t have the time to care for one on your own. Check with local stables or a horse-riding instructor to see if they can lease a horse for you to ride. While you'll still need to go to the stables and ride the horse often, you don't need to worry about the responsibilities of taking care of it. Horses for lease can also be found online. Meet and ride the horse before you buy it if you can. Interact with the horse as much as possible to see how it responds to you. See if you can take it for a ride to see how it handles and how well it work with your commands. If your horse is unresponsive or handles poorly, consider other options. All horses respond differently, so what worked for a horse you're familiar with may not work for a new horse. Talk to the current owner to see how well it handled or certain tricks they've used to help train their horse. Warm up your horse by walking, trotting, and cantering in a straight line. Start with a slow walk to help your horse begin its exercise and loosen up. After a few times back and forth, increase the speed to a light trot. When your horse is comfortable trotting, switch to a faster canter to work your horse up to full speed. Cantering may also be referred to as “loping.” Exercise your horse in a circle to practice slight turns while your horse gains speed. Practice lateral moves in both directions. Lateral moves are when your horse steps sideways, and it helps your horse loosen up its leg muscles. Put pressure on one side of your horse with your leg to help guide it to the side. Your horse will start slowly walking in the direction that you're applying pressure. Practice moving laterally to the right and the left so your horse is comfortable doing both. Make sure your horse's head and neck stay straight while it's moving sideways. Walk your horse through the barrel pattern so it can learn it. Command your horse to walk in the cloverleaf pattern around the 3 barrels used for barrel racing. Start with either the barrel on the right or the left. When your horse's shoulders pass the opposite side of the barrel, start your turn so its hind end won't bump into the barrel. Then go to the barrel directly across from the first. Finally, go around the top barrel before returning to your starting position. Continue working around all of the barrels until your horse is comfortable with the pattern. Pick up the reins on the side of your horse in the direction you want it to turn to help guide its nose around the barrel. Increase your horse’s speed as you run the pattern. As your horse gets more comfortable walking the pattern, increase the speed to a trot and try making your turns around the barrel. Run through the course at a trot until you easily get around the barrels. Then, work up to a canter to finish the course faster. If your horse seems exhausted or isn't following your commands, slow down and work back up to full speed again. Cool down by walking your horse. After a vigorous workout, it's important for your horse to cool down so it doesn't get any muscle cramps or tendon damage. Slowly work down from higher speeds to a walk to calm your horse down. Train with your horse 4-5 days per week. Keep your horse familiar with the barrel racing path so it gets more comfortable running the course. Keep your exercise routines close to 1 hour long so your horse isn't burnt out by the end. Always give your horse 2 days from the barrel racing routine so it doesn't get bored of the same course. On the off days, take your horse out for a ride but don't make it run a barrel pattern. This way, your horse won't get tired of doing the same routines each day. Make sure your horse’s hooves are trimmed regularly. Long hooves put stress on your horse's tendons and ligaments, so they need to be cut. Clean off your horse's hooves first with a hoof pick before using a pair of hoof clippers to remove any overgrowth. If you're not comfortable trimming horse hooves yourself, find a farrier to do it for you. Trim your horse's hooves every 6 weeks. Feed your horse a nutrient-rich diet. Find a well-balanced performance feed made for active horses. Since barrel racing is a high-intensity exercise, look for a feed high in soluble carbohydrates so your horse has more energy. Keep your horse on a high-calorie diet so it can perform well during show season. Consider adding an amino acid supplement to your horse's feed to promote muscle recovery and development. Keep your horse up to date with vaccinations and periodic health checks. Have a vet look at your horse at least once every year to make sure it's still healthy. Keep records of your horse's medical history and vaccinations so you know when to get it vaccinated and what should be done to help it. Common vaccinations include tetanus, encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the nervous system), viral rhinopneumonitis (respiratory disease), and influenza.

Look for Appaloosa, Quarter, or Paint Horses for the best barrel racing breeds. Check online or at a tack shop for a horse to buy. Lease a horse if you don’t have the time to care for one on your own. Meet and ride the horse before you buy it if you can. Warm up your horse by walking, trotting, and cantering in a straight line. Practice lateral moves in both directions. Walk your horse through the barrel pattern so it can learn it. Increase your horse’s speed as you run the pattern. Cool down by walking your horse. Train with your horse 4-5 days per week. Make sure your horse’s hooves are trimmed regularly. Feed your horse a nutrient-rich diet. Keep your horse up to date with vaccinations and periodic health checks.

https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-It%27s-Postpartum-Bleeding-or-a-Period

How to Know if It's Postpartum Bleeding or a Period

While postpartum bleeding and periods can look similar, you can tell the difference by noting of how soon the bleeding is happening after breastfeeding. For instance, if you breastfeed for 3 months, your periods will return a few weeks after stopping. While breastfeeding triggers the body to delay menstruation, even if you don't breastfeed at all, you won't start menstruating for a couple of weeks after childbirth. Another way to tell the difference is by looking at the color of your blood. During menstruation, bleeding will start as bright red and change to black or brown. If you notice a whitish discharge after 10 days of bleeding, you most likely have postpartum bleeding.

Note the timing. The timing that periods resume with breastfeeding is often completely dependent on how long you breastfeed. If you only breastfeeds for three months your periods will likely return a few weeks after stopping, or if you breastfeed for 18 months, you may not have a period for this entire time. Postpartum bleeding, on the other hand, starts almost immediately after the childbirth and can last between six to eight weeks before tapering off. Breastfeeding can delay menstruation as it triggers the body to release the prolactin hormones which keeps the progesterone and estrogen levels low. Even if a woman decides not to breastfeed, she will not start menstruating for a couple of weeks after childbirth. Approximately 70% of women have their normal menstrual period roughly six to 12 weeks after giving birth. The period should only last for three to six days. Examine the color. The color of the blood will be slightly different with postpartum bleeding than with menstruation, so it's important take note of this. With postpartum bleeding, the color of the blood appears bright red for the first three days. Then from day four to 10, the discharge changes its color from pinkish red to reddish brownish with varying components such as old blood, white blood cells and tissue debris. After day 10, a whitish discharge may be observed. This discharge consists of leukocytes (white blood cells), mucus, and epithelial cells. Although menstrual blood may also start as bright red, the color will change to dark red, black or brown towards the end of menstruation. Note the blood flow. The flow of blood is heavier in postpartum bleeding than in menstruation. In general, postpartum bleeding will be heavy for the first four days, then will gradually reduce in quantity over the next few days/weeks. If you are saturating a super-pad each hour for at least three hours, or having blood clots bigger than a golf ball after the first two to three days, call you doctor right away. With menstruation, blood flow is also heaviest in the first three to four days, however the average blood loss is only 10 ml to 80 ml. An easy way to account for the amount of blood is to know that one tampon holds about 5 ml of blood. So, you can count the number of tampons you use and multiply that number by five to determine the total blood flow in milliliters. Identify postpartum hemorrhage. You may experience something called postpartum hemorrhage, which occurs in about 1 in 100 to 5 in 100 women. Postpartum hemorrhage is different from postpartum bleeding and requires immediate medical attention. Postpartum hemorrhage may be caused by pieces of the placenta remaining attached, tear in the cervix or other tissues, or a blood clotting disorder. If not treated, this can lead to shock, which can be fatal. Signs of postpartum hemorrhage include: Vaginal bleeding that soaks more than one pad per hour over a period of two hours or a return of bright red bleeding with or without clots after vaginal discharge has become lighter or turned brown in color Decreased blood pressure Increased heart rate Decrease in the red blood cell count Adjust your diet. When you lose blood, you also lose iron. To avoid iron deficiency, increase the amount of iron you get through your daily diet. There are a number of foods that are naturally high in iron. They are: Lentils and pinto or kidney beans Chicken, liver or beef Broccoli or asparagus Okra, parsley and kelp Mustard greens or beet greens Raisins, plums, dried peaches or prune juice Rice bran Blackstrap molasses Take iron supplements. For normal or mild postpartum bleeding, there is no need for any drugs to be taken as the bleeding will stop naturally after a maximum of six weeks to two months; however, your doctor may suggest or prescribe some iron supplements for you to treat any signs of anemia as a result of the blood loss. Most over-the-counter supplements are fine, and are absorbed better with an acidic juice like pineapple or orange juice. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for recommendations if you are unsure about which brand to choose. These supplements are usually taken once a day, but it could be more frequent depending on the severity of your anemia. They should be taken after meals to avoid constipation, which can be a common side effect. Some other gastric disturbances may be felt, such as nausea or vomiting. You may also have green-colored stool. Receive medical treatment for postpartum hemorrhage. If you are experiencing postpartum hemorrhage, you need to seek immediate medical treatment to prevent shock. Treatments may include: A blood transfusion may be necessary to support vital organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and liver and to prevent end organ damage. This blood transfusion will try to compensate for the excessive loss of blood. Oxytocin will be administered through an IV to stimulate uterine contractions and control the bleeding. Oxytocin acts mainly by stimulating strong uterine contractions by acting on specific receptors located at the lining of the smooth uterus muscles. It also increases the calcium levels in the intracellular space to induce more vasoconstriction. Know the causes of postpartum bleeding. If everything goes according to plan, the uterus will continue to contract after childbirth in order to expel any residue left over from the placenta. It is also the process of closing off all of the blood vessels that had been supporting the baby. The residue is what constitutes postpartum bleeding. This bleeding occurs while the uterus undergoes what's called the "stage of involution" — a normal physiologic response in which the uterus returns to its non-pregnant state. This bleeding is controlled and should not produce any adverse side effects. As time goes on, the outer layer of that lines the uterus slowly sloughs off and discharged. This discharge is called lochia. These processes are completely normal and expected. The uterus will normally heal on its own and the bleeding/lochia will stop within six weeks. Know the causes of menstrual bleeding. During a woman's normal menstrual cycle; the uterus is lined with a nutrient-rich coating to prepare for the arrival of a fertilized egg. When fertilization does not occur, this lining shrinks and sloughs off before being expelled from the body, along with the unfertilized egg. Once the old lining is removed, a new lining forms and the cycle begins again. Each menstrual period lasts for two to seven days, and occurs approximately every 28 days, though this varies from woman to woman. Spot abnormal postpartum bleeding. In some instances, postpartum bleeding becomes excessive and poses serious health risks. You are bleeding too much if you soak through one or more sanitary pads per hour, have blood clots the size of a golf ball or larger, or continue to notice bright red blood after four days. This may occur for a number of different reasons, like: Uterine atony — This is the most common cause of excessive postpartum bleeding. It occurs when the uterus is unable to continue contracting — due to prolonged labor, infection, exhaustion, or the use of certain drugs (NSAIDs, nitrates) — allowing the blood to leak freely out of the body. Placental retention or incomplete detachment — Put simply, this is when the placenta fails to completely detach from the uterus. The retained placenta results in postpartum bleeding. Trauma to the uterus — Uterine trauma can happen due to several reasons, such as vigorous labor, attempting to remove the retained placenta (either manually, with special instruments, or with drugs that induce labor as Oxytocin). All of these things can cause injuries to the genital tract or uterus lining, causing excessive bleeding. Other causes — Other potential causes of postpartum hemorrhage include an over-distended uterus (possibly from birthing twins), preeclampsia, infections or obesity.

Note the timing. Examine the color. Note the blood flow. Identify postpartum hemorrhage. Adjust your diet. Take iron supplements. Receive medical treatment for postpartum hemorrhage. Know the causes of postpartum bleeding. Know the causes of menstrual bleeding. Spot abnormal postpartum bleeding.

https://www.wikihow.com/Safely-Keep-Your-Dog-in-the-Yard

How to Safely Keep Your Dog in the Yard

To safely keep your dog in the yard, make sure your yard is surrounded by a fence that's tall enough that your dog won't be able to jump over it. Avoid tying your dog up in your yard since it could get tangled up and hurt itself. Also, don't leave your dog outside with an electric fence since they're dangerous and it's possible that your dog could get through it. Only leave your dog in your yard for brief periods of time since prolonged periods of isolation can make your dog destructive and aggressive.

Check the weather. Extreme heat or extreme cold can potentially kill dogs left outdoors. Some dog breeds, like pugs, are particularly sensitive to extremes in temperature. You should never leave a dog unattended outdoors for prolonged periods of time, especially if the weather is going to be very hot or very cold. Humidity and wind chill can also endanger a pet. All dogs are sensitive to humidity because they pant to cool themselves, and if the air is very humid their bodies will overheat very quickly. Check the weather and the humidity/wind chill levels before leaving your dog outside. Add the air temperature (in Fahrenheit) plus the humidity level, and if that number is higher than 150 your dog is at risk of heat stroke. For example, if it's 77 degrees Fahrenheit with 80 percent humidity, the total (157) is high enough that your dog should stay indoors. If the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius), you should keep your dog indoors. Wind chill can quickly kill dogs left outdoors, regardless of what the air temperature is. Bring your dog indoors if the air temperature or the wind chill drops below freezing in your area. Short-haired dog breeds are generally more uncomfortable in cold weather, while long-haired dog breeds are generally more uncomfortable in hot weather. As a general rule, if you're too warm or cold while exposed to the elements outdoors, your dog will be too. Give your dog water. Dogs need constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. In hot weather, dogs will need to drink even more water. You can help keep your dog cooler in hot weather by adding ice to the water bowl. Provide some shade and shelter. Dogs need relief from the elements, and if you don't let your dog indoors that relief will have to be provided outside. Your dog will also need a place to retreat to if it starts to rain or snow, or if your pet simply wants to feel safe and protected. Dog houses don't protect dogs on hot days. If anything, the confining space actually makes your dog even hotter. Shade from overhead trees is ideal. If you don't have trees in your yard, you can hang tarps across part of the yard to give your dog a breezy, shaded spot. Your dog should also have a covered area to retreat to if it rains. A small dog house or some other type of shelter would be ideal for this situation. Make sure your dog's shelter blocks out the wind if you plan on leaving your dog outdoors during the winter. Your dog should have a raised bed so it is not lying on the ground, whether it's hot out or cold. You may want to consider an insulated doghouse as well to protect against heat and cold. Exercise your dog. Dogs need exercise every day in order to stay physically and mentally fit. If your dog is not getting enough exercise, leaving it outdoors in the yard will lead to bored, restless behavior. That behavior is often destructive and undesirable. You may assume that being outside in the yard is its own form of exercise, but to your dog, it may feel like abandonment. Never leave your dog in the yard without first giving it some type of exercise. Make sure your dog gets at least two long walks each day that leave your pet tired and panting. This will help ensure that your dog isn't bored or restless in the yard. Leave toys outside. In addition to exercise, dogs need time to play. It's good for their minds and bodies, as the physical exhaustion of play is usually mixed with solving puzzles, hunting, or chasing. Try leaving chew toys in the yard, as well as toys that can be filled with food. Kong toys, for example, will keep your dog occupied and make your pet feel like it's working to earn its food. Limit outdoor time. Leaving a dog unattended in the yard is generally considered safe if it's for brief periods of time. However, every dog is different, and some dogs may have intense anxiety about being left alone. This can lead to undesirable behavior issues like digging, chewing, fighting the fence, and incessant barking. Remember that dogs are pack animals. They need companionship, and if you leave them alone outside all the time they may experience psychological trauma. If your dog is alone for prolonged periods of time, it will get bored and create destructive "jobs" to relieve that boredom. To ensure your dog is safe and is not engaging in any behavioral problems, keep unsupervised outdoor time to a minimum. Build a tall fence. The safest way to keep a dog on your property is by having a fenced-in yard. Even if your yard is currently fenced-in, there's always a risk that your dog could potentially jump over the fence or dig underneath it to escape. Make sure your fence is tall enough that your dog won't be able to jump over it. Ask your vet or a qualified dog trainer how high your dog (based on breed, body size, etc.) can realistically jump. Check your fence for weaknesses. A strong dog could easily break through a weak fence or squeeze through a small gap. If you don't want to fence in your whole yard, consider building a dog run. You can buy and connect chain link fence sections, then put a roof over the run so your dog will have shade and won't be able to jump out. Avoid tying or chaining your dog. Though a tethered line may seem ideal for outdoor time, especially for dogs that dig or jump, it's actually quite dangerous. Dogs can easily injure themselves by getting tangled up in a rope, leash, or chain, which is why it's so important to supervise your dog at all times. Accidental strangulation is a significant risk when dogs are left tied up alone for prolonged periods of time. Dog left tied up or chained in the yard frequently have built-up energy and aggression. These dogs may take out that aggression on people, including family members. Some states, counties, and cities actually have laws against tethering dogs. Keeping your dog tied or chained could result in fines and may end with your dog being taken from your home. Learn the risks of electronic fences. Many people falsely assume that a dog can be safely left outdoors with an electronic fence in place. However, electronic fences are actually quite unsafe for dogs. Dogs often run through the fence barrier to chase animals or flee from fireworks and are reluctant to cross back into the yard, leaving them wandering the streets aimlessly. The shock from an electronic fence can be quite painful. It can lead to burns and even cardiac problems. Just because your dog is confined to the yard, that doesn't mean your dog is safe. Other aggressive dogs can easily cross into your yard and attack your dog, while dog thieves can easily steal your pet right out of your yard. Control your dog's barking. Barking is a common problem when dogs are left alone in the yard. Some dogs bark out of fear, some bark to get attention, some think they're protecting the home, and others bark compulsively. When dogs are left alone outdoors they often become confused or bored and develop new tasks (like barking incessantly) to release their energy and pass the time. Sometimes dogs bark in the yard to "defend" their territory. If your dog is engaging in territorial barking, you may need to put up a plastic film or a spray-based glass coating so your dog can't see passersby on the street. Training can help break your dog out of some barking habits. It's generally recommended that you avoid using anti-bark collars, as these essentially punish the dog. Some dogs will simply bark incessantly if left alone in the yard. If this is the case, your dog is likely unhappy being alone in the yard, and the best solution is to keep your pet indoors. Address escape tactics. Dogs may escape a yard out of fear and anxiety or simply out of boredom. However, to your dog, escaping the yard isn't bad behavior; most dogs just see it as a fun, compelling thing to do. Electronic fences and tethering are common solutions for escape tactics, but these options are actually very dangerous (and potentially fatal) for dogs. If your dog compulsively escapes your yard, you may need to keep it indoors. Check the height of your fence to see if your dog could jump over it. You should also check the bottom of the fence for any gaps your dog may be able to squeeze under. Repair broken fences or gaps in the fence. An ideal fence would be a 6-foot privacy fence, but you can also build a securely-fenced dog run anywhere in your yard. If your dog tends to dig, line the fence with rocks or dig a trench and fill it with cement. This can help prevent your dog from getting under the fence. Have your dog spayed or neutered. Dogs that have been spayed/neutered are less likely to run away during heat cycles and less likely to chase or fight other animals. The best way to prevent your dog from escaping out of your yard is to keep your pet indoors as much as possible. This will make it feel like part of the family and will ensure that your dog has limited chances to escape and wander. Handle fears and separation anxiety. Some dogs try to escape when left alone because they are afraid of abandonment. Other dogs flee because they're afraid of something in your neighborhood. In the case of fear, you'll need to determine what your dog is afraid of and gradually expose your pet to that thing. If your dog has separation anxiety, you'll need to work with a trainer or veterinarian to address your pet's behavior. Keep your dog indoors if you can't avoid whatever frightening stimulus is making your dog fearful. You can also provide a relaxing "safe place" where your dog can retreat and hide from unpleasant stimuli. Leaving articles of clothing that smell like you may help calm an anxious dog. Try leaving a shirt or blanket that you've worn/used but have not yet washed and see if it soothes your dog. Anti-anxiety medications are available for dogs. Talk to your vet if you think your dog has severe separation anxiety. The best way to prevent running away out of fear and anxiety is to keep your dog supervised at all times. If you can't be there, leave your dog with a trusted friend or at a doggie daycare facility while you're gone.

Check the weather. Give your dog water. Provide some shade and shelter. Exercise your dog. Leave toys outside. Limit outdoor time. Build a tall fence. Avoid tying or chaining your dog. Learn the risks of electronic fences. Control your dog's barking. Address escape tactics. Handle fears and separation anxiety.

https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Himalayan-Cat

How to Identify a Himalayan Cat

To identify a Himalayan cat, look for the physical characteristics that define the breed like a large, rounded head with full cheeks. A Himalayan will also have rounded eyes, paws, and even the tips of its ears will be round. In addition to roundness, a Himalayan will have short features including a short nose that makes its face look flat from the side. As for its coat, look for fur that is long and thick with a shiny gloss and a thick ruff around the neck. You should also notice a Himalayan's deep, blue eyes immediately.

Look for round features. Himalayan cats have rounded features. They have a large head that is round in shape. Their eyes are also large and round, and they have full cheeks. Even their ears have rounded tips. Himalayan cats also have large, round paws. Check for short features. In addition to round features, the Himalayan cat also has many short characteristic features. They have a short nose that gives their face a flat look, especially from the side. They have small, short ears. Their necks are short and thick, as are their legs. The tail is also short. Notice the long, thick coat. The Himalayan has a very distinctive coat. Their coat is long and thick with a shiny gloss to it. The fur has a soft, fine texture. This long coat covers their entire body. Due to their coat, they have a thick ruff around their neck. A Himalayan will have long fur extending down from the front legs and have long tufts of fur in their ears and on their feet. They have bushy tails. Notice the blue eyes. Aside from the long, white, silky coat, the most identifiable characteristic of a Himalayan is their blue eyes. The color blue is vivid and deep. Look for large, round blue eyes. The Himalayan cat is a human-made breed that crossed a Persian with a Siamese. One reason they used a Siamese is for the blue eyes. Look for a white or fawn body with accent colors. A Himalayan cat will mostly be a white or fawn color. Their face, ears, and tail will have an accent color. These accent colors can be just about any color. Common accent colors include chocolate, lilac, blue, red, cream tortie, blue-cream, and variations of these shades. Assess the body size. Himalayans are not small, light cats. They have larger, thicker bodies that are quite solid and stocky. The breed also has large bones. Between this and the thick fur, they look rather large. Males can weight over 12 pounds, and females generally range between eight and twelve pounds. Recognize common medical problems. Himalayans have a few characteristic medical problems. Due to the Himmie's flat face, they are prone to respiratory problems. This may include trouble breathing, though healthy cats shouldn't have a problem breathing. Neutered Himalayans can develop bladder stones. Look for mild-mannered characteristics. Himalayans are quiet, calm cats. They can be quite sedate, and are very affectionate and love sitting in a human's lap. Though they like to be around their humans, they don't require a lot of attention and do well alone. Himmies like to play, but they do it in their own calm, slow way. Expect to find the Himalayan on low surfaces. Unlike many cat breeds, Himalayans aren't big climbers or jumpers. This is due partially to their shorter legs. Instead of jumping onto counters, tall furniture, or cat trees, they stay lower to the ground. Himmies prefer to sit on chairs and couches than high shelves or platforms. Anticipate a low activity level. The Himalayan cat is not an extremely active or energetic cat. Most of the time they are calm and placid, but occasionally they will have bursts of energy. They enjoy playing with different kinds of toys. Mostly, a Himalayan will prefer to be in your lap, doing whatever you're doing, or napping on the couch. Because of this, Himmies do better with older children than younger ones. Himalayans like playing fetch. They also enjoy dangling toys and even balled up pieces of paper. Find a breeder. If you want to adopt a cat from a breeder, make sure to find a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders will do health certifications to screen for genetic health problems. They also will raise kittens at home and won't isolate them. Start by checking cat breed websites, such as The Cat Fanciers' Association , The Fanciers Breeder Referral List , and The International Cat Association. If you visit breeder websites, watch for red flags. These include immediately available kittens, multiple litters, paying online with a credit card, and your choice of any kitten. If you purchase your cat from a breeder, ask for the pedigree papers for the kitten, which will show the lineage of its parents. This documentation will prove that your cat is purebred. Adopt a Himalayan. Instead of going to a breeder, consider adopting a Himalayan cat. Try Himalayan rescue organizations, such as The Persian and Himalayan Cat Rescue and The Purebred Cat Rescue. Try pet adoption websites. Always double check the characteristics of any advertised Himalayan cat to make sure that the cat is in fact a Himalayan. You can also check your local shelter. Be patient. Finding your perfect Himalayan cat may take time. If you are interested in getting a cat from a breeder, be aware that some breeders may not let Himalayans be adopted until they are old enough to start showing their point colors, which may be between nine and twelve weeks. Make sure to search all avenues, including adoption or rescue, before deciding on whether you are going to adopt an adult cat or get a kitten from a breeder.

Look for round features. Check for short features. Notice the long, thick coat. Notice the blue eyes. Look for a white or fawn body with accent colors. Assess the body size. Recognize common medical problems. Look for mild-mannered characteristics. Expect to find the Himalayan on low surfaces. Anticipate a low activity level. Find a breeder. Adopt a Himalayan. Be patient.

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How to Make Pineapple Lemonade

To make pineapple lemonade, start by making a sugar syrup on the stove. To do this, combine 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of water in a pot over medium heat. Let this cook for 7-10 minutes and then set it aside to cool while you gather your lime juice, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. Once the syrup has cooled, pour it into a pitcher and add in your fruit juices. Then, pour in 5 cups of water and stir everything together. Serve this refreshing lemonade over some ice, garnished with a lemon or pineapple wedge.

Heat up the sugar and one cup of water over medium heat. In a medium-sized saucepan, stir only a cup of the water with the sugar for about 7-10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Set the sugar syrup aside to cool for about 5-7 minutes. Combine the all ingredients into a pitcher. Add the lemon juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, and sugar syrup into a pitcher. Mix well with a stirring utensil until properly incorporated. Pour in the remaining five cups of water. Mix once more until well-combined. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Add ice cubes on top of the lemonade and garnish with lemon and/or pineapple slices. Enjoy! Pour the lemon juice and pineapple juice into a pitcher. Add the water and Sprite. Stir with a mixing utensil until well-combined. Toss in the lemon slices to the lemonade. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Add ice cubes on top of the lemonade and garnish with lemon and/or pineapple slices. Enjoy! Add the lemon juice and pineapple juice into a pitcher. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Add ice cubes on top of the lemonade and garnish with lemon and/or pineapple slices. Enjoy! Place a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the pineapple to the heat and cook. Grill each side for about 5-6 minutes until char marks are visible on the pineapple. The pineapple slices can also be cooked on a grill, but it may take a little longer. Set the pineapple slices on a plate to cool. Whisk the hot water and sugar together in a large pitcher. Combine well until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. Mix the pineapple and lemon juice into a blender. Blend well until properly combined and smooth. Pour pineapple mixture through a strainer on top of the pitcher. Use a wooden spoon to pat down the solids and squeeze in the lemonade. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Add ice cubes on top of the lemonade and garnish with lemon and/or pineapple slices. Enjoy! Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and pineapple into a blender. Blend on high speed for about a minute until properly crushed. Pour the milk and the turmeric. Blend once more until it's well combined. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Add ice cubes on top of the lemonade and garnish with lemon and/or pineapple slices. Enjoy!

Heat up the sugar and one cup of water over medium heat. Set the sugar syrup aside to cool for about 5-7 minutes. Combine the all ingredients into a pitcher. Pour in the remaining five cups of water. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Pour the lemon juice and pineapple juice into a pitcher. Add the water and Sprite. Toss in the lemon slices to the lemonade. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Add the lemon juice and pineapple juice into a pitcher. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Place a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the pineapple to the heat and cook. Set the pineapple slices on a plate to cool. Whisk the hot water and sugar together in a large pitcher. Mix the pineapple and lemon juice into a blender. Pour pineapple mixture through a strainer on top of the pitcher. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and pineapple into a blender. Pour the milk and the turmeric. Store the pineapple lemonade in the fridge to chill. Pour the pineapple lemonade into glasses. Serve.

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Positive-Attitude

How to Build a Positive Attitude

Building a positive attitude is all about reframing negative experiences and becoming more confident. Whenever you have a negative experience, try to see the positive aspect of the situation. For example, if someone is rude to you, instead of focusing on your frustration, take it as a reminder to be nice to people and be grateful you're not a nasty person. Or, if you make a mistake, instead of getting mad at yourself, consider what you can learn from it and how you can improve next time. It's also important to do things you enjoy in your free time, which will help build your confidence and distract you from negative experiences. You should also try to maintain healthy relationships with your friends and family. That way, they can offer you new perspectives and build you up when you're feeling down.

Understand that a positive attitude will reduce negative emotions. Having a positive attitude will help you experience plenty of positive emotions. These are moments when you're not bogged down by negative emotions. A positive attitude can help you find more fulfillment and enjoyment in life. It can also help you recover from negative experiences more quickly. Recognize the link between positive emotions and physical health. Research suggests that stress and other negative emotions can contribute to health issues such as coronary heart disease. Replacing negative emotions with positive ones can improve your overall well-being. Positive emotions can also slow progression toward disease. This happens because positive emotions shorten the duration of negative emotional arousal. Link positivity, creativity and attention. In addition to physical benefits, a positive attitude produces a “broad, flexible cognitive organization and ability to integrate diverse material.” These effects are linked to increases in neural dopamine levels, which improve your attention, creativity, and ability to learn. Positive emotions also improve a person's ability to cope with difficult situations. Recover from negative life events more quickly. Building and maintaining a positive attitude can help you be more resilient to negative life events such as trauma and loss. People who experience positive emotions during bereavement tend to develop healthy long-term plans. Having goals and plans may result in an overall better sense of well-being about a year after bereavement. In an experiment on emotional resilience and stress responses, participants were given a stressful task to complete. The results showed that all participants were anxious about the task, regardless of how naturally resilient they were. But the more resilient participants returned to a calmer state more quickly than the participants who were not as resilient. Recognize that change takes time. Think of building a positive attitude in the same way that you think of building strength or developing fitness. It's an endeavor that takes consistent effort. Identify and nurture your strongest qualities. Focus on your strengths to help create more positive emotional experiences. In turn, this will make handling adversity easier. Make a list of things you enjoy doing or things you're good at. Try to do some of these things regularly. This will build up your reserve of positive experiences. Write in a journal. Studies show that self-reflection can be an effective learning and teaching tool in school and work settings. Self-reflection can be used to help develop a positive attitude as well. Writing down your feelings and thoughts can help you recognize your behaviors and responses. At first, it might seem strange or awkward to write self-reflections. But with time and practice, you'll recognize some behavior and emotional patterns in your writing. This will help you target areas that may be blocking you from your goals. Write about positive things in your day. Review the day and find positive things about it. These can include things that made you happy, proud, awestruck, grateful, calm, content, pleased, or any other positive emotion. For example, recall your morning routine, and spend time noticing the moments you felt peaceful or happy. This might include a beautiful view along your morning commute, or the pleasure of your first sip of coffee, or an enjoyable conversation you had. Take special time to focus on moments where you felt proud of yourself or grateful to someone else. These can be small things, such as gratitude for your partner making the bed. You might also take pride in the way you accomplished a task or completed a challenge you set for yourself. You may find it helpful to start your reflections with the positive moments of your day. Re-experiencing positive emotions can help you adjust your perspective on the negative moments. Write about moments when you had negative emotions. Identify moments in your day when you experienced negative emotions. These might include guilt, shame, embarrassment, frustration, disappointment, fear, or disgust. Do any of these thoughts seem extreme? Perhaps you are mortified for spilling coffee on your boss. Do you think that you'll be fired because of the incident and you'll never be able to find a job again? Extreme reactions to everyday occurrences can block more positive, productive thinking. Reframe negative moments as positive ones. Look over your list of negative moments. Spend time reframing these moments in a way where you can get positive (or at least neutral) emotions out of these experiences. For example, if you experienced road rage on your drive home, reframe the other driver's intentions as making an honest mistake. If you felt embarrassed about something that happened during the day, think about how it was actually a silly or laughable situation. Even if your boss was upset about having coffee spilled on him, mistakes happen from time to time. With any luck, maybe your boss will see the humor in it also. If you don't treat smaller mistakes as life-altering experiences, you will be able to handle situations better. One way to handle the coffee situation is to express your genuine concern that your boss is first and foremost okay and that you didn't burn him. Next, you can offer to go buy him another shirt on your lunch hour, or offer to dry-clean the stained one. Draw on your “happiness reserves. ” Enhanced coping skills lead to increased positive emotions over time. The benefits you receive from experiencing positive emotions are durable. They last far longer than the amount of time you experience happiness. You can draw on these “happiness reserves” at later moments and different emotional states. Don't worry if you feel you're having trouble building positive emotional experiences. You can also use the memories you already have to build your “happiness reserves.” Remember that everyone experiences life issues. It's important to remember that everyone goes through both little and huge life issues, so you're not alone. Reframing your extreme reactions does take practice, as well as time to adjust and accept. But with practice, it is possible that you can let go of little things. You'll be able to look at the larger issues with a level head and see them as opportunities to learn. Tame your inner critic. Your “inner critic” can hurt your progress in building a positive attitude. For example, perhaps your inner critic called you a dummy for spilling coffee on your boss. Your inner critic puts you down all the time and is nasty to you. Reflect on the times your inner critic says things like this. You will gain more insight into the times and situations when your inner critic comes out. Also, you can start to challenge the inner critic and other negative ways of thinking. This is an important part of building a positive attitude. Do things you enjoy. Take time for yourself by doing things you enjoy or that make you happy. It can be hard to take time for yourself, especially if you're someone who tends to put other people first. It might also be challenging if you have a life situation such as having small children at home or taking care of someone who is ill. But always remember to “secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” You are the best caretaker when you are your best self. If music makes you happy, listen to music. If reading books makes you happy, take a little time to read in a calm environment. Go look at a beautiful view, take yourself to a museum, or watch a movie that you enjoy. Stay active doing the things that bring you pleasure. This is a great way to focus on the positive. Take time to think about moments of satisfaction. No one else is watching or judging your review of your day and yourself, so there's no need to worry about seeming arrogant. You don't have to be good at something or please others in order to enjoy it. If you're good at cooking, admit to yourself that you're a talented cook. Likewise, you don't need to be able to charm woodland creatures in order to enjoy singing. Observing moments of satisfaction, pride, contentment or joy in your life and the activities that cause them is a good way to make sure you can repeat them again in the future. Worry less about others. You are not like other people, so there's little reason to judge yourself based on other people's standards. You may enjoy things that other people don't enjoy. You are certainly “allowed” to define for yourself what success means for your life. Avoid comparing yourself to other people. Your view of yourself is very different from your view of other people, just as viewing a Monet painting from one foot away is very different from viewing it from twenty feet away. Realize that the image of someone else that you see may be a contrived image that he or she strives to project. This image may only partially reflect reality. Let go of measuring yourself against other people and basing your self-worth on other people's opinions. This will help you make less subjective inferences about other people's behavior. For example, if you have a negative interaction with a casual acquaintance, don't assume that they don't like you. Rather, assume that there was a miscommunication between the two of you, or that something else is frustrating your acquaintance. Maintain healthy relationships. Relationships are an important part of the human experience, even if you classify yourself as an “introvert,” or someone who recharges by being alone and doesn't feel the need for a large number of friends. Friendships and relationships are a source of support, validation and strength for all genders and personalities. Maintain the healthy relationships in your life with family members and friends. Research demonstrates that your mood can immediately improve after having a conversation with someone you care about and you receive a supportive response from them. Form new relationships. As you meet new people, identify the ones who make you feel good to be around. Cultivate relationships with them. These people will add to your support network and help you continue building a positive attitude. Talk about your emotions with a friend. If you find yourself having difficulty creating positive emotional experiences on your own, turn to a friend for support. You shouldn't feel like you have to bury your negative emotions. Instead, talking them through with a friend helps you resolve them and make room for happier emotions. Put a positive spin on a stressful circumstance. Positively reappraising a stressful circumstance means taking that situation and putting a new spin on it. For example, if you have a daunting to-do list, rather than looking at your list and saying, “There's no way I can get all of this done,” try saying, “I can accomplish most of this.” Try problem-focused coping. Problem-focused coping is where you focus on the problem that is causing you stress and work out its solution. Break down the problem into steps that will allow you to accomplish it. Identify potential hurdles or stumbling blocks and decide how you will deal with them as they arise. For instance, if you are having trouble getting a team of coworkers to work well together, sit down first and analyze the situation. Identify the types of situations going on. Then brainstorm and write down possible solutions for these problems. For example, Jeff doesn't like Sally, and your employer doesn't encourage teamwork and instead rewards the efforts of the individual. Using problem-focused coping, you should assert that, while Jeff and Sally are allowed to not like each other, a standard of professional conduct is expected and reinforce those standards. Then do a group exercise where everyone says three positive things about each other. In connecting team members and completing projects with resounding success, your team can serve as an example to help change the culture in your company. Find positive meaning in ordinary events. Another way people experience positive emotions in the face of adversity is by finding positive meaning in ordinary events and within the adversity itself. Remember that when you practice putting a positive spin on a negative situation, you will be able to do it more easily and naturally. In turn, you will find it easier to put positive spins on negative situations, making your whole life happier and more enjoyable.

Understand that a positive attitude will reduce negative emotions. Recognize the link between positive emotions and physical health. Link positivity, creativity and attention. Recover from negative life events more quickly. Recognize that change takes time. Identify and nurture your strongest qualities. Write in a journal. Write about positive things in your day. Write about moments when you had negative emotions. Reframe negative moments as positive ones. Draw on your “happiness reserves. Remember that everyone experiences life issues. Tame your inner critic. Do things you enjoy. Take time to think about moments of satisfaction. Worry less about others. Avoid comparing yourself to other people. Maintain healthy relationships. Form new relationships. Talk about your emotions with a friend. Put a positive spin on a stressful circumstance. Try problem-focused coping. Find positive meaning in ordinary events.

https://www.wikihow.com/Groom-a-Puppy

How to Groom a Puppy

To get your puppy used to grooming, start grooming it as early as possible. Ideally, your puppy should be ready for a full grooming session by the time it's 16 weeks old. Help it learn to enjoy grooming by offering rewards and treats before, during, and after each step of the process. Gradually introduce your puppy to grooming tools and procedures. For example, let your puppy sniff a new brush before using it, then brush its fur for no more than 2 minutes. As the puppy gets comfortable, increase your brushing time. It's also helpful to establish a regular grooming routine. For example, pick a specific location, such as your bathroom, and have a quick play session there at the same time each day before you start grooming. Remember to be patient with your puppy!

Start early. You may still hear advice circulating that you shouldn't groom — and especially bathe — your puppy before it is six months old, but modern professional advice is to start easing into the grooming/bathing process as soon as possible. By starting the process early, your puppy can be ready for a full grooming session by sixteen weeks of age, about the time when its regimen of puppy shots will be complete. Associate grooming with fun. A puppy that is terrified at the prospect of a bath or cowers at the sight of a brush or nail clippers is never going to be a dog that makes grooming easy or fun. Provide treats and rewards early and often as you prepare your puppy for the grooming process. Reward as you begin a practice session, and during and after each step of the process — holding, handling feet, ears, etc., putting brush to fur, and so on. Practice holding your puppy still — gently but firmly. Do not respond when it squirms, but immediately release and reward it when it stops resisting. Teach that relaxation is rewarded, resistance is not. If your puppy learns the simple equation “grooming = treats” early on, it will be a more agreeable participant in the process for life. Conduct several dry runs. Don't introduce your puppy to grooming by yanking out knots with a brush then dunking the little guy into a tub. Instead, introduce the elements of each step in the process slowly, gently, and with plenty of encouragement and rewarding. Let your puppy examine and sniff the brush before you use it. Start by gently applying the brush to fur for no more than two minutes, then give a reward. Repeat the process several times a day, slowly increasing the brushing sessions. Handle and touch sensitive areas, like paws and ears, for several days before attempting to groom them. Allow your pup to become familiar with the sensation of contact in these areas. Touch nails with the clippers before actually trying to cut them, and try the same with scissors on fur. After about five days of simple contact, you can slowly begin to do actual grooming tasks. Establish a routine. Introducing consistency to the grooming process allows your puppy to immediately recognize and respond accordingly. Just as a dog that hates baths will immediately respond negatively to any sign that one is imminent, a puppy that has learned to like them will react with excitement. Play with your puppy for several minutes before any grooming session. This not only introduces the routine, it also helps wear out your little basket full of energy before grooming. Establish a consistent location for grooming — a mat in the bathroom, a table in the kitchen, wherever it may be. A quiet, comfortable location will work best. Be gentle and patient. This is essential advice for puppy care, in general, and is especially true when it comes to grooming. Expect some squirming, yelping, nipping, splashed water, scattered fur, and a few messes on the floor along the way. If grooming proves to be too much of a challenge for you and your pup, there is no shame in utilizing a professional groomer. The price you pay will be well worth not damaging the developing relationship between you and your new dog. Brush with care. No single brush type, brushing technique, or brushing frequency is right for every dog. You can follow some specific advice by breed/fur type/size group, but expect to go through some trial and error. Long-haired puppies may need to be brushed daily and may require more specific tools like a slicker or pin brush while short-hairs may only need a quick weekly brushing with a simple comb or glove-brush. See How to Groom a Dog for more information of brush selection and brushing technique. Brush as much as needed, but always brush before giving a bath to remove knots and tangles. Start with major parts of the body — back, sides, etc. — and work your way to more delicate or hard-to-reach areas as you go. Don't yank out knots — use quick, firm strokes, and place your other hand on the skin or fur to counter the tugging effect. With puppies especially, remember to offer regular treats and constant praise during a brushing session. Consult How to Brush Mats out of Dog Hair if you have a problem with severe tangles or matting, or see a groomer or your vet. Make bath time fun and cozy. Some puppies like getting wet, others despise it. By choosing a quiet, warm location and employing care and patience, you'll increase your odds of ending up with a clean, happy dog (and less water splashed everywhere). For most puppies, a sink or plastic basin is sufficient for a tub. Use only a few inches of water. Wet the fur thoroughly and use a shampoo specifically formulated for your dog's hair/fur type. Follow the instructions for application and rinsing. Do not, however, wet or use shampoo on the head or face. Even the gentlest shampoo can irritate a puppy's eyes, ears, and mouth. Lather up the rest of the body, including areas like armpits and the groin area, gently but thoroughly. Rinse until the water runs clear. Use a damp cloth without shampoo to clean the head and face, if needed. Keep your puppy warm until it is completely dry, which can take up to 45 minutes, even with a good towel-drying. Advice varies widely on how often to bathe your dog — some say only a couple times per year, others say weekly, still others say simply whenever the dog is dirty. Modern shampoos have largely erased old fears of drying out the skin or hair, but feel free to consult your veterinarian or a groomer for advice on bathing frequency. Never use human shampoo, as it is too harsh for canine skin. Always use a mild dog shampoo. If in doubt, use a doggy oatmeal shampoo, which has mild moisturizing properties. See also How to Wash a Dog for more tips. Consider the haircut. For safety or just stylistic reasons, some people may feel better not attempting to cut their puppy's hair. If so, employing a professional is a smart option. Though more expensive, dog clippers are usually safer and easier to handle for a novice than scissors. See How to Groom a Dog for advice on tools and techniques. Many puppies will respond well (and look fine) with a single-length “puppy cut". Consult general instructions for haircuts according to your dog's breed and/or fur type. The best time for a haircut is after a bath, when the fur is about 75% dry. Be careful, obviously, but also remain calm and encouraging, and offer treats as you go. Take the time to trim nails. Along with a haircut, trimming your dog's nails may be the most worrisome aspect of the grooming process, because of your fear of causing injury. Regular nail-trimming, however, is important in preventing infections (via broken nails), toe malformation (due to overly-long nails), or unwanted scratches. How to Clip Dog Nails discusses nail clipper selection — either scissors-style or guillotine/cigar clipper style — and the use of styptic powder if you accidentally cut the "quick" within the nail and cause bleeding. Start slowly with a puppy, perhaps only trimming one or two nails per session, with regular treats and encouragement. Leaving nails a bit on the long side and having to trim more often is preferable to cutting them down to a nub and risking a pinch or cut, especially with a puppy. Clip off only a small amount at a time. Cutting into the quick and causing bleeding is not a pleasant experience for the puppy or you. Again, rely on a professional to do the trimming if you can't or won't, because it is important to do for your dog's health. If your dog has an excessive fear of nail-trimming (or other fears/issues in general), consider bringing in a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or ACAAB), Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist (Dip ACVB), or Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT). Check the eyes, ears, teeth, and skin. Remember, consistent grooming isn't just about cleanliness. It can also help detect potential problems before they worsen. During a grooming session, visually examine and feel the skin for signs of fleas, ticks, or other parasites, and for unusual or unexplained marks or bumps. Consult your vet if concerned by any findings. It is normal for puppies to have discharge from the eyes. So long as there is not redness, puffiness, or a foul odor to the discharge, gently wipe it away with a damp cloth or cotton ball. Inspect the ears, but do not clean them out without your vet's advice. Contact your vet if you find signs of redness, puffiness, or unusual discharge in either area. Regular dental care is important in preventing puppy periodontal disease. You can buy doggie toothbrushes and toothpaste, or you can wipe the teeth with gauze or a soft cloth wrapped around your finger. Clean the teeth at least two or three times per week. Employ chew toys and teeth-cleaning treats regularly as well.

Start early. Associate grooming with fun. Conduct several dry runs. Establish a routine. Be gentle and patient. Brush with care. Make bath time fun and cozy. Consider the haircut. Take the time to trim nails. Check the eyes, ears, teeth, and skin.

https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Tar-and-Asphalt-from-Clothing

How to Remove Tar and Asphalt from Clothing

If a piece of tar is stuck to your clothing, try filling a bag with ice cubes and rubbing it over the tar. Allow the tar to freeze and become brittle, then scrape it off with your fingernails or a dull knife. To get rid of smaller spots, try coating the affected area with vaseline or warm lard. Alternatively, take your piece of clothing outdoors, and dab a small amount of white kerosine or paint thinner on the spot. Finally, to remove the grease or oil, rub the area with a paper towel or rag.

Peel off as much tar as possible before treating. You can use a dull knife to gently scrape the tar off the fabric. Although hard tar is easier to pick off, the sooner you are able to pick the tar off, the easier the stain will be to remove. If the residue is very hard to get off, try rubbing some petroleum jelly on it and waiting a few minutes before trying to scrape. Test your chosen method on a small area or one garment. Some fabrics may be lightened in color, stained, weakened or have change in texture, grain or the lay of its nap from some of these cleaning methods. Do not dry with heat. Put pieces or cubes of ice in a plastic bag and rub the bag over the tar, if a piece or glob of tar is stuck to the fabric. Let the tar freeze (harden) to become brittle. Peel away the brittle tar with finger nails or a smooth, dull knife (like a butter knife or case knife), spoon or an ice cream stick, when tar has hardened. Coat and soak with one of the following oily products/solvents: Warmed (not too hot) lard, bacon grease or chicken fat-drippings; Vaseline, petroleum jelly, or chest vapor rub, mineral oil; Automobile tar and bug remover; Vegetable cooking oil; Orange hand cleaner. Or, take clothing outdoors and spray the spot with penetrating oil (WD40 or such) -- not near a flame or cigarette, etc. Similarly, take clothing outdoors and dab a small amount of white kerosene, paint thinner, mineral spirits, turpentine, alcohol or lamp-oil (not gasoline) onto a persistent stain with a white paper towel or cleaning rag -- not near a flame or cigarette, etc. Consider using fingernail polish remover as your solvent -- not near a flame or cigarette, etc. Remove dissolved, oiled, greased tar by rubbing with paper towel or cleaning rag. Repeat oily treatments, before washing: try a different solvent (volatile kinds, kerosene for instance), if the cooking fat or oil wasn't sufficient -- choosing from options above for stubborn spots. Do this after one of the previous methods, or by itself. Treat with a prewash stain remover. Prewash stain removers come as a stick, a spray, or a gel. Test the prewash stain remover on a part of your clothes that won't be noticed to make sure it doesn't affect the color of your garment. Apply the prewash stain remover directly to the stain. For sticks, rub the stain liberally with the stain remover. When using a spray stain remover, spray the stain until it is fully saturated. A gel stain remover should be applied liberally, until the stain is covered. Let the prewash stain remover sit on the stain for a period of time. Check the bottle for instructions on how much time to let it work. Apply a liquid enzyme laundry detergent to the stain. Tar and asphalt stains are oil stains, so you need an enzyme laundry detergent to remove them. Pour the enzyme laundry detergent directly onto the stain. Use a towel or paper towels to tamp the stain by pressing firmly on the stain and then lifting the towel back up. Press the stain several times with the towel, making sure to use a clean part of the towel every time you tamp. Launder the clothing in the hottest water possible for the fabric. Look at the tag on the clothing to find out what temperature water it can be washed in. Wash the clothing using the enzyme laundry detergent. Hang clothes to air dry. Allow your clothing to air dry to avoid setting any part of the stain that wasn't completely removed. If the stain remains, repeat the steps using a dry-cleaning solvent in place of the prewash stain remover.

Peel off as much tar as possible before treating. Test your chosen method on a small area or one garment. Do not dry with heat. Put pieces or cubes of ice in a plastic bag and rub the bag over the tar, if a piece or glob of tar is stuck to the fabric. Let the tar freeze (harden) to become brittle. Peel away the brittle tar with finger nails or a smooth, dull knife (like a butter knife or case knife), spoon or an ice cream stick, when tar has hardened. Coat and soak with one of the following oily products/solvents: Or, take clothing outdoors and spray the spot with penetrating oil (WD40 or such) -- not near a flame or cigarette, etc. Similarly, take clothing outdoors and dab a small amount of white kerosene, paint thinner, mineral spirits, turpentine, alcohol or lamp-oil (not gasoline) onto a persistent stain with a white paper towel or cleaning rag -- not near a flame or cigarette, etc. Consider using fingernail polish remover as your solvent -- not near a flame or cigarette, etc. Remove dissolved, oiled, greased tar by rubbing with paper towel or cleaning rag. Repeat oily treatments, before washing: Do this after one of the previous methods, or by itself. Treat with a prewash stain remover. Apply a liquid enzyme laundry detergent to the stain. Launder the clothing in the hottest water possible for the fabric. Hang clothes to air dry.

https://www.wikihow.com/Dye-Faux-Fur

How to Dye Faux Fur

To dye faux fur, use a dye that's formulated for synthetic fibers, which you can find in most craft and fabric stores. Once you have your dye, pour some into a large bucket or basin filled with hot water and a pinch of salt. Before you add your fur to the dye bath, soak it in hot water for 1 hour, which will help it absorb more dye later on. Then, transfer your fur to the dye bath and let it soak for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Purchase dye made for dyeing synthetic fibers. Many companies manufacture different kinds of dye based on the fabric you will be coloring. For best results, choose a dye formulated for synthetic fabrics. Regular dye may not absorb into the synthetic fibers, or may result in patchy coloring. You can find synthetic dye in craft and fabric stores as well as online. Protect yourself and your workspace. Dye can easily stain your skin and the surfaces in your home. To avoid this, lay plastic sheeting or several layers of newspaper over your workspace. Keep paper towels handy to clean up any drips or spills, and wear old clothes or an apron as well as rubber gloves to protect your hands. Fill a bucket with hot water and the recommended amount of dye. Choose a bucket or basin large enough for the faux fur to fit loosely in. Read the directions on the package of dye to determine how much water and how much dye to use. Use the hottest water available from your faucet. Use a stainless steel spoon, dowel rod, or similar instrument to thoroughly combine the dye and water. Avoid using a porcelain sink or tub, as the dye may stain in. Opt for plastic or stainless steel, instead. Add a pinch of salt to the basin to help the fur absorb the dye. Any kind of salt will do, and you only need a small amount, such as 1 tablespoon (15 mL). Stir it into the dye bath until it has dissolved completely. Soak the faux fur in hot water for 1 hour. In order to help the dye absorb into the fibers, you'll need to wet the fur before dyeing it. Submerge it in a tub, sink, bucket, or basin full of the hottest water available from your faucet for 1 hour to ensure all the fibers are thoroughly soaked. Then, remove the fur and wring out the excess water. Submerge the fur in the dye bath. Carefully place the faux fur in the basin or bucket filled with water and dye. Make sure that all parts of the fur are completely submerged in the dye bath. Allow it to soak for up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir the dye bath and flip the fur over every 15 to 30 minutes to ensure the fabric evenly absorbs the color. When you flip the fur, check the color to see if you've reached the desired shade. Keep in mind the color will fade a bit when rinsed and dried, so allow it to soak until it is a shade or two darker than you want. Remove the fur from the dye bath. Make sure to keep your rubber gloves on to protect your skin from becoming stained. Carefully take the fur out of the dye bath, then hold it over the bucket or basin for a few minutes to allow for dripping. Then, transfer the fur to a stainless steel sink or move it outside so you can use the hose to rinse it. Rinse the fur with cool water until the water runs clear. To remove excess dye from the fur, rinse it under cool, running water until no more dye comes off the fabric. Wring out the excess water. Allow the fur to air dry. Hang the fur up to dry, like over a shower rod using a sturdy hanger or outdoors on a clothesline. Take care to place plastic sheeting or newspaper underneath it if drying it indoors. Clean up your workspace. It's important to wash your bucket or basin as soon as possible. Use mild dish soap and a sponge or rag that you don't mind throwing away to scrub the bucket and stir stick. Set the color in the clothes dryer. Once the fur has air dried, transfer it to the clothes dryer. Ensure no other clothing items are in the dryer, even though the dye shouldn't transfer to other items if it was rinsed thoroughly. Use a medium heat setting and run the dryer through one complete cycle. The heat will set the dye and prevent it from rubbing off. Read the care tag to ensure the fabric can go in the dryer first!

Purchase dye made for dyeing synthetic fibers. Protect yourself and your workspace. Fill a bucket with hot water and the recommended amount of dye. Add a pinch of salt to the basin to help the fur absorb the dye. Soak the faux fur in hot water for 1 hour. Submerge the fur in the dye bath. Allow it to soak for up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the fur from the dye bath. Rinse the fur with cool water until the water runs clear. Allow the fur to air dry. Clean up your workspace. Set the color in the clothes dryer.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Onion-Smell

How to Get Rid of Onion Smell

If you need to get rid of the smell of an onion on your hands, rub a stainless steel utensil over your skin while washing your hands under warm running water. The sulfur in the spoon will draw the odor away from your skin. You can also wet your hands and rub coarse salt into your skin to remove the smell. To get rid of the smell of onions from your home, bring afew cinnamon sticks or a sliced lemon to a boil on your stove. Then, simmer the water until the smell is gone.

Rub your hands with stainless steel. This is one of the most commonly used home remedies for getting rid of the pesky onion smell from your hands. After you've finished handling the onion, grab a stainless steel spoon. Run your hands under warm water while rubbing your hands and fingers with the curved area of the spoon. The sulfur in the steel helps draw out the odor in your skin and can eliminate the smell. You can use any object that is stainless steel. Knives and other utensils are often made of this material. You can also rub your hands along your sink or faucet because they are often made of stainless steel as well. They also make stainless steel shaped like soap that you can buy to keep in your kitchen. Rub salt into your hands. Take about a palm full of coarse salt. Wet your hands slightly with warm water. Rub the salt all around the areas that smell. Then, rinse your hands with warm water. This should help draw the odor out of your skin. You can also add a little bit of lemon or lime juice to the mixture. This will help reduce the odor and leave your hands smelling citrus fresh. This method has the added bonus of being a natural exfoliation technique. Not only will your hands smell fresh, they will feel smoother and softer. Cleanse your hands with baking soda. One of the most widely used odor eliminators is baking soda. Whether it is your smelly refrigerator or shoes, baking soda helps get rid of odors all over your house. Your hands aren't any different. Mix baking soda with a small amount of water, forming a paste. Rub the baking soda paste into your hands, gently scrubbing the most odorous areas. Rinse and dry your hands well. Wash your hands with coffee grounds. Fill your hands with a generous amount of used coffee grounds. Slightly wet your hands. Wash your hands with the grounds like you would with soap. Rinse and dry your hands. Not only can this help reduce the smell of onions, your hands will smell delicious like coffee. Make sure you do this method with used coffee grounds. Fresh grounds won't have the desired effect. Rub your fingers in vinegar. Take a small amount of vinegar. Rub it into the skin that smells like onions. Rinse your hands under hot water and dry them. The acid in the vinegar can help draw out the odor in your hands. Your hands may smell too much like vinegar after you do this. The good thing is that, unlike onions, the smell of vinegar will come out if you wash your hands with soap and water. Apply dry mustard to your hands. Sprinkle dry mustard into the palm of your hand. Wet the area, mixing water with the mustard to make a paste. Rub it on your hands. Rinse and dry your hands. The components in the mustard can help draw out the scent in your hands. Make sure you use the right kind of mustard. Don't use a dried clump of bottled mustard. The kind of mustard you want is dry mustard. It is a yellow powder that is used in many recipes. It can be found with the spices in most grocery stores. Coat your fingers in mint toothpaste. Toothpaste often has baking soda and other odor fighting ingredients. Much like it helps eliminate bad breath caused by onions, the toothpaste may help with the smells on your hands as well. Put a dollop of toothpaste about the size of a pea in your palm. Rub it in to the odorous areas of your hands. Rinse and dry your hands. Make sure you use the white paste kind of toothpaste and not the gel kind. The gel toothpaste does not have the same kind of properties as the white kind. This method will also leave your hands smelling minty fresh. Boil cinnamon sticks. Take one or two cinnamon sticks and place them in a pot of water. Put the water on high heat, bringing it to a boil. Let the mixture boil for a while, releasing the scent of the cinnamon into the air. The cinnamon will help disguise the odor in your kitchen and house. Make sure you watch the water levels in your pot. You want to keep plenty of water in your pot so it doesn't burn and cause more unpleasant smells in your kitchen. Slow cook baking soda. Just like it eliminates odors on your hands, you can use baking soda to reduce odors in the air as well. Take a few tablespoons of baking soda and combine it with a generous amount of water in a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to low heat and leave the top off. The heated baking soda will help pull the odors from the air. Instead of just eliminating odors, you can turn this method into an air freshener as well. With the baking soda, try adding a few drops of vanilla, a few teaspoons of your favorite spices such as cinnamon or clove, some essential oils, or a few slices of lemon. The baking soda will still eliminate the smell and the extra ingredients will replace the smell of onion with a fabulous new fragrance. Simmer lemon water. This method will leave your house smelling citrus fresh. Slice a lemon and place it in a pot full of water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low, simmering the mixture. The acid in the lemon will help pull the odor out of the air and leave a nice scent behind. You can also try this with oranges or limes. The acidic content in each fruit is similar and will have a similar effect. Make sure you watch the water levels in your pot. You don't want your mixture to burn. Bake a dessert. A good way to chase out the scents left behind by onions is to bake something to replace the smell. Try baking cookies or a cake. Anything that has a naturally pleasing aroma will help cover up the odor of the onions and exchange it for the smell of baked goods. The added bonus is that you will have a yummy dessert after you're through. Use vinegar and vanilla. Before you start chopping your onion, mix some vinegar with a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Sit it next to your cutting board or work area while you cut the onion. The mixture can help soak up the smell coming from the onion and keep it from making your entire kitchen smell. Move it next to the stove if you plan on cooking your onions. This way, it can help reduce the smell coming from the cooked onions as well. Burn candles. Burning candles can make a room smell great, but you can also use them to help reduce the scents left behind from cooking. Burn a candle in your kitchen to help reduce the odors left behind from chopping and cooking onions. Try scents that have citrus or vanilla in them. The extracts used to make these scents will help reduce the odors that remain in the air in your kitchen and around your house.

Rub your hands with stainless steel. Rub salt into your hands. Cleanse your hands with baking soda. Wash your hands with coffee grounds. Rub your fingers in vinegar. Apply dry mustard to your hands. Coat your fingers in mint toothpaste. Boil cinnamon sticks. Slow cook baking soda. Simmer lemon water. Bake a dessert. Use vinegar and vanilla. Burn candles.

https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-Your-Ex-Still-Cares

How to Tell if Your Ex Still Cares

To tell if your ex still cares about you, watch for friendly and consistent communication, which could be a sign that they want to be a part of your life again. For example, if they regularly reach out to you or like your social media posts, they most likely care about you. Furthermore, pay attention to if your ex brings up old memories a lot, since an ex who is interested in you may tend to reminisce. If you're still not sure how your ex feels, ask them if they have time to talk and share your feelings with them. In some cases, you may decide to get back together. However, if they expressly say that they would rather move on, don't try to change their mind and let them go.

Watch for friendly and consistent communication. After a breakup, friendly communication means that your relationship is still positive. This means that there is a chance that they still hold a flame for you and want to remain involved in your life. Some signs of their possible interest are: Frequent “hello's” and “hi's” even if you've already seen them once that day. These little greetings can mean that they still want to talk to you, but are too nervous and unsure to take further steps. Reaching out to check in via phone or text often. Commenting or liking your social media posts regularly. Sending you pictures of themselves having fun, looking attractive, or doing something you would enjoy. Watch for inconsistent or disrespectful communication. In comparison to communication that is positive, watch out for exes who stalk, manipulate, or frighten you. If your ex refuses to take no for an answer, then the feelings they have are not ones of love, but of obsession and control. Watch out and stay away from exes who don't respect your space. Also, if you have an ex who only contacts you once every few months or only after they've ended a relationship, then they likely do not care for you and are only seeking attention. Notice body language. An ex who wants to get back together will often try to be close to you when they do see you. They might hug you, kiss your check or display other types of physical affection to show that they care. If they are still very emotional about the breakup, they might also look down, avoid eye contact or even cry. Their feelings may show in their actions. They might laugh louder, smile a bit too much, or their voice might be higher pitched. These are signs, sometimes called micro-expressions, that they may still have feelings that they now can't control or are trying to hold back. Assess the frequency of your “run-ins” or times you hang out. If your ex tries to schedule get-togethers or makes an effort to frequent the places you frequent, they are trying to spend time with you. Maybe they're trying to get your attention or perhaps they just enjoy and miss your presence. Run-ins may mean that they're looking for a chance to ask you about your feelings. Make particular note of the places you find them at that they never went to or enjoyed before you two dated. Consider any gifts that have been given. Your ex might continue to go out of their way to do nice things for you like sending you birthday gifts, Christmas cards, or gifts on special occasions. This is a sign that they still appreciate you and want to make you happy. For some, gifts are a way of showing love and affection. Your ex may be trying to show those feelings for you. Pay attention to their social media. If they post statuses about moving on, it may mean that they're trying to get over you, or convince themselves to do so. If they're posting more direct things like, "missing my ex," this probably means that they really do miss you! Perhaps they wanted you to read that post so you would know their true feelings. See if they have deleted all photos of the two of you. Getting rid of your shared memories is often a major indicator that they really do want to move on. Ask your mutual friends. Though you should not try to put your friends in the middle, you can ask them casually how your ex is doing lately, especially if you have not heard from them. They may tell you if your ex cares. However, if your friends don't want to share, don't force them. Say something like “I was at the library the other day and I remembered the time that Dave and I went. How is he doing lately?” If you are very close to them, then you can be blunt. Say “Do you think Dave still has feelings for me?” Pay attention to signs of flirting. Your ex might be hinting at the fact that they still care very coyly or they might be very direct with you. Notice signs that your ex is flirting include touching you often, complimenting you, winking, or using pickup lines. If they display these actions and are communicating with you regularly and being kind to you, then they might still have feelings. If your ex is not particularly flirtatious, this could be an even bigger sign that they still care. Make note of times they’ve said “I miss you. ” Sometimes, your ex might say things that will directly indicate that they still care. If they are telling you that they miss you or miss being around you, this is a clear sign that they still have feelings for you. Notice if they bring up old memories. Exes who are still interested in you or who have feelings will also have a tendency to reminisce. By doing so, they are trying to get you to remember the good times that you had together in hopes that you might want to reconnect. Consider the times that they have brought up trips you went on, inside jokes that you shared, or just fun you had in general. See if they mention who they’re dating now. An ex that still cares for you might try to make you jealous to see if you care, too. If they regularly talk about their dates or share details about their new significant other, it can be a clear sign that they still have feelings. Notice in particular the times that they bring up who they're dating completely out of the blue. For instance, if you are talking about homework or your family and they randomly mention their new love interest, then they might be trying to make you jealous. Remember also how they treated their exes. If they often flirted with and kept open communication with their exes, then perhaps they are just possessive and not really intent on getting back together. Make note of how often they ask about your love life. An ex that still has feelings for you might also try to keep tabs on who you're dating. If they regularly ask you things like “So, who are you seeing now?” or say “Did you see that movie with someone you're dating?”, they might still care for you. Make note also if they make jokes about who you date. They might be trying to tarnish that person's image in your head so that you find them less desirable. If your ex is shooting dark looks at people who flirt with you or trying to steal you away from spending time with others, this is a sign of possessiveness. They don't want you to move on without them. Notice their compliments. If your ex compliments you, especially on your looks or on things they previously complimented you on during your relationship, it is possible that they are trying to get on your good side. They might also be trying to make you feel special or renew your shared past. Notice if they apologize often. An ex that still cares for you might have done a lot of soul searching about your relationship and have come to feel remorse. In order to get back in your good graces, they might be apologizing a lot more now than they did in your relationship. They may feel sorry for what they have done and hope that an apology will help you two reunite. Be calm, clear, and casual. Ask, “Do you have some time to talk? Can we go somewhere private?” This may be a scary step that many people don't want to take, but the best way to know how someone else feels is to get a straight answer from their mouth. You can find them and talk to them in-person, then and there, but it is probably best to negotiate a future time and place to meet. If you are nervous, use a non-invasive form of communication like a phone call, chat, or text to communicate your feelings. Choose a place where you will both be on comfortable, even ground. Choose to talk in an easy going public place, like a cafe or a park. Your ex may be nervous about sharing their feelings with you and worried that they are unrequited. Make them as comfortable as possible by talking in a quiet and neutral location. Give yourself and your ex plenty of time to have a long talk. Avoid having the talk when you have a major assignment due or if you have a meeting soon. Be at your best. If you want to get your ex back, look your best during this talk. Wear your favorite outfit and style your hair nicely. You can use this time to both attract your ex and make yourself feel good, confident, and worthwhile. Tell your ex how you feel. The more honest you are about your feelings, the more inclined they are to be honest about theirs. Tell them your feelings. Be calm and clear. Maybe say “I still have romantic feelings for you,” or “I still care about you, as more than a friend.” Tell them if you're regretting the breakup and want to get back together again. Provide specific reasons like “I miss you because we had so much fun together” or “I really enjoyed being together. You made me feel such peace.” Listen to their thoughts. You may have a lot of pent up emotions that you want to let out, but remember that they might, too. Allow them to tell you how they feel. This will allow you to know definitively whether or not they still care or want to get back together. If they expressly say they want to leave the situation, let them go. Don't try to control them or force them to talk about things they don't want to discuss. Make peace with the outcome. If your ex still cares for you and you both decide to get back together, then move forward and create a stronger, more resilient relationship. Work out your previous issues to prevent them from cropping up again. However, if you determine that they no longer have feelings for you, this is okay, too. Move forward without them by learning to be alone, spending time with friends, and committing yourself to school or work. You can date again when you feel ready.

Watch for friendly and consistent communication. Watch for inconsistent or disrespectful communication. Notice body language. Assess the frequency of your “run-ins” or times you hang out. Consider any gifts that have been given. Pay attention to their social media. Ask your mutual friends. Pay attention to signs of flirting. Make note of times they’ve said “I miss you. Notice if they bring up old memories. See if they mention who they’re dating now. Make note of how often they ask about your love life. Notice their compliments. Notice if they apologize often. Be calm, clear, and casual. Choose a place where you will both be on comfortable, even ground. Be at your best. Tell your ex how you feel. Listen to their thoughts. Make peace with the outcome.

https://www.wikihow.com/File-a-Slander-Lawsuit

How to File a Slander Lawsuit

You can file a slander lawsuit when someone harms your reputation by lying about you. For example, if someone says you were involved in a crime and you weren't, they would be liable for slander if you can prove it. Since slander lawsuits are difficult to win, you'll need to hire an attorney. Don't worry if you have low income. You can still hire a public attorney for free. Work with your attorney to prepare a complaint, which details the slander and the injury that it caused you. For instance, if you lost your job due to someone lying about you, you could claim the missed income as reparations. You'll also need to provide evidence that they lied about you. File your complaint with the court where the slanderer lives or where they said the lie. You'll then have the opportunity to settle your claim out of court or go to trial.

Understand the definition of slander. Slander is a type of defamation. Defamation is the communication of a false statement that harms a person's reputation, decreases respect for that person in the community, or induces people to have negative feelings against that person. Defamation encompasses both spoken and written statements. Most states incorporate both slander and libel into "defamation" suits, so you will probably be filing your suit under the tort of defamation. Libel is defamatory information that can be seen. This could include the publication of photographs or written material. Statues, movies, effigies, and other visual media may also be libelous. Slander is defamatory information that is spoken and heard. This could include untrue accusations and false statements spoken to someone else. Defamation spoken over broadcast media, such as TV and radio, is generally treated as libel because broadcasting reaches a much larger audience and thus has a larger impact. Determine whether the statement was false. No matter how awful or mean, a true statement cannot be slanderous. You must be able to prove that the statement is false. Slanderous statements are statements of fact that can be proven or disproven, not statements of opinion. For example, if someone says “That restaurant is the worst restaurant in the history of this town,” that statement will not be slander, because there is no way to prove that the statement is false. The statement is an opinion, and is not objectively based on facts. However, if someone says “I found three roaches in my pasta at that restaurant,” that statement could be slanderous if it was untrue. This statement makes a claim of fact, unlike the previous statement. You could determine through investigation whether there were actually roaches in the pasta. For example, you could take statements from others eating with that person, as well as from the chefs who prepared the pasta. It is a good idea to include evidence of falsity in your initial complaint. This will make it more difficult for the speaker to bring up the truth of her statement as a defense. Determine whether the statement was an opinion. In the United States and many other countries, people have an absolute right to state opinions as long as they are clearly stated as such. This also applies to clear rhetorical ploys, such as obviously false or hyperbolic statements. For example, “I think Jack is a woman-hating jerk” is an opinion, not a statement of fact. It cannot be considered slanderous. However, the statement “I think Jack abuses his girlfriend” implies a more serious allegation. Even though the words I think are still present, the seriousness and specificity of the allegations might give grounds for a slander suit if the statement is proven false. As an example of rhetorical ploys, someone stating that a political figure is a “terrorist” for raising taxes will not likely make the speaker liable for slander. It is obvious that the speaker did not literally mean that the politician was a terrorist, and it is reasonable to presume that anyone who heard the statement would understand that. Determine if the statement was published. To prove that you have been defamed by a slanderous statement, you must prove that the statement was “published.” This means that a third party other than you and the person who spoke the statement must have heard the statement. A statement does not have to be published in a book or magazine to meet this requirement. A statement that is spoken on television or a radio show, or is said in a speech or even in loud conversation, will qualify as published because someone else heard it. Determine whether the statement injured you in some way. Laws against defamation are intended to protect people from the effects of false statements. In order to win a slander lawsuit, you must show that you were injured by the false statements. Courts do not usually presume damages from slander as they do with libel. The suing party (you, in this case) must prove that actual, quantifiable damages occurred. To show that your reputation was injured by the false statement, you must have evidence. For example, you could show that you lost your job or were treated badly at work because of the untrue statement. Or you could demonstrate that your friends and family would no longer associate with you after hearing the statement, or that you were harassed by the press. To prove mental anguish, you would likely want to have the testimony of a physician or mental health professional. However, if you already have a bad reputation, it can be difficult for you to prove that the statement you're alleging as slander caused you any meaningful damages. Asserting that you already had a bad reputation is a common defense in slander lawsuits. A statement that embarrasses you is also not likely to be found as slanderous. To count as slander, a statement must cause you serious, actual damages. Embarrassment does not usually do this. Some states consider certain allegations of slander per se, or inherently slanderous. For example, accusations that you committed a crime, had an infectious or loathsome disease, or are unable to perform your job are generally treated as slander per se because they show a clear intent to cause harm. In these cases (in states that allow per se consideration) you do not have to prove injury to make a valid claim. Determine that the statement was not privileged. To qualify as slander, the statement must be “unprivileged.” This means that in some situations, even if someone makes a false statement about you, you cannot recover against them because that statement is privileged, or protected. Legislators who make statements within the performance of their "legislative activities," i.e., on the floor or in committee proceedings in the US Congress or state legislatures, are privileged. They cannot be sued for slander for statements made in these situations. There are some situations where lawmakers and courts have decided that the First Amendment principle of freedom of speech protects slanderous statements. These situations may involve court proceedings. If witnesses and parties to lawsuits could be liable for the slanderous comments they make while on the witness stand, they might be unwilling to testify. For example, witnesses who make false statements at a deposition -- a type of court proceeding -- cannot be sued for slander. However, they may be criminally prosecuted for perjury. If you are involved in a lawsuit and the opposing party makes false statements about you during a deposition given in connection with that lawsuit, you will not be able to sue them for slander even if you can prove that the statement was false, was published, and injured you in some way. This is because the statements given during a deposition are privileged. Determine if the statement is protected because the target is a public figure. Under the US Constitution, the public has the right to criticize the government and other public figures. Therefore, it is very difficult for public figures to recover for defamation. For a public figure to prove defamation, s/he must prove all of the elements above. In addition, s/he must prove that the person who said the statements said them with “actual malice.” Actual malice means that the person who made the slanderous statement knew the statement wasn't true, didn't care whether it was true or not, and acted with reckless disregard for the truth. People who are not elected officials but are influential or famous, like movie stars, must prove that whoever made the slanderous statement about them spoke with actual malice in order to recover for slander. Determine whether the statute of limitations has passed. In many US states, there is a statute of limitations for defamation suits. In other words, there is an “expiration date” past which you cannot sue for slander or libel, even if you can prove the statements were untrue, published, and caused you harm. Check your state or jurisdiction's regulations regarding this limit. For example, in the the state of Georgia, the statute of limitations is one year. In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations is three years. Findlaw has a list of each US state's statute of limitations. Look for an attorney. Defamation suits are very difficult to win. Because of this, you will want to hire an attorney who is experienced in civil litigation to help you with your slander suit. If you have low income , don't despair. Many attorneys offer pro bono services to low-income applicants. Because most defamation suits are contracted on a contingency basis, meaning the attorney takes his/her fees out of whatever damages you are awarded, an attorney may be willing to work with you even if you cannot afford the fee upfront. Search for civil litigation attorneys in your area. In most cases, you will file your slander complaint in the state district court presiding over the location where the statements were said and heard. (There are some exceptions, which will be covered in the next part.) There are many ways to locate an attorney. The American Bar Association maintains a database of local bar associations. These bar associations usually have free referral services. Your state's Bar Association website will likely have a directory of licensed attorneys. In many cases, such as Ohio's State Bar Association, these directories are searchable by location and specialization. If you have low income, try using a public interest website such as LawHelp.org. They focus on finding attorneys for people with low incomes. There are many online directories for attorneys. For best results, use more than one. Popular directories include Lawyers.com, LawInfo.com, and FindLaw.com. Ask your friends and family for a referral. Friends and family are usually the best place to start when researching attorneys, because you can ask them about their personal experiences with the attorney. Ask about specifics of their experience. Was the attorney upfront and clear about fees and services? Was the attorney on time and prepared for appointments? Was the attorney or someone involved in the case available when you had questions? Was your friend happy with the service s/he received? Check online reviews. Several websites offer reviews of attorneys. It's a good idea to check these reviews for any attorneys you may be considering. Don't rely on this information as your only source, but it may be helpful in making your decision. Websites offering attorney reviews include Avvo, FindLaw, Lawyers.com, and Martindale-Hubbell®. Check the attorney's disciplinary records. Once you've narrowed your list of candidates down to two or three, using referrals and reviews to guide you, check their disciplinary records. You don't want to hire an attorney who has been found guilty of malpractice, disciplined for ethics violations, or had his/her license suspended. For most states, you can check an attorney's record with the State Bar Association. In some states, you will go through the state Supreme Court's disciplinary board or commission. You can find a guide to where to search for an attorney's record on FindLaw. Some disciplinary actions are fairly minor, such as the attorney failing to pay bar fees on time. It's up to you to decide whether a disciplinary action is sufficient for you to disqualify the attorney from consideration. You should not hire an attorney who has been disciplined for anything major, such as ethics violations or malpractice. Contact your candidates. With all of this information in hand, choose 2 or 3 top candidates and call their offices. In many cases, they will offer a free preliminary consultation via phone. Many will also offer free in-person consultations. Start with the telephone consultation and ask the following questions to determine whether to proceed with a formal interview. What does the attorney charge for consultations? Be wary of attorneys who charge for an initial consultation. This is a sign they charge hourly, which is not a desirable situation for a slander case. What percentage of damages does the attorney take if you win the case? Contingency fees vary, but usually range between 30-40%. How many similar cases has the attorney handled? What were their outcomes? You want to know that your attorney has experience in your type of litigation. Can the attorney provide you with references? Be aware that the attorney must get permission from former clients before s/he can give you references, so you probably won't get these immediately. What type of information will you need to bring to an in-person meeting? Having a list of documents the attorney will need will be helpful. Meet with your candidates. If you're satisfied by the answers to your telephone questions, schedule an in-person interview. This is very important. You need to feel comfortable working with your attorney. Trust your "gut" here. If you're uncomfortable or feel pressured to agree to a contract (which is unethical), look elsewhere. Ask about the attorney's qualifications. Basic information can be found online, but asking this in person allows you to gauge your attorney's confidence and forthrightness. Ask about fees and costs. Be very leery of civil litigation attorneys who charge by the hour. This could be a sign that they aren't confident in your case. A contingency arrangement is by far the most common in defamation suits. Make sure that you are absolutely clear on what costs you need to pay up front and what percentage you can expect your attorney to take home if you win. Ask about the attorney's experience working in similar cases. Does the attorney have a good record of winning similar cases? Does s/he sound confident about yours? What advantages does this attorney offer that her/his competitors may not? How, specifically, does the attorney plan to achieve your objective? Listen to your attorney. Once you have interviewed your candidates and chosen an attorney, listen to him or her. S/he will understand the litigation process and will walk you through it. An attorney is ethically and legally obligated to pursue your best interests. Trust that s/he knows what s/he's doing. This doesn't mean you shouldn't ask questions. Whenever you're unclear, ask! Your attorney should be responsive and informed. If your attorney doesn't answer questions for days or weeks on end, this may be grounds for breach of contract and you can find another attorney. Complete your complaint with an attorney. Because slander suits are so difficult to win, it's a good idea to have an attorney assist you in preparing and filing your complaint. Create your complaint. To sue someone for slander, you must prepare a document called a complaint that you will file with the court. You can model your complaint on existing examples. However, you must make sure that you check in the state where you will file your action for any specific formatting requirements. To find out about specific state rules, look online or call the clerk of court. The complaint includes the grounds or cause of action for you slander lawsuit. Many states have downloadable PDFs of defamation forms available on their court websites. You can use these as a template to prepare your own complaint. Check with your state's website to find the forms used in your state, if possible. For example, California provides these forms here. Write out the cause of action in your document. The cause of action includes the false statements said about you, and any injury you suffered because of the statements. For instance, in the earlier example, the cause of action would include the false statement: “I found three roaches in my pasta at that restaurant.” The injury you suffered might be a statement such as “after the roach comment, the restaurant lost $10,000 worth of business.” Include any evidence you have regarding the statement. It is a good idea to provide evidence that shows the statement was untrue. Any evidence you can provide to show the damage you have sustained should also be included. For example, to use the “roach in the pasta” example, you may have taken written statements from a fellow diner who heard the roach complaint and from the chef at the restaurant who states there were no roaches. Include copies of these statements to show that the statement was published (a third party heard it) and that it is untrue (the chef says there were no roaches). If you have lost business or money or your job because of the false statement, provide evidence for this. For example, you could bring bank statements or receipts showing that your restaurant has made less money in the month since the roach statement was made. Make at least three copies of the complaint. Usually, you will need at least three copies: one for yourself, one for the defendant, and one for the courts. Contact your local clerk of court to make sure you have the right number of copies. Go to the court that has jurisdiction over the slander lawsuit. The state district court presiding over the location where the statements were said and heard is the proper place to file the lawsuit. For example, if a news anchor in New York City made a slanderous remark about someone who lived in Wisconsin, a New York court would have jurisdiction over the complaint. However, the court in Wisconsin could also have jurisdiction over the complaint if someone who lived in Wisconsin heard the statement (for example, via a phone conversation or on TV). Think carefully about where you file the complaint. Slander suits may also be filed where you live or where the defendant lives. However, if you and the defendant live in different states or jurisdictions, the defendant may be able to require you to attend a federal court close to them. (This precedent was established in International Shoe v. Washington.) Bring a copy of your complaint to court. Make sure that you have filled out any required forms and cover pages. If you are not sure what your court requires, contact the clerk's office or look on their website. Some states require that all civil suits filed begin with a “cover page” that is specific to that court. If you are required to submit your suit with a cover page, you may be able to print the page from the court's website. You can also get a copy at the courthouse. Give the court clerk a copy of your complaint. You do not need to make an appointment with the clerk, just make sure that you go to the courthouse to file your complaint during its regular business hours. You can find the regular hours of your court on its website or by calling your court clerk's office. The clerk should also be able to answer any questions that you may have about local court rules or procedures. Ask any questions before you file the complaint. This may save you from costly mistakes later. Pay any fees required to file the complaint. A filing fee is required in order to file your complaint. Filing fees vary in amount based on the state, but most are between $100 and $300. The fee may also vary depending on the amount of damages you are seeking. If you have low income or are indigent, you may qualify for a fee waiver. Typically, you will have to file a form with the court to see if you qualify. Requirements vary by state and jurisdiction. For example, in California, you may be eligible to file for a fee waiver if your family income is less than $1,226 for a household of one, $1,659 for a household of two, etc. Even if you qualify for a fee waiver, you may be required to pay fees later if your financial situation improves during the case, or if you settle your suit for a certain amount or more. Get verification of filing. Ask the clerk to give you a “stamped” copy of your complaint once it is filed. This is verification that you filed the complaint on the day you did, and should be kept for your records. The complaint could be referenced in later proceedings, so it is important to keep a copy available. Understand your serving options. As a party to the lawsuit, you cannot personally serve the defendant with a copy of the complaint. You can choose from several options. Usually, the court will facilitate the service for you. Your options may vary depending on your location. Ask the clerk of court for your options. Serve the other party using certified mail. You can ask the clerk of court to send the complaint by certified mail with a return receipt. There is usually a small fee for this service, around $10. Remember that you cannot mail a copy of the lawsuit to the other party yourself. Serve the other party using personal service. Personal service means that a third party will hand a copy of complaint to the defendant in the suit. Usually, the sheriff in the county where you file the suit will personally serve the defendant for a small fee. When you file your complaint, tell the court that you want “sheriff service” and the clerk will facilitate the service. Serve the other party using a private server. In most states, you are also allowed to hire a third party to serve the other person with the complaint. Serve by publication. This type of service is only available by permission of the court if you are unable to locate the defendant's address. In this type of service, the court publishes notice of the lawsuit in the local newspaper for a specified period, usually a couple of weeks. The service is valid whether or not the defendant actually sees it. You can discover other serving options in the United States on the US Marshals website. One of the most common reasons for civil complaints to be dismissed is “inadequate service,” or a failure to give the other party adequate notice and a chance to respond. Keep track of the days after your complaint is filed. After you file your lawsuit and serve the defendant, the defendant usually has 30 days to respond to the suit. If the defendant responds with an “answer,” the suit will continue to go forward. When the defendant files their answer, the court will mail you a copy of the answer with instructions on how to proceed. You automatically win the lawsuit if the defendant doesn't file an answer with the court clerk. This is called a default judgment. Keep a record of damages. To win a slander lawsuit, you must prove that you were damaged as a result of the slander. During the discovery process, your claims will be investigated. Keeping records of the damages will make this process go faster (and thus, be cheaper). Keep a record of any damages to you. For example, if you lost your job because of the slanderous statements, keep a record of how long you were out of work. Note the salary you were making when you lost your job. Keep track of any additional expenses, such as gap health insurance, that you had during this time. If you had to seek medical or psychological treatment as a result of the slanderous statements, keep all of your medical records and doctor bills. Keep a list of people who could serve as witnesses to the damages you experienced. Participate in the discovery process. Discovery is when investigation into the facts of the case occurs. Both parties will exchange their documents and ask written questions through their attorneys. These are called interrogatories. Interrogatories are answered under a sworn oath. You must be truthful. You will probably be asked about your own statements, your witnesses and their statements, as well as any other facts related to your case. The other side has the right to examine any documents you plan to use in the case. Your attorney will handle these document requests. Undergo deposition. Once interrogatories and document exchanges are complete, you will have to give a deposition. A deposition is a statement, sworn under oath, that is given in front of a court reporter who records everything you say. Depositions are always "on the record." Your attorney will help prepare you for your deposition. In general, though, there are two rules to remember: Don't guess at anything. If you don't know something, just say "I don't know" or "I cannot speculate about that." Guessing in a deposition can get you into trouble. Never give more information than is asked for. It's tempting to launch into a long-winded defense of yourself. However, this is generally a bad idea, as it's a prime way for the other party's attorney to try to trap you into a contradictory statement. Answer questions with only the information requested. Don't volunteer more information than is asked for unless your attorney has coached you otherwise. Attempt to settle your complaint. If the defendant contacts you or your attorney and asks to resolve or settle the matter, consider your options. Talk with your attorney about your chances of winning the suit, and the possibility of obtaining a settlement from the defendant that you are happy with. Going to court can be very expensive. Sometimes the jury does not decide in your favor even if you are the correct party. Additionally, sometimes the money that you are awarded by a jury is less than you wanted or expected. Generally, settle the case if you can to save time and money. You'll have a better chance of recovering monetary damages. Consider Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). ADR involves any method of resolving a legal dispute other than litigation. The two most common forms of ADR are mediation and arbitration. Mediation uses a trained individual to mediate negotiations between both parties. It can be very successful and is widely used to work out settlements amenable to both parties. Arbitration is a simplified version of a court trial. Rather than a judge or jury, your case will be decided by an arbitration panel, who are chosen by both parties. The process of discovery (investigation) and evidence presentation are streamlined. These hearings usually only last for a few days or weeks. Proceed with the suit. If you decide not to settle, mediate, or arbitrate, you will have to proceed to a court trial. At trial, both parties will present their evidence to prove their case. The ultimate decision will be up to a judge and/or jury. You may have the option to choose between a bench trial and a jury trial. In a bench trial, only a judge hears the evidence and makes a ruling. In a jury trial, the jury is responsible for making the decision. A judge or jury can decide a slander suit based on many factors. However, because slander cases involve spoken statements, courts are likely to be very protective of the defendant due to a concern to preserve First Amendment free speech rights. Consult with your attorney. Your attorney should have the expertise you need to win your suit. Defamation suits involve a lot of investigation, as well as other things such as jury selection. Allow your attorney to do his or her job. Be prepared to testify. If your case goes to trial, you should be prepared to testify to your side of the case in court. Your attorney will prepare you to testify. Don't guess about information. You are under oath to tell the truth, so don't speculate. As in the deposition, say you don't know if you're asked a question you can't answer. Don't give your opinion of the other party. This can damage your credibility and could even the other party grounds for a defamation suit of their own. Stick only to the facts. Keep calm. You may be very angry, but keep your cool while testifying. Outbursts or retaliatory statements can convince the judge and/or jury that you should not recover damages.

Understand the definition of slander. Determine whether the statement was false. Determine whether the statement was an opinion. Determine if the statement was published. Determine whether the statement injured you in some way. Determine that the statement was not privileged. Determine if the statement is protected because the target is a public figure. Determine whether the statute of limitations has passed. Look for an attorney. Search for civil litigation attorneys in your area. Ask your friends and family for a referral. Check online reviews. Check the attorney's disciplinary records. Contact your candidates. Meet with your candidates. Listen to your attorney. Complete your complaint with an attorney. Create your complaint. Write out the cause of action in your document. Include any evidence you have regarding the statement. Make at least three copies of the complaint. Go to the court that has jurisdiction over the slander lawsuit. Bring a copy of your complaint to court. Give the court clerk a copy of your complaint. Pay any fees required to file the complaint. Get verification of filing. Understand your serving options. Keep track of the days after your complaint is filed. Keep a record of damages. Participate in the discovery process. Undergo deposition. Attempt to settle your complaint. Consider Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Proceed with the suit. Consult with your attorney. Be prepared to testify.

https://www.wikihow.com/Harvest-Cranberries

How to Harvest Cranberries

To harvest cranberries, wait until the fall when they turn from green to bright red. If you want to harvest dry cranberries from a field, use a mechanical picker to collect them. If you're harvesting cranberries from a bog, start by flooding the bog by pumping water into it, which will cause the cranberries to detach from their stems. Then, use a net or vacuum to collect the cranberries floating on the water's surface.

Know the right time of year to pick cranberries. Cranberries ripen in the fall. You can tell when they begin to ripen because they will change from green to bright red in color. This happens at the beginning of September and generally ends in mid-November. Cranberries that are dry harvested are less likely to get damaged than wet harvested berries. Dry harvested berries are the ones sold fresh at markets and stores. Be sure to harvest by the first frost of the year for good quality berries. Choose a dry day. Dry harvesting of cranberries cannot be executed if there is any moisture on the plant. This includes rain, dampness from a frost or even dew. If there is any sign of wetness on the plants, hold off harvesting until things dry out. Walk a mechanical picker through the fields. Similar in workings to a large, push lawn mower, the picker mows over the field. It has moving comb-like fingers that separate the berries from their vine. The berries are then shifted into an attached container, like a grass catcher. The berries in the container are then collected and sent to be processed. The one downside to the mechanical picker is that the machine can occasionally damage berries. Damaged berries are best used for juices and sauces. If you are not growing many cranberry bushes, you could consider picking your cranberries by hand. While this takes a good deal of time, it is a more affordable way to pick the berries. Picking by hand is not recommended if you have a cranberry bog. Invest in a mechanical picker, which you can order online or through your local yard supply store. You can also rent or borrow a mechanical picker before you buy to decide if you want to make the investment. You can also use a handheld scoop if you only have a few bushes. This is much more cost effective for a few bushes than a mechanical picker. Know that cranberries grow in bogs. The reason that there are two ways to pick cranberries (dry or wet) is because cranberries grow in bogs. What a lot of people don't know is that bogs are not always wet, thus farmers are able to dry harvest the berries. The other harvesting option is to flood the bogs with water. Cranberries float, so when the bogs are flooded, detached berries from the stems and float to the top of the water, where they are able to be scooped up. Flood the bogs. The harvest begins a day before the farmer actually collects the berries as he pumps water into the cranberry fields. The amount of water can range from six up to about 18 inches (45.7 cm). These bogs are impermeable--specifically created with layers of various growing mediums--so flooding them is not difficult. However, keep in mind that flooding harvest requires that you prepare the ground before you flood it. It is also only worth doing if you have many bushes. If you only have a few, then picking by hand is your best bet. Stir the waters. Machines, fondly called 'egg beaters' are used to agitate the waters. This process separates the cranberries from their vines. Because cranberries grow with a little pocket of air inside them, they float. All loosened berries come to the surface of the water. Collect the berries. A net is stretched from one end of the bog to the other. It is walked across the field and gathers the berries as it moves. Instead of a net, sometimes a machine like the boom of a boat is used to gather the berries. Pick up the cranberries. Cranberries are then vacuumed up and into trucks to be shipped out to a processing plant. These berries arrive to consumers in some kind of processed form--either juice, sauce or other processed foods. Wet harvesting does more damage to the berries than dry harvesting, which is why these berries are made into sauces, juices or jellies. Sort the berries for qualities. One of the best ways to do this is to look at the color of the berries. Depending on where your berries grow, their colors can range from light, but vibrant, red to a very dark crimson color. They should also be firm to the touch. These berries are the ones that make it into the fresh produce section of your grocery store. They are best used for cooking and baking. Bounce the berries. While this may sound strange, a great way to sort the best berries from the not as great ones is to bounce them. Quality berries are firm and springy--meaning they bounce off the ground nicely. They bounce because of the air bubbles inside the berries. Don't throw them as hard as you can at the floor, but a simple drop against a flat surface should be enough to tell you whether or not your berries have the bounce. Keep the bouncy berries and discard the rest. You can either use the fresh ones in a recipe, or freeze them for later use. You might also consider drying some of the cranberries for a delicious snack. Fresh, bouncy cranberries will last for up to two months in the refrigerator.

Know the right time of year to pick cranberries. Choose a dry day. Walk a mechanical picker through the fields. Know that cranberries grow in bogs. Flood the bogs. Stir the waters. Collect the berries. Pick up the cranberries. Sort the berries for qualities. Bounce the berries. Keep the bouncy berries and discard the rest.

https://www.wikihow.pet/Help-Your-Cat-Lose-Weight

How to Help Your Cat Lose Weight

To help your cat lose weight, start by bringing your kitty to the vet to make sure there aren't any underlying health issues contributing to the weight gain. Next, switch your cat over to a high-quality canned food, since wet food has fewer calories than dry food and you can control the portions more easily. Then, help your cat exercise by providing toys, scratchers, and climbing posts for it to play with. It also helps to spend 30 minutes each day playing with your kitty!

Get your cat checked by your vet. Though it may be tempting to switch your cat's diet right away without going to the vet, this could create a serious health issue for your cat called hepatic lipidosis. This is a life-threatening form of liver disease that can develop in obese cats who have a drastic shift in their diet and do not eat properly. So it is a good idea to bring your cat to your vet for a check-up and a consultation before you put her on a weight loss plan. Your vet will do a physical exam of your cat to determine her level of obesity. She may also do some diagnostic testing on your cat to ensure she does not have any underlying diseases or health issues that could affect her weight loss. Once your cat is cleared of other medical issues, your vet should discuss your cat's weight loss options with you. One common health issue for overweight cats is diabetes. If your vet determines your cat is diabetic, she will likely recommend a nutritional program to help your diabetic cat lose weight safely. Your cat may also need insulin injections, which can be discussed in more detail with your vet. Determine your cat’s target weight. To figure out how much food you should give your cat to help her lose weight, you will first need to determine your cat's target weight with the assistance of your vet. Your vet will use the results of the physical exam and an ideal body weight formula to come up with a target weight for your cat. Your cat's ideal weight will also be based on her body size and her build. The average domestic cat should weigh around 8-10 pounds or 3.6-4.4 kg. Depending on how obese your cat is, your vet may recommend a target weight for your cat that is higher than the average weight for her size and build. If your cat weighs 18 pounds, for example, her ideal weight may be around 10 to 12 pounds. But your vet may suggest you aim for a goal weight of 15 pounds so it is realistic and manageable for both you and your cat. Once your cat reaches a realistic goal weight, your vet may recommend that you work towards a lower body weight. Your cat should lose weight gradually over an extensive period of time. If her goal weight is 15 pounds and she currently weighs 18 pounds, for example, you should get her to lose one pound a month for three months. Stretching out her weight loss so it occurs gradually will ensure she does not develop liver issues or other health problems. Figure out your cat’s ideal calorie intake. To determine how many calories your cat should consume every day, you will need to calculate your cat's resting energy requirement (RER). This is the amount of calories she needs to stay healthy when she is not doing any physical activity. You can use the following formula: RER in kcal/day = 30 (body weight in kilograms) + 70. You will need your cat's body weight in kilograms to calculate her calories per day. To help your cat lose weight, you should feed her about 80% of the RER or multiple her RER by 0.8. For example, if her ideal weight is 10 lbs, you should try to have her eat 210 calories a day. If her ideal weight is 12 lbs, she should have 230 calories a day. Keep in mind the daily calorie intake should be used as a guideline. Do not underfeed your cat, as this can lead to health issues. Your vet may also give you more specific recommendations for your cat's diet. Look for canned high quality food for your cat. For many overweight cats, canned wet food can be an effective way to lose weight. Many cats enjoy wet food over dry food and the canned wet food allows you to control how much food you give your cat every day. Look on the canned food labels for the calorie count and give your cat only enough food to fulfill her ideal calorie intake for the day. Canned wet food is also better than dry food because it does not allow your cat to nibble on food all day long, which often happens when your cat is bored or eating just to eat. Aimless eating can often lead to further weight gain. Your vet may be able to recommend high quality brands of wet food that you can give your cat. If your cat has diabetes, your vet may be able to recommend a food brand that contains ingredients that will not irritate your cat's diabetes. Transition your cat slowly into her new diet. To avoid freaking out your cat's system, you should allow for one to two weeks to transition your cat into her new diet. Most cats will adapt fairly well to a new diet as long as they are eased into it. Begin by mixing ¼ of her new diet food with ¾ of her old food for two to four days. Then, increase this to ½ of her new food and ½ of her old food for another two to four days. Increase this again to ¾ of the new food and ¼ of the old food for three to five days. After five days, you can switch her completely to her new diet food only. You should also create a feeding schedule where you feed your cat two to three times a day at the same time every day. This will help her get used to her new food and help her body adapt to her new food intake. If you have other pets, you should feed your overweight cat separate of the other animals so you can monitor her food intake. To encourage your cat to eat her new food, you can add a small amount of flavoring such as ketchup and salmon or tuna juice. You can also try warming up the food so it is warm and appetizing to her. Add dietary supplements to your cat’s diet. Feeding your cat less food will also mean she is going to get fewer nutrients. You should give your cat supplements to ensure she stays healthy and active. Your vet can recommend several supplements you can give your cat, such as omega-3 fatty acid supplements and a multi vitamin. If your cat is diabetic, your vet may also give you detailed instructions on how and when to give your cat insulin injections. Some diabetic cats do so well on an adjusted diet that they eventually no longer need insulin injections. You should monitor your diabetic cat closely and bring her to the vet before taking her off her injections. Give your cat low calorie treats. Your overweight cat likely gained some of her weight from too many high calorie treats being thrown her way. Avoid giving your cat table scraps from your meals, as these are often high in fats and sugars. In general, treats should make up no more than 10% of your cat's daily calorie intake. Low calorie treats include air-popped popcorn that is unsalted and unbuttered, pieces of broccoli or cooked green beans, and baked or frozen canned diet food. You can slice up canned food and bake the slices until they are crispy or freeze them as a small snack for your cat. You can also look for low calorie commercial treats for your cat. However, check the ingredients to ensure the treats are not high in sugar, fat, or empty calories. If possible, you should try to substitute a treat with a kind act, like grooming your cat or letting her play with a new toy. Often, cats will respond just as well to your undivided attention as they would to a treat. . Play with your cat Participate in your cat's weight loss by playing with her at least once to twice a day. Use her toys to initiate a 30-minute play session with your cat where you are running around together inside. You may want to also motivate her by giving her a low calorie treat after each play session as a reward. Get your cat to chase around her toys and chase you when you are holding her toys. You may want to change up her toys so you use a different toy every time you play with her. . Try walking your cat on a leash Some cats enjoy going for a walk on a leash and some cats do not. The only way to determine where your cat stands is to try to walk her on a leash around the block. It may be challenging for some cats, especially if they are primarily indoor cats. But going for a walk once a day can be a good form of exercise for both you and your cat. Put climbing and scratching posts in your cat’s space. Give your overweight some motivation to move around and exercise when she is indoors by putting in climbing and scratching posts. The posts should have multiple levels with different scratching areas. This will force your cat to climb and stretch to get to certain areas on the post. The posts should also have platforms that your cat can sit on and rest on, as most cats enjoy having multiple vantage points in a space. You may want to put your cat's toys on different areas of the post to encourage her to climb and stretch for the toys. Create interactive toys with toilet paper rolls and boxes. You can also encourage your cat to get moving by making simple, interactive toys. Stack several toilet paper rolls on top of each other to form a pyramid and hide low calorie cat treats in the rolls. You can also cut holes in a cardboard box and stick treats in the box that your cat has to move, shake, and toss to access. These kind of interactive toys can encourage your cat to play and exercise throughout the day. They are especially useful for cats who are indoor cats and do not spend much time playing or running around outside. Weigh your cat regularly. You should weigh your cat on the same scale at the same time of day once a day. You may need to use a smaller sized scale to weigh your cat to ensure the numbers are accurate. Note your cat's daily weight in a log and pay attention to how much weight your cat is losing every week or every month. The weight loss should be consistent and gradual. When recording your cat's weight, you should also pay attention to any plateaus your cat hits, where she appears stuck at a certain weight. This is bound to happen. The plateau should drop over time as long as you continue with her diet and exercise program. Monitor your cat’s progress in a written log. Keeping track of your cat's weight loss will give you a better sense of the effectiveness of her diet and her level of exercise. Write down her food intake, including any treats, her level of exercise and her weekly weight. You should make sure your cat is only eating within her ideal calorie intake and that her weight continues to go down at a steady pace. If she starts to gain weight, you may want to consider her diet and if anyone is cheating in your household by giving her extra treats or extra food. Another good way to monitor your cat's progress is to take before and after pictures of your cat. You can do this at the beginning of her diet and then take pictures every month to monitor her progress. Make sure you are also talking to your vet on a regular basis and reporting your cat's weight loss progress to your vet. Your vet should be part of the monitoring as this will allow her to pick up on any possible health issues or problems in your cat as she loses weight. Adopt a long term diet and exercise plan for your cat. You should make monthly appointments with your vet to ensure your cat is losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way. Once she hits her goal weight, you should adopt a long term plan so she keeps the weight off. You can increase her food intake slightly but you should make sure she is still exercising and eating healthy. You should also make sure she does not gain weight consistently for two weeks or gain more than 3% of her weight within one week, as these are indicators that she may be headed back to obesity. Instead, focus on making her diet and exercise a sustainable and normal thing for her.

Get your cat checked by your vet. Determine your cat’s target weight. Figure out your cat’s ideal calorie intake. Look for canned high quality food for your cat. Transition your cat slowly into her new diet. Add dietary supplements to your cat’s diet. Give your cat low calorie treats. . . Put climbing and scratching posts in your cat’s space. Create interactive toys with toilet paper rolls and boxes. Weigh your cat regularly. Monitor your cat’s progress in a written log. Adopt a long term diet and exercise plan for your cat.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Low-APR-on-a-Car-Loan

How to Get a Low APR on a Car Loan

To get a low APR on your car loan, take a short-term loan if you can afford to, since longer term loans come with higher interest rates. Alternatively, try to make a large down payment to the dealer, which will increase your chances of getting a low rate. If you have to negotiate with the dealer for a larger loan, get a pre-approved loan from your bank first so you can use it as a bargaining chip with the dealer. Additionally, talk to other dealers in your area so you have the option of walking away if the dealer refuses to budge.

Get your credit report. Most dealers will offer you an APR based on your income and credit score. Consumers are entitled to one free credit report per year from a credit bureau. The federal government authorized annualcreditreport.com to issue free credit reports. You can alternately choose from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian, or see this guide. Your credit report does not come with a free credit score. It would be nice to know your credit score, but you should be able to get an idea of how good your credit is based on the report alone. The most common credit scoring model is FICO. The FICO score is calculated based on amounts owed (30%), new credit (10%), length of credit history (15%), credit mix (10%), and payment history (35%). Shoot for a score as close to 850 as you can, but the upper 700s will get you good loan rates as well. Some credit card companies and banks will automatically generate a FICO score for you each month. You may receive this report for free, or you may have to pay extra for it. Check average interest rates in your area. You need to walk into the negotiating room aware of the rates others in your area are getting. There are numerous companies who compile interest rate reports that you can find with a simple web search. You can also check your bank's website to find their rates. Get proof of income. The second criteria car dealers use to determine your interest rate is your income. Bring a pay stub, tax return, or other government document that indicates your income. Showing job stability will help you get a better interest rate. Shop around for cars. Getting fixated on a dream car makes it easier for dealers to manipulate you into higher interest rates. Find multiple cars so you have the flexibility to walk away from a bad deal later on. Unless you are in the market for a rare car, you should be able to find several similar vehicles in your area. Find interest rates for dealers and banks. The best loan may be with a dealer, a bank, or a credit union – it just depends on the business or institution. Think about the perks of borrowing money from each place. Though one institution may have higher rates, it may be more convenient for you. Taking a dealership loan is not always a bad idea. In addition to the convenience factor, they may have special programs that help you keep your car on the road. Get information about all they offer with their loans, but be wary of 'add-ons' that pad the offer but have little value. Bank loans usually have lower APRs. Despite legislation to cap APR rates and loan markups in many states, you will often get the best deal at your bank. If you use multiple banks, you will be able to choose the best rate. Credit unions generally have much lower rates for auto loans. Look at the most up-to-date report from the American Credit Union Administration to see how banks and credit unions compare. Consider a car ownership program. Many people with low income have little defense against exploitative loaning practices. There are numerous programs to help low income families obtain and pay for cars. Check with nonprofits to find a car ownership program in your area. Get pre-approved for a bank loan. Whether you end up taking the bank loan or not, having one in hand is a powerful bargaining chip when you talk to a car dealer. If you suspect a car dealer has made you a bad offer, talk to your bank. Until you sign the papers, your pre-approved APR from your bank may get you a comparable rate. Take a shorter term loan if possible. APR rates increase dramatically based on how long you choose to pay back the loan. A standard short-term loan is 36 months. This information will be in the loan information you found for your bank when you were doing your homework. A shorter payback time equals higher monthly payments, however, so evaluate whether you can afford the additional cost. On average, car owners spend about 11% of their income on car payments. Make a large down payment. Car dealers prefer to receive as much cash up front as possible. Offering to make a larger down payment than necessary is a bartering chip you can use to get a lower APR. It will also decrease the size of your payments, and maybe even allow you to choose a shorter payback period. Exchange additional offers for a lower APR. Dealers use add-ons such as cash rebates, minor car improvements, and incentive programs to increase the cost of the car. Some of these, however, are 'back-end products,' meaning that they have not yet been installed or gone into effect. Tell the dealer you would like to trade some add-ons for a lower APR. Be ready to walk away. Though it doesn't apply to all, the usurious used car dealer stereotype exists for a reason. If you are getting a bad deal and they won't budge, walk away. If you did your homework, you will have several more options. Even if they don't give you a better deal to get you back to the negotiating table, you will probably have better luck with another more trustworthy dealer.

Get your credit report. Check average interest rates in your area. Get proof of income. Shop around for cars. Find interest rates for dealers and banks. Consider a car ownership program. Get pre-approved for a bank loan. Take a shorter term loan if possible. Make a large down payment. Exchange additional offers for a lower APR. Be ready to walk away.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Baking-Soda

How to Use Baking Soda

To use baking soda, mix it with dish soap, vinegar, and warm water in a spray bottle to make an all-purpose cleaner. You can also add a cup of baking soda to your washing machine drum when you're doing laundry to help whiten your clothes and eliminate odors. If something smells bad, sprinkle some baking soda onto it and wait a little while for the bad odors to be absorbed. You can even dissolve 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda in water to make your own mouthwash.

Make an all-purpose spray cleaner for the house. In a spray bottle, combine 1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of liquid dish soap, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vinegar. Shake the mixture and allow it to bubble and settle. Then, fill the bottle the rest of the way with warm water. Always shake the bottle before using. This spray can be used in the kitchen and bathroom, on floors and walls, to clean the sink and refrigerator, and to wipe down appliances and other surfaces. Baking soda is slightly alkaline and mildly abrasive, so it can be used effectively as a cleaner around the house. Make a tougher scrubbing paste for multipurpose cleaning. For stains, tough jobs, and baked-on foods, make a baking soda paste by combining equal parts baking soda and coarse salt. Then, add a few drops of liquid dish soap and just enough water to stir the mixture into a paste. Apply the paste with a clean cloth, soak for 10 minutes, and then scrub the area before rinsing. This paste can be used to scrub a number of surfaces, including: Dishes with baked on foods Storage containers with sauce stains Teacups, coffeepots, and teapots with stains Microwaves and ovens with baked-on foods and grease Dirty grills Grimy showers and sinks Use baking soda to absorb grease and oil spills. You can use baking soda to absorb grease and oil in the kitchen, on dishes and appliances, and even in the garage floor or on the driveway. For oil and grease spills outside, sprinkle baking soda over the spill and leave it to absorb for about 10 minutes. Scrub the area with a brush and rinse it with a hose. Inside, sprinkle baking soda over the spill and wipe it with a clean cloth after 10 minutes. To remove grease from dishes, add a scoop of baking soda to the soapy dishwater and soak the dishes for 10 minutes before scrubbing clean. Boost your laundry detergent. Baking soda can get your laundry cleaner by cutting grease, whitening, and eliminating odors. Just add 1 cup (240 mL) of baking soda to the washing machine drum and wash your clothes using your regular detergent and washing settings. Baking soda is particularly good for deodorizing gym clothes, sports gear, cloth diapers, baby clothes, musty towels, and other stinky fabrics. Deodorize small areas with an open box of baking soda. Baking soda absorbs and eliminates odors, and there are many ways you can use it to deodorize small areas. For enclosed spaces, open a box of baking soda and place it on a shelf or under a seat. This method is ideal for deodorizing: Small rooms Refrigerator Closets Cars Absorb smells from upholstery and carpeting. Sprinkle liberal amounts of baking soda on the furniture or floor. Let the baking soda sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuum the area thoroughly. Make appliances and bins smell better. You can also sprinkle baking soda directly on smelly objects and appliances to improve their odor. Sprinkle ⁄ 2 cup (120 mL) of baking soda into the bin, bowl, or drum of a stinky hamper, garbage bin, drain, toilet bowl, garbage disposal, dishwasher, or washing machine. Absorb smells from personal items. Because baking soda is non-toxic and safe to consume, it's also great for deodorizing shoes, toys, and other small personal items. Sprinkle on some baking soda, let it sit for 15 minutes to absorb smells, and then dust off the baking soda outside. Rinse your mouth and freshen your breath. Dissolve ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of baking soda in ⁄ 2 cup (120 mL) of warm water. Rinse your mouth and gargle with the solution for 30 seconds. Then spit out the mixture and rinse your mouth with fresh water. This simple mouthwash can eliminate bad breath, kill bad bacteria in your mouth, and help prevent tooth decay. Clean brushes and combs. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water and 1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda. Place your combs and brushes into the bowl and let them soak for about 30 minutes to remove oils and residue. Remove the combs and brushes from the solution and rinse them with fresh water. Pat them dry, and leave them to air dry completely. You can also use this same method to clean and deodorize toothbrushes, retainers, dentures, and other oral appliances. Use 2 teaspoons (10 g) of baking soda per 1 cup (240 mL) of water to clean these items. Add it to the bath to soothe and soften skin. Small amounts of baking soda can be dissolved in water to help soften skin and even alleviate diaper rash. Fill a large bucket, footbath, or baby bath with warm water and add 2 tablespoons (30 g) of baking soda. Soak your feet or hands in the bath for about 10 minutes to soften skin. For diaper rash treatment, dip the baby's bottom in the water. In very small amounts, baking soda can be safe to use for diaper rash because it will help to neutralize the acid (found in urine and feces) that's causing the rash. Only use baking soda sparingly and in small quantities on your skin, as the high pH can irritate and damage the skin. Add 1 teaspoon (5 g) to baked goods to help them rise and spread. When the baking soda combines with liquid and acid, it creates carbon dioxide bubbles that will help breads, cookies, and other baked goods to expand. You can add baking soda to any recipe that contains a liquid (such as water or milk) and an acid, such as: Lemon juice Cream of tartar Sour cream Buttermilk Vinegar Neutralize the acidity in foods. The alkaline nature of baking soda will cut the acidity in foods that have too much. For instance, if you're making tomato soup or sauce and find that it's too acidic, stir in 1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda to neutralize the flavor. You can also add baking soda to lemonades, store-bought soups and sauces, canned tomatoes, and even tea to cut the acidity and bitterness. Make your own baking powder in a pinch. You can make your own baking powder by combining 2 teaspoons (7 g) of cream of tartar with 1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda. Whisk the powders together thoroughly to produce 1 tablespoon (14 g) of baking powder. Use equal parts homemade baking powder as a substitute for the store-bought version. Scrub fruits and vegetables. Wet your produce with a small amount of water and sprinkle baking soda over the skin. Scrub the fruit or vegetable with a damp cloth to remove dirt and residue. Rinse the fruit or vegetable with fresh water before eating or preparing.

Make an all-purpose spray cleaner for the house. Make a tougher scrubbing paste for multipurpose cleaning. Use baking soda to absorb grease and oil spills. Boost your laundry detergent. Deodorize small areas with an open box of baking soda. Absorb smells from upholstery and carpeting. Make appliances and bins smell better. Absorb smells from personal items. Rinse your mouth and freshen your breath. Clean brushes and combs. Add it to the bath to soothe and soften skin. Add 1 teaspoon (5 g) to baked goods to help them rise and spread. Neutralize the acidity in foods. Make your own baking powder in a pinch. Scrub fruits and vegetables.

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Pok%C3%A9mon-Deck

How to Build a Pokémon Deck

To build a Pokemon deck, try to have around 20 Pokemon, 25 trainers, and 15 energies so your deck is balanced. Also, choose 2 different types of Pokemon that pair well together, and focus on adding those types of Pokemon to your deck. For example, if you have psychic Pokemon in your deck, which are weak against dark Pokemon, you could add fighting types to your deck since they're good at battling dark types.

Think of the kind of deck you want. Do you like to play Water and Fire Pokémon, or Psychic and Fighting? Most people only have two different types of Pokémon in their deck. Sometimes certain decks may effectively use more than two, and sometimes decks use only one. Try to make your types complement each other if possible — for example, Water and Electricity are good companions, as are Fire and Grass. Take into account the weaknesses of your types, too. If your Psychic-types have weakness to dark, play Fighting types (because most Dark Pokémon have Fighting weakness) to counter Dark-type Pokémon. Remember that you can use Pokémon with colorless attack cost in any kind of deck to bulk it up and fill in gaps. They are versatile and often have many helpful effects. Be aware, though, that no Pokémon has weaknesses to colorless type Pokémon. Have a strategy in mind about how to win or get your opponent to lose. In the Pokémon TCG, you can win in one of three ways: Collect your opponent's six prize cards, make your opponent run out of Pokémon on the field, or make your opponent run out of cards to draw at the beginning of his/her turn. Ask yourself: Which condition will your deck focus on to win the game? How will it best achieve that? What are the ways that your opponent might counter your strategy? Which cards can you use to minimize your weaknesses and maximize your strengths? Remember to keep good balance as you choose. Many decks stick with roughly 20 Pokémon, 25 trainers, and around 15 energies for a good mix, although it often depends on the type of deck you're playing. You may want to put in more energies than this, because shuffles can yield uneven hands with Pokémon to Energy ratios. For example, a Blastoise/Keldeo-EX Deck from the 2012 City Championships sported 14 Pokémon, 32 trainers, and 14 energy. It all depends on what you're trying to do. Think about the game as a three-role play. First of all, you need to run multiple copies of your main attacker, and you'll need more of the Basic Pokémon than of the Stage 2, fully evolved ones, to be sure that you have an Active Pokémon and plenty for your bench. Basic Pokémon can be knocked out quickly, so be sure you have some stage 1 or 2 cards up your sleeve. Evolve quickly to give your game some substance after the initial wave of weaker Pokémon. Add "Back-up" - multiples of the evolution chain - so that you will still be able to get your stage 1 & 2 Pokémon out. If you just do 1 of each then when the pre-evolution is knocked out you won't be able to play your strongest Pokémon cards. Plan from start to finish. Most decks have a 'start' card like Cleffa or Pichu. cards like these can help you set-up. Have one or two really big 1-hit K.O.ers you can draw for late in play. Balance your cards. It's good to use cards that help each other. It needs to be a good deck! Strategy is important! Look for synergies in cards. For example, Hydreigon and Darkrai-EX are a great at moving around Pokémon and energies freely. Look for other great combination to use for your advantage. Choose trainers that best support your Pokémon. You will need about 5-8 trainers that help you draw cards; if you can't get the cards you need, you can't win. Remember that you can put up to 4 of any given card in your deck. If your deck relies heavily on a card, you should boost your chances of drawing it by putting several copies of the card in your deck. You should have around 5 or so cards to support and boost up your Pokémon. Any remaining space can be used to combat against frequently used cards or weaknesses, or to refresh your hand/bench. Test your deck by drawing as if you were playing against an opponent. Remember, to begin play, you must draw at least one basic Pokémon, so be sure you have plenty of Basics to insure that you get a good opening draw. While you are testing, see if any adjustments to the Energy count can be made, as it can be tricky to estimate how many you will need in any given deck. Include plenty of trainer and supporter cards. The best decks tend to have more trainer/supporter cards than any other kind of card. Focus on trainers/supporters that help you draw the cards you will need. Also look for trainers/supporters that jive with your deck's strategy. Don't stock too many evolutions. Evolution takes precious time in battle. You should use evolution cards if they are vital to your strategy and if you have trainers to help you evolve quickly. The longer it takes to evolve your Pokémon, the more time your opponent has to attack and set up. Example: Charizard GX has an attack with a staggering 300 damage. However, it is quite a bad card. You have to evolve it twice and attach five energies before Charizard GX can use his main attack (then discards 3 attached energy).

Think of the kind of deck you want. Have a strategy in mind about how to win or get your opponent to lose. Remember to keep good balance as you choose. Think about the game as a three-role play. Balance your cards. Choose trainers that best support your Pokémon. Test your deck by drawing as if you were playing against an opponent. Include plenty of trainer and supporter cards. Don't stock too many evolutions.

https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-at-Indoor-Rock-Climbing

How to Improve at Indoor Rock Climbing

To improve at indoor rock climbing, always look for the best route to take before you start climbing so you don't end up having to backtrack and waste energy. Additionally, try maintaining a lighter grip on the handholds when you climb, which can help prevent your arms from tiring out as quickly. You should also focus on using foot movements more than hand movements since they're more efficient. When you're not climbing, do exercises that will build your forearms, shoulders, and core, which will make indoor rock climbing easier for you.

Warm up before you climb. Taking time to warm up and stretch your muscles before you start a climb can help to prevent injuries. Warming up and stretching may also help to improve your performance, so it is important to start every climb with a few minutes of cardiovascular exercise and some good stretching. Try walking briskly or jogging back and forth in the gym for a few minutes to get your blood flowing. Stretch your arms, shoulders, core, and legs before you start your climb. Read the route before you climb. Before you start climbing, look at the wall and try to analyze your route. Identify the best footholds and handholds, consider how you will handle difficult transitions, and plan the direction that you will take. Taking time to read your route is a great way to improve your climbing skills. If you do not take time to plan your route, you may end up wasting energy by having to backtrack or by having to take extra time to consider your moves. Maintain a medium grip. Gripping too hard with your hands can wear out your forearms quickly, which may mean that you will not be able to complete your climb. To ensure that you will have enough grip strength to complete your climb, try to maintain a lighter grip on handholds. Try to keep more of your weight on your footholds than on your handholds whenever possible. Try to stay close to the wall. Keeping your bodyweight closer to the wall will help to keep your body weight centered and reduce strain on your forearm muscles. If you need to lean back to check your route, try to do so quickly. Make more foot movements than hand movements. Using your feet and legs to move your body upwards is more efficient than using your hands and arms, so try to make most of your movements with your feet. You should try to make three foot movements for every one hand movement. For example, you could reach up to a high handhold and then use your feet to move your body closer to the hand hold by changing your footholds three times. Rest when you need to rest. Take a few moments to rest and regain your strength whenever you become fatigued. To rest, lean in close to the wall and use your feet to support your body weight while maintaining a light grip on your handholds. Keep in mind that if you become fatigued, you have a higher chance of falling. Pay attention to how you feel to determine when you should rest during your climbs. Be ready to fall at any time. It is normal to falls sometimes when you are doing a climb. If you never fall, then you may not be challenging yourself enough. When you do need to fall, you will probably know and you should do certain things to make your fall as safe as possible. Do not loop your rope around anything or any part of yourself. Push yourself out and away from the wall if you fall. Pay attention to potential holds below you. Put your feet up towards the wall to avoid hitting your head. Build up your forearm muscles. Your forearms make it possible for you to grip and hold onto your handholds. If your forearms are weak, then you may not be able to hang on for long. To strengthen your grip, do exercises that target your forearm muscles. Try getting a grip exerciser. These are handheld training devices that you squeeze with your hands to improve your grip. Train your arms and shoulders. Having good arm and shoulder strength can also make it easier for you to hold onto your handholds. To increase your arm and shoulder strength, include some pull ups and chin ups in your exercise routine. If you can't do a chin up or pull up yet, then include some weight training exercises that use the same movements, such as pull downs and presses. Improve your core strength. Your entire core will be engaged while you are climbing, so it is important to strengthen these muscles. You can do crunches, side crunches, planks, and other core strengthening exercises to build up your core strength. Try holding a plank pose for 30 to 60 seconds once or twice per day. Do an abdominal workout a few times per week. Work on your balance. If you have poor balance, then this may make it harder for you to make certain transitions or stick on certain points as you climb. Incorporating some balance exercises into your routine can make it easier for you to handle balance-testing moments in your climbs. Try standing on one foot in front of the climbing wall and lifting one foot in front of you. Then, point your toe and touch the tip of your toe to different footholds on the wall. Make sure that the moves are slow and controlled. Then, repeat the exercise with your other foot. Stretch your muscles. Being flexible will also help you to be a better climber, so always take time to stretch your muscles after you have trained them. You can sue a combination of yoga poses and traditional stretches to improve your flexibility. Some good stretches to use in your training routine include: Frog pose. Forward bend. Cobra pose. Shoulder and arm stretches. Leg Stretch Use static climbing technique. Static climbing technique emphasizes fluid movements and even weight distribution. Rather than using momentum to propel yourself upwards, you position yourself close to the wall, position your arms and legs, and then shift your body weight to the new position. Incorporate dynamic climbing techniques. Dynamic climbing technique emphasizes propelling your body upwards towards a specific point that you could not otherwise reach. You will need to have strong footholds and handholds to start, but then your will use these holds to spring up towards a higher handhold. After using dynamic techniques, you may need to dangle from the new hold for a few moments until you can steady yourself, and then find footholds to maintain your position. Try lead climbing. Lead climbing is a step up in difficulty from top rope climbing, so you may want to give it a try. With lead climbing, you do not have a rope attached to anything when you start. Instead, you clip a rope that is attached to you to different bolts along your route. Many gyms offer classes in lead climbing that can help you to develop skills in this area. Check your local gym for upcoming classes. Observe experienced climbers. By watching experienced climbers while they climb, you can see how they handle difficult obstacles and transitions. You may also learn about new climbing techniques that you can try during your next climb. Spend some time before or after your climbs to watch experienced climbers and make mental notes about what they do. Think about how you can incorporate these techniques and strategies into your own climb. Keep in mind that you may need to modify some of these techniques to suit your skill level. For example, if you want to include a dynamic technique, then you might need to start with a small leap rather than trying to launch yourself to a spot that is a few feet away. Take your training outside. Climbing on an indoor rock wall is quite different from climbing outside. After you have mastered some basic skills, you'll probably be itching to try climbing outside. The experience may provide you with some new skills that will help you with your indoor climbs. You may very well become addicted to the outdoor vistas and adventure of it all.

Warm up before you climb. Read the route before you climb. Maintain a medium grip. Make more foot movements than hand movements. Rest when you need to rest. Be ready to fall at any time. Build up your forearm muscles. Train your arms and shoulders. Improve your core strength. Work on your balance. Stretch your muscles. Use static climbing technique. Incorporate dynamic climbing techniques. Try lead climbing. Observe experienced climbers. Take your training outside.

https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Wrinkles

How to Prevent Wrinkles

To prevent wrinkles, start by washing your face each day with a creamy, oil-free wash that won't strip natural oils from your skin or dry it out. After washing, try dabbing a pea-size amount of anti-wrinkle cream on your outer eyes, forehead, and around your mouth, where wrinkles are most common. You can also massage almond oil or fish oil into your skin to help your skin repair itself.

Use a creamy, oil-free face wash to hydrate skin and whisk away impurities. Skin is much more flexible when it is moisturized, allowing it to move and slide freely across your face without damage. This sort of damage will compound itself over your lifetime, leading to wrinkles, if you don't take proper care of your skin now. Use lukewarm water, not cold or hot, to protect your skin Lightly massage the face wash into your skin using gentle, circular motions. Use your fingers to work the wash into your face. Get around the eyes and forehead as well, using the tips of your fingers to work up a nice, gentle lather. Using a warm, wet towel, pat your face dry. Don't rub or scrub with a towel, as this will irritate your skin and lead to redness. Your wash has removed a lot of the dead skin, oil, and dirt, so scrubbing now is just hurting the new, younger skin underneath. Mix up or apply a collagen mask to prevent wrinkles and firm up your skin. Firm, flexible skin is the enemy of wrinkles. Masks are a way to soak your skin in collagen (a naturally occurring human protein) as well as essential anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. Let the mask rest for 15 minutes to absorb into your skin. Some modern masks come in pre-soaked pads, which you can simply stick to your face instead of mixing up and painting on a traditional wet mask. When done, pat in any remaining mask essence (sold with the pads) lightly onto your face. Apply an anti-wrinkle cream around wrinkle-prone areas. Most of these are very concentrated, so you only need a pea-sized amount. Focus on your outer eyes, forehead, chin, and around your mouth. Pat the cream onto your face instead of rubbing it on. If you have some extra cream, don't forget about your neck -- this is one of the wrinkle spots many people forget. Pat in some eye concentrate to prevent wrinkles in the most common areas. Crows feet, the wrinkles right around the eyes, are the most common and quickest wrinkles you'll develop. Using some eye concentrate around the eyes targets these wrinkles specifically. Make sure you get a cream that is paraben-free, as these chemicals may hurt your skin over time. Apply an anti-wrinkly moisturizing body lotion to your body, especially your upper chest and neckline. Your body skin needs protection too, and many of the same principles used to prevent wrinkles on your face can be applied to your body, too. A daily full-body moisturizing, focusing on frequently exposed areas like the arms, legs, and upper chest, will help fight body wrinkles. Look for moisturizing creams that aren't oil-based, which can leave you feeling greasy. Again, search for natural, paraben-free products for the best results. Protect your skin from the sun. As you get older, the genes that control inflammation, the production and strength of collagen, and your skin's ability to retain water begin encourage the formation of wrinkles. A study found that aged skin that hadn't been exposed to the sun had about 3,800 genetic mutations while skin that had been exposed to the sun had around 10,000 mutations in the same genes! If the risk of skin cancer isn't enough to get you to wear sunblock and wide-brimmed hats, let vanity persuade you. The sun provides vital Vitamin D, so make sure you're taking a supplement if you're worried about Vitamin D levels. This is a much safer way to get the vitamin than sunbathing. Eat, drink, and slather on the antioxidants. When UV rays are absorbed by your skin, they create free radicals, which are volatile molecules. Those free radicals can latch onto your DNA and cause the mutations that cause wrinkles. Antioxidants help your body defend against free radicals. Combat wrinkles by eating foods and drinking beverages that contain antioxidants (pomegranates, açai, blueberries, green tea) and using creams or moisturizers that contain them. Massage your face with Omega-3. Oils containing long chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (your basic Omega-3s) work wonders in promoting intracellular repair. Examples of omega-3 oils are almond oil, egg oil and milk cream. Fish oils also contain omega-3, and can often be taken as gel pills. Salmon and other cold-water fish are excellent sources of Omega-3s. Splash cold water on your face. Splashing cold water on your face first thing in the morning stimulates micro-circulation and regenerates dermal membrane. Preferably, fill your mouth with water while you splash so as to stretch the facial skin. Hit your skin with cool or cold water for 15 seconds after showering -- this closes up pores and helps your skin dry naturally. Big, warm pores allow oils out. Wear sunglasses with UV protection regularly. Wearing sunglasses protect the delicate skin around your eyes from the sun, but it'll also help prevent squinting, which directly contributes to wrinkling. Sleep on your back to prevent sleep lines. These may eventually turn into wrinkles. Moreover, sleeping on your back or left side is better for your spinal health as well. Stop smoking. Heavy smokers are almost 5 times more likely to show excessive wrinkling than nonsmokers. Smoking can damage collagen, and the squinting and lip pursing that comes with smoking directly create wrinkles over time. Control your facial expressions. More animated expressions mean more creases, and creases eventually become wrinkles. It might be difficult, but try to do away with frowning, eyebrow raising, and squinting. Don't stop smiling or laughing, however. A genuine smile causes crow's feet around your eyes but the power of sincere joy against wrinkles may be stronger than the effects of not smiling at all. Be happy. In a study of female identical twins (i.e. people with the same genes), researchers found that divorced women looked older than their married or widowed twins, and women on antidepressants looked older than their twins who weren't. It's unclear whether the antidepressants or the depression itself causes increased aging, but these findings imply that being in a happy relationship and having an optimistic , laid back approach to life might prevent wrinkles. At the very least, being happy will help you not care so much about the wrinkles. Don't blame it on your genes. It's true that some people age more gracefully than others. And while scientists are beginning to gain a deeper understanding of how genetics can influence the aging process, they're also discovering how much your lifestyle choices can affect your genes. Your genes only govern 30% of how you age; the other 70% is up to you. No one can completely prevent wrinkles. They are a natural part of aging. But you can help control how severe they are. See a doctor when over-the-counter products fail to work and you are bothered by your indomitable wrinkles. Prescription retinoic acid can minimize the appearance of wrinkles. Wrinkles arising solely from excessive muscular contractions, such as forehead horizontal lines or crows' feet, should be injected with botulinum toxin. Deep wrinkles may need filler injections.

Use a creamy, oil-free face wash to hydrate skin and whisk away impurities. Lightly massage the face wash into your skin using gentle, circular motions. Using a warm, wet towel, pat your face dry. Mix up or apply a collagen mask to prevent wrinkles and firm up your skin. Apply an anti-wrinkle cream around wrinkle-prone areas. Pat in some eye concentrate to prevent wrinkles in the most common areas. Apply an anti-wrinkly moisturizing body lotion to your body, especially your upper chest and neckline. Eat, drink, and slather on the antioxidants. Massage your face with Omega-3. Splash cold water on your face. Wear sunglasses with UV protection regularly. Sleep on your back to prevent sleep lines. Stop smoking. Control your facial expressions. Be happy. Don't blame it on your genes. See a doctor when over-the-counter products fail to work and you are bothered by your indomitable wrinkles.

https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-Bricks

How to Paint Bricks

To paint bricks, start by choosing a paint that can withstand moisture or humidity, like elastodynamic paint. Then, stir the paint with a wooden paddle until it's combined, and pour it into a bucket. Next, dampen your brush with water or paint thinner, and dip it into the paint. Make sure to paint the area from top to bottom in a thin coat so the paint doesn't drip. Additionally, let the first coat dry for 24 hours before applying the second coat.

Clean the bricks using a wire brush and soapy water. Scrub the surface of the bricks, and the space between them, using a wire brush and soapy water. Scrub using up and down motions. Make sure to remove all of the surface dirt and streaky white deposits. Treat any residual marks with a TSP mixture. If there are any marks that aren't coming off, try applying a mixture of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and water to the area. Mix ½ cup of TSP with 2 gallons (7.6 L) of hot water to create a TSP solution. Scrub the bricks using the mixture and wire brush and then rinse the bricks using water. Trisodium phosphate can be purchased from hardware stores. Be extremely careful when using trisodium phosphate as it is a hazardous chemical. Always wear safety goggles and gloves when scrubbing with the liquid. Avoid getting the trisodium phosphate on any surface except the brick. Leave the bricks to completely dry before applying the primer. This can take up to 24 hours. Remove any furniture from the area. Paint can be really difficult to remove from furniture. Move any furniture that is nearby the bricks that you will be painting. If you can't move a piece of furniture, place an old sheet over the item instead. Use newspaper and tape to cover any areas that you don’t want paint on. Rip off strips of painter's tape and use them to cover any small areas on the car that you don't want to be stained by paint. If there are large areas, use painter's tape to attach newspaper over the surface. Painter's tape can be purchased at a hardware store. Apply a latex primer over the bricks using a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) paintbrush. Dip the bottom ⅓ of the brush into the primer. Brush the primer onto the bricks using smooth up and down strokes. Start at the top of the area and work your way down to the bottom. Apply a thin coat so that the primer doesn't drip and cause bumps in your paintwork. Allow the primer to dry completely before applying the second layer of primer or the paint. This will take about 1 day. If the bricks have been affected by white deposits or mildew they will need another coat. Latex primer can be purchased from paint or hardware stores. Choose a paint that will withstand heat and moisture, if necessary. If you are painting bricks that will be exposed to high humidity or moisture, such as those in a bathroom, elastodynamic paint is a suitable option. Elastodynamic paint performs well in all weather conditions and helps to prevent cracks, making it a good option for most interior and exterior bricks. Acrylic latex exterior paint is another good option for exterior bricks as it helps to prevent mildew and repels moisture. If you are unsure of what color to paint the bricks, bring home a variety of paint swatches from a paint store. Hold these up to the area to help you decide which color looks best. Black, grey and white are all timeless and striking options. If you're painting bricks that are above a stove top or on a fireplace, make sure that you use heat-proof paint. This can be bought from a paint store. Consider using a gloss or semi-gloss paint as these are easy to clean. Stir the paint with a wooden stirring paddle. Open the paint can using a 5-in-1 tool. Use the wooden paddle to stir the paint in a circular motion. Continue mixing the paint until the colour is even and the liquids are all combined. If you cannot get the liquids to combine after 15 minutes of stirring, take the paint to a paint store and ask them to shake the paint for you. Pour the paint into a bucket. Place your hands on either side of the paint can and carefully lift the tin over your bucket. Gently tip the container and pour 3 inches (7.6 cm) of paint into the bucket. Place the lid back onto the paint can to keep the paint fresh. Pour the paint into the bucket outside over newspaper or a ground sheet. This will stop accidental spills from staining the carpet or floor. Make sure that your bucket is clean and dust-free. Dampen your brush with water or paint thinner. If you are using a latex paint, dip your entire brush into water. If you are using an oil-based paint, use a paint thinner instead. Absorb any excess paint thinner or water from the paintbrush using an old cloth so that the brush is just damp, but not dripping. Paint thinner can be purchased from a paint store. Dip the bottom ⅓ of the brush into the paint bucket. Use a 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) wide polyester or nylon brush. Place the bottom ⅓ of the bristles into the paint and push them against the side of the bucket. This will push the paint into the brush. Gently tap the brush against the inside walls of the bucket to remove any excess paint and lift out your brush. Don't wipe the brush onto the rim of the bucket as this removes too much paint from the brush. Paint the area from top to bottom. Paint the area using smooth up and down brush strokes. Apply a thin coat so that the paint doesn't drip. Start by covering the top strip of the area with paint and work your way down until the whole area has a thin cover of paint. Re-dip your brush into the paint regularly to achieve a smooth and even finish. Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours. Apply a second coat. Once the first coat is completely dry, apply a second coat following the same method as the first coat. A second coat will help to increase the quality of the finished paintwork. Take care to use consistent paint strokes on the final coat to create an even finish.

Clean the bricks using a wire brush and soapy water. Treat any residual marks with a TSP mixture. Remove any furniture from the area. Use newspaper and tape to cover any areas that you don’t want paint on. Apply a latex primer over the bricks using a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) paintbrush. Choose a paint that will withstand heat and moisture, if necessary. Stir the paint with a wooden stirring paddle. Pour the paint into a bucket. Dampen your brush with water or paint thinner. Dip the bottom ⅓ of the brush into the paint bucket. Paint the area from top to bottom. Apply a second coat.

https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Ghost

How to Draw a Ghost

To draw a ghost, start by drawing a teardrop shape in the center of a piece of paper, which will be your ghost's head. Then, draw a larger, upside-down teardrop shape underneath the first one for the body, making the pointed end curve to the right. Next, draw a horizontal teardrop shape on each side of the body to make the arms. Once you have the basic outline of your ghost, draw waxy, curved lines along the outer edge of it and then erase the original outline you drew. Finally, give your ghost 2 eyes and a mouth.

Draw a medium-sized circle at the top of the page. Draw a vertical oval which overlaps almost half of the circle. Draw the left and right arms using curves. Draw curves at the bottom of the oval to create a sense of flotation to the ghost. Add small circles for flotation effect. Draw a cross-section at the circle and a curve inclined to the right. Draw the eyes and mouth and make it skull-like. Trace with a pen and erase unnecessary lines. Refine and add details. Color to your liking and especially use dark colors! Draw a teardrop shape in the center of the page. Draw an upside down teardrop under the teardrop from the previous step. Curve the pointy end to the right. Draw long, curved teardrops for each arm. Draw an outline around the shapes. Feel free to add some detail as you do this. Erase the sketch lines and draw a scary face. Color the drawing! Use your imagination or follow the illustration for reference.

Draw a medium-sized circle at the top of the page. Draw a vertical oval which overlaps almost half of the circle. Draw the left and right arms using curves. Draw curves at the bottom of the oval to create a sense of flotation to the ghost. Draw a cross-section at the circle and a curve inclined to the right. Draw the eyes and mouth and make it skull-like. Trace with a pen and erase unnecessary lines. Color to your liking and especially use dark colors! Draw a teardrop shape in the center of the page. Draw an upside down teardrop under the teardrop from the previous step. Draw long, curved teardrops for each arm. Draw an outline around the shapes. Erase the sketch lines and draw a scary face. Color the drawing!

https://www.wikihow.com/Apply-a-TCA-Peel

How to Apply a TCA Peel

A TCA peel is a skin treatment you can apply to your face or other body parts to combat acne and other skin conditions. Before you apply a TCA peel, wash your face to remove any dirt or makeup. If your peel comes with a prep solution, apply this to your skin to get rid of any surface oils. Alternatively, simply apply some diluted rubbing alcohol instead. If you're applying the peel to your face, rub petroleum jelly around your eyes and mouth, since it's important to protect sensitive areas. Next, put on latex gloves to protect your skin and pour the TCA solution into a dish. Dip some gauze into the solution, then gently squeeze out any excess solution. Once the gauze is no longer dripping, rub a thin layer of the solution over your face. Wait 2 to 5 minutes, then wash the TCA peel off. Remember that it's perfectly normal for your skin to turn red while the peel is applied, but if it turns white or starts to sting, you should wash it off immediately.

Determine if you are a suitable candidate for a TCA peel. TCA peels can have positive impacts on your skin by removing signs of aging and acne. However, there are certain instances when you should not apply a TCA peel. Do not use a TCA peel if you: Have cuts, broken skin, or received a recent facial surgical procedure. Have a sunburn. Have active Herpes simplex 1 sores. Are pregnant or breastfeeding. Have taken Accutane in the last year. Have recently received chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Use products that contain alpha hydroxy acids 5-7 days before the peel. In order to prepare your skin for a TCA peel and make the treatment more effective, you should use a face product that contains AHAs, such as glycolic or lactic acids. There are a variety of creams, lotions, and toners available for your skin. Begin using this product approximately five to seven days before applying the peel. Read all the instructions provided with the peel. TCA peels can be purchased through online retailers or through a dermatologist. Once you have acquired a TCA solution, you should read and follow all of the instructions provided by the manufacturer. TCA peels can be highly acidic so it is very important that you follow all directions. Test the TCA on a small patch of skin. This way you will be able to determine if the acid solution is too strong or if you are allergic to the solution. For example, if you want to apply a TCA peel to your face, you should test a small patch of skin under your ear. This area is out of the way and will not be overly visible if you have a negative reaction. Always test the skin near the area you want to treat. Rinse the test patch of skin once it starts to burn. Wait 48 hours to apply the peel. This way you will know how the peel will react on your skin. If the spot that was tested becomes itchy, red, or bumpy, you should not apply the peel to your skin. This is likely a sign that you are experiencing an allergic reaction. Cleanse your skin. Immediately before you apply a TCA peel, you need to completely clean your skin. If you are applying the TCA peel to your face, you should remove all of your make up. Washing your face will help to remove any surface oils allowing the TCA solution to peel away a layer of skin. Remove surface oils using a prep solution. Some TCA peels will come with a prep solution that should be applied to your skin prior to administering the peel. These solutions help to fully dry out your skin and remove any lingering surface oils. If you did not purchase a prep solution, you can apply witch hazel or diluted rubbing alcohol to your skin using gauze. Apply petroleum jelly around the eyes, mouth, and nose. If you are applying a TCA peel to your face, you want to protect some sensitive areas from the acid. In order to do this, use a cotton swab to apply a bit of petroleum jelly to your lips, and the skin around your eyes and nostrils. This will prevent the acid from damaging these sensitive areas. You may want to wear safety goggles to prevent any TCA solution from dripping into your eyes. You will still have to apply petroleum jelly to your nose and mouth, however. Put on latex gloves. While working with the TCA solution, you want to be careful that the acid does not touch other areas of skin. As a result, you should always wear latex gloves to protect your hands from the acid. This is especially important if you are applying the TCA using gauze because it will likely come into contact with your fingers. Pour the TCA solution into a small dish. Place a small dish on your counter and pour some of the TCA solution into the dish. This will make it easy for you to dip your brush or gauze into the solution while you are applying the TCA to your skin. Use gauze to apply TCA to your skin. Dip a piece of gauze into the TCA solution. Then squeeze the gauze gently. You want the gauze to be wet, but not dripping. This will prevent the solution from running into your eyes. Then apply a thin layer of TCA to the desired area of skin. If you are applying the TCA to your face, you may want to divide the area into sections. For example, start by applying the TCA solution to the right side of your face, then the left side, and do the forehead last. This will help prevent you from overlapping the solution. You can also apply TCA using a makeup brush, but a brush is more likely to cause dripping. Wait 2-5 minutes. Once the solution has been applied to your skin, you should wait approximately two to five minutes. The time will vary depending on the strength of the solution, the number of peels you have performed, and your own skin type. It is normal for your skin to turn red and sting a bit while the peel is on your face. If your skin begins to frost (i.e. turn white) or sting uncomfortably, you should begin neutralizing immediately by washing the solution off with water. This is more likely to occur when using a stronger TCA of 15% or higher. Apply a post-peel neutralizer to your skin. If you begin to experience frosting, you should apply a post-peel neutralizer to your skin. This typically comes with the TCA peel kit. Apply the neutralizer to your skin using a gauze or a soft cloth dipped in the neutralizer. You can also make your own neutralizer by mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 and a half cups (355 ml) of water. Wash your face with water. After the peel has been on for five minutes, you should wash it off by splashing water onto your face. You can also apply water by dabbing your skin with a wet cloth. This will help to remove the TCA from your skin and will help to neutralize the area. Apply a healing ointment. Once your skin is dry, apply a healing ointment to the skin. For example, try using emu oil or Bacitracin to help heal your skin following a TCA peel. You should reapply this solution a few times a day for at least 48 hours following the peel. Use SPF 30 sunscreen to protect your skin. Your skin will likely peel for approximately five to seven days following the procedure and during this time you should avoid exposing your skin to the sun. Make sure to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher during this time. Remember to reapply every two hours, or more if your skin has gotten wet or sweaty. Drink lots of water. TCA peels will dry out your skin. You can replenish the liquids in your skin by drinking lots of water. Try and consume at least eight cups of water per day following the application of a TCA peel. Avoid picking at your skin. If you used a stronger TCA solution, you skin will likely peel for a few days following the treatment. Do not pick at your skin. Instead, let it peel on its own. Picking the skin can lead to skin damage. Wait 10-14 days for the final results to appear. Do not apply another peel during this time. Although your skin may stop peeling prior to 14 days, the solution is still working on your face and the results will not fully appear for 10-14 days. Once the results are visible, you can determine if another treatment is necessary. TCA peels are quite strong, so if you notice positive results after the first peel, you likely do not need to perform another peel.

Determine if you are a suitable candidate for a TCA peel. Use products that contain alpha hydroxy acids 5-7 days before the peel. Read all the instructions provided with the peel. Test the TCA on a small patch of skin. Wait 48 hours to apply the peel. Cleanse your skin. Remove surface oils using a prep solution. Apply petroleum jelly around the eyes, mouth, and nose. Put on latex gloves. Pour the TCA solution into a small dish. Use gauze to apply TCA to your skin. Wait 2-5 minutes. Apply a post-peel neutralizer to your skin. Wash your face with water. Apply a healing ointment. Use SPF 30 sunscreen to protect your skin. Drink lots of water. Avoid picking at your skin. Wait 10-14 days for the final results to appear.

https://www.wikihow.com/Choose-a-Lory-or-Lorikeet

How to Choose a Lory or Lorikeet

If you want to choose a lory or lorikeet, but aren't sure what kind to get, start by deciding how big of a bird you can care for. For example, if you want a large birder, consider a rainbow lorikeet or scaly-breasted lorikeet. If you only have space for a smaller bird, pick a purple-crowned lorikeet or a little lorikeet. Lorikeets can live up to 30 years, so choose an older bird if you don't think you can handle that long of a relationship. Also, pick a healthy looking bird with smooth, bright feathers that doesn't show signs of illness like trembling.

Adopt a rainbow lorikeet if you want a large bird. Rainbow lorikeets are one of the larger lorikeets that people commonly keep as pets. They mature to about 12 inches in length (30 cm). Their distinguishing feature are their rainbow-colored feathers that include reds, greens, violets, yellows, and oranges. Pick a scaly-breasted lorikeet if you want a medium-sized bird. While still somewhat large at 9 inches in length (23 cm), scaly-breasted lorikeets are smaller than rainbow lorikeets. They're mostly green in color, but their beaks are red and will have some yellow and red on their wings, chests, and neck. Choose a purple-crowned lorikeet if you want a small bird. These lorikeets are on the smaller side and measure about 7 inches in length (18 cm). The bird is mostly different shades of green and yellow, with red on their wings. However, it may have a blue belly. Its distinguishing feature is a purple crown, which might appear black. Its ear and forehead may also be orange or yellow. Buy a little lorikeet if you want a tiny bird. The little lorikeet is a similar size to the purple-crowned lorikeet (7 inches or 18 cm). It is mostly bright green, has a red face, and a black bill. The area under its tail may be yellow and have some red. Pick a young bird if you’re ready for a 30-year commitment. If you're looking for a bird you can train and cultivate a lifelong relationship with, you should consider a younger bird. This is important, as lories and lorikeets can live to 30 years or more. As a result, if you choose a young bird, you will necessarily be committing to many years of companionship and responsibility. While the longevity of different size, species, and subspecies of lories and lorikeets may differ, they can all live for decades. Find a mature bird. Novice bird owners or people who are less sure about lorikeet ownership may want to consider mature birds. The upside of owning a mature bird is that they will likely already have been trained, housebroken, and may be easier to manage than a very young bird. If you don't think you have the time to ability to train a young bird, but still want a lory, consider a mature bird that has already been trained and housebroken. Ensure the bird is healthy. Look for signs of illness, such as respiratory problems like bobbing of the tail as the bird breathes. Make sure the bird's beak, mouth, eyes, and ears are clear, with no swelling, redness, or discharge. Look for smooth, bright, and colorful feathers rather than torn or tattered feathers or bald patches. Signs of illness may include: Sitting huddled at the bottom of the cage. Trembling. Not preening or taking care of their feathers. Weakness, losing balance, collapsing, or having seizures. Not responding to their owner, changing their behavior, or being inactive. Discharge and/or crusting from the eyes and/or nares (nasal passages). Difficulty breathing and/or sneezing. Overgrown, discolored, or other changes in the beak. Red or bare areas around the bird's eyes or on other areas of the body. Lameness and/or foot swelling. Flakiness, raw areas, and/or changes in the skin of the bird's legs and feet. Abnormal nail growth. Injuries to the bird's feathers, wings, feet, or beak. Watch for digestive issues. Another sign of illness in a lorikeet is the state of their droppings and any other issues with digestion or appetite. Check the bird's droppings daily to identify problems ad pay attention to the bird's eating and drinking habits. Things to watch for include: Changes in the color of the droppings. Blood or undigested food in the droppings. Fewer droppings than usual. Swelling, redness, or wetness in the bird's vent. Changes in the bird's appetite or thirst levels along with weight loss. Unexplained weight loss. Vomiting or regurgitation. Purchase a lorikeet from a store. Pet stores are perhaps the easiest place you can find a lorikeet to adopt. Depending on where you live, local pet stores may have few or many individuals for sale. Pet stores may have smaller lorikeets for sale. They will also have young or juvenile birds for sale – which means they won't be trained or housebroken. Keep in mind that some birds in pet stores may have health problems or come from vendors who do not take proper care of the birds. Ask the pet store for proof that the bird was not wild caught. Also, ask for a health guarantee on the bird before purchasing a bird from a pet store. Buy a lorikeet from a breeder. If you buy a lorikeet from a breeder, you'll have more information about the breeding stock, species, and history of the individual you're going to bring home. The breeder may also offer you advice on training, housebreaking, and caring for your lorikeet. Ask your veterinarian or a local bird organization about reputable breeders near you. To read reviews about bird breeders near you, go to www.birdbreeders.com. Always check out the breeder's aviary to make sure the birds are kept in sanitary and spacious conditions. Take some time to tour the breeder's facility and talk to the breeder about their birds. Get a bird from a rescue. Just like with other types of animals, many lorikeets are available to adopt from bird rescue organizations. In fact, because of their longevity, many lorikeets need new homes. As a result, if you adopt from a bird rescue, you may be able to get a bird that has been trained, housebroken, and loved. In addition, the rescue may be able to provide you with advice and resources about how to care for your new roommate. Depending on your country or region, there may be a parrot or lorikeet rescue near you. Ask local or state bird organizations or a local avian veterinarian for leads on reliable bird rescues.

Adopt a rainbow lorikeet if you want a large bird. Pick a scaly-breasted lorikeet if you want a medium-sized bird. Choose a purple-crowned lorikeet if you want a small bird. Buy a little lorikeet if you want a tiny bird. Pick a young bird if you’re ready for a 30-year commitment. Find a mature bird. Ensure the bird is healthy. Watch for digestive issues. Purchase a lorikeet from a store. Buy a lorikeet from a breeder. Get a bird from a rescue.

https://www.wikihow.com/Open-Nail-Glue

How to Open Nail Glue

If the cap on your bottle of nail glue has gotten stuck on with dried out glue, don't worry. You may be able to save it with simple household products. Try submerging the bottle in hot tap water for 5 minutes to soften the glue, then see if you can open the lid. If that doesn't work, wipe the edges of the lid with a little white vinegar or acetone-based nail polish remover on a cotton swab. These substances can dissolve the dried out glue that's holding the lid in place. If all else fails, dip the lid in acetone for about 15 seconds, then wait 3 minutes for it to soak in before trying to open it again. Never try to pry the cap off with your teeth, since you could accidentally get the toxic glue in your mouth.

Submerge the glue bottle in 8  fl oz (240 mL) of hot water for 5 minutes. Fill a cup or small bowl with hot tap water. Don't use boiling water as this may melt the glue container. Then, place the glue container into the water and let it sit for 5 minutes. When the time is up, use a fork or spoon to fish out the glue tube and try to unscrew the lid. If there's a lot of glue around the cap, you may need to leave it in the water for longer or try another option. You can also try adding a few drops of dish soap or 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of white vinegar to the water. Make sure to wash the cup or bowl and utensil thoroughly before using them for food after you do this. Swab the edges of the lid with white vinegar. Vinegar is not a strong solvent, but it might be enough to loosen a small amount of nail glue on the lid. Dip the tip of a cotton swab into white vinegar and use it to wipe along the edge of the glue cap. Let the vinegar sit for 5 minutes. The, try to unscrew the lid and open the nail glue. Wipe the lid with acetone nail polish remover. Dip the end of a cotton swab into the acetone and then wipe it along the edge of the nail glue lid. Let it sit for about 3 minutes and then try to unscrew the cap. Make sure that the nail polish remover contains acetone as this is the active ingredient that will dissolve the glue. Dip the nail glue lid into acetone nail polish remover if it’s very stuck. If the glue container has lots of glue on the outside of the lid, you may also dip the top of the nail glue container into a small dish of acetone. Hold it there for about 15 seconds, remove it, and then let the container sit for about 3 minutes before you try to unscrew the cap again. Read the instructions on the nail glue’s label. If you have a container of nail glue that has no premade opening in it, then you will probably need to puncture it. Check the instructions for opening the nail glue if any were included. You may also check the manufacturer's website for information on how to properly open the nail glue. Insert a pin into the center of the nail glue tip or where indicated. Most nail glues only require a tiny opening that you can make with a pin. Remove the cap from the glue, locate the center or the glue container's tip, and insert a pin into the center of the tip. Then, remove the pin from the container. Some nail glue products come with a lid that will puncture the top for you when you screw it on and this special lid will also keep the glue from drying out. Replace the lid when you’re not using the nail glue. Nail glue dries out quickly, so always make sure to replace the lid when you're not using it. Screw the lid on tightly to ensure that the nail glue will not leak or dry out. Cut the tip off of your nail glue if you cannot puncture it. If you cannot puncture the tip or if it is the kind of tip that you need to cut off, get a sharp pair of scissors and cut straight across the tip about ⁄ 8  in (0.32 cm) from the end. Hold the tube so that the tip is facing up when you do this to prevent glue from leaking out. Discard the tip that you cut off and place the cap on the nail glue tube to keep the glue from leaking or drying out. This is not ideal for some types of nail glue containers since cutting off the tip can make a large opening in the nail glue. However, if the nail glue container indicates that you need to cut the tip off to open it, you can try this option.

Submerge the glue bottle in 8  fl oz (240 mL) of hot water for 5 minutes. Swab the edges of the lid with white vinegar. Wipe the lid with acetone nail polish remover. Dip the nail glue lid into acetone nail polish remover if it’s very stuck. Read the instructions on the nail glue’s label. Insert a pin into the center of the nail glue tip or where indicated. Replace the lid when you’re not using the nail glue. Cut the tip off of your nail glue if you cannot puncture it.

https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Dwarf-Umbrella-Plant

How to Care for a Dwarf Umbrella Plant

Dwarf umbrella plants are relatively easy to care for, but you'll need to provide the right conditions for it to flourish. Keep your plant in a bright spot, shielded from direct sunlight. For example, you could put it in front of an east, west, or south-facing window. Don't put your plant near heating or cooling vents, and try to have an average room temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. When the soil becomes dry or the leaves begin to wilt, water the plant with water that's been sitting for a few days to let the chlorine dissipate and the temperature regulate. Give your plant a balanced houseplant fertilizer every 2 weeks during the spring, summer, and fall to help it grow.

Place the dwarf umbrella plant in a bright location, shielded from direct sunlight. The ideal setting for a dwarf umbrella plant is directly in front of an east, west, or south-facing window. Add a sheer curtain hanging between the plant and window to diffuse the direct sunlight. Another good location is right next to the window where the plant will get very bright but indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight through a window without the curtain to diffuse it, will scorch an umbrella plant's leaves. When the umbrella plant is not getting enough light, the leaves will turn yellow and drop. Keep the plant at temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Average room temperatures of 65 to 75 °F (18 to 24 °C) are ideal, although the dwarf umbrella plant will do fine with temperatures up to 85 °F (29 °C). Do not allow the room temperature to drop below 60 °F (16 °C). The edges of the leaves will turn brown when the plant is exposed to temperatures that are too cold. Additionally, do not place dwarf umbrella plants near heating and cooling vents or a drafty door. Take the room's humidity levels into account. Average room humidity is usually fine for this plant, but if the house tends to get dry from heating or cooling, mist it each morning with room temperature water. Maintain adequate humidity with a humidifier or a humidity tray, which is a shallow dish or pan filled with pebbles and water. Set the humidity tray below the umbrella plant. As the water evaporates from the tray, the humidity around the plant will increase. Water the plant when the soil becomes dry, using aged water. Water the dwarf umbrella plant with “aged” water when the potting soil is nearly dry or when the leaves begin to wilt. To age the water, fill the watering container a few days before watering the plant and leave it uncovered. This will allow the chlorine to dissipate and the water will be at room temperature when the plant is watered. This is a tropical plant that can be stressed by fresh, cold tap water. If the leaves become wrinkled, the plant is not getting enough water. If it is being overwatered, the leaves will turn black and drop. Fertilize your dwarf umbrella plant every two weeks (except during winter). Give the dwarf umbrella plant a balanced houseplant fertilizer that is designed for foliage plants during the spring, summer and fall. A fertilizer ratio of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 is fine. Use a liquid, water-soluble fertilizer mixed at half the rate recommended by the manufacturer. A common half-strength dilution rate is about ½ teaspoon of fertilizer per gallon of water, but this varies. Pour the fertilizer solution evenly over the potting soil every two weeks immediately following a regular watering. Do not give the umbrella plant fertilizer before watering it as this could burn the roots. Fertilizer should not be given to the plant in the winter. The plant grows very slowly during the winter season and will not utilize the fertilizer. Repot the dwarf umbrella plant when it seems to be growing slowly and the container is full of roots. Repot it into a container with drains holes in the bottom that is only one size larger than its current pot. Pour 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of peat-based potting mix into the new container, turn the umbrella plant on its side and gently slide it out of its old container. If the roots are sticking to the side of the container, run a butter knife around the inside of the container to loosen them. Set the umbrella plant into the container and finish filling it with potting mix. Water it generously with aged water to help settle the soil around the roots. Prune the dwarf umbrella plant only when necessary to control its size. Use sharp scissors or bypass hand pruners to cut the stems right above a leaf. New leaves and stems will grow from just below the pruning cut. Keep the leaves clean to prevent spider mites. Wipe the leaves off with a damp sponge and clear, room-temperature water when they get dusty. Dirt and dust on the leaves block the light and provide a suitable environment for spider mites.

Place the dwarf umbrella plant in a bright location, shielded from direct sunlight. Keep the plant at temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the room's humidity levels into account. Water the plant when the soil becomes dry, using aged water. Fertilize your dwarf umbrella plant every two weeks (except during winter). Repot the dwarf umbrella plant when it seems to be growing slowly and the container is full of roots. Prune the dwarf umbrella plant only when necessary to control its size. Keep the leaves clean to prevent spider mites.

https://www.wikihow.com/Level-the-Ground-for-Pavers

How to Level the Ground for Pavers

To level the ground for pavers, start by calling your local utility organization to see if there are any underground pipes or wires you'll need to avoid while digging. Once you've found a good spot to add your pavers, measure it so you know how many pavers you'll need. Then, calculate how deep you'll need to dig and use string to mark the finished level for your pavers. Using a shovel or rototiller, dig up the entire area so it's deep enough and add a base layer of gravel until you're about 3 inches from the slope line. To prevent your pavers from moving around, install edge restraints around the perimeter. Finally, add a layer of bedding sand, and place your pavers on top.

Check for utilities under the area you want to add pavers to. Before breaking any ground, make sure to contact your local utility organizations to see if there are any pipes or wires below the area you want to dig. In the United States, this can be done by calling 811. Other country-specific Dial Before You Dig hotlines and websites include: Australia: Call 1100. Canada: Visit Enbridge.com. Ireland: Visit beforeUdig.ie. United Kingdom: Call 0800 0853 865. Find the area of the spot you will be adding pavers to. Use measuring tape to find the length and width of the area you will be working in. Multiply these two numbers together to find the square area of the location. For safety, add about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) of space around the entire perimeter of your spot before measuring. Calculate how many pavers you will need. Use a measuring tape to find the length and width of one patio paver. Multiply these two numbers together to find the square foot or square meter value of each segment. Divide the area of your plot by this number to find out how many pavers you will need. If your pavers are designed to lock together, measure them when they are connected. To make calculations easier, treat each combined segment as one paver. Outline the area with paint or string. Use a small amount of brightly-colored spray paint or string to help you visualize your work area. If using paint, spray it around the perimeter to create an outline. If using string, run it along the outside of the work area and use small stakes to secure it to the ground. Spray the stakes with brightly-colored spray paint so you don't accidentally trip over them. Use string to mark the finished level for your pavers. Place small stakes around the perimeter of the marked spot. Tie white string between the stakes, creating lines across the plot of land. Adjust each stake until the strings rest at the height each paver will sit at once the project is complete. You can also rent a rotating laser level and transit rod to measure the grade with. Slope your strings by .25 inches (0.64 cm) for every 1 foot (30 cm) of land. After they have been leveled according to where your pavers will sit, angle your string so that it slopes down by about.25 inches (0.64 cm) for every 1 foot (30 cm) of land. You can do this by taking the length of the plot, finding the corresponding slope angle, and lowering your stakes nearest the yard or street down by the appropriate amount. If possible, angle your slope away from your house or building and toward lower ground. If you plan on leaving space between pavers, sloping the strings may not be necessary. Avoid driving the stakes into the ground over any utility lines. Find out how much gravel you will need. The amount of base materials necessary depends largely on the project in question. However, in most cases, you will need about 6 inches (15 cm) of gravel for patios, yards, and other small projects. If necessary, consult a local landscaper or home center employee for advice based on your local climate and conditions. Calculate how deep the area needs to be. Add the amount of gravel you need to the measured height of one paver. Then, add an extra 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) to your measurement to accommodate sand. This number indicates the distance you will need to create between the bottom of your pit and the strings above. Dig up the area. Use a shovel or rototiller to dig up the marked spot. Make sure to remove ground from the entire area, using the flat side of your tool to smooth the walls around the edges. If the strings are getting in your way, mark their positions on the stakes using tape and remove them temporarily. Make sure you have somewhere to put all the dug up soil before you start digging. Measure the depth of the pit from multiple spots. To see if you've dug deep enough, use a measuring tape to find the distance between the bottom of the pit and the strings up top. Make sure to take measurements from multiple areas, including the center and corners, to ensure that the entire pit is even. If necessary, keep digging or fill in low spots. If you removed them while digging, reattach your strings before taking measurements. Add a base layer of gravel. Pour your gravel or other crushed rock into the excavated pit. After every 2 inches (5.1 cm), use a hand tamper or mechanical plate compactor to compress the layer into a fine, solid base. Add gravel until you are about 3 inches (7.6 cm) from the slope line, or the depth of one paver added to the 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) of space necessary to accommodate your sand. Install edge restraints around the perimeter. Edge restraints are small, long walls made of plastic, aluminum, steel, or precast concrete, and they are essential to making sure your pavers don't move after you put them down. If your stones are regularly shaped, simply place your restraints around the perimeter of the excavated pit and secure them using nails or yard spikes. If your stones are irregularly shaped, you may need to cut the edges first using a jigsaw. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the edge restraints after you install the pavers. Put down a layer of landscape fabric (optional). For an extra defense against weeds, put down a layer of landscape fabric between the gravel and sand. This fabric prevents light from reaching the bottom layer of soil, making it harder for weeds to grow. Though it can be placed before the layer of gravel instead, laying it down after prevents sand from sifting into the cracks. Add a layer of bedding sand. Pour a layer of coarse sand into the pit, filling it between 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) deep. Avoid fine sand and combination mixes cut with limestone or stone dust. The sand will help the pavers lock together, making sure they set properly. After pouring, use a measuring tape to make sure the distance between the top of the sand and your slope line equals the height of one paver. You can also lay a pipe that's the same thickness as the pavers on the sand to make sure the distance between the sand and slope lines is accurate. Smooth the ground. After all your materials have been added, slowly pull a hoe, screed board, or similar tool over the sand to make sure the top layer is entirely smooth with no bumps or waves. If necessary, place a level on the sand to test whether or not everything is flat. Once this step is complete, you will be ready to add the pavers.

Check for utilities under the area you want to add pavers to. Find the area of the spot you will be adding pavers to. Calculate how many pavers you will need. Outline the area with paint or string. Use string to mark the finished level for your pavers. Slope your strings by .25 inches (0.64 cm) for every 1 foot (30 cm) of land. Find out how much gravel you will need. Calculate how deep the area needs to be. Dig up the area. Measure the depth of the pit from multiple spots. Add a base layer of gravel. Install edge restraints around the perimeter. Put down a layer of landscape fabric (optional). Add a layer of bedding sand. Smooth the ground.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Over-Friends-Who-No-Longer-Want-to-Be-Friends-With-You

How to Get Over Friends Who No Longer Want to Be Friends With You

Finding out that a friend no longer wants to be friends with you can be really difficult, but by taking time to mourn and reaching out for support from others, you'll feel better in the long run. Express your feelings of sadness or anger by crying or listening to sad music, since releasing your feelings is an important part of coming to terms with your situation. You should also delete text messages and unfriend them on social media, which will stop you from getting stuck in the past by remembering the good times you had. Spend time doing the things you have in common with your current friends, since a healthy social life will help you get over your loss. Try taking a class or starting a new hobby to meet new people, who may become new friends over time.

Take some time to mourn. Losing a friend can be very painful. Pretending like it didn't happen or repressing the hurt you feel may seem like a good idea in the short term, but ultimately it will make it much more difficult to move on. Acknowledge that you have lost something important to you and that it is okay to feel sad about it. Don't be afraid to cry. Crying can be a great release of emotion. Listen to some sad music or watching a sad movie can actually be very cathartic. It reinforces the fact that you are not alone in how you feel and can give you hope that better times are ahead. Delete old correspondence. Don't hang on to text messages or emails that you might be tempted to go back and reread. Going back to these time and time again will only prolong the loneliness and hurt after a friendship ends. You may want to save copies to a USB drive and then give it to a friend or family member in case there comes a time when you feel it would no longer be too painful to look back on old times when the friendship was still solid. Unfriend or unfollow them on social media. Seeing what your friends are up to without you will just cause you to dwell on the past instead of looking toward the future. You'll heal more quickly and be able to let go more readily if you aren't constantly exposed to their Facebook posts. Take down photographs. You don't necessarily have to throw them away, though you could. Get rid of anything that reminds you of your friends like souvenirs or gifts. Write down how you feel. A helpful way to process feelings is to write them down. You might have questions about what went wrong or be feeling anger towards your friends. You can get all of these emotions down by writing a letter to you friends that you won't ultimately end up showing them. When you're done you can tear the letter up or put it away in a drawer. The purpose is just to process how you feel. Don’t blame yourself. Avoid seeing this as a reflection on who you are. There are lots of reasons why friendships end. Even if you feel like you had some hand in your friend or friends not wanting to remain friends with you, know that all relationships are 50/50. You can't control other people. See a therapist. If you are really having trouble moving on it can be helpful to deal with these feelings in a professional setting. A trained therapist will be able to listen to your perspective of what went wrong in the friendship and help you learn from mistakes. Call a family member. When friends are the problem, sometimes turning to family can be a safe solution. If you can, try to call someone you think has gone through similar friendship breakups in the past. Perhaps a parent or grandparent with more life experience, though any family member can be an enormous comfort. Consult friends you don't have in common with your lost friend. Reach out to people who don't know the friend or friends you are no longer hanging out with. They can listen to how you feel and offer an objective perspective on the situation. Let them know how much you appreciate their support. Remember that even though you may have lost a friend, you are still not completely friendless. Be mindful of your mutual friendships. Mutual friends may not be the best people to reach out to if you feel like you really need to process the loss of the friendship. This puts your shared friends in an awkward position. You'll also run the risk of alienating more people if you are perceived as trying to get people to take sides. That said, you can still reach out to these friends for companionship. It can be a nice reminder that you still have people that care about you. Avoid mentioning the friend that no longer wants to hangout with you. Try to focus on the things you still have in common with your current friends. Don't bad mouth your lost friend. It can be very emotional when a friend says they do not want to hangout with you anymore. Avoid the temptation to talk badly about them or tarnish their reputation in any way. When the emotions die down you may both realize that the friendship is actually salvageable. It may even come back together stronger after a disagreement of this magnitude. You don't want to make the situation any worse or lower any chances of the friendship being mended because you bad mouthed someone behind their back. Know that you’ll make new friends. Lots of people come and go throughout our lives. Your friendship might have just run its course. Think of it as an open space in your life that you can fill up with new, stronger friendships. Be grateful. When a friendship ends it can be easy to focus on negative things. Take stock of the things in your life that you are grateful for. Make a list of people you still feel close to, skills you are proud of, groups you're involved with or tasks you enjoy. Keep the list close by in a your wallet or bag or hang it above your desk so you can look to it when you are feeling lonely. Get out of the house. Sitting around and dwelling on lost friends will make it harder to get over them. If you catch yourself spending too much time in the house feeling sad get out. Go for a jog or to the gym. Go to a place where you can be around other people like a coffee shop, the library or a concert. Take a class. Seeking out a new hobby can be a great distraction and can help you meet new friends. Sign up for something you are interested in to keep you busy. A yoga class or meditation group can be particularly helpful in times of distress. You might also consider a cooking class, dance lessons, or learning how to play an instrument. Do your favorite things. Don't let lost friendships keep you from enjoying yourself. Make sure you make extra time to do things that you enjoy and that make you happy. Read, play video games, go out with other friends, play an instrument. Keep busy. Be patient. Healing from the loss of a friendship is going to take time. Even though you might be experiencing very real feelings of loneliness and depression, know that no feeling lasts forever and that as long as you are taking good care of yourself, you'll be able to find the strength to pull through.

Take some time to mourn. Delete old correspondence. Unfriend or unfollow them on social media. Take down photographs. Write down how you feel. Don’t blame yourself. See a therapist. Call a family member. Consult friends you don't have in common with your lost friend. Be mindful of your mutual friendships. Don't bad mouth your lost friend. Know that you’ll make new friends. Be grateful. Get out of the house. Take a class. Do your favorite things. Be patient.

https://www.wikihow.com/Tint-Eyebrows

How to Tint Eyebrows

Before tinting your eyebrows, buy a tinting kit from the drug store and tweeze, wax, or trim your eyebrows to shape them. Then, mix the dye and conditioner according to your kit's instructions. When the tint is ready, apply it to your eyebrows with an eyebrow brush. Try to start in the middle of your eyebrows before focusing on the smaller hairs at the edges. If you've applied too much tint, use a q-tip with eye makeup remover to remove the excess. Finally, wait until the tint sets before washing off the color with a cotton pad.

Buy a tinting kit. Go to your local drugstore or beauty supply store and find an eyebrow tinting kit. This kit will come with everything you need to tint your eyebrows. Think carefully about what color you choose. The darker your hair, the darker the shade of tint you should get. Blondes shouldn't get black eyebrow tint, as the contrasting shades would clash. Shape your eyebrows. It's advised to shape your eyebrows before you tint them. Use whatever method you normally use to shape your eyebrows, be it trimming, tweezing, waxing or another. Do this a day before you dye your eyebrows. Clean your eyebrows. Use makeup remover to remove any makeup from your eyebrows and gently clean them with a damp cotton pad. Brush them down with a spoolie. Apply petroleum jelly (optional). To prevent the tint from dying your skin, apply petroleum jelly on the skin around your eyebrows. Mix the colors. Eyebrow tinting kits vary on what they come with and how they are mixed. Follow the instructions on the kit you've chosen to mix the dye and the conditioner. Some kits come with a black and a brown paste. If you want darker eyebrows, put a dab of each into a paper cup. If you want lighter eyebrows, only use a dab of brown. Also add as many drops of eyebrow tint developer or conditioner as recommend by the kit instructions, then mix. Your kit might come with its own mixing cup. If so, you can use that. Otherwise, you can use any small cup or plate. Some kits will come with a spatula or wooden sticks to mix the tinting components. You can either use that or a small brush. Apply the tint. Brush the tint onto your eyebrows using an eyebrow brush. Use whatever application device the kit came with, most likely a wooden stick. Thoroughly coat your eyebrows from the inside to the outside corner. First concentrate on the center of the brow, then go back over, focusing on the smaller hairs along the edge. Remove excess tint. If you didn't use petroleum jelly to avoid getting tint on your skin, you can use a q-tip and some eye makeup remover solution to clean up the tint around your eyebrows. Slowly drag the q-tip along the edge of your brow to give it a nice, clean line. Apply tint to your eyelashes. This step is optional. If your eyelashes are light colored, you might want to apply some of your tint to them so that they better match your soon to be tinted brows. Take your spoolie and bend it so that it's angled. Then dip it in your tint and apply it slowly to your eyelashes, being careful not to get any in your eye. Wait for the tint to set. Read the instructions for your kit to determine how long it takes, then set a timer, and wait. Timing the wait is very important if you want your brows to match. Wash off the colour. Once the colour has set, remove it using a wet cotton pad. Again, start from the inside and work your way outside. Remove the tint thoroughly, making sure none remains on your eyebrow hairs. You'll need to apply some pressure. Once the tint is gone, remove the petroleum jelly as well. Repeat the process with the other brow. Once you've removed all the tint from the first brow, start over on the second brow. Make sure you apply the tint just as thoroughly, wait just as long, and remove it completely. Finished.

Buy a tinting kit. Shape your eyebrows. Clean your eyebrows. Apply petroleum jelly (optional). Mix the colors. Apply the tint. Remove excess tint. Apply tint to your eyelashes. Wait for the tint to set. Wash off the colour. Repeat the process with the other brow. Finished.

https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Sweet-Corn

How to Grow Sweet Corn

To grow sweet corn, plant sweet corn seeds 2 weeks after the last expected frost. Bury the seeds 1.5 inches below the soil in an open outdoor space that's free of weeds. Add compost and fertilizer to the soil to help your sweet corn grow healthy and strong. Generously water the seeds right after you plant them, and after that give them 1 inch of water per week. Routinely pull weeds and check for pests and soon you'll have delicious sweet corn to harvest!

Plant sweet corn two weeks after the last frost date. Because sweet corn is so sensitive to frosts, it's best to plant it when the danger of severe frosts has passed. Look up the frost dates in your area and plant corn at least two weeks after the last frost of the season is expected to happen. The date will vary depending on where you live. If you live in a southern area, you will be able to plant corn earlier than if you live in a more northern area. Wait until the soil is above 60 degrees F (15.5 degrees C). Choose the variety of sweet corn you want to grow. There are many kinds of sweet and super sweet corn, all of which mature at different rates. In general, if you live in a cooler climate, it's best to plant corn varieties that are early bloomers. Breeder's Choice is a very common sugar corn that has light yellow kernels that are sweet and creamy. It freezes well and grows in a variety of climates. How Sweet Is It is a variety that resists most diseases that affect sweet corn, though it is a late bloomer and grows best in warmer climates. Divinity is a white, tender sweet corn that has a high drought tolerance and also resists some diseases. Sugar and Gold as well as Butter and Sugar are both early-blooming varieties of corn that do well in cooler climates. Identify the best rectangular area for planting the corn. Corn is a wind-pollinated plant, meaning that the wind blows the pollen from one plant onto another. For this reason, it's important to plant corn in a block formation rather than long rows, because then the pollen can more easily blow onto the other stalks. Find an area to grow the corn that is at least four feet by four feet (1.2 by 1.2 m) and is also in direct sunlight. Make sure that you consider the height of the corn compared with your other plants. The corn will cast shade on other plants depending on where you plant it. Clear the soil of weeds. Before you begin sowing the corn seeds, you should clear the square or rectangular area where you're planting the corn of weeds. Weeds can get in the way of the growth of seedlings, and they also sap the soil of the nutrients that delicate young plants need to grow. Clear the entire area that you are using to grow the corn. Pull the weeds up from the roots so that the weeds won't eventually grow back. Also remove any large stones or rocks and break up large clumps of soil. Add compost to the soil. Before you plant the sweet corn, spread compost over the entire planting area in a layer that is 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) deep. Compost provides nitrogen and other soil nutrients, and also helps the soil to retain moisture. Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer on the soil. After you lay down the compost, spread a layer of 10-10-10 fertilizer over the mulch, using about 1 cup (236 ml) for every 10 square feet (3 square meters) of corn you are planting. The fertilizer will enhance the growth of the corn and give the soil an extra dose of nutrients. Plant the seeds one and a half inches deep in the soil. After you have cleared the area where you are planting the corn, you can begin sowing the seeds. Plant the corn seeds in the soil in at least four rows that are four feet (1.2 m) long, putting the seeds 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) deep into the soil. Plant each seed about 9-12 inches (22.8- 30.4 cm) apart from one another. When putting the seeds into the ground, use your thumb to make the 1 ½ inch (3.8 cm) hole. Drop in the seed, then brush over some dirt to cover and protect the seed. If you want to plant more than four rows, just try to make sure that the plants end up being in a square or rectangular formation, with all the seeds being around 9-12 inches (22.8- 30.4 cm) apart. Different varieties of sweet corn mature at different rates. If you want a long harvest season, plant a few varieties of sweet corn. If you are planting different varieties of corn, make sure to plant the same varieties in at least two side-by-side rows so that they can pollinate effectively. If you can find some pre-started seedlings at your local garden store or nursery, then this is a great option as well. Water the seeds generously. Directly after you finish planting, generously water the soil until it is rich and dark. Watering the seeds right after you plant them is vital to the corn's ability to grow and flourish. Water corn a few days after planting. It's important to keep your corn properly hydrated when it is first growing. If three or four days after planting there has not been any rain, be sure to water your corn. Water it enough so that the soil is dark and moist, but not so much that the water starts to pool. Water consistently if you live in a dry area. Sweet corn requires about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week as it is starting to grow, so you may need to water your plants if you live in a dry area where you don't get a lot of rain. To water your corn, use a soaker hose and spray the water as close to the surface of the soil as you can. Avoid spraying the tops of the plants, as this can cause the pollen to wash away from the silk of the corn. After the corn silks form at the top of the plant, the corn will need one inch (2.5 cm) of water every five days. Remove weeds from the soil regularly. Whenever you notice new weeds emerging, pull them up by the roots to clear the area. Weeds drain the soil of the nutrients that corn needs to grow. Be careful as you weed to not pull up the shallow roots of the corn plants. Corn often grows suckers, or offshoots, which can be easily mistaken for weeds if you do not see that they are attached to the corn plant. While some plants benefit from the removal of suckers, cutting suckers off of corn can actually harm the roots, so it's best to leave them be. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer six weeks after planting. After six weeks, the corn should be steadily growing at around 1 ½ feet (45.7 cm) tall, and should have started sprouting tassels. At this point, spread another layer of 10-10-10 fertilizer around the plants, using 1 cup (236 ml) for every 10 feet (3 m) of corn row. Treat corn silks with an anti-pest solution. Corn is especially susceptible to corn earworms, which develop when earworm moths lay eggs on newly developing corn silks. To prevent these pests from growing in the silks and eating the ears of corn, spray the corn husks every few weeks with a solution made of equal parts vegetable oil and water, with a few drops dishwashing liquid added in. Protect your corn from animals. Small animals like squirrels, birds and raccoons can also eat your corn. Avoid attracting these animals by clearing out old cornstalks or other decaying plant matter from the garden. If you notice raccoons around your corn, consider installing an electric fence around the corn to fend them off. You can also try to plant especially tall varieties of corn so that raccoons cannot access the ears. Test the ears for ripeness. Keep an eye on your corn and note the day when you notice the corn silks starting to emerge from the ears. Three weeks after the day that the corn silks appear, start to test the ears for ripeness. To check if the corn is ripe, pull back part of the husk on one ear of corn and pierce a kernel of corn with your fingernail. When corn is ripe, thick, milky liquid should spurt from the kernel. If the corn is not yet quite ripe, the liquid will be watery. The milk stage, or prime ripeness stage of corn, usually lasts for about a week. You may be able to tell from the husks and silks which corn should be tested. When ears are ready to be picked, the husks of the corn are usually tightly folded and green as opposed to yellowish, and the corn silk is dark brown as opposed to golden. If you tested an ear of corn that isn't ripe, make sure to fold the husk back so that it surrounds the cob again. This will stop pests from accessing the cob. Snap the ear off by hand. If you tested an ear of corn and it is ready to be picked, hold the stalk with your non-dominant hand, then use your dominant hand to quickly and firmly push down and snap the ear by its base, then twist and pull it away from the stalk. This should leave you with a full ear of unhusked corn, as well as a small amount of the rod-like base from which the corn grew. Eat the corn directly after picking it. After you pick your corn, it's best to eat it as soon as possible. You can leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight, but the freshness will be diminished. To have the best tasting corn, remove the husk and silks, wash the corn, then grill it or boil it directly after picking it. You can also freeze corn by carving off the kernels from the cob, placing them in airtight bags, and storing them in the freezer. You also may Can Corn by hermetically sealing the corn kernels in canning jars. Keep checking on the corn every couple days after picking your first ripe ears. After you have removed your first ripe ears of corn, keep checking on the plants. Each cob of the same type of corn should ripen in the same couple of months, and you don't want to miss any fresh corn! If you are growing multiple varieties of corn, keep in mind that they will mature at different rates. Keep tabs on all the varieties of corn you are growing so that you will be able to harvest them at the correct time.

Plant sweet corn two weeks after the last frost date. Choose the variety of sweet corn you want to grow. Identify the best rectangular area for planting the corn. Clear the soil of weeds. Add compost to the soil. Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer on the soil. Plant the seeds one and a half inches deep in the soil. Water the seeds generously. Water corn a few days after planting. Water consistently if you live in a dry area. Remove weeds from the soil regularly. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer six weeks after planting. Treat corn silks with an anti-pest solution. Protect your corn from animals. Test the ears for ripeness. Snap the ear off by hand. Eat the corn directly after picking it. Keep checking on the corn every couple days after picking your first ripe ears.

https://www.wikihow.com/Put-Nail-Polish-on-Your-Dog%27s-Nails

How to Put Nail Polish on Your Dog's Nails

Before you put nail polish on your dog's nails, make sure you're using polish designed specifically for dogs, since human nail polish can be toxic. You'll also want to have some treats on hand so you can reward your dog for sitting still. When you're ready to get started, bring your dog into a small room, like a bathroom, and close the door. Don't paint its nails in a room with carpet since it could run away and get nail polish everywhere. Once your dog is settled in, have it sit or lie down, and apply nail polish to the nails on its front paws using the brush. To paint the nails on your dog's back paws, you might need to have it stand up so you can reach them.

Make sure the dog is trained. He won't need to know any fancy commands, but he will need to know how to sit and stay for several minutes. Get the dog used to grooming. You should never paint your dog's nails if he isn't accustomed to being groomed, particularly to having his nails trimmed. You need to get him comfortable with the idea of you handling his paws before you start painting his nails. Always try to make grooming a good experience for your dog. Give him lots of treats to encourage good behavior. This will also help him associate getting groomed and having his nails painted with delicious treats, so he might even look forward to it! If you have never cut your dog's nails before, start by simply handling each paw and looking at it for a minute. When he's comfortable with that, you can progress to clipping, and then to painting. Start with just a few minutes of grooming. When your dog starts looking very uncomfortable, let him go. The next grooming session should last a few minutes longer. Don't start painting the dog's nails until you're confident that the dog can sit still for long enough. Buy non-toxic products. You should use nail polish specifically designed for dogs because it is less toxic than nail polish designed for humans. Dogs sometimes chew their paws, so you want to make sure your dog will not ingest anything that is potentially harmful. Find out how long the dry time is for the nail polish you will be using, and understand that you will need to get your dog to be calm for at least that long. Some dry extremely quickly and others can be used with topcoats that speed drying time. Choose carefully. When it comes time to remove the nail polish, be sure to use nail polish remover that is designed for dogs as well. Set up a space. Make sure you paint your dog's nails in a room where he can do minimal damage if he starts to run around. You will want to avoid areas with carpets and upholstered furniture because it will be very hard, if not impossible, to get nail polish off of these surfaces. A small space is probably best so your dog won't be able to go far if he gets away. Consider laying an old towel or blanket on the floor for your dog to stand on, but make sure that you don't mind if it gets nail polish on it. Choose your design. Plan out what colors and patterns you want to do before you start painting. If your dog has dark nails, you might need to use a white base coat, depending on the color you want the nails to be. If you want to do patterns, try to find dog-friendly nail polish pens, which will give you much more control than a brush. You can purchase these online, or you may be able to find them at a specialty pet store. If this is the first time you are painting your dog's nails, you might want to stick to a simple design. Gather all your materials. Make sure you have everything you need to paint your dog's nails in the room before you bring your dog in. You do not want to realize half way through that you forgot something in another room and have to leave your dog alone. Make sure you have the following items on hand: All of the nail polish you plan on using Nail polish remover, along with cotton balls, just in case you get some polish in your dog's hair Nail clippers Styptic powder, which will stop the bleeding if you accidentally cut your dog's nails too short A small pair of scissors to trim excess hair A towel to cover the floor Lots of treats Keep your dog as still as possible. Try putting one arm around your dog's back and using the other hand to apply the polish. Having a helper hold the dog for you is a good idea. Ask a sibling, friend, or someone else to help you. Prep the paws. Before you start polishing, you should make sure that your dog's nails are trimmed to the appropriate length. If your dog has long hair, trim it back around the nails so you don't get nail polish in his hair. Apply the polish. Dip the brush into the polish and gently stroke the nail brush over the dog's nails. Work as quickly as possible. You may want to apply gentle pressure to the top and bottom of your dog's paw as you are painting. For front paws, you can simply ask the dog to sit and you can hold the paw you are working on. For back paws, you may need to work with your dog standing up, or you may need to have someone hold the dog off the ground. Stay calm. Try not do anything to excite or scare your pooch as you apply the polish. Keep your dog still. While the nail polish is drying, you will need to keep your dog calm and prevent him from touching or licking his nails. Try giving treats to keep your dog happy and encourage him to enjoy getting his nails painted. If your dog is very small, you can hold him while his nails are drying. Add another layer of nail polish. If necessary, apply a second coat of the same color, or use a nail polish marker to apply a design. Your dog will need to be still once again after you apply the second coat. If you are using a topcoat, he will need to be still three times. If your dog seems too hyper, consider giving him a break after the first coat is dry.

Make sure the dog is trained. Get the dog used to grooming. Buy non-toxic products. Set up a space. Choose your design. Gather all your materials. Keep your dog as still as possible. Prep the paws. Apply the polish. Stay calm. Keep your dog still. Add another layer of nail polish.

https://www.wikihow.com/Pay-Your-Respects-when-Someone-You-Know-Dies

How to Pay Your Respects when Someone You Know Dies

When someone you know dies, it's polite to pay your respects to their family and honor their memory. To pay your respects to their family, you can send a condolence card or flowers. Alternatively, send some pre-prepared meals, since they might be too busy or down to cook for themselves. You can give these to the family yourself if you live nearby or arrange for them to be delivered by a courier. If you're going in person, say something like, “I'm so sorry for your loss.” Then, offer to help if they need assistance with anything. You can also briefly share a fond memory of their loved one, like, “I'll never forget the time he helped me fix my car in the rain.” If you're invited to the memorial or wake, you'll usually have an opportunity to say goodbye to the deceased. You don't have to do this, but if you want to, just go up to the casket when directed and say goodbye.

Get the important information. Find out from family members, close friends, or members of the community when the memorial service will be held. If the person who died was a pillar in the local community, information about their services may be posted in the local newspaper. Make sure you know when and where the service will be held. Review the directions ahead of time to avoid getting lost and arriving late. Send flowers. Across many cultures and religions, a common way to pay respects is to send flowers. Plus, if you are unable to attend the memorial, sending flowers lets the person's loved ones know that they are in your thoughts. Look online or visit your local florist to choose a nice arrangement. Have them sent to the funeral home so that they are there prior to the memorial. If you are sending flowers from a long distance, it may be helpful to contact florists in the person's area to have them send over your flowers. Local and online florists can guide you on choosing and ordering arrangements that are designed specially for memorials. A donation can be an alternative to flowers. Making a donation in the deceased's name to a cause they cared about is a nice gesture. Check the obituary, as this is sometimes specified there. Ask someone to join you for support. If you have never attended a funeral, or if you are a bit shaken by the death, it may be a good idea to bring someone with you. A parent, sibling, or friend can accompany you to the memorial and offer comfort if you need it. Another good option is to go with someone who has a similar relationship with the deceased as you. For instance, you might go with another classmate, if a teacher has died. Or, you might attend a friend's parent's funeral with another mutual friend. Arrive on time and dressed appropriately. Be respectful and proper by arriving to the memorial service on time. Aim to arrive at least 15-30 minutes before the service begins. Also, dress appropriately. It used to be common practice to wear black. That's no longer necessary, but you should wear subdued clothing. Do some research before you dress. If the person followed a certain religion, you might look to see if there are general expectations for clothing in that place of worship. Go for solid-colored clothing choices in mute shades like navy, burgundy, or grey as a rule. Avoid bright colors and busy prints or patterns. Also, try to be modest—don't wear anything too revealing, such as low-cut tops or mini skirts. If you are attending a wake or viewing, the attire might be more relaxed or casual. Still, stick to subdued colors. Also, if you are going to a viewing, you can arrive at any time and approach the casket. Just make sure you greet the person's loved ones before viewing the body. View the body, if you want. It is typical for everyone at the memorial service to pay their respects by viewing the body. This may take place before, during, or after the service. If you want to see the deceased one last time, you may go up when directed and view the body. If you don't want to take part in this practice, remain seated. In some situations, a viewing, or wake, may be held immediately before the memorial or on a separate day. Wakes are usually more intimate but allow you to come and go as you please. The funeral itself, on the other hand, is more anonymous but requires you to be present for the entire service. Offer your condolences. Typically, after the service, mourners may line up to express their condolences to close family and friends of the deceased. When it's your turn, keep it simple and straightforward. Go for something like “I am so sorry for your loss.” If you are attending a wake or viewing, you will typically greet and console the person's family before viewing the body. Skip the empty or religious platitudes. In an attempt to comfort the bereaved, some people communicate phrases like “Everything happens for a reason” or “God makes no mistakes.” Even if they are well-intended, such platitudes may offend close family, especially if they do not share the same religious or spiritual beliefs. Avoid phrases that minimize the person's experience, like "I know how you feel." Even if you have lost someone, too, this day is not about your own loss. Focus on the person who has died only instead of comparing their death to someone else's. If you know the person is religious, it may be appropriate to communicate sincere words, like "I am praying for you and your family." Relay a fond memory. If you want to say more, it can be thoughtful to communicate a fond memory you have of the bereaved. This reminds them of the good times the person had, or of their kindness or compassion. For example, you might say, “Ms. Henry, I am truly sorry for your loss. Mr. Henry was such a caring man. I'll never forget that time he pulled over in the rain to help me with a flat tire. He was one of a kind.” Offer your help. You can show your sympathy in a practical way by offering to help the family. When people are grieving, basic chores like cooking, cleaning, or picking up groceries may be left undone. They can be overwhelmed and too uncomfortable to ask for help. Offer to come by the family home and help out as needed if you are close to the family, or make an unsolicited gesture of aid like bringing food. Make your intentions to help clear, such as saying, "I'll come by on Tuesday to help with cleaning or cooking." Pitching in with housecleaning, chores, or yard work can be helpful during this time. In addition, you might drop off prepared foods like casseroles or sandwiches to ensure the family has food to eat. Other helpful gifts might include plastic or paper utensils, trash bags, paper towels, and household items, since the family may be hosting many guests. You might also ask someone close to the family what holes exist in their needs. Take the initiative. Oftentimes, everyone is supportive of mourners immediately after the death, but this support fades as time goes on. For this reason, stay in touch with the family and continue to help out in the weeks after the funeral. Be brief. After you have expressed your condolences, said something kind about the deceased, and offered to help, move along. Everyone is hoping to talk to the family, so don't hold them up for too long. You may leave your number with someone and suggest that they call you later if they'd like to talk more. Send a card. If you are unable to attend the memorial service, it is appropriate to send a thoughtful card or note in your absence. Choose a card that offers your condolences and then add a brief message telling the family that you will come by for a visit soon. You might write a simple message on your card, such as "I am thinking of you and your family during your time of grief." You might have your card mailed to the site of the memorial (with flowers) or you might send it to the person's family home, if you are close to the family. Respect the family's wishes and space. Some might welcome a personal visit, but others may want to grieve privately and be alone for a time. Visit the burial site. In the days and weeks after the funeral or memorial service, you can pay your respects by visiting the graveyard or crypt where the deceased was laid to rest. It is generally acceptable to bring flowers or other mementos of the dead. This is a great way to privately honor the deceased. Reminisce with others who knew the person. If you are close to the bereaved, it may be comforting to you and others to talk about the deceased. Do this on a case-by-case basis, as some people may want to talk about the person and others may not. Talk about the great times you had with the person, and relay the qualities about them you will miss. If you want, you may try to keep it upbeat by telling funny stories about experiences you shared with the deceased. Write down your memories. You might also consider writing down your memories of the deceased or even making a journal of notebook of these remembrances. Include things like their traits and qualities as a person, things you did together, happy memories you have of them, or reminisce about funny stories that involve them. Creating a journal can be a useful grieving technique for people who process things visually rather than verbally. It can also help you explore why you might be so affected by a person's passing. Start a new tradition to honor the person. If you want to continue to pay respects to the deceased after their memorial service, you can implement a ritual that helps you keep the person's memories alive. For instance, if a teacher who loved chocolate chip cookies died, you might bake them each month on the anniversary of their death. You might also ask other mourners to join you. For instance, you might go to lunch every other Friday at the person's favorite restaurant.

Get the important information. Send flowers. Ask someone to join you for support. Arrive on time and dressed appropriately. View the body, if you want. Offer your condolences. Skip the empty or religious platitudes. Relay a fond memory. Offer your help. Be brief. Send a card. Visit the burial site. Reminisce with others who knew the person. Write down your memories. Start a new tradition to honor the person.

https://www.wikihow.com/Describe-Yourself

How to Describe Yourself

To describe yourself for a job interview, practice describing yourself positively and confidently in 2 to 3 sentences. In order to create the best description, make a list of your key attributes, like your passion, ambition, or leadership skills. Before going into the interview, research the company and the job so you can fine-tune your description and match it to their needs and values. To do this, look for ways to match your main attributes with specific examples that demonstrate how you're right for the job. For example, instead of just saying “I'm a people person,” you could say “In my last job, I loved working directly with customers to make sure their needs were met.” While using specific examples can strengthen your description, keep it concise and simple to show you respect the interviewer's time.

Practice answering “How would you describe yourself? " You'll nearly always be asked some variation of this question during an interview, so go ahead and prepare a great answer to it! The more time you spend practicing how to clearly and succinctly highlight your positive qualities, the more natural and confident you'll sound when responding at the interview. Practice answering this question, and interviewing in general, with a friend, or work with a mock interviewer—for instance, through your university's career center. Typically, you should aim to answer this question in 2-3 sentences. You can find many lists of “recommended” answers to this question online, but always put your answer in your own words so it sounds natural. Develop a list of terms that define your key attributes. While you're practicing and preparing in the weeks or days leading up to the interview, brainstorm one list of essential characteristics about yourself, and another list of adjectives and descriptive terms that you can use in your response. Consider using terms like the following: “passionate,” “driven,” “ambitious,” “organized,” “people-person,” “natural leader,” “results-oriented,” “excellent communicator.” In some cases, an interviewer may ask you to “describe yourself in 3 words” or something similar. In this case, draw from your best options from your brainstorm lists. Research the company and adjust your answer accordingly. Each company has its own unique personality and culture. Describing the attributes you possess that reflect the company's values demonstrates interest and shows forethought. For example, if you are applying for a position at a tech start-up, you might mention the following: “I have a passion for working collaboratively to find innovative solutions, such as when I simplified our billing procedures by leading a team made up of IT and accounts payable staff.” This means you shouldn't use the same answer at every interview. Instead, make each answer unique to that interview. Research the position and tailor your response to suit it as well. Study the job description both for details about what the job entails and the necessary qualifications. Describe yourself in terms of your interest in performing those job duties, as well as your proven ability to do so. If you are applying for a management position, you may want to describe yourself in terms of leadership strategies you've implemented at a similar company. For example, “I am the director of sales at my current company. I have recently implemented new software to track our sales success.” You may want to describe yourself in terms of your multitasking abilities or organizational skills for an assistant position: “I am currently assisting four associates. They are very pleased with my organizational and interpersonal skills and have recently given me all office ordering responsibilities.” As an entry-level candidate, consider describing your flexibility and willingness to learn a new role: “I am a recent graduate and do have some internship experience with offset printing, but am looking for more experience and opportunities to build on my knowledge.” Provide concrete examples of actions that support your description. If you are a great organizer, merely stating that you are “highly organized” doesn't mean much. If, however, you talk about a specific time when you were tasked with organizing a large conference of a hundred top executives, you have made your abilities much more tangible. Use terms like “passionate” and “results-oriented” as gateways to the specific examples you can quickly provide, not as full answers in and of themselves—unless you have to answer the question in only 3 words! In many cases, the first sentence of your answer should start with “I am,” while the second should start with “For example.” Be positive, confident (but not arrogant), and concise. Don't bring up negative qualities or criticize yourself, and don't act like you're embarrassed to discuss your accomplishments and great qualities. Detailing your accomplishments and positive attributes because they are true and relevant to the discussion shows confidence. However, talking about your accomplishments and good qualities without any evidence or regard for the conversation shows arrogance. During your 2-3 sentence answer, highlight 2-3 points about yourself and provide one example illustrating how your attributes were beneficial in a specific situation. For instance: "My interpersonal skills helped repair a rift that had developed between our sales and service teams." Establish your networking goal before the event begins. Networking events are opportunities to connect with people either in your current industry, or in an industry you hope to enter. If you are looking just to build relationships with others in similar roles in your industry, your introduction and interactions may be different than those of a job seeker speaking to a recruiter. If you're building relationships with peers, focus more on describing your experiences in the field. If you're networking for a job interview, connect your experiences to a desire to work for that company. In any case, plan to deliver your description in the form of an “elevator pitch,” which ideally runs about 75 words and takes 30 seconds to deliver. Develop key messages about yourself in your elevator pitch. Elevator pitches should be succinct summaries that describe who you are and what you do. These summaries highlight the most important, memorable things about you. Here are some questions to ask while developing your key messages: Who am I? “I am a writer.” “I am a recruiter.” “I am an office administrator.” What organizations do I work for? “I work for an online art magazine.” “I work for a start-up software company.” “I work at a small-business non-profit.” What do I help my organization do? “I review local art openings for an international online art magazine.” “I seek out and secure new talent for specialized software development roles.” “I work with businesses to hone their launch strategies.” Fine-tune your pitch by infusing it with your passions and goals. Answering basic questions like “Who am I?” will help you identify what you value and what you are passionate about. Use this knowledge to organize your answers into short, fleshed out summaries, such as: “I am a writer for an online art magazine with an international audience. It's a great opportunity because I get to attend and review local art openings.” “I am a recruiter at a small software start-up. I get to seek out and meet with new talent.” “I'm an office administrator at a small-business non-profit. I offer support to new businesses who are honing their launch strategies.” Practice your elevator pitch so it sounds natural and conversational. Even though everyone else at the networking event knows you've been practicing your elevator pitch (just like they have!), it shouldn't sound robotic or emotionless. At the same time, you don't want to be fumbling around for the right words. Instead of just memorizing your pitch, practice making subtle variations to it so you can improvise and inject some personality into it as needed. Your basic pitch might be something like: “Hello! My name is Chelsea, it's nice to meet you. I work in Business Analytics and have 7 years' experience in solving business problems with data-driven solutions. I'm enthusiastic about doing strategic evaluation of data analysis, and I've had success providing this for our executive staff. I'm also eager for new opportunities to build on my expertise. May I set up a quick call next week to talk about any upcoming opportunities on your team?” Listen for the right opportunity to deliver your pitch. Unless you're actually in an elevator or are otherwise pressed for time, try asking the other person a question instead of diving straight into your elevator pitch. This helps put the other person at ease, and it also gives you a quick means of learning more about them, their interests, and their needs. You might ask, for instance, “So, Jon, what do you think of the new Data Analytics software?” Active listening is the chance for you to create a meaningful exchange. You can both listen to another person's key messages and assess whether you might be able to offer input or fill a need. Make subtle adjustments to your elevator pitch based on what the other person says. Listening and replying with thoughtful feedback goes a long way toward forming good business relationships. Be honest without going into excruciating detail. In order to avoid future complications, don't start out by telling lies or making huge exaggerations. In an online profile, for instance, avoid overselling your appearance by claiming to look like a celebrity or model. If you are 45, try describing yourself as "mid-40s." Follow it up with other interesting facts about you, for example, "I'm in my mid-40s, and I love salsa dancing, rock climbing, and tasting new whiskeys." If you have children and it feels like the right time to mention it, try, "I'm a 35-year-old mother of a hilarious 5-year-old." Mention unique qualities and specific examples instead of generic phrases. Vague descriptions such as "fun-loving" or "cheerful" don't make you stand out as unique. Try to use concrete descriptors or offer examples. If you enjoy traveling, describe where you last went and why you would go back—or, instead of “I love travelling,” try, “My goal is to visit each continent at least twice.” If you consider yourself a foodie, talk about some of your favorite restaurants, or the great meal you cooked last weekend. If you are an art lover, talk about the type of art you love or the artist retrospective you attended. Focus on things you like and use positive language. This isn't the time for negativity, self-criticism, or embarrassment. When describing yourself, concentrate on things you like, both about yourself and about the world. While you should provide examples and specifics to build on them, use terms like “passionate,” “thoughtful,” “funny,” and “spontaneous,” rather than “quiet,” “modest,” “average,” or “normal.” Offer solid, positive descriptions of your appearance, such as: "curvy, brown-eyed brunette with great shoulders and an even better smile." A little humor helps you stand out from the crowd. Humor communicates a lot about your personality and makes you seem more down-to-earth and accessible. For example: "I'm 34-years-old, blonde-haired, near-sighted, and love using dashes when I write (I'm dash-happy!)." Talk about what you value most without seeming closed-minded. While you should try to avoid overwhelming people you've just met with strong opinions on politics or religion, discussing the things you value allows them to understand where you come from. If education or family is really important to you, talking or writing about it can give people a much more rounded sense of who you are. For instance, instead of jumping right into a discourse on your views on gun control and vaccinations, mention that you're “passionate about making the world safer and happier for all children.”

Practice answering “How would you describe yourself? Develop a list of terms that define your key attributes. Research the company and adjust your answer accordingly. Research the position and tailor your response to suit it as well. Provide concrete examples of actions that support your description. Be positive, confident (but not arrogant), and concise. Establish your networking goal before the event begins. Develop key messages about yourself in your elevator pitch. Fine-tune your pitch by infusing it with your passions and goals. Practice your elevator pitch so it sounds natural and conversational. Listen for the right opportunity to deliver your pitch. Be honest without going into excruciating detail. Mention unique qualities and specific examples instead of generic phrases. Focus on things you like and use positive language. Talk about what you value most without seeming closed-minded.

https://www.wikihow.com/Put-Your-Dog-on-a-Limited-Ingredient-Diet

How to Put Your Dog on a Limited Ingredient Diet

Before putting your dog on a limited ingredient diet, have it examined by your vet to confirm that its health problems are being caused by dietary issues. Then, gradually introduce a limited ingredient food into its diet over the course of several days so that it has time to get used to it. Feed your pet the limited ingredient food for 8 to 12 weeks. If the health problems clear up, ask your vet whether you should put your dog on the diet permanently.

Discuss diet changes with your veterinarian. If your dog is having health issues, it's best to consult with a veterinarian about possible causes. In the case of skin irritation, your veterinarian can rule out causes other than diet before you begin an elimination diet. Figure out what foods need to be eliminated. The purpose of a limited ingredient diet is to eliminate allergens from your dog's diet. Look at the ingredients of your dog's current food and any food that it has previously eaten. All of the ingredients in these foods need to be avoided. If you no longer have the packaging of a food you previously fed to your dog, you can look the ingredients up online. Most large dog food companies have their ingredient lists posted online. Pick out a limited ingredient food. Go to your local pet store and look at all of the limited ingredient diet options. Most limited ingredient diets consist of only two ingredients, a protein and a carbohydrate. These are usually unusual proteins and carbohydrates, so it is likely that your dog has not eaten them before. In addition, most limited ingredient diets are grain free, keeping out common allergens including wheat, corn, and soy. Some common proteins in limited ingredient diets include duck, turkey, lamb, Feed your dog only limited ingredient diet. In order to get to the bottom of a food allergy issue, you need to eliminate all possible allergens from your dog's diet. This means keeping it away from all foods it has previously eaten. Do not give your dog treats or even oral medications, unless directed to do so by your vet, while you are feeding an elimination diet. The goal is to be strict about your dog's eating to that you can find the source of the problem. Reintroduce the previous food gradually. Once your dog's health issues have cleared up, meaning your dog's irritated skin or digestive problems have gone away, you will want to reintroduce the previous food to verify that it was the cause of the problem. If the health problems resurface, then you know that the cause of the problems was the initial food you were feeding your dog. Do not expect skin problems or digestive issues to clear up quickly. It may take 8 to 12 weeks on a limited ingredient diet to clear up all of your pet's health problems. Do specific testing. If you want to know what exactly your dog is allergic to, not just that it was generally allergic to its previous food, then you need to do some additional testing. While still feeding a limited ingredient diet, you will need to add the individual ingredients of the dog's previous food back into its diet to find the culprit. Each ingredient is given to the dog for several weeks so that its possible effects can be seen. Dogs are usually allergic to common proteins such as beef, chicken, eggs, and to common grains, such as wheat, corn, and soy. You should start your testing with these ingredients. Many dog owners do not do this kind of specific testing, instead opting to simply avoid the specific dog food that was making their dog sick. Discuss your dog's future diet with a veterinarian. Many dog owners decide to keep their dogs on a limited ingredient diet indefinitely after they find that it clears up their dog's allergies. However, it is important to discuss this with a veterinarian so that you are sure that the limited ingredient diet fulfills all of your dog's dietary needs. Introduce the new food gradually. It is important for a dog's digestive health to gradually introduce new food. If you were to switch a dog's food completely in just one meal, your dog would have a very hard time digesting it and it could make your dog very, very ill. Bacteria in your dog's digestive system help to digest its food. With a sudden change in diet, the existing bacteria may not be able to digest the new food, causing an upset stomach and other digestive problems. Mix one part of the new food to three parts of the old food. This should be the mix you use for the first couple days. Having only a small amount of the new food in your dog's diet will allow its system to gradually adjust to the new ingredients. It can be tempting to switch a dog's diet over completely if you have run out of its old food and don't want to buy any more. However, it is worth buying a small bag of the dog's old diet just to assure that it does not have adverse reactions to a sudden change. Increase the percentage of new food over the course of a week. After a couple days of a one to three ratio of new food to old food, increase the amount of new food so that you are feeding your dog half and half new and old food. Feed this amount for several days. Then increase the amount of new food for a few day once again, so that you are feeding three parts new food and one part old food. Finally, you can switch entirely to the new food after a week of gradual introduction.

Discuss diet changes with your veterinarian. Figure out what foods need to be eliminated. Pick out a limited ingredient food. Feed your dog only limited ingredient diet. Reintroduce the previous food gradually. Do specific testing. Discuss your dog's future diet with a veterinarian. Introduce the new food gradually. Mix one part of the new food to three parts of the old food. Increase the percentage of new food over the course of a week.

https://www.wikihow.com/Judge-Character

How to Judge Character

To judge character, observe someone's body language to get clues about their personality. For example, a person who refuses to make eye contact may be timid, while a weak handshake can indicate that someone is disinterested. Additionally, watch how other people react to the person so you can form your opinion based on the views of others. Alternatively, take note of how the person behaves towards strangers, such as being rude to a waiter, which may suggest they're generally rude.

Consider the communication style. Maybe you are interacting with a new person. Or perhaps you are trying to get a better sense of someone who is already part of your life. Judging someone's character can help you understand them, and noticing how they communicate is helpful. Pay attention to the amount of talking that is being done. Is the person you are evaluating speaking more than anyone else in the room? If the conversation seems very one-sided, it is possible that the person you are observing is not a very good listener. Controlling the conversation could also be a sign that the person is somewhat domineering. These might not be traits that you enjoy being around. Pay attention to body language. A person's body language is a good indicator of some personality traits. For example, maybe you notice that very little eye contact occurs when you speak to that person. That can indicate a few different things. Refusing to make eye contact might indicate timidity. It could also indicate dishonesty or insecurity. You can also use a person's handshake to evaluate their personality. A firm handshake indicates confidence. A handshake that crushes your hand might indicate a need to dominate. A very weak handshake can indicate lack of interest. Notice the energy in the room. Pay attention to how other people react to the person you are evaluating. The energy level in the room can help you figure out some key things about someone's character. Observe how the vibe changes when the new person enters the room. Does the room suddenly seem quiet and uncomfortable? It might be that the person makes others somewhat uneasy. Perhaps the room seems lighter and happier. Maybe the person you are observing makes others feel at ease. That could indicate kindness. Does this person seem to give energy or to suck it in? It is always better to add to energy rather than deplete it. Ask yourself if you would be comfortable taking a long car trip with this person. That can help you figure out how you feel about them. Decide if you can trust the person. Trust is an important part of any good relationship. This is true for personal and professional relationships. When you are judging someone's character, take some steps to figure out if they are trustworthy. Take a look at their track record. Past performance is sometimes an indicator of future actions. For example, maybe you are considering dating someone who you know cheated on an ex. Mistakes do happen, and people often deserve a second chance. But keep all relevant information in mind when forming an opinion. Do you have a co-worker who is routinely late? If you cannot rely on someone to be on time, you might not be able to trust them with greater responsibility. Give people a chance to prove you can trust them. For example, if you have a new friend, see how she reacts when you tell her some sensitive information. If she's kind and a good listener, she could be trustworthy. Handle someone who is not nice. Unfortunately, you will sometimes have to be around people who do not have good characteristics. You might have to figure out how to deal with someone who is dishonest, or just plain rude. Learning to cope with people who aren't nice can help you feel more comfortable about those interactions. Keep in mind that you can control your reactions. Just because someone else is mean does not mean that you have to behave in kind. For example, if a co-worker makes a snide remark about your cluttered desk, just say something non-committal. Try, "Yes, I guess I've been so busy I haven't had much time to straighten up." Look at the reason's behind someone's bad attitude. Does your sister continuously belittle your choice to not have kids? It's possible that she is jealous that you can take a vacation whenever you want. Remember that compassion is always a good choice. Try to be kind, even when others are not. Observe interactions with strangers. Paying attention to the way someone acts can help you figure out some key things about their character. It can be very interesting to watch how someone interacts with people they don't know. Pay attention to this in a variety of situations. Maybe you are out on a first date. If your companion treats the waiter rudely, that can be a negative sign. People who are rude to strangers might also be rude to people they know. There might also be issues with a superiority complex. Perhaps you are in a taxi with a new co-worker. Observe how they treat the driver. If your colleague refuses to answer questions or make small talk, that can reveal some negative things about character. It might indicate an unwillingness to be kind to others. Evaluate consistency. Make sure to observe the person in several different situations. You want to be able to see how they react in a variety of scenarios. You don't want to judge character based on one interaction. Look for patterns in behavior. Is this person consistently rude to the other moms at your son's school? She may not be a nice person. However, you might see that most times your new neighbor behaves kindly. Just because there was one rude remark about your loud music, that doesn't necessarily mean they are a bad person. Remember that everyone has bad days and good days. The key is to try to observe the person in a variety of settings. Look for red flags. Reading people can be hard. Unless you know someone well, you may not really have a good grasp of their character. Fortunately, there are some signs you can look for to help you figure it out. Notice whether the person seems very quick to anger or likes to talk about violence. This can indicate some anger issues. Pay attention to a tendency to blame others. For example, maybe your co-worker always passes the blame if a client doesn't like the proposal. That can indicate some character flaws. Be wary if the person seems to lack compassion. If you have an acquaintance who never gives up his seat on the bus to an elderly women, that is another warning sign. Appraise the honesty level. Lying is generally an indicator that someone has some character flaws. But how to tell if a person is honest? Fortunately, there are some signs to look for. A person might be lying if the tone and volume of their voice radically changes. For example, if you are talking to your neighbor and you mention that a package went missing from you porch, be wary, if your neighbor practically shrieks, "I don't know what you're talking about!" A person who continually proclaims their honesty may have something to hide. For example, if your brother's new girlfriend regularly proclaims how honest she is, she might be covering something up. For example, if she regularly says, "I am a really honest person. You can ask anyone!", you might start to wonder why she regularly feels the need to say that. Keep your best interests in mind. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if someone means well, or if they are intentionally trying to hurt you. This is an important distinction. Someone with good character will not try to intentionally cause you to feel uncomfortable or upset. Think about your best interests. Ask yourself if the person in question is also thinking about your best interests. For example, is your mom constantly trying to fix you up on blind dates? It is likely that she just thinks you'll be happier in a relationship. But what if a friend regularly belittles your spouse? That is likely not something that is being done with your best interests in mind. Ask yourself questions such as, "How does this person make me feel? Am I happier when I am around her?" You can also think, "Does this person care about my feelings?" If the answer is no, then your best interests are likely not a priority. Consider your own emotions. Before you rush to judgement, take a moment to reflect on your own feelings. Maybe you have a sense that the new woman in your yoga class is unfriendly. But are you actually projecting? Think about your own state of mind. Are you frustrated because you had a bad evaluation at work? You might be letting your bad mood color your perception. Does your new co-worker seem like a know-it-all? Take a moment to think about your own role at the company. Are you actually just nervous that you won't receive a much-wanted promotion? Your own emotions definitely impact how you view the world. And that includes how you judge character. Make sure to keep that in mind. Be a good listener. When you are judging someone's character, it is important to keep an open mind. That means thinking about your own biases. And it means that you need to be a good listener. Maybe you've always assumed that your upstairs neighbor is just rude and cranky. If you actually have a conversation with her, you might discover that she's upset because she is coping with the loss of a loved one. Limit distractions. Maybe you've always found your brother-in-law annoying. Instead of texting your friends about your dislike, put down your phone. Take time to actually listen to others without distractions like phones or televisions. You might discover that there are some parts of their personality that really appeal to you. Look for the positives. When you are keeping an open mind, try to avoid focusing on negative personality traits. Instead, make an effort to concentrate on the positives. Shifting your focus might help you arrive at a more positive judgement. For example, maybe you have always noticed how impatient your co-worker is. But have you taken the time to notice that she is always willing to help someone who is struggling to meet a deadline? You can also avoid anticipating negative outcomes. Maybe you've never had a positive interaction with your landlord. Keep an open mind and allow your next encounter to be more positive. Accept differences. Keeping an open mind means that you are comfortable with people being different from you. Maybe a new person in your social group has a very dry sense of humor. It's okay if you two laugh at different things. It doesn't make one of you a better person than the other. Keep in mind that you might come from different backgrounds. People who are have different experiences might react differently to the same situation. Be willing to accept that people are different. Just because someone has different personality traits that does not mean they have poor character.

Consider the communication style. Pay attention to body language. Notice the energy in the room. Decide if you can trust the person. Handle someone who is not nice. Observe interactions with strangers. Evaluate consistency. Look for red flags. Appraise the honesty level. Keep your best interests in mind. Consider your own emotions. Be a good listener. Look for the positives. Accept differences.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Chamomile-Tea

How to Make Chamomile Tea

To make chamomile tea, start by putting a chamomile tea bag or an infuser filled with a tablespoon of dried chamomile into your cup. Then, add boiling water to the cup and let it steep for 5 minutes to get the full flavor of the chamomile. Next, remove the tea bag or infuser and add a little honey if you like your tea sweet. For a creamy tea that's not quite as sweet, add a splash of milk to your drink.

Add dried chamomile to your infuser or place a tea bag in your cup. If you're using an infuser, use about a tablespoon of dried chamomile. Heat your water. Use a tea kettle or pot to heat water for your tea. Heat the water until it boils. You should not let the water boil for long. Remove the water from the heat as soon as you see small bubbles forming. Discard the warm water in your mug (if you added it previously), and add the boiling water. Dump out the tap water in your teacup or mug. Pour in the boiling water. Steep the tea for five minutes. Place your infusion device in the water. Allow the tea to steep for for five minutes. Then, remove the infusion device or tea bag. You can now enjoy your tea. If you want, you can flavor your tea with things like sugar, lemon, or honey. You can also drink the tea without any added ingredients. Try adding honey. If you want to add a bit of sweetness to your tea, try adding a small spoonful of honey. Honey has antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. It can potentially boost your health as well as sweetening your tea. Honey is very sweet, so a little goes a long way. Add only a small teaspoon of honey to a cup of tea. Add milk for a hint of sweetness. If you dislike sweetening your tea too much, consider adding milk. Milk can add a mild, creamy flavor that is somewhat sweet. However, it will not make your tea too sugary. Just make sure not to use milk if you're lactose intolerant. Some people find milk helps them fall asleep. While the truth of this claim is unclear, if milk has helped you sleep in the past, it may help you fall asleep when mixed with chamomile tea. Use artificial sweeteners. Sugar can add a lot of calories to tea unnecessarily. If you want to sweeten your tea, but do not want the extra calories found in sugar, opt for artificial sweeteners. Something like stevia, sold in most supermarkets, can be used to sweeten tea. Try fresh fruit or fruit products. For a healthy option to sweeten your tea, go for fruit. Try adding a few slices of apple or a few blueberries to your tea. You can also add something like fruit juice to add a little sweetness to your tea. If you're trying to cut back on sugar, make sure to avoid juices with added sugar.

Add dried chamomile to your infuser or place a tea bag in your cup. Heat your water. Discard the warm water in your mug (if you added it previously), and add the boiling water. Steep the tea for five minutes. Try adding honey. Add milk for a hint of sweetness. Use artificial sweeteners. Try fresh fruit or fruit products.

https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Your-Boating-License

How to Get Your Boating License

If you want to drive a boat or jet ski and are under the age of 18, you'll need to get your boating license. Research your state's requirements by going to the DMV's website. Many states will require on-line or in-person classes. To register for the class, you'll need to pay a fee, which varies from state to state. Your class should help prepare you for the exam, which will cover topics like boat safety, personal safety, and best boating practices. Once you pass your test, you'll get your license.

Look on a state level. Boat licensing is done on a state level and you will need to research your state's requirements. Every state will have some variance in the requirements that will need to be met. Try doing some research into your state's requirements to learn more about what you need to do to obtain your license. You can try looking at the DMV's website http://www.dmv.org/boat-registration.php Some states have exceptions for vessels without motors. You may not need to have a license or register something like a canoe or kayak. Other states may not require any licenses at all. Choose on-line or in person classes. Many states will offer both on-line and in person classes. Both types of classes will allow you to obtain your boating license in the same way. Picking the right learning environment for your needs can help you successfully get your boating license. Online courses provide lectures and tests in the same way in-class lectures do. You can check for online classes at http://www.boaterexam.com/ Your state will have their own website for in-person classes. Be ready to pay the fees. In order to enroll in a boating license course, you will need to pay the course fee. The exact fee will vary between states. You will need to do some research into what the fee is for your own state or on-line course to learn more. For example, New York state generally charges around $10.00 per course. Some online courses are $29.95 Some online courses only charge you when you pass the exam. Learn boat safety. Parts of the boating exam will test how much you know about boating safety. These topics will allow you to demonstrate that you can keep your boat in working order, make sure you are prepared for emergencies, and ensure that you can operate your boat correctly. Expect some of these questions to appear on the test: Where should you place a fire extinguisher on your boat? What should you do in case of a fire? Which boats are most likely to capsize? Learn the best boating practices. There are many rules and practices that you and other boaters should be aware of. These rules will help make sure everyone is kept safe while boating, preventing any needless accidents from occurring. You can expect to find questions like these on the exam: What should a power boat approaching a sail boat in darkness do? Which direction does bad weather usually approach from? What side of your boat should you pass red markers on? What area is indicated by red and green buoys? Which side of the boat is the port side? Learn personal safety. Although boating is a lot of fun, it can also present some dangers. It's important that you know how to keep you and your friends safe while out on the water. You will likely see some questions that are similar to these on the test: What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning? What are the symptoms of hypothermia? How can you help someone recover from hypothermia? What is the H.E.L.P. position? Practice the test. Before you take your boating license test, it can be a good idea to get in some practice. There are a few options on-line that you can use to get a better understanding of what's on the test. Take some time to look over the practice exams to increase your chances of passing the exam. You can find a practice exam here http://www.boaterexam.com/canada/practice/quiz.aspx Study all material. When you sign up to take a boating license exam, you will likely be given material to study. This material is designed to educate you on the safe operation of boating vessels. Make sure you fully review all information delivered to you as part of your course to allow you to successfully pass the exam. Take the exam. At the end of the course you will be given the final boating license examination. This test will gauge how well you have retained all information presented throughout the course. Passing the test will demonstrate that you are capable of safely operating a boating vessel and will grant you your boating license. The exam will ask you questions that assess how much you know about boats and boating. For example, you may be asked which side is the port side of a boat. You may also be asked questions regarding the proper treatment of hypothermia. You should know what to do while boating in stormy weather. Obtain your license. After you successfully pass your boating license exam and have paid any applicable fees, you will be allowed to obtain your license. This license will ensure that you are obeying the law, staying safe, and observing proper boating practices. Your license will likely be a small card, similar to a driver's license. You need to carry your license or boating education card with you while boating.

Look on a state level. Choose on-line or in person classes. Be ready to pay the fees. Learn boat safety. Learn the best boating practices. Learn personal safety. Practice the test. Study all material. Take the exam. Obtain your license.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Hot-Chocolate-Mix-from-Pure-Cocoa

How to Make Hot Chocolate Mix from Pure Cocoa

The easiest way to make hot chocolate mix is by putting 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tsp of cocoa powder, and 2 tsps of water in a mug. Stir the mixture and then fill the mug the rest of the way with milk. Put the mug in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Know the capacity of the mug. Most are 10 oz. but some are more 8 ounces and some more than 10. Put one tablespoon of sugar in the mug. Measure out one rounded teaspoon of cocoa powder and put it in the mug. You may want to use more but for the first time, start with one. Add two teaspoons of water. The next step is what paint chemists call "wetting out the pigment." Stir the sugar, water and cocoa until the cocoa is completely wetted out. You can tell this by the appearance of the surface. If it is reflective, you have wetted out the cocoa. If it is not, you need to stir more and possibly add a few more drops of water. Add about one inch of milk and stir to completely mix the cocoa paste and milk. Fill the rest of the mug with milk, up to about 1/2 an inch off the top. The mix will expand about 5% on heating, so don't over-fill. Put the mug in the microwave. For an 8 oz cup, heat (on highest setting) for one minute, 45 seconds. For a 10 oz cup, heat 2 minutes, 10 seconds. For the best results, use a double-boiler to steam the milk over the stove. Watch the cup for the last 20 seconds. For some reason, the cocoa tends to foam up. Usually this does not happen but, just in case, watch. If it does, open the door and stir. Take out the spoon, close the door and finish heating. Enjoy your hot chocolate! Assemble all ingredients before starting. Boil the water. While you're doing that, you can put the cocoa powder and sugar into the mug. Pour the boiled water into the mug with the other ingredients. Stir to combine thoroughly. Add 1/4 teaspoon of butter/margarine to add a rich taste. This is optional. Stir in. Serve immediately. Enjoy a nice hot steaming cup of an anti-oxidant rich delicious hot treat. Try one of the following as optional toppings for your homemade chocolate: Sprinkle with cinnamon or extra cocoa powder over the top if desired. Add marshmallows, whipped cream and some grated chocolate. If you put too much cocoa powder in, put more milk in it. If you are a vegan, purchase vegan marshmallows from your health food store. A dollop of whipped cream can also be added if desired. Try adding peppermint extract for a wintry taste.

Know the capacity of the mug. Put one tablespoon of sugar in the mug. Measure out one rounded teaspoon of cocoa powder and put it in the mug. Add two teaspoons of water. Add about one inch of milk and stir to completely mix the cocoa paste and milk. Put the mug in the microwave. Watch the cup for the last 20 seconds. Enjoy your hot chocolate! Assemble all ingredients before starting. Boil the water. Pour the boiled water into the mug with the other ingredients. Add 1/4 teaspoon of butter/margarine to add a rich taste. Serve immediately. Try one of the following as optional toppings for your homemade chocolate:

https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Onions-from-Seed

How to Grow Onions from Seed

To grow onions from seed, start by sprinkling seeds over a seed starting mix in a shallow container, then cover with a 1/8 inch layer of soil, followed by a humidity dome. After the seedlings are 4 inches tall, plant them outside at least 3 inches apart and give them enough water to keep the soil damp. Next, pull the soil away from the bulbs to expose the tops as they mature. Once the bulbs are 2 inches in diameter, harvest your onions and cure them in a shed or garage.

Choose the right type of seed for your growing zone. There are three different categories of onions: short-day, long-day, and day-neutral. These categories are based on what plant hardiness and growing zone you live in. If you choose the wrong type of onion for your area, you may not get a very successful crop. If You live in Zone 7 and warmer, choose short-day onions, such as Red Burgundy , Red Creole, and Vidalia. If you live in Zone 6 and colder, choose long-day onions, such as: Alisa Craig, Copra, and White Sweet Spanish.(14-16 hours). You can grow day-neutral onions, such as Cabernet and Candy, in any growing zone (12-14 hours). There are online tools you can use to help you figure out your zone. Check a plant hardiness zone map to know your area. Plan on starting the onion seeds indoors, 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date. This will give the seedlings a head start. It will allow them to germinate into healthy seedlings before you transplant them outside. Fill a shallow container with a dampened seed starting mix. The container should be about 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) deep, and have some drainage holes. It can be any shape or size you want. Plant the seeds according to the label on your seed packet. If you don't have the seed packet anymore, begin by sprinkling the seeds over the damp soil. Mist them lightly with water, and then cover them with a 1/8 inch (0.32 centimeters) thick layer of seed mix. Gently pat the soil with your hand when you are done. Keep the seeds warm and damp until they sprout. Cover the seeds with a humidity dome, or cover the seeds in starting mix and plastic. Keep them someplace warm, about 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C). If it is too cold where you live, place the containers on a heat mat. Expect to see the seedlings emerge after 7 to 10 days. Limit the humidity and warmth once the seedlings sprout. Take off the humidity dome or plastic cover and move the seeds to a cooler spot. Keep the soil moist, and remember to fertilize it. The best type of fertilizer is diluted fish emulsion or compost tea. Harden the seedlings for 4 weeks before you transplant them outside. Start hardening them 4 weeks before the last frost date. During this time, slowly introduce the seedlings to the outside. Start by placing them outside in a sheltered spot for several hours, then bringing them back inside for the rest of the day. Increase outdoor exposure little by little every day until you are able to leave them outside overnight. The hardening process will help the seedlings get used to colder temperatures, decreased sun, and less watering. Transplanting the seedlings outside right away will send the seedlings into shock and could possibly kill them. Wait until the seedlings are at least 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) tall. This will ensure that the young plants are strong enough to tolerate the outdoor environment. Prepare some well-draining, phosphorous-rich soil in a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. Spread a 1½ inch (3.81 centimeters) thick layer of 5-10-5 fertilizer over the soil. Mix the fertilizer into the soil to a depth of about 8 inches (20.32 centimeters). Make sure that the soil is soft, and free of clots. If you can, try adding some organic material into the soil, such as rotted manure or compost intended for gardening. If you can't get 5-10-5 fertilizer, try to find something that is high in phosphorus. Plant the seedlings at least 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) apart. Refer to the packaging that the seeds came in; this will tell you how far apart the seeds should be spaced. If you lost the packaging, space the seedlings 3 to 4 inches (7.62 to 10.16 centimeters) apart. Use a fork to loosen a hole in the dirt, place the seedling into the hole, and then push the dirt back. Water the seedlings. Once you have transplanted the seedlings, give them enough water to dampen the soil. Water the onions frequently, and never let them dry out. Consider adding some nitrogen to the water to keep the onions healthy. You only need to do this until mid-July, however. Pull the soil away from the bulbs to expose the tops as they mature. The leaves are not the only part of the onion that will stick out of the soil; the bulbs will too. If the bulbs are not developing out of the ground, you may want to brush some of the soil away from them, so that only the roots and the bottom part of the bulb are in the soil. This will help the bulbs dry faster. Harvest the bulbs. Begin harvesting when the bulbs are 2 to 3 inches (5.08 to 7.62 centimeters) in diameter. Bend the plants to the ground to avoid top rotting of the bulbs (pink neck). Give the bulbs 5 to 6 days to dry and turn brown. This will speed up the process of drying the bulbs, as well. Trim the leaves down to 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters). If you plan on braiding the onions into a rope, like garlic, you can leave the leaves longer. Pull the bulbs out of the ground. Once the outer layer of the onion bulb's skin has dried, it's ready to harvest. Place the bulbs in a container, such as a box, bag, or wheel barrow to store the onions you have harvested. Make sure the container is warm, dry, dark, and well ventilated. Cure the onions out of direct sunlight, someplace that is warm, dry, and has good air circulation. Spread the bulbs out on a screen to provide ample circulation. Let them cure in a shed or garage. A porch that doesn't get a lot of sunlight will also work. If you cure the onions in direct sunlight, the skins will soften and invite bacteria. If you cure them someplace damp and humid, they may start to rot. Store the cured onions someplace dry and cool with good air circulation. If you are not braiding your onions together and hanging them up, you will need to store them properly in a bag or box. You can store them however you want, as long as they are kept cool and dry. Good air circulation is a must. Here's a few popular ways to store onions. Store the onions in an onion bag, and hang the bag up. Store the onions in a shallow box. Use newspaper to keep the bulbs separate. Store the onions in nylon stockings. Tie a knot in the stocking between each bulb. Hang the stocking up. When you want to get an onion, simply cut below or above a knot.

Choose the right type of seed for your growing zone. Plan on starting the onion seeds indoors, 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date. Fill a shallow container with a dampened seed starting mix. Plant the seeds according to the label on your seed packet. Keep the seeds warm and damp until they sprout. Limit the humidity and warmth once the seedlings sprout. Harden the seedlings for 4 weeks before you transplant them outside. Wait until the seedlings are at least 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) tall. Prepare some well-draining, phosphorous-rich soil in a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. Plant the seedlings at least 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) apart. Water the seedlings. Water the onions frequently, and never let them dry out. Pull the soil away from the bulbs to expose the tops as they mature. Harvest the bulbs. Trim the leaves down to 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters). Pull the bulbs out of the ground. Cure the onions out of direct sunlight, someplace that is warm, dry, and has good air circulation. Store the cured onions someplace dry and cool with good air circulation.

https://www.wikihow.com/Turn-Your-TV-Into-a-Smart-TV

How to Turn Your TV Into a Smart TV

To turn your TV into a smart TV, connect an Apple TV box to your TV using an HDMI cable. Alternatively, connect an Amazon Fire stick to your TV's HDMI port, and plug the stick into a power source. You can also plug a Chromecast into your HDMI port, and connect the power cable to a USB port.

Find your TV's HDMI port. An HDMI port resembles a thin, wide slot with a slightly tapered base. HDMI ports are typically located on the back or the side of your TV screen. Note the number next to the HDMI port as well, since this is the input channel you'll need to use in order to use your Apple TV. If your TV doesn't have at least one HDMI port, you can buy an HDMI-to-RCA adapter that plugs into the red, white, and yellow ports in the back or side of your TV instead. Buy an HDMI cable. You can find HDMI cables of varying lengths online and in most department stores. HDMI cables tend to be much cheaper online than they are in stores. You shouldn't have to spend more than $15 or so on a good HDMI cable. Place the Apple TV box near your TV. The Apple TV box must be close enough to your TV that both the HDMI and the power cable can reach the box. It's important to keep your Apple TV in the open, both because you don't want it to overheat and because you need to be able to use the Apple TV's remote. Connect one end of the HDMI cable to the Apple TV box. This cable fits into the HDMI port on the back of the Apple TV box with the wide side of the cable facing up. HDMI cables only go in one way, so don't force the connection if it doesn't fit. Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to your TV. It should plug into the HDMI port you found on your TV earlier. Connect your Apple TV's power cable. The two-cylinder end of the cable plugs into the back of the Apple TV, and the other end plugs into a wall socket. Turn on your TV. Press your TV's power button. Change the TV's input to the HDMI channel. This will vary from TV to TV, but will typically consist of pressing your TV's (or TV remote's) Input button until you reach the input number that's next to the HDMI port on your TV. This should display the Apple TV's setup page. If the Apple TV's setup page doesn't display, press the Apple TV remote's center button to "wake up" the Apple TV box. Follow the on-screen setup instructions. Usually, you'll have to do the following: Select a language. Select a Wi-Fi network and enter the password. Download any suggested updates. Use your Apple TV as a smart TV. Once your Apple TV is set up and up-to-date, you can use the Apple TV remote to switch between apps, stream media via Netflix or Hulu, and so on. Find your TV's HDMI port. An HDMI port resembles a thin, wide slot with a slightly tapered base. HDMI ports are typically located on the back or the side of your TV screen. Note the number next to the HDMI port as well, since this is the input channel you'll need to use in order to use your Fire TV stick. If your TV doesn't have at least one HDMI port, you can buy an HDMI-to-RCA adapter that plugs into the red, white, and yellow ports in the back or side of your TV instead. Plug the Fire Stick into your TV's HDMI port. The Fire Stick itself plugs directly into the HDMI port on your TV. The HDMI connector only fits one way, so don't force it if it doesn't fit. If your TV is against a wall or doesn't have enough room to house the Fire Stick, plug the HDMI extension cable that came with your Fire Stick into the TV, then plug the Fire Stick into the end of the extension cable. Assemble the power cable. Plug the USB cable into the power adapter brick, then unfold the plug from the brick. Connect the Fire Stick to a power outlet. Plug the end of the cable into the port on the side of the Fire Stick, then plug the other end of the power cable into a wall socket. Again, if you can't reach the Fire Stick with the power cable, try using the HDMI extension cable that came with your Fire Stick. Place the batteries in your Fire Stick remote. There should be two AAA batteries in your Fire Stick package. Turn on your TV. Press your TV's power button. Change the TV's input to the HDMI channel. This will vary from TV to TV, but will typically consist of pressing your TV's (or TV remote's) Input button until you reach the input number that's next to the HDMI port on your TV. You should see your Fire TV's logo display. Press the "Play/Pause" button when prompted. It's on your remote. This will pair the remote with your Fire Stick TV. Select a wireless network and enter the password. Doing so will allow you to continue with the Fire Stick installation. Wait for any updates to install. Especially if this is your first time setting up this Fire Stick, the update process can take a few minutes. Sign in with your Amazon account when prompted. Enter your Amazon account email address and password. This will ensure that you can view your Amazon subscriptions and purchases. Use your Fire Stick TV as a smart TV. Once you're signed into your Amazon account, you can view your purchased movies, shows, and games, as well as scroll through apps and stream video through Netflix, Hulu, and so on. Find your TV's HDMI port. An HDMI port resembles a thin, wide slot with a slightly tapered base. HDMI ports are typically located on the back or the side of your TV screen. Note the number next to the HDMI port as well, since this is the input channel you'll need to use in order to use your Chromecast. If your TV doesn't have at least one HDMI port, you can buy an HDMI-to-RCA adapter that plugs into the red, white, and yellow ports in the back or side of your TV instead. Plug the Chromecast into your TV's HDMI port. The cable on the Chromecast plugs directly into the HDMI port on your TV. The HDMI connector only fits one way, so don't force it if it doesn't fit. Attach the USB power cable. Plug one end of the cable into the Chromecast unit, then plug the other end into a USB port on your TV. If your TV doesn't have a USB port on it, you'll need to use a power adapter with the USB cable to plug it into a wall socket. If you're attaching the 4K version of the Chromecast, you will need to use a wall socket as the USB port cannot power this model of Chromecast. Turn on your TV. Press your TV's power button. Change the TV's input to the HDMI channel. This will vary from TV to TV, but will typically consist of pressing your TV's (or TV remote's) Input button until you reach the input number that's next to the HDMI port on your TV. You should see the Chromecast setup screen here. Download the Google Home app for iPhone or Android. The Google Home app is available in the iPhone App Store and the Android Google Play Store for free. Open Google Home. Tap the Google Home app, which resembles a red, green, yellow, and blue outline of a house. Tap ACCEPT when prompted. This will take you to the Google Home home page. Tap the Devices icon. It's in the top-right corner of your phone's screen. On iPhone, you must first tap Use without Bluetooth and then tap Skip Setup to get to the home page of the Google Home app. Wait for your Chromecast to detect your phone. Once it does, you should see a confirmation message on your phone. Tap Continue when prompted. Doing so will begin the Chromecast setup process. Confirm the code on your TV. Make sure the code on the TV matches the code on your phone, then tap Yes (iPhone) or I SEE IT (Android). Tap Continue. It's in the bottom-right corner of the screen. You can also name your Chromecast on this screen before tapping Continue. Select a wireless network for your Chromecast. Tap Select a network , then tap a network and enter the password. Make sure this is the same network to which your phone or tablet is currently connected. Follow the on-screen instructions. You may have the option to confirm an update or sign in with your Google account. Use your Chromecast like a smart TV. Once your Chromecast is set up, you can select items like apps and movies on your phone to play them on your TV via the Chromecast.

Find your TV's HDMI port. Buy an HDMI cable. Place the Apple TV box near your TV. Connect one end of the HDMI cable to the Apple TV box. Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to your TV. Connect your Apple TV's power cable. Turn on your TV. Change the TV's input to the HDMI channel. Follow the on-screen setup instructions. Use your Apple TV as a smart TV. Find your TV's HDMI port. Plug the Fire Stick into your TV's HDMI port. Assemble the power cable. Connect the Fire Stick to a power outlet. Place the batteries in your Fire Stick remote. Turn on your TV. Change the TV's input to the HDMI channel. Press the "Play/Pause" button when prompted. Select a wireless network and enter the password. Wait for any updates to install. Sign in with your Amazon account when prompted. Use your Fire Stick TV as a smart TV. Find your TV's HDMI port. Plug the Chromecast into your TV's HDMI port. Attach the USB power cable. Turn on your TV. Change the TV's input to the HDMI channel. Download the Google Home app for iPhone or Android. Open Google Home. Tap ACCEPT when prompted. Tap the Devices icon. Wait for your Chromecast to detect your phone. Tap Continue when prompted. Confirm the code on your TV. Tap Continue. Select a wireless network for your Chromecast. Follow the on-screen instructions. Use your Chromecast like a smart TV.

https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Recession

How to Survive a Recession

The key to surviving a recession is reducing your expenses, working hard, and staying calm. During a recession, you should avoid buying things you don't need. Cut down on luxuries like holidays, technology, and eating out, and avoid buying things on credit. It's okay to treat yourself on occasions, but try to save as much money as you can, in case you need it for an emergency. At work, try to put in extra effort, which will give you the best chance of keeping your job. However, be prepared to find a new job at any time. Start networking so you'll find out about new job opportunities, and keep your resume up to date.

Create an emergency fund. If you don't already have you an adequate emergency fund set aside, specify a goal for how much money you want to add to it every month. Your fund should be kept in a savings account with your bank. While normally it's recommended that a two-income couple keep three months' worth of expenses in an emergency fund, during a downturn the recommended amount is six months' worth instead. This is especially important if you're in an industry that gets hit hard by a recession (e.g., construction, financial services, food) and if you're a one-income family. Dual-income families may be safe with three or four months' worth of savings. If you're self-employed, you should set aside up to a year's worth of expenses. Pay off debt. You should always work to be debt free, but when a recession is coming it's even more important to do so. Focus first on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate, which is usually your credit card debt. From here, pay off debts with lower interests rates as you can, working to lower your debt as much as possible. Reducing your debts will lower your monthly expenses and give you a better chance of surviving a recession if you lose your job or need to cut down on spending. Money saved from not having to pay debt repayments can then be saved for your emergency fund or otherwise saved. Saved money can be invested in securities when their prices drop during a recession. Create additional income streams. In a recession, there's always the chance that you might lose your job. Your primary focuses should be to keep your current job and be ready to enter the market again for a new one if you lose it (keep an updated resume, investigate job opportunities, etc.). However, you can also increase your financial security by creating separate income streams. These can be a second job, an online business, or any form of passive income. Even if you can only make an additional $500 or $1,000 per month, this extra income can help you get through tough time if your primary source of income dries up. Diversify your investments. During a recession, stock prices will usually fall dramatically, which means your investment accounts could be hit hard. While many companies, and their stock prices, will recover out of the recession, some will enter default and cause you to lose money. You can reduce the risk of this happening by spreading out your investments. Think about buying bonds, investing in securities from other countries, or investing in precious metals. These investments, particularly the last two, may move independently of the market and can protect your assets in a recession. You can also look outside the market to invest in real estate, like land or apartments, that will usually appreciate in value over time, sometimes even through recessions. Hold onto your stocks during a recession since you won't get as much return on your investment. Talk it over. Sit down with every member of your household and go over your finances. How you resolve and differences in your approach to money will have a profound effect on your relationship's chances of succeeding. Now is the perfect time to set an example for your children , and show them how a family can pull together during tough times and everyone can chip in. Reduce expenses. There are many ways to cut expenses during a recession. In many cases, you can maintain your same quality of life while focusing on living lean and cutting out extravagant and unnecessary expenses. Cut discretionary spending. Buy nothing if you don't need it to live. Resist sales pitches. Don't even think about using that new credit card offer in the mail, even if it does have a low APR and no payments for two years, you should evaluate it carefully. Transportation: Carpool as much as you can. Consider commuting by bicycle or even living without a car. But if that's not practical, look for ways to save money on gas. Housing: Get a roommate or consider relocating to an area with a lower cost of living. Maybe you can move in with family members until the economic downturn blows over. Keeping the peace in a multigenerational household isn't always easy, but it has its own rewards. Food : Stop going out to eat; instead, try to cook at home from scratch more often. Consider the benefits of the slow food movement. If you don't have enough time to cook, try doing it just once a month. Find good deals at a local farmers' market. Keep the money flowing in. If you have a job, be an amazing employee. Now is not the time to slack. Show up early, stay late, and volunteer for projects. Pick up the slack for other workers; it's what will happen when people get laid off, anyway, so now is the time to prove yourself. Look for ways to save your employer money, especially if you see your employer doing little things to that effect, like encouraging employees to turn of their computers. Try to quantify your efforts in terms of how you've raised profits and cut costs. Start networking so that in case you still get laid off, you have a safety net of contacts who might be able to help. If you don't have a job, find other ways to make money fast. Focus on cutting your expenses, as described in the previous step, and consider volunteering ; if you've got the spare time, there are organizations that will need your help, and you could build good karma in your community. Keep saving. If you can, fit saving into your budget, even during a recession. You should make every effort to continue contributing to retirement accounts and college funds, if you have them. If you don't have the money to contribute, consider cutting out other expenses to make it work. When you come out of the recession, you'll be glad you kept up with saving and your accounts will reflect the interest you've earned during that time. In addition, putting money into the stock market during a recession can be a wise move. If you buy stock in reputable companies when prices are low, you stand to gain a lot of money when they come back up out the recession. Enjoy life. In order to avoid recession depression, don't let fear control you. An intense feeling of paranoia can make you an inflexible employee and also strain your relationships. Be thankful for what you have, and make sure to have fun. Instead of not taking a family vacation, for example, take a Staycation or exchange your home for free accommodation instead. Invite your family to think of creative ways to save money without skimping on happiness. Accept difficult times as a challenge for your fortitude and adaptability. Develop a risk management plan. If you haven't already done so, create a plan for what to do in the event of a recession. This risk management plan should include a set of actions you plan to take in the event that you lose business or customers due to an economic downturn. After all, it will be easier to think of what to do before a recession that in the heat of the moment as your employees are panicking and unsure of what to do. Make sure to create concrete steps to follow and then transmit the plan to other managers or partners so that they can follow it as well. Reduce expenses. Your first course of action when hit by a recession should be to cut expenses where you can. This will help your business stay in operation while you work out a more permanent solution or until the economy recovers. Look around to reduce overhead costs like utilities, administration, and wasted materials. You can also reduce your inventory levels so that your assets aren't so tied up in product that may go unsold for months. If those don't work, consider: Cutting your advertising spending. Pull out of traditional advertising like television and radio and instead focus on improving your social media presence. Doing so is free, even though it might take more of your time. Downsizing. Your other option to downsize. This can mean either reducing employees or moving to a cheaper location. Your remaining employees may have to work harder, but your business will at least be able to survive. Cross-train your employees. If you do end up letting some employees go, you will need others to step into their roles. This is why it is important to cross-train your employees for various roles within the business. This is best if done before it is needed. Focus on customers. You should focus all of your efforts on retaining regular customers and maintaining your relationships with them. Make sure that they know that their business is appreciated. In addition, keep your quality just as high as before, even it you've had to make other cuts around the business. A recession is also a good opportunity to evaluate your customers. You may have those customers who are not profitable to work with. A recession is the perfect time to sever these relationships and seek new ones. Don't cut your prices. Many businesses turn to deals and sales when the recession is hurting them. However, doing so will only make it harder for customers to justify paying your regular prices when the recession is over. In addition, these lower prices can cut into much needed profits. The only exception is that you may want to offer one-time payment extensions or discounts to customers that are also having a hard time. Just be clear to them that you are only extending this service once.

Create an emergency fund. Pay off debt. Create additional income streams. Diversify your investments. Talk it over. Reduce expenses. Keep the money flowing in. Keep saving. Enjoy life. Develop a risk management plan. Reduce expenses. Cross-train your employees. Focus on customers. Don't cut your prices.

https://www.wikihow.com/Break-Up-with-Your-Boyfriend

How to Break Up with Your Boyfriend

To break up with your boyfriend, meet him in-person if possible, in a neutral location like a park. Start the conversation by letting him know that you're going to talk about something serious. Then, tell him clearly that you want to break up and why. Be honest and empathetic, and listen to what he has to say. End things on a positive note, if you can, by saying that you'll always remember the times you've shared.

Break up with him in person. You and your boyfriend have been through a lot together! The best way to respect your relationship and him is to break up face-to-face. If distance is an issue, plan a video call with him instead. If that's not possible, a phone call is the next best option. Avoid breaking up through text or instant messenger, which is hurtful and impersonal. Only resort to a letter or email if you have tried to break up before and he changed your mind. If you are in an abusive relationship, breaking up over the phone, through email, or with a letter is okay. Your safety is most important. Meet him somewhere that's somewhat private. Ask him to go for a walk with you, or meet up with him at a park or somewhere similar. That way, once it's done, you can go your separate ways. If you invite him over to your house, it may get awkward or he may be reluctant to leave. If you are unsure of how he'll react, schedule the meeting in a more public place, like a coffee shop. If you're afraid he might have a bad reaction, have a friend come along with you. They can be out of sight, but somewhere in the nearby vicinity, just in case you need them. Be considerate when choosing the time of day. Choose a time when both of you can talk in private without distractions. Wait until the end of the day rather than doing it first thing in the morning before he has to face a full day of school or work. If possible, do it on a Friday so that both of you can have the weekend to deal with your feelings privately. Don't rush into it or break up with him during a fight. In the heat of an argument, it's easy to say things that you don't mean. Give yourself time to think things over before losing your boyfriend. You may realize you want to resolve things with him, or your perspective on the situation may change. Give yourself a couple days to think things over to be sure breaking up is what you want. Don't wait too long or avoid the situation. While it's important to give yourself time to think things over, don't put off the conversation once you're sure it's what you want. Dragging it out will be harder on him in the long-run, or the information may leak out and he ends up hearing the news from someone else. Rehearse what you’ll say beforehand. Go over what you're planning to say to your boyfriend with someone you trust. Or, you can simply practice by yourself in front of a mirror. Anticipate his reaction and prepare responses based on what you think he'll say. Practicing can help you avoid rambling or saying something you regret. Keep in mind that no matter how well you prepare, he still may react differently than you expect. Get to the point. Breakups are hard enough as it is. Once the conversation has started, there's no reason to drag it out any longer than necessary. Let your boyfriend know that you want to have a serious talk. You might start by saying something like: “I've been wanting to talk to you about something.” “I've been thinking about our relationship and I've made a decision." State clearly that you want to break up. Be sensitive but firm with him so that there's no room for interpretation. Don't leave things open-ended or give him false hope. It's often best to very literally state that you want to break up. For instance: "So, I want to break up." "I want to continue being your friend, but I don't want to be your girlfriend/boyfriend anymore." "I'm not happy in our relationship." Be straightforward about why you want to break up. Don't be vague or beat around the bush. It's best to tell him why your relationship isn't working in an honest and straightforward way. You might say: "I'm not ready for a serious boyfriend right now." "This doesn't feel right to me anymore. I'm not happy." "We argue more than we have fun together." "There's someone else." Do not lie to make him feel better about himself. "I just don't have time for a relationship right now" is not a good thing to say if there are more pressing issues you broke up for. This can be seen as a way of leading him on. He may keep contacting you in hopes of getting back together. Tell him that you're sorry if this hurts. Even though you want to be very clear that you're breaking up with him, it's still best to explain that you're sorry if the situation hurts. Try to put yourself in his shoes and imagine how he might be feeling. You could say: "I'm sorry if this hurts to hear." "I'm sorry if this hurts you." "I know this may be difficult to hear and I'm sorry about that." Hear him out. More than likely, your ex will have some remarks after you do the deed. Be respectful and actively listen to what he has to say. Let him say what he needs to, but if he starts to beg or try to get you to change your mind, firmly restate your choice. Then, tell him you think it's time for you to leave. If he becomes rude or violent, say, "I don't feel safe, so I'm leaving." As you're leaving, call a friend and let them know what's happening. End the conversation with a kind or positive statement. Wrap things up quickly, but try to end on a positive note. Try so say something that you honestly feel rather than just saying something to be nice or to make a quick getaway. You might say something like: "I'll always remember the special times we shared." "Whoever you go out with next will be lucky to have someone like you." "I know we'll always care about each other." "I'm so glad we got to know each other." Cut off contact with him. After you've parted ways, limit any chances of either of you reaching out. Return any items of his promptly to eliminate any reason to make contact down the road. Then, remove his contact info from your phone and delete him as a “friend” on social media. Make sure you make it a clean break. Don't get sucked into talking with him again to make him feel better. This may convince him that he has a chance of getting back together with you. Give him some space. If you would like to remain friends, give him some time before bringing that up or approaching him about it. It's unreasonable to expect that right away, especially if he was blindsided by the breakup. It might also be a good idea to avoid places where he normally hangs out, at least for a while. Keep any unavoidable interactions short and sweet. If you and your ex continue to be on speaking terms, you should still tread carefully early on. Too much contact may make him think there's an opportunity to rekindle the romance. Keep any contact brief and to-the-point. For instance, if you see him socially in a group, you might say "Hi" and then find a seat near some other friends to limit conversation opportunities. Make sure that you do not ask him about his personal life or tell him about yours during any interactions that you have with him. Get support from your family and friends. Just because you initiated the breakup doesn't mean you aren't hurting. Spend time with supportive friends and tell them how you're feeling. Vent if you need to! Family members may also serve as a source of support after your breakup. For example, you could have a movie night with your best friends. Choose lighthearted or comedy films to keep things upbeat. Go to brunch with a parent or sibling. Vent if you need to, or just spend some quality time catching up. Change up your routine with new activities and new people. Ending a relationship can leave an empty hole in your everyday life where you once spent so much time with the other person. Switch things up by adding new activities to your schedule and doing a few things differently. For instance, if you used to walk to class with your boyfriend, you might start walking with a new group of friends. Try joining a club or organization. Check out new restaurants or parks. Fill your calendar with exciting activities and social events. Spend more time on your hobbies, or start a new one that has always interested you. For example, you could take a cooking class, join a recreational sport, or audition for a play. Give yourself time before dating again. After a breakup, you'll want to give yourself time to grieve the relationship before moving on to a new one. Use this time to practice self-care, evaluate what went wrong in the previous relationship, and prepare yourself to get back out there. Dating too soon could be unfair to the new person, if you haven't fully healed. You are ready to date again when you can calmly and realistically discuss your ex and the old relationship and take ownership for your role in its end.

Break up with him in person. Meet him somewhere that's somewhat private. Be considerate when choosing the time of day. Don't rush into it or break up with him during a fight. Don't wait too long or avoid the situation. Rehearse what you’ll say beforehand. Get to the point. State clearly that you want to break up. Be straightforward about why you want to break up. Do not lie to make him feel better about himself. Tell him that you're sorry if this hurts. Hear him out. End the conversation with a kind or positive statement. Cut off contact with him. Give him some space. Keep any unavoidable interactions short and sweet. Get support from your family and friends. Change up your routine with new activities and new people. Give yourself time before dating again.

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Cat-House

How to Build a Cat House

The easiest way to build an outdoor cat house is to use a plastic storage tub with a lid, like those sold at the hardware store. Cut 2 6 inch by 6 inch squares on opposite sides of the container so that the cat can easily enter and exit. For added warmth, insulate the house with 1 inch foam boards, which you can staple or glue to the interior walls. To finish your cat house, fill the inside of the house with straw or old blankets so that your cat can snuggle into it's new home.

Find building materials. Outdoor cats need shelter from wind, rain, and cold. Use sturdy building materials or repurpose an existing container. Try these: Plastic storage tub from a hardware store (about 35 gallons / 132 L) (Easiest option) Old doghouse from a friend or neighbor Plywood or lumber (one 4 x 8 ft sheet, or assorted scrap) Size it for a snug fit. A cat's body heat can only warm up a small space. There's no magic size to aim for, but the largest shelters top out at about 26" tall x 26" x 32" (66 x 66 x 81 cm). If you're using an existing container significantly larger than this, saw it apart or divide it using plywood. These dog house instructions will work for cats as well, with the modifications described below. Use these if you're building the house from lumber or plywood. Make the roof removable. A removable roof lets you easily change dirty bedding and check on an injured animal if it wanders in. If you're building the house yourself, attach the roof to the walls using a hinge. If you're using a plastic storage tub, use the lid as a roof. Once complete, you can weigh down the roof using rocks or other heavy objects. Raise the house off the ground (if necessary). The shelter must be raised if you expect snowdrifts or floods in your area. 18 inches (46 cm) is enough for most areas, but 12" (30 cm) or less will work in areas with less severe weather. There are several solutions possible: Keep the shelter on a covered, raised patio. Stack the shelter on stacks of scrap lumber, concrete blocks, or other objects. The stack must be completely flat and sturdy. Surround it with heavy objects if necessary to prevent collapse. Keep it on a sturdy plywood sheet raised off the ground by four 2x4s (38 x 89mm) legs attached with coated deck screws. Create an entrance and exit. Cats prefer shelters with two entrances, so they can escape from predators sniffing in one. Cut two 6 x 6" (15 x 15 cm) doorways on different sides. If using plastic, cover the sharp edges with duct tape. If the house is not raised, start cutting the doorway about 2" (5 cm) above the ground to prevent flooding from rain. If the house is raised, cut the entrance on a side with a ledge in front of it (from the plywood or stacked objects) so the cat can jump up to it. Cut the exit somewhere with no ledge beneath it, so predators can't easily access it. For added warmth, staple or glue canvas drop cloth over the interior of each doorway. Waterproof the shelter (if necessary). The plastic storage tub is already waterproof, letting you skip this step. If you are using plywood or lumber, or a doghouse, sand and paint it to protect it from rain. For serious protection and further insulation, cover the roof with roofing material. Insulate the walls and roof. A lumber cat house may be warm enough without this step, but any other material requires insulation. Line each wall by gluing on 1" (2.5 cm) thick foam insulation board from a home improvement store. Leave a 3" (7.5 cm) gap at the top of the walls. rest an additional piece of foam on top of the walls, to insulate the roof. In areas with severe winter, consider using Mylar instead, which will reflect the cat's body heat. You may line the floor with Mylar as well. Cut the foam with a utility knife. Fill the house with burrowing materials. Put in plenty of straw, without blocking the doorways, for cats to burrow in for additional warmth. If you don't have a straw, use pillowcases loosely stuffed with packing peanuts or shredded newspaper. Do not use hay, which absorbs moisture and can cause allergies. Do not use blankets, towels, or loose newspaper. These can absorb body heat and chill the cat. Some cats will eat packing peanuts, which can cause intestinal blockage. Double-bag them with pillowcases to minimize this risk. Provide food and water. You can keep food inside the shelter, but water should be left outside to avoid spilling. Keep the water dish nearby. In temperatures below freezing, use an electrically heated water dish. If you can't afford one, use a ceramic or thick plastic dish and surround it with styrofoam. Lure cats in with catnip. Invite feral cats into the shelter with a small amount of catnip just inside the entrance. Find several cardboard boxes. For an indoor playhouse, a cardboard or Styrofoam box makes an especially easy house. You can build your own from corrugated cardboard, poster board, or any other lightweight material, but an existing box will be much sturdier. If the box is smaller than 2 x 3 feet (60 x 90 cm), you'll need multiple boxes to make the house big enough. Cats may chew the cardboard or Styrofoam, so don't use anything you want to reuse. Cut a couple of doors. Use a utility knife to cut through one of the cardboard boxes. Each doorway should be 6 inches (15 cm) high to fit the cat comfortably. Cut a couple of small windows or viewing strips if you want to watch the cat while it plays inside. Glue rags or spare fabric over the doors and windows so you can give your cat some alone time. Tape on additional boxes. Add a couple of rooms to your cat's home with the additional boxes. To make a second story, cut a 6" (15 cm) hole in the ceiling and tape another box upside-down over it. There should be enough of a floor left for the cat to walk on. Use packing tape, duct tape, or another sturdy tape. Make it cozy and fun. Add a small blanket or a cat bed inside. A scratching post or rough towel gives your cat something to scratch. And of course, what cat doesn't like a cat toy? If you have a multistory cat house put an extra-fun toy on the highest level, so the cat has fun working out how to reach it. Keep food, water, and litter outside the house. Keeping them in the house usually leads to a mess, which might even collapse the cardboard. You can move them nearby, but show your cat their new location to make sure he doesn't return to his old bathroom spot.

Find building materials. Size it for a snug fit. Make the roof removable. Raise the house off the ground (if necessary). Create an entrance and exit. Waterproof the shelter (if necessary). Insulate the walls and roof. Fill the house with burrowing materials. Provide food and water. Lure cats in with catnip. Find several cardboard boxes. Cut a couple of doors. Tape on additional boxes. Make it cozy and fun. Keep food, water, and litter outside the house.

https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-an-Off-the-Shoulder-Dress

How to Wear an Off the Shoulder Dress

Off-the-shoulder dresses are a great option for summer or anytime you want to show off a bit of skin. If you want to wear a bra, go with a strapless one, which should be invisible under your dress. Unless it's super hot out, you might want to pair your dress with a jean jacket, blazer, or scarf wrap to keep you from getting cold. Sandals are a great shoe choice for strapless dresses, but you can also wear boots if it's a bit chillier out. To accessorize your outfit, try wearing statement earrings, like earrings with tassels. You could also wear a choker necklace for a more dramatic look.

Go for a mini cut for a summertime option. Off the shoulder dresses come in a mini cut, where they hit high at your thighs. This style is ideal if you want to wear the dress to a summer event or in a hot climate where you want to show off your legs. A mini cut is also a good option if you want to show off a fun pair of sandals or flats with the dress. Try a midi or maxi cut for a versatile option. Off the shoulder midi dresses will hit below your knees. The maxi cut will sit just above your ankles. These styles are great if you want the option of wearing the dress in the fall or winter, as your legs will be covered. You may opt for this style if you plan to wear the dress to different events at different times of the year. A maxi off the shoulder dress can also be a good way to stay cool and breezy at a summer event without having to show a lot of your legs. Look for a dress with a plain off the shoulder cut for a classic look. Some off the shoulder dresses will have a simple, clean line that goes from shoulder to shoulder. The dress will show off your shoulders, your chest, and your upper back. This look may be ideal if you prefer a clean, easy style that you can dress up or down. For example, you may have a dress with a simple edge at the shoulders so it sits flush against your shoulders. Or you may go for a dress with a raw edge that is still simple and plain. Try a dress with ruffles or lace on the shoulders for a fun option. This style has ruffles or lace that runs along the edges of the off the shoulder portion of the dress. You may go for this style if you want a little something extra on the dress for more of a statement look. For example, you may get a dress with ruffles along the edge of the shoulders and the bottom of the dress. Or you may opt for a dress with lace trim on the shoulders for a romantic look. If you tend to wear dresses or tops with ruffles or lace trim, you may gravitate to an off the shoulder dress that has these details. Choose a patterned fabric for a statement look. Off the shoulder dresses will come in bold graphics and prints in bright colors, which may be great for a summer wedding. You may also opt for a dress in a more understated pattern in neutral colors like gray, white, or silver for a statement look for a formal event. For example, you may go for a pattern like vertical or horizontal stripes. Or you may try a floral pattern or a geometric pattern. Keep in mind an patterned off the shoulder dress may not be as versatile, as you may need to pair it with more understated accessories to keep your look polished and put together. Go for a dress in a solid color for a neutral option. If you'd prefer a dress you can wear with a variety of different accessories, you may go for one in a solid color like black, blue, or white. A solid color like red, purple, or green can also be a good option if you want something more bold that is still neutral. Pick a cut that suits your body type. If you have a straight and narrow body shape and are tall, you can try wearing an off the shoulder dress that is more baggy and less form fitting. If you are petite or pear shaped, avoid the baggy fit and go for a more form fitting style instead that hits you at the knees or thighs. If you'd like to accentuate your upper body and draw the eye upward, go for an off the shoulder dress with detailing or ruffles on the shoulders. Wear a high-quality strapless bra underneath the dress. For added support, go for a strapless bra that has high quality, supportive padding and a strong clasp. Get a strapless bra in nude or a color that matches your skin tone, as this will prevent it from showing under your dress. Most of the support in a bra comes from the band, so when you're picking out a strapless bra, make sure your band size is correct. Also, consider choosing one with silicone on the edge of the bra, which will help it stay in place. If your regular bra is constantly riding up in your back or the straps are falling off your shoulder, you may need to size down on the band while either keeping the cup size the same or going up a size. Check that the bra will stay up and not shift or fall down so you stay comfortable when you wear the off the shoulder dress. You may need to try on a few strapless bras to find one that offers enough support when you wear the dress. Opt for a jean jacket or a scarf over the dress for a summer outfit. If you plan to wear the off the shoulder dress in the summer, pair it with a light coat like a jean jacket or a blazer made of linen. You can also wear a scarf or a wrap with the dress so you can still show off the cut. For example, you may wear a baggy jean jacket with a form fitting off the shoulder dress. Or you may pair a silk scarf with a long off the shoulder dress for a summer wedding. Alternatively, you can avoid wearing any jacket or cover with the dress so you can show off the off the shoulder detail of the dress, especially if it is very warm outside. Pair the dress with a loose cardigan for a fall look. If you want to wear the off the shoulder dress in the fall, try wearing it with a cardigan that has a loose fit around the shoulders so you can still show off the top portion of the dress. Go for a cardigan in a warm material like wool or acrylic so you can stay cozy in the dress in the fall months. For example, you may wear a long, loose cardigan in a neutral color like grey or black with a patterned off the shoulder dress. Or you may go for a short, cropped cardigan in yellow or orange with an off the shoulder dress in a neutral color like black, grey, or white. Layer your dress over a blouse for a cozy look. Slip into your favorite neutral-toned blouse or dress shirt, then wear your off the shoulder dress on top. Finish off your outfit with ankle socks and a hat, along with a comfortable pair of boots. For example, you may wear a navy blue off shoulder dress over a white blouse, along with black socks and boots. Pair the dress with statement earrings. Wear long earrings with details like beads, gems, and tassels with the dress for a night out or a formal event like a wedding. The long earrings will add a bit of detail around your face to offset the cut at the shoulders of the dress. Put your hair in an updo to show off your earrings and your shoulders in the dress. If you're wearing statement earrings, keep your necklace simple to avoid creating a look that's too busy. Wear a choker necklace for a dramatic look. Go for a necklace that sits high and tight around your neck to complement the shoulder cut of the dress. Look for a choker necklace made of an eye catching material like gold, silver, or rose gold. Try a choker necklace with a small pendant or gem for an added accessory. Choker necklaces made of fabric like a velvet or satin ribbon can also give the dress a more formal look for a night out. Opt for sandals or flats with the dress for a summer look. Pairing a mini or maxi off the shoulder dress with sandals is a great option for keeping your look light and summery. Go for sandals with a wedge heel for a formal summer event or sandals with no heel for a day out running errands. For example, you may wear sandals with rhinestones with a short off the shoulder dress on a hot day. Or you may wear leather flats with a long off the shoulder dress on a fall day. Wearing flats or runners with the off the shoulder dress is also a good option for a day out in the warmer months. Go for boots or heels for a night out. The off the shoulder dress can be dressed up by wearing heeled boots, especially in the fall or winter months. For a formal event like a gala or a wedding, go for heels with the dress to take your look up a notch. For example, you may wear high heeled boots with a short off the shoulder dress for a night out. Or you may wear high heels with shiny detailing with a long off the shoulder dress for a formal event.

Go for a mini cut for a summertime option. Try a midi or maxi cut for a versatile option. Look for a dress with a plain off the shoulder cut for a classic look. Try a dress with ruffles or lace on the shoulders for a fun option. Choose a patterned fabric for a statement look. Go for a dress in a solid color for a neutral option. Pick a cut that suits your body type. Wear a high-quality strapless bra underneath the dress. Opt for a jean jacket or a scarf over the dress for a summer outfit. Pair the dress with a loose cardigan for a fall look. Layer your dress over a blouse for a cozy look. Pair the dress with statement earrings. Wear a choker necklace for a dramatic look. Opt for sandals or flats with the dress for a summer look. Go for boots or heels for a night out.

https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Rottweiler

How to Identify a Rottweiler

You can learn to identify a Rottweiler by looking out for a few distinct physical traits. Look for a black base coat with tan markings on the dog's chest, face, and legs. Also, check that the dog has a boxy shaped head that's approximately the same width as the height. Check the height of the dog if possible, as Rottweiler's are 2 - 2 ½ feet tall. Overall, a Rottweiler will look powerful and muscular, and will usually have a docked tail.

Look at the conformation. Conformation means the physical appearance of the dog. Rottweilers have an overall stocky look, with a wide chest, long back, and thick legs. Typically they range from 2 to 2 ⁄ 2 feet (0.6 to 0.8 m) tall at the shoulder, though it is not uncommon for them to be even taller. Rottweilers are powerful, muscular dogs, and the overall shape of the animal should invoke a feeling of strength and agility. They have large, heavy paws with high knuckles, and are never flat-footed. Their legs are straight, not bowed outwards, and typically stand such that their shoulders are even with or slightly higher than their hindquarters. Their necks are thick, nearly the same diameter around as their heads. The tail is usually docked, (cut short,) but not always, so the presence of a long tail cannot automatically disqualify a Rottweiler from being a pure-bred Rottweiler. Look at the head. Their heads are very boxy, being about the same height as width, and only slightly longer from nose to the back of the head. Rottweilers can have a slight wrinkling effect around the eyes, but this should not be too pronounced. The ears of a Rottweiler will always fold down with a triangular shape, similar to but smaller than a Labrador Retrievers, and they will never stand upright like a German Shepherd Dog or hang like a Basset Hound. Notice their jaw strength. It is also important to note that, of the recognized breeds, Rottweilers are typically credited as having the second strongest bite pressure, behind only the pit bull, when measured in pounds per square inch. To this end, the jaws are robust and heavy, and the head wide in order to accommodate the large muscles needed to achieve this kind of strength. Rottweilers will never have underbites like English Bulldogs. Recognize deviations among individuals. Not every Rottweiler is a perfect specimen. Some may be stockier, longer, taller, leaner, or otherwise different than others of the same breed. Remember that while breed types are usually pretty all-inclusive, it is possible to have small variations, especially those that are environmental in nature, within the same breed. It is also important to consider that, like people, some Rottweilers are overweight, and will resemble more of a barrel shape than a tapered athlete. This does not mean the dog is not a Rottweiler, just that it has been spoiled with food. Notice common personality traits. Rottweilers were initially bred for work as protectors and guardians. This means they can be quite dominant, and even aggressive on occasion. Rottweilers are intelligent and active dogs who enjoy playing and completing tasks. Rottweilers can be very gentle and loving dogs, but they require a lot of training and guidance from an early age. Without proper training as a puppy, Rottweilers can become destructive pets who bark constantly and chew up your furniture or dig in the yard. Look at the coloring. All Rottweilers have a black base coat on their bodies with distinctive tan markings on their chests, legs, and face. The tan can be a range of colors from a dark mahogany to a red or rusty color, but the black will always be black, never grey or merle, (a mix of colors.) The brown is typically isolated to the dog's paws, the insides of its legs, its chest, its throat and muzzle, and two distinct dots above the eyes. This pattern is so unique to the breed that it is simply called "Rottweiler color," even when found on mixed breed dogs. The only other breed to have this coloration naturally is the Doberman Pinscher, which also originated in Germany, but the Doberman Pinscher is very lean, long, and tall, as it was bred for running more than for fighting and intimidation. The Australian Kelpie has very similar markings, but as with the Doberman Pinscher it is more elongated with its features and more athletic in its activity and prowess. Notice the variations in the markings. The actual size and shape of the markings may vary between individual dogs. For example, some dogs may have an upside-down wishbone-shaped brown mark on their chests, while others may have a butterfly shape, two separate dots on each pectoral, (chest muscle,) or just a shapeless smudge. The important thing to remember is the overall positioning of the markings. Some dogs may also have white markings on them. This is considered a fault by the breed standards, but nonetheless some purebred Rottweilers may have white on the chest, between the shoulders, or on the face or paws. Sometimes older dogs will develop white in these areas as well. In these cases, the white is not a fault, but simply an effect of aging. The white on older Rottweilers will typically look more grizzled than pure white, however. Acknowledge rare colorations. Rarely, Rottweilers can be born albino, all red, or with a "bluish" color. These are considered breed faults, but are not predictable. Albino Rottweilers are all white with pink skin and red eyes, but otherwise conform to the breed's physical characteristics. Keep in mind that these are rare mutations, and a red or blue Rottweiler is most likely a mix. A red Rottweiler conforms to all the breed's physical standards, but is all brown or red instead of having the typical black and red coloration. A Rottweiler is said to be "blue" when the guard hairs of the coat are a lighter color than the undercoat, resulting in an overall bleaching effect that washes out the entire color. Look for the Rottweiler traits. Just because a dog has the Rottweiler color and a stocky build does not make it a Rottweiler. Other breeds, such as the English Mastiff, American Mastiff, Bull Mastiff, or Pit Bull can resemble a Rottweiler, and can produce offspring that may look similar to a purebred Rottweiler. Mixed breeds typically have either the conformation of a Rottweiler or the Rottweiler color, but rarely both. A mastiff mix with a Rottweiler will often have jowls or cheeks that hang below its chin when the mouth is closed, and will have excess skin and wrinkling around the face and head. Notice the dog’s coat. Mixed breeds will often have a longer coat than the short hair of a purebred Rottweiler. Other mixes will produce longer hair than a purebred; one of the most common mixes is Rottweiler with German Shepherd, which sometimes results in a dog with the color and size of a Rottweiler, but the furriness and tail of a German Shepherd. A lean dog with a long, thin muzzle and Rottweiler coloring may be mixed with a Labrador Retriever or Doberman Pinscher. Look at the stance. Because of their athleticism and bite strength, Rottweilers are often crossed with Pit Bulls for the purposes of dog fighting. These crosses are typically smaller than purebred Rottweilers, and have a wider, almost bulldog-like stance. Also, a Rottweiler with a curly tail will always be a mix of some kind. Rule out mixed breeds with proper documentation. In order to be certain that you have a purebred Rottweiler and not, in fact, a mixed breed dog, you should try to acquire some breed registration paperwork. Most purebred dogs have paperwork that accompanies them when they are given to their owners from the breeder. The paperwork will most likely come from the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the United Kennel Club (UKC), the two largest registration organizations in the United States for purebred dogs. Have a DNA test done. There are a variety of companies that sell home DNA test kits for dogs. Buy one of these kits and follow the directions to take a sample of your dog's DNA. Then, you can mail it back to the company, where they'll determine exactly what kind of breed or mixed breed your dog is.

Look at the conformation. Look at the head. Notice their jaw strength. Recognize deviations among individuals. Notice common personality traits. Look at the coloring. Notice the variations in the markings. Acknowledge rare colorations. Look for the Rottweiler traits. Notice the dog’s coat. Look at the stance. Rule out mixed breeds with proper documentation. Have a DNA test done.

https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Your-Room-Quickly-and-Efficiently

How to Clean Your Room Quickly and Efficiently

You might be dreading cleaning your room, but there are ways you can make it go a lot faster so it's over sooner. First, grab a garbage bag and clear up any trash from you room to clear some space. Next, gather your clothes, separate the clean ones from the dirty ones, and put them in the right places. Then, pick up your belongings and put them back where they should be. Once you've gotten rid of your own stuff, gather things that go in other rooms, like dirty dishes and household items, and take them where they belong. Now that you've tidied your room, quickly dust your surfaces, vacuum the floor, and you're all done.

Gather up trash and put it in a garbage bag. If there is any plastic, make sure to recycle. Do not put it in a garbage bag. Take a quick look around for any obvious trash, like wrappers, old food, tissues, or cut off clothing tags, and toss it into a garbage bag. While you're at it, empty any wastebaskets in your room and put in new bags. Since you're doing a quick cleanup, stick with really obvious garbage. Don't worry about sorting through stuff like old papers and deciding which to keep or toss. Pick up any laundry that’s scattered around. Gather up your dirty clothes and throw them in a basket or hamper. Don't worry about sorting your clothes—just get them off the floor for now. Make sure to separate out any clean clothes so they won't have to be washed again. If you have a lot of clean clothes lying around, take a few minutes to fold them and put them in your dresser or hang them up in your closet. If you don't have time for that, bundle them up neatly and put them in a basket so you can put them away later. If it's time to change your bedsheets, strip your bed and toss those into your hamper, too. Put your things back where they belong. Next, look around for stuff like books, papers, toys, electronics, or any other things that belong in your room but aren't in the right places. Gather up these items and quickly put them away. Put books back on the shelves or put them in a tidy pile on your desk, dresser, or nightstand if you're still using them. If there are toys around, put them in boxes or bins. If there are small items around that you use every day, like your watch or a favorite lip balm, try putting a small decorative dish or basket on your dresser or nightstand where you can keep them all together. Try to get in the habit of spending 10 minutes each day putting things back where they belong so your room stays clean and tidy. Carry out any items that belong in other rooms. Chances are that a few things have gotten into your room from other parts of the house. Quickly gather up any strays—like plates and cups from the kitchen or that screwdriver you used when you changed the batteries in your clock—and bring them back to wherever they came from. If you're really in a hurry to finish cleaning your room, put everything in a box and set it outside your bedroom door so you can put it away later. Dust off any dusty surfaces, starting with the highest ones. Take a duster or slightly damp cleaning rag and dust off things like your lights, curtains or blinds, headboard, shelves, dresser, and nightstand. Use a dry cloth to wipe away any water or smudges of dust that the first cloth leaves behind. Start with high surfaces so that you don't knock dust down onto surfaces you've already cleaned. If you have blinds in your room, put an old sock over your hand and use it to wipe the dust off of each slat. You can also use the sock trick to dust picture frames and other wall decorations! Using a damp cloth will help you pick up dust instead of just sending it into the air. Use a vacuum cleaner with a dust brush attachment or a small duster vacuum to suck up dust bunnies or clean extra dusty areas. Wipe down your dresser and other surfaces with a cleaning fluid. Spray surfaces that are really grimy with a household cleaner and wipe them down with a cloth. You can also use cleaning or disinfecting wipes such as Lysol or Clorox wipes, or make them yourself. Use a glass cleaner, like Windex or SprayWay Glass Cleaner, to brighten up any mirrors, windows, or glass door panels in your room. If you don't have one, you can try making one. Light switch plates can start to look grimy fast, so give them a quick wipe down if you notice dirt and smudges. Vacuum or sweep up dirt on the floor. If you have a carpet, vacuum it to get up any dirt or pet hair. Use a broom or put your vacuum cleaner on a bare floor setting if your room isn't carpeted. Try to go over your whole floor, but focus on the obvious areas instead of trying to clean every corner or make the area under your bed perfect. Sprinkle a little baking soda on your carpet before vacuuming it to help freshen it up and get rid of weird smells. Go over your mattress with the vacuum cleaner. All this dusting and cleaning may have gotten your bed a little dirty, so quickly go over it with the vacuum cleaner. Strip the bedclothes off first, if you didn't already. If you want, sprinkle on a little baking soda to freshen your mattress up before you vacuum it. Use a crevice tool on your vacuum to get hard to reach areas, like the crease around the lip of your mattress or the crevices between the padded areas on top. Put the fitted sheet on your bed and smooth it out. Take a clean, fitted sheet and spread it out on your bed so the corners are lined up with the corners of your mattress. Tuck one of the corners under, then go across diagonally and tuck under the next corner. Repeat with the other 2 corners. Take care to smooth out the sheet and check that the corners and sides are tucked in well, so that the sheet doesn't pull off easily. Spread the flat sheet over your bed, patterned-side down. Lay out your top sheet so that an even amount of it hangs off of the bed on both sides. If the sheet has a pattern on it, lay it face down so that the plain side faces up. This is so you can see the pattern when you fold the sheet back. Smooth out your sheet to get rid of any big wrinkles, gaps, or bulges. If you notice that there's more sheet hanging off the bed on one side, gently pull the other side so it's more even. Tuck in your flat sheet neatly. To make your bed look extra tidy, create hospital corners with your sheet. Carefully tuck the bottom edge of the sheet under your mattress and smooth out any bumps or wrinkles with your hands. Grab an edge of the sheet about 16 inches (41 cm) from the foot of the bed and lift it up so it hangs down in a triangle shape. Tuck the hanging part under the mattress at the side of the bed near the foot end. Then, grab the top part of the triangle you made and fold that under, making a 45° angle from the top corner of the mattress to the bottom edge. Do it again with the other bottom edge of the sheet, then tuck the edges of the sheet under along both sides of the bed. This sounds tricky, but it just takes a little practice. Once you've done it a few times, you'll get the hang of it! Put on your blanket or coverlet. If you have a blanket or coverlet, spread it out across your bed on top of the flat sheet. If you want, you can tuck it under just like you did with the sheet. Fold back the blanket and flat sheet from the head of the bed so that there's enough room for your pillow. If the weather is chilly or you just want to give your bed a more put-together look, you can finish it up by neatly spreading a quilt or duvet on top. Leave about a pillow's worth of space at the head end of the bed. Place your pillows neatly at the head of your bed. Put fresh pillowcases on your pillows and place them tidily at the head end of your bed. If you like, you can add a couple of decorative pillows or cushions to make your bed look even fancier. A neatly made bed can make the whole room look nicer. Stand back and admire your work!

Gather up trash and put it in a garbage bag. Pick up any laundry that’s scattered around. Put your things back where they belong. Carry out any items that belong in other rooms. Dust off any dusty surfaces, starting with the highest ones. Wipe down your dresser and other surfaces with a cleaning fluid. Vacuum or sweep up dirt on the floor. Go over your mattress with the vacuum cleaner. Put the fitted sheet on your bed and smooth it out. Spread the flat sheet over your bed, patterned-side down. Tuck in your flat sheet neatly. Put on your blanket or coverlet. Place your pillows neatly at the head of your bed.

https://www.wikihow.com/Greet-a-Cat

How to Greet a Cat

Although every cat is different, the best way to greet most cats is to let it approach you first. You can make the cat feel more comfortable by getting down on its level and extending your index finger out in front of you. The cat will most likely respond by rubbing its nose on you, but if it's particularly shy, you may want to play with its favorite toys as an icebreaker. Either way, once the cat seems comfortable, you can try gently petting it on the back and neck, which is where most cats enjoy being pet.

Wait for the cat to approach. When you are near a cat that you are friendly with (e.g. your own, or a close friend's cat) wait for it to approach you. Even cats that are normally friendly have days when they do not wish to be disturbed. Wait for it to demonstrate signs of affection (e.g. rubbing up against your leg) before greeting it. Move to a comfortable area. To properly greet a friendly cat, move to an area where you can settle in to pet, play, or cuddle the cat. Move away from the doorway, which could provide an unplanned exit for an excited cat. A cat will develop positive associations with whatever happy greeting spot you choose. Get down to the cat's level. Sit or kneel on the ground to allow the cat to greet you on its own level. The cat may want to rub its nose on you, which is a bonding exercise and a sign of affection. Your cat may also be comfortable greeting you from a high spot (e.g. the top of the couch, a tall windowsill). If the cat wants to rub its nose on you, don't let it rub it's nose on your face on the first meeting, as this can be dangerous for you if the cat gets upset. Pet the cat. Once a cat is comfortable with you, feel free to pet it gently. Start with the back and neck, spots that most cats enjoy being pet. Avoid petting the cat's tail, which is a sensitive area and may evoke a negative reaction. Blink slowly at the cat to show it you're friendly. Cats blink slowly to show affection, and you can do the same thing to show the cat that you're a friend. If the cat also blinks slowly and seems calm, then you can continue the interaction. These are also called "cat kisses." Kneel or sit at the cat's level. When you enter a room with a cat, or if a cat enters a room you are in, do not approach it. Instead, kneel down or sit at the cat's level. This will ensure that the cat doesn't see you as threatening or aggressive. Extend your finger. Once you are at the cat's level, extend your index finger out in front of you. Do this slowly and calmly, and do not get too close to that cat in doing so. The aim is to give the cat the feeling that it has control in the situation, and can decide whether or not to approach you. Wait for the cat to approach. Hold your position and wait for the cat to approach you. It will likely sniff your finger first, a move that mimics cats' nose-to-nose greeting to each other. Allow the cat to sniff your finger and rub against it if it wishes to. Respect the cat's limits. If the cat does not respond to your gesture, or moves away after sniffing your finger, leave it alone. Respect the cat's space and do not attempt to approach it or extend your finger again. Pushing an unwilling cat into an interaction can result in undesirable reactions such as: Hissing Growling Intense staring Running away from you Swatting at you Scratching Try playing with toys as an icebreaker. If a cat is especially shy, try introducing yourself via play. Toss a toy for the cat to chase, making sure to throw it away from both you and the cat to create a neutral playing zone. This way, the cat will comfortable playing and might warm up to you during the game. Use a wand toy to draw it closer. A neutral way to encourage a cat to approach you is to dangle a wand toy near it. If the cat is interested, this will allow it to approach you with a goal and interest outside of you. Playing with the wand toy may relieve stress and apprehension and make the cat feel more at ease near you. If the cat demonstrates any signs of distress (e.g. hissing), put down the wand toy and give the cat some space. Ignore the cat. If a cat is apprehensive around you, do your best to ignore it while you are in its presence. Keep your distance and avoid any eye contact with it. Your presence, without the threat of a forced interaction, will likely become more familiar and less threatening with time. Be cautious about petting. When a shy cat finally starts to warm up to you, be careful about how you pet it. Pet it on the neck, head, or side in a gentle manner. Do not offer any resistance if the cat moves away from you or re-positions itself. Offer the cat treats. With its owner's permission, offer a shy cat treats to coax it into an introduction. This will give the cat an incentive for greeting you and create a positive association with you in its mind. Be calm and gentle during the interaction.

Wait for the cat to approach. Move to a comfortable area. Get down to the cat's level. Pet the cat. Blink slowly at the cat to show it you're friendly. Kneel or sit at the cat's level. Extend your finger. Wait for the cat to approach. Respect the cat's limits. Try playing with toys as an icebreaker. Use a wand toy to draw it closer. Ignore the cat. Be cautious about petting. Offer the cat treats.

https://www.wikihow.com/Bend-Acrylic

How to Bend Acrylic

Before you bend acrylic, set it between 2 pieces of scrap wood and clamp them together with a vice. Then, aim a heat gun at the point on the acrylic you want to bend. As the acrylic heats up, move the heat gun from side to side and steadily push on it with a piece of scrap wood to help it bend. If you need to make further bends, let the first bend cool before continuing so you don't lose it. To make side pieces, trace the sides of your newly-bent acrylic onto a flat piece and cut them out with a saw.

Gather the supplies you need in order to bend the acrylic with a heat gun. Sheet of acrylic large enough for your needs A heat gun, which is an electrical tool that heats and softens a variety of materials Scrap wood Cutting tools, such as a Dremel saw, circular saw, table saw, and/or razor knife A vise and clamps Chinagraph pencil, also known as a grease pencil, or permanent marker Acrylic glue and an applicator Determine the dimensions of what you are creating with the bent acrylic. If you are creating an enclosure, then you need to do the math to determine its size and where you need to bend it to make your desired shape. You may need tools such as a ruler or other measuring stick, a square, a compass, or a protractor to find these dimensions. Once you have calculated your dimensions, mark them up on the acrylic so that you know where to cut. A China graph pencil or permanent marker works well, but the marker will not be able to be removed. If you want any holes in your acrylic enclosure, it is better to drill or cut them into it before bending, as this process is easier while the acrylic is still flat. Set your acrylic between two pieces of scrap wood, one of which is your jig, and clamp it all together using the vise. Cut the jig to help you bend the acrylic to the correct calculations, if necessary. This is where you can use the circular or table saw, if you are cutting a jig. A jig is a box or frame meant for holding a material and guiding a machine tool to the material. The jig will be cut at a particular height and and its edge at a particular angle, based on your calculations, so that you bend the acrylic correctly. Make sure you have a spare piece of scrap wood to help you with the heat bending process. You will use it to push on the acrylic while it is heated. Prepare your heat gun for bending the acrylic. Heating is a slow process in order to make sure that you get a straight bend in the acrylic. Use the spare piece of flat scrap wood to push the acrylic back and down while you aim the heat gun at the acrylic. Make your pressure on the acrylic as even as possible while you push. Move the heat gun slowly side-to-side while you push back and down on the acrylic. Note that the acrylic will likely bend slowly at first, but the more heated it becomes, the more quickly it will bend. You may eventually need to only push down with the scrap wood in order to achieve a straight bend. Repeat the heating process if you have additional bends to make in the sheet of acrylic. This will be necessary if you are making an enclosure out of the acrylic, for example, but it will not be necessary in every situation. If you have no further bends to make, then move on to the next step, or you may be done with your project at this time. It will be helpful to allow each bend to completely cool before going on to the next bend so that you do not lose the initial bend. Trace the sides of your newly bent piece of acrylic in order to make the side pieces. Lay the bent acrylic on its side on a new piece of flat acrylic and trace the sides using a permanent marker or Chinagraph pencil. Cut the side pieces out using a Dremel saw or razor knife when you are done tracing. It is important to trace each side of the bent acrylic. Do not assume that both sides are the exact same shape. Set the bent acrylic piece and the cut sides together with acrylic glue and the applicator. This can be a tricky process. Be very careful while bending the acrylic and cutting your side pieces, as the acrylic glue requires perfect seams in order set correctly. The acrylic glue requires at least five minutes to set, so it is recommended to clamp the enclosure together to help it set correctly. Gather the materials that you need in order to bend a piece of acrylic with a strip heater. A strip heater, which is a tool that has a heating element along the length of it and rests on which to lay the material you want to heat so that they are not directly on the intense heating element Sheet of acrylic that is large enough for your needs Chinagraph pencil, also known as a grease pencil, or permanent marker A jig, which is a box or frame meant for holding a material and guiding a machine tool to the material Scrap wood Cutting tools, such as a Dremel saw, circular saw, table saw, and/or razor knife Clamps Acrylic glue and an applicator Calculate the dimensions of your craft or enclosure, if necessary. Cut down the sheet of acrylic to the size or shape that you need for your project using a Dremel saw or razor knife. It may be helpful to overestimate your dimensions, since you will be heating and bending the acrylic. Heating may cause a slight change in where the bend lies and how it fits into other pieces. Mark the location of the fold on the acrylic with the Chinagraph pencil or permanent marker. This is where you will heat the acrylic on the strip heater. Make sure that your line exactly follows the shape you desire. If you want a straight line, make sure it is perfectly straight. If you need it to be angled, then make sure the line runs at the correct angle. The line will still appear on the acrylic after it is heated, when you need to bend it. The Chinagraph pencil markings can be removed later. Remember that permanent marker will not come off. Cut and assemble your jig to the correct shape and dimensions you need using scrap wood. You will put the heated acrylic in the jig to help it form to the right shape. Use the circular or table saw for this process. You may need to use wood glue or nails to assemble your jig into the shape you need, depending on how you plan to bend the acrylic. For example, you might adhere two pieces of scrap wood together at a 90-degree angle along their long sides if you want your acrylic bent in that shape. If you need a more acute or obtuse angle, then you will likely need to cut the edges of your scrap wood at slight angles instead of perfectly straight across. Set the jig aside until you need it. Be sure to leave it close by and easily accessible. Have a piece of scrap wood nearby, as well, for helping to form the shape of the bent acrylic in the jig. Set the sheet of acrylic across the rests on the strip heater and turn it on. Be sure that the marked line is above the heating element. Turn the sheet of acrylic over on the heating element every 30-60 seconds in order to avoid damaging it. Wear gloves as you do this to avoid burning your hands. Only keep the acrylic on the strip heater long enough for it to become flexible, at which point it is ready for you to bend. It may be helpful to clamp the acrylic in place while it is being heated so that only the marked area is heated and the sheet of acrylic does not move. Remove the heated, flexible acrylic from the strip heater and move it to the jig. Remember to wear gloves so that you do not burn your hands. Bend the acrylic to match the angle of the jig. Then, set the acrylic into the jig so that it will form to that angle as it cools. Set the flat piece of scrap wood on top of the acrylic to keep it in place in the jig while it cools, so that it forms to the correct angle. You could also use clamps, if you have your jig set up on a table surface with room to apply the clamps. Do not remove the acrylic from the jig until it has cooled, or it might lose its new shape. Repeat the heating process as necessary for any other bends in the sheet of acrylic. If you have no other bends to make in the acrylic, then move onto the last step, or you might be done with your project. Remember to wait until the initial bend in the acrylic has completely cooled before attempting another bend in the same sheet of acrylic. Moving it while it is still warm and flexible will cause it to lose the bend. Trace the sides of your bent acrylic in order to create side pieces for an enclosure. You will need to trace them onto an additional piece of flat acrylic. Remember to trace both sides of your newly bent acrylic, as they may not be the exact same shape and size. Cut out the side pieces using a Dremel saw or a razor knife. Take care not to crack the acrylic, which may cause you to have to start over. Fit the side pieces into the bent acrylic to create your enclosure. Secure the sides with acrylic glue and an applicator, and use clamps to hold them in place to set for several minutes.

Gather the supplies you need in order to bend the acrylic with a heat gun. Determine the dimensions of what you are creating with the bent acrylic. Set your acrylic between two pieces of scrap wood, one of which is your jig, and clamp it all together using the vise. Prepare your heat gun for bending the acrylic. Repeat the heating process if you have additional bends to make in the sheet of acrylic. Trace the sides of your newly bent piece of acrylic in order to make the side pieces. Set the bent acrylic piece and the cut sides together with acrylic glue and the applicator. Gather the materials that you need in order to bend a piece of acrylic with a strip heater. Calculate the dimensions of your craft or enclosure, if necessary. Mark the location of the fold on the acrylic with the Chinagraph pencil or permanent marker. Cut and assemble your jig to the correct shape and dimensions you need using scrap wood. Set the sheet of acrylic across the rests on the strip heater and turn it on. Remove the heated, flexible acrylic from the strip heater and move it to the jig. Repeat the heating process as necessary for any other bends in the sheet of acrylic. Trace the sides of your bent acrylic in order to create side pieces for an enclosure.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Ex-Girlfriend-Want-You-Again

How to Make Your Ex Girlfriend Want You Again

To make your ex-girlfriend want you back after a breakup, try to avoid any contact with her for at least a couple of weeks. This will give you time to heal and give her time to miss you. During this period, don't post subliminal messages online or talk negatively about your ex, since this could ruin any chance you have of getting back together. Instead, focus on becoming the best version of yourself by eating healthy, exercising, and spending time with friends. Then, when your no-contact period is over, reach out to her, admit your mistakes, and apologize. If you want her back, ask her out on a date to see if she also wants to give it another try.

Try the no contact rule. Determine a set amount of time where you will no longer interact with your ex. This includes phone calls, text messages, social media, and in person meetings. You are not to initiate contact or respond to her at all. This will give both of you space to heal and work out your feelings. The no contact period is typically 21, 30, or 45 days. Whatever period you choose, you must stick to the plan. No contact will give both of you time to heal and also give your ex-girlfriend time to miss you. If the relationship ended badly, this period will allow both of you to cool off and work through any negative feelings. Stop engaging with her on social media. Even if you no longer talk to your ex, seeing pictures of her and knowing what she is doing will make you want to contact her. Constantly getting updates about her life through social media will make things more difficult for you. You also may find out information you do not want to know such as she is dating someone else. If you need to unfriend or block your ex-girlfriend on social media, then you should. You do not have to let your ex-girlfriend know that you are taking these steps. Do not post how sad or depressed you are about the breakup either. Evaluate the relationship. Since you are no longer talking to your ex, you have time to think about the relationship. Consider the pros and cons of the relationship. Think about the things that you did well and things that you did not. Also, think of the things you can do differently if you get another chance with her. It may be helpful to write a pros and cons list down on a piece of paper. This will also help you think about the relationship. Take care of yourself. You want to be the best version of yourself you can be. This will make you more attractive to your ex when you contact her again. Eat healthy and exercise. Spend time with friends and family who love you. Do activities that you not have had time to do when you were in a relationship such as volunteer, play video games, read, etc. It's also fine if you do not feel like going out a lot or being social. Do whatever you need to do to heal from the relationship such as meditating, journaling, or spending time alone watching movies. If there are personality traits or issues that you had in the relationship such as anger, jealousy, insecurity, taking her for granted, or being controlling begin to work on those things. Seek professional help if you need to. Write down the type of man you want to be and begin to work on each of those things. Avoid talking negatively about her. After a breakup, it is tempting to badmouth your ex. You may say some things that you do not really mean. Saying bad things about her to your family, her friends, or your friends is not helpful. If your ex finds out what you have been saying about her, you may ruin your chances of getting back together with her. Do your best to keep the details of your relationship private. Refrain from posting about your relationship on social media as well. This includes, subliminal messages such as song lyrics, music videos, or quotes. Contact your ex. Once the no contact period is over, reach out to your ex. You can do this through an email, phone call, letter, or text message. If you write an email or letter, tell your ex that you have accepted the breakup, apologize for anything that you did wrong, and tell her something interesting about your life since the breakup. If you send a text message, try to say something that starts a conversation, is flirty in nature, and does not bring up anything negative. Try texting, "Hey, I was watching X on TV and I it made me think of you :)" You could also text them about a good memory that you guys made together. For example, "Remember when we went to that great restaurant.." Your initial contact should not mention getting back together or that you miss her or you love her. Admit your mistakes and apologize. You have had time to evaluate your relationship. Now is the time to admit to your mistakes and tell her that you are sorry. This shows her that you have matured and put a lot of thought into what happened between the two of you. She will also begin to see how you have taken steps to become a better man. This can be done in person or on the phone. It is better not to have long or emotional conversations through text messaging. Ask her on a date. Now that you and your ex have been communicating, ask her if she would like to go on a date or hang out. Try to be very casual and polite when you ask her. Do not make this out to be a big deal. Try saying, "Hey, do you want to go get coffee or something?" or "Let's get together to catch up." You can also use the phrase "hang out" instead of "date." If she is reluctant, you might say, "It's only coffee. What would it hurt?" If she does not want to meet up with you, do not push the issue. Give her space. Tell her, "I respect that you don't want to meet up, let me know if you change your mind. It would be great to see you." Woo her again. To win her back, you must do all of the things that you did to make her interested in you the first time. If you used to send her flowers or write her sweet notes, begin to do those things again. Think of this opportunity as a new relationship. You need to make her fall for you again. Although you want to impress her, do not be needy or beg her to be with you again. This will only make you look insecure or weak. You want her to take you back because you are a great guy not because she feels sorry for you. Do not say things like, "I can't live without you." Avoid bringing up the past. You and your ex are starting over again. Focus on the positive things that made your relationship work the first time around. If you won her over by being funny, continue to make her laugh. If she enjoyed your cooking, prepare a nice meal for her. Focus on building new memories with her. She needs to see how things will be different this time around. Start slowly. You cannot pick up where you left off when you get back together. Treat this as a new relationship. Take your time and get to know each other again. You also do not want to overwhelm her or put pressure on her to get back together. Focus on building a strong friendship. Do not text or call everyday. Go out on dates and do activities together. Learn her likes, dislikes, and habits again. Hold off on the physical aspect of the relationship and spend more time talking. Know when to give up. If your ex completely resists all of your effort, you need to respect her decision. If she tells you to leave her alone or that she has moved on, you need to move on as well. Being too needy and persistent will make you look bad and could ruin any chances of getting her back in the future. If she has a new boyfriend, be respectful of her new relationship. Do not try to get her to break up with her new boyfriend. Be patient and see if her new relationship is serious or just a rebound.

Try the no contact rule. Stop engaging with her on social media. Evaluate the relationship. Take care of yourself. Avoid talking negatively about her. Contact your ex. Admit your mistakes and apologize. Ask her on a date. Woo her again. Avoid bringing up the past. Start slowly. Know when to give up.

https://www.wikihow.com/Apply-a-Temporary-Tattoo

How to Apply a Temporary Tattoo

Before applying a temporary tattoo, clean the area you want to decorate with soap and water, then pat it dry, so your skin's natural oils don't prevent the water-based ink from sticking. Next, peel off the clear backing and carefully place the image face side down on your skin where you want it. Using a damp cloth or sponge, press down the backing of your tattoo firmly and make sure it doesn't slip around. For the best results, hold the cloth on the tattoo for at least 60 seconds before you peel off the backing. After you've removed the paper, give your tattoo 10 minutes to dry. Finally, dab a little water-based lotion onto your temporary tattoo, so it lasts as long as possible.

Start with clean, dry skin. Temporary tattoos are made with water-based ink, which means that they're repelled by skin's natural oils. Carefully clean the area you want to decorate with soap and water, and pat it dry with a paper towel. If you're very sweaty, rubbing alcohol can help cut the grease. Pour a little onto a cotton ball, and then wipe it on the area. Don't do this every day, though--you could dry out your skin. Pick out your tattoo. Some temporary tattoos come individually packaged, which is easy. However, if the temporary tattoo you want to wear came on a sheet with several others, you'll need to separate it. Cut around it with sharp scissors, being careful not to clip the design itself, until you've separated it from the “flash sheet.” Peel off the clear backing. At this point, your tattoo is protected by a thin layer of clear plastic. Carefully pick this off. You should be able to see the brightly-colored, mirror-image version of the tattoo you're planning to apply to your skin. From now on, the side with the ink, that was protected by clear plastic, will be called the face side. Place the image face side down on your skin. Confirm that you want to apply the tattoo to the spot you just cleaned, then place the face side against your skin. Don't wiggle it around. Just hold it firmly in place while you move on to the next step. Press a damp cloth or sponge over the tattoo paper. Take a piece of fabric or a sponge that is neither bone dry nor soaking wet, and push it firmly against the backing of your tattoo. Hold it in place, and don't let it slip around, even if it wants to. Hold for at least 60 seconds. To get the most complete image, you'll need a bit of patience. Don't even think about removing the cloth or the paper backing from your arm until a full minute has passed. While you're sitting, try to move as little as possible. Gently peel off the paper. Start by lifting a single corner of the backing in order to peek at the tattoo. If the image looks weird, or isn't sticking to your skin, put the cloth or sponge back on and wait for another 30 seconds. If it does look good, then continue to slowly peel off the paper. Wait for the tattoo to dry. Keep being patient for around ten minutes. Resist the urge to poke your temporary tattoo. It's best to sit reasonably still and not flex too much, to avoid wrinkling or smearing the tattoo, as well. Dab on a bit of water-based lotion. To make your tattoo last even longer, hydrate your skin by gently patting a bit of thin cream or lotion on top. Avoid thick, oil-based moisturizers, like petroleum jelly, which may smear the tattoo. If you want, you can dust baby powder over the top of the tattoo as well, to make it look more matte (and thus more realistic.) Start with clean skin. The process for applying glitter tattoos is a bit different than transfer or paper-backed tattoos, but they still need clean skin to adhere to. Wash down the area you want to tattoo with warm, soapy water, then pat it dry with a paper towel. Select a stencil. Not just any stencil will do! It's best to get a stencil specially intended for glitter tattoos. These have an adhesive back that won't hurt your skin too much as you peel it off. They can be found in glitter tattoo kits, or sold separately at party, big-box, or beauty supply stores. Apply the stencil of your choice wherever you want the glitter tattoo to be. Make sure not to stick the stencil to a hairy place, or it'll hurt to peel off. Paint over the stencil with body-safe glue. If you've purchased a glitter tattoo kit, it should come with a special body adhesive intended for skin; if not, you can purchase this separately. Apply a thin layer of the adhesive with a paintbrush so that it covers the skin left bare by the stencil. Then, wait for it to dry until it's almost clear. Apply glitter with a fresh paintbrush. Now comes the fun part--getting the glitter on there! Dip a paintbrush in body-safe glitter (any cosmetic-grade glitter is fine) and dab it onto the skin inside the stencil. Have fun and experiment by blending and mixing glitters. Peel off the stencil. Once you're comfortable with the amount of glitter you've used, take a corner of the stencil and peel it off the skin. Go slowly, so that you don't disturb your fresh glitter tattoo too much. Dust off extra glitter. Once you've peeled off the stencil, you might notice a bit of fallout from the glitter. If that's the case, use a large fluffy brush (a blush brush is perfect) to banish any wayward glitter flecks. It's probably best to do this in an open area, so you don't have to pick specks out of the carpet.

Start with clean, dry skin. Pick out your tattoo. Peel off the clear backing. Place the image face side down on your skin. Press a damp cloth or sponge over the tattoo paper. Hold for at least 60 seconds. Gently peel off the paper. Wait for the tattoo to dry. Dab on a bit of water-based lotion. Start with clean skin. Select a stencil. Paint over the stencil with body-safe glue. Apply glitter with a fresh paintbrush. Peel off the stencil. Dust off extra glitter.

https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-a-Steel-Door

How to Paint a Steel Door

To paint a steel door, you'll need exterior paint and an oil-based primer designed specifically for metal. Before you apply the primer and paint, lightly sand the door with 400-grit sandpaper so the primer and paint will stick to it better. Then, apply 2 coats of the primer, letting it dry after each coat. Once the second coat of primer is dry, use a roller to apply 2 coats of paint, letting the first coat dry for 6 hours and the second coat dry for 12 hours.

Loosen the hinge pins holding the door in place. Open your door as wide as possible to reveal the hinges holding it to the doorframe. Press a nail to the base of the hinge pin, which will be right on the point where the door pivots open and closed. Hit the nail with a hammer until the hinge pin loosens and the top is pushed away from the hinge panels. Repeat with any other hinges on the door. While taking the door off its hinges will make the painting process much easier, it isn't absolutely necessary. If you live in a colder climate where it may take longer for the paint to dry, you should paint the door in its frame. Taking an external door out of its frame for several days is unsafe if you cannot control who or what could come inside your house. It might be safer to paint the door in its frame rather than leaving it off its hinges for several days while it dries fully. Pull the door out of the frame. Holding the door in place with one hand, use a flathead screwdriver to pry the hinge pins fully out of the door hinges. Carefully pull the door out of the doorframe and lay it on a flat surface or across two saw horses. Make sure you keep the hinge pins somewhere safe while you work on the door, although there should be replacements at your local hardware store if you lose them. Wipe down the surface with a degreasing cleaner. In order to give the paint a smooth and clean surface to attach to, give the door a thorough clean with a degreasing cleaner and a rag. Be sure to remove any dirt, grease or grime from the surface of the door that could ruin your paint job or dirty your tools and brushes. Any multi-surface spray cleaner should work well on your door. Automotive degreasing cleaners are another great alternative if that's easier for you to find. Always follow the manufacturer's guidelines for the specific cleaner that you are using. Some may require you to wear gloves or eye protection for your own safety. Wipe down the door with a dry cloth or leave it in the sun for an hour or two before moving on. Remove all the hardware from the steel door. Using the appropriate screwdriver for each fitting, unscrew any hardware in the door that you don't want to paint over. This might include the doorknob, strike plate, or a door knocker. Always use a screwdriver rather than an electric drill when removing hardware. It might take longer, but it will be much easier than having to replace any hardware you could damage with an electric drill. If there is any hardware you don't want to or cannot remove, cover it with painter's tape to prevent it from being painted. Tape off any areas that you don’t want to paint. Using a roll of painter's tape, slowly work around the sides of the door and cover each edge. This will help keep the paint only on the face of the door and make the lines around each edge as clean as possible. Trimming the door with tape might be difficult around long or uneven edges, but it will make the painting process much easier in the long run. If there are any parts of the door you can't remove, such as windows, you can cover these with painter's tape to keep them clean. Fix any dents in the door's surface. Before painting the door, take the opportunity to fix any dents on the door's surface. Use 80-grit sandpaper on any dented areas before smoothly covering the dent with a small amount of patching compound or auto body filler. Leave it to dry for around 40 minutes and then sand it with 150-grit sandpaper to make the area level with the rest of the door. Sand the door until the dent is no longer obvious or not easily visible. Painting over it will help obscure any minor dents or dings, so don't worry too much about using a bubble level Sand the entire door with 400-grit sandpaper. To allow the primer and paint to adhere to the surface of the door, you should sand it down lightly first. Use fine grit sandpaper around 400 over the entire surface of the door. You don't need to sand the whole surface of the door thoroughly, only enough to give the primer something to stick to. Applying too much pressure or using a rougher sandpaper can risk damaging the door too much. Wipe down the surface with a damp cloth. Sanding can create a lot of dust that can get caught in the paint and affect the look of your finished door. Slightly dampen a clean cloth and wipe down the surface of the door to remove any dust left over from sanding it down. If there is a lot of dust, or if the old paint has come loose in the sanding process, use a vacuum cleaner to remove the majority of the dust before wiping it down. Prime the door with an oil-based primer. Priming the door with a product designed specifically for metal will keep your paint looking better for longer. Use a small paint roller to cover the door with two coats of primer, giving plenty of time for the primer to dry between coats. Make sure the primer you are using is compatible with your chosen paint. Each product should say which others they are compatible with, but you can ask for help when purchasing them if you're unsure. Different primers will take different amounts of time to dry in different climates. It can take between 1 and 3 hours for each coat to fully dry. Give the door a light touch every hour until you are certain the door is dry. If painting both sides of the door, you'll need to work one side at a time. Apply both coats of primer to the door and let fully dry before turning over to prime the other side. If you use a Direct-To-Metal paint, you can begin applying it without applying primer to the door first. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when painting with a specific product. Use a roller to apply one coat of paint. Make sure that you are using a paint that is designed for exterior use, such as an exterior satin or semi-gloss paint. Use a brush to carefully paint any grooves or panels on the door, before painting the rest with a small roller. This will minimize the brush stroke marks on your door when it is finished. Be careful to fix any drips or uneven roller strokes before the paint dries. It might be easier to paint in the morning, early evening or in the shade, so the paint doesn't dry too quickly and stays wet while you're still painting. Give the door plenty of time to dry between coats, normally between 6 to 12 hours but sometimes up to 18. Check the information on your chosen paint for more information on the expected drying times. Give each side plenty of time to dry fully if you want to paint both sides of the door. Work one side at a time, as even slightly wet coats of paint can be damaged if they come in contact with another surface too quickly. Apply a second coat of paint. Each coat of paint will improve the overall look of your door, as well as increasing its resistance to the elements. Give the first coat at least 6 hours to dry and then apply at least one more coat. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when applying paints. They will likely tell you how many coats you'll need, as well as how long you should leave each coat to dry. If you're unhappy with the look of the second coat of paint once it is dry, you can always add another one. Let the paint dry completely. Give your final coat of paint plenty of time to dry before putting it back in place. If the paint is still a little wet, it may rub off on the doorframe and need repainting. Leave it for as long as possible, but normally at least 12 hours. Heat guns and similar tools might help the paint dry faster, but won't dry it evenly and could even damage the paint if it is too intense. If you use something to accelerate the drying, do so carefully. Reassemble the door and reattach it to the frame. Remove any painter's tape you applied to the door when you began painting. Using a screwdriver, reattach any hardware you removed exactly as it was initially. Finally, put the door back on its hinges and reinsert the hinge pins with a hammer. You might want to remove the weather stripping around the edge of the doorframe for a day or two after reattaching the door. This will give the paint much longer to dry fully before the edges are pressed tightly against the stripping.

Loosen the hinge pins holding the door in place. Pull the door out of the frame. Wipe down the surface with a degreasing cleaner. Remove all the hardware from the steel door. Tape off any areas that you don’t want to paint. Fix any dents in the door's surface. Sand the entire door with 400-grit sandpaper. Wipe down the surface with a damp cloth. Prime the door with an oil-based primer. Use a roller to apply one coat of paint. Give each side plenty of time to dry fully if you want to paint both sides of the door. Apply a second coat of paint. Let the paint dry completely. Reassemble the door and reattach it to the frame.

https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Jeweler

How to Become a Jeweler

To become a jeweler, you'll need at least a high school diploma or GED, but you might also want to pursue an advanced degree in jewelry making to improve your chances of finding a job. In the meantime, practice making jewelry on your own so you know the basics. You can also apply for a job as a salesperson or apprentice at a jewelry shop to gain some firsthand experience. Then, eventually, you can earn your certification as a jeweler and even open your own business.

Earn a high school diploma or GED. Jewelers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent to get started in the industry. Universities and trade schools require it, and it's a plus on an application for an entry-level job at a jewelry store. Pursue an advanced degree in jewelry-making. A career as a jeweler doesn't require an advanced degree, but many design and trade schools offer degree programs that range in length from 6 months to one year. Pursuing a degree can give you a well-rounded and general knowledge of jewelry-making or help you choose a specialization, such as design or metallurgy. In a jeweler degree program, you'll learn how to make and repair jewelry, set stones of different sizes, and work with new technologies for more precise cutting. Search for jeweler degree programs online. Most offer applications that can be filled out and sent in online. There are programs across the country and the world, in countries including Italy, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Teach yourself the basics of jewelry-making. Many successful jewelers describe themselves as self-taught, learning their craft by experimenting with making jewelry and getting a job in the industry. Some jewelers get their start after earning a degree in another field and growing a jewelry business as a side hobby. If an advanced degree in jewelry-making isn't for you, start making pieces on your own time and experiment to see what works. Make sure you know how to safely use jewelry-making tools before you start creating your own pieces. Start networking. Meet as many people in the jewelry industry as you can--other jewelers, jewelry designers, salespeople, gallery owners. Tell them that you want to become a jeweler and ask them for advice. When a job opens up, let them know you're available and ready to learn. Start small and work your way up in the jewelry industry. On-the-job training will be one of the most important learning opportunities you receive in your career as a jeweler. Accept any job offer you receive from a jewelry store or gallery, even if it means you'll be making sales on the floor or polishing jewels in the back. A job as a salesperson can give you valuable experience in interacting with customers and learning what they're looking for, and help you expand your network in the meantime. Many jewelers-in-training start out as polishers and gain valuable on-the-job experience through informal apprenticeships in manufacturing facilities, retail stores, or repair shops. Learn from jewelers already in the business. Even if you're working as a salesperson, ask to observe and learn from the store's bench jeweler or gemologist. Soak up all the knowledge you can from these professionals who've had success in the industry. For example, you could work regular shift as a salesperson in the retail store, but ask to come in after hours or on days off to observe the jeweler at work. Treat the jeweler to coffee and ask for any tips they have for an aspiring jeweler. Earn your certification. Once you've secured a job as a jeweler, a professional certification will assure your customers of the high quality of your work. Jeweler certifications require that you pass an exam either on-site or administered by a self-appointed proctor. Certifications are offered through a variety of organizations. Depending on the organization you choose, you might earn a Jewelers of America Professional Certification from Jewelers of America, or become certified as a Registered Jeweler through the American Gem Society. For jewelers outside the United States, search for jeweler certifications available within your country. Start your own jewelry business when your customer base starts expanding. If your pieces are high-quality and your customer base is growing, you may wish to start your own business. You'll need to find a supplier or make your supplies by hand, decide on a name, and create marketing materials. Decide whether to run your business online or in a store. You'll reach local clientele in a store and raise your status in the community, and you'll have the ability to physically display your jewelry. Online, you'll have the opportunity to find customers all over the world. Get in touch with your chamber of commerce and Small Business Development Center to ensure that you're properly licensed to start your own business. Get a job in a pre-established store once you've established a network and have good references. You may prefer the stability and benefits of working in a large jewelry corporation or a smaller, pre-established store over starting your own business. Continue networking to make contacts in the store or corporation that you want to work for and ask about their application process. Ask for references from jewelers and supervisors at jewelry stores that you've worked at. Prepare well for your interview and be able to give concrete examples of your work and experience. Participate in gem and jewelry trade shows. This is a great way to continue networking in the industry meet merchants and sales reps who can expand your client base. To find these shows, read industry publications and check in with your chamber of commerce and national trade organizations. You can also get involved with organizations like the World Jewelry Confederation, which aims to promote and the jewelry industry worldwide and protect consumer interests.

Earn a high school diploma or GED. Pursue an advanced degree in jewelry-making. Teach yourself the basics of jewelry-making. Start networking. Start small and work your way up in the jewelry industry. Learn from jewelers already in the business. Earn your certification. Start your own jewelry business when your customer base starts expanding. Get a job in a pre-established store once you've established a network and have good references. Participate in gem and jewelry trade shows.

https://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-and-Treat-Stud-Tail-in-Cats

How to Diagnose and Treat Stud Tail in Cats

To diagnose and treat stud tail in cats, examine its coat and skin closely for greasiness, irritation, and discoloration, all of which indicate the condition. Next, bring your kitty to the vet for a tape test and bacteria culture to confirm the diagnosis. Then, use a vet-prescribed disinfectant or soap to clean the area 2-3 times per day, followed by an application of a topical ointment like Mupirocin or retinoids. If the infection is severe, your vet may prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Touch the cat’s fur to see if it appears greasy. Since Stud Tail is caused by an accumulation of skin oil, you should be able to feel what appears to be greasy fur toward the cat's back. If you feel greasy fur, the cat may have Stud Tail. Greasy fur most often appears toward the back of the cat's body or on its tail. Verify there are no other reasons your cat's fur may appear greasy, like if another caretaker has applied medicine, or the cat is excessively dirty. Factor in the age and gender of the cat. While all cats can develop Stud Tail, certain populations are much more prone to it. As a result, when you are trying to determine if a cat is afflicted by Stud Tail, you need to seriously consider the age and gender of the cat. Young, unneutered cats are most susceptible to Stud Tail. Neutered cats can sometimes develop Stud Tail. Spayed and intact female cats can, in rare cases, develop Stud Tail. Look to see if the cat’s hair is changing. The accumulation of skin oil may result in noticeable hair changes on the affected area. As a result, try to examine your cat's hair to see if there is any change. Some symptoms might include: A yellowing of fur on cats that have light-colored fur. Hair loss on the tail or near the top back of the cat's torso. Observe skin problems. The most obvious sign of Stud Tail is changes in the skin of the cat around the tail or near the top back of the cat's torso. Ultimately, these skin changes are a result of the accumulation of skin oil. They may irritate the cat and cause it to scratch itself around the affected area. Look for: Reddish bumps around the tail or on it. Red skin that appears raw or swollen. Blackheads or other pimple-like growths around or on the tail. The appearance of pus on or around the tail. This may only occur in the case of an infection. Answer any questions your vet may have. When you bring your cat to the veterinarian, they'll ask you a variety of questions about your cat's behavior, symptoms, and more. Make sure to answer these questions in detail. Be specific. For example, let them know the first date you noticed skin problems on your cat and how quickly the problems progressed. Say, “I noticed what appeared to be some dry skin on Yoda's tail last month, but early this month Yoda had lost hair and had some larger pimples or growths.” Don't hold anything back. While you may think that your cat licking their back or tail a lot over the course of the last month is unimportant, your vet might think it is important. Allow your vet to examine the affected area. After asking you questions, your vet will physically examine your cat. By observing the affected area, they'll be better able to arrive at a proper diagnosis. Your veterinarian may touch the area affected by the Stud Tail to see if it is sensitive. The veterinarian will look to see if the skin is infected. Expect your vet to perform a tape test. The vet will use acetate tape to look for bacteria and parasites on your cat. The tape looks like scotch tape and is an easy way for the vet to find out more information about your cat's condition. The vet or a tech will press the tape into the cat's skin or fur to collect a sample. The vet can examine the results in-office. Ask your vet to conduct a bacteria culture. Once your vet has concluded that the problem is Stud Tail, they may need to take a bacteria culture to determine if your cat has an infection. If so, they'll be better able to prescribe antibiotics to target the bacteria. Your vet will collect a skin sample or a sample of pus from the affected area. They will introduce it to a sterile environment and allow it to grow. Your vet will examine and identify the sample to determine if there is bacteria present and what kind of bacteria it is. This will allow them to prescribe the most effective antibiotic. Clean the affected area. After successfully diagnosing a case of Stud Tail, you will need to clean the area. By cleaning the area, you'll make it easier for the cat's skin to heal. Use a vet-prescribed disinfectant or soap to clean the area the first time. Try to remove dirt, dead skin cells, detached hair, and other debris. Wash the tail regularly. Your vet will probably recommend that you wash the affected area regularly. This will remove debris, lessen the chance of infection and, depending on the product, moisturize the area. Your vet may recommend or prescribe an antibacterial wash, like chlorhexidine. Your veterinarian may recommend using it two to three times daily. Provide your cat with antibiotics. In cases of severe infection, your veterinarian may prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics. This is important, as a bad infection could spread from the tail or back of the cat. Follow your veterinarian's directions carefully. Don't skip any doses, if possible. Finish the entire course of antibiotics even if the condition seems to have improved. Some antibiotics your vet may prescribe include amoxicillin, tetracycline and ampicillin. Apply topical medicines. In addition to cleaning and washing the affected area, you may also need to apply topical medications. These medications are designed to help fight infection and promote healing of the skin. Some medications might include: Mupirocin Retinoids Prevent future occurrences by bathing your cat semi-regularly. Once you've started to see progress in the healing of your cat's Stud Tail, you should take some steps to prevent future outbreaks. Ultimately, this is fairly easy to do and may be accomplished by washing your cat on a regular basis. You may prevent future outbreaks by doing light washes of your cat's tail or hind area. By focusing on the afflicted area, you'll save your cat the dissatisfaction of a full bath. You may be able to discontinue regular washes after your cat has aged. Consult your vet about this possibility. Some cats may benefit from anti-seborrheal shampoo. Neuter an intact male to prevent stud tail. This condition is caused by hormone fluctuations, which are more common in intact males. The best way to prevent the condition is to neuter the cat, which will eliminate the fluctuations. Ask your vet when it is appropriate to neuter the cat.

Touch the cat’s fur to see if it appears greasy. Factor in the age and gender of the cat. Look to see if the cat’s hair is changing. Observe skin problems. Answer any questions your vet may have. Allow your vet to examine the affected area. Expect your vet to perform a tape test. Ask your vet to conduct a bacteria culture. Clean the affected area. Wash the tail regularly. Provide your cat with antibiotics. Apply topical medicines. Prevent future occurrences by bathing your cat semi-regularly. Neuter an intact male to prevent stud tail.

https://www.wikihow.com/Flirt-Online

How to Flirt Online

To flirt with someone online, you first need to start the conversation by messaging them about something interesting. Instead of just saying “what's up” or giving a cheesy pick-up line, ask questions like “Is that a waterfall in your profile pic? It looks awesome. Where did you take that?”. Being flirty means being playful, so let your sense of humor shine by making jokes and gently teasing them. For example, you could say, “I have to go feed my dog. He's about to eat me.” Remember to stay away from crude sexual comments though since that could make them feel uncomfortable. Since you want to create a spark, don't wait to respond to their messages so you show that you're excited to talk to them.

Start the conversation with something interesting. If you want someone to talk to you, you need to have something to talk about. Whether you know the person in "real" life or just from a dating profile page, it's impossible to find a connection if all you've got to say is "hey" or "ur cute." Don't start conversations with, "hey" or "what up." It doesn't give you anywhere to go. Start with an interesting question or an observation, or a comment. Even if it's small, start with, "Whoa, whoa-whoa. There's no way I can't ask you about your new profile picture. Is that a waterfall? Please dish." Don't start with a line. Innuendo or crude jokes aren't the way to get someone interested. Read the next section for more specific advice for picking conversation topics. Get the other person talking. People like talking when it's easy. If you want to have a fun, flirty conversation, make it easy for the other person to have it by asking them questions and being a good "listener" to their responses. Ask lots of follow-up questions. If the waterfall profile picture was in Cancun last summer, ask about the trip. How was it? What was the most ridiculous thing you saw there? Worst thing you ate? Don't pry. Asking questions like, "That sounds so fun! I'd be scared to try sky-diving. How was it?" is one thing. But the answer to "How can you afford to sky-dive when you work in the service industry?" isn't any of your business. Be playful. It's hard to define flirting exactly. Lots of people just want to look for a connection, some kind of electricity. Often, this has to do with your sense of humor and your playfulness. Let your sense of humor come through. If you think it's funny to reference obscure Wu-Tang Clan songs, or random facts while you're talking, then do it. Be yourself. If someone doesn't think that's funny, they're better off with someone else. Sometimes, gentle teasing can be flirty and electric, or it can make you come off like a jerk. It might be funny to one person to say, "Whoa nice waterfall picture. That looks cold. Plus those plants are wack. Nice try though." To others, not so much. Respond in a timely way. Flirting needs someone to be at the other end of the line or it won't spark. Respond to as many messages as you can when you see them, and show the other person that you enjoy the exchange between the two of you. "Leaving them waiting" is the rallying cry of people with no dates. If you want to chat online, be there to chat. If you want to ignore people's messages, go do something else. If someone else isn't talking to you, leave them alone. There's no sense in peppering them with a million interesting and well-formed questions that they're going to respond "lol" to. Be the one who ends the conversation. The best flirtatious conversations end with the other person wanting more. You want to leave them thinking about you, and wishing that you'd log back on for more chatting. Before the conversation runs out of steam, it's a good idea to cut it short and leave them thinking about you. Look for a high note that might be difficult to top. If you get someone really laughing, but can't think of anywhere to go beyond that, just end the conversation: "Good talking to you. Gotta feed the dog, though. He's about to eat me." Be persistent. Invest some effort into flirting, but don't expect a lot of return initially until you "click" with the right person. If you can't start a conversation with someone, you can't start a conversation. Flirt around. Have fun. Have lots of conversations, and keep them light. On the other hand, don't give up too easily. Online chats can take some time to get to know someone. As mentioned earlier, keep it lighthearted and stay approachable. Stop trying to make yourself look good, and just be yourself. If you want to flirt and find a genuine connection with someone, it's important to be yourself, not the self-promoting Facebook version of yourself. It's all too easy to come off as conceited online, the more you talk about yourself and your accomplishments. So don't. Just be you. Write the same way you talk. You don't need to make yourself "sound smart" or try to use words you wouldn't normally use to flirt. It'll come off as fake and awkward. On the other hand, self-deprecating humor can sometimes be funny, but it can also sometimes come off as desperate or annoying. It's good to talk about yourself in positive ways. Keep it light. Flirting is just like having a regular conversation, but more fun. Go into expecting that you're going to laugh and you're going to have a good time, not like you're going to get a date with someone, or make them fall in love with you. That's too weird. Just chat like you would with a new friend. Take advantage of the Internet as a resource. Just read a funny article or saw a funny.gif or a cute video? Pass it on. Something to share and talk about. Different people like to talk about different things. To one person, it might be flirty to tell long stories and talk about serious subjects, while to another it might be dull. To one person, it might be flirty to talk about partying, while to others it could be a turn-off. Read each person and adjust. Take it slow. Online flirting is a marathon, not a sprint. There's no reason to rush right into talking about what you want, or planning a date, or figuring out where you're going to move in with all the children you're going to have. Whoa there. Just focus on having a few laughs and seeing if you like someone. Don't go right for the crude sexual references. Some innuendo can be flirty with the right person, but only once you've gotten to know someone. If if feels pornographic, it's not flirting. Avoid blurting out "I love you" on the basis of five minutes of chat and one profile photo. That will be an immediate relationship killer. It's okay to tell the other person that you think they're lovely, fascinating and gorgeous, but leave out love language until you both seem to know each other quite a lot better. If you wouldn't say it flirting in real life, don't say it online. Talk about common ground. If you're in class with someone you're chatting with, talk about class. If you're in the same town, talk about what neighborhoods you like. Talk about the best hang-outs. Talk about something that you have in common with each other to help make a connection. If you don't have anything in common, or can't figure out what you've got in common, ask questions until you find something. Even if the questions are silly, like, "What's the best month and why?" or "What's your sign?" you'll be able to start talking about something. Talk about something funny that happened to you today. Everybody you talk to online has been fed the same lines at some point, and been asked the same dull questions. "What do you like to do for fun?" and "What are your hobbies?" are sort of dull flirtation questions. But, if you tell a story about how your neighbors are fighting about how the one's dog peed on the other's stoop, you'll have something funny to jump off from. "What do you think of dogs? And ridiculous neighbors?" Don't ramble about your own life too much. Talking about your whole history and backstory is a good way to make someone think you're self-obsessed. Share smart details. Don't overshare. Someone doesn't need all the intimate details of your entire life story, your problems, and your innermost thoughts and desires. Save it for later. That's not flirting, it's blurting. Don't be a sad-sack if you're trying to flirt. If you've been striking out a lot lately, it won't sound flirtatious to say so. It'll sound desperate. Be very, very careful about talking about serious things like marriage, monogamy and having children, especially if you don't know the person. These are all flirt-killing words. Wait until you're in person to talk about these things. Play a silly associative game. If you really can't think of anything to talk about, but really want to be flirtatious, you can always just start playing the random question game and talking about silly things. Talk about your best meals, your favorite animals, whether or not Katy Perry's a genius or more boring than white toast. Good silly questions or prompts to show your funny side: "Tell me the story of the best sandwich you ever ate." "Which member of the Wu-Tang Clan or One Direction or the Beatles best represents you as a person?" "If you could go to any country, what would it be?" "What's better, naps or hot-tubs? Or Netflix? Or...hiking? I say hiking, I'm not lazy I swear. Go on, I'm sorry." Compliment the other person, sometimes. Good compliments can be a way to get the door open and have more to talk about. Pick something that you like about the person, or have noticed, and use it as a compliment, then turn that compliment into something you can talk about. Compliments are nice, but they're also hard to respond to. Try to turn it into a conversation: "That picture of you at the waterfall is so pretty! You look great. What happened that day?" One compliment per conversation is appropriate. If you start to seem overly complimentary, it can seem obsessive or creepy. If you think someone is attractive, that's nice to hear, but it's not necessary to say five times every minute. . Sign up for an online dating service Online dating is increasingly common and almost necessary, especially in bigger cities. It's just the way people meet nowadays. If you want to flirt online and meet exciting people, start a profile on a dating service and start reaching out. It's a good way to get in touch and flirt online. The most popular and common dating sites are: Match OkCupid Tinder MeetUp Plenty of Fish eHarmony Make your dating profile honest. If you want to connect with someone, fill out your profile information honestly and in a flattering way. Make yourself sound like the kind of person you are, to attract like-minded people. Don't be basic and boring. Every other profile has the phrases, "Living life to the fullest" and "I just like to travel" on it. Be honest and find something interesting to say. Think carefully about how you summarize yourself in the profile. Pull out the most distinctive, interesting and true things about yourself to put out there for all to read. Honest doesn't mean desperate. If you haven't been on a date in 20 years, it's not necessary to broadcast it for attention. Use a flattering profile picture. A connection is more important than looks, it's true. But when you're flirting with someone online, good looking photos of your face and clothed body are still important. If you can't take lovely shots of yourself, have a friend or professional take a few that capture you in your best light. Be yourself. Don't try to be the tough, scantily clad, or bizarre version of yourself in your photo. Show yourself as a genuine, regular and likable human being with a photo that shows you at your best. No nudes and no drunk pics. Not a good idea. Keep some mystery. There's no reason to over-sell yourself. Keep some privacy, even though you're dating online. Spend a lot of time getting to know someone before giving out intimate details and even then, make the first meetings very public ones. Once you stick to this rule, the rest of your online flirting is about having fun. Having someone who seemed nice at first but turns really weird holding your phone number or address is plain creepy, if not downright frightening. Avoid any temptation to post hundreds of photos of yourself for people to check out. Anyone you're flirting with will start to think that you're vain.

Start the conversation with something interesting. Get the other person talking. Be playful. Respond in a timely way. Be the one who ends the conversation. Be persistent. Stop trying to make yourself look good, and just be yourself. Keep it light. Take it slow. Talk about common ground. Talk about something funny that happened to you today. Don't overshare. Play a silly associative game. Compliment the other person, sometimes. . Make your dating profile honest. Use a flattering profile picture. Keep some mystery.

https://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-Internet-Addiction

How to Overcome Internet Addiction

If you're worried you have an Internet addiction, try setting time limits for your Internet use so you become less dependent on it. If you're still having trouble, you can use a computer app that stops Internet access after a certain amount of time. You may also try filling your schedule with activities, such as cleaning or grocery shopping, during times you feel tempted to be online. Don't worry if you can't do it all on your own! It's okay to seek help from a support group or counselor.

Develop a personal inventory of things Internet addiction is keeping you from. Make a list of activities you used to enjoy or need to take on but can't because of all of the time you've been spending online. This isn't meant to make you feel bad, but rather to provide motivation for cutting down on your Internet usage. Set goals for an appropriate time. Unlike some addictions, total abstinence may not be the answer for Internet addiction, since the Internet is used for so many purposes in daily life. However, you can and should decide on an appropriate amount of time to set aside for personal Internet usage. Omit any time that you must use the Internet strictly for work, business, or school. Make a list of all of the other obligations you have and desired uses of your time, such as sleeping, time spent with friends and/or family, exercise, commuting, working or studying, etc. Determine how much time per week you would ideally devote to these needs. Consider how much time you have left per week, how much time you want to set aside for relaxing or personal use. From the remaining time, set aside an appropriate number of hours for personal Internet use. You can then apply this information to other methods to cut back on the time you spend online. Make a new schedule. If Internet usage is taking up too much of your time, you can block the problem by filling your schedule with alternative activities. Disrupting your schedule with neutral activities can break the habit. For example, if you find yourself compulsively browsing online at home every evening, change your schedule so that during that time you go to the grocery store, clean your house, or some other activity that will keep you away from your computer. Use external stoppers. Having someone or something interrupt your Internet use can be very effective. Since the stopper is external, it will take some of the pressure off of you, and it can also lead you to fill your time with alternative activities. You can set an alarm clock to go off at a certain point when you think you should get offline. It might be difficult at first, but stick to the goal. Plan necessary activities or events so that they will prevent you from being online. For instance, if you know you tend to start browsing aimlessly in the afternoons, schedule important meetings and appointments for that time. There are a variety of apps you can use to cut back on your Internet use. For instance, some of them work by shutting down Internet capabilities for a predetermined period. Set priorities. Internet addiction can be curtailed if online activities are put in perspective in comparison with the rest of your life. Make a list of all the offline things you want to or need to do, and rank them in importance relative to time spend online. For example, you may decide that you want to get around to that book you've been meaning to read rather than spend another hour shopping online for things you really don't need or want. Prioritize offline versions of activities over online ones. For instance, set a goal of spending more time with friends in person instead of interacting with them via social media. You can also set priority tasks that you want to do prior to spending any personal time online. For instance, tell yourself that you will spend the weekend cleaning out the garage before getting online. Abstain from any particular problem apps, sites, and habits. If you know that you spend a significant amount of time on a particular kind of Internet usage, you may want to cut it out entirely. Internet games, social media, gambling, and shopping are common culprits, but any kind of Internet use can become problematic. Use reminder cards. Creating visual reminders can help with your Internet addiction. In addition to that, your determination to stop it can be a powerful way of cutting back time spent online as well. Using an index card or sticky note, write down messages for yourself and leave them in obvious places (like on or near your computer, on your refrigerator, on your desk, etc.) or carry them around. Try messages like: “Playing X game is taking away time I could spend with friends.” “I'm not happy when I spend all night online.” “I won't take my laptop to bed tonight.” Exercise. Getting enough exercise is has many benefits. Regular exercise can help keep you healthy, boost your mood, make you more self-confident, sleep better, and much more. If you are struggling with Internet addiction, exercise will also serve as a good alternative use of your time. Find a support group. Awareness of Internet addiction is growing, and there are now sources for help in many locations. Support groups for Internet addicts can provide an understanding community, strategies for successfully overcoming your problem, and information about additional sources of help. Check with a local community center or ask a trusted person, such as a family member or doctor, to help you find a support group in your area. See a counselor. Professional assistance from a specialist trained in treating Internet addiction is helpful in many cases. A counselor can help you develop a plan of action for reducing the time you spend online, increasing your involvement in other activities, and understanding the habits or motivations that caused you to become addicted to the Internet. Support groups or a doctor may be able to refer you to a counselor. Motivational interviewing and reality therapy are techniques sometimes used by counselors to treat Internet addiction. These methods involve a therapist providing open-ended questions, reflective listening, and other techniques to help you understand your problem better. Engage in family therapy. Internet addiction can have detrimental effects on both you and your family, depending on your situation. If this is the case, family therapy can help both sides understand and deal with the problem. Family members can also provide emotional and practical support to help you overcome your addiction. Counselors can help you develop a strategy for family therapy, or refer you to a specialist in the field. Go to a treatment center. As recognition of Internet addiction grows, addiction treatment centers have begun to develop programs to help those afflicted with the problem. In addition, there “digital detox” camps are available in some areas. These provide an Internet-free space to reflect and learn to overcome addiction to the Internet. Try drug treatments. Specialists are still studying the causes of and treatment methods for Internet addiction. There is still no universally accepted drug treatment for the problem. However, medications such as escitalopram, bupropion SR, methylphenidate, and naltrexone have been used to treat Internet addiction in some trials. Talk with your doctor if you are interested in trying medications to treat your addiction. Track the time you spend online. Some amount of time spent online is common in much of the world. Internet addiction, however, implies spending more time online than is needed for work, school, or a healthy personal life. You can start to think about whether you are addicted to the Internet by recording the number of hours you spend online each week as well as the impact that time has on other activities in your life. Too much time online might cause you to: Be online longer than you intended. Checking your email, for instance, turns into hours of browsing. Think about being online even when you are doing other activities. Need to use the internet more and more just to have the same level of satisfaction or enjoyment Look for evidence that time spent online is negatively impacting your mood or mental health. Using the Internet too much can cause a variety of emotional problems. If you notice any of the following, you may have Internet addiction: Feeling restless, angry, irritable, etc. when you don't have as much time online or try to cut back. Using time online to escape or to relieve an emotional problem. Getting online instead of other activities you need to do or used to enjoy. Feelings of guilt, shame, or disgust due to time spent online. Inability to cut back after repeated attempts. Watch for signs that Internet use is harming your health. Internet addiction can cause a variety of physical problems. However, these symptoms might not appear suddenly or be obviously connected to being online. Significant problems caused by the addiction might include: Weight gain Weight loss Headaches Backaches Carpal tunnel syndrome Neglecting sleep to get online Recognize when Internet use is harming relationships. In addition to harming you emotionally and/or physically, Internet addiction can have detrimental effects on your personal and professional relationships. Signs that you might have a problem include include: Loss of a job or poor work performance due to time spent on the Internet Decreasing performance at school Trouble in a personal relationship (fighting because of time spent online, for instance) A relationship has ended because of your Internet usage Lying to others (significant others, family, coworkers, etc.) about your Internet usage Neglecting time with family or friends in order to be online Learn the signs of internet addiction in children. Because the Internet is so readily available in many areas and at many ages, all kinds of people can become addicted, including children. Parents or guardians have the ability to help control a child's Internet use, however, so treatment is possible, especially when a specialist is consulted. Signs a child may have Internet addiction include: Sneaking around to get online Lying about time spent online Anger or irritability when electronic devices or Internet privileges are taken away A strong desire to get back online as soon as possible Staying up all night to be online Refusing or forgetting to do chores, homework, or other tasks Forming new bonds with people online (especially when offline relationships deteriorate) Loss of interest in activities the child previously enjoyed

Develop a personal inventory of things Internet addiction is keeping you from. Set goals for an appropriate time. Make a new schedule. Use external stoppers. Set priorities. Abstain from any particular problem apps, sites, and habits. Use reminder cards. Exercise. Find a support group. See a counselor. Engage in family therapy. Go to a treatment center. Try drug treatments. Track the time you spend online. Look for evidence that time spent online is negatively impacting your mood or mental health. Watch for signs that Internet use is harming your health. Recognize when Internet use is harming relationships. Learn the signs of internet addiction in children.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Parmesan-Crisps

How to Make Parmesan Crisps

Before baking your Parmesan crisps, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, place tablespoon-sized mounds of coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese on the baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, flatten the mounds gently until they're about 2 to 4 inches wide. Bake your crisps in the center rack of your oven for 3 to 5 minutes, adding 1 to 3 more minutes if they're not golden or crunchy enough.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also use a silicone baking sheet instead. Place a tablespoon-sized mound of Parmesan cheese onto the baking sheet. Try to use coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese; it will look more like shredded Parmesan. Avoid using the powdery, finely-grated Parmesan cheese. It will melt, but it won't create that pretty, lacey design. Flatten the mound until it is 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) wide. Gently press the back of a spoon against the mound, and swirl it around until the cheese flattens and spreads. Be careful not to great an indentation; you want it to be the same thickness all around. Don't worry if you see some gaps in your cheese. The cheese will melt together, and create a pretty, lacy design. Continue making similar mounds on your baking sheet. Each mound needs to be about 2 to 4 inches (5.08 to 10.16 centimeters) apart. You will have enough cheese to make about 8 to 10 such mounds. Sprinkle the freshly ground black pepper on top of the mounds. This is completely optional, but many people find that it gives the crisps extra flavor. If black pepper does not suit your fancy, consider using some of these other tasty seasonings: Cayenne Finely chopped basil, rosemary, or thyme Garlic powder Smoked paprika Bake the crisps in the center rack of the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. The crisps are ready when they turn golden. If the crisps are not crunchy or golden enough for you, back them for 1 to 3 minutes more. Allow the crisps to cool on the baking sheet before removing them with a thin, metal spatula. If the crisps are too oily, set them down onto a sheet of paper towel so that they can drain. Once the crisps have cooled to room temperature, you can serve them. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a lightly-greased baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also use a silicone baking sheet instead. Place a tablespoon-sized mound of Parmesan cheese onto the baking sheet. If you can try to use coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese and not the finely-grated, powdery kind. The finely-grated, powdery kind of Parmesan cheese will melt, but it won't create that pretty, lacey design. Gently pat the mound into a 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) wide circle. Avoid making the mound too thick, or it will be too chewy and not crispy enough once it bakes. You can do this using your fingers or the back of a spoon. Make sure that it is the same thickness throughout. Make more 5 to 7 more mounds, spacing them 2 to 4 inches (5.08 to 10.16 centimeters) apart. You have enough cheese to make more mounds, but it would be a better idea to bake them in small batches. Once you take them out of the oven, you will have to work quickly in order to shape them into baskets. If you make them all at once, half of the crisps will become too hard to work with by the time you get to them. Bake in the middle rack for the oven for 4 minutes. They are ready when they turn bubbly and a light, golden color. Allow the crisps to cool for 1 minute. They should still be warm and pliable, but not so hot that you can't handle them. Remove the crisps with a thin, metal spatula, then place them onto your desired mold. Use your fingers to gently press the crisps over the top and sides of the mold. Don't worry if the edges become ruffles; that is part of the design! You can use anything that is small and cylindrical as a mold, such as: Upturned shot glasses Upturned egg cartons Upturned mini muffin tins Wine corks Allow the baskets to cool completely before gently pulling them off. While your current batch is cooling, you can work on baking your next batch. Fill the baskets and serve them as appetizers. You can fill them with just about anything that pairs well with Parmesan cheese, including mini meatballs, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, and so forth! Step up the presentation with a small garnish, such as a basil leaf or parsley leaf.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a tablespoon-sized mound of Parmesan cheese onto the baking sheet. Flatten the mound until it is 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) wide. Continue making similar mounds on your baking sheet. Sprinkle the freshly ground black pepper on top of the mounds. Bake the crisps in the center rack of the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the crisps to cool on the baking sheet before removing them with a thin, metal spatula. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a lightly-greased baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a tablespoon-sized mound of Parmesan cheese onto the baking sheet. Gently pat the mound into a 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) wide circle. Make more 5 to 7 more mounds, spacing them 2 to 4 inches (5.08 to 10.16 centimeters) apart. Bake in the middle rack for the oven for 4 minutes. Allow the crisps to cool for 1 minute. Remove the crisps with a thin, metal spatula, then place them onto your desired mold. Allow the baskets to cool completely before gently pulling them off. Fill the baskets and serve them as appetizers.

https://www.wikihow.com/Gram-Stain

How to Gram Stain

To prepare a gram stain, fix the bacteria to the slide by passing it through a Bunsen burner flame. Then, flood the sample with several drops of crystal violet dye. The ions will interact with negatively charged bacterial cells and stain them purple. Rinse the crystal violet off and flood the smear with iodine. This will trap the purple crystal violet color in the cell. Finally, add a decoloriser, rinse, and flood the smear with counterstain to see the contrast between the gram-negative and the gram-positive bacteria.

Prepare for laboratory work. Put on gloves and tie back long hair to prevent contaminating the bacteria sample you'll be testing. Disinfect a workspace under the fume hood, or in another well-ventilated area. Check that the bunsen burner and microscope are functional before you begin. Sterilize a glass microscope slide. If the glass slide is dirty, wash it in soapy water to remove grease and dirt. Disinfect the slide with ethanol, glass cleaner, or whichever method is recommended by your laboratory. Add the sample to the slide. You can use the Gram stain method to help identify bacteria present in medical samples, or bacterial cultures grown in a petri dish. In order for the Gram stain to be useful, add a thin layer of the sample on the stain. A sample under 24 hours old is recommended, as older bacteria may have damaged cell walls that respond less predictably to gram staining. If using a tissue sample, add 1–2 drops onto the glass slide. Spread it evenly on the slide to form a thin smear, using the edge of a second sterilized glass slide. Allow it to air dry before continuing. If taking bacteria from a petri dish, sterilize an inoculation loop in a Bunsen burner flame until it glows, then let it cool. Use it to place a drop of sterile water on the slide, then sterilize and cool the loop again before transferring a tiny sample of bacteria and gently stirring into the water. Bacteria in broth should be mixed in a vortexer, then added with an inoculation loop as above, without adding the extra water. If you have a swab sample, roll the swab lightly across the slide. Heat fix the smear. Heat will fix the bacteria to the slide, so they are not as easily rinsed off during the stain. Quickly pass the slide two to three times through a Bunsen burner flame, or heat it on top of an electric slide warmer. Do not overheat, or the samples may become distorted. If using a Bunsen burner, the flame should be a small, blue cone, not a tall orange one. Alternatively, the smear may be fixed by methanol instead, by adding 1-2 drops of methanol onto the dried smear, draining off the excess methanol, and allowing it to air dry. This method minimises damage to host cells, giving a cleaner background. Position the slide on a staining tray. A staining tray is a shallow metal, glass, or plastic dish with a small mesh or wire support running across the top. Place the slide on top of this support, so the liquids you'll be using can drain down into the tray. If you do not have a staining tray, the slide can be placed directly on top of a plastic ice cube tray. Flood the smear with crystal violet. Use a pipette to flood the bacteria sample with several drops of crystal violet dye, sometimes called gentian violet. Wait thirty to sixty seconds. Crystal violet (CV) dissociates in aqueous solutions into CV+ and chloride (Cl–) ions. These ions penetrate through the cell wall and cell membrane of both gram-positive and gram-negative cells. The CV+ ion interacts with negatively charged components of bacterial cells to stain the cells purple. Many laboratories use "Hucker's" crystal violet, which adds ammonium oxalate to prevent precipitation. Rinse off the crystal violet gently. Tilt the slide and use a wash bottle to squirt a small stream of distilled or tap water over the top of the slide. The water should run down over the surface of the smear, but not be aimed directly at it. Do not rinse excessively, which might remove the stain from Gram positive bacteria. Flood the smear with iodine, then rinse. Use a pipette to cover the smear with iodine. Let it sit for at least 60 seconds, then rinse off with the same careful method. Iodine, in the form of negatively charged ions, interacts with CV+ to form large complexes of crystal violet and iodine (CV–I complexes) within the inner and outer layers of the cell. This will trap the purple crystal violet colour in the cell, wherever it has stained. Iodine is corrosive. Avoid inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. Add a decoloriser, then rinse quickly. A 1:1 mix of acetone and ethanol is typically used for this critical step, which must be timed carefully. Hold the slide at an angle, then add the decoloriser until no more violet colour is visible in the draining runoff. This typically takes under 10 seconds, or even less time if the decoloriser contains higher concentrations of acetone. Stop immediately, or the decoloriser will remove the crystal violet stain from both gram-positive and negative cells, and the stain will have to be repeated. Immediately rinse off excess decoloriser, using the earlier technique. Pure (95%+) acetone can be used instead. The more acetone there is, the faster the decoloriser will work, requiring more precise timing. If you are having trouble timing this step, consider adding the decoloriser drop by drop. Flood the smear with counterstain, then rinse. A counterstain, typically safranin or fuchsin, is used to add extra contrast between gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, by staining decolorised (gram-negative) bacteria pink or red. Leave it on for at least 45 seconds, then rinse off. Fuchsin will stain many gram-negative bacteria more intensely, such as haemophilus spp and legionella spp. This may make it a better option for beginners. Dry the slide. You may allow the slide to air dry, or blot it dry using bibulous paper sold for this purpose. The Gram stain is complete. Prepare the light microscope. Place the slide under the light microscope. Bacteria vary greatly in size, so the total magnification required will vary from 400x to 1000x. At the higher end of these magnifications, an oil immersion objective lens is recommended for greater clarity. Place a drop of immersion oil on the slide, avoiding motion during application to prevent bubbles. Move the microscope turret so the objective lens clicks into place, touching the oil. Oil immersion can only be used on specially designed lenses, not a "dry" lens. Identify gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Examine the slide under the light microscope. Gram-positive bacteria appear purple, due to the crystal violet trapped within their thick cell walls. Gram-negative bacteria appear pink or red, since the violet washed through the thin cell walls, then the pink counterstain entered them. If the sample is too thick, you may see false positive results. Stain a new sample if all bacteria types are gram-positive, to make sure the result is correct. If the decoloriser ran too long, you may see false negative results. Stain a new sample if all bacteria types are gram-negative, to double-check your results. Look up reference images. If you are not certain what a bacteria is, look through a collection of reference images, sorted by shape and result of the gram stain. You can find databases online at the National Microbial Pathogen Database , and many other sites. To make identification easier, common or diagnostically important examples are sorted below by gram status and shape. Identify gram-positive bacteria by shape. Bacteria are further classified by their shape under the microscope, most commonly as cocci (spherical) or rods (cylindrical). Here are a few common gram-positive (purple-stained) bacteria organized by shape: Gram-positive cocci are generally either Staphylococci (meaning cocci in clusters) or Streptococci (meaning cocci in chains). Gram-positive rods include Bacillus , Clostridium , Corynebacterium , and Listeria. Actinomyces spp. rods often have branches or filaments. Identify gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative (pink-stained) bacteria are often classified into three groups. Cocci are spherical bacteria, rods are long, thin bacteria, and coccoid rods are somewhere in between. Gram-negative cocci are most commonly Neisseria spp. Gram-negative rods include E. coli , Enterobacter , Klebsiella , Citrobacter , Serratia , Proteus , Salmonella , Shigella , Pseudomonas , and many others. Vibrio cholerae can appear as ordinary rods or curved rods. Gram-negative "coccoid" rods (or "coccobacilli") include Bordetella , Brucella , Haemophilus , and Pasteurella. Evaluate mixed results. Some bacteria are difficult to stain precisely, due to the fragility or waxiness of their cell walls. They may have a mix of purple or pink stain in the same cell, or among different cells in the same smear. Any bacteria sample over 24 hours old can have this problem, but some species are difficult to stain at any age. They may require more specialized tests to narrow down the identification, such as an acid-fast stain, culture growth observation, TSI medium cultures, or genetic testing. Actinomyces , Arthobacter , Corynebacterium , Mycobacterium , and Propionibacterium spp. are all considered gram-positive bacteria, but often appear inconclusively stained. Small and slender bacteria such as Treponema , Chlamydia , and Rickettsia spp. are difficult to Gram-stain properly. Dispose of materials. Waste disposal procedures vary between laboratories and according to the materials being used. Typically, the liquid in the staining tray is disposed of in sealed bottles as hazardous waste. Soak slides in a 10% bleach solution, then dispose of them in sharps containers.

Prepare for laboratory work. Sterilize a glass microscope slide. Add the sample to the slide. Heat fix the smear. Position the slide on a staining tray. Flood the smear with crystal violet. Rinse off the crystal violet gently. Flood the smear with iodine, then rinse. Add a decoloriser, then rinse quickly. Flood the smear with counterstain, then rinse. Dry the slide. Prepare the light microscope. Identify gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Look up reference images. Identify gram-positive bacteria by shape. Identify gram-negative bacteria. Evaluate mixed results. Dispose of materials.

https://www.wikihow.com/Date-a-Capricorn

How to Date a Capricorn

Like every zodiac sign, dating a Capricorn comes with its own challenges and rewards. Capricorns tend to be cautious and practical, so be prepared to take things slowly and get to know them first. Try to be direct with them about your feelings and intentions, since they can often be so focused on their career and other dreams that they don't pick up on subtler cues. Capricorns love ambitious people, so don't be afraid to talk about your hopes and dreams with them. You should also keep up the romance by going on dates and seducing your partner, even once you've been dating for a while, which will help you stay intimate. If it seems like they're slow to trust you or show their emotions, be patient with your Capricorn. Sometimes they just need a little more time than other people.

Take it slow. Your Capricorn has a ton going on in their world -- both the world on the outside and the one in their heads. Not only are they doing a million things at once (usually climbing up the career ladder), but they have a million things going on in their brains, too. They're very cautious and practical and need to develop a plan before they take any action. If you spring something on them, they won't feel prepared. Baby steps are the only way to get to their heart. Build a foundation of friendship, first. They are incredibly logical people -- if you're not a good match, they don't want to waste time fooling around. They need to know before they get into anything that it'll be worth their while. So show them you're interested, you're in it to win it, and that you're willing to wait. Be direct. Sometimes Capricorn is so enveloped in their career or something else going on in their lives that even the most obvious of flirtations can be lost. You might feel as if you've been waiting on their doorstep coquettishly for weeks when you finally ask them out and they seem taken aback. It's because they didn't see you coming! If the ball needs propulsion, you may have to do it yourself. Make them feel secure. Capricorns aren't ones for spontaneous actions; if they know it's coming, they'll embrace it. So plan out your date and show them you've put thought into your offer. If you're a woman, this is a fine, fine line. Some Capricorn men are very traditional and expect themselves to fulfill the most stereotypical of gender norms. So if he's obviously traditional and not asking, put yourself out there but don't outright ask. You may need to do him the favor of making it clear you're a "yes" before he does ask. Make them laugh. Patient, loyal Cappy is also very stoic, at times melancholy, and almost always serious. To give them the change of pace they desperately want but can't seem to find, make them laugh! Even though they don't seem to be about humor themselves, it doesn't mean they don't crave it. Just about anytime and anywhere and anyhow is a good way to go about it. The only thing to keep in mind is not to poke fun at them too much if you're not close; sometimes Cap doesn't pick up on when people are being playfully obnoxious. Dress well. Since Capricorn is so ambitious, they constantly are striving toward something a bit better than their current state. To match this drive in them, always show up to the occasion dressed well. If you're dressing like you've spent the last 72 hours in your mom's basement eating only Pop-tarts and playing the Sims, Mr. or Ms. Cappy won't be having it. Capricorn, at least on the outside, seems to be into appearances. It can be misconstrued as being shallow and vain, but in reality they just like nice things. They like working for everything, so it's the reward they deserve. Be subtle in public. Capricorn is traditional and serious in most situations (at least initially). If you two are out and about, don't expect him/her to be hanging off of you. And don't hang off them either! The place for that is at home. Capricorn also responds better to knowing looks than to playful touches. While being physically affectionate is fine, there are more effective ways to work your way into their heads. Master meaningful eye contact and you're in. Don't give up on seducing them. You know how we talked about Cappy being serious and stoic? Yeah. Makes for a tough time getting them in the bedroom! You might be on your 6th date and you wind up with a gentle peck on the lips and a cab ride home. Don't be dissuaded! Things that come too easy aren't worth it, remember? A lack of sexual contact initially does not mean they're not interested. You just have to weasel your way in to get to the good stuff. They're not going to give it away for free, you know! And when you do get in there, it will be way more than you expected. Get traditional. Generally speaking, Capricorn views dating in a very traditional sense. In the beginning, you may go to dinner and a movie half a dozen times before he/she suggests something else. While this has its drawbacks, it has its advantages too. You'll experience a traditional courtship that can be very fulfilling and fun. Some men will insist on paying the bill, some women will want the door opened for them, etc. This will go away as the Cappy gets more comfortable, but will always be resonant in the smaller ways. Understand their lack of emotion. More erratic and unstable signs aren't good matches for Capricorn. They are patient, serious, and often unmoved. If you don't understand that this is just how they are, it'll make for a very difficult relationship. It has nothing to do with you or how they feel about you. It's just how they operate and see the world. It's easy to mistake the Capricorn as melancholy. While this is obviously a feeling they're capable of, it's not necessarily so when you detect it. They're just in their brains, figuring out the best plan to action, weighing out logic and rationale, and devising a plan. Help them maintain their image. Capricorn does not have time for someone who's really just an obstacle in their way to success. If you're a deterrent to what they want to achieve, you'll be ousted. Help them rise to the top like they're inclined to do and you'll be a necessary part of the action. A huge part of this is simply understanding that their motivation and ambition is an integral part of their personality. Encouraging their laziness or enabling them to slack off is not what they're looking for in a partner. Get over those trust walls. You've probably picked up on the fact that Capricorns aren't easy to get to know. They're not into displays of emotion and they can seem pretty uninterested and stoic at first glance. But this goes away! One day a light bulb will turn on and you'll wonder where your dream goat went. Only to get replaced by someone who's even more incredible. At some point in your relationship, it'll click. Once they've determined that you're the real deal, that you'll be around for the long haul, that you're worth being let in, you're golden for forever. They're yours to keep! Be ambitious. As if it wasn't already crystal clear, Capricorn has drive and is determined. Though they say opposites attract, this is not one of those times. Those who are laid-back need not apply. Cappy needs someone who can fuel their drive, not question why they're trying so hard. If you have it going on too, they'll be all that much more motivated. Capricorn isn't looking for someone who's only focused on their relationship. If you're getting into deep waters with yours, be sure to keep an eye on your career, your friends, and your hobbies. You shouldn't lose yourself and your dreams -- it's what Capricorn was drawn to in the first place! Be stable. The one who's temperamental, mercurial, and erratic will not be a good fit for patient, rational Capricorn. If you're quick to anger or tears, Capricorn just straight up won't get you and will get exhausted. Be stable mentally and Cappy will know who they can lean on. Those with addictive or insecure personalities don't really have a place in Capricorn's world. If you're boozing away the weekends or spending days wrapped up in a pity party, Capricorn will not be having it. They desperately want life to be on an even keel at all times. Why do you think they plan everything out ahead of time? Be classy. If you're poised and classy, Capricorn will see you as a boost to their image and someone who's just as driven and motivated as they are. They want the best. So stop the gossip, the drunk texting, the selfies, and bring out your inner Kate Middleton/Michelle Obama/Cary Grant. (All Capricorns, by the way!) This doesn't mean the richest, most lavish things. Carrying a Louis Vuitton purse doesn't make you classy. Being sophisticated is an inner maturity and grace and not what's strung on your arm. Be open-minded. This, however, is one of the times where Capricorn needs an opposite to juxtapose their personality. While Capricorn is rational and logical, they are often stuck in their ways because of it. Since they're usually right, they find it hard to open their minds to others' opinions. They can be very stubborn and relentless. You'll need to work with them! It's because of their extensive planning that they can be so firm in their convictions. Since they've weighed everything out (or they think that they have), they see no need to budge. So if you can do the budging for them, the both of you will be better off. Be patient. This will come in handy for two reasons: 1) Since your Cappy is so patient, being frazzled is something they won't tolerate and 2) they operate on a slower wavelength sometimes (like how your relationship progressed). It's also good for you and your stress level! Basically, it's important to be patient in your world and in your relationship. You'll be calmer, more relaxed, and be more willing to see things through till the end. It may take a while to break your Cappy down, but once you do, you'll be glad you were so willing to wait!

Take it slow. Be direct. Make them laugh. Dress well. Be subtle in public. Don't give up on seducing them. Get traditional. Understand their lack of emotion. Help them maintain their image. Get over those trust walls. Be ambitious. Be stable. Be open-minded. Be patient.

https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Ink-from-Carpet

How to Remove Ink from Carpet

To remove ink from carpet, wet a clean cloth with rubbing alcohol and gently blot the stain. Keep blotting for 30 minutes so the alcohol has time to dissolve the ink. When the ink is gone, rinse your carpet with a warm water-vinegar solution to prevent damage from the alcohol. Then, rinse it with plain water. Alternatively, you can spray shaving cream on the stain, spread it around, and then rinse the area with a lot of water.

As soon as possible after the spill, grab a clean cloth and some rubbing alcohol. Wet a corner of the cloth with rubbing alcohol and blot the ink stain. It's imperative that you do not scrub the stain -- that will exacerbate your problem. Dab gently at it, absorbing it up into the fibers of your cloth. Start at the edge and work your way to center, preventing the stain from spreading and become a larger problem. Work in a clockwise twisting motion with your rag. Dab the wet rag over the ink spot repeatedly, occasionally re-wetting the cloth with more alcohol. Get comfy, because the alcohol needs to sit on it for about 30 minutes. It needs to literally eat it away, which can take time. Keep at it! To avoid damage, rinse the area with warm water and vinegar. A quarter cup of vinegar for a quart of warm water is a good ratio (that's 1:16). The rubbing alcohol may dry out your carpet, depending on its texture, so it's a good idea to give it this rinsing. If the stain is gone, rinse finally with clean water and let dry. Vacuum the area if the fibers are a bit wonky. If the stain persists, cover it with shaving cream. Let it sit for 15 minutes. When the clock is up, scoop it away and blot with the aforementioned vinegar and water mixture. By now, the stain should definitely be gone. Rinse it with plain water and marvel at your spotless carpet! Spray lubricant such as WD-40 or Triflow on the stain. Let this sit for a few minutes. Note: It is highly advised that you do a test patch on a piece of carpet out of sight first, as the lubricant might stain the carpet permanently , in which case you'll end up with a stain worse than before. WD-40 seems to be a pretty safe bet though. If you have a selection of lubricants to pick from, choose it. Wipe the stain down with a sponge and warm soapy water. A carpet cleaner will also work, but why waste the extra product when soap will be just fine? Massage the soap into the stain, removing both the lubricant and the ink. Rinse with warm water. Even soap can leave an unpleasant residue, so give it a rinse with clean, warm water. Be especially concerned with the edges of the stain, as that's the easiest part of it to miss. Let dry. Your carpet should be good as new! Run it through your fingers or vacuum it up to return it to its natural texture. Mix up a solution of detergent. Into 1 cup (8 oz) of water, mix in just a teaspoon (5 g) of translucent dishwashing liquid. Spray this solution onto the stain generously. Dawn or Joy works very well for this step, though most dish soaps will do. Blot the stain with a clean, white cloth. As with both previous methods, do not scrub the stain; that'll just set the stain further into the recesses of the carpet. Dab at it gently, in an up-and-down motion. Mix up a solution of ammonia. Just like you did with the detergent, spray on a solution of 1 tablespoon (15 g) of ammonia in 1/2 cup of water. Blot the stain with a different, clean cloth. If you don't have a spray bottle on hand, try to create a makeshift one from an old hairspray bottle or body spray. If not, do it the old fashioned way and drizzle it on. Mix up a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Then what do you do? You got it -- blot with a clean cloth. The stain's virtually gone, huh? Great! Reapply the detergent solution to clean away any residue. Basically, you're giving your carpet a wash after the ammonia-ridden torture it's just been through. Otherwise, you risk damaging your carpet if those chemicals stay put. Rinse with clean water and let dry. To get all the ammonia, vinegar, and soap out of the carpet, rinse with clean water, blot it, and leave it to dry. If you come back to it and it's overly stiff, rinse it once more. Run it through your fingers. How does it feel? Not perfect? Haul out the vacuum and go over it a few times -- that oughta do the trick. Spray and spread shaving cream on the stain. Rinse with a lot of water. Foam will form but that's good. Rinse. Add more water. Remove water with shop vac. The stain will be gone. If not, repeat.

As soon as possible after the spill, grab a clean cloth and some rubbing alcohol. Dab the wet rag over the ink spot repeatedly, occasionally re-wetting the cloth with more alcohol. To avoid damage, rinse the area with warm water and vinegar. If the stain persists, cover it with shaving cream. Spray lubricant such as WD-40 or Triflow on the stain. Wipe the stain down with a sponge and warm soapy water. Rinse with warm water. Let dry. Mix up a solution of detergent. Blot the stain with a clean, white cloth. Mix up a solution of ammonia. Mix up a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Reapply the detergent solution to clean away any residue. Rinse with clean water and let dry. Spray and spread shaving cream on the stain. Rinse with a lot of water. Rinse. Remove water with shop vac.

https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Spotlight-to-Search-iTunes-on-an-iPhone

How to Use Spotlight to Search iTunes on an iPhone

Open the Spotlight Search from your home screen, type in the name of a song or artist, then navigate to the MUSIC heading and tap on a song.

Drag down from the top of any screen to reveal Spotlight Search. Tap on the Spotlight Search bar. Type in the name of a song or artist in your Music library. Songs that are available from your iTunes library will appear under the MUSIC heading. Tap on a song title to open it in the Music app.

Drag down from the top of any screen to reveal Spotlight Search. Tap on the Spotlight Search bar. Type in the name of a song or artist in your Music library. Tap on a song title to open it in the Music app.

https://www.wikihow.com/Install-or-Replace-Door-Hinges

How to Install or Replace Door Hinges

To install door hinges on a new door, measure and mark where your hinges need to go on the door frame and on the door you're hanging. Next, place your hinge on the door and trace around the hinge with a pencil. Use a utility knife to score the outline. With a sharp chisel and hammer, cut the wood in the shape of the hinge. Then, mark the location of the screws so you can drill pilot holes. Now you're ready to install the hinges and connect the door to the jamb.

Place your hinges in the correct location. Assuming you're installing a new door, you'll need to find the precise location on the door frame for your hinges. Most doors require a minimum of two hinges: one hinge is located 7-inches from the top of the door frame, and the other hinge is located 11-inches from the bottom of the door frame. Measure this distance and mark the location on the frame, and then do the same on the door that you're hanging. If you have a third hinge (typically used for heavy doors), it will be placed directly in the middle of the other two hinges (this will put it slightly off-center). Trace around the hinge. Put your hinge in place on the door and the jamb, and use a carpenters pencil to carefully trace around the hinge. The depth of the hinge on the jam should always be as thick as the hinge is. Double check to make sure that your outlines match the same location on the door and jamb, before moving to the next step. Then, use a utility knife to score the outline; this will make it easier to cut the mortise. Cut the mortise. The term 'cut the mortise' is the professional term for cutting out the wood in the jamb in the shape of the hinge, so that the hinge will be inset in the jamb and provide more strength and aesthetic appeal. To cut the mortise, you'll need a very sharp chisel and a hammer. While carefully angling the chisel, tap gently into the jamb from the side to remove thin strips of wood. Make sure not to cut the mortise too deep, as this will cause the hinge to become loose over time. Cut out only the outlined area and the marked depth. Using a dull chisel will make it more difficult to cut the mortise, and cause you to use more pressure with the hammer (which could cause a slip). If you cut the mortise too deep, you can use wood filler or place a thin piece of wood in it before installing the hinge. Mark the location of the screws. Replace the hinge back in the jamb where you cut the mortise. Use your pencil to mark the location of the screws in the jamb. Do the same with the location of the hinge on the door. Remove the hinges when you're done marking. Drill the pilot holes. Use a drill or screwdriver to drill very narrow pilot holes in the location of the screws you marked on the jamb. Tap them lightly in first, to make sure the screws don't accidentally move out of place. Use a screw guide to keep the screws straight as they go into the wood. Install the individual hinges. Put the hinges back in their places, and use a drill or screwdriver to secure them individually into the jamb and the door. Connect the door to the jamb. Hold the door in place, using blocks under the bottom to support it if necessary. Line up the two hinge plates so that the ones on the door match the ones in the jamb. Slide the hinge pins into place, and remove the blocks from the door. Test the door to make sure it works, and you're finished! Use blocks of wood to steady the door. Move the door so that the entire hinge is exposed, and place blocks under the door to steady it. When replacing a door hinge, you won't remove the door. Placing blocks underneath will help support the door and prevent it from falling over. Compare the hinges and measure the door. Make sure that your new hinges match the old hinges in size and edge shape. Additionally, use a measuring tape to verify that the current hinges are in the right locations. The hinges should be placed so that one is 7-inches from the top of the door frame, and the other is located 11-inches from the bottom of the door-frame. If these are incorrect, you'll need to go about the aforementioned steps on cutting the mortise and preparing the door jamb for the new hinge. Remove one of the old hinges. Start at the top hinge, and remove the screws holding the hinge leafs in place. Carefully pull them away from the door and the jamb, and check to make sure the wood under the hinges is in good condition. You may want to plug some of the old holes with a small wood wedge, especially if some of the holes have stripped out. Prepare the jamb and door for the new hinge. If the old door hinge had been attached for some time, you may need to do a little repair work on the jamb and door. Sand down the wood if necessary, and add a new coat of paint or stain to match the pre-existing wood. If the replacement hinges are sized differently from the old ones, fill in the mortise holes in both the door and the door frame with wood putty. Use a metal scraper to fill in the screw holes or plug them with a small wood wedge. Allow the putty time to dry, and sand it smooth and flush with the surface. Paint or stain the repair to match the rest of the door and trim. Install the new hinge. Place your new hinge over the location of the old one. Use a drill or screwdriver and the package screws to secure the two sides of the hinge to the jamb and the door. Place the hinge pin in the hinge to secure the new hinge. Repeat the process on the second hinge. Move to the next hinge, and use a drill or screwdriver to remove it. Replace it with the new hinge and new screws, holding it in place to make sure the hinge doesn't get jostled out of location. Insert the new hinge pin when the new hinges are secured. If you have a third center hinge, you should replace it at this point as well. Test the new hinges. Remove the blocks from under the door, and try opening and closing it multiple times. If the door opens without any problems, then your job is finished!

Place your hinges in the correct location. Trace around the hinge. Cut the mortise. Mark the location of the screws. Drill the pilot holes. Install the individual hinges. Connect the door to the jamb. Use blocks of wood to steady the door. Compare the hinges and measure the door. Remove one of the old hinges. Prepare the jamb and door for the new hinge. Install the new hinge. Repeat the process on the second hinge. Test the new hinges.

https://www.wikihow.com/Figure-Out-if-Your-Guy-Is-Mad-at-You

How to Figure Out if Your Guy Is Mad at You

If you're worried that your guy is mad at you but you're not sure, pay close attention to how he behaves when you're around. If he avoids you or gives you short, one-word answers, he's probably upset. When you're in a group, he might pay more attention to everyone else. Try doing something nice for him, like surprising him with his favorite snack, and see how he responds. If he seems distant and not excited, there's a good chance he's mad. However, remember that everyone acts differently when they're upset, and the only way you can know for sure is by asking him directly. Say something like, “I feel like you're angry at me about something. Can we talk about it?" Give him a chance to explain his feelings, which will reduce the chances of you getting into an unnecessary argument.

Pay attention to the way he treats you. Anger can manifest as avoidance, snippiness, negative body language, aggressiveness, or uneven emotional temperaments. This means that anger doesn't always transfer itself as a disagreement. If he is a quiet person, avoidance may not mean he is mad. If he is constantly outspoken, snippiness could just be his sarcasm. Only take note of these body language traits if they are different than his normal behavior. Observe group settings. If he is avoiding direct engagements, showing deference, paying more attention to others than normal, or making offhanded slights, he may be suppressing anger. Overanalyzing these factors will cause problems, so discuss these interactions with friends that were in the group. Make sure to ask a friend that has consistently been around both of you in group settings to get a proper opinion. Notice lack of commitments. This doesn't mean that if he hasn't proposed, he's mad at you. Simply taken, if he can't commit to a date night or party in the future, he could be angry. If he's angry at the moment, he won't want to commit to something in the future with you. Study his body language. Anger won't always manifest itself as aggression and violence. Although these are clear signs of anger, his body language won't always be this straight forward. Crossing his arms is a sign that he has put up his defensive shield and is blocking you out. The extent of arm crossing indicates how firmly closed he is. An extreme version which may indicate additional hostility is a tight close with hands formed as fists. If legs are crossed, it adds to this signal. Note that not all crossed arms are defensive. Often, crossed arms are used when the person is cold in temperature. So don't take only this body language change to deduce that your guy is mad at you. Provoke responses. Using positive behavior should result in a positive reaction. Doing something nice and receiving a cold response is an indicator of an issue. Do something nice for him, like making him a snack or giving him a gift, and make a note of how he responds. Choose a spot to talk. Finding a safe, quiet space is good for both you and him. It will make both of you feel more comfortable and open than if you were in front of other people. If you want to have friends there to help you feel more comfortable, make sure you don't make him feel attacked. Don't gang up on him, or he is likely to shut you out. Talk to him directly, rather than over the phone. This will cause him to answer quickly and directly. If you discuss it with him over the phone, he has leverage and can respond at his leisure, promoting negative conflict management. Rehearse an opening. Either with a close friend, a pet, or in the mirror, prepare the first few minutes of the conversation. This can be an awkward moment for your guy and if he feels attacked, misled, or ambushed, you'll want to stay direct and emotionally neutral. This will help him feel more comfortable in opening up to you. ”I feel like you've been angry at me about something, and I've been thinking about what. Can we clear the air?” ”Lately, I feel like we haven't been the same. I've noticed you shutting me out, are you angry about something?” ”Is something bothering you? You've been acting differently lately and I would love to help you.” Be persistent. Do not escalate the emotional level of the conversation by showing inconsistent feelings. Stay positive and consistent to keep the conversation flowing. Remind him that you're concerned about him and that you want to help him through any conflicts he might be feeling. Stay engaged in the conversation. Show you care by using positive eye contact and by talking with your hands. Occasionally touching his hand or shoulder will encourage him to be more open. Avoid rolling your eyes at all costs! He will take this as annoyance on your part and can make him more upset with you. Be prepared to empathize. If he is mad, it is important that you don't get defensive. Be prepared to apologize for any mistakes you have made. You've put him on the spot and asked him to be open to sharing his anger with you, denying it or becoming aggressive may close this window in future conversations.

Pay attention to the way he treats you. Observe group settings. Notice lack of commitments. Study his body language. Provoke responses. Choose a spot to talk. Rehearse an opening. Be persistent. Stay engaged in the conversation. Be prepared to empathize.

https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-English-Speaking-Skills

How to Improve Your English Speaking Skills

To improve your English-speaking skills, you can watch English TV shows and movies and listen to podcasts, news programs, and music to immerse yourself in the language. Next, read aloud from books and, if possible, record yourself so that you can pinpoint the areas you need to work on, like pronunciation or grammar. Try to make it a goal to learn a few new English phrases every day to continually expand your skills.

Record yourself. When you're by your lonesome, you have no reason to be nervous. You can let your brain flow freely -- so record yourself now! Your English is going to be at its best. Find a book on tape or a clip online that you can mimic. Does your English sound the same? Or record yourself reading from a book. You'll be able to actually hear yourself (which we surprisingly have trouble with in real time) and be able to pinpoint the quirks in your English and where you slow down and have trouble. Then rerecord it and see how you've improved! Read aloud. If your hands are full or you don't have a recording device, simply read aloud -- ideally, every day for at least 15 or 20 minutes. You'll get used to speaking for longer periods of time and forming long sentences won't phase you. And you'll run into words you can add to your vocabulary. It's best to choose books with lots of dialogue. The language is generally more real and a bit simpler; after all, dialogue is conversation. Being able to read poetry is great but conversations are a much more practical skill, you know? Listen to mp3s, podcasts, and the news. We live in such a digital age; even if you think you don't have native speakers at your disposal, you actually do. Scientific American, CBC, BBC and Australia's ABC Radio are great mp3s to get started with, but there's also a million podcasts out there and handfuls of news stations, too. And the best part is that these people generally speak clearly and have pretty generic accents. Another bonus? You'll have interesting things to talk about in English! You'll be up on all the news - even if you're just repeating what you've heard (not like anyone will know!). You're improving your English by expanding your knowledge. Two birds with one stone, really. Listen to music, too. Alright, so it's not as good as listening to spoken news/podcasts/etc., but it is good. If you can concentrate on one song a day or so, even better. Just make sure you actively try to understand it. Google the lyrics and sing along! It's best to stick to ballads -- songs that go a bit more slowly. Pick one a day until you have it mostly memorized and understand what the words actually mean. It's a great way to learn idioms and slang, too. Watch TV and movies. An integral part of speaking is hearing or listening. Because of this, the easiest way to involve yourself in a conversation without actually having one is to watch English TV and movies. If you absolutely have to, turn the subtitles on -- but try to resist! Movies are great because you watch them over and over; the more you watch them, the more things you'll pick up. TV is good though, too, because you develop relationships with the characters and you grow accustomed to how they talk and the quirks of their speech. Narrate your world. As you go about your day-to-day, talk to yourself. What are you doing? What are you feeling? What do you see, taste, smell, hear? What are you touching? What are you thinking? Right now you're reading wikiHow. You're sitting in a chair (probably). Maybe you're listening to music or have the TV on in the background. The possibilities are limitless. Think the future and the past, too. What are you going to do next? What did you just do? You gotta get to thinking in English consistently to truly get better. The more you think in English, the faster it'll come out. Mimic the rhythm. Every language has a musicality about it. You can have absolutely perfect grammar and if you don't have the rhythm down, you won't have that native sound. So whether you're talking to English speakers or you're watching on TV, look for emphasis, intonation, and emotion. How well can you mimic it? In every sentence, there are parts that are longer, louder, and said at a higher pitch. In the phrase "rock and roll," saying "rock AND roll" sounds very strange. But "rockin roll" sounds a lot more natural. This is the icing on the English cake! Observe their mouth movements, too. Just as every language has a musicality, it has a tendency to use certain mouth movements as well. You could be making the right sound, technically, but if your mouth is in the wrong place, it won't come out correctly. That's your lips and your tongue for the record! You can't exactly stop someone and ask them about the current position of their tongue. But it is something you can be conscious of in your own language. If you hear someone say a word and you can't mimic it perfectly, experiment! Maybe it just needs to be a bit further back or higher in your mouth. It's in there somewhere! Keep a notebook and pocket dictionary with you. Whenever you're speaking to someone or hear others speaking and you catch a word you don't fully understand, write it down and look it up (you have the spelling skills, right?). Instead of thinking to yourself later that night, "Man, what was that word again?" you'll be able to flip to your notebook and remember. Boom. Learning! It's good enough to write it down and look it up, though. Oh no, no, no. You gotta make it a point to use that word you just learned! (Or you'll forget it.) So later that night or the next day, work it into your speech. Make it part of your own. Take different kinds of classes. If you're in a class that meets every day, that's pretty good. You need exposure as often as possible. But you know what's better? Being in two classes so you're speaking all the time. One could be a big ol' group class that teaches you grammar and all that boring stuff and one could be a one-on-one course that gives you that individualized attention and concentration on your speech. Weekends aren't freebie non-English days, either! There's also accent reduction classes, business classes, travel classes, and many other topicalized English classes. Heck, if you're into cooking, take a class (in English) about cooking. Maybe there's an intramural sports team or gym class you could join? If you find something you're interested in, you'll be interested in it in English, too. Create reasons to speak English. In order to become more than just a mediocre speaker of English, you have to take control of your life and force English into it. You have to let it infiltrate every domain of your life -- not just school or in your class. All of them. How to do that? Here are some ideas: You have friends that are studying English too, right? Form a study group. Even though they're not native speakers, just getting your mind thinking in English is useful. You'll learn from each other and provide a non-stressful environment for learning. Set up your home as a welcome place for tourists and foreigners looking to get situated in your county. There are a number of websites you can get into like AirBnB, Couchsurfing, Hospitality Club, BeWelcome, and Global Free loaders. Then you'll have to speak English at home! Find others online. But when the tourists aren't knocking down your door, what do you do? Get on chat rooms, of course! (The safe ones, please.) So many people are just looking to talk. And if you find a friend, you can do video or voice chats, too. There are chat rooms dedicated to everything. You do not have to enter a chat room called Strangers 101. Pick an interest of yours and do a quick search for those chatting about it. Not your cup of tea? Then how about interactive video games like World of Warcraft or Second Life? You can assume an identity and still hone your skills. Get a penpal! PenPal World and Pen-Pal are two sites you should get to checking out. The person on the other end is probably looking for the same thing you are. Aim for new phrases every day. If that pocket dictionary and notebook isn't being used, you'll need to find another way to start expanding your vocabulary. In the books that you read, the Internet sites that you visit, the TV you watch, pick a couple of words to write down and to make a conscious effort of using. It's the only way you'll remember them! If you don't use it, you'll lose it. Have all these words in a notebook that you can refer back to whenever you need. Take the time to go through it on occasion and have those lightbulb moments of the words you've forgotten. Learn phonemic script. It may seem tedious, but it'll be totally worth it. The International Phonetic Alphabet is a system of symbols that correlate to sounds. If you run into a word you don't know how to pronounce, all you gotta do is look it up. The IPA is right there, you can read it, and tada! You know exactly how to pronounce it. It's almost like magic. Since English is so messed up -- being the child of German, French, and Latin (and sprinklings of around 247 others) -- learning the IPA is primo. It's not such an issue for languages like Spanish where the sounds are fairly consistent. C'mon, "cough," "rough," "through?" What is going on?! Consider rewards or penalties. It sounds a little harsh, but give it a second. Let's say you set up an "English only" rule at the dinner table at home (a really good idea, by the way); how long will it last? Probably not very long. But if you have some type of incentive program (if we speak only English for two weeks straight, we'll go out to eat, etc.) or punishment ($1 for every time the native language gets spoken, say), it'll be a lot more likely to stick. These should be rules for your home, definitely -- you want to avoid slipping back to your native tongue as much as possible -- but they're good ideas for your classes or study groups, too. Maybe in your study group if someone doesn't speak English, they're bringing the food next time! Don't overthink it. If you do get in the presence of an English speaker, it's so easy to just have your mind freeze up, your body freeze up, and have every single word of English you know escape you. You end up stuttering if you can get anything out at all and leave feeling terrible, never wanting to speak English again. Rest assured it's not just you! This happens to all of us. All. That's 8 Ls. The only way to avoid it is just to realize that it's not that big of a deal, it'll end shortly, and no one's going to judge you for it. English is becoming so prominent all over the world that even native speakers are used to hearing all different levels. You won't say anything they haven't heard before! Be patient. Above all else, you need to be patient. Learning a language is a process that can take years. If you get frustrated with yourself, you risk quitting. That would yield the worst results of all! So don't be so hard on yourself -- it'll come. It will. You gotta trust. The easiest way to not get super fed up with all of this is to have a good way to check your progress. That means keeping the same notebook, filling it up, rewatching those shows that you have mastered now, and once in a while revisiting things that used to be difficult. The reminder of how awesome you're getting will be quite the boost!

Record yourself. Read aloud. Listen to mp3s, podcasts, and the news. Listen to music, too. Watch TV and movies. Narrate your world. Mimic the rhythm. Observe their mouth movements, too. Keep a notebook and pocket dictionary with you. Take different kinds of classes. Create reasons to speak English. Find others online. Aim for new phrases every day. Learn phonemic script. Consider rewards or penalties. Don't overthink it. Be patient.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Bow-out-of-Your-Hair

How to Make a Bow out of Your Hair

To make a bow out of your hair, start by pulling it into a high ponytail on top of your head, but leaving it halfway through the elastic so it makes a looped bun. Then, split the bun in half to make 2 loops, and pull the rest of the ponytail forward between the loops. Next, divide the ponytail in half, then pull the left half under the left loop and the right half under the right loop. Secure the strands of your ponytail to your head with bobby pins before you roll the loose ends and tuck them under the loops. Finally, use a little hairspray to set your bow.

Brush your hair to remove any knots or tangles. This technique will be easier on straight hair, but you can do it on wavy or curly hair too. It is more important that your hair is nice and smooth, as it will be easier to work with. If you have wavy or curly hair, you can also blow dry it straight. Pull your hair into a high, looped bun on top of your head. Gather your hair and start to pull it into a high ponytail on top of your head. Wrap a hair tie around your ponytail however many times it is necessary to keep it secure. On the final wrap of the elastic, however, pull your ponytail only halfway through to create a looped bun. Make your bun tight against your head, but not so tight that it causes tension. Split the bun in half to create 2 loops. Find the middle of the bun, then divide it in half to create 2 loops. Pull the left loop towards the left side of your head, and the right loop towards the right. Don't pin the loops down yet, or you'll have a harder time completing the following steps. Pull the rest of the ponytail over the center of the bow. Gather the rest of your ponytail and smooth it as much as possible; use some water or hairspray, if necessary. Pull the ponytail up and over the top of your bow. Position the ponytail right between the 2 loops. This will create the center part of the bow. This part of your ponytail consists of the few inches of hair sticking out of the bun. Divide the ponytail in half and pull each strand under each loop. Keeping your ponytail pulled over the top of the bow, split it in half. Take the left half and slide it under the left bow loop towards the back of your head. Repeat for the right half of the ponytail and the right bow loop. Secure the ponytail strands with bobby pins. Use bobby pins to secure the left and right ponytail strands to your hair. Place the bobby pins right under or just behind the bow loops. Arrange the bobby pins and your hair so that the center part of the bow is nice and smooth. Roll and tuck the ponytail strands into the bow loops. This not only hides the ponytail strands, but it helps poof out your bow! Take the left ponytail strand and roll it tightly. Slide it under the left bow loop, then tuck it into the bow loop. Repeat this step for the right ponytail strand and right bow loop. Set your bow with bobby pins and hairspray as needed. Use your fingers to fan out the loops until you get the look you want. Pin the edges of the bow down with more bobby pins, if needed. Give your style a light misting of hairspray, then let the hairspray dry before setting out. Start with smooth, brushed hair. This method will be easier if you have straight hair, but you can do it with curly or wavy hair. Make sure that your hair is smooth and neatly brushed. Curl hair hanging out of the ponytail curling iron for a romantic touch. Remember not to curl the ponytail itself. Pull your hair into a half-up looped bun. Gather your hair into a tight half-up ponytail, just above the tips of your ears. Wrap a small hair tie around your ponytail. The final time you wrap the hair tie around your ponytail, only pull your ponytail halfway through. This will create a looped bun. Make sure that the bun is on top and the rest of the ponytail is under the bun. If you have thick hair or want a more delicate bow, gather the strands from the left and right sides of your face, just above your ears. Divide the bun in half to create 2 loops. Split the looped bun in half so that you have 2 skinny loops, 1 on the left and 1 on the right. Rotate the loops so that the holes are facing the floor. The flat part of the bun should be facing the back of your head. If you were to look at the back of your head, you shouldn't see a sideways 8. You should see 2 solid buns or triangles. Fan the loops out and bobby pin them to your head. Working 1 loop at a time, use your fingers to fan the loop out and create a triangle shape. Bobby pin the back of the loop to the back of your head, then repeat the process with the other loop. The loop has a front and back. You only want to pin the back. If you pin both the front and the back, the bobby pin will be visible and ruin the effect. Create a half-up flipped ponytail. Take the ponytail that's sticking out from under the loops. Create a hole in the ponytail, right between the elastic and your head. Stick your finger up through the hole, catch the half-ponytail, and pull it down through the hole. This will make the middle part of the bow. If you want it to be thinner, split the ponytail in half first, before you flip it. A flipped ponytail is also known as an upside down ponytail, a topsy-turvy ponytail, or an inside out ponytail. Set your style with hairspray. Focus on the bow as well as the top and sides of your head. Once the hairspray dries, you are ready to show off your style. For a nicer touch, curl both parts of the half-up ponytail with a curling iron.

Brush your hair to remove any knots or tangles. Pull your hair into a high, looped bun on top of your head. Split the bun in half to create 2 loops. Pull the rest of the ponytail over the center of the bow. Divide the ponytail in half and pull each strand under each loop. Secure the ponytail strands with bobby pins. Roll and tuck the ponytail strands into the bow loops. Set your bow with bobby pins and hairspray as needed. Start with smooth, brushed hair. Pull your hair into a half-up looped bun. Divide the bun in half to create 2 loops. Fan the loops out and bobby pin them to your head. Create a half-up flipped ponytail. Set your style with hairspray.

https://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Fun-Weekend-With-Your-Dog

How to Have a Fun Weekend With Your Dog

To have a fun weekend with your dog, you can take it backpacking or camping out of town to see new sights and get some exercise. You can also take it shopping for some new dog toys or treats and let it interact with other dogs in the store. If the weather's not so nice, you can stay in and play games like hide and seek, tug-of-war, or set up an obstacle course in your living room. If you know someone else with a friendly dog, you can organize an indoor play date to give you both a chance to socialize.

Take a walk through the park. Walking your dog regularly improves its overall health by keeping its weight under control, promoting good digestion, reducing stress and bad behavior, and helping your pet sleep better. It also strengthens your bond with your dog and its trust in you. Make the most of your weekend with your pet by taking a leisurely and scenic walk through a local park. Don't let your dog off leash unless you're in a designated off-leash dog park. Play fetch or frisbee. Playing fetch and frisbee with your dog are great ways to bond with it. These games will allow your dog to burn off extra energy. If your dog does not take to this simple game easily, take the time to teach it how to fetch by guiding it through the process step by step (e.g. teaching it the "Drop it" command using correction and reward). Some breeds are instinctively more inclined to chase and retrieve things than others (e.g. retrievers and spaniels), but all breeds can be shown how to fetch with the right prompting and encouragement. Visit a dog park. Socialization with other dogs is very important for your pet to acclimatize it to interactions with other animals, and to prevent aggression due to fear or lack of experience. Take advantage of free time on weekends to visit a dog park and let your dog play freely with other pets, whose owners you can socialize with in the meantime. Monitor your dog while it is in the dog park. If you notice it exhibiting signs of distress or aggression, remove it immediately. Take your dog shopping. On a rainy day, visit a dog friendly pet store like PetSmart to keep your dog active and entertained. Your dog can interact with other dogs and customers while shopping, and it will get some exercise by walking around indoors. You can also pamper your pet by buying it things like: A new collar or leash A new hair brush Treats, bones, rawhide, or jerky Dog clothes A new bed or blanket Toys Try agility training. Agility trials are events where trainers guide dogs (off leash) through elaborate obstacle courses that may include tunnels, hurdles, balance beams, and climbing structures. Dogs can burn off extra energy and gain confidence from agility training. This activity may be pursued for fun or competitively. For more information, visit the American Kennel Club website at https://webapps.akc.org/club-search/#/agility to search for an agility club near you, where your dog can get agility training and practice. Go backpacking or camping with your dog. If you have a breed of dog that is well suited for vigorous exercise (e.g. a Husky or Rhodesian Ridgeback), consider bringing them for a backpacking or camping trip. Check with local authorities to make sure that dogs are allowed in the area you're visiting, and inquire about whether permits are necessary. Prepare your dog for the exercise prior to this adventure by talking it on long walks or short hikes, and read up on basic first aid to treat your dog in the event of illness or injury. Be sure to bring water for both you and your dog, as well as a first aid kit. Go to the beach with your dog. Dogs love swimming, so going to a lake or the ocean is a great way to let your dog have fun while also getting exercise. Don't forget to bring dog toys with you. You can toss them into the water and let your dog jump in a retrieve them. Get your dog certified to do community service with you. Sign them up for a program so you can visit local hospitals and nursing homes together. Doing community service with your dog is a great way to give back to your community and expose your dog to other people. Cuddle up at home. Petting your dog regularly can minimize stress for the both of you by reducing your heart rate and cortisol levels. Take advantage of a rainy day by relaxing with your pet at home. Put on the television and tell your dog to come sit or lay down next to you. Should it lots of affection (i.e. praise, petting) for obeying. Brush your dog. Grooming should be an enjoyable experience for you and your pet that promotes bonding and signals trust. Have your dog lie on its side (on a sheet or easy-to-clean surface if you have a breed that sheds) and brush it gently, being careful to remove any mats. Take the opportunity to check for any skin irritations or abnormalities while brushing. Give it a bath. Before giving your dog a bath , place a towel or non-slip mat on the shower floor for your dog to stand on. Carefully wet it from its rear to its front, then lather it with dog shampoo (available at pet stores). Rinse out the shampoo thoroughly from your dog's hair, towel dry to remove excess water, and use a blow dryer on a low setting to dry off your pet completely. Play indoor games. Play indoor games with your dog to help it burn off excess energy if the weather disrupts outdoor plans. Be sure to secure any breakable or dangerous items that your dog could get into while playing. Some idea for indoor fun are: An obstacle course in your living room or basement, made up of rolled up blankets, soft toys, and other safe obstacles for your dog to run over or through A game of hide and seek, where your dog can follow your voice or scent to find you Tug-of-war, a simple game that can be enjoyed indoors as well as outdoors Playing Simon Says, a fun way to brush up on your dog's understanding of basic commands Have a pet play date. For a fun activity, host a play date for your dog to be able to play with a fellow canine. If you have friends, co-workers, or neighbors who are dog owners, this will offer a good opportunity for you to spend quality time with them while your dogs play. If not, look for prospective puppy play dates at dog parks, dog groomers, or the veterinarian's office, where you might meet other owners looking to socialize their dogs. Apps like Meet My Dog, a location-based social tool that matches up dog owners looking for play dates for their pets, are another option.

Take a walk through the park. Play fetch or frisbee. Visit a dog park. Take your dog shopping. Try agility training. Go backpacking or camping with your dog. Go to the beach with your dog. Get your dog certified to do community service with you. Cuddle up at home. Brush your dog. Give it a bath. Play indoor games. Have a pet play date.

https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Sun-Rash

How to Treat Sun Rash

Sun rash is an itchy, red rash which occurs on your skin after sunlight exposure. You can treat sun rash at home using a cold compress. First, soak a clean washcloth in cool water, milk, or aloe vera juice. Hold the cold compress to your skin for 30 to 60 minutes to provide relief from irritation and itching. You can also treat sun rash using natural soothing agents. Apply aloe vera gel or grated cucumber to help cool your skin and prevent it from drying out. Take pain relievers such as ibuprofen if your sun rash causes you pain or discomfort.

Pick your soak. One of the best treatments for a sun rash is a cold compress soaked in a special mixture. There are many different substances you can use to help your skin. Each has benefits, so you can see which one works best for you. You may have a sensitivity to some of the herbs listed, so try them out on a small patch of skin before you apply them to your rash. These soaks include: Distilled or tap water, which can be boiled and then cooled before application. Diluted chamomile and green tea, which has healing properties. Make 2–3 normal cups of tea, dilute it with equal amounts of water, and let it cool. Milk, which should be straight from the fridge so it's as cold as possible. Undiluted aloe vera juice, which should be chilled. Coconut milk, which should be cooled in the refrigerator. Equal parts of apple cider vinegar and cold water. Baking soda. Mix 1 tablespoon (14.4 g) of baking soda with 1 cup (240 ml) of chilled water. Turmeric and buttermilk. Mix 1 cup (240 ml) of buttermilk and 1 tablespoon (9.5 g) of turmeric, which contains antioxidants that can promote healing and decrease itching. Apply the cold compress. Once you decide on your soak, you need to apply the compress. Take an unbleached, clean white washcloth and soak it in your chosen mixture. Once it is saturated, wring the mixture out a little so it isn't dripping everywhere. Leave enough in so your face will get wet. Place the cloth on the affected area. Repeat. You can leave the cold compress on your skin for 30 to 60 minutes. You can also use this method as many time as a day as necessary, so you can repeat immediately or whenever the itching and irritation return to your rash. Apply natural soothing agents. There are some natural soothing agents that you can apply directly to your skin. These will help combat the irritation and help heal the rash. These substances include: Aloe vera gel, which has calming and cooling agents. Grated or pureed cucumber, which have cooling capabilities and will help prevent drying of your skin. Coconut oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids that can promote healing, reduce inflammation, and help with infection. Use anti-itch cream. There are multiple kinds of anti-itch creams you can buy over the counter to help with your sun rash. These include hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, and other soothing agents. If the itch is severe or won't stop, your doctor may prescribe you corticosteroids. Since calamine lotion is a mixture of zinc oxide and iron oxide, it may be extremely beneficial for itching. It does not have any healing agents like hydrocortisone, but it will reduce itching. Use pain relievers. Your sun rash may cause pain and discomfort. Good ones to take include ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Follow the manufacturer's instructions for dosage amounts and frequency. There is a small risk of these causing skin sensitivity, so if your rash gets worse, stop taking these medications and see your doctor. Expose your skin slowly. The easiest and simplest way to prevent a sun rash is to expose your skin to the sun slowly. The most common areas are the legs, arms, and chest, so take your time in the spring wearing these uncovered. Try exposing one area at a time instead of them all at once, and limit the amount of time you spend in the sun at first to about 10 minutes. For example, wear a short-sleeved shirt with a high collar and long pants to begin with. You can also try shorts with a long sleeve shirt and a high neck. As long as only one new area is uncovered, you can help prevent sun rash. Apply sunscreen. When you are in the sun, put sunscreen on the areas that are exposed to the sun. Make sure you look for sunscreen that's over 30 SPF that offers broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays since both can cause sun rash. Reapply the sunscreen about once every 2 hours. If you live in an area with high elevation, you're more likely to get sunburn or sun rash with shorter exposure times. Go out into the sun at non-peak times. There are certain times of the day that are considered peak hours for sun exposure and strength. If you are prone to sun rash or want to avoid getting one, try to avoid being in the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The sun is strongest during these times and you run a higher risk exposure. Wear protective gear. If you know you are prone to sun rash, you can protect yourself by wearing clothing or items that cover your skin completely. If you are going outside, even it is not hot, wear a light jacket or long sleeve shirt to cover your arms. Wear high-necked shirts to protect your chest and long pants to protect your legs. Your face is also at risk, so wear a wide-brimmed hat or headscarf to protect your skin. Learn about Polymorphic Light Eruption (PMLE). PMLE is an itchy, red skin rash that develops when your skin is exposed to the sun. The term polymorphic indicates that the rash will look different when it develops on different people. This condition is most common in the spring, which is when your skin is exposed to stronger sunlight for the first time after winter. Sun rash is more common in women than in men and it most often occurs in children and adults between 20 and 40 who live in Northern Europe or North America. This is due to the temperate climate in these areas. You may also be more susceptible to PMLE if you have a family history of it. If you do get PMLE in the winter, it could be from exposure to tanning beds. Be aware of why sun rash develops. Sun rash is considered an allergic reaction, but not in the traditional sense. It generally develops because your immune system reacts to exposure to the combination of UV radiation and visible light. Recognize the symptoms of sun rash. The main symptom of sun rash is an itchy red rash that develops on the skin with small raised bumps or blisters. This can happen within 20 minutes of sun exposure, but it can also take a few hours. The rash will typically appear on your arms, your chest, or your legs. This is because these areas are generally covered more during the winter months and become desensitized to the sun. Even if you treat the first instance of the rash, it may recur if you go back out into the sun. These recurrences are typically less severe than the first. Sun rash usually lasts 1–4 days before healing if you don't expose your skin to the sun, but in very rare cases, it could last for 1–2 weeks. The rash should not leave any scarring. Learn the causes of sun rash. In addition to direct exposure to the sun, you can get a sun rash from exposure to the sun through a window or by exposure to fluorescent lighting. Another form of sun rash can occur as a reaction to chemicals or medications. These 2 conditions are called photoallergic dermatitis and drug-induced photosensitivity. Certain chemicals in soaps, perfumes, skin lotions, detergents, and makeup can react to sun exposure and cause a sun rash. This can easily be remedied if you stop using the product that causes the reaction. There are many medications that may cause sun rash, including water pills, anti-convulsants, quinine, tetracycline antibiotics, NSAID painkillers such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen, and some anti-diabetes drugs. Contact your doctor if you suffer from sun rash because of medications you take. See your doctor. If you try home treatments and the rash doesn't go away within 24 hours, call your doctor. You may have a different kind of rash or there may be a larger, more complicated reason for your sun rash. If your sun rash gets worse after any home treatment, you should also see your doctor. Your doctor will examine you and ask for your recent medical history. If the cause is in doubt, your doctor may take a small sample of your skin affected by the rash. If it is just a skin rash, your doctor may recommend hydrocortisone cream, but he will likely suggest preventative methods with no medical treatment. If you have a severe case of sun rash, your doctor may prescribe oral corticosteroids, which you usually need to take for about 1 week.

Pick your soak. Apply the cold compress. Repeat. Apply natural soothing agents. Use anti-itch cream. Use pain relievers. Expose your skin slowly. Apply sunscreen. Go out into the sun at non-peak times. Wear protective gear. Learn about Polymorphic Light Eruption (PMLE). Be aware of why sun rash develops. Recognize the symptoms of sun rash. Learn the causes of sun rash. See your doctor.

https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-You-Are-Transgender

How to Know if You Are Transgender

If you want to know if you're transgender, think about how your given name and pronouns make you feel. For example, see if you feel like your name is wrong because it's too much like a “girl” or “boy” name. You can also observe whether you hate being addressed as “sir” or “ma'am.” Since body dysphoria, or the sense of your body being incorrect in some way, is a common experience for transgender people, consider if you feel “trapped” in your body. You can also reflect on whether your sex characteristics like your deep voice, breasts, facial hair, or menstruation upset you. If you need more support while figuring out your gender identity, check out LGBTQ groups at your school or in your community.

Acknowledge that you are curious. If you are seriously wondering whether or not you might be transgender, you're probably not fully gender conforming. This doesn't necessarily mean that you are transgender, but it could. It may also mean that you are gender variant in another way. Ask yourself why you are curious. If it's persistent discomfort with your assigned gender, or attraction to the image of yourself as a different gender, you may be transgender. Consider the possibility that your gender is nonbinary: if you don't feel like you are exactly a man or a woman, you could be something else. If you feel comfortable with your assigned gender but you notice yourself acting out of step with other cisgender people, that doesn't necessarily mean you're transgender. You could just be a feminine man, or a masculine woman. Keep in mind that being transgender is not the same as being transsexual. Transsexual is an older term used to describe people who have taken medical steps to permanently change their physical sex. Some transgender people may use hormones and even have surgery, but not all do. Think about your childhood desires. Many transgender people showed strong signs of gender dissatisfaction as children. Persistent desires lasting more than six months are often understood as a sign of gender dysphoria. Signs include: Insisting you are not the gender your parents say you are. Thinking you will grow up to be a gender other than your assigned one. Casting yourself as another gender during imagination games. Dressing up, or wanting to dress, in clothing associated with this gender. Preference for friends of this gender. Strong desire to participate in group activities, games, and pastimes typical of this gender. Rejection of gendered toys that correspond with your assigned gender. Dislike of your own anatomy and/or genitalia. Feeling sadness, fear, confusion, embarrassment, anger, or other emotions. Ask yourself if you identify with your social role. Many transgender people feel alienated from the role they are asked to play in society. Ask yourself if you feel alienated from the things you are asked to do with other people of your gender. When you are asked to do something stereotypical of your assigned gender, do you feel like you are being put in the wrong box? Notice how you feel when you are with a group of people of your assigned gender. If you feel different, or like you are passing for one of them but are not really one of them, you may be experiencing dysphoria. Notice how your given name and pronouns make you feel. Think about the way you feel when you hear yourself referred to by your given pronoun. If you feel misidentified, it may be that you are due for a change of pronoun. If you dread being addressed as "sir" or "ma'am," it may be that that term does not suit you. See how you feel when you are in a group and someone refers to you as "ladies" or "gentlemen." Notice if your name feels like the wrong one. If it does feel right, question whether you think of it as a "girls" name or a "boys" name. How do you feel when someone accidentally calls you by the pronoun of the so-called opposite gender? If it feels comfortable or gratifying, you may be transgender. Recognize body dysphoria. A common experience among transgender people is the sense of their body being incorrect in some way. Some transgender people report feeling "trapped" inside their bodies. If you have a persistent desire to change your sexual characteristics, you may be experiencing dysphoria. If the experience of puberty came as a shock or a trauma, this may be dysphoria. Try to recall if you were upset by the acquisition of secondary sex characteristics (deepened voice, breast development, broadened shoulders, facial hair, the onset of menstruation)? If you avoid mirrors, getting your picture taken, or hide your body in layers of clothing, then this may also indicate that you have some body dysphoria. Find a good gender therapist. There are many psychologists, counselors, and social workers who specialize in gender variance. These experts can help you ask and answer your big questions. Look for counselors who specialize in gender identity, gender dysphoria, or LGBT concerns. If there is a transgender health clinic in your area, contact them to see if they have any available therapists. If you live in the USA, you can use the American Psychologist Association locator to find a psychologist who specializes in questions of gender identity: http://locator.apa.org/ In the UK, consider contacting the Beaumont Society for a reference: http://www.beaumontsociety.org.uk/ You can also ask your doctor for a recommendation, or visit a counselor at your school if you are in high school or college. Talk to gender variant and questioning people. Get in touch with people who have transitioned, or people who are questioning their gender. Some places you might look include LGBTQ meet up groups, community centers, and events. If you are in school, consider visiting any student groups such as an LGBTQ group or a Gay Straight Alliance. You don't have to come out right away; just say you are an ally, or explain that you are questioning but you aren't comfortable talking about it just yet. Not everyone you meet will want to talk about their gender! Some people may feel exposed if you ask them personal questions. You can mention your own questions, and if they ask you questions you can ask in return. If you're not sure, write them or find a private moment to ask. You might say, "I've been thinking a lot about my own gender identity, and you are someone who might know about some of the questions I am having. If you ever have the time and energy, I would love to talk to you about this. Please feel free to say no." Explore online forums. A great way to connect with other gender variant and questioning people is to look online. Consider joining a group on social media, or an anonymous forum. When you interact with people online, make sure to conceal your personal information. Check out a general LGBTQ forum like: http://emptyclosets.com/forum/ If you are 13-24 years old, you can join TrevorSpace for a safe, monitored forum: https://www.trevorspace.org/login You can also look into organizations like PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and GLAAD to find resources and support for yourself and your family. Give yourself the option of identifying as a binary trans person. If you think you may be a trans man or a trans woman, give it a try to see how you feel. Consider setting aside a weekend in which you think of yourself as that gender. If you are sharing these questions with a friend, a therapist, or a family member, tell them your plans and ask for their support. Try out other pronouns. See how you feel when you refer to yourself with pronouns other than those you were assigned. If you think you might be a trans woman, call yourself "she" and "her," and ask a confidant to do the same. Consider gender diversity. There are so many ways of expressing a gender beyond "man" and "woman." You may be gender variant, agender, bigender, or something else entirely. There's no need to squeeze yourself into a box if that box doesn't fit you. Try using "they/them" pronouns. If you don't feel like a "he" or a "she," or if you are looking for a way to communicate your gender variance to others, try gender neutral pronouns. Keep in mind that you can take your time to make this decision, or you may decide that you do not want to make a choice at all. Don't let other people pressure you about choosing. Dress to express yourself. Experiment with clothing until you find a way of dressing that feels right to you. If you are strongly drawn to certain clothing, wear it. For instance, if you were assigned male but you always wanted to wear dresses, go for it. You'll learn a lot from how it feels to wear whatever you want. If you feel genderqueer, experiment with an androgynous look, or mix and match gendered clothing. Consider other ways to affirm your gender. Whatever gender you identify with, there isn't any one way to affirm it. Ask yourself what you want: what would make you feel the most yourself? Go over these questions with a counselor if you are feeling confused. Consider changing your name. Think about asking others to call you by different pronouns, such as she/her, he/him, or they/them. Come out to people in your life if you feel safe doing so. You can come out as transgender or tell people you are questioning your gender. Think about your body. Would you like it to be more feminine or masculine? You might cut or grow your hair, take hormones, get top or bottom surgery, or change nothing at all.

Acknowledge that you are curious. Think about your childhood desires. Ask yourself if you identify with your social role. Notice how your given name and pronouns make you feel. Recognize body dysphoria. Find a good gender therapist. Talk to gender variant and questioning people. Explore online forums. Give yourself the option of identifying as a binary trans person. Consider gender diversity. Dress to express yourself. Consider other ways to affirm your gender.

https://www.wikihow.com/Sneak-Your-Arm-Around-Your-Date

How to Sneak Your Arm Around Your Date

If you do it right, sneaking your arm around your date can be a smooth way to make a move. Before you pull off this move, make sure that your date would feel comfortable with it. If you're on a first date, it's probably too soon, but if you've been out a few times and your date seems comfortable getting close to you, it's a good time to try it out. A simple way to do this is to pretend to yawn, then stretch and reach your arm around their shoulder. You can also just casually sidle up next to them and sneak your arm around them. If you want to make it fun, try asking your date, “If you were a pirate, would you have a parrot on this shoulder or this shoulder?” While you ask this, point to the shoulder closest to you, then touch their other shoulder and keep your arm draped around them.

Be sure it's time to get this intimate. While putting your arm around your date isn't an overly invasive gesture, it usually signals that you're interested in a romantic, more deeply connected relationship. Before sneaking your arm around, be totally sure that you're ready to send out these signals! If it's your first date, it might move things too quickly, especially if you're serious about getting to know one another properly. And if you feel that you don't have romantic feelings toward your date after all, but would like to stay in the "friend zone", avoid the arm sneak altogether, as it'll send out the wrong signals and isn't fair to your date. Check for signs of your date being at ease. Are you getting signals that your date wants to hold hands or get cozy? If you can read your date, you may see your date's own strong signals that he or she wouldn't mind you getting closer for an intimate snuggle. This can help you pluck up the courage needed! Choose the right time and place. There are wrong times (such as when he's slurping his linguine with clam sauce or she's trying on a pair of shoes) and there are right times to sneak your arm around your date. Choose an intimate moment and exercise patience––the right time will present itself in due course. Perfect arm-sneaking times include: At the movies during a romantic, sad or scary point in the film. This classic arm-sneaking territory is so well used precisely because it contains all the necessary elements––darkness, close proximity, potential need for comfort during a scary or hairy moment in a film, comfortableness of the seating, and general inability to look at each other, something that could otherwise break the arm hold spell. Just be careful not to send out the wrong signal (such as sneaking an arm around during an explicit sex scene) or spoiling the climax of an action scene with a distracting arm sneak. Emotional scenes or scary scenes are usually good bets. Walking down the street. If you're walking closely together and talking, this can serve as an ideal moment to sneak an arm around your date. Time it to coincide with a meaningful or caring discussion; avoid any moment that's too mundane or involves a heated discussion about politics. A good moment is when you're both expressing awe at the beauty of the day or the prettiness of the flowers along the path. When seated together at drinks or a party. Depending on where you're sitting, a dirty martini or a plate of tapas might just present the ideal moment for sliding your arm around your honey. Another opportunity might be during special announcements or when making a toast––after speaking, slide your arm behind your date's back or shoulders in a friendly gesture of celebration. Make sure you're both close enough so that you don’t have to reach. Arm sneaking isn't about struggling, strangling or finding yourself dangling! Make sure you're in a comfortable spot and close enough to your partner. Avoid any arm sneaking if there's a risk you might become unbalanced and end up using your date as support! The best position is to be side by side, so aim for some shoulder to shoulder closeness. If you're shy or sly, combine the arm sneak with another movement, so that it all appears seamless. For example, offer your jacket to your date if it's cold and then simply leave your arm there after placing the jacket on. Or talk and move at the same time, such as saying "You know that I find you so adorable", while sliding your arm around his or her back at the same time. Or go window shopping together and as your date is peering at something closely, sidle up and mention how interesting the items in the window appear, while at the same time sneaking your arm around your date's back. Make it fun. Try this on for size: Ask your date "If you were a pirate, would you have a parrot on this shoulder (point to the shoulder closest to you), or this shoulder (point the shoulder furthest from you)?" When your hand reaches the shoulder furthest from you, casually just leave your hand there, with the arm draped around your date's back. Done! This can get even more intimate… Try asking: "If you were Casanova, would you kiss someone on this cheek, or on this cheek…" You get the drift! Have courage but don't go over the top. If you're certain that it's the right time and place, then go with your instinct and trust that your date is ready for the arm sneak. On the other hand, if your date shrinks back, asks that you kindly remove your arm or looks horrified, then it's either too soon or it's never going to happen. Be polite and remove your arm with a short apology and simply move on by suggesting that the two of you do something else. The implications of the response may be something you need to reflect on, and you may even need to discuss the future of your relationship after some reflection. Choose the right place. This move can be made at the movies, in a bar, wherever you're seated together, etc. Wait for your date to appear at ease. This includes signs of having settled in comfortably, not talking too much (nerves) and enjoying the occasion. Start yawning. Bring your hand up to your mouth to "stifle" the yawn. Follow the covered yawn action with a stretch. Raise the arm closest to your date into the air behind you as part of the fake stretching post-yawn. Leave it there for at least 5 seconds to convince your date you are really yawning. When bringing your arm back down, oops, it appears to have rested on the shoulders of your date rather than returning to your side. Done.

Be sure it's time to get this intimate. Check for signs of your date being at ease. Choose the right time and place. Make sure you're both close enough so that you don’t have to reach. If you're shy or sly, combine the arm sneak with another movement, so that it all appears seamless. Make it fun. Have courage but don't go over the top. Choose the right place. Wait for your date to appear at ease. Start yawning. Follow the covered yawn action with a stretch. When bringing your arm back down, oops, it appears to have rested on the shoulders of your date rather than returning to your side.

https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Written-English

How to Improve Written English

To improve your written English, adopt a conversational writing style that uses common words everyone is familiar with. You should also try to use the active voice in your sentences, which means structuring them as subject, verb, object. Make sure you set aside 5 to 10 minutes each day to write, because regular practice will help you get better. Additionally, try reading books and magazines to improve your grammar and vocabulary.

Read books written in English. Books and magazines can introduce you to new words, provided you pay attention to the words and look up the ones you don't know rather than skipping over them. Keep a dictionary nearby when you're reading, and look up any word you don't know. Read the whole definition for the word, and think about how the author is using it in context. Make a running list of words you encounter as you read. You can go back and study them later. Write down and practice new words. You won't internalize all the words you pick up from your reading if you don't practice them regularly. Flashcards can be useful for drilling new words, provided you use them correctly. If you write words on flashcards, include a sentence using the word. Having context will help you better remember it. Rotate your flashcards regularly so that you don't get bored drilling the same words. Don't just learn the word in isolation – learn different forms of the word as well. For example, if you've learned the word depend , take note of related words such as dependence and independence. Find out what prepositions are normally used with the word as well. Incorporate words you like into your working vocabulary. For example, you could play a game with yourself where you choose a word and make an effort to use that word at least 3 times during the day. Do crossword puzzles. Crossword puzzles give you an opportunity to learn new words, as well as recall words you've learned and think about different contexts and meanings of words you already know. You can buy relatively inexpensive crossword puzzle books at grocery and convenience stores. There are also crossword puzzle apps available for smart phones, many of which are free. Use a thesaurus. If you find yourself using the same words often, look them up in a thesaurus and find synonyms that you can use instead. Search for these words online so you can get a feel for how to use them in context. For example, if you always use the word pretty , you can expand your vocabulary by adding words such as beautiful and lovely in your writing. Watch out for clogging your writing with too many fancy words, though. It will make your writing more difficult to read, and some people may consider it pretentious. Play word games, such as Scrabble and Boggle. Games are a fun way to expand your vocabulary, and add a little competitive pressure if you're playing with friends. You can invest in physical board games if you want, or download one of many mobile apps. Word games with a speed element will improve your recall of words, while also helping you discover new words. If you make a word during a game and you don't know its meaning, remember to look it up in the dictionary and add it to your vocabulary drills. Read your writing out loud. Reading aloud can make grammar and punctuation errors obvious, even if you might not have noticed them otherwise. As you read, pay attention to where you pause and make sure your punctuation reflects those pauses. Read sentences in backwards order if you want to focus on each sentence individually. Then read the whole piece from beginning to end, looking at how the sentences flow together. If you stumble over something as you read, go back and edit that part of your writing until you can read it smoothly. Use professional writers as models. Journalists and published authors have spent considerable time and effort honing their writing skills. Collect work by writers you enjoy reading and try to emulate them in your own writing. Read actively, thinking about why the author wrote a sentence the way they did. Consider the effect of their punctuation usage. Look up the rules for any language conventions you notice that you're not familiar with. Take out a piece of paper and a pen and copy a passage verbatim. It can help you get used to writing using correct grammar and punctuation. Study grammar and word usage. There are many websites that have free grammar and word usage lessons, tips, and exercises. You can use these to learn new skills and practice incorporating them into your writing. Purdue University hosts the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), which offers more than 200 free resources to help improve your written English. Visit https://owl.english.purdue.edu/ to explore. You can also find free exercises, tutorials, and ebooks at https://www.grammar.com/. Reduce your dependency on autocorrect. While grammar and spelling checks are useful, they're not infallible. They may miss glaring mistakes while simultaneously correcting something that wasn't wrong to begin with. Grammar and spell checks also typically don't teach you why a correction was made. They can't improve your grammar or spelling because you don't know the rules used. To reduce your dependency on these tools, turn them off while you're typing – you can turn them back on once you've finished writing and read through your work at least once. Another way to reduce your dependency on grammar and spell check is to handwrite your first draft, and then type it into the computer if you need a digital copy of your work. Use a conversational writing style. The most readable writing is written the way people talk. Keep your sentence structure simple, and use mostly common, ordinary words that most people know. Contractions will make your writing more readable and less stuffy. Most people use contractions conversationally, and they're appropriate for all but the most formal writing. Writing in active voice (subject-verb-object) will give you the simplest sentence structure. But you do want to vary the length of your sentences to avoid monotony. Outline longer or more complex pieces. If you're writing something longer than a paragraph, or if you need to make several different points, an outline will help you organize your thoughts. It will also make your writing flow more easily because you won't be worried about forgetting something. Even if your writing itself still has room for improvement, your piece will read better overall if your thoughts are well organized and clearly communicated. Look over your outline before you start writing, and put yourself in your reader's shoes. Think about anything you haven't explained. Include enough context that you can get your message across. Proofread and edit everything you write. Everyone makes mistakes. Read over everything you write, even something as short as a text message. Over time, you'll notice an improvement in your first drafts. If you proofread regularly, you'll likely see that you repeat some of the same errors. Make a note of the areas that give you difficulty so you can go back and do additional study and drills. Reading backward is a good way to catch punctuation and grammatical errors in longer pieces. Put pen to paper instead of typing on a computer. Since writing is slower than typing, you'll put more thought into your work. Additionally, when you handwrite you don't have any grammar or spelling checks to rely on. Writing by hand also gives you the opportunity to work on improving your handwriting skills, so that you can write neatly and legibly. Practice writing every day. As with anything else, you'll improve your writing by practicing more. Even if you can't devote a lot of time, setting aside just 5 or 10 minutes a day to write will help you get better at it. For example, you might purchase a small journal and set aside a few minutes to write before bed. You can write about something that happened during the day, something you learned, or an activity or event you're looking forward to later on in the week. While you don't necessarily need to share this daily writing practice with anyone, you may want to publish your journal online in blog form so you can get feedback on your writing progress.

Read books written in English. Write down and practice new words. Do crossword puzzles. Use a thesaurus. Play word games, such as Scrabble and Boggle. Read your writing out loud. Use professional writers as models. Study grammar and word usage. Reduce your dependency on autocorrect. Use a conversational writing style. Outline longer or more complex pieces. Proofread and edit everything you write. Put pen to paper instead of typing on a computer. Practice writing every day.