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How to Remove Lint from Clothes | Having lint stick to your clothing can ruin an otherwise perfectly dashing outfit; more so if your clothes are dark-colored. Learn how to get rid of this fuzzy, pesky problem with a few simple solutions, and your outfits will look as dapper as they were meant to be in no time.
1. **Use a lint roller.** You can find them in the laundry department of a supermarket, as well as in fabric stores and pet stores. Peel the wrapper off the tube part, and roll it across the garment. Use and up-and-down motion. As you continue to roll, you will notice that the lint roller is become less tacky. When this happens, simply peel off the sticky sheet to reveal a fresh sticky underneath. Keep rolling and removing sheets until there is no more lint.
2. **Make a homemade lint roller.** You will need a roll of wide, packaging tape and a rolling pin. Unroll a little bit of tape, and place the end against one of the ends of the rolling pin. Make sure that the sticky side of the tape is facing you, and the smooth side is facing the rolling pin. Carefully wrap the tape around the rolling pin in a spiral, like a candy cane, making sure to overlap each turn. When you reach the other end of the rolling pin, cut the tape off. It should hold together by itself, but it if doesn't, you can use a small piece of tape to stick it down to the pin.
To use this, simply place the rolling pin on your garment. Hold it by the handles, and roll it up and down until the lint is gone.
3. **Roll some wide, packaging tape around your hand.** Cut a piece of wide tape that is a little more than twice the width of your hand. Hold out your hand with your fingers closed together. Wrap the tape, sticky-side-out around your fingers, and overlap the edges. Lightly pat the affected area with your fingers. When the tape stops being sticky, simply rotate the tape around your fingers until the dirty side is facing you. Continue patting the garment with the fresh side of the tape.
4. **Use a strip of tape.** Find some wide tape, and cut a piece that is a few inches long. Place the tape, sticky-side-down, onto the affected area. Make sure that the tape is going in the same direction as the weave of the fabric (usually up-and-down). Rub your finger across the tape to smooth it down, then pull it off.
The wider the tape is, the more area you will cover. Try to find something that is about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) wide.
5. **Consider an electric lint shaver.** This is a battery-powered device that you can glide on to your clothes to take care of the lint. Turn on the shaver, and run it gently across the fabric. When you are done, open up the lint compartment, and toss the shaved lint into the trash.
6. **Rub a pumice stone or a "sweater stone" against sweaters and fleece.** This can also remove pilling. Make sure that you are going with the weave of the fabric, and not against it. Also, try not to rub too hard, or go over the same area too much. The pumice stone will take off the top layer of the fabric. If you keep going over the same spot, you may get a hole.
7. **Use Velcro to rub lint away.** Purchase some Velcro and cut a piece that is about the width of your hand. Find the rough side with the hooks and set aside the soft, fuzzy side. Rub the Velcro downward against the garment. If the lint gathers at the bottom of the garment, then pick it off using some tape or a lint roller.
8. **Use a clean shaving razor to shave off pills.** This is especially effective for lint that is stuck deep into the fabric. Take a shaving razor, and place it near the top of the garment. Gently drag the razor down the fabric a few inches. Lift it off and tap off any excess lint. Continue pulling the razor down the fabric, stopping every few inches to tap the lint off.
If you do not have an electric lint shaver, a more inexpensive option would be to use a single-blade razor. Hold the razor at such an angle to skim the fabric surface and get rid of the lint, but be careful not to cut into the cloth and ruin the garment.
9. **Use a damp sponge or scouring pad to buff away lint.** Wet a sponge or scouring pad with water, and squeeze it to get rid of the excess moisture. Gently rub the rough side of the sponge or scouring pad against the fabric. Use a downward motion, and work in small sections at a time.
10. **Use a lint brush to buff lint away.** They look like an ordinary hairbrush, except that instead of bristles, they have a fuzzy pad instead. The pad feels similar to the soft side of Velcro. Simply rub the lint brush in a single direction across the fabric. Start from the top of the garment, and work your way downward. If there is any lint leftover when you reach the bottom hem, you can pull it off using a lint roller or a piece of tape.
11. **Wipe lint off with a dryer sheet.** The dryer sheet will also get rid of static, which attracts lint in the first place.
12. **Rub away lint and pet hairs with a rubber glove.** Put on a rubber glove, like the one you would use to wash dishes. Run your hand downward across the fabric towards the hem. The lint and pet hairs will stick to the glove. As you continue to rub the fabric down, the lint and pet hairs will gather in one place. You can wipe them off using the glove, or you can pick them off with a piece of tape or a lint roller.
13. **Use an old nylon or pantyhose.** Stick your hand into a nylon sock or a pair of pantyhose, like you are putting on a glove. Make sure that your fingers are touching the toe part. Run your hand lightly across the fabric. The lint will stick to the nylon and pantyhose.
14. **Wash the clothes again, but without detergent.** If you take your clothes out of the washer and see that there is lint on them, put them back in and wash them again. Do not use detergent for this second wash. After the cycle is done, take the clothes out, and shake them out to loosen any leftover lint. Dry the clothes in the dryer as you normally would.
15. **Know what causes lint, and wash those items separately.** Some items, such as chenille, towels, and flannel are more likely to shed lint in the washer than others. Once you know what the culprit is, wash it separately the next time you do laundry. This will keep lint from transferring to the rest of your clothes in the wash.
16. **Know what items attract lint, and wash them separately.** Some fabrics, such as corduroy and velvet, tend to attract lint more than other fabrics. It might be a good idea to wash them separately, or at least apart from fabrics you know shed a lot of lint.
If you cannot wash the items separately, try to turn the items that attract lint inside out before you toss them into the wash.
17. **Add ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of white vinegar to the washing machine.** The vinegar will help remove lint from clothing. It will also help keep the lint from sticking as much.
Vinegar will also help deodorize laundry.
18. **Check and empty pockets before washing the garment.** Items, such as tissues, will deteriorate in the washer and dryer, and cause even more lint. Be sure to check the pockets and take out any scraps of tissue, fabric, or paper.
19. **Try to de-lint items before washing them.** If something has a lot of lint on it, try to remove the lint using a lint roller before you toss it into the wash. If you don't remove the lint, it will just transfer to everything else.
20. **Wipe down the inside of your washing machine after washing a lint-shedding item.** Whenever you wash something you know sheds a lot of lint, wipe down the drum of your washer with a towel. If you don't do this, any residual lint may get onto the rest of your clothes during the next wash.
21. **Shake items after washing, before you put them into the dryer.** Take each garment, and give it a good shake before you toss it into the dryer. This will help knock off any lint that may have gotten onto the fabric in the washer.
22. **Remember to use dryer sheets in the dryer.** You will only need half a sheet for a small load, and a full-sized sheet for a regular load. The dryer sheet will help reduce static, which is what causes lint to stick to clothing in the first place.
23. **Clean the lint trap in your dryer after each cycle.** When you open your dryer, there should be a tray inside the door, or just inside the machine. If you can take out the try, do so, and tap the lint off into a trashcan. If you can't take the tray out, scoop the lint off with your fingers. If you don't do this, that lint may get onto your clothes the next time you dry them.
24. **Try to air-dry instead.** Dryers catch a lot of lint, and if they are not clean, they can transfer the lint to your clothes. Air-drying clothing reduces lint. The wind may also help knock off any specks of lint. You can dry your clothes on a clothing line, or on a clothing rack.
The sunlight and fresh air will also help kill any odor-causing bacteria, leaving your clothes smelling nice and fresh. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Lint-from-Clothes", "language": "en"} |
How to Care for a Hibiscus Plant | Hibiscus plants are tropical shrubs known for their large, colorful blooms. They enjoy warm temperatures and usually will not survive a frost -- if your climate is on the cool side, grow hibiscus plants indoors in containers. When grown outdoors, their eye-catching blossoms will attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Make sure your plants get several hours of direct sunlight each day to keep them blooming from spring until fall.
1. **Grow potted hibiscus plants in loamy, lightweight soil.** Hibiscus plants aren’t that particular about their soil mix, but they prefer lightweight material such as loam and peat moss. A regular bag of potting soil will usually work just fine. You can create their ideal soil conditions by mixing 1 part garden loam, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part fine sand or bark.
A mix of 1 part coarse peat, 1 part composted bark, and 1 part composted manure mixed with a little bit of leca and vermiculite is also a great soil mix for hibiscuses.
2. **Make sure the planter or container drains well.** Loamy soil provides good drainage, but it's also important to grow hibiscuses in containers or planters that have plenty of drainage holes. After a watering, the environment should drain completely to prevent root rot. Water your plant, then watch for the water to come out of the drainage holes. Let the water drain into the plastic tray underneath.
Give the roots time to soak up the excess water, but if water is still in the tray after 12 hours, dump it out.
3. **Keep the soil moist but never soggy.** These plants need lots of water, especially during the warmest months when they’re blooming. Check the soil moisture each day by touching the top of the soil. If it feels dry, your plant needs to be watered. If it feels damp and slightly spongy, the soil is wet enough.
Overwatering can cause root rot, so always touch the soil before watering.
4. **Give your hibiscus plants warm water.** Never use cold water on hibiscus plants. They like their water to be around 95°F (35°C). Use a thermometer or touch the water with your hand before administering it to check the temperature. Avoid using water that's much hotter than 95°F (35°C), since they don't like overly warm water either.
5. **Put them where they can get several hours of direct sunlight daily.** Hibiscuses will grow without direct sunlight, but they won’t bloom without at least 1 to 2 hours of direct sunlight every day. Place your hibiscus plants in a sunny window. Keep the plants 1 in (2.5 cm) to 2 in (5.1 cm) away from the window glass, since the hot glass can damage their foliage and blooms.
With the proper amount of sunlight, hibiscus plants will bloom from spring until fall.
6. **Fertilize them weekly during their growth period.** Hibiscus plants flower from spring until fall, and weekly fertilizing will result in more abundant blooms. Apply a slow-release fertilizer (like 20-20-20 or 10-10-10) or a specially formulated hibiscus fertilizer around the base of the plant. Look for a fertilizer with trace elements like iron and magnesium, which support growth and blooming.
You can also mix up a weak solution of water-soluble fertilizer (half strength or less) and dose your plants with a little fertilizer each time you water them.
Avoid over-fertilizing since too much phosphorus can kill hibiscus plants.
7. **Plant hibiscuses after all danger of frost has passed.** 75°F (24°C) is the ideal blooming temperature for hibiscus plants, although they can withstand warmer and cooler temperatures. There should be no danger of frost after planting your hibiscuses. If the temperature falls below 45°F (7°C), the plants may not recover.
Hibiscuses cannot survive frost or freezing temperatures.
8. **Plant hibiscuses in an area that gets full sunlight.** You can plant hibiscuses outside in spring, summer, or fall in temperate climates. They are tropical plants, so they prefer humidity, warm temperatures, and 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight each day. The plants will still grow in partial shade, but they will be less healthy and bloom far less frequently in this environment.
9. **Make sure the soil drains well before planting hibiscus plants.** Hibiscuses need well-draining soil to thrive, and poor-draining soil will cause root rot. To test your soil's drainage, dig a hole that’s about 12 in (30 cm) wide and 12 in (30 cm) deep. Fill the hole with water. If the water drains in 10 minutes or less, your soil drains well. If it takes an hour or more to drain, the drainage is poor.
To improve drainage, mix in organic matter like well-rotted manure, compost, or peat moss.
If the soil drains well, you don’t need to add anything else to it.
10. **Dig a hole that is about the same depth as the root ball.** Check the size of the plant's root ball, then dig a hole that's about the same depth. Make the hole at least 2 or 3 times wider than the root ball. Gently remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole. Add soil around the plant until the hole is half-filled. Water the hole well, let it drain, and then fill the rest of the hole with soil.
Water the plants thoroughly after putting them in the ground.
Plant hibiscuses 3 ft (91 cm) to 6 ft (180 cm) apart.
11. **Water the plants 3 to 4 times per week with warm water.** Hibiscus plants need plenty of water and like their soil to be consistently moist, but never soggy. You can check the soil’s moisture by touching it. If it feels dry and crusty, your plants need to be watered. If the soil feels soft and damp to the touch, you don’t need to water your plants that day.
Touch the water before pouring it on the plants. They don’t like cold water, so use water that feels warm but never hot to the touch.
Hibiscuses need a minimum of 1 in (2.5 cm) of water every week.
These plants prefer rainwater, but will do fine with city water.
12. **Fertilize your hibiscuses every 2 weeks during the blooming period.** Use a water-soluble or liquid fertilizer for best results. A balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer will work just fine. Choose an organic variety that contains trace elements like potassium, iron, and magnesium. Apply the fertilizer at the base of each plant every 2 weeks.
Don’t use chemical fertilizers on hibiscus plants.
If you can find a fertilizer with a very low amount of phosphorus in it, like a 10-4-12 or 9-3-13, go with that.
Avoid over-fertilizing since too much phosphorus can kill the plants.
13. **Check the plants weekly for aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites.** These particular pests can be a problem for outdoor hibiscus plants. Check your plants weekly for signs of infestation. If you discover an infestation, apply a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to the affected areas to get rid of the problem.
Avoid insecticides that contain the ingredient imidacloprid since this ingredient can worsen spider mite infestations.
14. **Prune your hibiscus plants in the fall.** Pruning will keep your plants looking healthy and stimulate blooms. Prune once per season, in the fall, although pruning can be done successfully in the spring if necessary. Keep 3 to 4 sturdy main branches on each plant. Cut away about a third of the remaining branches. Remove all weak growth and any branches that are growing sideways. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Hibiscus-Plant", "language": "en"} |
How to Download With uTorrent | If you're new to the world of peer-to-peer file sharing, downloading uTorrent is a great way to get started. uTorrent is a free, beginner-friendly BitTorrent client you can use to download applications, movies, books, games, and more from other people on the internet Downloading torrents can be risky, so make sure your computer has antimalware protection and the latest security updates. You'll also want to avoid downloading pirated movies, games, and other content, as doing so is illegal. This wikiHow article will teach you how to install uTorrent Classic and uTorrent Web on your PC or Mac, plus how to find and download torrents.
1. **Install uTorrent Web on your PC or Mac.** uTorrent Web is the most beginner-friendly version of uTorrent. It runs in your web browser and allows you to play torrents (such as movies and music) while downloading. You can download it from https://www.utorrent.com.
You'll be prompted to install other apps like SpyHunter or WinZip, and it may not be super obvious at first. Remove any checkmarks next to apps uTorrent asks you to install, and/or click when prompted.
If you get an error that says "Operation Did Not Complete Successfully Because the File Contains a Virus" when installing on Windows, it's because Windows thinks uTorrent is malware. As long as you downloaded the installer straight from uTorrent.com, there's not actually a virus. To install uTorrent anyway, here's how you can allow the installer to run:
Press to open Settings.
Click (Windows 10) or (Windows 11).
Click .
On the warning about uTorrent.exe or utweb_installer.exe, click the button at the bottom and select .
2. **Open uTorrent Web.** You'll find in your Windows menu or Mac's Launchpad. Clicking it will open uTorrent in your web browser.
If you want, you can use the tutorial to download a sample torrent—click to try this out, or if you already have a torrent in mind that you want to install.
If prompted, follow the on-screen instructions to make uTorrent Web open torrent files by default.
3. **Search for a torrent.** You can use the torrent search built right into uTorrent Web to find what you're looking for. Or, if you have a certain torrent site or search engine in mind, open it in another browser tab and start searching.
Searching from uTorrent Web does a Google search for whatever you type plus the word "torrent." You may find better results if you put a period before the word "torrent" in the search. For example, if you were looking for a torrent of the application Gimp, you can try searching like this: gimp .torrent instead of gimp torrent.
4. **Go to the torrent site.** When you find a website that has the file you're looking for, click the link to check it out.
If you aren't already familiar with the site, do some research before starting a download. One thing you can try is searching Google for the site's address site and "reddit" to see if Redditors are talking about its legitimacy. Reddit is a great place to check for peoples' experiences with torrenting websites.
Sites like The Pirate Bay, 1337x, and RARBG are all popular sites, but be careful—they all offer pirated (illegal) content for download in addition to legitimate apps, games, and movies.
5. **Evaluate the torrent.** Before selecting a torrent, there are a few things you'll want to check:
Check the number of "seeds" available for the torrent. A seeder is a person who has 100% of the file available for download at that moment. The more seeds available, the better the chance that you'll get your files reasonably fast. If no seeds are available, the file will not begin to download until a seeder logs on.
Many torrent websites have comment sections where people discuss their experience with a particular download. If there are viruses or malware in the torrent, you may see a comment indicating this, which will obviously be helpful before downloading.
6. **Download the torrent file.** Click the button that says , , , or similar to download the file. Torrents end with the file extension .torrent and are small files that download quickly. This is because the .torrent file just contains instructions uTorrent will use to download the actual file.
7. **Double-click the downloaded .torrent file.** This will display information about the file(s) you're downloading in uTorrent Web.
You may have to select as the default app the first time you open a .torrent file.
8. **Review the torrent's information and click Add.** uTorrent Web will display a list of files you'll be downloading. If you don't want to download all of the files listed, remove the checkmarks from the files you don't want. You can also choose a location to which you want to download the file(s).
Once you click , the file(s) will start downloading (as long as there are seeders available).
You can monitor the progress of your download right in the uTorrent Web window. It may take a few minutes for the torrent to get up to full download speed. The download time will depend on the number of seeds, your connection speed, the connection speed of the seeders, and how many downloads you have going at once.
9. **Watch or listen to torrents as they download (optional).** uTorrent Web allows you to start watching torrented videos or listen to torrented music before the download is complete. Once enough of the file has downloaded, you'll see a preview in the window. Click the preview to start watching or listening.
10. **Find your completed file(s) in your download folder.** Once the torrent is downloaded, the completed file will be in the folder you selected (or your default download folder, which is usually called Downloads). The file you want is not the one that ends with .torrent—it'll usually be a movie file, set of audio files and folders, a disk image (ending with .iso or .dmg), or a compressed file (ending with extensions like .zip, .tar.gz, or .rar).
11. **Let the torrent seed after it finishes downloading.** Torrents will seed automatically after the files have downloaded. Seeds allow people to download files, and it's considered common courtesy to seed for at least as long as you downloaded to give back to the community.
To stop seeding a file, just click the toggle switch next to "Seeding" to turn it off.
12. **Install uTorrent Classic.** uTorrent Classic has more configuration options than uTorrent Web, including encryption options. If you're an advanced user or would just prefer not to use an app in your web browser, this is the choice for you. You can download uTorrent Classic from https://www.utorrent.com. During the installation, follow the on-screen instructions to allow uTorrent through your firewall when prompted.
You'll be prompted to install other apps like SpyHunter or WinZip, and it may not be super obvious at first. Remove any checkmarks next to apps uTorrent asks you to install, and/or click when prompted.
If you get an error that says "Operation Did Not Complete Successfully Because the File Contains a Virus" when installing on Windows, it's because Windows thinks uTorrent is malware. As long as you downloaded the installer straight from uTorrent.com, there's not actually a virus. To install uTorrent anyway, here's how you can allow the installer to run:
Press to open Settings.
Click (Windows 10) or (Windows 11).
Click .
On the warning about uTorrent.exe or utweb_installer.exe, click the button at the bottom and select .
13. **Open uTorrent Classic.** You'll find it in your Windows menu or your Mac's Applications folder.
14. **Enable protocol encryption.** Many ISPs slow down the connections of people who use apps like uTorrent to preserve bandwidth for their other customers. By enabling protocol encryption in uTorrent, you can hide the fact that you're using uTorrent from your ISP, which should prevent them from slowing down your connection. Here's how:
Click the menu at the top of uTorrent.
Click .
Click the tab on the left.
Under "Protocol Encryption," select from the menu, and make sure the box next to "Allow incoming legacy connections" is checked.
If you notice that your downloads are still slow later, try switching to instead—the only catch is that there may be fewer peers to connect to when you're trying to download files.
Click .
15. **Search for a torrent.** You can use the Smart Search field at the top of uTorrent to find what you're looking for. You can also search Google for the name or type of file you're looking for and .torrent, or just do a search for reputable torrent search sites.
Searching from uTorrent does a Google search in your default web browser for whatever you type plus the word "torrent." You may find better results if you put a period before the word "torrent" in the search. For example, if you were looking for a torrent of the application OpenOffice, you can try searching openoffice .torrent instead of openoffice torrent.
16. **Go to the torrent site.** When you find a torrent site that has files you want, click it to check it out. Just keep in mind that not all torrents and torrenting sites are legitimate, and it can be tough to determine which sites are safe. One way to investigate a site is to search Google for its address and "reddit" to see if Redditors are talking about it.
Sites like 1337x and RARBG are popular torrent sites, but be careful—they offer pirated (illegal) content for download in addition to legitimate apps, games, and movies.
Because many torrenting sites host illegal files, they get shut down quite often.
17. **Evaluate the torrent.** If you've found a file you want to download, there are a few things you'll want to check first:
Look at the number of "seeds" available. A seeder is a person who has 100% of the file available for download at that moment. The more seeds available, the better the chance that you'll get your files reasonably fast. If no seeds are available, the file will not begin to download until a seeder logs on.
Many torrent websites have comment sections where people discuss their experience with a particular download. If there are viruses or malware in the torrent, you may see a comment indicating this, which will obviously be helpful before downloading.
18. **Download the torrent file.** Click the button that says , , , or similar to start the download. This first file you're downloading doesn't actually contain the song, video, or application you're trying to download—it's just a small file with instructions uTorrent will use to download the file from people sharing it online (seeders).
19. **Double-click the downloaded .torrent file.** You'll find this in your default download folder. This displays the contents of the download in uTorrent, allows you to choose a download location, and gives you the option to start the download.
You can also drag and drop the .torrent file right into uTorrent.
20. **Click OK to start the download.** It's at the bottom of the options window. This adds the torrent file to your list of downloads.
You can now search for and add other torrents if you'd like. Downloads will be prioritized in the order they were added
21. **Monitor the download.** Once you see "Downloading 0.0%" on the torrent's name in the uTorrent window, the torrent's files are officially downloading.
It may take a few minutes for the torrent to get up to full download speed. The download may take a while to finish depending on the number of seeds, your connection speed, the connection speed of the seeders, and how many downloads you have going at once.
22. **Find your completed file(s) in your download folder.** Once the download is complete, the file(s) will be available in your download folder. The file you want to open not the one that ends with .torrent—instead, look for a video, folder, audio file, disk image (ending with .iso or .dmg), or a compressed file (ending with extensions like .zip, .tar.gz, or .rar).
23. **Let the torrent seed after it finishes downloading.** Torrents will seed automatically after the files have downloaded—you'll know your torrent is seeding when you see "Seeding" on a green bar next to its name. It's common courtesy to seed for at least as long as you downloaded to give back to the community.
To stop seeding, right-click the finished torrent and select . | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Download-With-uTorrent", "language": "en"} |
How to Harvest Hazelnuts | Hazelnuts are a delicious snack that can be harvested right in your own backyard. The 2 most common species of hazelnuts in North America are the beaked hazelnut and the American hazelnut. Beaked hazelnuts are tapered at the end and have a fuzzy outer shell, while American hazelnuts are large and round with smooth leaves. Before you eat wild hazelnuts, you must correctly harvest and dry them.
1. **Pick American hazelnuts in the fall.** American hazelnuts are typically ripe in September or October. The nuts should start to turn brown, but the leaves around the nut should still be green. If you pick the nuts before this time, they won’t be ripe enough and won’t taste good.
The leaves around the nuts are called involucres.
If you wait for the hazelnuts to fall to the ground, there’s a good chance that animals will collect them first.
2. **Cut nut clusters from the tree.** Use a pair of sterilized gardening shears to cut the nut clusters from the tree. Target clusters with a large quantity of nuts. Remember to leave a couple of clusters on the tree so that the wildlife near you has something to eat!
The nut clusters will grow back during the next growing season.
Wipe the blades on your gardening shears with a rag saturated in rubbing alcohol before you cut the plant to prevent spreading disease.
3. **Leave the nuts in a well-ventilated area for 2-3 weeks.** Store the nuts in a sack, crate, or net in your garage or another well-ventilated place. Over the 2-3 weeks the hazelnuts will dry out and turn brown.
Don’t leave the nuts outside or animals will eat them.
4. **Pluck the nuts from the involucres.** After the hazelnuts dry, it’ll be easier to separate the nuts from the leaves. Empty the nuts from the sack or crate, and pull the nuts from the leaves. Then, place the separated nuts back into the sack or crate.
5. **Dry the hazelnuts in the sun for a week.** Keep the hazelnuts in the sack or crate that you used to dry them. Place the hazelnuts in a safe place that receives direct sunlight. This will finish the drying out process.
Remember to keep the hazelnuts in an area where they won’t be eaten by animals.
6. **Eat or store the hazelnuts.** After the nuts dry out, you can crack them or toast them in the oven. You can store the hazelnuts for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
7. **Wear a pair of gardening gloves.** Beaked hazelnuts are covered with small spines on the leaves surrounding the nut that can stick to your hands. To prevent discomfort, wear a pair of thick gardening gloves when you handle them.
You can buy gardening gloves from department stores, home and gardening stores, or online.
8. **Harvest beaked hazelnuts in the summer.** Unlike American hazelnuts, which are harvested in the fall, beaked hazelnuts should be harvested in the summer. Typically, you should start harvesting the nuts in late July.
If you wait till after the summer, most beaked hazelnuts will be harvested by animals.
9. **Dry the nuts in a ventilated area for 2-4 weeks if your climate is dry.** Place the nuts in a sack or crate in a dry place like a garage. Over this time, the nuts inside of the involucre (the leaves surrounding the nut) should dry out.
10. **Bury the nuts under wet soil for a month if you live in a damp area.** If you live in a damp place, you can bury the nuts under the wet soil instead of drying them. This will remove the prickly spines and cause the involucres to rot.
After you uncover the nuts, the involucres will be black.
11. **Peel the involucres from the nuts.** Wear a pair of gloves and carefully peel the leaves from the nut. The nut should now be brown and ready to be eaten. You can store hazelnuts for up to 3 months in the refrigerator. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Harvest-Hazelnuts", "language": "en"} |
How to Grow Cantaloupe | A freshly ripened cantaloupe straight from your own garden is one of the summer's greatest pleasures. There are hundreds of varieties of cantaloupe to choose from, but the classic Hale's Best, a popular melon with old-time growers, is one of the best. Whatever variety you choose, you can learn to prep the ground for planting, care for your budding melons, and identify common problems throughout the growing process to give you the best chance for success.
1. **Select a hardy variety appropriate for your climate.** Cantaloupes, also known as muskmelons, are available in dozens of cultivated and heirloom varieties, and grow best in hot weather, at least 2-3 months of consistent warmth. Cantaloupes love very sandy and loamy soil with good drainage, and a pH of around 6.
Varieties good for cooler climates include Hale's Best, Sarah's Choice, and Eden's Gem. Varieties noted for their flavor include Hearts of Gold, Ambrosia, Athena, and Honey Bun.
Pay particular attention to the time to maturity listed on the seed package. Most of the time, you won't buy cantaloupe starts, you'll purchase seeds and start them yourself. On the seed package, pay particular attention to planting advice and information about keeping them safe, and pay particularly close attention to the length of time to maturation.
If you want to save cantaloupe seeds from a particularly-delicious melon for planting, scoop them from the flesh and soak them for two days in cool water, then dry them thoroughly on a paper towel. Store them in a clean, dry jar in a cool, dark environment until you're ready to start your melons. While viable for around two years, it's usually best to plant seeds within the year.
2. **Select an appropriate location for cantaloupe.** The most important part of planting and growing cantaloupe is warm soil and enough space. The vines need some room to spread out, regardless of whether you plan on trellising or letting the melons mature on the ground, so you'll need a fairly wide bed, depending on how large a crop you're going to plant.
It's a common misconception and fear that cantaloupes will cross with other members of the same family, including cucumbers, other melons, squash, and pumpkins. They won't. Don't worry about planting your vining fruits in the same area of your garden plot. Most strange or bland-flavored cantaloupe is not the result of accidental cross-breeding, but the result of environmental factors or other problems.
3. **Prepare the soil.** Lay compost or well-rotted manure evenly on your planting bed to create a rich feeding area for the cantaloupe. 6-8 inches of well-tilled soil is appropriate, plus your fertilization matter.
Start cultivating soil by tilling the ground at least a foot deep, aerating and thoroughly mixing the rough soil, removing any rocks, twigs, or other hard bits. Mix in a thick layer of manure and a smaller layer of compost on top, replacing the earth you excavated. Cantaloupes grow best on mounds, slightly raised above the surrounding ground, so don't worry if you've created a big bulge in the ground.
If you want, it's common to cover the ground of your plot with plastic film or weed matting prior to planting, to speed the warming process of the soil. It's important to plant cantaloupe starts in warm soil to promote healthy growth.
4. **Consider starting cantaloupe indoors.** If you knew the exact date of the last frost of the season, planting cantaloupe would be a snap. Ideally, cantaloupes will be direct-sowed approximately 10 days before the last frost, earlier in warmer climates. Because that date is ever more difficult to determine, it makes starting your cantaloupe indoors a somewhat more grower-friendly method.
, start seeds indoors by sowing them in biodegradable seedling pots filled with rich planting soil. Moisten the soil generously, but without standing water. After a month or so, once the plants have a few mature leaves, you can transplant the entire biodegradable pot into your garden without disturbing the fragile root system.
, you can direct sow seeds when the soil temperature warms to at least 65 degrees to avoid poor germination.
5. **In your plot, create mounds for planting.** Cantaloupe should be planted in rows of raised mounts, with each row at least 4 feet (1.2 m) apart. The spacing within a row depends on how you plan to grow your melons:
If you want to grow cantaloupe on trellis poles or wires, space hills in the same row about 12 inches (30.5 cm) apart. Trellising typically only works for smaller melon varieties.
If you plan to grow the cantaloupe on the ground, space the hills 36 to 42 inches (91 to 107 cm) apart.
6. **Plant your cantaloupe.** Wait for the ground to warm to at least 70 °F (21 °C), sometime after the final frost of the season. Depending on where you live, this may be earlier or later in the planting season.
If you started your cantaloupe indoors, plant your biodegradable pot in the middle of each mound, as close to the center as possible. Wet the soil generously during planting.
If you're direct-sowing seeds, drop 5 cantaloupe seeds about one inch deep, 18 inches apart, in hills about 3 feet (0.9 m) apart.
7. **Water the cantaloupe deeply and sparingly.** Keep the soil around the young cantaloupe plants moist, but not standing in water. They should get around 1 or 2 inches a week. Cantaloupe will be very sensitive during periods of drought and may need additional watering, so use your judgment and keep a close eye on the plants to make sure they're growing and looking healthy.
Melons will take a while to set on the vine, but most of the sugary flavor in a melon can be determined from the leaves. Just because you don't see melons yet doesn't mean that you don't know anything about how they will taste. Pay attention to the quality and vigor of the leaves: they should be dark green, with stiff structure and a healthy color. Yellowish or spotted leaves may be a sign of dryness or disease.
It's typical for melon leaves to wilt significantly in the midday and stay wilted looking until the evening in extremely hot weather. This isn't necessarily a sign that you need to water the cantaloupe more, however, so look at the quality of the leaves, not the limpness.
Drip-tape can be quite effective in watering your melons, but you can also hand-water or do whatever is appropriate for the size of your plot and other planting projects. Water around the base of the vines and try not to get the fruit wet, when it sets.
8. **Protect the fruits as they begin to grow.** Whether you're growing new plants or have transplanted your starts, it's a good idea to cover your rows with floating row cover in order to keep them warm and protect them from insects. You can use small loops of chicken wire to create a tunnel, then drape your netting over the row.
It's important to remove the matting after the threat of frost has dissipated and blooms have started to form, so that pollinating insects can reach the blossoms. You can cover the plants again once the fruits have set.
Use weed killers and chemical pest controls only as a last resort. Read all label instructions to make sure the treatment is safe for use on edible harvests and will not kill pollinating insects.
9. **Weed the area thoroughly before the vines start running.** It's challenging to walk around the thick network of vines, much less to weed it. To give your vines the best chance at growth, try to weed aggressively in the first couple of weeks of growth, and let them grow big enough to get a head start and beat out the weeds as the plant matures.
One of the difficult things about growing cantaloupe directly from seed is that the budding cantaloupe plant looks an awful lot like clover, a weed that you'll want to pick. Because it would be a tragedy to pull your budding plant, try to mark your start with a plant card, or wait until it distinguishes itself from the clover to start pulling weeds.
After removing weeds, add a thick layer of mulch around vines to suppress weed growth and help the soil retain moisture.
10. **Consider trellising cantaloupe** Depending on how you've set up your growing patch, it may be appropriate to trellis your melons so they can grow off the ground. A fence-style trellis set low to the ground is the most effective for growing cantaloupe.
, start by planting poles at least 6 feet (1.8 m) tall at each mound in your melon row, or up to 8 feet (2.4 m) tall for large varieties in warm climates. You can use metal wire, planks of wood, thick twine, or any other available supplies to connect the poles and provide something for the vines to cling to. Train the vines up along the poles to get them started.
, give them something to rest on or in to lessen the load on the vines. Place the fruit on raised mulch beds or pedestals like upside down cans or pots. You can cover the fruits with milk crates or similar protection if they are under attack by ground hogs or other animals.
, melons seated directly on the ground are more prone to rot and being picked off by critters. If you expect damp weather near the end of the growing season, trellising is a good way to protect your melons. If the melons started on the ground, however, don't try to trellis them mid-growth.
11. **Fertilize plants periodically.** During the growth process, it is somewhat common to use a nitrogen fertilizer on plants that have not bloomed, or seem to be moving slower than other plants. Lining some coffee grounds around the root system can be an effective way of waking up the plant.
It's also common to fertilize cantaloupe with a higher potassium and phosphorus fertilizer after the blossoms have opened, though long time deposits of phosphorus fertilization can be environmentally hazardous. Line organic matter like compost or manure around the root system if they're lagging.
12. **Withhold some water just before the cantaloupe reaches full ripeness.** Too much watering can dilute the sugar content in the melon as it ripens and affect the flavor of the fruit. It's common to hold back on your watering in the last week before you harvest the melons.
When a cantaloupe is ready to pick, the stem will start cracking slightly where it meets the stem. It's overripe when it falls off completely. It's also common that you'll start smelling the distinctive musky smell of a ripe melon when you're near the patch. If you can smell cantaloupe, they're ready to pick.
Most varieties of cantaloupe will ripen within 4 weeks of appearing on the vine, though pay attention to the guidelines of the particular variety you're cultivating for more specific instructions.
13. **Learn to recognize common pest infestations.** Because they lay around the ground, melon vines are particularly susceptible to pests like insects, mites, and leaf miners. To keep from worrying, you can learn to recognize common problems and figure out whether or not you've got a serious problem.
, a significant problem that you won't be able to take care of this season. Pull up your plants and sew some cereal rye into the soil to cleanse it.
, which can be treated with Theodan or other organic insecticides such as diatomaceous earth or essential oil & olive oil mixtures.
, which isn't something to worry about. They shouldn't affect the fruit significantly.
, meaning that plants will need to be removed, if the small red mites are significant enough.
14. **Recognize the symptoms of common blights.** Grown and watered properly, your cantaloupe should be fine most of the time. Occasionally, though, ground-vining fruit are susceptible to blights and diseases that can ruin crops if not treated immediately. You can learn to recognize the most-common varieties of blight, so you can pull up the plants and save your other crops, or start a fungicidal regimen, depending on the severity.
. This is sometimes treated with chlorothalonil, or other organic-based wide-spectrum fungicide, though it shouldn't be necessary for most gardens. Proper trellising of vines should help circulate air and eliminate the possibility of mildew.
. This is a soil-based blight, which means the crop will likely die this season, but you can treat sap blight by rotating varietals around your plot, and possibly using a selective fungicide.
. In regions with heavier soil, this is a common problem. Avoid over-watering and mulch between the plant and the soil to prevent rot.
15. **Learn why vines sometimes won't set fruit.** After going to all the trouble to prep your ground and start your cantaloupe, there's nothing more frustrating than a mess of vines that never sets any melons. Learning from this experience, though, can help ensure that you'll have fruiting vines in the future. Most fruiting problems are the result of one of three things:
A lack of pollinating insects can result in healthy-looking vines that never set. Cantaloupe vines produce male and female flowers, and pollination between them is necessary for fruiting. If you're growing cantaloupe in a greenhouse, or live somewhere that bees are scarce, you might need to pollenate by hand.
Improper ground temperature will force the plant to only produce male flowers, which makes it difficult to fruit, even if pollinating insects are very present. Make sure you wait to put your plants in when the soil is around 65 °F (18 °C).
If your melon plants struggle to produce, but you're doing everything by the book, try tilling some cereal rye in plots you plan on growing in for next season about a month before putting your plants in the ground.
| en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Cantaloupe", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Pani Puri | The pani puri originated from the Mughal region of India, present day South Bihar where it is also known as phoolki. The English meaning of gol gappa is "watery Indian/pakistani bread" or "crisp sphere eaten." Pani puri, also known as phoochka, gol gappa or gup chup, is a popular street snack in India, Nepal and Pakistan. The name pani puri literally means "water in fried bread." It consists of a round, hollow puri shell filled with a spicy potato-based stuffing and dipped in a watery sauce, or pani, to fill up the hollow inside the dough. Pani puri differs from region to region, but this basic recipe is an excellent place to start.
1. **Mix the flours with a few spoonfuls or warm water.** In a mixing bowl, combine the flours and a pinch of salt. Add one teaspoon of warm water and mix it with your fingers. Add another spoonful of water and mix more. The dough should be course and loose in texture, rather than moist.
Add the water very slowly, in small increments, so that you don't end up mixing in too much. Puri dough should never be wet or sticky.
If the dough seems very moist, work in some extra maida (or cake flour) to absorb the extra moisture.
2. ** Knead the dough well** Use your hands to knead the dough for about 7 minutes, until it becomes tight, stretchy and shiny. This will encourage the formation of gluten, which is essential to the texture of the finished puris.
If the dough feels loose and falls apart, keep kneading. You should be able to stretch the dough without it breaking.
If you wish, you can knead the dough using the dough hook attachment on a stand mixer.
3. **Add a teaspoon of oil and keep kneading.** Pour the oil over the dough and knead it into the dough for another 3 minutes. This will improve the flavor and texture of the dough.
4. **Rest the dough.** Form it into a ball and place it in the a bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp dishcloth. Set the bowl in a dry, warm place. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes to rest. This will further improve the texture of the finished puris.
5. **Roll the dough very thin.** Place the ball of dough on an oiled surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle no thicker than ⁄4 inch (0.6 cm). The dough should be easy to roll thin without tearing. It may snap back when you attempt to roll it, but with a little work you'll be able to create a large, thin circle of dough.
6. **Cut the dough into smaller circles.** You can use a biscuit cutter or the rim of a cup. Cut out as many dough circles as possible from the rolled-out dough.
7. **Heat oil for frying.** Pour 2 inches (5.1 cm) of oil into a stockpot or high-sided frying pan. Heat the oil until it reaches 400 °F (204 °C), or a bit of dough dropped into the oil sizzles and browns.
8. **Fry the puris.** When the oil is hot, place a few dough circles into the oil to cook. After just a few seconds), they'll begin to puff up and crisp. When they are crispy and very lightly brown (after about 20-30 seconds, use a large slotted spoon to place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Continue frying the remaining dough circles.
The puris will cook very quickly, so it's necessary to watch them the whole time they're in the oil. Remove them before they turn dark brown, or they'll have a burned taste and fall apart easily.
Cook only a few puris at a time. If you crowd the pot, it will be difficult to control the cooking time of each puri.
Don't cover the puris when they're finished cooking, or they won't stay crispy.
9. **Prepare the potatoes.** Peel the potatoes, then roughly chop them. Put them in a pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until they're completely soft, and a fork slides through them easily. Drain the water. Mash the potatoes roughly with a fork.
10. **Add the spices.** Put the red chili powder,chopped green chilli,chopped onions, chat masala and coriander leaves in the pot with the potatoes. Add a pinch of salt. Use a fork to mash the spices in with the potatoes to thoroughly distribute them. Taste the mixture and add more spices or salt if you wish.
11. **Add the chickpeas.** Stir in the and chickpeas with a spoon, so that everything is completely mixed. If you wish, add a few drops of oil to moisten the filling. It doesn't need too much moisture, though, since you'll be adding pani as the finishing touch
12. **Combine everything except the water.Don't add too much sugar.** It will ruin the taste. Place all the spices and herbs together in a blender, food processor or mortar. Process them until they are ground into a fine paste. Add a little water if necessary to loosen the ingredients and make them easier to grind.
13. **Mix the paste with 2-3 cups of water.** Place the paste and water in a mixing bowl and mix well. Taste the mixture and add more black salt or spices as necessary.
14. **Chill the pani if you wish.** It's often served cold with the puri. If you wish to chill it, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve pani puri.
15. **Tap a puri at the center lightly to make a half-inch hole.** Do this with the tip of a knife or your fingertip. Be sure to tap gently, since the puri is crispy and fragile.
16. **Fill it with a small quantity of filling.** Scoop in some of the mashed potato and chickpea filling. If you wish, you can add other fillings, too, like chutney, yogurt sauce or green moong dal sprouts. Spoon in enough to fill about half of the puri.
17. **Dip it in the pani.** Submerge the filled puri in the bowl of pani so that the extra space fills with the spicy water. Don't keep it underwater too long, or it will get soft.
18. **Eat it while it's still crispy.** It's necessary to serve and eat pani puri right away, before it gets soggy and falls apart. Eat the whole thing in one or two quick bites. If you're serving guests, you can have them assemble their own pani puri so they experience the best texture possible. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Pani-Puri", "language": "en"} |
How to Paint Pebbles | Whether you’re in the classroom or staying at home, painting pebbles is a fun, engaging craft that you can do just about anywhere! First, use soap and water to clean off any dirt and grime from the rocks. Once you’ve used sandpaper to buff away any rough edges, use a pencil and some scrap paper to plan out the design for your beautiful pebble. With some paint and varnish, you can create a masterpiece on any size pebble!
1. **Wash and dry the pebbles to remove any dirt.** Find a variety of smooth stones outside and bring them to your sink. Squeeze a pea-sized amount of dish soap onto a soaked sponge, and lightly scrub all of the pebbles. As you clean, focus on getting rid of any dirt and filth on the stones. Once you’ve washed the pebbles, lay them on a towel or other clean surface to let them dry.
If you’re in a rush, feel free to dry off the stones individually.
Any kind of soap will work to clean the pebbles.
If you’d prefer to save time, consider buying smooth stones at a craft store.
2. **Sand down any rough pebbles with 100-, 150-, and 220-grit sandpaper.** Take a piece of 100-grit sandpaper and rub over any harsh, jagged edges on the pebble. Start with a coarse sheet of sandpaper, then work your way down to 220-grit. Continue rubbing down the pebbles until the entire surface is smooth.
It can be difficult to paint over a rough, uneven surface. Try to get the pebbles as smooth as possible to save yourself some trouble later on.
3. **Pick a design for your pebble.** Think about what the pebbles will be used for after they’re painted. Are you looking to make creative labels for your garden, or fun home decorations? Depending on your intended purpose, you might want to pick a design concept that’s on the simpler side.
For instance, if you’re creating labels for your garden, you might want to paint the stone a solid color, then paint a specific word over that backdrop.
Create fun number and letter counters by painting the surface of the rock with black paint, then labeling it in white.
You might paint a decorative pebble with a ladybug design, or some other natural motif.
4. **Draw out your design idea on a piece of scrap paper.** Use pencil to sketch your basic concept. Don’t worry about the drawing being perfect—instead, focus on fleshing out different ideas until you have the perfect design for your pebble.
Don’t feel like you have to commit to a single idea! Draw as many different designs as you want.
5. **Use pencil to sketch this design on the pebble.** Trace or freely draw your chosen artwork onto the pebble. Try to keep your lines as smooth as possible, so you’ll have an easier time tracing over and filling in the design with paint. If you mess up the pencil sketch at any point, simply draw over it—the old pencil etchings won’t be visible beneath the dried paint.
If you’re confident in your art skills, don’t worry about tracing on the design ahead of time.
6. **Fill in the large, solid-colored portions of the design with acrylic paint.** Take a thin paintbrush and dip it into a small well of acrylic paint. Use swift, smooth motions to spread the paint over the pebble’s surface. Focus on the background elements of the design first, like the backdrop color.
If you’re working with a more complex design, paint from back to front. For instance, if you’re painting a tree in front of a sunset, make sure to fill in the colors of the sky before painting in the tree.
Acrylic paint is an easy and inexpensive paint to use. If you accidentally spill some paint on your clothes or carpet, you can easily blot it away with dish soap!
7. **Dry off the paint with a blow dryer.** Plug in a hair dryer and turn it on low heat. Move the dryer back and forth over the painted surface of the stone, applying even amounts of heat to the paint. Continue moving the hair dryer over the painted pebble until the surface looks and feels dry.
If you aren’t in a rush, feel free to set the pebbles aside and let them air-dry. Check on the stones once every hour or so to see if they’re dry.
8. **Use thin, tapered paint brushes to add intricate details.** Take a thin, tapered brush and dip it into the acrylic paint color of your choice. With short, careful movements, outline the finer details of the design on your painted pebble. Clean off the brush in between uses whenever you dip into a new color.
If your pebble’s artwork has multiple layers, be sure to use a blow dryer to dry off the surface.
9. **Add artistic flair to your pebbles with chalk crayons and markers.** Use a chalk crayon or marker to sketch or color in other elements of your design. Check that the base layer of paint is completely dry before you use any chalk markers or crayons.
Chalk markers and crayons are great ways to add lighter, pastel tones to your painted pebble. As the name suggests, they also look like chalk when applied to a surface.
10. **Outline sections of dried paint with a thin black pen.** Add extra detail to your painted pebble by highlighting important parts of the design. If you’d like to give your painted pebble a crisp, professional look, try outlining important elements of your art in pen. Make sure that all layers of paint are dry before you add any line work to the design.
These pens are especially useful for complex art designs.
For example, if you’re painting a heart onto your pebble, you might want to outline the heart in pen.
11. **Dip a clean paintbrush into some clear glue or varnish.** Take a thin brush and coat it completely with clear varnish, sealant, or PVA glue. Choose a clear product to use for the sealing process, so your beautiful pebble artwork will be protected!
You can find clear sealants and glue at any hardware or home improvement store.
12. **Apply a thin layer of varnish over the dried pebble.** Brush on the clear product in smooth, even strokes. Focus on covering the entire painted surface of the pebble. Don’t worry about painting the back surface of the stone—you only need to protect the painted areas.
One layer of varnish or sealant should do the trick. If you’d like your painted pebble to be extra protected, consider applying a second coat.
13. **Use a spray sealant if you’d prefer more coverage.** Save yourself some preparation time by spraying the sealant onto your painted pebble. Look for products at your local hardware or home improvement store that come in a spray canister. You can make your clear top coat look a lot smoother and more even with this kind of product.
Whenever you use spray-on paint products, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area.
14. **Wait for the sealant layer to dry completely.** Leave your painted, sealed pebbles on a flat, open surface. Let the stones dry for several hours, checking on them periodically to see if the pebbles’ surface looks dry. If the varnish feels dry after you lightly tap it, then the pebbles are ready to be displayed! | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-Pebbles", "language": "en"} |
How to Wash Your Face With Rice Water | Originating in Asian cultures, rice water is a natural cleansing option for washing your face. It works well as a gentle toner and cleanser, but isn’t strong enough to remove makeup or clarify oily skin. Made with just water and rice, you can use it to achieve better-looking, tighter skin without harsh chemicals. To wash your face with rice water, you will need to prepare the rice, make your rice water, and cleanse your face.
1. **Choose your rice.** You can prepare rice water with any type of rice, though white, brown, and jasmine rice are common options. If you already own rice, whatever kind of rice you have on hand will work.
2. **Put 1/2 cup (92.5 g) of rice into a bowl.** If you want to make large quantities of rice water, you can increase the amount of rice that you use, as long as you remember to also increase the water. Keep in mind that rice water has a shelf life of 1week.
3. **Wash the rice.** Pour water over the rice and swirl the water to remove dirt. Strain out the rice and return it to the empty bowl. Repeat the steps to wash your rice a second time.
4. **Decide how to prepare the rice water.** You can make rice water by boiling rice, soaking rice, or fermenting soaked rice water. Which type you pick will depend on how much time you have and how you want to use the rice water.
Boiling your rice will create a concentrated batch of rice water, so it’s stronger. You will need to mix it with clean water when you use it.
Soaking your rice is the simplest method because you have fewer steps and don’t need to attend your rice water while it’s soaking. Because it’s not concentrated, you may run out faster.
Fermenting your rice water takes the most time, but the fermentation process brings out more vitamins and nutrients.
5. **Transfer your rice to an appropriate container.** After rinsing the ½ cup (92.5 g) of rice, you’ll need to put it in a different container. If you are boiling your rice, place it in a lidded pot. Otherwise, place your rice in a clean bowl.
6. **Add 3 cups (710 ml) of water.** You will use more water than you would normally use to make rice so that you will have leftover water once you’re finished cooking the rice.
Ignore the directions on your rice packaging. Using those directions, you will not have leftover rice water.
7. **Boil your rice for concentrated rice water.** While boiling the rice to make rice water takes more effort, the results are more potent, so you can use less of it.
Bring the water to a boil.
Pour in your rice, cover the container, and then cook it on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Allow your boiled rice to cool before handling it.
8. **Soak your rice for 15-30 minutes to get diluted rice water.** Soaking requires less work but the results will be less potent. You will also not need to dilute your rice water if you soak your rice. Be sure to cover the container while the rice is soaking.
If you plan to ferment your rice water, soaking the rice is the best way to prepare the rice water before fermentation.
9. **Strain out the rice after boiling or soaking it.** Drain the rice water into a separate container. Drain it more than once so that you won't find any rice grains in the water. Your rice water will have a milky-white color.
10. **Decide if you want to ferment your soaked rice water.** To ferment your rice water, place rice water that you prepared by soaking into a container. Allow your rice water to sit for 1-2 days uncovered. When it begins to smell sour, place it into the refrigerator to stop the fermentation process.
Dilute fermented rice water with 1–2 cups (240–470 ml) of clean water because it is very potent.
11. **Pour your rice water into a container.** You will need to store your rice water in a sealed container, so choose something like a jar, a food storage container, or a lidded carafe.
12. **Store your rice water in the refrigerator.** It will last for up to 1 week if properly stored.
13. **Dilute your rice water if it’s boiled or fermented.** If you are using boiled or fermented rice water, measure out 2–3 tablespoons (30–44 ml) tablespoons and add it to 1–2 cups (240–470 ml) of water. If you are using soaked rice water, skip this step.
14. **Splash the rice water onto your face or apply it with a cotton ball.** Over the sink or in a shower, use your hands to wash your face with the rice water. Repeat this action 4-6 times. Alternatively, you can dip a cotton ball in rice water and lightly rub it over your face.
15. **Rinse your face with clean water if desired.** You can cleanse away the rice water using clean water. The nutrients in the rice water will remain in your skin. Alternatively, you can allow the rice water to air dry on your skin.
16. **Pat your face dry with a towel if you rinsed it.** Make sure your towel is clean to avoid transferring bacteria back onto your skin. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Wash-Your-Face-With-Rice-Water", "language": "en"} |
How to Find a Life Partner Online | Online dating isn't just for hookups or casual relationships. If you're looking for someone serious to settle down with, searching online can help you meet people you might not come across in your day-to-day life. If you find the right match, the two of you might even settle down for a long, happy life together. We have some tips for meeting 'the one' online! This article is based on an interview with our relationship expert, Kelli Miller, licensed pyschotherapist and award-winning author. Check out the full interview here.
1. **Sign up on a couple of dating sites.** Sites like eHarmony, OkCupid, Hinge, and Match.com are good places to start if you haven't done much online dating. These tend to draw a broad crowd, so you'll find a mix of people who are looking for a long-term relationship and people who are just dating casually. On the other hand, it's probably better to avoid sites like Tinder or Grindr, where people are mostly looking to hook up.
If finding a partner who shares your faith is important, consider using a site like Christian Mingle, Catholic Match, Jdate (for Jewish singles), or Muslima.
If you're over 50, you might use a site like OurTime or Silver Singles.
Dating sites and apps can take up a lot of your time, so it's best to only sign up for about 1-3 sites.
2. **Make a profile that tells people you're looking for long-time love.** Create a short description of yourself that explains a little about you and what you're looking for. Be open about the fact that you're looking for a serious partnership, and share a few of your interests that show why you're fun and unique.
Be yourself—if you're not athletic, don't pretend to be just because you'd like a partner with a muscular build!
Also, upload a couple of pictures so matches can see what you look like. You can never go wrong with a headshot where you have an open, friendly smile. Just avoid pictures that are risque or revealing, since they don't really give the impression that you're looking for a serious relationship.
Include a few things you're really passionate about, like that you love mountain climbing or going to museums on the weekends.
3. **Make a list of what you're looking for ahead of time.** In particular, focus on the values that are important for you to share with your partner. What would it look like if you found someone perfectly compatible with you? Then, when you're chatting with people online, try to get a feel for how well they match up with your wish list.
If having a family is really important to you, look for someone who's also hoping to settle down and have kids.
Don't be too specific when it comes to your partner's looks. For instance, your life partner might be a little taller or shorter than you imagined, and they might have blonde hair instead of brown.
4. **Chat with someone a few times before you meet in person.** Once your profile is all set up, browse potential matches and send a quick message to the people who seem interesting to you. This is where you'll really catch the eye of a match, so be playful and flirtatious, and ask thoughtful questions that will help you get to know the person better.
Don't be afraid to do a little sleuthing. For instance, you might do a reverse image search to make sure the person is really using their own picture and not someone else's. Or, you might look up their profiles on social media.
5. **Meet up in public if you find someone you vibe with.** Messaging online is fine, but the best way to really get to know someone is to hang out with them in person. Once you've chatted back and forth a couple of times, make plans to go on a date and see how you get along in person.
Because you're dealing with someone you don't know, it's important to take extra safety precautions when you meet in person. Agree on a place the two of you can meet up, like a coffee shop, bar, or public park. Don't have them come to your house or pick you up from work until you've met a few times and you're sure you're comfortable with that.
6. **Gauge how well they meet your wish list.** When you meet up with your match, pay attention to how they line up against list of qualities that you want in a partner. It's okay if they don't necessarily tick every single box—you might want someone who loves to read, but your date might be really into podcasts instead. That still shows that they have a passion for learning new things, though, so they might be a better match than you thought at first.
Don't budge on really important things, though. If you want someone who's career-focused, you probably shouldn't spend much time with someone who can't hold down a job.
7. **Pay attention to the chemistry.** Once you meet up with your match, give yourself a chance to relax, then ask yourself how you feel around this person. Do they make you feel comfortable? Do they make you laugh? Do you feel like you can really be yourself? These are the kinds of things that are going to really determine whether your relationship will work in the long run.
Don't necessarily base your whole decision off the first date. Your match might be a little nervous or shy when they first meet you, which could throw off the chemistry. If they seem like a good match otherwise, it might be worth giving them another shot!
8. **Build trust gradually.** When you're learning whether you can trust someone, it's important to pay close attention to their actions—not just the things they say. As you start getting to know your potential match better, really notice whether they're reliable. If you notice that they follow up on the things they say they do and they communicate openly with you, it's probably okay to start opening up to them.
Of course, there might be times when the person is running late or has to cancel plans. If they seem really apologetic and they don't make a habit of it, it's probably not a deal-breaker.
9. **Make sure you feel secure in the relationship.** Don't just trust the feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you're judging whether this person is a good long-term match for you. When you're with the right person, you should have a quiet confidence that you're both in it together.
If you're regularly questioning whether the relationship is right, if you argue a lot, or if you feel like they don't treat you as well as you'd like, it might be best to let go and keep looking for the right person.
10. **Connect with each other often and deeply.** Ideally, you should spend at least a few minutes talking to each other every day. During this time, really touch base with each other on what's going on, how you're feeling, and whether anything is bothering you. That connection is the most important part of having a healthy relationship!
For instance, each morning you might text each other about your plans for the day, then you might meet for dinner to chat about how your days went.
11. **Commit when you're both ready.** If you're looking for a life partner, there will come a point where it's important for both of you to agree that this is a long-term relationship. You don't necessarily have to get married if the two of you don't want that, but you should at least have a conversation where you make sure the two of you are on the same page.
For instance, you might say something like, "I really enjoy spending time with you. I'm not seeing other people, and I don't want to. Do you see us as exclusive?"
Or, you could say something like, "I'm really happy in our relationship and I see us being together for a long time. Is that how you're feeling too?" | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Life-Partner-Online", "language": "en"} |
How to Adjust Seating to the Proper Position While Driving | Driving with your seat adjusted properly will make you more comfortable and safe. There are different ways you can adjust your seat, like moving it toward or away from the steering wheel, changing the incline of the backrest, and moving the headrest up and down. Once your seat is adjusted for comfort and safety, make sure you're sitting in it correctly. Remember to always wear your seat belt!
1. **Slide your seat until your knees are slightly bent when you're pressing the gas.** Move your seat forward if your legs are completely extended when you press the gas pedal. Move your seat back if your legs are bent too much. Keeping your knees slightly bent while you drive will prevent knee pain.
2. **Sit so there's a gap 2 fingers wide between the back of your knee and the seat.** Place 2 fingers between the edge of your seat and the back of your knee. If you can't fit both fingers in the gap, slide your seat back until you're able to.
3. **Raise your seat up until your hips are level with your knees.** Raise the seat higher if you can’t see clearly out the windshield or windows. Don’t drive with your hips lower than your knees.
If your car doesn’t have a control to adjust the seat height, sit on a cushion to help keep your hips level with your knees. Make sure you’re not elevated too much or you’ll have to bend down to look out the windshield or windows.
4. **Adjust the backrest so it’s reclined at about a 100 degree angle.** Sitting reclined at this angle will decrease pressure on your lower back so you’re more comfortable. If your shoulders lift from the backrest when you turn the steering wheel, your seat is reclined too much. Move the backrest up more if you are hunched forward when driving. When the backrest is in the proper position, you should easily be able to reach the wheel, and your elbows should be slightly bent.
5. **Move the headrest so the back of your head is centered in the middle.** If your head is above the headrest when you’re sitting in your seat, move the headrest up. If the back of your head is exposed below the headrest, move the headrest down. Ideally, the top of your head should be level with the top of the headrest.
6. **Adjust the lumbar support so it fits in the curve of your lower back.** The lumbar support is the raised portion of the lower backrest. First, adjust the height of the lumbar support so the bottom edge is level with your waistline. Then adjust the depth of the support so it completely fills in the curve of your lower back.
If your seat doesn’t have lumbar support, roll up a towel and put it in the curve of your back while you’re driving.
You can also buy an attachable foam support to use in place of lumbar support if your seat doesn’t have it.
7. **Sit with your body all the way back in your seat.** Your back should be pressed against the backrest, and your bottom should be as far back in your seat as possible. Avoid driving with your body scorched forward; if you can’t reach the pedals or steering wheel, adjust your seat, not your body.
8. **Hold the steering wheel at a “9 and 3” position.** Imagine the steering wheel is the face of a clock. Place your left hand where 9 o’clock would be on the clock. Place your right hand where 3 o’clock would be on the clock. Maintaining this grip will give you the most control over the wheel.
Always drive with both hands on the wheel. Driving with one hand twists your spine, which can lead to back pain.
9. **Keep your left foot on the footrest when you’re not using it.** If you’re driving a manual car, only move your left foot when you’re using the clutch. If you’re driving an automatic, you should never move your left foot from the footrest. Keeping your left foot flat on the footrest will help support your back and pelvis while you’re driving.
10. **Wear your seat belt so the strap goes across your pelvis.** Don’t wear the strap that stretches across your lap over your stomach. In case of an accident, you want the strap to catch onto your pelvic bone, not your stomach. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Seating-to-the-Proper-Position-While-Driving", "language": "en"} |
How to Join the US Secret Service | Working for the U.S. Secret Service is a great way to serve your country and protect high profile government officials. As a Special Agent, you will also be tasked with investigating criminal cases like money laundering, fraud, and counterfeiting. Though this position can be stressful and requires long hours, it can be a rewarding way to work for the U.S. government and travel the world. With a few requirements, tests, and a formal interview, you can join the Secret Service and dive into an exciting new career.
1. **Be a U.S.** You will need to provide you are a U.S. citizen by providing a valid passport or other government issued documentation. You must be at least 21 years old and younger than 37 at the time of your application.
If you are a veteran, you must be at least 21 and younger than 40 to apply for the Secret Service.
2. **Have a valid U.S.** . Special Agents may have to drive government officials around, so you will need a valid, up to date driver’s license.
3. **Maintain a healthy physique and have a clean bill of health.** You should be in excellent physical and mental shape, as you will need to pass several health tests to become a Special Agent. You will also need to have a clean health record with no major health problems and 20/20 vision.
Sticking to a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly can help you stay in shape for the job.
4. **Have no visible body markings on your head, face, neck, hands, or fingers.** You cannot have any tattoos, piercings, or branding ‘s on these areas. You will need to remove piercings or tattoos in these spots to qualify for the position.
5. **Apply for open positions on the USAJOBS website.** Access the website here: https://www.usajobs.gov. The U.S. government will post available positions in the Secret Service on their hiring website regularly. Check the website often to look for jobs by searching "secret service jobs" or "special agent positions."
The online tool on the website allows you to search for positions by location, though you will need to spend significant time in Washington, D.C. and abroad if you join the Secret Service.
6. **Submit your resume and qualifications.** As part of your application for a job, submit a resume that includes any relevant experience you may have, such as military experience and experience in law enforcement or security. You should also list any educational training you have that might apply to the position, such as a degree in criminal justice, conflict resolution, forensics, or law.
If you are fluent in another language besides English, list this on your resume. Applicants who are fluent in other languages tend to be favored and may receive a bonus if they are hired.
7. **Pass the written Special Agent Entrance Exam.** Once your application is processed and you have been moved to the next round in the hiring process, you will need to take the SAEE. The SAEE consists of 5 sections that cover logic-based reasoning, language ability, detail observation, and mock experiences or situations. You will be timed 30-40 minutes per section and must complete each section to the best of your ability.
You will need to schedule a time to take the SAEE in person through the Secret Service.
A study guide for the exam is available here: https://www.secretservice.gov/join/apply/SAEE-StudyGuide.pdf.
8. **Complete the Applicant Physical Abilities Test.** Another test you must pass to move forward in the hiring process is the APAT. The APAT measures your strength, endurance, and aerobic abilities. You will need to complete a fitness test that consists of push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) run. You will need to complete the test successfully at the beginning, during, and end of your training.
As part of your fitness test, you will also have to undergo a full medical and psychological examination to ensure you are in good mental and physical health.
9. **Have a formal interview with a Secret Service representative.** Once you have been declared competent for the position by passing the SAEE and APAT, you will have a formal interview with a hiring representative from the Secret Service. You will be asked questions about your resume and qualifications as well as your passion for serving your country. You may also be asked questions about how you will contribute to the Secret Service based on your skills and background.
You may have several formal, in-depth interviews with different representatives as part of the hiring process.
10. **Pass a complete background check to show you have a clean criminal record.** You will also need to get a credit check and do a security interview where you answer questions about ethics and morality.
You will need to provide fingerprints and financial documents so the background check can be completed.
You may also need to take a polygraph exam where you are hooked up to a polygraph machine that measures your responses to yes or no questions to ensure you are answering honestly.
11. **Receive a formal job offer.** Once you have passed the required tests and training, you will meet with a hiring panel, who will then give you a formal job offer. You will be hired on a specific grade level, based on your training and experience, and given an assigned geographical area. Your salary and benefits will depend on the grade level you are hired at in the Secret Service.
12. **Complete the required training program for Special Agents.** Once you have accepted a position in the Secret Service, you must complete a 10-week training program and a 17-week Special Agent basic training course. The 10-week program will train you in investigation techniques and criminal law at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. The 17-week course is more specialized and takes place at the Secret Service Training Academy in Washington, D.C.
You must pass both training programs on your first attempt to become a Special Agent. If you fail, you will not move into an official role in the Secret Service.
13. **Be prepared to work long hours and travel often.** As a Special Agent, you may end up working more than a normal 40 hour work week and you may be assigned special details that require working very long shifts. You will also need to be willing to travel across the country and the world as part of the job, often on short notice.
You may also be called for duty in the event of a national crisis or disaster.
14. **Stay in the investigations detail if you want to maintain your family life.** Most Special Agents will be required to work at least 2 years on an investigations detail, where you investigate various criminal activities for the government. You can then choose to stay in investigations or move to the protective detail. Working in investigations can allow you to maintain a more stable work schedule, leaving you time to have a healthy family life.
This may be a good option if you are married or have a spouse and children, as you will have the ability to still spend time with them once you are done working.
15. **Maintain good mental and physical health to succeed in the job.** Being a Special Agent can be a difficult job, as you will be putting your life on the line everyday to help protect and serve the nation’s most important officials. Maintaining a healthy routine where you stay physically fit and take time to focus on your mental health will allow you to do your job well.
Having a good life and work balance, where you spend time with family or loved ones outside of your job, can also help you stay grounded and succeed. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Join-the-US-Secret-Service", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Basil Oil | The best time of year to make basil oil is in the summer, when basil is fresh and fragrant. Basil oil is a great addition to light dishes because it adds a fresh flavor without overpowering other flavors. Best of all, it's simple to make as long as you have some fresh basil on hand. It's important to prepare and store herb-infused oils properly, though, to avoid a particularly dangerous form of food poisoning called botulism.
1. **Pick or buy fresh basil leaves.** You'll need several handfuls of basil leaves to make 1 1/2 cups (30 grams) of packed fresh leaves. You can use basil fresh from your garden, from the supermarket, or from a local farmer's market. Basil comes in many varieties and you can use any of them to make basil oil.
Sweet basil is the most common kind of basil in the United States. It's perfect for use in Italian dishes and soups.
Sweet Thai basil is often used in Asian cooking; it is slightly spicier with hints of licorice and cloves.
Lemon basil has hints of lemon along with the typical sweet basil flavors.
Purple basil types, such as dark opal basil or purple ruffles basil, are also spicier than sweet basil.
2. **Bring a pot of water to boil.** Grab a medium pot and fill it about halfway with water. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
3. **Add 1 1/2 cups (30 grams) of fresh basil to the boiling water.** You can leave the basil leaves in the water for as little as 10 seconds or for up to 60 seconds. The longer you leave the basil in the water, the more limp the leaves will become. You may lose some of the flavor if you leave the basil in for too long.
Quickly boiling fresh herbs is called blanching. Blanching helps the basil maintain its color.
4. **Place the basil leaves in a strainer.** Dump the pot of water into a strainer, letting the water drain off. Run the leaves under cold water to stop the cooking process. Dump the leaves on a paper towel to dry.
5. **Pat the basil dry.** Use paper towels and dab at the basil gently to absorb excess water. Do not squeeze or press the basil because you'll release too much of the flavor into the paper towels.
6. **Add the basil and oil to a blender.** Dump the leaves into a blender or food processor. Also add in the 3/4 cup (177 ml) of olive oil.
7. **Blend the mixture until it's smooth.** Set the blender or food processor to puree, and blend the mixture until the leaves are smoothly incorporated into the oil.
8. **Transfer the oil to a sanitized airtight container.** If you won't be able to eat all of the oil immediately, put the leftovers in an airtight container. To prevent botulism, it's a good idea to sanitize your container and lid first. All you have to do is boil the container and lid in a pot of water for 10 minutes to kill any bacteria.
9. **Store the oil in the fridge and use it within 2-4 days.** If you don't use the basil oil immediately, keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container and throw it out after 4 days. If you store the oil for longer than 4 days, a harmful bacteria may begin growing inside of it. This bacteria can lead to a potentially fatal form of food poisoning called botulism.
To prevent botulism poisoning, never store your oil at room temperature.
10. **Choose a fresh bunch of basil.** Look for bright, green leaves without brown spots. You can purchase your basil or pick it from your garden. Remove the leaves from the stems, discarding the stems.
This method tends to bring out a stronger flavor in the oil, as the basil is cooked in the oil rather than in the water.
11. **Add the basil and oil to a blender.** In a blender or food processor, pour in 1 cup (236 ml) of oil, and add the bunch of basil leaves. Blend the mixture until you have made it smooth.
12. **Heat a small skillet.** Place a small skillet on the stove, and turn it to medium to medium-high heat.
13. **Add the basil oil.** Pour the basil oil into the skillet, and let it heat for about 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat.
Do not let the oil boil. It should stay at a light simmer, so turn down the heat if the oil is getting too hot.
14. **Strain the oil into an airtight container.** Place a fine mesh strainer over an airtight container with its lid off. Pour the oil through the strainer. Don't push on the pulp, as it can make it fall through the strainer. Gently shake or tap the strainer to help the oil through.
To prevent botulism, sanitize your airtight containers and lids first. Sanitizing is easy! Put the containers and lids in a pot of water and boil them for 10 minutes to kill any bacteria.
15. **Store the oil in the fridge and use it in 2-4 days.** Place the oil in the refrigerator immediately to keep it fresh. Harmful bacteria may begin growing in herb-infused oil after 2-4 days, even if it's properly stored in the fridge. It's crucial that you throw out your oil after a few days to prevent the risk of botulism.
Never store herb-infused oils at room temperature! This could lead to botulism poisoning which can be fatal.
16. **Top toast with it.** Cut up fresh French bread into slices. Toast it in the oven or on the grill, and then drizzle the basil olive oil over it.
17. **Create stacked caprese salad.** Layer tomato slices and fresh mozzarella slices together. Drizzle the oil over the top and a light sprinkling of salt for a simple caprese salad.
18. **Make it a soup topping.** Whether your eating tomato soup, gazpacho, or Italian wedding soup, basil oil makes a delicious topping for any Italian-themed soup. Just drizzle a little on top right before serving.
19. **Try it on an open-faced sandwich.** Make a traditional open-face breakfast sandwich with bacon and eggs. Pour a little oil over the top for added flavor. It also works well with other sandwiches, such as turkey and gouda.
20. **Toss with vegetables.** Steam your vegetables as usual. Pour in a little basil oil, and toss the vegetables until the oil coats them. Sprinkle salt over the top. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Basil-Oil", "language": "en"} |
How to Score Deer Antlers | Measuring whitetail deer antlers determines how significant a hunt was before you mount the rack. In some cases, it can lead to awards for exceptional hunting. The Boone and Crockett scoring system has been the template for most other scoring systems, so you should start by taking these spread, point and circumference measurements.
1. **Air-dry your buck’s antlers for 60 days or more.**
2. **Ensure the skull plate is intact and it has not been artificially replaced or repaired.** Your antlers can’t receive an official Boone and Crockett score in this condition.
3. **Make sure your whitetail deer hunt follows the fair game laws of your state.** Unfair chase makes your antlers ineligible to be officially scored.
4. **Request a scoring sheet from your state’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks department.** You can also go directly to the Boone and Crockett website if you’d rather receive your official score by the club. Go to www.boone-crockett.org/bgrecords/bc_scoring_typwhitetail.asp?area=bgRecords&type=Typical+Whitetail+Deer.
5. **Place your antlers, your measuring tape, yardstick and steel cable on a table.** The skull plate should be sitting on your table so that you can take horizontal and vertical measurements of the rack. You will need to take all measurements to the nearest one-eighth inch.
6. **Measure the tip-to-tip spread with your measuring tape.** This is the distance between the tip of the right antler and the tip of the left antler. Take the measurement from the front of the antlers.
Write down all your measurements on your score sheet or using the Boone and Crockett Club online form.
This is usually a small measurement because the main beams reach toward each other in the middle of the rack.
7. **Find the greatest spread.** This is the distance between the widest point of the left antler to the widest point of the right antler. This horizontal measurement can be taken along any point of antlers along the main beam.
8. **Locate the inside spread of the main beams.** Measure the horizontal distance between the widest curve of the main beam on each side.
9. **Calculate the length of the main beam.** Start at the burr, where the antlers meet the skull. Twist your flexible measuring tape so that it follows the center of the lowest outside edge of the main beam over the outer side to the end of the main beam.
Start with the right antler and then do a separate measurement for the left antler.
Antlers are not perfectly symmetrical.
10. **Distinguish the normal points from abnormal points.** Typical/normal points are those extending from the top of the main beam. Abnormal points can extend from the main beam near the burr.
11. **Total up the lengths from base to tip of each abnormal point on the right antler and on the left antler.** This should be fairly easy and short unless your deer’s antlers are extremely abnormal.
12. **Measure each normal point on the right antler.** The Boone and Crockett Club scoring sheet has places for up to seven points, although few deer will have that many. Repeat with the points on the left antler.
Each point will have a separate box in which to write the measurement.
13. **Determine the circumference points for your antlers.** This is the narrowest point between one location and another. Use a flexible measuring tape to wrap in a circle around that point, or use a flexible steel cable and then lay it out across a yardstick to determine the measurement.
14. **Wrap your flexible measuring tape around the area between the burr and the first point of the right antler.** Make sure you are choosing the narrowest point. Repeat on the left.
15. **Measure the circumference of the narrowest portion between the first and second points.** Do the right and then the left.
16. **Measure the circumference between the second and third points on both sides.**
17. **Determine the circumference between the third and fourth points on both sides.**
18. **Submit the form on the Boone and Crockett Club website or total the points according to your form.** Confirm that you have followed fair game rules when hunting the deer.
19. **Receive an official score from the Boone and Crockett Club.** In order to be entered into their awards program, you will need to contact a local Boone and Crockett Club and have an Official Measurer score your antlers.
You can also submit your score to your state agency for special consideration or awards. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Score-Deer-Antlers", "language": "en"} |
How to Tie Dye a Hoodie | Tie dyeing has been a colorful DIY crafting tradition since at least the 60s, making clothes and linens more colorful, psychedelic, and eye-catching. The tie dyeing process is super simple to do in the comfort of your own home, even with something as bulky as a hoodie. Instead of buying a pre-made trippy hoodie, gather your supplies, set up a workspace, and do it yourself to make your own designs on the cheap!
1. **Place a plastic tablecloth over a large table to prevent stains and spills.** The tie dyeing process can get very messy, so it's best to place a plastic tablecloth over a large table to reduce spills and prevent the dyes from staining your furniture. Pin or clamp it down so it doesn't shift while working with the hoodie.
Consider tie dyeing your hoodie in the garage or on a fold-out table in the yard so you don't accidentally stain anything important in the home.
2. **Mix dye fixer with water in a large bucket to make the dye stick.** Dye has a habit of fading over time, so mix ⁄4 c (180 ml) of dye fixer per 1 US gal (3.8 L) of water in a bucket. For a natural dye fixer, use soda ash, but if you don't mind using chemicals, opt for sodium carbonate. You can purchase dye fixer at crafting stores.
Wear rubber gloves during the entire tie dye process to prevent irritation from various components and dyes.
Use a large bucket or bowl instead of a small one to tie dye a hoodie, as unlike a t-shirt or small piece of clothing, a hoodie takes up a lot of space.
If you get any of the solution in your eyes, flush it out with water. If it starts to feel especially painful, contact your poison control hotline.
3. **Wash and wring out your white, cotton hoodie to get rid of oils and dirt.** Put your white hoodie in the washer by itself on a spin cycle, then either put it in the dryer or wring it out by hand if you don't want to wait too long to move on. This lets the hoodie absorb the most dye possible, and it will get rid of oils that can affect the tie dye design.
A white cotton hoodie is best as the patterns and dyes show through much more clearly. Feel free to use a colored hoodie, but stay away from dark colors and consider how the hoodie's base color will mix with your chosen dyes.
4. **Soak the hoodie in the dye fixer solution for 5 to 10 minutes.** Place the hoodie into the mix of dye fixer and water and let it soak for around 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is completely saturated. Wring the shirt out, and lay it flat on the plastic tablecloth. You can re-use the same solution for additional things you'd like to tie dye!
5. **Prepare a 3 US gal (11 L) bucket of warm water and add dye.** Make the water about as hot as you would use for a baby's bath — around 90–98 °F (32–37 °C). Mix in about 2 to 4 tsp (5 to 10 g) of your chosen powdered procion dye and mix it around with a metal spoon until the dye is dissolved completely.
If you want to add multiple colors to the hoodie, prepare additional buckets of warm water and dye to keep the colors separated.
Add more dye powder to create stronger hues, or less dye powder for subdued colors.
6. **Create a single-color swirl by twisting the center of the hoodie.** With your hoodie placed flat on the plastic tablecloth, grip the center of the hoodie between the armpits and twist in one direction until the hoodie is bunched together. Tie 5 or 6 rubber bands around the outside of the hoodie to keep the swirl intact. Soak it in the dye solution bucket for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
The folds in the swirled hoodie won't soak nearly as much dye as the exposed areas, creating a white swirl in the middle of the hoodie spiraling outwards!
7. **Make a bullseye pattern by pinching the hoodie's center with rubber bands.** Pinch the center of your hoodie, grabbing both the front and back in the same motion, and raise the fabric about 1 in (2.5 cm) upwards. Secure a rubber band tightly around the rise, then keep applying rubber bands spaced 1 in (2.5 cm) apart downwards until the whole hoodie is wrapped in a cylindrical shape. Then, soak the hoodie for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Don't pull fabric through the rubber banded areas, instead pull the top of the cylinder upwards to bring the rest of the hoodie with it, and apply rubber bands as you go.
You'll end up with a center circle with larger circles surrounding it, like a target!
8. **Create a multicolored diagonal stripe by folding accordion-style.** From a bottom corner of your hoodie, fold towards the opposite shoulder about 2 in (5.1 cm). Then, turn the hoodie around and fold it another 2 in (5.1 cm). Continue flipping the hoodie and folding the corner over until it is just a 2 in (5.1 cm) rectangle, and tightly attach rubber bands every 1 in (2.5 cm) to hold it together.
To achieve the dual-coloration, soak half of the rubber banded hoodie in one dye bucket for 30 minutes, then soak the other half in a different color for 30 minutes.
Your hoodie will come out with two diagonal halves of color with white, parallel lines spread out every 2 in (5.1 cm)!
9. **Create a sunburst pattern by pinching the hoodie and using liquid dye.** Pinch the fabric of the hoodie, grabbing both the front and back fabric in one motion, and secure the pinched area with tight rubber bands. Keep doing this in different spots until you are satisfied with the number of sunbursts. Apply liquid procion dye to the unpinched parts of the hoodie first, then squeeze just a few drops on top of each rubber banded area.
It's super easy to use multiple colors for sunburst patterns. Alternate the color of the fabric and the sunbursts by dripping a complementary color of dye into the pinched area!
You do not need to use the dye bucket for this pattern, but if you do not have liquid procion dye, it will do the job just fine — though it won't come out as saturated in color. Soak it for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the dye bucket.
10. **Let the hoodie sit, wrapped in rubber bands, for up to 2 hours.** When you have finished soaking the hoodie in dye, don't take off the rubber bands, and let it sit on a plastic tablecloth or outside for 2 hours. This allows the dyes to deeply set into the fabric of the hoodie, and also makes it easier to wash out excess dye later on without affecting the color too much.
If you want the colors to saturate even more, leave the hoodie overnight.
Consider wrapping the hoodie in plastic wrap as it sits to prevent spilling and stains as the dye sets and liquid drains.
11. **Take off the rubber bands and wash the hoodie until the water runs clean.** In a large sink or in the bath, run the hoodie under cold water until there is no more dye coming through. This washes away any excess dye and the cold water deepens the saturation of the dye that has taken hold.
It can be beneficial to start with slightly warm water and gradually turn it down to ice cold, as it washes away more dye at first, but this can also cause the dye to bleed if the water is too hot.
12. **Wash the hoodie in the washing machine and let it dry.** After washing it with cool water, put the hoodie in the washing machine by itself on a cold cycle using regular detergent. It may take several washes, but after it comes out free from bleeding dye, stick it in the dryer, and enjoy your new tie dyed hoodie!
Don't use an extra-powerful or specialty detergent as it could cause the dye to bleed if it hasn't fully set. Opt for regular, run-of-the-mill laundry soap to get it clean and ready to wear! | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Tie-Dye-a-Hoodie", "language": "en"} |
Proven Tips to Get Your Signifiant Other to Appreciate You More | Feeling under-appreciated, or completely unappreciated, by your partner is bad for your relationship and your own wellbeing. While you can’t force your significant other to appreciate you more, having calm, clear, and frequent conversations on the subject may lead to improvement. It’s also important for you to show appreciation for yourself and your life—this is something you can control!
1. **Use “I” statements to clearly but gently share how you feel.** Never assume that your partner knows you feel under-appreciated—tell them! When you do tell them, though, don’t use accusatory “you” statements. Instead, relate how you are feeling by relying on “I” statements.
For example, instead of, “You don’t appreciate any of the work I do around the house,” try, “I don’t feel appreciated when the work I do around the house goes unnoticed.”
Do your best to remain calm and composed as you share your feelings. It’s best, when possible, to wait for an opportunity when both of you have the time and the right attitude for a true conversation.
2. **Identify consequences without begging or demanding.** After using one or several “I” statements to express your feelings of under-appreciation, follow up with one or more “I” statements on potential consequences. “Consequences” doesn’t necessarily mean a “fix this or we’re through” ultimatum—although that may be the case sometimes—but you do need to clearly identify where things may be headed.
For example: “I have feelings of resentment because of the lack of appreciation, and I’m worried that our relationship will be permanently damaged.”
Or: “I think this relationship may not be worth continuing if things remain the same.”
3. **Listen closely and give your partner a chance to respond.** It’s hard to predict how your partner will respond, but it’s important that you give them a chance to do so. They might be surprised, remorseful, apologetic, offended, or even angry. So long as they do not create a threatening or unhealthy situation, let them have their say.
Don’t interrupt, even if you vehemently disagree with their perspective on the situation—for instance, if they insist that they “show you way more appreciation” than you ever show them.
Unless they go completely off the rails, consider cutting your partner some slack on their initial response. It can be very difficult to hear that your partner doesn’t think you appreciate them.
If you make it clear that you’re listening and that you respect their point of view, it’s more likely that you’ll be able to move forward in a positive direction.
4. **Support your partner if they express a desire to improve.** This is the best-case scenario, so be ready to help make it happen! If your partner apologizes and pledges to do better, validate their goal and offer your support in tangible ways.
For example: “I accept your apology and I’m so happy that you’re committed to making changes. Can we talk about some strategies we both can use to improve how we show appreciation and gratitude?”
If they express a desire to seek outside help, such as by seeing a counselor, you might show your support by helping them to find a therapist or by shuffling your schedule so they can make their appointments.
5. **Keep the lines of communication open as an ongoing process.** Don’t expect to fix this problem in a single conversation! If your partner is willing, commit to openly and frequently talking about this issue and all the others that will inevitably arise in your relationship.
For example: “I’m really glad we talked like this, and I think it might really help. Can we set aside some time each week to talk about our feelings?”
6. **Follow through on the consequences if nothing changes.** Unfortunately, your partner may be unwilling to commit to positive change. If so, it’s important that you stick to the consequences you laid out when you raised the issue of feeling unappreciated. Doing so will be extremely difficult if it means ending the relationship, but you owe it to yourself to prioritize your emotional health.
It’s sometimes possible, although challenging, to sustain a reasonably healthy relationship even when you feel under-appreciated. Be honest with yourself about the costs and benefits of continuing the relationship versus ending it.
If you’re experiencing physical or emotional abuse alongside a lack of appreciation, get out of the relationship for your own safety and wellbeing.
7. **Model the behavior you want to see by showing appreciation.** You’re almost certain to feel as though you show your partner lots of appreciation, but step back and make an honest assessment. Is your resentment about not being appreciated causing you to withhold appreciation? Can you do more to model the appreciative behavior you desire from your partner?
“Punishing” your partner by not showing appreciation is unlikely to help and more likely to make things worse. Instead of contributing to a downward spiral, aim to raise the bar on showing appreciation.
Showing appreciation is easy! (And that’s why it’s so frustrating that your partner doesn’t do it!) While a simple, sincere “thank you” can go a long way, try using the word “appreciate” when possible: “I really appreciate your helping me with the laundry today.”
8. **Show appreciation by (sometimes, not always) putting your partner’s needs first.** A healthy, rewarding relationship requires give-and-take, compromise, and sacrifice. Part of modeling the appreciation you hope to receive involves putting your partner’s needs in front of your own. Keep in mind, though, that it is not desirable or healthy for you to do this all the time—you deserve to prioritize your own needs as well!
Putting your partner first may be as simple as letting them choose where to go for dinner. Or, it might be a major decision, like relocating for their career. If you’re feeling unappreciated by your partner, though, don’t feel obligated to make life-altering sacrifices until they prove capable of making positive changes!
9. **Reward honest appreciation genuinely and specifically.** Positive reinforcement works better than negative reinforcement, no matter if it’s for a child, a pet, or an under-appreciative significant other! Instead of criticizing instances when they don’t show appreciation, point out and praise every single instance when they do. They’ll begin to crave this praise and will do what it takes to earn more of it!
Specifically point out what the other person did that’s so praiseworthy: “I appreciate so much that you took the time to drive my mother to her doctor’s appointment today, Devon.”
10. **Express and reward appreciation in ways that suit each of you.** Voicing your appreciation isn’t the only way to show it, and, according to the concept of “love languages,” you or your partner may respond better to other methods. Talk with your partner about which signs of appreciation most resonate with you. The 5 “love languages” are as follows:
Words of affection. Voicing appreciation is most effective.
Quality time. Show appreciation by spending time doing something together that the other person really enjoys.
Acts of service. Take actions that demonstrate appreciation.
Physical contact. Depending on the person, this can range from gentle cuddling to vigorous bedroom activity!
Receiving gifts. A thoughtful, personalized gift shows appreciation, but the act of giving the gift is at least as important.
11. **Do a list-making exercise about appreciation with your partner.** This is a variation on a couples counseling exercise, with “appreciated” subbed in for “loved.” Individually write up and share a list of several statements that start as follows: “I feel appreciated when you….” Then, write up and share several statements that start like this: “I would feel more appreciated if you….” After sharing your lists, take turns standing up and sharing what you will do to better show appreciation to your partner.
For example: “I feel appreciated when you volunteer to do the dishes after I make dinner.”
And: “I would feel more appreciated if you said “thank you” sincerely more often.”
Then: “I will show more appreciation to you by respecting your need to relax for a little while after work.”
12. **Take time each day to identify things you’re grateful for.** Think of this as the first part of a 2-part “appreciation exercise.” Take some time to yourself to think up (or write down) around 5-10 things you appreciate in your life each day.
You might, for example, identify your appreciation for your health, your family, your pet, your job, and the safe community you live in.
Taking the time to think about what you appreciate helps get you in the right frame of mind to recognize why and for what you deserve appreciation.
13. **Remind yourself daily that you are worthy of appreciation.** Make this part 2 of your appreciation exercise. Now that you’ve thought of some things that you appreciate, write, speak, or think to yourself about why you deserve appreciation. Focus both on why you are inherently worthy of appreciation, as well as particular actions that deserve to be appreciated.
For example, you might say something like the following to yourself: “I appreciate the good in my life and in those around me, and the good in me deserves appreciation as well.”
Then, you might add something like this: “I am worthy of appreciation because I try hard to keep our home running smoothly.”
14. **Make time for a regular self-care routine that calms and restores you.** Taking some “me time” when you need it isn’t selfish. Consider scheduling a regular time for self-care activities, but also be ready to take some time for self-care when you need it. Things like meditation, yoga, nature walks, spa days, crafting, gardening, fixing things, soaking in the tub, or reading a good book might work—find the best options for you!
If you get resistance from your partner, be clear but caring: “I need this time to myself to relax and recharge, so I can be more present and positive when we’re together.”
15. **Look for ways you can improve without blaming yourself.** There’s a fine line here—don’t tell yourself that it’s your fault that you’re not being appreciated! That said, do reflect on things that are under your control and which may be getting in the way of the appreciation you deserve. Work to make positive changes, and remember to appreciate yourself for your efforts!
For example, do you sometimes possibly misinterpret efforts by your partner to show at least some amount of appreciation? If so, can you work to be more open to accepting appreciation in a broader sense, while at the same time being clear with your partner that you need to feel appreciated?
16. **Build up your self-appreciation with professional guidance.** At the end of the day, you can’t control whether or not your partner gives you the appreciation you deserve. But you can control whether you show yourself this appreciation, and working with a therapist may help you achieve self-appreciation.
Talk to your doctor about therapist recommendations. Look for a therapist with experience dealing with patients in situations similar to yours.
Your therapist might show you visualization techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBI) approaches, and other methods to build your self-esteem and self-appreciation. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Your-Significant-Other-to-Appreciate-You-More", "language": "en"} |
How to Carve Faces in Wood | Whether you plan on making large faces or giving more definition to small figures, learning the techniques for making detailed work is important. Raw wood needs to be stripped and smoothed out before it can be carved. Then, cut away the excess wood with a variety of common wood carving tools, including chisels, V-tools, and knives. Once you have the face's basic shape, add details like hair strands and wrinkles to give your face additional detail and depth.
1. **Find a strong piece of wood that is the right size for your project.** You can make a face out of any piece of wood as long as you can find a piece big enough for your project. Some types of wood are more commonly used than others. Soft, inexpensive pieces of wood without much grain are good for beginners. Once you get more used to carving, you may wish to use stronger, sturdier, and more colorful wood.
Basswood and butternut are a few types commonly used by beginners. You can often find them sold in premade blocks.
Cottonwood, black walnut, and oak are a few options popular with experienced carvers. These woods are sturdier, have a noticeable grain, and are often used in commercial products.
Woods come in various shapes and sizes, and qualities. With the right tools, you can even carve a face into an unrefined piece of lumber. You may find wood blocks easier to work with at first as you practice carving small details like eyes and hair.
2. **Clamp the wood in place or hold it in place.** Larger pieces of wood need to be held down to a flat surface so they don't slide around as you work. Try pinning them down to a workbench with a store-bought clamp or vice. If you are going to work on a small piece of wood, use a clamp when smoothing it out. You can then hold it in your hand as you carve the face.
Be careful with smaller pieces of wood. Keep a firm grip on the block and make sure the carving tools you use aren't close to your body.
3. **Strip the wood with a drawknife if your wood has outer bark.** To use the drawknife, lay the wood on a flat surface. Then, place the knife at the end of the wood and while gripping the 2 handles, pull the knife towards you to gradually scrape away the bark. Smaller, lighter pieces of wood must be clamped while you work to avoid accidents.
You can get a drawknife online or at most tool supply stores.
If you wish to avoid refining a piece of wood, look for premade wood blocks. They are available at most craft and hobby stores and after you take them home, you can begin carving them right away.
4. **Slice off the soft sapwood underneath the bark with an axe.** Sapwood is usually a light white or tan color. Because it is softer than the wood underneath it, it needs to be removed. Starting at 1 end of the wood, chop down into the softwood. Position the axe blade almost horizontal against the wood, then stroke it towards the opposite end of the wood piece to shave off the parts you need to remove.
Most pieces of wood will have a thin ring of sapwood. If you look at the cut end, you may be able to see where the darker, harder heartwood begins. Wood from younger trees may have more sapwood to remove.
If you don't have an axe, try using a carving knife or another sharp implement
5. **Check the wood for holes and other features that may affect your work.** Every piece of wood is unique, so you owe it to yourself to give the wood a good inspection. Find out what features speak to you and decide how you will incorporate them into your carving. Holes, knots, and bumps are a few features that look more unique and natural when incorporated into carvings.
For example, insect holes and discolorations can make a face look rustic. The face doesn't have to be perfect. These imperfections may end up making your carving more endearing.
You can try incorporating rough spots into a beard or nose, for example, giving these features texture and making them more attention-grabbing.
6. **Draw lines to indicate the face's center and hairline.** Don't worry, you will end up shaving off these lines as you go. Choose which side of the wood you will carve into the face. In the center of the piece of wood, use a permanent marker to draw a line from the hairline to the chin. Finish by making a dotted line from side to side across the nose and hairline.
Even professionals use these lines for guidance. Keep in mind that they are estimates. Your carving will evolve as you cut away the wood.
If you're carving a block of wood, consider making 1 of the corner edges your centerline. Carving the facial features out of a sharp edge is easier than doing it on a flat surface.
Keep your marker handy, especially if you're a beginner. Use it when necessary to outline features before carving them. This can be handy for cutting small details like eyes.
7. **Make notches below the brow and the bottom of the nose.** For a face carving with no body, a simple way to outline the nose is by placing the brow notch ⅓ of the way down the centerline and the nose bottom ⅔ of the way down. On each spot, make a V-shaped cut with a carving knife or hammer and chisel. Do this by cutting down diagonally, then meeting the first cut with a second cut from the opposite side, forming the letter V.
Plan on making the notches about ⅓ of the width you want the finished face to be.
Start small with the V-cuts. Repeat the cuts and scrape away the excess wood to widen the notches.
A carving knife is good for small blocks of wood. When carving larger pieces, you may find a hammer and chisel to be more effective.
8. **Carve around the nose with a knife to finish outlining it.** Make small, diagonal cuts up from the ends of the bottom notch. Extend these cuts to about the halfway point between the centerline and where you plan on the side of the face beginning. Then, cut diagonally back towards the center of the nose and up to the brow notch.
Use a carving knife or gouge to remove the excess wood around and along the nose. Shave away wood between the nose and side of the face to add detail like cheeks.
Shaping features correctly can be a little tricky until you are familiar with facial proportions. Take some time to observe people and pictures to get an accurate idea of the how the nose should look.
Work slowly. You can always remove excess wood, but you can't reverse mistakes. Any mistakes you make need to be covered up, such as by deepening or evening out cuts.
9. **Create the mouth by outlining the lips with a V-tool.** Position the mouth about ⅓ of the way between the nose and chin. Tracing this part with a marker is often very helpful. When you're ready, use a V-tool or gouge to cut directly into the lines you traced. Then, use a knife to shave away the excess wood around the mouth to add definition to the lips and chin.
A lot of wood carvers make faces with thick mustaches. Mustaches are often way easier to plan and carve than lips. The lines for the mustache usually start beside the nostrils, curve down to the top of the chin, then come back up to meet above the top lip.
A V-tool is a handy tool used to make quick V-cuts, giving facial features plenty of immediate definition. They come in a variety of sizes and can be found online or at some craft supply stores. If you don't have one, you can also continue using a knife or chisel.
10. **Smooth out the eye sockets and outline the eyes with a V-tool.** Before beginning the eye outlines, flatten out the area around the nose top and brow notch as needed with a carving knife. Then, begin the eyes right beside the bridge of the nose. Make 2 curving lines to create almond-shaped eyes that end ⅔ of the way towards the face's side. Finish the design by carving a circle in each eye to create the pupils.
You can add definition to this area by adding a few extra lines. For instance, use the V-tool to make another line below the lower edge of the eye, defining the lower eyelid.
11. **Make notches in the side of the wood for ears if needed.** Turn the wood block over on its side and make V-cuts with a V-tool to outline the ears. Keep these cuts level with the eyes and the bottom of the nose. A rule of thumb for realistic ears is making them proportionate to the nose, so use the original nose notches you made as a guideline.
Remember that when people look at the face from the front, they only see the front edge of each earlobe. A couple of notches is enough to create the ear shape. You don't need to spend lots of time making detailed ears.
Some wood carvers may forgo the ears or choose to cover them with long hair. If this is part of your design, you can leave the ears off without a problem.
12. **Carve lines inside the mouth and on facial hair to add detail.** Depending on your design, the amount of detail work you need to do to the lower part of the face may vary. You can use the V-tool to trace a line across the mouth, differentiating the lips. If your carving has a beard or mustache, use the V-tool to add volume by carving lines running from the nose and mouth down towards the chin.
Smooth out the chin area as needed before adding the fine detail. For example, ensure the lower chin and beard area is beneath the mustache. Shave wood from the lower area before adding fine details.
13. **Round the edges off the top of the wood to form the head.** When rounding out the shape of the face, keep in mind your plans for the hair. Measure out how much wood you need to leave above the hairline to carve whatever hairstyle you plan on giving the face. Using a knife or chisel, gradually cut away the excess wood from the top of your piece until it is about level with the ears.
14. **Cut lines in the hair area with a V-tool to give it depth.** Creating hair is similar to detailing beards and mustaches. The first step is to continue removing excess wood until you have a general shape for the hairstyle. Then, use your carving tools to make a series of small, vertical lines running from the head to the top of the hair, forming a few individual hair strands.
The hair does not need to be super long or detailed. You can add a few lines above the hairline to indicate that the hair exists, or you can work all the way up to the top of your piece of wood.
You can add lines around the ears and down the side of the wood block to indicate long hair.
15. **Finish the face with smaller details like wrinkles and eyebrows.** Check over your piece to see where you need to deepen existing lines and add more details. Scrape away any excess wood as needed with a knife or chisel, then use a V-tool or gouge to create smaller lines. For example, add small marks around the eyes and wavy lines in the forehead to indicate age.
Eyebrows are done similarly to other types of hair. Indicate them by using the V-tool to carve a few lines up from the eye.
Check over your whole piece before you finish. Look for any spots where you can improve the face's definition. You may need to go over it a few times before it looks the way you envisioned.
16. **Sand the wood smooth if you want to eliminate rough edges.** Some people like the rough look of a finished wood carving, so sanding isn't an obligation. If you choose to sand it, get a piece of 220-grit sandpaper and lightly rub it down. This will remove splinters so you don't have to worry about pricking your fingers as you enjoy your finished piece.
V-tools and gouges can leave some sharp edges, so pay attention to the areas you cut with them. Wear off sharp edges around the cuts to give the face a softer, more natural look. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Carve-Faces-in-Wood", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Your Gerbil Happy | Gerbils are small rodents that come from a desert environment, but they make excellent pets for responsible kids and adults as well. If you have a pet gerbil or if you are considering getting one, you will want to learn all about their needs in order to keep them happy. Like most creatures, gerbils need a clean place to live, nutritious food, clean water, toys, affection, and regular veterinary care. Keep reading to learn how to make your gerbil happy.
1. **Consider getting two same-sex gerbils and not just one.** Gerbils are very social creatures and like to live with other gerbils. When first buying your gerbil you should consider getting more than one. This will keep your gerbil much happier. However, if you already have a gerbil(s) and introduce a new one, it is likely that they will fight.
Studies have shown that lone gerbils live a shorter period of time.
Consult a vet before getting another gerbil to see if it is a good idea for the health and well-being of your pet. If you decide to get another gerbil, you may need to use a split cage to introduce the new gerbil to the old one before putting them into the same cage.
Do not get a male and female gerbil or they will breed. While the baby gerbils may be cute at first, gerbils breed quickly and it is easy for a pet gerbil population to get out of control. Most people would find it difficult to provide adequate housing, food, and care for dozens of gerbils.
2. **Keep your gerbils in a wire cage or a 10 gallon (37.9 L) tank with a wire mesh cover.** Line the cage or tank with plenty of bedding such as timothy hay or aspen shavings. Place the cage or tank out of direct sunlight and away from drafts. You don’t want your gerbils to get too hot or too cold.
Do not use pine or cedar shavings because the fume may be harmful to your gerbils.
Make sure that you provide enough bedding for your gerbil to dig and burrow, since gerbils are natural diggers.
3. **Provide your gerbils with accessories that will make them happy.** For example, your gerbil will enjoy an exercise wheel. Gerbils need lots of exercise to be happy, and an exercise wheel is a great way to provide them with that. Make sure that the wheel does not have any openings that may cause your gerbil’s tail to get caught.
Give your gerbil a nice enclosed place to sleep. Gerbils like to hide and sleep in tight, dark spaces, so place a small flower pot or a box in your gerbil’s cage.
Add pvc tubes to your gerbil’s cage for tunneling and playing.
Place a rock in your gerbil’s cage for perching and inspecting.
4. **Provide toys for your gerbil.** Just make sure that the toys are not made from soft plastic because your gerbil will chew these items to shreds. Look for toys that your gerbil will not be able to shred, such as strong wooden toys.
Anything made of cardboard will also get chewed to shreds, but it won't hurt your gerbil.
5. **Feed your gerbil a special gerbil seed mix.** Look for a specially formulated gerbil food mix at your local pet store. Follow the package instructions for how much to give your gerbil each day and serve the food in a small ceramic dish placed inside of his cage.
One way that you can begin to bond with your gerbil is to pick out some of the larger seeds from the mix, such as the sunflower seeds, and feed them to your gerbil by hand. Make sure the seeds are not too large or too small, as your gerbil may choke.
6. **Provide a water bottle for your gerbil.** Gerbils need to have access to clean fresh water at all times. Use a hanging water bottle to provide your gerbils with plenty of water. Make sure that the water bottle’s tip does not touch or come too close to the bedding or the water may drain out.
Check the water bottle’s tip daily to make sure that it is working properly.
7. **Give your gerbil treats.** Cheerios, rice crispies, apples, carrots, and lettuce are all good choices to treat your gerbil. However, too many treats can be bad for the gerbil's health. Bananas make excellent treats, and your gerbils will love having small pieces of them. Make sure that whatever you give your gerbil does not contain any sugar, flavors, or other additives. Do not give your gerbil junk food.
Give your gerbil a large chunk rather than small ones or they may get lost in the bedding. Remove the treat after your gerbil has finished with it.
8. **Give your gerbil something to chew on.** Like all rodents, a gerbil’s teeth never stop growing. Gerbils need to chew to keep their teeth from growing out of control, so make sure that you provide your gerbil with a sterilized bone or a pesticide and chemical-free stick to chew on.
9. **Clean your gerbil’s cage regularly.** To help keep your gerbil happy, you will need to keep his cage nice and clean. Once per week you should also perform a deep cleaning on your gerbil’s cage. Remove everything from your gerbil’s cage (including your gerbil) and scrub the sides and bottom with warm, soapy water. Then rinse and dry the cage before putting in new bedding, your gerbil’s accessories, and your gerbil. In addition to a weekly deep clean, you should also do the following every day:
Remove and replace any soiled or damp bedding.
Remove and dispose of droppings.
Remove old food.
10. **Handle your gerbil with care.** It will take some time and patience before your gerbil is ready to let you hold him. Build up his trust in you by allowing him to sniff your hand and even give you a little nibble. You can also offer your gerbil some treats from your hand to build up his trust in you. Once your gerbil is more comfortable with you, you can try to pick him up.
To pick up your gerbil, gently cup both hands around him and lift him slowly out of his cage. Do not swoop in and grab him or you will startle him and cause him to hide from you. Never grab the gerbil by the tail, as this could seriously injure it.
11. **Allow your gerbil some supervised time outside of his cage each day.** Gerbils also need time outside of their cages to be happy. Once you have established trust with your gerbil, take him out of his cage once per day for a little supervised play time outside of his cage. Make sure to keep him in a room where you can monitor his movement. Otherwise he might burrow somewhere and make it difficult for you to find him.
12. **Get regular veterinary care for your gerbil.** A healthy gerbil will be much happier than an unhealthy gerbil. If a gerbil is well cared for, it may live to be 3 or even 4 years old. Take your gerbil for regular check-ups with the veterinarian to make sure that he stays healthy and happy.
An unhealthy gerbil may have a variety of symptoms, such as sneezing, difficulty breathing, diarrhea and lethargy. If your gerbil is sick, take him to see a veterinarian right away. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Gerbil-Happy", "language": "en"} |
How to Call Guatemala | International phone calls can feel like a real drag. The extra digits required can feel needlessly complicated. However, calling someone in Guatemala is actually pretty simple if you just dial a few extra numbers. All you need is your country's exit code, Guatemala's country code (502), and the number you're trying to reach. If the long distance charges are out of your budget, explore options like video chatting and online messaging to save some money contacting a friend or family member abroad.
1. **Dial your country's exit code.** Every country has what is called an exit code. It's the number you dial in order to direct a call outside the country. In the United States and Canada, the exit code is "011." If calling from the US or Canada, dial these numbers first.
If you're not from the United States or Canada, you can find your country's exit code online. For example, the United Kingdom's exit code is "00."
2. **Dial "502."** In addition to having an exit code, every country has a unique country code. This is the code you type after the exit code to indicate which country you're trying to reach. Guatemala's exit code is "502." Dial this after the exit code.
For example, if you're calling from the United States, you would dial, "011-502."
3. **Punch in the phone number.** After you dial the exit and country code, punch in the number you're trying to reach in Guatemala. Your phone call should be directed to the country.
For example, if you're trying to reach the number "1234-5678," you would dial, "011-502-1234-5678."
4. **Check your cell phone rates first.** Cell phone providers may charge considerably more for calls abroad. To avoid getting hit with an unexpectedly large bill, check your cell phone policy by reviewing your contract. If you don't have your contract, call your service provider to ask about rates for international calls.
5. **See if you need a calling card.** Calling cards are prepaid cards that give you a set number of minutes per month. If you're calling from a cell phone, your cell phone provider may require you to use an international calling card when calling abroad. Review your cell phone policy or call your provider to see if you need a calling card.
6. **Account for time difference.** Depending on where you live, there may be a big time difference between the time in Guatemala and the time where you're calling from. You can search online to figure the time of day in Guatemala. Do this before you call to avoid disturbing someone by calling very late or very early.
7. **Try video call options.** If your rates for international calls are sky high, consider alternatives to phone calls. If you have a computer and access to wi-fi, you can use websites like Skype and Google Hangouts to contact others through video chatting. This is a free alternative to making a potentially pricey phone call.
8. **Make cheap phone calls using Skype.** If you dislike video chatting, Skype can also be used for phone calls. You can sign up for Skype's international calling service to make phone calls using the application. While it does cost money to make international calls using Skype, it's generally only a few cents a minute and, depending on your cell phone provider, may be much cheaper than calling with your phone.
9. **Make use of instant messaging.** Many social media websites have instant messaging options. For example, you can talk to someone abroad via Facebook to save money on phone calls. Many e-mail providers, such as Gmail, have instant messaging options as well.
Apps like WhatsApp allow you to send international text messages for free. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Call-Guatemala", "language": "en"} |
How to Make a Haynet | Haynets are an effective method to feed your horse without having to use a trough. They can be very expensive, though, so it can be more cost-effective to make one yourself with some paracord. Plus, if you already have the materials on hand, when your haynet breaks, you can repair it or make a new one rather than pay for one!
1. **Cut out 10 lengths of paracord.** Using bulk paracord, cut out 10 2.5 m (8.2 ft) long lengths of ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) paracord. It's best to use alternating colors of paracord to more easily differentiate the lengths later on. You can find paracord at most hobby stores, at hardware sports stores, or online.
Paracord is recommended for its stretchiness, but you can use any type of nylon cord instead. It's important not to use an organic material, such as hemp or rope, as the horse may chew through it and loosen the hay.
2. **Fold the paracord in half and align the ends together.** Hold all of the paracord lengths together and fold them over your hand, so that both sides are equal. An easy way to do this is to align the ends on both sides, as this ensures that there is an equal amount of cord on either side of the fold.
Aligning the ends together is essential to making your later knots as equally spaced and properly separated as possible. It can be troublesome if you realize one cord is shorter than the others while knotting, as you will have to untie and re-align the bunch all over again.
3. **Form a knot with the whole bunch where you folded it in half.** Take the ends of the cords and tie a knot with the entire bunch at once. This tells you where the top of the haynet will be and the knot can be hung from a hook or a fence to make the tying process easier later on.
To tie a knot with the whole bunch, wrap the middle of the folded cord around your hand, creating a loop, then remove your hand and push the one end of cords through the hole created by your arm. Pull the ends through and you should end up with a tight knot directly in the middle of the bunch.
4. **Tie 10 knots a little bit below the top knot with two pieces of cord each.** Use two pieces of paracord at a time to create 10 separate knots about 5 cm (2.0 in) below the top knot. You should end up with a ring of knots all equally spaced from the top knot.
If you used alternating colors of paracord, simply combine adjacent cords of different colors to end up with a ring of knots.
5. **Continue making knots every 5 cm (2.0 in) while alternating threads.** Go down the entire length of the paracords and create knots all the way down every 5 cm (2.0 in). Instead of using the same two pieces of paracord every time, use the one next to it on the other side to create triangle-shaped holes. After tying cord all the way down, you should end up with what look like diamond-shaped holes.
If you tie the same two lengths of cord together all the way down, you will not end up with a net, and instead will have an array of unconnected cords with knots in it.
You should end up with about 12 or 13 rows of knots with a little bit of rope dangling below the last knot, usually more than 5 cm (2.0 in)
6. **Make a final knot directly below the last row of knots.** Use the same two cords that you used for the previous knot, and tie a final knot ⁄4 in (1.9 cm) below the last knot on each cord. This will create a ring of 10 small loops at the end of the haynet.
Don't cut away any rope until you have finished the last knots for every loop.
7. **Cut off the remaining cord and burn the knots to prevent fraying.** Cut away any remaining paracord from where it attaches to the last ring of knots and set it to the side. Then, using a lighter or torch on its lowest setting, burn the knots where you cut away the remaining rope to solidify the knot and prevent fraying.
Stop burning the knots when you see the plastic of the cord melting or when it starts to char or catch light.
Keep some water nearby to quickly put out a fire if the knots catch alight.
8. **Thread a cord through the loops at the end of the haynet.** Take a .9–1.2 m (3.0–3.9 ft) long piece of paracord and thread it through each loop all the way around the haynet, but don't tie it. Instead, leave the rope to hang down and align the ends, so you have an equal amount of rope coming out of the first and last loops..
The loops at the bottom are created by the small gap between the last two knots on the same ropes.
9. **Tie the end of the cord into a knot, so it can be hung.** Tie the very end of the dangling cord into a knot to leave about ⁄3 metre (1.1 ft) of space between the knot and the haynet. This will allow the haynet to expand with its contents while also allowing it to be tied around a fence pole or hung from a height.
10. **Flip the haynet upside down and load hay into the open hole.** Turn the haynet so that the open hole is facing upwards. Then, open the hole and load as much hay as can fit into the haynet. It should stretch as you continue to add hay, allowing for multiple pounds of food to be kept at once.
Haynets are popular because they keep other animals from getting into the horse's food. Rats, mites, and other creatures will easily get into a trough, whereas a haynet can be hung from something and dangle in the air.
11. **Hang the haynet from a fence or pole and let your horse munch away.** Hang the filled haynet from a high fence or pole to keep it off the ground and let your horse investigate it and eat from it. You can hang it from the stable wall if there is something to tie it to in the roof, which allows your horse to have some food while it is in its stall.
You may find that the rope to hang the haynet from is too long, in which case, simply wrap the rope around the pole or fence a few times to raise the haynet and provide a stronger hold. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Haynet", "language": "en"} |
How to Write an Income Statement | An income statement is a key financial document in business. It shows the profitability of a company over a specific period of time. The following guide shows you how to prepare a simple multi-step income statement. A multi-step income statement separates operating income and expenses from non-operational gains and losses.
1. **Gather your financial information
** Before you begin creating your income statement, gather all the necessary financial information you'll need, including revenue, expenses, and any other income or losses.
Make sure you have a paper or something such as excel to create an income statement. Your income statement would be written out as the name of your company, and then writing income statement and the date written as For the Month Ended October 31.
Then you would write out the main things you'll be using on the income statement, Revenues, expenses, gross profit.
2. **Choose a time period for your income statement.** Income statements measure revenues and expenses during a certain period of time and are typically generated on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Pick the duration that you want to use for calculating your income statement.
Businesses that are publicly traded must generate income statements on quarterly and annual basis to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Businesses also generate income statements on a periodic basis to identify business trends and evaluate financial results.
Decide on the time frame for which you want to create the income statement, like a quarter or a fiscal year.
A fiscal year is a 12-month accounting period that businesses use for taxing purposes.
3. **Write the income statement header.** At the top of the document, write the name of the company. On the line directly beneath the company name, write "Income Statement." On the next line, write the period of time that the income statement covers.
4. **Format the body of the income statement.** Income statements have four distinct sections.
The first section of the income statement calculates gross profit, or the total amount of money made, from sales revenue and cost of goods sold.
The second section calculates your total operational expenses.
The third section calculates gains and losses unrelated to your operational costs.
The fourth section calculates net income, or the money you’ve made in profit after subtracting your expenses from your revenue.
5. **Write "Sales Revenue" below the income statement header.** Sales revenue includes all revenue earned from the sale of goods and services, regardless of whether or not the cash has been collected. List sales revenue for the period you selected.
For example, say that you sold 10,000 units of inventory for $5 USD a piece. You would record sales revenue of $50,000 USD, even if your customers haven't all paid you yet.
List all the revenue you generated during the period you're reporting on. This could include sales revenue, rental income, interest income, or any other sources of revenue your business generates.
Make sure to Write Revenue and then on the next line indent and list out your revenues in order.
Write your numbers directly to the right parallel to the revenues written out.
When totaling your revenues on the left side of the numbers you will put all your revenues and when you write out your total revenues at the end you add them all up and right on the far right side the total revenue.
6. **Calculate your cost of goods sold.** The cost of goods sold is comprised of the direct labor, direct materials, and manufacturing overhead expense you incurred to create the inventory that you sold. List the cost of goods sold for the period underneath your sales revenue.
For example, if you sold 10,000 units of inventory during the period and paid an average of $2 USD for each unit, you would record $20,000 USD for the cost of goods sold.
If you're a reseller, the cost of goods sold is typically the price that you paid to purchase the inventory.
If your business sells physical products, you'll need to calculate the cost of goods sold. This includes the cost of materials, labor, and any other costs directly related to producing and delivering your products.
For a basic income statement, the main things you will write out would be revenue, and expenses, and subtracting the total two to get your net income. But an extended income statement will start to include your COGS and gross profit and operating expenses.
7. **Subtract the cost of goods sold from sales revenue to find your gross profit.** Your gross profit is the total amount of money you made during the period before your expenses. Write the difference between your sales revenue and the cost of goods sold on the next line on your spreadsheet.
For example, if sales revenue is $50,000 and the cost of goods sold is $20,000, you would record gross profit of $30,000 on the income statement.
Use a green pen or change the font color to show that the number listed is a profit.
8. **Write all the types of operating expenses the business has.** Operating expenses are expenses that directly relate to business administration. Next to each line item, list the amount of expense incurred during the period.
List all the expenses you incurred while running your business during the period you're reporting on. This could include salaries and wages, rent, utilities, marketing expenses, and any other costs related to running your business.
Common operating expenses include salary and wages for those employees not directly involved in the product of goods, rent, insurance, office supplies, professional fees, utilities, transportation expense, marketing, depreciation, and property taxes. Direct labor has already been deducted from the Cost of Goods.
If the business has a large variety of expenses, you can group similar line items into one category to save space. For example, you can create an "Employee compensation" line item that includes salaries, health insurance premiums, retirement benefits, payroll taxes, worker's compensation, and payroll processing fees.
9. **Calculate your operating income:** Subtract your total operating expenses from your gross profit to figure out your operating income.
This is the income your business generated from its operations before accounting for any other income or expenses.
10. **Find the depreciation and amortization for your business.** Depreciation and amortization are both methods that reduce the recorded cost of assets. Depreciation is most commonly calculated using a straight line method, which is gradually reducing the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life. Amortization is used for intangible assets and is calculated similarly to depreciation.
If you had any other income or expenses during the period you're reporting on, such as investment income or interest expenses, list them separately.
11. **Add together the expenses to find how much money you’ve spent.** Take all of the items in your expenses list and add them together with a calculator. Write your total expenses on the next line of your spreadsheet.
Use a red pen or change the font color to red to signify that the expenses should be subtracted at the end.
Add up your operating income and any other income or expenses to calculate your net income. This is the total amount of income your business made during the period you're reporting on.
12. **Write the non-operational gains the business has.** Non-operational gains are revenues that don't directly relate to business operations, sales, and production. These revenues are from activities that are different or peripheral to normal operations, such as investments or unrelated sales. Next to each line item, list the amount of revenue incurred during the period.
Common non-operational gains include interest revenues and gains from the sale of securities. These items add to the income of the enterprise while expenses reduce income.
13. **Add the gains together to find the total.** Once you list all the non-operational gains your business has, add them together so you have one number for total gains. Put the total gains on the line directly underneath your list so you can easily find it later.
Write your gains in green so you know that they’re a profit.
14. **Calculate the non-operational losses the business has.** Non-operational losses also don't directly relate to the business operation or sales. Next to each line item, list the amount of expense incurred during the period.
Common non-operational losses include interest expense paid to lenders, losses from the sale of investments, and losses from litigation.
15. **Combine your losses to find the total.** Add together everything listed in your losses section of your income statement to get your total losses. Write the total on the next line of your statement so you can easily find it later.
List the total losses in red to color-code your spreadsheet. That way, you know to combine them with your other operational expenses.
16. **Add the gross profit to your non-operational gains.** Find the gross profit you calculated in the first section and the gains in the third section of your statement. Add the numbers together to find the total profit your business gained over the period of time.
17. **Find the total expenses by combining operational and non-operational losses.** Locate the total operating expenses from the second section and your non-operational losses from the third section of the income statement. Add the 2 numbers together to find the total amount of expenses your business had.
18. **Subtract the total losses from your total gains to find your net income.** Take the expenses you just calculated and subtract them from the profits. Write down the net income at the bottom of your statement.
Your net income could be positive or negative depending on how much you spent and earned during the period of time.
19. **Review and analyze your income statement
** Once you've completed your income statement, review it carefully to make sure all the numbers are accurate, and the statement is clear and easy to understand. Use your income statement to analyze your business's financial performance and identify areas for improvement.
20. **Update and Revise your Income Statement
** If necessary, revise and update your income statement to reflect any changes in your business's financial situation. Keep your income statement updated and use it to track your business's financial performance over time. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Income-Statement", "language": "en"} |
How to Destroy a CD or DVD | Some CD's or DVD's have personal or confidential information on them. Destruction of the discs is necessary for security reasons. If you have CD's or DVD's to destroy, then this article will help you.
1. **Fold and bust.** Wrap the discs with plastic wrap and then fold it until it breaks.
2. **Shred the discs with a disc shredder.**
3. **Cut the discs.** You can use a pair of scissors, but be careful as the foil will flake.
4. **Break the discs.** Wrap the discs with a towel and use a kick or a hammer to destroy the disc. The towel is used to protect you.
5. **Cut the discs with a knife.**
6. **Center punch the discs.** Punch at least 12 holes on the discs.
7. **Microwave the discs.** Place the disc into a microwave and set it for 5-10 seconds, or until you see sparks. The microwave cannot be used for food after that.
Always use adult supervision when doing this step.
8. **Use a blow torch to melt the discs.** Do in a safe area using proper safety gear. The ground on which the CDs sit should be flameproof, such as concrete.
9. **Erase the discs with the computer, if the disc is rewritable and the computer has a CD-RW drive.**
10. **Cover the disc with duct tape, then rip it off.** This does not work on all discs.
11. **Sand the discs.** Use a belt sander on the top side of the disc. This should be done in an easy-to-clean area.
12. **Wipe with acetone.** Soak a cotton pad in pure acetone, then wipe the bottom of the disc with it. It should become frosted and unreadable. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Destroy-a-CD-or-DVD", "language": "en"} |
What Does the 🤎 Brown Heart Emoji Mean? | Seeing a heart emoji is always a bit exhilarating, but what does a 🤎 (brown heart) emoji mean? You may see this colored heart popping up on your feed and in your texts, and its meaning can change depending on context. We’ve got all the details on the 🤎 (brown heart) emoji, so keep reading to learn what this heart means and how you can use it.
1. **The 🤎 emoji symbolizes love.** If your special someone sends you this emoji, they like you! You may see a 🤎 attached to a flirtatious or romantic text. All in all, a heart is always a good sign!
“I can’t wait to see you tonight 😉🤎”
“You look beautiful, baby 😍🤎”
2. **A 🤎 emoji represents racial equality and justice.** In recent years, the 🤎 and 🖤 have taken the world by storm in support of BIPOC communities. The brown heart emoji is often used to show solidarity with people of color and for movements like Black Lives Matter.
“You are important. Your life matters. 🤎”
“Happy Black History Month! 🤎🖤”
3. **The 🤎 emoji can also reference the color brown.** This colored heart emoji may appear when someone’s talking about something brown in color, like food, clothes, or even nature. Chances are, if they’ve posted a picture of something brown, the 🤎 simply means “brown.”
“LOVE my new brown boots! 🤎👢”
“There’s something so calming about the dessert ☀️🤎🌵”
4. **When you love someone:** Pair the 🤎 with a 😍 to say, “I love you.” The brown heart emoji is a great way for you to express love and affection for someone you care about. Try adding it to a flirtatious text in place of a ❤️.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off you last night 😍🤎”
“There’s no one I’d rather be with 🤎”
5. **When you support racial equality:** Show that you stand with BIPOC communities by adding a 🤎 to your bio. You can even pair this heart emoji with other solidarity emojis like ✊🏽, 🙏, and ❤️ on social media.
“It’s important that we stand up for justice. We’re in this together 🤎✊🏽 #BLM”
“The hate needs to end 🤎🙏”
6. **When you post a picture of something brown:** Add a 🤎 to a caption to show a love for the color brown. Maybe you snap a pic of a chocolate cake, tell a friend you bought a brown sweater, or share your favorite nature quote. Either way, if you’re referencing something brown, use a 🤎.
“What I wouldn’t give for chocolate cake right now 😩🍫🤎”
“The fall collection is simply GORGEOUS 🤎👜”
7. **The 🤎 emoji isn’t the only heart emoji with secret meanings.** With ten colored heart emojis to choose from, you can create all types of messages and meanings! Try pairing heart emojis together or decorating your social media feed with your favorite colored heart. Check out the colorful meanings of these heart emojis:
❤️: Love
🧡: Friendship
💛: Positivity
💚: Gratitude
💙: Peace
💜: Support
🖤: Sorrow
🤍: Purity | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/What-Does-the-Brown-Heart-Emoji-Mean", "language": "en"} |
How to Make a Narcissist Regret Losing You | Having a relationship with someone who has narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is never easy. If you're moving on, it's only natural to feel hurt, and wish that you could make them regret losing you. Maybe you just want them to know that your life is better off without them. Either way, you might be wondering how to make them feel remorse. In this article, we'll help you navigate your feelings while you show the narcissist person what they're missing.
1. **Walk away and end communication to signal that you are done with them.** Going no-contact is the best way to deal with them, although they'll probably keep trying to reach out to get your attention. To help you stand strong and manage the stress of ignoring the narcissist, remind yourself to take deep relaxing breaths. Try stress-reduction techniques like mindful meditation or journaling too.
If you have kids with them or you're colleagues, you may not be able to cut off all communication. Keep your interactions dedicated to discussing childcare, or, in the case of a colleague, talking about work.
2. **Turn your energy inward to distract yourself and move on.** Don't give the person with NPD the satisfaction of seeing you lonely or depressed—they'll feel like they still have power over you. If they call or text, ignore them. If you can't, tell them that you're busy doing something else.
Tell the narcissist that you can't talk or meet up because your schedule is too busy. For instance, maybe you've always wanted to learn how to throw pottery, take a jiu-jitsu class, or travel more.
Maybe you've got dreams that you always put off. Now's a good time to make positive changes in your life, so go for them.
3. **Being around people who respect you can make you feel empowered.** This shows the person with NPD that you are valued by others. With emotional support, you may even start to realize that you're ready to move on with your life and you don't care what the narcissist thinks about you.
If you don't feel like you can talk with your friends or family about the narcissistic person in your life, reach out to an online support group.
4. **Come to terms with the fact that you can't make them feel a certain way.** Push yourself to move on because the narcissist won't miss you—they'll miss whatever they were getting from you. Unfortunately, people with NPD can't give genuine love. You deserve better! Imagine how much happier you could be with someone else who genuinely appreciates you.
They won't regret the way they treated you either because they'll find ways to justify their behavior.
5. **You won't be able to out-manipulate a narcissist, so remain calm and rational.** It's natural to want to hurt them the same way they hurt you, but remind yourself that they're incredibly skilled at getting what they need. Instead, come to terms with the relationship ending, and focus on your own well-being.
A person with NPD will thrive if you try to belittle, hurt, or expose them. They'll love the attention and emotional energy you're giving them. Walking away from them is actually the one thing you can do that they truly have no control over.
6. **Allow yourself to feel all the emotions you're experiencing.** When you realize you were with a narcissist, you may be tough on yourself for staying so long. You may feel confused, sad, or angry—all of these are completely valid emotions. You can't expect to simply turn off all the feelings you had for this person. It might help to do activities that allow you to think and process all that you went through.
Try journaling, meditation, or yoga for instance. Joining a weekly class can also provide you with some structure and socialization that might help you heal.
7. **It might be hard to be happy right now, but tell yourself that you're better off.** You probably experienced plenty of low points with the narcissistic person—they probably made you feel less important, less special, or less capable than them. Enjoy the fact that you don't have that disrespectful person around to shut you down constantly. Instead, repeat positive affirmations like, "It's important for me to be happy," and "I am worthy of love."
Do activities that help you heal, whether that's gardening, jogging with a friend, or kickboxing.
When people with NPD feel something close to regret, it's because they regret this loss of power over you.
8. **Share your emotions with people who genuinely care about you.** Keep all emotionally charged issues away from the narcissist in your life since they'll use your intense feelings to feel better about themselves. Instead, share your struggles or celebrate wins with people in your life who are capable of empathy.
It's natural to want to show off when good things happen to you, but it's better to ignore the narcissist. For instance, maybe you got an amazing job offer. Go out and celebrate with friends instead of telling the narcissist about it.
9. **Don't waste your time or energy dwelling on what the narcissist thinks.** You won't truly be free of them until you can live your life without analyzing what the person would think of your actions. Remember, you're not trying to please or impress them anymore. This can be a very freeing feeling.
In most cases, the person with NPD moves on with their life and doesn't continue to think about past relationships.
10. **Talking with a therapist can help you recover.** Getting over a relationship with a narcissist can be really tough. You might tell yourself you need to move on, but cutting off your feelings for the person can be hard. Therapy can definitely help if you're working through difficult feelings, managing low self-esteem, or you want to learn coping techniques.
Your therapist may recommend group therapy where you can talk with people who are going through a similar situation. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Narcissist-Regret-Losing-You", "language": "en"} |
How to Try to Fix a Friendship After You Broke It | It can seem impossible to restart a friendship after you messed it up but it's definitely worth the effort and, with luck, you may just succeed. If not, at least you gave it your best shot.
1. **Admit that you were the one in the wrong.** That even if you thought at the time it was the right thing to do, you now realize it caused the other person to feel less important and as such, it was not worth battling over.
2. **Look at yourself and the situation long and hard.** This will help you to know how to form a solution. This is not the time to just think you can text or call the person and expect everything will be just fine. Sometimes, they feel it is "too late"; however, if they mean the world to you don't just give up; after all, if it was your fault, you need to prove to them that they are worth fighting for.
3. **Get in touch.** After you have looked at the situation and have seen in your own mind how the other person felt about it contact the other person and apologize. They may not be ready to hear from you but at least they know that you are sorry for your actions. If the person is not ready to talk to you, do not get upset and do not keep texting them. This could cause them to block your texts and make it almost impossible to get in contact with them
4. **Give it time.** After the first attempt to apologize, give it a day or two. This could feel like a lifetime when you care so much for someone and you know you hurt them but give it time. Rushing to get that person to accept your apology could hurt things even more. Give them time and plenty of space.
5. **Be thoughtful.** When you do text back to that person after a few days just let them know that you are still thinking about them. Don't go all crazy and leave a long text that takes days to read. It could be as simple as "just wanted you to know that I am still thinking of you and I know I messed up". They might respond back or they might ignore it. If they do not respond, do not blow up their phone with a bunch of mean texts. Remember that you are the one who messed up, not them.
6. **Face facts.** If they do not respond after three attempts to contact them you know you really messed up. This is the point when you decide how much this person means to you. If you want to keep trying the next step is to try to approach them and talk to them. If you start to walk up to them and they walk away from you ask them once to please stop, if they don't do not run after them and cause a big thing in front of everyone. If you are lucky and they do, stop don't get excited and start just start saying everything on your mind. Be truthful about how you feel without flooding them with all your thoughts and feelings.
7. **Let things go.** If you were not able to talk to them because they didn't stop the last thing you can really do is just let them be. Whatever you did really made them upset and you may have lost them forever, but it was your fault so you have to deal with it. This is where you start over.
8. **Look at yourself.** This means really look at yourself! Why did it happen? Were you drunk? Then stop drinking...Were you mad and out of control? Then find a way to get the anger out in a good way. Start working on yourself because once you figure out what is wrong with you, then you can start fixing what is wrong with your friendship
9. **Move forward.** It's going to be hard to get on with your life if you lost someone who really was your everything, but you can do it. Find something that makes you happy––surfing, photography, any old hobby you haven't done in a while and pick it up again. Once you find something that makes you happy again, take that energy and try to channel it. Keep that energy and move on with your life do not look back. Yes, you at one time loved this other person but it didn't work out. You realized what you did wrong and you know not to do it again. Learn from your mistake and don't keep repeating it; you will find someone who will make you feel whole again. It might even be the original person who made you start over. Just don't fall into the same routine.
10. **Live happy and let them live happy also.** If you truly did love them at one point, then you shouldn't be sad that they found someone to make them happy. After all, that is all that you wanted right? So find your happiness in the best way that you can, and remember the friendship for the treasure it once was. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Try-to-Fix-a-Friendship-After-You-Broke-It", "language": "en"} |
How to Take Care of a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Plush Toy | My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic toys are worth taking good care of. There are some ways to keep it in good shape, both through your imaginary friendship and through real hands-on care.
1. **If you just got the toy or are getting the toy soon, get ready for its arrival.** Make a bed for it.
If you're getting or making Rainbow Dash, just get a pillow and a blanket for her because she sleeps on Clouds. Or perhaps you could get some cardboard and some cotton balls and make her a bed.
2. **Help your pony get used to the new environment.** At first, your pony will feel a little nervous, of course. Wouldn't you, if you were in a strange new place? Tell your pony it's in a good place; try to make it relax.
If your pony is lonely and misses its friends, try to buy or make these friends. That way, your pony will have companions.
3. **Don't let your pony starve.** Pick some grass and let it dry out. Then you can give your pony fresh hay.
4. **Be kind to your pony.** Once you get your new pony, don't shake it. Your pony may get sick. It's not much fun to have to clean up imaginary pony barf.
If your pony does get sick (for example, if your brother or sister or dog shook it), it will become dizzy. Let your pony lie down and watch television until it feels better.
5. **Take your pony everywhere you go.** If you can't, have your best friend or another person you trust babysit your pony.
6. **Ensure your toy sleeps well.** After a long and hard day, go to sleep with your pony. Don't forget to wish it "Sweet dreams!"
7. **Find a soft hairbrush, an unused toothbrush and shampoo.** Fill a sink with water and get a towel.
8. **Gently brush through your pony's mane with the hairbrush.** Take care not to get it tangled. Do not yank it if this happens; lift it out carefully and reapply.
9. **Wet the pony's mane completely.** Brush the wet mane out with the clean toothbrush. This will smooth the pony's mane.
10. **Scrub gently with baby shampoo.** Rinse out.
11. **Brush the wet, cleansed mane with the toothbrush.** Again, this will make it smooth.
12. **Dry with the towel.** Run the towel up and down the mane.
You can also simply squeeze out the excess water with the towel and just leave it to air dry.
13. **Brush and style the mane.** It will smell great now and should be much easier to handle for a wash. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-a-My-Little-Pony:-Friendship-Is-Magic-Plush-Toy", "language": "en"} |
How to Eat Moringa Leaves | Moringa leaves have gained a lot of popularity for their health benefits. The thing is, there’s a bit of a debate about the best way to eat them. Some believe that raw or just barely heated is the best way. Others think that boiling them releases more nutrients. Whichever way you want to eat them is up to you. That’s pretty much the theme when it comes to serving them, too. There’s no special dish you need to prepare, so whether you like cold dishes or hot ones, it’s just about adding as many leaves as you like to whichever dishes you already love!
1. **Bring water to a boil.** Add enough water to a pot to cover the amount of leaves you intend to boil. Turn the burner to medium-high heat. Then just wait for the water to start boiling.
2. **Add the leaves and stir.** Once the water’s boiling, add the leaves and stir them into the water so they’re nice and wet all over. Boil them for about three minutes. But be sure to stir them constantly. Otherwise they may end up sticking to each other and end up as big clumps, which can make them taste a little nasty!
You don’t want to overcook the leaves, either, but depending on how much you’re making at once, they may need longer. If they do, start taste-testing after three minutes to make sure you don’t ruin the whole batch.
3. **Drain and dry them.** After three minutes, empty the pot into a strainer in the sink. Then take each leaf and spread it out on paper towels so it doesn’t ball up into a clump. Press the length of the leaf into the paper towel to squeeze out the water. If you need to, switch it to a fresh towel and repeat.
4. **Use moringa in salads.** Choose whatever salad suits your fancy. Then, for each serving, cut out one cup (30 g) of whichever greens the recipe calls for. Then just substitute moringa instead! Try them in:
Garden salads
Caesar salads
Russian salads
5. **Add leaves to smoothies.** As with the salads, simply make whatever smoothie floats your boat. Add a cup (30 g) of moringa leaves to the other ingredients, or use it as a substitute for any other greens that are usually in it. Then blend it all up and enjoy!
6. **Include them in sandwiches.** Grill a hamburger, chicken patties, or some portobello mushrooms. Whip up some tuna salad, chicken salad, or chickpea salad. Or just use your favorite cold cuts. You get the idea by now: just line whatever type of sandwich you’re hankering for with some moringa leaves and chow down!
7. **Stir them into scrambled eggs.** Whip up a batch of basic scrambled eggs. Get fancy with it and add cheese if you like. Season them with whatever herbs and spices intrigue you. Just wait until the very end of cooking them before adding the moringa. Once the eggs are almost done, stir in as many leaves as you like and give them just enough time to wilt before serving.
If you’ve already boiled your leaves, just give them enough time to warm back up if they’ve cooled off.
8. **Make an omelette instead.** If you’re an egg lover but feel a little bored with the scrambled variety, never fear! Moringa works just as well in your favorite omelette. Like the scrambled eggs, though, hold off on adding the leaves for as long as possible. Wait until it’s time to fold the omelette if you want them inside, or save them for garnish instead.
9. **Toss leaves into your favorite chili.** You’ve probably caught on to the theme here. Just make any old chili that appeals to you. Then just wait until the last couple minutes of cooking and toss in however many leaves you want. Once they’ve wilted and warmed up, have at it!
10. **Top pizzas with leaves.** This is a no-brainer: just add as many leaves as you like to your other pizza toppings before putting the pie in the oven. Just be sure to use a generous amount of sauce, and never place leaves over dry crust. You want to keep them keep them hydrated so you don’t end up with any nasty burnt leaves. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Moringa-Leaves", "language": "en"} |
How to Be an Individual | It’s not always easy to be an individual, especially if you find yourself lost in peer pressure, confusing feedback, and loud personalities. However, if you make an effort to accept the person who you are while continuing to grow and evolve, then you’ll be on your way to discovering the person you were meant to be. Being an individual takes work and dedication, and it doesn’t mean you have to stick out in a crowd, either. Being a true individual means having convictions and not being afraid to go off the beaten path.
1. **Stop caring what others think.** If you want to really move forward to become an individual, then you have to put aside your worries about what other people are thinking. You should want to be an individual just for yourself, not so the kids in your school think you’re awesome or that you stand out in some way. If you obsess over what other people are thinking, then you’ll never be able to really please yourself, because people are fickle and it’s impossible to please everyone.
Of course, gossip hurts, and it’s hard to not be hurt by it. Still, if you hear gossip about yourself, just know that it’s coming from a person who is weak and insecure and that you know better than to stoop to that level.
Try to surround yourself with people who are supportive of you rather than people who are going to judge you or drag you down.
2. **Don’t be afraid to be yourself.** As corny as it sounds, being an individual means being unabashedly yourself. It means not hiding your true feelings every time you go out in public, or acting like you’re perfect and refusing to acknowledge your flaws. It means being comfortable with presenting your flaws, quirks, and ideas to the world and feeling good about who you are. Of course, it can take time to get there, but you need to get in the habit of letting people see who you really are instead of acting like a person you think they’d rather talk to.
Of course, it’s necessary to present slightly different sides of yourselves to different people. However, in general, you shouldn’t feel like you’re flipping a switch to act like a completely different version of yourself when you talk to different people.
Override your fear and learn to trust the feeling that tells you who you're meant to be and where you're meant to go.
3. **Don’t feel forced to be different.** You may think that being an individual means wearing neon, playing a banjo, or just standing out in a room of 500 people, like “Where is Waldo?” However, it doesn’t actually mean that at all. You don’t need to be eccentric to be an individual; you just have to be happy being yourself, and asserting your own ideas and opinions. In fact, if you try too hard you may get the opposite effect, and may find yourself being less genuine than normal.
If you like to wear low-key earth-toned clothes, for example, stick to the style that you like instead of thinking that you need to change your wardrobe to really be an individual.
You don’t need to change your hair or makeup or to get a tattoo, either. Being an individual comes from the inside.
Of course, everyone is different in some way, but not everyone is visibly different. If you are different for a cool reason that not everyone can see, like being able to speak 8 languages or being an awesome break dancer, then don’t be afraid to strut your stuff.
4. **Build up your confidence.** Though building your confidence up won’t happen overnight, you can take steps to working toward loving and accepting the person who you truly are. You can’t be an individual without having confidence in the person that you are, so you should work on finding things to be grateful for, focusing on your strengths, and working on asserting yourself and being positive in social interactions. The more you focus on building your confidence, the sooner you’ll become a true individual.
One way to build up your confidence is to spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself. It’s hard to be confident when your supposed “best friends” are always putting you down.
Body language can go a long way in making you look and feel confident. Work on standing tall, looking people in the eye, and avoid folding your arms across your chest or staring at the ground. Just projecting confidence can make you feel much better about yourself.
5. **Stick to your convictions.** An important component of being an individual is sticking to your convictions and not letting other people make you change your opinions every time you get in a debate. Of course, it’s good to be open-minded and to be willing to learn from others, but you have to work on not being a pushover and showing people that you really mean what you say. Don’t let people pressure you into behavior you don’t respect, and work on sticking to your guns the next time your friends are trying to get you to change your mind.
If you really don’t want to do something because you feel that it’s morally wrong, don’t give in to your friends or acquaintances simply because it’s more convenient. Learn to explain why you believe the behavior, such as underage drinking, is wrong, and then walk away from the situation.
Don’t let someone else put you down and make your ideas feel small just because the person is louder, taller, or tougher than you. Work to have concrete examples and evidence to back up your ideas, and don’t be afraid to state them.
If a caring friend is genuinely helping you see a new perspective of a situation, then be grateful for it and ask more questions. You should work on sticking to your convictions when you know there’s no changing your mind, but you don’t need to be stubborn.
6. **Work on being more comfortable in your own skin.** Another way to be an individual is to be happy and comfortable in your own skin. Work on developing a love for your body and mind, and make your presence known when you enter a room. If you hunch over, complain about yourself, or are uncomfortable talking to people, then you’ll project a lack of confidence and will come off as a person who isn’t happy filling his own shoes. Make a habit of loving inhabiting who you are, of being self-assured enough to state your opinions, and of learning to talk to new people without hesitation.
People who are true individuals are comfortable in their own skins because they don’t care what other people think of them. If you look comfortable and happy with what you’re doing, then people will give you the respect you deserve.
Get in touch with your inner child—what is it inside of you that really wants to come out? Once you discover that, find the courage to express that side of you.
7. **Know that there is literally no one else like you in the world.** This may sound silly, but if you want to change your perspective and work towards being an individual, then sometimes the best thing you can do is to stop and realize that there’s no other person in the world who has had the same upbringing, values, looks, and thoughts as you do and that you are truly unique and different. You may feel like there’s nothing that makes you stand out, but you have to remember that everyone is different in some way. Even if you have a twin brother, you are your own person and no one else can see the world exactly as you do. Be proud of that fact and own it.
You may think that there’s something completely ordinary about you, such as having three siblings or speaking two languages, but to many people, these experiences can be quite extraordinary and you should be proud of them.
Even if you may seem like everyone else from the outside, you can do the work to make other people realize that you have your own unique experiences and ideas to share.
8. **Find a new hobby.** One way to be an individual is to find something that you truly and deeply care about and to make an effort to really explore it. If you don’t know what you’re good at yet, then you should try to join more clubs at school, pick up a sport, or take a class in Japanese, creative writing, watercolor painting, tap dancing, or really anything at all that you’ve been wanting to try. Finding something that you love and sticking to it will help you boost your confidence while finding a new way to help you express yourself.
Along with finding a new hobby, you can work to see if you can turn it into a passion. You may discover that you really want to be a writer, photographer, or dancer, and this will give you even more confidence and conviction in your abilities.
9. **Explore your creative side.** Not every person has to be creative to be an individual. However, exploring your creative faculties can open up new ideas and can make you feel more aware of new possibilities. Try your hand at writing a short story, a poem, a play, or even a novel, or work on writing a skit with your friends just for fun. Explore your artistic side and work on drawing, ceramics, oil painting, or charcoal sketching just to see what strikes your fancy. You don’t have to be particularly good at it, but you should be willing to try if you want to be an individual.
Even if all you can draw are stick figures, exercising the creative part of your brain can help you see the world in a new, original way. This is a big part of being an individual.
Being creative can also help you discover new ideas you didn’t know you had. You may never have thought about the world in a certain way until you tried your hand at writing short stories.
10. **Accept challenges.** Another way to be an individual is to step outside of your comfort zone and to accept the new challenges the world may bring. Volunteer in a new part of town; run for class president; apply for a job that you’re not sure you’re qualified for. Help your friend figure out a difficult project. When a challenge comes your way, don’t bat it away and stick to the things you know, but make an effort to try new things and to tackle new and difficult questions.
True individuals are always growing and changing. They face challenges with fortitude and work to find the best way to succeed, no matter how difficult the circumstances are.
Of course, if you’re overbooked, you don’t want to say yes to everything, either, or you’ll be too busy to grow as a person. But if you’re worried about trying something new because you think you might fail, then you should take up the challenge and see what you can do.
11. **Spend more time with people you admire.** Another way to be an individual is to surround yourself with independent thinkers whose ideas and ways of life you admire. You can learn a lot from people who are creative, interesting, and not afraid to be who they are. If you spend all of your time with followers or with people who don’t really have much to teach you about the world, then it’ll be harder for you to grow as an individual.
This doesn’t mean you should ditch every person who you deem to be too boring for you, but it does mean that you should seek out people who challenge you and inspire you to be a better version of yourself.
12. **Use your critical thinking skills.** True individuals are critical thinkers. They evaluate every aspect of a situation before reaching a conclusion, and they use a large knowledge base to help them find the best approaches to tricky situations. They don’t accept everything they hear from their friends or on the radio and do their own research, making sure that they’re reaching the best conclusions instead of resorting to lazy or incomplete thinking.
True individuals think outside the box and know that most situations are more complicated than they seem. They don’t accept everything they hear at face value, even if it’s coming from a person they respect.
Individuals are always asking a lot of questions and aren’t afraid to admit when they don’t know an answer. They know that the best way to be informed is to question everything.
Become more well-read. Read every book you can get your hands on, from the complete works of Virginia Woolf or Franz Kafka to contemporary non-fiction about historical events or modern science. The more you read, the more knowledge you gain, and the more information you have at your disposal.
13. **Don’t do things to fit other people’s expectations.** One of the reasons you may be struggling with becoming an individual is because you feel like you have to fit the expectations of your parents, friends, significant other, or society at large. If you truly want to be an individual, then you have to do what is best for yourself, not what your parents expect you to do. It can be hard to say no to people or to tell them that your goals are different from theirs, but this is the only way you can truly move forward.
For example, if your parents want you to go to med school because you come from three generations of doctors but you’d rather study creative writing, be up front about it. You don’t want to fall into a life that doesn’t feel like your own.
Of course, you shouldn’t go against all of the expectations of society just to be an individual, but because you really think you’re doing what’s best for you. For example, if you drop of out college, do it because you have a great reason for it, not because you think it would be rebellious.
14. **Don’t try to fit a mold.** If you want to be a true individual, then you can’t think of yourself as fitting a mold. You can’t just be preppy, a jock, a nerd, a hipster, or a regular frat guy, either. You have to be beyond categorization like that if you want to truly be a unique person. You can have elements of different molds of people, but you can’t be so easily able to be pinned down if you want to be a true individual. Instead of trying to be a certain type of person, work on developing qualities that you admire.
You can hang out with a certain type of person, but you don’t have to worry about fitting in with that group or looking, talking, or dressing exactly like the people you’re friends with. Variety is the spice of life, and things will be pretty boring if you look like everyone else you hang out with.
15. **Develop your authenticity.** To be an individual, you have to be authentic. If people think you’re phony or putting on airs, they’ll be able to tell from a mile away. Instead of trying to be overly nice, wearing clothes that really aren’t you, or hanging out with people you don’t really like because you think it’ll make you more popular, you should work on being true to yourself, wearing what makes you feel comfortable, and not saying things just to please people if you really don’t believe a word you’re saying.
Before you step out the door, take a look in the mirror. Do you recognize the person you’re looking at? If not, then you better give your look more consideration.
Don’t give phony compliments just to suck up to people. Instead, tell them when you genuinely like something about them, even if you think it’s a bit offbeat. If you’re not being sincere, they’ll be able to tell.
16. **Be more honest.** To be an individual, you have to work on being an honest person who is comfortable with stating the truth, even when the circumstances are difficult. Avoid lying just to make yourself look better, to sugar coat the truth for your friends when they really need to hear it, or even to cheat in school or to get ahead in an unfair with. True individuals are genuine people who aren’t afraid of the truth and are comfortable enough with themselves to state it.
Don’t lie about how much money you have, how much money you make, or about your material possessions in general. This won’t impress anyone and they’ll be able to tell that you’re trying too hard.
Of course, telling a white lie, like not telling your friend her new haircut is too severe, is perfectly fine if you’re not hurting anyone.
17. **Address the flaws you can address.** If you want to be a true individual, then you have to be willing to improve yourself. You can’t be content with every aspect of yourself or you’ll never grow and improve. Though you should work on accepting the things you can’t change about yourself, you should make an effort to address the flaws you can address, so that you can be on your way to being a more honed version of yourself.
Take it one step at a time. It doesn’t have to be anything major, at first. Maybe you’re always late to things. Make a goal to be on time to everything for a week, and then a month, and then make it a habit.
Know that working on larger issues, such as trust issues, can take much longer than a few weeks. Still, making a plan to get there can help you grow faster.
18. **Be more assertive.** To be a true individual, you have to be able to assert yourself and be comfortable stating your ideas. Speak clearly, be articulate, and look people in the eye when you want to get your point across. Don’t let other people put you down or interrupt you, and stick to your beliefs while being open to other well-meaning suggestions. Don’t let people walk all over you and don’t get stuck doing something because you’re too nice to say no. Individuals know what they want and think and they aren’t afraid to make it known.
If you feel really strongly about something, don’t let another person sway you just because you don’t want to hurt his feelings. Make your feelings clear, and have hard facts about why you feel a certain way.
Work on saying no to people when you genuinely can’t or don’t want to do something. Be comfortable explaining that you’re too busy to take on more work and don’t let people make you feel bad about not doing more.
Speak with conviction. Instead of starting sentences with, “I think that maybe…” or “It could be possibly that…” make firm statements like, “I will not work on another project with Karen.”
19. **Learn to laugh at yourself.** True individuals know not to take themselves too seriously and are comfortable poking fun at themselves at the right time. They are aware of their flaws and are okay with not being perfect, and they don’t make people feel like they have to walk on eggshells around them, either. If you want to be an individual, then you should be as comfortable laughing at yourself as you are asserting your beliefs. It’s okay not to be serious all the time; it doesn’t make you any less of an individual.
True individuals are always growing and always learning. You can’t be a true individual if you’re so serious about yourself that you can’t even laugh at your own flaws or be self-aware enough to want to change.
20. **Listen to your gut.** Listening to your intuition is crucial if you want to be an individual. Sometimes, something like a job offer will look great on paper, and everyone will tell you that you should take it, but you may get a nagging feeling that you know it’s not really what you want to do with your life. If you really want to be an individual, then you have to work on knowing when you get a bad or good feeling about something and following those instincts instead of logic some of the time.
Individuals are original thinkers. Though they think critically, read a lot, and use facts to back up their ideas, they are also able to trust themselves and sense when something isn’t quite right. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-Individual", "language": "en"} |
How to Organize Pants in Your Closet | If you keep pants in your closet, you might find that it's hard to easily spot the ones you're looking for, especially if you're in a hurry. Luckily, there are lots of ways to organize your pants so they're easy to find! Just choose the storage solution that works best for your space. Our guide will walk you through the options of how to sort and store the pants in your closet.
1. **Sorting your pants is the first step to organizing them.** Collect all of your pants in one space and go through them, looking at each pair carefully to make sure there aren't any holes or other types of damage. Separate pants that are damaged or don't fit from pants that you intend to keep.
If you're not sure whether a pair of pants fits you or not, try them on in front of a mirror to check.
If you have pants that you've outgrown or don't want anymore and they're still in good shape, donate them to a friend, family member, or organization like Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
2. **Switch out your clothing each season.** Winter slacks, fleece pants, or holiday leggings don’t need to be stored with linen pants and capris that are for warmer months. Keep pants in your closet that you can wear during the current season, and switch these out when the weather gets warmer or colder and it’s time for the others.
For example, keep winter pants in an airtight storage container labeled “winter clothing” so you can easily swap out the spring and summer pants for these when it’s time.
3. **Keep your favorite pants easy to reach.** Pants that you wear daily or weekly should be easily accessible and visible, while pants that are only worn on special occasions could be tucked away in the closet. As you're sorting through your pants, make a pile for the pairs that you wear the most often.
4. **This makes your closet look really tidy.** If you have lots of colorful pairs of pants, it can be helpful to arrange them by color or pattern so you can go straight to the section you want. For example, you might have 3 sections: 1 for neutral-colored work pants, 1 for pastel and bright-colored pants, and 1 for patterned pants.
If you happen to have many different patterned pairs of pants, you could even separate these, clumping polka dot pants together, striped pants together, and so on.
5. **If you have lots of pairs of jeans, a great way to sort them is by their shade.** Start with the lightest shade going to the darkest shade, or go the opposite direction and start with the darkest going to the lightest.
This makes it easy to quickly find or pick out a specific pair of jeans to wear.
For example, hang your jeans in the closet with white jeans at the far left and black jeans on the far right, or fold your jeans with the darkest shade on the bottom and the lightest shade on the top.
6. **Clip the pants so they’re hanging evenly on the hanger.** Hanging pants from pants hangers reduces wrinkles in your pants and makes it easy to go through them when you're looking for something to wear.
Buy pants hangers at your local home goods store, big box store, or online.
7. **Align a pair of pants so that one leg is folded on top of the other.** Pull the pants through the hanger and lay the pants over the bar so the legs hang evenly on each side of the bar.
Balancing the pair of pants prevents them from accidentally slipping off.
8. **Pants organizers come in lots of different shapes and sizes.** In general, though, they all offer a rack to hang several pairs of pants on, saving space in your closet. Fold the pants in half by placing one leg over the other leg, and fold the pair of pants over each peg of the rack.
Purchase a pants organizer that goes on the door to your closet or buy one that extends from the wall.
9. **Rolling is a great way to store pants and save space.** Fold the pants in half by placing one pant leg over the other, and begin rolling them up, starting at the waist. Place the rolled-up pants in a storage bin, crate, or other container placed in your closet.
Place the rolled-up pants close to one another in the storage box so they don’t come unraveled.
Label the bin or storage container so you know what's in each one without having to open it.
Your pants may get a little wrinkled like this.
10. **Storing them on a shelf allows you to see each pair of pants that you have.** Place one pant leg over the other to fold the pants in half vertically. Then, fold the pair of pants in half horizontally twice to create a square. Stack each pair of folded pants on top of one another neatly.
Avoid stacking too many pairs of pants on top of one another or the stack could fall over. 4-6 pairs of pants is a good limit.
11. **File-folding allows you to see them all at once.** Fold your pants into a square just like you would if you were stacking them on top of one another on a shelf. When you’ve created a stack of pants, place the stack on its side in the drawer so that each pair of pants is visible, just like file folders.
File folding your pants only works if the entire width of the drawer is filled. This could be because your pants take up the width of the drawer, or because you fill the extra space with something else.
Storing your pants vertically instead of stacking them horizontally will make them easier to see and access.
12. **Install pegs in your closet or mount a coat rack on the wall using nails.** Hang a pair of pants on a peg using the belt loop, making it easy to see which pants you have available and even easier to hang them from pegs.
Install the pegs or hang the coat rack high enough on the wall so your pants aren’t dragging on the floor. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Organize-Pants-in-Your-Closet", "language": "en"} |
How to Stop Your Cat from Attacking Your Dog | Cats and dogs both make great pets and can become the best of friends when they share a home; however, sometimes tension can develop between the two. If your cat keeps attacking your dog, it can cause stress for the whole family. There are several reasons why a cat may attack a dog, including stress, jealousy, and natural aggression. You can stop your cat from attacking your dog by giving your cat its own space, providing appropriate options for play, helping your cat calm down, and reinforcing good behavior.
1. **Get a cat tree.** A cat tree will provide your cat a safe haven from the attentions of your dog. Cats often attack dogs to get the dog to leave them alone, so providing a spot where your cat can nap in peace is essential for maintaing good pet relations.
Place the cat tree in an area that is often frequented by both pets so that the cat can choose to climb to its hiding spot instead of attacking the dog.
Make sure that the dog can’t get to the cat when it’s in the cat tree.
2. **Set up a baby gate.** Cats can easily leap over a baby gate, but most dogs can’t. Use a baby gate to allow your cat to separate itself from your dog. If the dog is bothering the cat, then the cat can leap over the gate and ignore the dog rather than scratching or hissing at the dog to get it to go away.
You can also find baby gates with small holes in the bottom that would allow your cat to crawl through, but don’t choose this option if your dog is small enough to follow.
3. **Provide a high perch for your cat.** If you have a high windowsill or a piece of furniture that your cat likes, encourage your cat to use it by rubbing it with catnip. Alternatively, if it’s large enough, put a cat bed on it. You can also install a sturdy corner shelf for your cat to use as a perch.
4. **Create a separate area for each pet’s food and belongings.** Both cats and dogs can be territorial over food bowls, toys, and the litterbox. Make sure that each pet has its own special area so that the two don’t get into scuffles over whose food bowl is whose. Additionally, keep your dog away from your cat’s litterbox.
Keep your cat’s food and water out of your dog’s reach as well to avoid conflict.
5. **Keep your cat and dog separate.** As long as the attacks are an issue, don’t leave your cat and dog alone unattended. Your cat can seriously injure your dog by scratching its eye or causing an infection. Cat bites are especially prone to infection. You’re also risking your cat’s safety since the dog has every reason to fight back in defense.
Consider locking your pets in different rooms, particularly if you are going to be away from home.
Make sure that each pet has the supplies it needs, something to stimulate it, and a comfortable place to lay.
6. **Give your cat a new toy.** Cats are natural hunters and need to release their aggression. Sometimes cats choose to do that by attacking other pets or their owners. Prevent that reaction in your cat by giving them toys that allow them to chase and attack in a safe way.
The novelty of the new toy should entice your cat. It may have become bored with its old toys, leading it to choose your dog as a plaything instead.
7. **Choose playthings that have feathers.** Since your cat needs to chase and attack, feathered toys are a great option to stimulate and release those urges. If your cat has a particular affinity for your dog’s tail, then toys with feathers can help divert that urge.
Toys with strings or ribbons are not advisable, as your cat can accidentally swallow the string. This can cause intestinal obstructions or other internal damage.
8. **Use catnip to make the toys irresistible to your cat.** If your cat has plenty of toys but still likes to pounce on the dog instead, try rubbing the toys with catnip. The catnip will draw your cat to the toys instead of your dog.
Rub a few toys at a time with catnip to avoid overwhelming your cat.
Make sure that you wash your hands after using catnip; otherwise, you may accidentally rub catnip onto the dog.
9. **Make sure your cat has opportunities for exercise.** Cats need to run and play, so help your cat work off its aggression by getting in plenty of activity.
Play interactive games with your cat with a feathered toy or laser pointer.
Get your cat toys that allow it to chase, such as electronic mice.
Provide your cat with a cat tower that allows it to climb.
10. **Address redirected aggression.** Some cats naturally have their innate hunter triggered by watching the outside world. If your cat becomes worked up by experiences like watching birds outside, then you may need to block out the windows with curtains, blinds, or even taped on window covers, such as newspaper or foil.
Keep your cat away from your dog while it’s struggling with redirected aggression. During this time, you may also be vulnerable to scratches or bites.
11. **Spend quality time with your cat.** Petting or playing with your cat can have a calming effect and can help eliminate feelings of jealousy in your cat. It’s especially important to spend plenty of time with your cat if your dog is new.
Provide your cat with the type of attention it likes. Not all cats like to be petted, so do what your cat enjoys.
12. **Try over-the-counter products for calming cats.** Your cat may be attacking your dog because it’s stressed, especially if the dog is new to your home. You can buy a Feliway plug-in or chewy snacks called Composure soft-chews that are designed to help anxious cats calm down.
13. **Train your dog if it’s contributing to the situation.** Sometimes cats attack dogs because the dog is playing rough or acting aggressively toward the cat. If your dog is an equal or partial partner in the attacks from your cat, then you may need to train your dog how to act toward your cat. This will help both pets better spend time together.
Try training tips from the internet.
Consider taking your dog to a dog trainer. Ask your vet for recommendations.
14. **Know how to stop a fight.** If your cat and dog get into a fight, you’ll need to get them to stop. First try creating a loud noise that startles the animals, which will allow one of them to escape or may allow you time to grab one. You can also try spraying your pets with water or throwing a blanket over them.
Avoid yelling, as this can agitate your pets and encourage them to keep fighting.
Don’t get in between the two animals.
15. **Spay or neuter your pets.** Spaying and neutering will reduce aggression in your pets and make them less likely to antagonize each other.
16. **Use time-outs.** When one of your pets starts messing with the other, tell them “no,” pick up your pet, and place them in a separate location like a bathroom. Leave them in time out for 5-10 minutes. When you let them out, treat the pet as though nothing happened.
17. **Take your cat to the vet.** If your cat and dog have been getting along but your cat suddenly begins attacking your dog, then the cat may be ill. A sick cat can react aggressively when it’s messed with, even if it normally wouldn’t behave that way. The vet can rule out illness as a cause for your cat’s attacks on your dog.
18. **Give your cat treats when it reacts appropriately.** When your cat interacts well with your dog or does not aggressively hiss or swipe at it, give it a treat to reward it. The treats should teach your cat to behave well with your dog.
19. **Pet your cat or show it attention when it ignores the dog or plays well.** Positively reinforce good behavior by giving your cat special attention, such as petting or extra play. This can work especially well for older cats that don’t like being bothered by a playful dog. When your cat doesn’t bat the dog to get it to go away, you can show it that you approve by speaking to the cat and petting it.
20. **Don’t lavish attention on your cat when it behaves aggressively.** When cats hiss or react fearfully to a dog, it’s normal to want to scoop them up and pet them so that they’ll calm down. While it may work to get your kitty calm, it also teaches your cat to attack the dog when it wants attention. While you want your cat to feel safe, make sure that you aren’t rewarding it for undesirable behavior.
Be firm when you remove the cat from the situation, and then let the cat sit alone for a few minutes before showing it positive attention.
Never physically punish your cat. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Your-Cat-from-Attacking-Your-Dog", "language": "en"} |
How to Fix Wrinkled Leather Car Seats | It can be a major bummer to find unsightly wrinkles and creases in your once-smooth leather car seats. And older vehicles aren’t the only victims—rushed or improper installation can sometimes result in cars arriving at the dealership with upholstery already displaying textural defects. If you’re a car lover who’s a stickler for looks, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s possible to work out these problem areas in a few short minutes using simple tools and materials that you probably already have lying around your garage.
1. **Clean and condition your seats with a specialty leather cleaner.** Spray or squirt a small amount of cleaner onto a microfiber cloth or soft, lint-free towel and wipe the seats down from top to bottom. The lubricating agents in the cleaner will soften the leather and safeguard it against heat, which is how you’ll be working out the wrinkles.
You can pick up a bottle of quality leather cleaner at your neighborhood auto supply store for around $10-20. There will typically be a wide selection of products available, including cleaners formulated for different styles and colors of leather.
2. **Let the cleaner sit on the seats for 1-2 hours.** This will ensure that it has time to absorb fully while also giving the leather a chance to dry out. In the meantime, hold off on taking any unnecessary trips and avoid handling the leather as much as possible. Too much touching can transfer dirt and oil from your skin.
If for some reason you’re in a hurry to get to work on your seats, make sure that the leather cleaner has had at least 10-20 minutes to soak in.
Some cleaners have longer recommended drying times than others. Check the instructions outlined on the label of the specific product you’re using for more detailed guidelines.
3. **Plug in your heat gun and set it to low or medium heat.** Most heat guns have a switch on the backside of the handle that controls the intensity, airflow, and other key settings. Others have more sophisticated interfaces, with digital display screens and buttons that allow you to adjust the exact temperature in small increments.
You may need to park your car close to an open electrical outlet since you’ll only have about 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 m) of power cord to work with.
For a project like this, you’ll want to keep the temperature relatively low. While leather is a resilient material, it is possible for it to burn, deform, harden, or shrink when exposed to prolonged, intense heat.
4. **Wave the heat gun back and forth over the wrinkled section.** Hold the nozzle 3–6 inches (7.6–15.2 cm) away from the surface of the seat and keep it moving constantly. As you do, watch the leather closely for any subtle movement. You may be able to actually see it changing shape as it warms up.
Make sure there’s a safe amount of distance between your heat gun and seats at all times. Not only will this spare your leather any unnecessary damage, but it will also prevent the plastic components near the nozzle of the tool from melting.
Try not to let the gun hover over any one spot for too long. Doing so will make burns more likely to occur.
5. **Wipe the seats down with a damp microfiber cloth every 20-30 seconds.** Wet a separate cloth and keep it somewhere close at hand. That way, you’ll be able to pause periodically and go over the section you’ve been heating. In addition to cooling the leather, the moisture will create a gentle steaming effect that will help smooth out stubborn inconsistencies.
Stop as soon as the wrinkles are no longer visible. The whole process might take anywhere from 1-5 minutes in total, depending on the severity of the wrinkles, as well as the thickness and texture of the leather.
6. **Repeat the process until the wrinkles disappear completely.** It may take a few passes before you see a significant improvement. After several minutes of patiently heating, wiping, and examining your seats, they should start to look just like they did the day they rolled off the assembly line at the factory.
As long as you’re taking the time to cool and dampen the leather intermittently, heat damage shouldn’t be a danger.
When you’re done, hit your seats with a second application of leather conditioner to protect them from future wear and tear.
7. **Apply a nourishing leather cleaner to every part of your seats.** Squeeze or spray a conservative amount of your product of choice onto a microfiber cloth or soft towel and go over the entire seat with it. If necessary, use a separate cloth or towel to wipe off any excess cleaner. Allow the product to sit for 1-2 hours before moving on.
It’s always a good idea to treat genuine leather with a quality conditioning agent before and after subjecting it to intense heat.
8. **Plug in a clothes iron and set it the lowest possible heat setting.** Give the iron a few minutes to reach peak temperature before getting started. While it’s warming up, go through your vehicle and make sure that the seats you’ll be restoring are completely clear of clutter and small debris.
You may need to use an extension cord to get the reach you need to be able to use the iron inside your vehicle.
It’s important not to let your iron get too hot. If it does, it could easily scorch the leather, leading to permanent textural changes or discoloration.
9. **Place a large hand towel over the problem area.** Center the towel over the creased section of leather, flattening it out to make sure it covers as much of the seat as possible. You can move it around later to smooth outlying wrinkles if need be, but for right now you just want to concentrate on the spot where the fold is the deepest.
You also have the option of using a paper bag if you don’t happen to have a towel handy. Paper bags are readily available at any supermarket, usually for only a few cents apiece.
The towel or bag will serve as a protective buffer, transferring the heat of the iron without exposing the leather to it directly.
10. **Press the iron into the towel or bag and move it around using circular motions.** Hold the iron against your protective layer using a moderate amount of pressure. Let it sit there for a few seconds to warm up the leather underneath, then begin sliding it in different directions. “Massaging” the seat in this way will help to gradually work out creases, deep wrinkles, and similar defects.
For best results, be sure to iron along the length of the crease as well as across it.
There’s no need to get too technical here. This should feel just like you’re ironing any ordinary article of clothing.
11. **Mold the leather by hand once it gets nice and warm if necessary.** After ironing for a minute or two, set your iron aside, remove the towel or bag, and check your progress. If you’re happy with the look of the leather, feel free to call it a day. If not, use both hands to gently stretch, knead, and smooth it until there’s no sign of the original crease.
Don’t worry if the leather appears to be sagging a bit when you’re done. It will shrink a bit as it cools, pulling it taut over the surface of the seat.
Keep in mind that severe deformations like dents and divots may be more or less permanent in places where the leather has been stretched beyond its natural elasticity.
Remember to reward your seats with another application of leather conditioner to keep it strong, supple, and attractive. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Fix-Wrinkled-Leather-Car-Seats", "language": "en"} |
How to Remove Rust from Aluminum | Aluminum is usually rust free, when left out in the rain it won't rust on its own. However, it is still possible for another rusted metal to spread some rust onto aluminum, which can stain it. Special techniques can be used in an attempt to remove rust stains, including steel wool and several commercial rust removers.
1. **Get the correct steel wool.** Steel wool comes in several different levels of abrasiveness. The level that should be used for stains grade 0000 to 000000, and it should be very fine.
Steel wool that is too fine won't be effective, and steel wool that is too abrasive is not necessary.
2. **Try the steel wool on a small area.** Aluminum may or may not be damaged by steel wool depending on the specific piece.
If steel wool is going to work, then it should not leave heavy scratches and damage on the small area.
If it does leave damage, try another method in this article.
3. **Rub out the stains, similar to if you were to use a sponge or sandpaper.** Keep going until the steel wool manages to scrape away all of the rust. The metal should now look cleaner than it did before after the rust has been removed.
This will also remove powder that forms as a result of oxidization of aluminum.
4. **Give it a wash for final measure.** It is a good idea to wash the aluminum after you have finished using steel wool on it. These will ensure that it is clean.
5. **Get a commercial rust remover.** Even though you are cleaning stains, you still need to use a cleaner meant for cleaning rust.
This is a great option for highly polished and shiny aluminum. The steel wool could do damage to polished aluminum.
6. **Get a cloth, nylon scrubbing pad, or something you know won't damage the metal.** If you are working with polished aluminum, use a very gentle option.
Don't use something too abrasive, or you could leave scratches.
For older less shiny aluminum, you will usually be fine with something a little bit more rough.
7. **Rub well until the rust starts dissolving.** The rust stain will start to fall apart and come off of the metal when you have been rubbing for long enough.
After all of the rust is off, you are getting closer to a clean, shiny aluminum without stains.
8. **Give it a final wash to make sure all of the rust is gone.** This should be done after a cleaning procedure for good measure.
You should be left with an unstained aluminum after the washing is done.
9. **Create a fairly large ball out of aluminum foil.** Make sure that the shiny side of the aluminum foil is facing outwards, and that it will be big enough to scrape away the rust.
10. **Begin the cleaning process by scrubbing all over the rust.** Keep going until the foil ball starts destroying it and the rust fully comes off.
Depending on your situation, you may have to be somewhat vigorous.
You may want test on a small area to see if it scratches.
11. **Give it a final wash.** Once again, this should be done after a cleaning procedure. You can either soak the object in something like a bucket or do it in the sink. This helps to remove the last trace of a rust stain. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Rust-from-Aluminum", "language": "en"} |
How to Tie a Hospital Gown | Hospital gowns provide easy access for healthcare providers to examine you, run tests, or check your vitals. If you’ve never put on a hospital gown before or you’re encountering a new style of gown, it can be a little intimidating to try to get it to stay on without showing too much skin. By keeping a few simple tips in mind, you can tie your hospital gown securely and quickly to get ready for your appointment.
1. **Ask the nurse if the ties go in the front or the back.** Some hospital gowns have ties in the front, while others go in the back. If you get the chance, ask the nurse or doctor if the ties of your gown go in the front or the back. If you don’t get the chance, that’s okay too—you’ll most likely be able to figure it out after you slip the gown on.
Some nurses or healthcare assistants may tell you where the ties go as they hand you your gown.
2. **Take off your clothing, but leave on your underwear if you can.** Unless your chest or genitals are being examined, you’ll most likely be able to keep on your undergarments, like your bra and underwear. If you’re unsure, ask your nurse or healthcare assistant before they leave the room.
3. **Hold the gown in front of you so the opening faces you.** Make sure the gown is turned right side out so that the pattern on the fabric faces away from you. Keep the opening of the gown in front of you so that you’re looking at the inside of the gown.
Think of the gown like a robe that you put on backwards.
4. **Slide your arms through the sleeves of the gown.** Your gown may have short or long sleeves depending on the hospital you’re at. Pull your arms all the way through so that the gown is now hanging off your shoulders with the opening in the back.
Most hospital gowns hit just below your knees.
5. **Tie the laces behind your neck in a bow.** The top set of laces on most hospital gowns sit right behind your neck, just above your shoulders. Grab 1 lace in each hand and tie them together like you’d tie your shoe laces. Don’t double knot the bow, or it’ll be hard to undo later on.
6. **Tie the lower laces behind your back, if they tie in back.** Traditional hospital gowns have a second set of ties that fasten at your lower back. If that’s the case for your hospital gown, reach behind yourself and grab 1 lace in each hand. Tie the laces together in a bow as tightly as you can to keep your gown closed.
If you’re having trouble tying a bow behind your back, pull the ties to one side of your body so you can see them a little easier. Once you tie them, you can let the gown go so it falls into place.
Gowns that tie in the back might not fully cover your backside.
7. **Pull the lower tie around to the front if it ties in front.** Some hospital gowns have lower ties that tie in the front to provide more coverage. If you see a tie near your hips on the front of your gown, reach behind you to find the second tie near your lower back. Bring the tie near your back around the side towards your front, then tie them together in a bow.
The 2 ties will usually connect near your hip on one side so that your backside has a little bit more coverage.
Gowns that tie in the front will often have more material than ones that tie in the back.
8. **Ask your doctor or nurse if you can put on pants underneath the gown.** Not everyone wearing a hospital gown needs to take off all of their clothing. Check with your healthcare provider to see if you can put on another layer, like sweatpants, underneath your gown.
If you have a catheter or a medical device in your lower body, you may not be able to put on pants underneath your gown. It’s always worth asking, though.
If your gown opens in the back, you can also ask for a second gown to wear as a robe so you feel less exposed. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Tie-a-Hospital-Gown", "language": "en"} |
How to Clean a Microwave | You probably don't give a lot of thought to your microwave until it's time to clean it. If your machine is dusty, the inside is splattered with food, or you notice your food isn't heating as quickly, then it's time to clean! Scrub the inside of your microwave with your favorite cleaning product, such as lemon, baking soda, or vinegar, and polish the outside. Your machine will be more efficient and look like new.
1. **Create a steaming solution with water and citrus or vinegar.** Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of water into a microwave-safe bowl. Then, you can add 2 to 3 citrus slices or 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar to the water. If your microwave is really dirty, consider adding both the citrus and the vinegar.
You can use any type of vinegar, such as plain white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Try adding slices of lemon, orange, or lime.
2. **Add 1 tablespoon (14 g) of baking soda to the solution if your microwave smells.** Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, so stir it into the water before you microwave the solution. The baking soda will absorb the smells as the water heats.
3. **Put a wooden skewer into the bowl.** If you're going to heat the water in a perfectly smooth bowl, the microwave can superheat the liquid and cause the bowl to burst. To prevent the liquid from superheating, add a wooden skewer or wooden spoon to the bowl.
Avoid putting a metal skewer or spoon into the bowl since it can overheat and scorch your microwave.
4. **Microwave the solution on "high" for 5 minutes.** Place the bowl with the skewer on the microwave's turntable and close the door. Microwave the solution for 5 minutes so the water begins to boil and create steam.
5. **Wait 5 minutes to open the microwave so the steam can loosen grime.** If you open the microwave immediately, the steam will escape and your cleaning solution will be incredibly hot. Instead, wait 5 minutes before you open the door.
6. **Remove the solution and turntable before washing it with soapy water.** Take out the bowl of solution and lift the turntable off of its track. Remove the turntable and wash both sides of it with soapy water. Put the clean turntable on the counter while you clean the inside of the microwave.
If the bowl is still hot after 5 minutes, wear oven mitts to remove it.
If the turntable is really greasy or has burnt-on stains, you could soak it in a sink full of soapy water while you clean the inside of the microwave.
7. **Scrub the bottom, sides, top, and door of the interior with a sponge or cloth.** Since food often splatters in every direction, you'll need to spend some time wiping down every interior surface. Dip a sponge or cloth into the cleaning solution you made earlier and use it to wipe away all of the grease and food remnants.
8. **Wipe the inside of the microwave with a dry cloth.** Once you've scrubbed the inside of the machine, take a dry cloth or paper towel and wipe each wall inside the microwave. You should also wipe the top and bottom of the machine until the entire interior is dry.
9. **Put the turntable back into the microwave.** Place the clean turntable in the bottom of the machine so it rests on its tracks. If it's not on the tracks, the turntable will appear tilted or it may not rotate properly when the machine is on.
10. **Rub away grease stains using a baking soda paste.** Mix together enough baking soda and water to make a spreadable paste. Then, rub the paste with a cloth over the greasy areas before you wipe it away with a wet cloth.
If there's a lot of grease, consider spraying the inside with a grease-cutting product.
11. **Wipe away yellow stains with nail polish remover.** If you have an older microwave, it's probably got yellow stains from years of use but these are easy to remove with a little nail polish. Dip a cotton ball in acetone nail polish remover and rub the yellow stains until they lift.
To remove the harsh acetone smell, wipe the microwave down with a damp cloth.
12. **Scrub scorch marks with a sponge soaked with vinegar and baking soda.** All it takes is burning 1 bag of popcorn and your microwave will be left with scorch marks. Fortunately, you can usually scrub these away by soaking a sponge in vinegar and sprinkling an even layer of baking soda over it. Rub the rougher side of the sponge over the marks until they're removed.
You can also try lifting the stains by rubbing a cotton ball soaked in acetone over them.
13. **Dip a cloth into soapy water and wring it out.** Fill a bowl or the sink with warm soapy water and drop a dishcloth into it. Swish the cloth around so it absorbs the soapy water. Then, wring most of the soapy water out of the cloth.
You can use liquid dishwashing soap to make the soapy water.
14. **Use the cloth to wipe the top, sides, and display panel.** Take everything off of the top of your microwave so you can easily clean the top with the soapy cloth. Then, rub it over the sides of the machine. You'll probably have to spend a little extra time on the display panel since this can become sticky with a lot of use.
You'll also need to wipe around the handle, which can be grimy.
15. **Wipe a clean damp cloth over the microwave to rinse off the soap.** Run a new cloth under hot or warm tap water and wring it out. Use the wet cloth to wipe off the entire microwave.
Removing the soap will prevent it from drying on the machine and leaving a residue.
16. **Use commercial disinfectant if your microwave is very dirty.** Simple soapy water should be enough to clean the exterior of your microwave, but you can use disinfectant cleanser if the machine is really dirty. Instead of spraying deep-cleaning products directly on the outside of the microwave, you should spray them onto a cloth and then wipe it over the exterior.
If you spray the exterior of the machine, it could get into the microwave's venting system and damage it.
17. **Rub a dry cloth over the microwave to remove moisture.** Take a lint-free cloth and wipe it over the top and sides of the microwave. Keep wiping until your machine is completely dry. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Microwave", "language": "en"} |
How to File a Demurrer to a Complaint | After the plaintiff starts a lawsuit by filing a complaint, you can respond by filing an “answer” or a “demurrer.” In a demurrer, you argue that the plaintiff has not stated a legitimate legal claim and ask that the judge dismiss the complaint. To draft and file a demurrer, you need to become comfortable doing legal research. You will need to explain to the judge what the current law is and how the plaintiff’s complaint fails to allege sufficient information. In general, you should only file a demurrer in limited situations, most often when the statute of limitations bars a case from moving forward. In most other situations, a demurrer will not cause a lawsuit to be dismissed permanently. Instead, the court will usually allow the plaintiff to file an amended complaint in order to fix the error. If you have any questions about how to draft and file a demurrer, you should reach out to a lawyer.
1. **Read the complaint.** You will receive a copy of the complaint, usually by hand-delivery. You should take out a pencil and highlighter and read the whole document. Pay attention to why the plaintiff is suing you.
Note the deadline that you have to respond. This may appear on the “summons,” which you should get along with the copy of the complaint. You have to file your demurrer before the deadline.
If you fail to file the demurrer in time, then the judge might grant the plaintiff a default judgment against you. This means the plaintiff will win the lawsuit without you ever getting to defend yourself. With a default judgment in hand, the plaintiff can possibly garnish your wages or put a lien on your property. For this reason, it is important to file the demurrer before the deadline.
2. **Read your state’s Rules of Civil Procedure.** You can’t bring a demurrer in federal court. Instead, you will need to file a “Motion to Dismiss.” Only a minority of U.S. states allow demurrers. Find your state’s Rules of Civil Procedure online and read them. Check to see if you can file a demurrer in response to the complaint.
Also write down what grounds you can raise in your demurrer. For example, California lets you raise nine different grounds for demurring from a complaint.
3. **Research the causes of action.** Each complaint contains at least one cause of action. For example, “breach of contract” is a cause of action. Other common causes of action include negligence, trespass, and medical malpractice. You should do some basic research on what the plaintiff must prove in each cause of action.
For example, in order to bring a negligence claim, the plaintiff must prove that (1) you owed the plaintiff a duty of care, (2) you breached that duty, and (3) that duty caused (4) your damages.
You can do research at your nearest law library. It may be located at your local courthouse or the nearest law school.
You can also search online. Search by state and cause of action. For example, if you are sued for negligence in Virginia, then search “Virginia negligence law.”
4. **Keep track of your legal citations.** In your demurrer, you will need to tell the judge the statute or court opinion that explains the elements for each cause of action. As you do your research, be sure to write down the statute number or case name.
You might find it easier to photocopy every court opinion or statute that appears relevant. In this way, you can go back through your papers to find the legal citations as you are typing up your demurrer.
See Cite Legal Research for more information on citing to your legal research.
5. **Check to make sure the plaintiff has alleged all elements of a claim.** The plaintiff does not have to prove anything in the complaint. However, he or she must make sufficient allegations which, if true, could support finding against you.
For example, look to see that the plaintiff alleged all four elements of negligence. If the plaintiff forgot to allege that your breach “caused” their injuries, then the complaint is defective.
In the typical demurrer, you will point out that the plaintiff did not allege all the elements for a cause of action.
6. **Check that the plaintiff filed the lawsuit in the correct court.** In some states, you can also demur on the grounds that the court does not have jurisdiction over the subject matter of the case. Courts are only empowered to hear certain disputes, and this power is called “jurisdiction.”
Check whether the court has jurisdiction over the subject. Generally, many federal laws can be enforced in state courts, but a few may be brought only in federal courts. For example, cases involving copyright violations or patent infringement must be brought in federal court. If the plaintiff filed in the wrong court, then you can raise this in your demurrer.
Also check with your state’s Rules of Civil Procedure to see whether you can raise jurisdictional issues in a demurrer. In Virginia, for example, you cannot. Instead, you would have to file a separate “motion to dismiss.” However, in California, you can raise subject matter jurisdiction in the demurrer.
7. **Meet with a lawyer.** An experienced lawyer can help you understand whether or not you should file a demurrer. You can get a referral to an attorney by contacting your state or local bar association, which should help you find a qualified lawyer.
Once you have the name of a lawyer, call and schedule a consultation.
Take your copy of the complaint and summons to show the attorney.
8. **Format your document.** Your demurrer must appear in proper form. You can research your state’s requirements for pleadings by reading your state’s Rules for Civil Procedure. If your state doesn’t have specific rules, then find an example of a demurrer online that has been filed in your state and use that as a guide. You want your demurrer to look professional.
Your court might require that the demurrer be printed on “pleading paper.” This is special paper that is numbered down the left-hand side. You can get pleading paper from an office supply store or you can download it from the Sacramento County Public Law Library website.
9. **Insert a caption.** The caption is the information that appears at the top of the document. It lists the parties, the court, the case number, and the judge’s name. Look at the complaint. You can copy the caption information from there.
Don’t forget to title your document also. You can title it “Demurrer to Complaint.”
10. **Insert the opening paragraph.** Your opening paragraph should read, “Defendant, [insert your name], demurs to the complaint filed by Plaintiff [insert name] on the following grounds.”
11. **Identify the cause of action.** You need to identify each cause of action and demur to each. Explain why you are demurring. Be sure to create a section heading for each cause of action. For example, you can type “Demurrer to First Cause of Action” in bold and underline. Underneath, you can put the cause of action in parentheses.
You then need to state the grounds for the demurrer. For example, you could write, “The First Cause of Action fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action.” Then insert the citation from your state’s Rules of Civil Procedure that allows you to raise this as a grounds for demurrer.
You can also demur if the plaintiff fails to provide a copy of the contract in dispute.
Your state also might allow you to make a special demurrer if the pleading is “ambiguous and unintelligible.”
12. **Explain what is missing from the complaint.** After identifying why you demur, you should give the judge some idea of what the law currently is. Then you will need to point out what is missing from the plaintiff’s allegations.
For example, you could write, “It is well established that without a viable contractual relationship, a claim for breach of the implied covenant cannot be stated. See Smith v. San Francisco (1990) 225 Cal.App.3d 38, 49. There is no independent cause of action for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. At present, Plaintiff has not stated a viable contract action against Defendant. As such, Plaintiff has failed to state a claim for Breach of the Implied Covenant.”
As you can see from this example, you first state what the law is. You also include your citation to the law. Then you state what is missing from the plaintiff’s allegations.
13. **Demur from all causes of action.** If there is more than one cause of action you want to demur from, then you need to identify each one individually and explain why each one is insufficient. Use separate subject headings for each one: “Demurrer to Second Cause of Action,” “Demurrer to Third Cause of Action,” etc.
14. **Request relief.** After you have demurred to all of the causes of action you want to challenge, you need to request relief in your conclusion. You can type the following under the heading “Conclusion”:
“For the foregoing reasons, Defendant respectfully requests that the Court grant its Demurrer.”
15. **Add a signature block.** At the bottom of the page, insert the date and then a signature line. Underneath the signature line, include your name and address.
Check if you need to have your signature notarized. Call up your court clerk and ask. If you need to have the demurrer notarized, then find a notary block for your state online and insert it beneath your signature block. Make sure to sign in front of the notary and show acceptable proof of identification (such as a valid passport or driver’s license).
16. **File the demurrer with the clerk.** Make several copies of your demurrer. Take the original and all copies to the court where the complaint was filed. Ask the court clerk if you can file your demurrer. You may have to pay a filing fee, which will differ by court. If you can’t afford the filing fee, then ask the clerk for a fee waiver form and fill it out.
Also ask the clerk to stamp your copies with the filing date.
17. **Serve a copy on the plaintiff.** If the plaintiff has a lawyer, then send the demurrer to the plaintiff’s lawyer. You should ask the court clerk for acceptable methods of service in your court.
Generally, you can serve notice by having someone 18 or older hand deliver a copy on the plaintiff or their attorney. This person cannot be a party to the case.
Have the server fill out a “proof of service” (also called an “affidavit of service”) form and return it to you. You must file the original with the court. Keep a copy for your records.
18. **Schedule a hearing.** When you file, you should also ask the court clerk about scheduling a hearing. The judge will want to hear argument on your demurrer. Each court handles the scheduling of hearings differently. For example, one court might have you fill out a Notice of Hearing form, which you will have to send to the plaintiff along with a copy of your demurrer.
If you fail to attend your hearing, then the judge can usually deny the motion without considering its merits. Accordingly, you should write down the hearing date and commit to attending. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/File-a-Demurrer-to-a-Complaint", "language": "en"} |
How to Become a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) | Certified Management Accountant (CMA) is an accounting or finance specialist. CMAs work in the areas of financial planning, analysis, and management decision-making. Many accountants, auditors and financial analysts earn the CMA designation to advance in their careers. The CMA credential has specific education and work experience requirements. You must also earn a passing score on the CMA certification exam.
1. **Obtain a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or economics.** The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) dictates the requirements for CMAs. The website is http://www.imanet.org. Make sure your program of study includes an emphasis on business studies, such business law, management, marketing and taxation.
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a similar designation to the CMA. The CPA credential is focused on accounting and auditing professionals. A CMA professional focuses more on management decision-making and analysis.
If you are unsure whether you want to become a CMA or a CPA, check on the course requirements for both credentials. You may be able to schedule your coursework to meet both sets of requirements.
Accounting or finance internships give you real world experience and help you to network for full-time positions. Consider applying for internships while you are in school. Working at an internship will help you decide which career path is the right one for you.
2. **Get your necessary work experience.** The CMA designation requires 2 years of continuous work experience. Your work needs to be in a CMA-related field. These jobs include accounting, auditing, financial analysis or budgeting.
You can complete this 2-year work experience after you take the exam as well. Once you are a CMA candidate, you have 7 years to submit proof of your financial management experience.
Part-time positions can also count toward the 2-year work requirement. If you work 20 hours a week or more, you can be considered as part-time. Note, however, that it takes four years of part-time work to meet the 2-year requirement.
When you’re applying for jobs, check with both your employer and the IMA. They can verify if your position meets the requirements for the CMA.
3. **Apply for membership in the Institute of Management Accountants.** The annual membership cost will vary, based on your status as a student or as an employee working in the field. Membership in this professional organization gives you access to exam preparation, employment boards and continuing education courses.
Once you apply and pay the membership fee, you will be eligible to take the CMA exams within the next 3 years.
Send the IMA your college transcripts.
Download and complete an experience verification form. These are available on the IMA website. You will be required to list all of your management accounting work experience.
4. **Go over the structure of the CMA exam parts.** The CMA requires you to pass two exam parts. Each part has a multiple-choice section and an essay portion. Consider taking a CMA exam prep course through your university or the Institute of Management Accountants. The IMA recommends that you dedicate at least 2 months of study to this exam.
You can choose which part of the exam that you take first. Each part consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and two essay questions.
Part one covers financial reporting, planning, budget topics and cash management topics.
Part two tests your knowledge of financial statements analysis, risk management and investment decisions.
5. **Complete the registration to take your CMA exam.** You should review the CMA Handbook to verify that you meet all of the requirements. The handbook is on the website. You will need to take at least one part within the first year of purchasing the CMA exam.
Access the CMA Resource Guide on the website. The guide lists all of the specific content areas on the exam. Knowing those areas will help you study for the exam.
You must pass both exam parts within 3 years of starting the program.
Each part gives you 3 hours for the multiple-choice questions and 1 hour each for the essay questions. You must score at least 50% on the multiple-choice portion to continue and take the essay questions.
Both exams will include sections on professional ethics.
6. **Review you exam results.** The multiple-choice section of each part can be graded quickly. The essay portion, however, takes longer to grade. Exam reviewers who work or teach in the field manually grade your essay questions.
If you fail a portion of the exam, you will be emailed a performance report. That report ranks your performance as satisfactory, marginal or not satisfactory. You’ll get a ranking for each topic on a particular exam part.
Use the performance report to study for the exam and take it again.
Once you have passed your exams and meet all eligibility requirements you will receive your certification. You will need to complete 30 hours of continuing education credits annually in order to maintain your certification.
7. **Find out exactly what types of jobs and industries need CMAs.** Management accounting focuses on internal company decision-making. When a company needs to decide whether to manufacture a component part or outsource the work, they are making a management decision.
Use what you learned for the CMA exam to search for job leads. CMAs can perform financial analysis and budgeting tasks, for example.
When you’re looking at any type of job posting, note the language used to describe the job. Compare that language to the skills you’ve developed studying for the exam and working in the field.
Since a CMA focuses on management decisions, you can fill several types of roles at a company. A CMA may be an accountant, auditor or an operations manager. You can consider a variety of positions during your job search.
8. **Create an effective resume.** Think carefully about the work you performed to meet the CMA exam requirement. Also, take into account the exam topics that were the most interesting for you. Keep those ideas in mind as you create your resume.
Your resume can be in chronological order. This resume starts with your most recent work experience at the top, with older jobs below. You can also organize your resume by skill type. If you managed people in a job, for example, a section of your resume might explain the highlights of that experience.
You should clearly state an objective at the top of your resume. The objective helps a potential employer understand where you ultimately want to go in your career.
You may need to change your resume to meet the specific needs of a job you want to pursue.
9. **Use several types of resources to look for a job.** Start by networking with people that you know. From there, expand the process by searching the Internet for jobs that may fit your education and experience.
Your network can also educate you on a particular company you’re interviewing with, or a specific type of job. Say, for example, that you have an interview to be a financial analyst at a bank. Someone in your network may work in banking. They can help you understand the type of work you’ll do.
If you get an interview, go back to your network and see if someone can help you prepare for interview questions. Your network contact at the bank, for example, can help you prepare for interview questions. They may have been asked similar questions during their interview.
Invest the time to properly prepare for every interview. Do research on the company and the position they are trying to fill. Put together 4-5 questions you can ask the interviewer. All of this effort can help you differentiate yourself from your competitors. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Certified-Management-Accountant-(CMA)", "language": "en"} |
How to Clean Your Dog's Ears During a Yeast Infection | Malassezia, the most common form of yeast on a dog, is normal to find inside the dog’s ear canal, but too much can create a yeast infection. Dogs tend to get yeast infections when the ear canal gets overly wet or when they have a weakened immune system. When your dog has a yeast infection in its ears, cleaning them out can help with the infection. In order to clean them properly, you need supplies that are safe for your dog’s ears, such as cleanser made specifically for cleaning a dog’s ears. If general cleaning doesn’t clear up the infection, you may also need to apply medication to clean out the infection in the ears. With a bit of proper cleaning and care, you can eliminate the yeast infection in your dog’s ears.
1. **Contact your veterinarian if your dog has symptoms of an infection.** If you suspect that your dog has a problem with its ears, you should have it looked at by a vet. They will look in the ears and they may do diagnostic tests to determine what kind of infection is present. The common symptoms of a yeast infection in the ears include:
Thick, dark brown or black discharge from the ears
Rubbing or scratching the ears
Red, irritated skin
Scaly skin
Head shaking
Rancid smelling ears
History of allergic skin disease
2. **Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for treatment.** The veterinarian will either diagnose your dog based on the smell and the amount of thick brown wax in your dog’s ears, or they will look at the wax under a microscope to determine the cause. Once they recognize it’s an infection, they will tell you how to treat the condition. Follow their recommendations, which, for a yeast infection, usually include cleaning the ears, applying medication, and watching for changes in the dog’s symptoms.
If your dog’s condition is not severe, your vet may simply suggest that you clean your dog’s ears daily.
If the condition is severe, meaning the infection likely won’t clear up on its own, your vet will likely prescribe you medication.
3. **Put topical medication in your dog’s ears.** If your vet prescribes a topical antifungal ointment or cream, apply it according to the directions you are given. In most cases, you will apply it in the ear once or twice a day right after cleaning the area. Massage the ear canal right after application to ensure that the medication is spread around the inner ear.
If your vet gave you drops, you will hold the ear open by holding the tip of the ear with one hand. Then use your other hand to drop the designated amount of drops into the ear canal.
If your vet gives you an ointment, put the amount recommended in the instructions on your finger. Hold the ear open by the tip with your other hand and then put the ointment in the ear canal with your finger. Wash your hands right after application.
Medications you may be prescribed for your dog include clotrimazole, nystatin or thiabendazole, among others.
4. **Give your dog a systematic medication if topical medication doesn’t work.** If you have treated your dog’s infection, cleaning the ears and putting medication in the ears, and your dog’s yeast infection won’t go away, contact your vet again. They may prescribe a systemic anti-fungal medication, such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, or fluconazole.
These medications are usually only given if the infection is advanced or won’t go away after weeks of another type of treatment.
Your vet may prescribe other medications to fight against underlying conditions that weaken the immune system, such as allergies. This way, your dog will be less likely to develop yeast infections.
5. **Purchase a cleanser made specifically for cleaning dog ears.** Go to your local pet supply store and purchase a cleaner that says it can be used in the ears. These products can be put into the ear canal without damaging the eardrum or other parts of the ear.
Ask your veterinarian about what products will work best for your dog. They may have a prescription product that will be very effective at cleaning the ears.
6. **Position your dog in front of you and hold it still.** In order to get your dog’s ears clean without injuring it, you need to keep the dog still. If you have a small dog, put it on your lap facing out. If you have a large dog, put it in front of you on the ground while you sit in a chair and hold it still.
It can be difficult for a dog to put up with having its ears cleaned. If your dog doesn’t like the procedure, you may need someone else to help you hold your dog while you do it.
7. **Put drops of cleaning solution into your dog’s ears.** With one hand, gently pull up the flap of your dog’s ear to open up the ear canal. With your other hand, drop the cleaning solution liquid into the dog’s ear canal. Hold your dog still while they drain down into the ear.
Follow the directions on the packaging of the cleaning solution, including how many drops to put in each ear. In many cases, you will put in enough drops to fill the ear canal.
8. **Remove the liquid with cotton balls or pads.** Place a cotton ball or cotton pad over the opening of your dog’s ear. Lean the dog’s head toward the cotton ball or pad so that the cleaning solution comes out of the ear canal and onto the cotton.
Leave the dog’s head tilted for a few seconds to give time to let the moisture drain.
Leaving moisture in your dog’s ear can exacerbate the infection, even if the moisture is an ear-cleaning solution.
9. **Clean each of your dog’s ears once or twice a day.** In order to eliminate the fungal infection, you will need to keep your dog’s ear really clean. Use the cleanser daily, even if the condition appears to be improving, until all of the symptoms are gone.
10. **Check your dog’s ears weekly for discharge, odor, or swelling.** Part of keeping your dog healthy is assessing its body for health problems on a regular basis. Lift its ears and look inside the ear canal for symptoms of an infection.
If you see small amounts of redness, peeling, or excessive dirt or debris, your dog should have its ears cleaned.
11. **Dry your dog’s ears after they get wet.** Moisture in your dog’s ears can promote the growth of yeast. To keep this from happening, use a towel or cotton ball to remove as much moisture as possible after your dog has been swimming or has gotten its head wet otherwise.
Use a clean towel when you dry your dog's ears. Using a dirty towel can introduce fungus or bacteria into the ear canal, instead of keeping it clean.
12. **Trim fur out of your dog’s ears.** If your dog has fur in its ears, trimming it away will help prevent an infection because less dirt and bacteria will be able to stay in the ear canal. Either ask your groomer to clear out the fur in the ears when you get your dog groomed or do it yourself with grooming tools.
Removing the fur in the ears will allow your dog to keep their ears cleaner and will allow you to inspect the state of their inner ear more easily.
Be wary of plucking hair from your dog’s ears since it could cause inflammation, which can weaken your dog’s skin and make it vulnerable to a secondary infection. Talk with your vet to determine the best course of action.
13. **Clean the ears of dogs with floppy ears on a regular basis.** Dogs with big floppy ears are more prone to ear infections. The flap of the ear keeps dirt and debris in the ear canal and the ear being covered makes the canal more moist and humid, which encourages the growth of yeast.
This does not mean that a dog without floppy ears can’t get a yeast infection. It is just less likely. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Your-Dog%27s-Ears-During-a-Yeast-Infection", "language": "en"} |
How to Travel by Car With Cats | If you need to travel with your cat, there are ways to make the trip safer and more comfortable for you and your pet. Use a pet cage and get the cat acclimated to it before the trip. Take food, water, a leash, a litter box, first aid materials, and enough cat toys to stimulate your cat at the end of a day of travel. With a little bit of planning and some effort during your trip, you can have a successful trip in the car with your cat.
1. **Gather supplies in your car.** When traveling with your cat, you will need to bring along a variety of supplies. These supplies include items that you will use in the car and items you will use when you take breaks and when you get to your destination. Supplies you will need include:
Cage
Cat bed or blanket
Cat food and bowl
Water and bowl
Leash
Cat toys
Litter box and litter
Medications
2. **Pack a first aid kit in your car.** Stock it with bandages, gauze and antiseptic cream in the kit. Write down your vet's phone number, the number of a 24-hour animal hospital near your destination, and the phone number of a poison control hotline so you can call in case of emergency. You can also program these numbers directly into your cell phone.
If you're concerned that your cat might get anxious or carsick, speak to your vet ahead of the trip. It's best to try out any medications at home before you leave, in case your cat has a bad reaction.
3. **Get your cat used to its cage.** In order to make traveling in a cage more comfortable, you should let your cat get used to it before hand. Place it in your home, with the door open, and let your cat explore it for a few days before you are planning to travel by car. As your cat becomes more comfortable with its cage, begin closing the door for a minute or two to get it used to the closed door.
Consider putting a blanket or cat bed in the cage that already has your cat's scent on it. This will make the cat more comfortable with the space.
4. **Practice using a leash before your trip.** Use a leash on your cat at home before taking a trip. Try to walk your cat around your home for a while and then take it outside on the leash once it starts to get used to it. This practice will make it so the leash does not come as a total surprise to the cat when you are traveling.
You may just want to attach the leash to your cat's collar. However, you can get it a body harness if it fights the leash too much when it is attached to its collar.
5. **Medicate your cat before leaving, if necessary.** If your cat is not good in the car, for instance it drools, paces, meows uncontrollably, or gets upset, then you may need to medicate it to keep it calm. Some of these behaviors are caused by anxiety and some are caused by ailments, such as motion sickness. Consult with your veterinarian about prescription or over-the-counter medications that might help your cat during your travels.
Follow the directions on the medication packaging for dosage and timing of dosing. In most cases, you will want to begin the medication before the trip begins so that the cat is calm from the beginning.
6. **Put your cat in it's cage.** Confine your cat to a cage or a pet carrying case so the cat doesn't get in your way while you're driving. It can be dangerous if a loose cat climbs into the driver's lap, gets underfoot, or becomes frightened or excited.
Make sure the cage is large enough for your cat to turn around in, stand up fully, and stretch out.
Place something soft in the cage for the cat to lie on before putting the cat inside.
Keep the inside of your car at a comfortable temperature, not too hot and not too cold.
7. **Secure the cage in the car.** Once you put your cat in the cage, secure it with one of the seat belts or by placing it in a spot where it cannot move. This will help to protect your cat from injury if you have to stop suddenly or you get into an accident.
8. **Give your cat water regularly.** Fill your cat's water bowl at rest stops and offer it a chance to drink. Cats can become dehydrated easily, especially if they eat dry food, so it's important to give your cat frequent access to water.
It is typically not a good idea to give your cat water while the car is moving. It will likely spill and get all over the place.
9. **Let your cat out of the car every two hours or so.** You and your cat should stretch your legs every couple hours during a trip in the car. If at all possible, let the cat investigate an area with loose dirt or sand to encourage it to defecate or urinate.
If there are no sandy spots available, or your cat is particular about litter, set up a small litter box and try to have your cat use it while you are stopped. Taking a few minutes to let your cat relax and go to the bathroom is better than having your cat have an accident in the car.
10. **Don't leave your cat alone in the car.** It is dangerous to leave a pet in a car unattended. The temperature can increase rapidly in a closed up car, so you can endanger your cat's health by leaving it alone for a few minutes if it's too hot out.
Never leave your cat in a car if the temperature is too hot. If the temperature is warm and you can't avoid leaving your cat briefly, park in the shade and leave the windows open enough to allow air circulation, but not so wide your cat can escape or get its head caught. A cat can get sick and die quickly if left in an overheated car.
11. **Offer food on the cat's regular schedule.** To prevent car-sickness, try to arrange your cat's main meal after you arrive at your destination. However, you should try to feed it at a time that is close to when it normally eats.
Cats' bowels are stimulated by food, so be sure to set up the litter box as soon as you arrive at your nightly destination.
12. **Let your cat blow off some steam at the end of the day.** Take cat toys or a laser pointer on your trip to stimulate the cat with play at the end of the day's travel. It's important for your cat to move around and get vigorous exercise, especially if the feline is confined in a cage for most of the day.
This is especially important if you are going on a multi-day trip with your cat. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Travel-by-Car-With-Cats", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Wooden Gears | If you're making your own mechanical system, making your own wooden gears is a great way to get the precise parts you need. Wooden gears are useful for low stress mechanical systems such as simple motors and various specialized systems. It's pretty easy to make a simple wooden gear at home, especially if you're using a router or jig saw.
1. **Receive access to a workshop.** To make wooden gears, you should have access to a wood work studio. You'll need access to a band saw or jigsaw, an awl, brad point drill bits (5/16 or 8mm), and a wood rasp. You'll also need access to a printer, a smooth shank, and short wood screws.
2. **Gather the right plywood.** You'll need to use Baltic birch plywood because it is very durable. You'll recognize this type of plywood based on the several layers within the wood. You could alternatively use UHMW plastic, Masonite, or phenolic resin material.
Avoid using spruce or fir plywood because it is simply not strong enough.
3. **Use safety supplies.** When handling this type of equipment it may be wise to use some safety precautions. First, never allow a young child to operate any large machinery unsupervised. Though it is not required, wear safety glasses while operating the larger machines. There's a chance of a small scrap of wood to pierce your eye.
4. **Obtain a template.** Go online to a free wood generator like https://woodgears.ca/gear_cutting/template.html for your template. A generator like this allows you to modify all the aspects like tooth spacing, number of teeth, number of spokes and more. When you've created the right sized gears, print them off. Templates generally have two different sized gears. The template will allow you to make size adjustments without messing up the gear ratio. The template is designed to adjust both large and small gears together. The teeth will be the same size for both sized gears to ensure a smooth rotation.
Generators like this even let you animate your design to test how it works.
There are more sophisticated gear templates that are available for download as well.
You can also create your own template using paper, pencil, and a protractor.
5. **Cut out your templates.** After printing out your template onto paper, you're ready to cut out the template. There is no need to individually cut out a slot for each gear on paper. Simply cut out the full circumference of the circle with the gear's teeth intact. Do this for both gears.
6. **Glue the schematic to the wood.** Once the paper templates are cut out, you'll need to attach them to the plywood. Use wood glue for the best hold. You shouldn't use standard glue because it won't stick as well to the wood.
It is important that the schematic stays intact while you make your cuts.
Allow around an hour for the glue to dry and settle to ensure nothing will mess up.
7. **Cut out the wood.** Once your schematic is glued onto the plywood, you're ready to cut out the plywood's circumference. Use a band saw or a jigsaw to cut out the full circle. Be sure not to puncture any of the gears. To be safe, it is better to cut out a larger circumference than your design calls for.
If you are inexperienced working these types of power tools, ask for assistance from an experienced woodworker. Typically work studios have technicians that are there to assist. Utilize the resources around you.
8. **Punch divots into each tooth.** You'll need to use an awl which is a tool with a pointed spike. Use an awl to puncture small holes (or divots) in between each tooth. Position the awl above the line between the teeth. Once the awl is in place simply bang on its butt to create a divot into the wood.
This will act as your guide for when you use your drill.
9. **Drill holes in between each tooth.** Now that you have outlined where each hole will be, it's time to create the initial holes to guide your future cuts. Use a 5/16 brad point drill for each hole. Go along the gear's rotation and create a hole using the divot created earlier as a guide. Align the drill onto the divot and commence drilling.
It's okay if the drill holes vary from the template's design.
Again, seek out someone with experience if you're unsure how to use the tool.
10. **Prepare your band saw.** You'll need to make the teeth cuts at an angle for the best rotation. Tilt the table holding the wood slightly when making the cuts for the teeth of the gears. Tilt the table to the right when cutting the left lines. Then tilt the table to the left when cutting out the right lines.
If your band saw table doesn't let you tilt to the left, you can prepare it to work. Insert a piece of plywood underneath the spacer to create a left angle.
11. **Cut out your gears.** You can either use a bandsaw or a jigsaw to make the final cuts for the teeth. Take time to do one side at a time to create the proper angles that will produce a smooth gear rotation. Start with right line of each tooth and cut the lines at an angle to the left. Then adjust your angle to the right and cut out all the left lines.
Assure that the outer lines match the lines on the template. Cut out parts of the wood that extend beyond the template's line when finished. Do this if you were cautious and cut out a circumference larger than your template.
Use your drill to cut out the center hole where the gear will rotate around.
12. **Remove the outline.** Use a belt sander to remove the template from the gears. You can also chip it off using a flathead screwdriver or even use sandpaper. The belt sander can be a messy process and shouldn't be handled by someone inexperienced.
13. **Add wood varnish.** Apply a coat of wood varnish around the teeth and on the base to ensure the wood doesn't decay. Start with one coat and add another coat after testing the gears and ensuring everything works.
14. **Attach a handle.** Use your wooden shank as a handle for the larger gear. If you don't have a smooth shank you can use any piece of spare wood available to you. Position the shank on the outer part of the gear without overlapping into the gears, and then attach it using wood glue. Add a small wood screw to ensure a secure connection.
15. **Connect the gears.** Connect the gears to a contraption like a box joint in order to test them properly. If you don't have a contraption already built, you can create your own test contraption. The key is for the smaller gear to be positioned vertically and the larger gear to be at a 90 degree angle. You can create stands out of spare wood that attach to the gears at their center point.
16. **Test the gears.** Ensure that there isn't any place where the gears seem to struggle. Take note of any location where there seems to be a resistance with a pencil.
If your teeth are of unequal size, you'll have to remove some material from the groove between the teeth.
Use your wood filer to file away any resistance you experience as the gears turn. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Wooden-Gears", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Sambar Powder | Sambar podi, or sambar powder, is a an important ingredient found in South Indian kitchens. It is prepared by roasting and grinding various types of Indian spices. You can probably find sambar powder pre-made in stores or Indian cuisine stores in many brands and variations of flavours. However, by making it at home, you can make smaller batches or large quantities of fresh-tasting sambar powder and also adjust ingredients of the powder according to your desired taste. Sambar powder is the main ingredient used to make sambar, a popular south Indian gravy. Sambar is normally eaten with rice, lentil donuts (vadas), rice cakes (idlis) and rice crepe (dosas).
1. **Gather all the ingredients in separate bowls.** It's important you are using dried red chilli peppers and dried coriander as opposed to fresh versions. If you dry roasted the fresh versions of these ingredients, the sambar powder would not be as spicy and make it more difficult to grind them into a fine powder.
You will be using each bowl to cool each ingredient after dry roasting. Alternatively, you can mix all your ingredients in a large bowl after roasting. However, it may take longer to cool if you mix all the ingredients together after dry roasting.
2. **Dry roast each ingredient in a wok or pan on low heat.** In general, you should dry roast each ingredient separately until fragrant or until it becomes slightly browned. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to keep the ingredients moving and prevent it from burning. Dry roasting times will vary depending on each ingredient.
If you are using dried hing, or asafoetida, powder, dry roast it for 2 minutes with the coriander seeds. If you are using whole asafoetida, save that ingredient for later and just dry roast the coriander seeds alone for 2 minutes.
For dried red chilli peppers, cumin seeds, peppercorn, dry roast them each and separately for 2 minutes.
Dry roast the fenugreek seeds for 5 minutes.
For the channa dhal, dry roast it for 10 minutes.
If you are dry roasting large quantities of each ingredient, dry roast them in batches.
After dry roasting each ingredients, set them aside to cool.
3. **Fry the whole piece of asafoetida and curry leaves separately in oil on low heat.** Add a dash of cooking oil in your pan. Then fry the asafoetida for 2 to 3 minutes until it changes to a light yellowy colour. Remove the asafoetida. Then in the same oil, fry your curry leaves until they are dry and change into a dark, crisp colour.
It's important you are using a whole piece of asafoetida when frying in oil and not the powder. The powder can be dry roasted with the coriander seeds.
4. **Let your ingredients cool completely.** Cooling down the ingredients prevents wet lumps from forming during grinding. A good wait time would be about 15 to 20 minutes for everything to completely cool down.
5. **Grind the ingredients together to make a fine powder.** Grind everything in a food processor. If you are making a large batch, you may need to grind everything in batches.
Alternatively, you can bring your ingredients to a grinder mill or grinding store where they will have large machines to grind the ingredients for you.
6. **Sun dry all ingredients in direct sunlight for 4 to 5 hours.** Spread out your ingredients in newspaper-covered large pans such as a cookie sheet or table. Put the ingredients in place in a place that is dry and under direct sunlight such as in front of a window.
You will not need to dry the asafoetida.
If you are using fresh red chilli peppers or fresh coriander seeds, you will need to dry these ingredients in advance for about a week.
7. **Fry the whole piece of asafoetida in oil on low heat.** Add a dash of cooking oil in your pan. Then fry the asafoetida for 2 to 3 minutes until it changes to a light yellowy colour. Remove the asafoetida from the pan.
It's important that you are using a whole piece of asafoetida when frying in oil and not the powder. If you are using an asafoetida powder, you can add it directly into the sun dried ingredients during grinding.
8. **Let your ingredients cool completely.** Cooling down the ingredients prevents wet lumps from forming during grinding. A good wait time would be about 15 to 20 minutes for everything to completely cool down.
9. **Grind the ingredients together to make a fine powder.** Grind everything in a food processor. If you are making a large batch, you may need to grind everything in batches.
Alternatively, you can bring your ingredients to a grinder mill or grinding store where they will have large machines to grind the ingredients for you.
10. **Finished.** | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sambar-Powder", "language": "en"} |
How to Do Double French Braids | Double French braids are a fun and cute hairstyle that’s also very practical. Whether you want an elegant style, need to keep your hair back during a workout, or just want to mix things up, double French braids are the style for you. You can French braid hair that is longer than chin-length, though the style works best on hair that is at least shoulder-length long. If you’d like to try out this fun hairstyle, you have two options. You can create two separate braids, or you can combine the braids at the bottom to make one big braid.
1. **Divide your hair down the center of your head.** Use a comb to create a smooth middle part. You can use the teeth of the comb or the tail of the comb if it has one. Go slowly, making sure that your part is straight. Comb each side until it is smooth.
You may want to use the long end of a rat tail comb to make a clean part.
Your hair will be easier to braid if it’s still slightly damp, but you can still braid dry hair.
2. **Tie 1 side of the part with a hair tie.** Wrap a ponytail holder or scrunchie around the hair on one side. This will keep the hair separated into a part so that you don’t accidentally pull hair from that side while you work on the other braid.
You can also use a hair clip if you’d prefer.
3. **Separate a .5-in (1.3 cm) piece of hair near your hairline into 3 sections.** Start your braid as close to your hairline as you can. You do not need to have all of the hair in your hand when you get started. Just pull small sections from near your scalp. You will pull in the remaining hair as you braid.
Try to keep the 3 sections equal in size to make the braid look more uniform.
If you have thicker hair, you may need to start with more hair in your 3 sections. It may take some practice to learn the best way to braid your own hair.
As you braid, your arms may get tired. If this happens, you can hold your hair in place with one hand and let the other arm rest for a few seconds. Then switch hands and rest the other arm. Keep going because your style will be worth it!
4. **Create a left, middle, and right section.** This will help you keep track of which section of hair you should be weaving. As you braid, the sections will change position.
5. **Weave** Adjust the middle section so it on the left now. Pull your hair tight to stabilize the braid and prevent flyaways.
6. **Weave the right section over the middle section to continue the braid.** Adjust the first section so that it becomes the new right section. Make sure that your hair is pulled tightly.
7. **Add more hair to the left section, then cross it over the middle section.** Adjust your hair, pulling it tightly. How much hair you add each time will depend on how thick your hair is.
If you have thick hair, you'll want to pull in bigger chunks of hair so that you incorporate all of the hair into the braid before you reach the nape of your neck.
If you have thin hair, you'll need to pull in less.
Each time that you pull in hair, make sure that it's equal amounts for each of the 3 sections, so that the braid will be neat.
Make sure that you are pulling your hair tightly throughout the entire braiding process.
8. **Add more hair to the right section before crossing it over the middle section.** This is the pattern that you will use to finish your braid. Repeat weaving the left side and then the right, gathering hair as you go.
Braiding is hard work! You may need to rest your arms sometimes while you braid. Just make sure that you don't let go of the braid.
9. **Continue the braiding process until you’re near the bottom of your hair.** Toward the end of the braid, you should end up with 3 sections like you would in a regular braid. Continue weaving your hair as you would a basic braid.
10. **Use an elastic band to secure the braid.** Wrap your tie around your hair near the bottom of the braid, about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) from the ends.
You can tie off your hair at any point during your braid. For example, you may want to tie off your braid just below the nape of your neck, depending on how long your hair is.
If you have curly, textured hair that isn't prone to unraveling, you won't need an elastic, so it's optional.
Before beginning your second braid, let your arms rest for a few minutes.
11. **Braid the other side of your hair.** Follow the same process on the other side of your head to create another French braid. When you finish, you should have 2 French braids, 1 on each side.
If you'd like, you can tuck the ends of each braid under the opposite braid to create a hair "crown." You'll need to secure the braids in place with a few bobby pins.
12. **Start 2 separate braids, but clip or tie them just below your nape.** You will begin the double braids as you would if you were creating 2 separate braids. However, you should stop the braids a few weaves below the nape of your neck so that you can combine them there. When you finish braiding the first side, secure it with a clip or hair tie while you braid the other side.
Choose a tight clip or tie to hold the braid. If the clip is loose on your hair, the braid will start to loosen.
The nape of your neck is the base of your head, just before your neck starts.
13. **Loop your index finger under the right section of your right braid.** This will be the section furthest to the side of your head. Make your loop near the bottom weave around the area where you’d like to combine the 2 braids.
14. **Loop the same finger under the right section of the left braid.** You should have both braids on your finger. Make your loop on the left braid near the same area of the weave as you did on your right braid. This will become your new right section for the rest of the braid.
15. **Loop your thumb under the left sections of each braid.** Start on the left braid. Make your loop in the same area of your weave as you looped the right side. This will become your new left section for the rest of the braid.
16. **Remove your hair ties or clips, holding your new sections in place.** Your 2 right sections will become 1, your 2 left sections will become 1, and the middle sections will become 1. Be sure to hold your hair tightly so that your braid doesn’t come loose.
With your free hand, pull out any weaves below the part where you are joining the 2 braids.
Alternatively, you could create your new sections by joining the left and middle sections of your left braid, the right section of your left braid and the left section of your right braid, and the middle and right sections of your right braid. Some people find this method easier, though it might not look as smooth where the braids join.
17. **Finish your braid by weaving your 3 remaining strands.** Start by crossing the right side over the middle section, and then repeat with your left side. Continue weaving until you reach the bottom of your hair, and then secure your braid with a tie. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Do-Double-French-Braids", "language": "en"} |
How to Move a Radiator | Renovating or remodeling an older home often requires you to move a radiator out of the way of your project or to a new location. Not only are radiators heavy, but they also have attachment mechanisms that must be disconnected gently and precisely to prevent future problems. Before you take on this task, it is important to learn how to move a radiator properly so you do not damage it or yourself.
1. **Consider the new location first.** Measure your radiator, and decide on a new location. Remember, you must account for the pipes, as well, so you should find a space where they have room to go under the floor or in the wall. Also, many times, radiators are placed in front of windows because they help warm up cold drafts coming in from outside.
If you're unsure how much space you'll need, consult with the plumber who will do the piping work.
You can also look at the positioning of your old radiator system to get an idea of how much space pipes will take up.
2. **Think about how the pipes will work.** If you can, extending the old pipes will be the easiest bet. If you can't do that, you'll have to think about how much space new pipes will take up in the new spot.
Once again, it's best to consult with the plumber if you're unsure.
3. **Turn off the manual control valve.** This valve is the one you use to adjust the temperature. It's often on the bottom right of the radiator, where the radiator meets the pipes.Turn the valve off by rotating it clockwise until it stops.
Use a dust cover if necessary. Some thermostatic valves don't have an off switch. You need a little cap to fit over them in place of the thermostatic device. You can find one at the hardware store if you don't have one.
4. **Close the lockshield valve.** The lockshield valve will have a plastic cover on top, and it's often on the bottom left of the radiator. Take the cover off. Use a spanner/wrench to turn the valve clockwise, counting turns as you go. You count turns so that you can open the valve the same amount when you move the radiator somewhere else.
5. **Let it cool.** Once you turn it off, let the radiator cool for a bit. You don't want the water in the heater to be too hot to work with.
6. **Check for water.** Open the bleed valve a little bit to see if water comes out. You will need a radiator key to turn it. If water leaks out, water is still going through the radiator. Make sure the valves are closed as much of possible. If they are, you'll need to drain the radiator.
7. **Drain the water.** You'll need two plumber's wrenches. You are pulling the radiator up from its risers at the bottom. Have something to catch the water ready. Hold the manual control valve with one wrench, while you use the other to unscrew the nut that holds them together.
Water will drain out as you loosen it, so be ready.
Do the same with the other valve, the lockshield valve.
8. **Move the radiator off its supports.** Now you can move the radiator off the supports. However, be aware more water will drain. In addition, radiators can be very heavy, so have someone to help you if possible. You may also have to lift it off of wall brackets.
9. **Close the bleed valve.** Before moving the radiator, close the bleed valve. You don't want any random dirty water dripping across your home if any is left inside.
Tilt the radiator to make sure you get all the water out, which will come out the other valves.
Make sure to put something under the radiator, as it's likely not clean. In fact, it's best to turn it upside-down so you don't drip sludge on the floor.
10. **Have a plumber rework the plumbing.** Unless you're extremely confident in home improvement, it's best to have a plumber do the next part. You need to have pipes put in the new position. They can be extended from the old position, or you can have new ones put in, which of course will be more expensive.
11. **Get some help to move it.** Once again, radiators are very heavy. Many are made of cast iron. It's best to have a dolly and someone to help you move it where you want it to go.
12. **Wrap plumber's tape around the adapter screw threads.** Go clockwise around the threads. Tear off any extra, and flatten down the end.
13. **Set the radiator on its supporting brackets.** In the new position, set your radiator into place. The valve lines need to line up with the valves on the radiator. Also, make sure you get it back on its wall brackets.
14. **Tighten the nuts.** Just as you loosened the nuts under the valves, it's now time to tighten them. Use a plumber's wrench to hold a valve, and turn the nut with another plumber's wrench until it's tightened.
15. **Open the lockshield valve.** Turn the lockshield valve counter-clockwise. Remember to do it the same amount of turns to open it as you you used to close it before.
16. **Open the manual control valve.** Again, turn counter-clockwise. Doing so will open the valve, releasing water or steam into your radiator.
17. **Let out air.** Open the bleed valve momentarily to let out any trapped air. Once the radiator has filled up again, you can close the valve again.
18. **Check your work.** Make sure none of the valves are leaking. If the are, turn them off and tighten the nuts some more. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Move-a-Radiator", "language": "en"} |
How to Give a Romantic Massage | Romantic massages are more intimate and sensual than the average massage, and they can set the scene for a relaxing and couple-focused evening. Ambiance is important when setting up for a romantic massage, as is knowing how and where to massage. Remember to take your time, focus on your partner, and enjoy connecting with them in a new and exciting way.
1. **Set up the bed or couch with clean, soft sheets and pillows.** If you’re giving a massage at home, chances are you don’t have a massage table, but that is okay! Pick a spot that is clean and clear of clutter, and lay down a set of clean sheets for your partner to lay on. Don’t forget to grab 1 or 2 pillows for beneath their head, back, or knees as needed.
If the room isn’t clean, take 10 minutes to tidy up and put away clutter. Both you and your partner will feel more relaxed if the space is neat.
Use 2 sheets—one for your partner to lay on top of, and 1 for them to put over themselves at the beginning of the massage in case they’re chilly.
2. **Adjust the temperature in the room to a comfortable setting.** This will depend on your partner—if they always run cold, turn the temperature up a little bit so the room is warmer than usual. If they’re usually warm, turn it down so they’ll be cool and comfortable.
A space heater or fan can help make a big difference in the room’s temperature if you don’t have much time.
3. **Dim the lights and set up a few candles for romantic mood lighting.** Glaring overhead lights won’t do much for the mood, so turn those off and use candles for lighting instead. If you need more lighting, turn on a lamp. You could even cover a lamp with a sheer scarf to dim the light even more.
For a special touch, light your partner’s favorite scented candle.
4. **Turn off your phones and all electronics so you won’t be interrupted.** If you don’t want to turn your phone off, put it on “do not disturb” or airplane mode so that you won’t get any notifications during the massage. Put it off to the side or in a drawer so you won’t be tempted to check it. Ask your partner to do the same.
Take this time as an opportunity to disconnect from work, school, and other commitments so you can focus on connecting with your partner.
5. **Play ambient music to create a relaxed and calm atmosphere.** Avoid music with a fast or heavy beat. Instead, opt for instrumental or ambient music for a calming effect.
Check out whatever streaming service you use—many have pre-made playlists or stations that are made for relaxation. Search for “relaxing music” or “ambient music” to see what is available.
“Zen,” “yoga,” and “meditation” are other keywords that could help you find the right music for the occasion.
6. **Spend time connecting with your partner before you begin.** You could enjoy a nice glass of wine or take a bubblebath together. Or, simply spend a few minutes holding hands and talking.
If your partner doesn’t already know, clue them in that you’re planning on giving them a romantic massage. They may want to take a shower or change their clothes before you begin.
7. **Rub a natural oil or cream between your hands before you begin.** Sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil are good options that shouldn’t irritate your partner’s skin. Use ⁄2 tablespoon (7.4 mL) to start and add more to your hands when they get dry. You must rub it between your hands to warm it up before you begin.
Add a few drops of essential oils to the carrier oil or cream to give it a pleasing scent. Lavender, peppermint, bergamot, and sandalwood are great options.
8. **Use long strokes with gentle pressure, starting at the neck and shoulders.** Have your partner lay on their stomach so you can work on their shoulders and back first. Remember, your goal isn’t to give your partner a deep-tissue massage or work out their sore muscles. It’s to awaken their body and gently touch them all over.
Check in with your partner to see if the amount of pressure you’re using is good. They may want a deeper massage or prefer less pressure.
Let your hands glide over their skin. Count slowly in your head to 20 for each section that you massage, like their neck, left shoulder, right shoulder, the middle of the back, etc.
9. **Spend time massaging their lower back.** Stand or sit so that you and your partner are facing the same direction. Put your hands flat on their lower back, near their hips, and push forward toward the middle of their back. Count to 20 as you massage this area, but feel free to do it for longer if your partner likes it.
If your partner is comfortable with it, you could also give them a gentle butt massage. Use your elbow to gently put pressure on your partner’s butt, starting at the top and working your way down to the bottom. Repeat on the opposite side.
10. **Massage their arms and legs so that every part of their body is relaxed.** Part of the romantic massage is making your partner feel very relaxed but also aware of their body. Gently rub your hands up and down their arms and longs with long, firm movements. Have them start on their stomach as you massage the backs of their legs, then ask them to flip over to their back so you can massage their arms and the fronts of their legs.
Remember to count to 20 for each part of the body. The upper left arm, upper right arm, lower left arm, lower right arm, and so on should each get their allotment of time.
11. **Remember to give their feet some TLC.** Add more cream or oil to your hands, and gently rub the bottom of their feet in large circles. Make small circles around their ankles, and gently massage between your partner’s toes.
Depending on how ticklish your partner is, you may have to skip this part. But if they enjoy it, it’s worth spending some time on.
12. **Work on their inner thighs with a firm but gentle pressure.** The inner thighs are very sensitive and are also a sensual area for both men and women. Focus on the area between the knee and the groin. Use gentle but firm strokes and count to 20 on each side.
How high up toward the groin you take the massage is between you and your partner. If they give you any non-verbal signs, like putting their legs together or moving away from you, you may be moving too high up their leg.
13. **Take your time before massaging their more sensitive or sensual places.** A romantic massage can be just that, or it could be fantastic foreplay before something more sexual. Start with a gentle full-body massage before getting close to those more sensitive areas, like the breasts, the groin, or the butt.
14. **Let your partner relax after the massage and take their time getting up.** Chances are, your partner is going to be in a state of maximum relaxation and won’t want the lights flipped on and the door flung open as soon as it’s over. Allow them to lay still for a while, and take that opportunity to do some relaxing yourself!
If your partner fell asleep during the massage, let them rest! | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Give-a-Romantic-Massage", "language": "en"} |
How to Do Alice Cooper Makeup | Famed rock musician Alice Cooper is known for his striking makeup onstage just as well as he is for his classic hits like “School’s Out,” “I’m Eighteen,” and “No More Mister Nice Guy.” If you want to replicate his stage makeup, it’s easy to do. Alice Cooper himself once claimed that it only took him 45 seconds to put it on. All you’ll need are a few makeup brushes, some greasepaint, a mirror, and makeup wipes.
1. **Get a concealer brush, a tub of black grease paint, and a mirror.** Alice Cooper’s classic eye makeup only has one ingredient: black grease paint. To put it on, it'll be helpful to have a brush and a mirror. For Alice Cooper's eyes, use a concealer brush with a width under .5 in (1.3 cm).
You can get a concealer brush at a general or makeup store. Small tubs of black grease paint can be bought at costume shops.
Alice Cooper calls his makeup style “demented clown makeup.”
2. **Make an outline of your eye socket with the grease paint.** Find your eye socket by running your finger along the outside of your eye. The eye socket is the dense, hard bone that encircles your eye and gives it its shape. This should be the boundary of your outline. Barely dip the brush into the greasepaint and draw an outline of your eye socket, following the bone.
Be sure to close your eye while making the outline, as an accidental poke in the eye with a makeup brush would be painful.
Alice Cooper achieves his startling look by making his eyes look large. This is used so that the people in the back of the audience can see his expressions.
3. **Fill in the outline, including the eyelid, with greasepaint.** Using the concealer brush, apply the black grease paint thickly inside the outline of your eye socket. Looking in the mirror while you do this will help you keep the brush inside the lines. Fill in the outline heavily: you want the eye to be completely black.
If you get some paint outside of the outline, you can either wipe it away with a makeup wipe (or a washcloth and warm water) or extend the outline to include the mistake—your eyes don’t have to be perfect!
4. **Repeat on your other eye.** Use the concealer brush and apply the same technique on your other eye. Again, keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be perfect. If you look at pictures of Alice Cooper onstage, you’ll see that often his eye makeup is a little mismatched; sometimes one eye is more filled in than the other.
5. **Find a flat-edged eyeliner brush with a width of less than .5 in (1.3 cm).** For the scar-like lines through the eyes and the frown trailing from the mouth, you’ll need a small, thin makeup brush; an eyeliner brush is perfect for this.
You can buy an eyeliner brush from a makeup or general store.
6. **Press the brush to the bottom of your eye outline and move down.** Apply the greasepaint to the bottom edge of your eye makeup, and release pressure as you move down. Make sure that the thin edge of the brush is vertical as you make the mark. With each ⁄8 in (3.2 mm) you draw, release a little bit of pressure from the brush.
Your goal is to make the line wide at the beginning and taper off to a fine point at the end. If the line turns out wider than you meant it to, try accepting it and letting the mark stay large; while his marks were often paper-thin, sometimes Cooper made his marks large as well.
7. **Repeat this mark on the tops and bottoms of both eyes.** Repeat the previous mark for each eye, going up and down from the eye sockets. Alice Cooper’s makeup involves a small line trailing upwards and downwards from each eye socket, making it look as if he has a black scar through each eye.
If you accidentally press the brush too hard and the brush trails off, use a makeup wipe to clean off the mark and start again.
8. **Make multiple lines or squiggles off of the eye if you like.** Draw multiple lines or squiggles coming off of the eye if you'd like to mimic the alternative look that Alice Cooper sometimes uses. Trail the marks outwards from the eye sockets in a sunburst fashion.
9. **Trail greasepaint down the side of your mouth with the eyeliner brush.** Starting with one side of your lips, apply a ⁄8 in (3.2 mm) line curving down the outside of your chin. If you have a natural crease in your face where your cheek meets your chin, you can follow this line with the brush; it should match up perfectly.
Imagine that you've bitten into a blackberry and let the juice run out of the side of your mouth. This is the trajectory the paint should take.
10. **Apply the greasepaint on the other side of your mouth.** Use the eyeliner brush to apply the greasepaint to the opposite side of your mouth, keeping the mark the same size.
Once you've applied both lines, it should look like you're frowning.
11. **Darken your lines if they're uneven.** Look in the mirror and check your handiwork. If any of your lines aren't the same darkness, apply another coat of greasepaint on top of the old layer.
Also make sure that your lines are the same size. If one line is bigger than another, use the eyeliner brush to make it wider. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Do-Alice-Cooper-Makeup", "language": "en"} |
How to Make a Light Up Headboard | Headboards can be expensive and take up a lot of space. If you are looking for a stylish, cost-effective way to accentuate your bed, then a light up curtain headboard may be the perfect choice. You can create a light up headboard in under an hour with just a few items from a department store.
1. **Gather your materials.** Making your own light up headboard is simple, as long as you have the right materials. Before you get started, you will need:
a curtain rod
two 300 light boxes of white mini lights
a package of 18 small command hooks
two long sheer white curtain panels
a sturdy chair or ladder
2. **Use a sturdy chair or ladder.** Standing on your bed might not give you the height or the stability that you will need to create your headboard, so use a sturdy chair or ladder instead. Push your bed away from the wall and place your chair or ladder next to the wall.
You may want to have someone spot you and hold your chair or ladder steady while you hang everything.
3. **Hang the curtain rod** Measure the width of your bed and extend the curtain rod to this length. Hold the curtain rod up against the wall to get an idea of how high you want to place it. You can place the curtain rod an inch or two away from the ceiling or a foot or two below the ceiling. Just make sure that the placement will allow the curtains to hang down past the top of your mattress.
After you have decided on where to hang your curtain, use a pencil to mark the places you will need to drill and then drill the curtain rod in place. This will help to ensure that the curtain rod will be level and placed exactly where you want it to go.
4. **Place the Command hooks under the curtain rod.** After your curtain rod is in place, you will need to secure the Command hooks. You will need the Command hooks to hang the mini lights. Place your Command hooks about an inch under the curtain rod.
To secure the Command hooks, take an adhesive strip and then remove the protective covering from the “wall” side. Press the wall side of the adhesive firmly against the wall. Then, remove the other protective cover and press the “Command hook against it for about 30 seconds. Repeat this process with all of the hooks.
Make sure that you keep the hooks on an even level and that you space them out evenly as well.
5. **Hang mini lights from the command hooks.** Take your mini lights out of their boxes and stretch them out. You may need to detangle the cords a bit. Then, hang part of each string of lights on one of the hooks. Connect the ends so that you have one continuous chain of lights.
Make sure that you leave a plug available to connect to the wall. If an outlet is not within the area of your headboard, then you can either leave some excess cord to plug in the lights or use an extension cord to turn them on.
6. **Add curtains to the curtain rod.** Next, take your curtain panels out of their packages and fan them out. Then, thread the curtain rod through the openings at the top of the curtain panels. When you are done, hang the curtain rod back up.
Make sure that you hang the curtains so that the backs of the panels hang towards the wall. The back of the curtains should have a visible hem and sometimes a tag as well.
7. **Arrange the curtains.** To ensure that your headboard will look just how you want it to, take some time to arrange the curtains. You can fan them out or bunch them together in different ways to change the texture of your headboard.
As you arrange your curtains, make sure that the mini lights stay hanging straight down against the wall.
8. **Put your bed back in place.** After you are finished arranging the mini lights, your light up headboard is finished! Return your bed to its usual space, but leave a little space for the curtain to hang. Then, just plug in the lights and enjoy!
9. **Use different colors.** If you want to go with white on white, it creates a really pretty headboard. However, you can also experiment with different color combinations to match your room décor. Choose something that matches your style or rotate the curtains and light colors now and then for a different look.
For example, you could use sheer pink curtains with purple mini lights, sheer blue curtains with blue mini lights, or even try some multicolor lights behind a sheer black curtain.
10. **Space the lights out more or less.** You can also vary the look of your headboard by spacing out the lights or bunching them up a bit more. Using fewer lights will give your headboard a softer look, while using more lights will make your headboard bright and bold.
Try using just one string of lights for a softer look, or, try using three boxes of lights for a brighter look.
11. **Add embellishments.** Another way to customize your headboard is to add some embellishments to the curtain rod. You can choose something that works with your room décor to create a customized headboard look. Some options include:
a garland of faux flowers or leaves
some strings of beads
feather boas
a colorful scarf or some long thin strips of colorful fabric | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Light-Up-Headboard", "language": "en"} |
How to Learn Cryptography | "Cryptography" is defined as both the practice and study of the techniques used to communicate and/or store information or data privately and securely, without being intercepted by third parties. With the growing awareness of cyber security and cyber crimes, Cryptography is becoming popular subject. The following articles describes ways to start learning more about it.
1. **Choose your resource.** There are plenty of free resources out there, some of which are available on:
Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/course/crypto
Udacity: https://www.udacity.com/course/cs387
2. **Be consistent.** Like any new learning material, it takes time and effort to grasp the underlying concepts.
3. **Get standard books to learn about this subject.** Look around the web, read some reviews and pick the book that you think most suits your needs.
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/cryptography
4. **Stick with it.** Try not to miss out on stuff in between, incomplete knowledge can be worse than no knowledge.
5. **Try practicing.** Instead of just sticking to the theory, try to code something on your computer. You could use online tools like:
CrypTool: http://www.cryptool.org/en/
6. **Find other resources.** There are plenty of other websites that provide information about Cryptography. Some of these are:
Learn Cryptography: http://learncryptography.com/
The Geek Stuff: http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2012/07/cryptography-basics/
7. **Ask around.** Find people, in real life or the virtual world who have prior experience in computer and network security. Post questions/try to answer questions on online forums, this will help expand your knowledge base.
8. **Be curious and have fun!** That's what learning is all about. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Cryptography", "language": "en"} |
How to Webcam With Another Person | Video chatting is fun, easy, and the software is free! Using a webcam allows you to literally add a friendly face to your conversations. You and a friend will both need a camera and microphone (most laptop computers will ship with them these days, but there are many commercial options to fit any user’s needs), as well as matching software. These methods cover usage of the the most popular choices for video chat.
1. **Download and install Skype.** Skype is a popular video chat and phone program with broad platform support.
2. **Connect your webcam.** A USB camera should be recognized and install its driver automatically. Some cameras may come with driver install CDs. These are not always necessary, but should be used if there are any problems with the camera.
In Windows, you can check that the camera installed properly by navigating to and check that your camera is listed without errors.
3. **Launch Skype and create or log into your account.** Keep in mind your real name, username, and email can all be used as credentials for contact searches.
4. **Adjust your camera settings.** This will allow you to make sure your camera is functioning and preview what you will look like. This is accessed in on Windows or on Mac.
5. **Initiate a video call.** Select the search bar and enter the name, username, or email address of your contact, then press “Search Skype”. Once you locate the desired user, double-click their name and open a conversation window and press “Video Call” (video camera icon).
Once the call is initiated, the recipient will need to pick up the call by pressing the green “Accept Call” button for the call to commence.
Alternately, you can Press “New” to open a chat window. In the popup you can press “copy link” to send to a friend directly, or email them an invitation to the conversation. After they join the conversation, press “Video Call” to initiate the video call.
Press Add to Contacts to save the user for easier access in the future. The recipient will need to accept the request on their end for them to appear in your contacts.
6. **Install and launch Facetime.** Facetime is a Mac/OSX/iOS application only. This is only necessary for Mac users on OSX 10.6.6 (older versions are not supported). OSX 10.7+ ship with Facetime installed. Facetime can only be acquired from the App Store and requires an Apple ID.
Both caller and receiver need to be using OSX or iOS in order to use Facetime.
7. **Connect your webcam and launch Facetime.** Your camera will start automatically and you can preview how you look at the startup screen.
Facetime often uses the internal camera by default. You can select another camera by going to the Video menu and selecting the desired camera from the list.
8. **Sign in using your Apple ID.** All of your contacts associated with that Apple ID will be automatically imported as potential Facetime contacts.
9. **Initiate a call.** Search for a contact or select one from the list. Press the video camera button to initiate a video call.
Contacts can be added using the “+” button or added to the Contacts application and automatically imported.
10. **Choose a social media platform.** Using social media to chat is convenient since you never need to leave your web browser. Furthermore, all of your friends in your social network are already effectively part of your contact list. Facebook and Google Hangouts are the two largest and most popular social media platforms for video chat.
11. **Connect your webcam and sign into your account.** Navigate to your preferred platform’s website (facebook.com or gmail.com) and sign into your account.
12. **Open a chat window with the desired recipient.** Click the name in the contact list. Hangouts in Gmail and Facebook Chat are both enabled by default.
To enable Hangouts, press the “Sign into Hangouts” button. Since are you already logged into Gmail no login credentials are required.
To enable Facebook Chat, press the “Settings” button and select to turn chat on.
13. **Press the video call button.** The user will be sent a video call request. Upon accepting
If you are using a browser other than Google Chrome, you will be prompted to install the Hangouts extension in order to video call with Google Hangouts.
Facebook video chat is not supported on Internet Explorer.
If the video call button is greyed out, it means the user is not currently available for video chat. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Webcam-With-Another-Person", "language": "en"} |
How to Clean Your Cat's Feet | Since cats naturally clean themselves on a constant basis, humans don’t have to spend too much time attending to their overall hygiene. However, some parts of your cat – like their feet – require some care to ensure your feline friend’s basic health. To make sure your cat is generally healthy, you should provide regular foot cleaning care, make sure their nails are clean and intact, and be a proactive troubleshooter if you do encounter any problems while cleaning their feet.
1. **Examine their feet.** Before cleaning your cat’s feet, you should take a quick look at them. This will provide you with information about the general health of your cat’s feet. When examining their feet:
Look for redness or sores. This could indicate allergies or infections.
See if there is any green or black pus. This could indicate a virus or infection.
If your cat has infection between their pads, your veterinarian may recommend an anti-microbial soak using such medicines as captan, chlorhexidine, or povidone iodine.
2. **Rinse their feet.** By rinsing their feet, you'll remove dirt and grime and make it easier for you to wipe down and clean your cat's feet. You’ll also aid in their self-cleaning process by removing debris before they lick their own feet.
Pour warm water (99 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) into a medium size bowl or similar container.
Quickly dip your cat's feet (one at a time) into the water.
Skip this step if your cat doesn't want their feet dipped.
3. **Wipe their feet gently.** After dipping, you should gently wipe your cat's feet in order to remove any excess dirt that remained after dipping. Wiping their feet down is important, as you'll be able to get dirt that wasn't removed when you rinsed their feet.
Wet a clean microfiber cloth in warm water (99 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius).
Dab or wipe their feet thoroughly.
If their feet are particularly dirty, use a little bit more water.
If for some reason you need to use a shampoo or similar product, make sure it is formulated for cats. In addition, follow manufacturer directions regarding proper dilution.
4. **Get in between their toes.** In order to clean your cat's feet properly, you need to make sure that you clean between their toes. This is important, as dirt and grime may accumulate in hard-to-reach areas of your cat's foot.
Gently separate their toes.
Use your cloth or rag to wipe away dirt.
Rinse your rag after you've cleaned a crevice between toes.
5. **Avoid using chemicals not intended for cats.** Since cats regularly lick their own feet to clean them, you should avoid using soaps or other chemicals not intended for cats. By using these products, you’ll potentially introduce chemicals that your cat will wind up licking and digesting. Stay away from:
Artificial dyes
Parabens
Sodium laurel sulphate
Petrochemicals
Human cleaning products
Cleaning products formulated for other animals
6. **Inspect their nails.** When inspecting your cat’s nails, look for any signs of damage, infection, or other problems. Nail health is important to overall hygiene, as an infection of the nail can quickly spread to other parts of your cat’s body.
Look to see if the nails are intact.
Observe to see if their claws are jagged, have been torn, or are missing pieces.
See if there is any fungus present. This can appear as redness or swelling, or you may spot green, black, or yellow growth around the claws or pads.
7. **Clean their claws.** After inspecting their nails, you may need to systemically clean them. This is especially true if you notice fungus, other growth, or any sort of damage to their nails.
Dip their feet in warm water.
Gently dislodge all dirt, fungus, or other debris on the claws.
Claw fungus is fairly rare. If your cat seems to have claw fungus, however, you should consult your vet. Your vet may then prescribe a topical antifungal, other cleaning agent, or even an oral antifungal.
8. **Trim your cat’s nails.** Trimming your cat’s claws is a key part of maintaining proper hygiene for indoor cats. This is important, as many indoor cats don’t have the ability to wear their claws down as they would outside. Thus, their claws may grow long and may accumulate bacteria. However, when trimming your cat’s claws, make sure to use a proper cat claw trimmer.
Position your trimmer perpendicular to the claw and along the transparent part of it.
Make sure to avoid blood vessels – these appear as small pink triangles in the center of the nails (the “quick”). Avoid clipping near this area.
Quickly cut the transparent part of the claw.
If you’re afraid you’ll hurt your cat, trim just the tip of the claw. After you trim the tip, you can move up higher and take more of the nail off.
If your cat does not respond well to nail trimming, you may need to have your vet do it.
Clip one or two claws at a time before taking a break. Trying to get a whole foot or even all your cat’s feet might be too much to expect.
9. **Avoid the quick.** A cat’s quick is the portion of its claw where there is tissue and blood vessels. If you cut their quick, you’ll cause them pain and may expose them to the dangers of infection. Thus, you need to be very careful not to cut their quick.
Always cut less nail than you need.
If you cut the quick, consider using a silver nitrate applicator to stop blood loss. You’ll take the applicator and apply it to the area that is bleeding.
Regardless of whether you use silver nitrate or not, the wound should stop bleeding in 5 minutes or so.
10. **Remove foreign objects.** Your cat may at some point step on an object that could become lodged in their foot. When this happens, you should remove the object and clean the foot properly.
Use antibacterial soap and warm water to clean the area.
Take tweezers and pull the object out.
Apply an antiseptic like betadine to the wound.
Cover your cat’s foot in a bootie or sock for a day or so, if the cat allows it.
Keep the cat from licking the wound, too. You may even use an e-collar to prevent this.
11. **Care for their foot pads.** While a cat’s foot pads don’t require regular cleaning or attention, they may need to be cleaned if they are scraped or injured. This is important, as an injured foot pad may lead to serious infection or other problems. If you identify an injured foot pad:
Look for signs of infection. These include redness, swelling, heat, or oozing fluid (pus). If it’s a small wound and doesn’t look infected, keep an eye on it until it heals and keep the surrounding area clean.
Consider protecting the foot with a sock or cat bootie. A soft wrap is best – never bind anything tightly around your cat.
Talk to your veterinarian. In some circumstances, your cat may need topical antibiotic or a course of oral antibiotics.
12. **Consult your vet.** There might come an instance when your cat’s feet exhibit symptoms or problems you’re not familiar with. In this case, you should talk to your veterinarian. Your veterinarian is trained to identify a wide variety of cat foot problems.
Schedule a meeting with your vet. Make sure to tell the receptionist the details of your cat’s foot problem. For instance, if you notice black or green pus built up between your cat's toes, tell them.
If your cat has had foot problems before, let the vet know about them. While they may have your cat’s medical records, they may not have had time to read them thoroughly.
Inquire whether you should clean your cat’s feet before bringing them to the vet. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Your-Cat%27s-Feet", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Silk, Satin or Ribbon Roses | Roses are beautiful flowers, but they don’t last forever. Roses made from ribbon, satin, or silk are great for decorating, enhancing clothing on special occasions, and making craft projects. You can make roses on your own by folding it into a square and then tightening it, or by using hot glue as you twist it into a rose shape.
1. **Choose a material without wires that is ⁄8 inch (0.32 cm) wide.** You can make roses out of silk, satin, or ribbon, as long as they don’t have any wires or framing inside of them. Pick a material that is pink or red for a traditional color, or use white, blue, or even green for a festive look.
You can find satin, silk, and ribbon at most party supply stores.
2. **Cut your material to about 8 inches (20 cm).** Materials like ribbon or silk usually come in long strands that are hard to work with. Use a pair of sharp scissors to cut your material into a manageable size. Cut the material at an angle to avoid fraying.
The cut you make doesn’t have to look perfect, since it will be hidden inside of your finished rose.
If you want a larger rose, use more material.
3. **Fold the ribbon over itself about halfway to make a corner edge.** Take one side of your material and fold it over on top of itself to create a 90-degree angle. Create a loose “L” shape with the material to achieve this sharp angle. Press down on the fold with your fingers so that it stays in place.
You don’t have to make this fold directly in the middle, but the closer it is to the center the more even your rose will be.
4. **Fold 1 side of the ribbon over the center fold.** Set up your material on a flat surface so that your fold is in the middle and the loose ends are hanging down toward you. Grab 1 loose end of your material and fold it over the center part of the ribbon. Keep one hand on the center fold of your ribbon so it doesn’t come loose.
5. **Fold the ribbon over the center creating a square with right angles.** Grab the other side of the loose ribbon and fold it over the center. Then, fold it backward to create a right angle in a square shape. Keep doing this in an alternating pattern until you run out of material. Crease each fold that you make so that it stays in place.
6. **Pinch the stack of folds together with your fingers.** Pick up the folds that you made in your material and keep them pinched together with your thumb and pointer finger. If the material comes loose, it will fold out into an accordion that you can simply fold back up into a square.
7. **Pull 1 loose end of the ribbon through the small hole in the center.** Grab 1 of the loose pieces of ribbon that is sticking out of your square. Pull it through the small hole that is in the center of your square. If you have trouble getting it through, use a pair of small tweezers to grab the ribbon and pull it.
8. **Twist the layers together until they form a rose shape.** Grab the back center of your rose where the excess material is sticking out and twist it clockwise until the center squeezes together and forms a rose petal shape. Twist these as much or as little as you want to until your silk, satin, or ribbon rose looks like a real flower.
Depending on how tight you want your rose shape, twist your material up to 5 times.
9. **Tie a knot in your loose ribbon ends at the back of the rose and cut the excess.** Grab the ends of the ribbon that are sticking out and tie them in a knot so they don’t come loose. Use sharp scissors to cut the ends of the ribbon off so you don’t have loose material hanging off of your flower.
You can also use a small ribbon to tie your loose ends together if you want an added decoration.
10. **Use a material that is ⁄8 inch (0.32 cm) wide and has no wires.** Choose either silk, satin, or ribbon, but make sure that it doesn’t have any type of wire framing inside of it. Make sure your material is wide enough to create a rose out of. Choose red or pink material for a classic rose design, or be bold with cream, yellow, and orange.
You can find silk, satin, and ribbon at most craft stores.
11. **Cut your material to about 8 inches (20 cm).** Depending on the size of the rose you want to make, use sharp scissors to cut your ribbon into a workable length. The longer your material is, the larger your rose will be. Cut the edge in a straight line to make it easier to work with.
If you are worried about your material fraying, apply a liquid fray stopper to the cut edge and let it dry before you make your rose.
12. **Put a dot of hot glue about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the edge.** Put a clear hot glue stick into your glue gun and wait for it to warm up. Place a pea-sized dot of hot glue slightly away from the edge of your material. Let it dry slightly before you handle it so you don’t burn your hands.
13. **Fold 1 end of the ribbon onto the glue in a right angle.** Take the edge of the ribbon nearest the hot glue and fold it in once toward the rest of the ribbon. Make a right angle with the point of the triangle at the top of your material. Press down slightly on the material to make sure the glue bonds with it.
14. **Apply another dot of hot glue on the fold of the ribbon.** Use your hot glue gun to apply a pea-sized amount of hot glue on the fold that you just made. Make sure it is mostly centered to ensure that your rose will be even.
Place the tip of your glue gun directly onto your material to make sure the glue doesn’t create strings.
15. **Crease the ribbon onto the hot glue creating another triangle.** Hold the ribbon horizontally. Take the folded part of the ribbon and fold it in half on top of the hot glue. Press down on the glue slightly so that it sticks together. Create a rolled top part of the ribbon that looks like the center of a rose.
16. **Roll the folds in toward the rest of the ribbon and add hot glue.** Keep using the same technique of rolling the ribbon inward while making it stick with pea-sized dots of hot glue every 2 inches (5.1 cm). Hold the ribbon horizontally the entire time. Keep the folds tight so that they combine to look like a rose.
Keep the top part of the ribbon folded over so that there are no edges showing in your rose.
17. **Glue the excess ribbon to the base of the flower.** Take the tail of the ribbon that is hanging out from behind your rose and glue it to the bottom of your rose. Put a dot of hot glue on the inside of the tail so that you can’t see it.
You can twist the tail around itself once if you don’t want the frayed edge to show. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Silk,-Satin-or-Ribbon-Roses", "language": "en"} |
How to Know the Difference Between Emo and Goth | From the surface, determining the difference between emo and goth subcultures can be pretty tricky. However, giving a closer look at the backgrounds of these subcultures show some major differences as both scenes have roots in distinct musical movements. This article provides a breakdown of emo and goth subcultures, from the music to the fashion.
1. **Both terms are rooted in history.** While the term 'emo', which stands for 'emotive hardcore' and has its roots in the 80s hardcore punk scene, it is unclear on exactly who first used it. ‘Goth,’ on the other hand, which was used to describe the atmosphere of late 70s/early 80s post-punk bands, can be traced back to the term "gothic" used by journalists.
2. **Listen to proto-goth for an early look at goth culture.** Many cite bands such as The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, and The Doors, who were labelled "gothic rock" in 1967 due to the sound of their atmospherics and dreary use of the organ as influential goth predecessors.
Nico's The Marble Index is considered is a proto-goth album and has even been citied as "the first Goth" album due to her "lyrical drone accompanied by a medieval-sounding musical landscape populated with a harpsichords and glockenspiels".
3. **Siouxsie and The Banshees and The Cure give a snapshot of the 1980s goth sound.** These artists combined lyrics with a fixation on darkness and depravity with effects-laded guitars, atmospheric basslines and tom-tom heavy or 'tribal' drums. However, it wasn't until Bauhaus released their 1979 single Bela Lugosi's Dead, in reference to the actor who played the 1931 film adaption of Bram Stoker's Dracula, that goth really became recognized as a genre and subculture.
Other bands like UK Decay, Southern Death Cult, and The Danse Society were also particularly popular and influential bands during this era.
4. **The second wave, spearheaded by The Sisters of Mercy, saw a shift in goth's sound.** During the mid-80s the genre began to move away from its pure experimental and arty post-punk sound and started to incorporate hard rock elements. The bands' use of the drum machine is particularly notable. Their mainstream success spawned several similar sounding bands, such as Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Merry Thoughts, and Fields of the Nephilim.
Goths evolution saw the beginnings of notable offshoots, including darkwave (Clan of Xymox and Switchblade Symphony) which is post-punk crossed with new wave and synthpop, and ethereal wave (Cocteau Twins).
The first deathrock revival began in 1998 and petered out, with bands such as All Gone Dead and Tragic Black as the face, around the mid-00s. These bands mixed cartoonish aesthetics with the caricature of the Batcave and a more modern deathrock sound.
5. **While goth certainly does have it classic bands, it continues to evolve.** Decades on sees bands continuing to experiment and incorporate elements of other genres into their music, with several developments springing up all around the world.
One includes the boom in Russian post-punk with bands like Ploho and Molchat Doma, who gained popularity after their song "Sudno (Boris Ryzhy)" went viral on TikTok.
Another includes bands such as She Past Away, Twin Tribes, TRAITRS, and HAPAX part of so-called "gothwave" genre, a perfect blend of classic goth guitar sounds with signature darkwave synths.
6. **Emo also has its roots in music.** Many consider the first emo band to be Rites of Spring, a Washington, D.C. band that formed in 1984. Led by singer Guy Picciotto, the band’s music was characterized by noisy, hardcore instrumentation and intensely vulnerable, confessional lyrics. Soon after, bands like Embrace, Beefeater, and Dag Nasty joined the D.C. scene, and the emo music movement officially began (even if each of these bands has been forthright about hating the term ‘emo.’).
Rites of Spring’s Guy Picciotto and Ian MacKaye of Embrace eventually formed the hardcore punk band Fugazi, another band credited as influencing the emo movement.
7. **Listen to Midwest emo bands to learn about the 1990s emo music movement.** In the nineties, bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, American Football, and Cap’n Jazz made the Midwest the epicenter of the revival. These bands took emo’s messy, noisy sound and made it a little more polished.
As bands continued to form under the influence of preceding emo bands, offshoots of the emo sound started to shape in all kinds of directions, most notably screamo (Saetia and Orchid).
8. **From the late 90s to the late 2000s, emo music burst into the mainstream.** Pioneered by bands like The Promise Ring and The Get Up Kids, emo saw a shift from the unconventional song structures into a catchy and hook-filled fusion of emo and pop punk. Jimmy Eat World officially launched the emo-pop movement with their 2001 album Bleed American whose "The Middle" became the flagship. Other bands such as Saves The Day and Brand New were also considered emo pop bands.
Soon other bands, such as Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance whose debuts, Take This to Your Grave and I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love respectively, began gaining more mainstream attention.
9. **The waning commercial popularity of emo-pop saw the genre retreat underground.** Around the early 2010s, many mainstream emo-pop bands either broke up or began to move away from their roots and experiment with other genres. In its place saw a new crop of bands such as Snowing and Algernon Cadwallader that, not only took taken inspiration from the sounds and aesthetics of the '90s, but seemed to explore a fusion between post-hardcore, math rock, and pop-punk. Screamo has shown a similar resurgence, with 2018 summers being labelled "Summer of Screamo" due to many classic screamo bands reuniting.
More recently, emo continues to influence present-day artists in a more multifaceted style, with emo rappers like Lil Peep, Lil Tracy, and Princess Nokia bringing innovations to the genre. Billie Eilish is also another great example.
10. **For a grasp on goth fashion, take a look at what the goth musicians wore.** Staples in goth fashion include black clothing often in lace or leather with a DIY air, elaborate and expressive make-up, fishnets, winklepickers, silver jewelry, and big, back-combed, often dyed hair.
In the early days, many goths creatively thrifted and made their own clothes; the goal was to take inspiration from their idols without directly copying.
11. **If you're going for an emo look, try something a little more casual.** Staples of the subculture include band t-shirts, sweeping bangs, skinny jeans, beaten-up converse, and, you guessed it, heavy eyeliner. If you get cold, wear a sweater. It’s important to note, though, that due to the varying subgenres within emo music, typical emo fashion varies pretty widely.
For example, 1980s and 1990s emo bands like Embrace and Sunny Day Real Estate really didn’t emphasize fashion as a part of the work that they did. Later emo-pop bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy were more focused on style and fashion.
12. **Goth music often uses synthesizers, drum machines, and effect-ladened guitar.** Goth can carry an array of sounds, but usually stands out due to its use of a prominent atmospheric bass and a flanging guitar, most notably used on Siouxsie and the Banshees' second LP Join Hands. Vocal styles can appear baritone, unusually high-pitched or drowned out, especially in modern darkwave.
At one point in time, goth was given the name "positive punk" in reference to the positive direction punk was heading. Many bands used tribal drums and avoided guitar power chords, opting for slashing, screeching and razor-like effects instead.
13. **Emo music combines punk-influenced guitars and heart-on-your-sleeve style lyrics.** In addition to the hardcore dissonance of emo guitar playing and instrumentation, a huge part of what distinguishes the genre is the lyrics. Most emo lyrics describe intense feelings of alienation, loneliness, and despair, often using anguished metaphors that veer towards melodrama.
For example, Guy Picciotto kicks off the Rites of Spring track “For Want Of” with the lyrics, “I woke up this morning with a piece of past caught in my throat / And then I choked.”
14. **A goth club is a bar or nightclub affiliated with goth culture.** Starting with the highly influential goth club The Batcave in the 1980s, goth clubs have been a staple in keeping a flourishing goth scene alive in cities across the world. To learn more about goth subculture and distinguish it from emo subculture, consider finding a goth club in your city!
15. **More recently, bars and clubs have been throwing emo-themed events.** These events feature emo music and invite attendees to dress in their favorite emo fashion looks. If you want to see first-hand what makes emo subculture unique from goth subculture, see if any local clubs or bars are hosting an emo night in your area!
16. **It’s important to avoid making harmful assumptions about any group of people.** Learning about particular music and fashion subcultures is a lot of fun, but you should remember that everyone is a unique individual. Avoid generalizing groups of people simply because of the clothes they wear or the music they like.
For example, liking emo music doesn’t make someone an unhappy person. They may just enjoy the emotional catharsis the lyrics and music bring them! | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Know-the-Difference-Between-Emo-and-Goth", "language": "en"} |
How to Write a Position Paper | Just like an argument paper, a position paper supports one side of an issue, similar to in a debate. Your goal will be to provide convincing evidence to the reader that your position is the correct stance to take on an issue. You can write a great position paper by choosing your position carefully, developing your argument, drafting your paper, and revising and editing your work.
1. **Make sure your topic is arguable.** If you are choosing your own topic, then you will want to make sure that it has multiple sides. The topic should be controversial, with at least 2 clear sides. Sometimes a topic might seem to have 2 sides, but in actuality most people would agree on 1 side.
For example, you wouldn’t want to write a paper arguing that children need proper care, as no one would disagree with that stance.
A better topic may be taking a stance on what should be done if children are not receiving proper care.
2. **Research your topic and the alternative sides.** You need to fully understand your issue in order to choose and defend a position. Consider the background information, recent developments, and the reasons behind each side. Remember to examine at least 2 sides of your issue.
Visit your local library to find books, journals, and newspapers.
Access online databases, credible websites, and news sources.
To decide if a source is credible, look for peer-reviewed journals, check the credentials of the author, locate the information in two separate sources, and check the date to make sure the information is the most recent available. You should also avoid self-published sources.
3. **Make a pros and cons list for at least 2 positions on your topic.** Based on your research, write down the reasons for and against each position that you are considering taking. This will help you choose a position that is easy to defend using the evidence that you have collected.
Looking at both sides not only helps you pick the best position, it will also help you choose a good counterargument.
For example, if you are writing a paper about whether or not your community should invest in new park equipment, your two sides would be either in favor of the new park equipment or against it. A pro of buying new equipment might be purchasing safer equipment, while a con would be the expense of the purchase.
4. **Think about your views on the issue.** You may have strong views on the topic, which could help guide your choice. If you do have an opinion, make a list of the reasons behind it to see if they can help you build an argument.
In some cases, it’s easier to argue a position if you don’t have strong opinions either way. This is because you can focus on the evidence, not on your personal views.
5. **Consider your audience's views on the topic.** How your paper is received will depend on the audience and their stance on the issue. If you are preparing your paper for a class, it could be helpful to consider the views of your instructor. Similarly, a paper such as a policy paper would benefit from localizing the issue, just as a paper for an international journal would appeal to more readers if it includes a wider worldview.
While you don’t have to change your position to fit your audience, you may want to adjust your reasons behind the position or the counter-argument you choose.
6. **Establish your claim.** Your claim is your position on the topic, which is what you will defend in your paper. You should base your claim on what you can prove with your evidence.
7. **Identify your supporting reasons.** Most position papers provide 2 or 3 supporting reasons for your claim, but a longer paper may include more reasons. Your supporting reasons will come directly from your evidence, so choose statements that you can prove.
If possible, look for supporting reasons that are shown through 2 or more different pieces of evidence, as this will make your argument stronger.
Use your assignment sheet or the parameters of your paper to determine how many supporting reasons you should include. For many academic papers, you will use 2 to 3 reasons.
8. **Compile your supporting evidence.** Identify which pieces of evidence you will use to support your argument, and mark them in a way that is convenient for you. For example, you could write your citations on index cards for use while you write the paper, or you could type them directly into a document and then copy-and-paste them into your paper when you reach the drafting phase.
Use an organizing strategy that works for you.
Compiling your evidence now will help you more easily write your paper.
Keep in mind that it is important to cite your sources. If you use a direct quote from a source, then put it into quotation marks and identify the author when you use it. If you paraphrase or summarize something from a source, give credit to the author for the ideas.
Don’t go overboard on including evidence! Remember that most of the ideas in the paper should be your own. It’s good to quote sources, but avoid quoting entire paragraphs from other sources. Keep your quotes to a sentence or two and try to avoid including more than one quote per paragraph.
9. **Identify a counter-argument that you can easily dismiss.** Using a counter-argument can help you strengthen your claim because it shows the audience that you have considered other options. By introducing and then dismissing the counter-argument, you are showing that your position is the correct one to take. A good counter-argument is easy to dismiss, allowing you to refute it using your evidence.
For example, if you are writing a position paper arguing that your community should purchase new playground equipment, your counter-argument could be that the purchase will be too expensive. To strengthen your argument, you would cite this possible point against you but show why it's not a valid reason to dismiss your position. A good way to do that would be to show that the equipment is worth the expense or that there is outside funding to pay for it.
You will also want a piece of evidence that supports your counter-argument. This evidence, which should be easy to dismiss, will be included in your paper.
10. **Develop your thesis.** Your thesis will control your paper, so you should write it first. For a position paper, you can vary how you write your thesis. Since you are using a counter argument, you may only have two supporting points, depending on the requirements of your paper.
One easy way to set up your argument in your thesis is to include both your counter-argument and claim, preceded by the word “although.” For example, “Although installing new playground equipment in the park will be expensive, new playground equipment would provide a safe play area for children and offer options for special needs children.”
If you’re an expert writer, you may not need to include supporting reasons in your thesis. For example, “As parents learn the benefits and dangers of outside play, communities across the nation are turning their eyes toward their parks, making safe, accessible equipment a public necessity.”
11. **Write your introduction.** Provide your audience with background information on your topic, including the history and recent developments. You should include information that is relevant for your stance, which will narrow what you tell the reader. For example, if you are writing a paper about gay marriage in Maine, you would only include background information relevant to that state.
Start with a hook that introduces your topic. For example, you could provide a statistic of how many children are injured on old playground equipment every year.
Include a few sentences that provide more information on your topic, narrowing down toward your stance.
End your introduction with your thesis.
12. **Include at least 2 body paragraphs.** A short position paper may only contain 2 body paragraphs - one for the counter-argument and one for the supportive points. However, most position papers will have 3 or 4 body paragraphs, with 2 dedicated to supportive evidence. Depending on the length of your paper, you may decide to include more.
Follow the requirements for your paper, which may state how many paragraphs you should include.
13. **Use topic sentences that link back to your thesis.** Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence is like a mini-thesis that controls your whole paragraph. Your topic sentence should introduce what you will talk about in the paragraph, whether it’s the counter-argument or one of your supporting reasons.
For example, you could write: “Installing new playground equipment would make the park more inclusive for special needs children because updated designs are accessible to those who are differently abled.”
14. **Provide evidence to support your position.** Each of your reasons needs at least 1 piece of evidence, though using more evidence will strengthen your argument. Pull your evidence from your research, focusing on the following:
Facts
Statistics
Quotes
Documented stories
15. **Provide commentary to explain your evidence.** Commentary explains to the reader why your evidence supports your reason and your position, so your commentary should clearly explain the link between your evidence and thesis. In your own words, tell the reader what you want them to take away from this piece of evidence, and why it proves that you are correct. You should include 2 to 5 sentences of commentary for each piece of evidence.
Without commentary, there is no link between your evidence and your position, leaving your argument weak.
16. **Conclude your essay by reasserting your position.** A strong conclusion restates your position and the reasons why it’s the correct viewpoint. You will summarize your argument and briefly dismiss your counter-argument. In a position paper, you’ll also want to end with a call to action.
Restate your thesis. For example, "While new playground equipment is expensive, it's worth the investment because it serves the best interests of the community by providing children with a safe area to play and making the park more accessible for special needs children."
Sum up your argument.
End on a high note with a call to action. For example, "Children need a safe, accessible place to play, so the only choice is to install new park equipment in Quimby Park."
17. **Cite your sources** Since your position paper will contain evidence, you need to include where you sourced that information. Follow the preferred citation style of the recipient of your paper, whether that’s an instructor, organization, journal, or other entity.
If you don’t cite your sources, then you will be guilty of plagiarism. You could lose credit or face harsher penalties if you are caught stealing someone else’s words or ideas.
18. **Use your spell check tool.** The spell check tool is the easiest way to avoid misspellings, and it’s available on most word processors. Remember that you will still need to proofread your paper because the spell check tool will not catch words that are spelled correctly but used incorrectly, such as “form” instead of “from.”
Before you change a word, re-read the sentence to make sure that the new suggestion fits. The spell checker may think that you mean one thing, while you really mean something else.
19. **Take a break from your paper.** Go for a walk, eat a snack, take a nap, or participate in a relaxing hobby. Your brain needs rest before you try to edit your paper. By stepping away, you’ll have more insight into gaps in your argument and whether or not your sentences make sense.
Waiting at least a day is best. If you are short on time, wait at least 30 minutes before reviewing what you’ve written.
20. **Re-read your paper with fresh eyes.** Read through your paper as a reader rather than the writer. Identify your claim, counter-argument, and support. Look for areas that need development or additional evidence. Mark sentences that need to be rewritten to streamline or provide more clarity.
If possible, have a friend or mentor read your paper and suggest edits or revisions.
21. **Revise your paper.** Start by making any additions, such as more evidence to support your argument or additional commentary. Make sure that your argument is clear, supported by evidence, and restated in the conclusion. Then go back through your paper and rewrite awkward sentences, as well as sentence fragments and run-ons.
Combine short, choppy sentences, and break up long sentences.
Fix sentence fragments and run-ons.
22. **Proofread your paper to make final edits.** Check your final draft for typos, misspellings that the spell check tool missed, and any remaining grammar issues.
If possible, ask a friend or mentor to proofread your final draft. They may be able to spot errors that you don’t see.
23. **Prepare your works cited page, bibliography, or references page.** Since you will likely be using evidence, you will need to include a page listing all of your sources. You should prepare this page using the style manual prefered by your instructor.
24. **Format your paper to fit your instructor’s requirements.** Consult your assignment sheet, syllabus, or the parameters of the paper for how you should format your paper. Adjust the margins, font size, and spacing to match the format requirements. Then add your heading and page numbers.
If you are presenting or turning in a printed paper, check to see if you should place it in a presentation folder. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Position-Paper", "language": "en"} |
How to Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of Tuberculosis | Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and spread from person to person through the air. TB usually affects the lungs (typically the primary site of inoculation), though it can affect any organ. In the latent form, the bacteria remains dormant with no signs or symptoms, whereas the active form shows signs and symptoms. The vast majority of TB infections remain latent. If left untreated or treated improperly, TB can kill, so you must be able to recognize the signs of respiratory tuberculosis.
1. **Beware of areas that leave you vulnerable to TB.** If you live in or have traveled to these areas, or even if you come into contact with someone else who has, you could be at risk. In many parts of the world, the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of TB is a challenge due to health care policy, financial/resource constraints, or overpopulation. This allows TB to go undetected and untreated, causing it to spread. Traveling on an airplane to and from these areas can also harbor the bacteria due to isolated ventilation.
Sub-Saharan Africa
India
China
Russia
Pakistan
Southeast Asia
South America
2. **Examine your working and living conditions.** Overcrowded conditions and places with poor ventilation allow the bacteria to spread easily from one person to another. A bad situation can be made even worse if the people around you have poor health background checks or screenings. Conditions to be wary of include:
Prisons
Immigration offices
Retirement/nursing homes
Hospitals/clinics
Refugee camps
Shelters
3. **Consider your own immune health.** Having a medical condition that lowers your immune system's natural defenses can be problematic. If your immune system can't function properly, you're vulnerable to all sorts of infections, including TB. Such conditions include:
HIV/AIDS
Diabetes
End-stage kidney disease
Cancers
Malnutrition
Age (the very young lack developed immune systems, and the aged may have less than optimal immune health)
4. **Determine whether drugs might interfere with immune function.** Any drug abuse, including alcohol, tobacco, and IV substances, can lower your body's natural defenses. While some cancers put you at higher risk for TB, so too does the chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Long-term use of steroids, as well as drugs to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs can also affect immune function. So too can drugs used to treat autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), and psoriasis.
5. **Notice any unusual coughing.** TB usually infects the lungs, breaking down the tissue there. Our body's natural response is to remove the irritant by coughing. Figure out how long you've been coughing; TB usually lasts for more than 3 weeks and may include such worrisome signs as bloody sputum.
Consider how long you've taken over the counter cold/flu medications or antibiotics for a respiratory infection with no relief. TB needs very specific antibacterial drugs, and to start therapy requires screening and confirming TB.
6. **Look for discharge when coughing.** Have you noticed any sputum (sticky discharge) when coughing? If it smells and is dark, it can be any type of bacterial infection. If it's clear and odorless, it can be a viral infection. Take notice if there's been any blood when coughing into your hands or tissues. When TB cavities and nodules form, nearby blood vessels may get destroyed, leading to hemoptysis — coughing up blood.
You should always seek expert medical advice when you cough up blood. He or she will be able to advise you on how to proceed.
7. **Pay attention to chest pain.** Chest pain can suggest a wide variety of issues, but when taken together with other symptoms, they can point to TB. If you feel a sharp pain, it can you point to a specific, localized area. Note particularly if it hurts when you apply pressure to that area, or if it hurts when you breath in and out or when you cough.
TB forms hard cavities and nodules against the lungs/chest wall. When we breathe, these hard masses cause damage to the area, leading to inflammation at the site. Pain tends to be sharp, localized to a specific area, and reproducible when we put pressure on it.
8. **Take note of unintentional weight loss and lack of appetite.** The body has a complex response to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria that results in poor nutrient absorption and altered protein metabolism. These changes might persist for months without your noticing them.
Look in the mirror and note any changes to your body. If you can see the outline of your bones, this indicates you don't have enough muscle mass due to lack of protein and fat.
Measure your weight on a scale. Use a previous but recent weight from when you were feeling healthy as a comparison. Weight changes vary, but you should address any drastic changes with your healthcare provider.
Note whether your clothes feel looser
Keep track of how often you've been eating and compare it to when you last felt healthy.
9. **Do not ignore fever, chills and night sweats.** Bacteria usually reproduce at around normal body temperature (98.6 °F, 37.0 °C). The brain and immune system respond by raising the body's temperature to stop the bug from reproducing. The rest of the body detects this change, then attempts to adjust to this new temperature by contracting muscles (shivers), making you feel chills. TB also causes specific inflammatory proteins that aid in fever production to be produced.
10. **Beware of latent TB infection.** A latent TB infection is dormant and not infectious. The bacteria simply resides in body with no harm. Reactivation can occur in those with reduced immunity, as listed above. It can also occur with increased age due to weakening of the immune system. Reactivation sometimes also occurs for other, unknown reasons.
11. **Be able to distinguish TB from other respiratory infections.** There are many other conditions that TB could be mistaken for. You don't want to wait out a simple cold virus only to find out that you have something more serious on your hands. To differentiate between TB and other conditions, ask yourself the following questions:
Is there clear mucus liquid dripping from my nose? A cold will cause congestion/inflammation of the nose and lungs that leads to mucus dripping or running out from the nose. TB will not present with a runny nose.
What is being produced by my coughing? Viral infections and the flu tend to have a dry cough or produce a white mucus. Bacterial infections found in the lower respiratory tract produce brownish sputum. TB, though, typically produces a cough over 3 weeks and can produce a hallmark bloody sputum.
Am I sneezing? TB does not cause sneezing. This is usually a sign of the cold or flu.
Do I have a fever? TB can cause a fever of all levels, but those who have the flu typically have fevers of more than 100.4 °F (38.0 °C).
Do my eyes appear watery/itchy? The cold typically presents with these symptoms, but not TB.
Do I have a headache? The flu typically presents with headaches.
Do I have joint and/or body aches? The cold and flu can cause this but it is more severe with the flu.
Do I have a sore throat?Look inside your throat and see if it appears red, swollen and painful when swallowing. This is seen mainly with cold but can appear with the flu as well.
12. **Know when to seek immediate medical attention.** Certain signs and symptoms require immediate help. Even if these TB symptoms don't result in a TB diagnosis, they might point to other severe illness. Many conditions, both harmless and dangerous, can cause chest pain, but you should always report it and allow a doctor to perform an EKG exam.
Consistent weight loss might indicate malnutrition or cancer.
When combined with bloody cough, weight loss can more specifically suggest lung cancer.
High fever and chills can also be caused by an underlying blood infection or sepsis, though this usually causes a drop in blood pressure, dizziness, delirium and high heart rate. If left untreated, it can be potentially deadly, or lead to severe dysfunction.
The doctors will order IV antibiotics and blood work looking at the white blood cells (immune cells that fight infection).
It can be difficult to know how to care for someone experiencing delirium, but by taking time to better understand the condition you can avoid common mistakes.
13. **Arrange for latent TB infection screening if called for.** Even if you don't suspect you have tuberculosis, there are cases in which you may have to be screened for latent TB anyway. Those starting work in a healthcare environment require a test followed by yearly screening. If you're traveling to or returning from at-risk countries, have decreased immunity, or work or live in crowded, poorly ventilated conditions, you should also get screened. Simply make an appointment with your primary care doctor to get tested for TB.
A latent TB infection will not cause any symptoms or sickness, and cannot be spread to other people. However, five to ten percent of people with a latent TB infection will eventually develop TB.
14. **Ask for a purified protein derivative (PPD) test.** This test is also referred to as tuberculin skin test (TST) or Mantoux test. The doctor will clean the area with a cotton swab and water, then inject you with a purified protein derivative (PPD) near the top of your skin. A small bump will appear from the liquid injection. Do not cover the location with a bandage as this may alter the liquid in place. Instead, give the liquid a few hours to be absorbed.
If you have antibodies to TB, it will react to the PPD and form an "induration" (thickening or swelling around the area).
Note that it is not the redness that gets measured but the size of the induration. After 48 to 72 hours you will return to the doctor for measurement of the induration.
15. **Understand how to interpret the results.** For different categories of people, there is a maximum induration size considered negative for screening. However, any induration over that size indicates that the patient has TB. If you have no risk factors for TB, an induration of up to 15mm (0.59 inches) is considered a negative result. However, if you have any of the risk factors listed earlier in this article, an induration of up to 10 mm (0.39 inches) is considered negative for screening. If any of the following describes you, an induration of up to 5 mm is considered a negative result:
Immunosuppressive drugs like chemotherapy
Chronic steroid use
HIV infection
Close contact with a TB-positive individual
Organ transplant patients
Those who show fibrotic changes on a chest x-ray
16. **Request an IGRA blood test as an alternate to a PPD.** IGRA stands for "interferon gamma release assay," and this blood test is more accurate and quick than a PPD. However, it does cost more to perform. If your doctor opts for this test, he will take a sample of your blood and send it to a lab for analysis. Your results should be ready within 24 hours, and a subsequent appointment will be made to go over test results. A high level of interferon (determined by a preset normal range by the lab) is a positive result that indicates you have TB.
17. **Follow up on test results.** A positive result in either the skin or blood test indicates, at minimum, a latent TB infection. To determine whether you have active TB, your healthcare provider will order a chest x-ray. A patient with a normal chest x-ray will be diagnosed with a latent TB infection and given preventive treatment. An abnormal chest x-ray on top of a positive skin or blood test indicates active TB.
The doctor will also order a sputum culture. A negative result indicates latent TB infection, and a positive result indicates TB.
Note that sputum can be difficult to collect from infants and young children, and diagnosis is often made without it for children.
18. **Follow your doctor's advice after diagnosis.** If the x-ray and sputum cultures confirm active tuberculosis, your doctor will prescribe a multi-drug regimen. However, if the x-ray is negative, patients are considered to have latent TB. Follow your doctor's treatment directions carefully to prevent latent TV from becoming active. TB is an infection that is reported to the CDC, and treatment may include Directly Observed Therapy (DOT), which consists of a healthcare worker observing a patient take each dose.
19. **Consider getting the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine.** The BCG vaccine may decrease the risk of infection, but does not eliminate it. BCG vaccination causes a false-positive PPD test, so individuals who have been vaccinated should be screened for TB with the IGRA blood test.
The BCG vaccine is not recommended in the US, which has a low incidence of TB, because of its interference with PPD screening. However, individuals from other, less developed countries are commonly vaccinated. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Recognize-the-Signs-and-Symptoms-of-Tuberculosis", "language": "en"} |
How to Maintain Eye Contact | Making eye contact is a lot trickier than it seems. The need for perfect timing can make eye contact a challenge. Too much eye contact can come across as aggressive or creepy, whereas too little can come across as aloof or timid. Finding the perfect balance is a product of practice, techniques, and self-confidence.
1. **Relax and talk about your topic.** Eye contact will come a lot more easily if you feel at ease. Try not to get yourself too stressed out. Stay focused on what you are trying to convey in words. As you get into a conversational rhythm with the person you are talking to you will become more comfortable and more able to make eye contact.
2. **Look at other parts of their face to start.** If it is too uncomfortable for you to look someone directly in the eye, you can try looking at other parts of their face such as their mouth. They won’t know you aren’t looking them in the eye and once you get more comfortable with this you can start actually making eye contact.
It is also best to start with people who are not intimidating to you, such as friends or parents. If you’re talking to someone really attractive or powerful you’re less likely to feel comfortable looking them in the eye.
3. **Draw an imaginary inverted triangle on their face.** The base of the triangle should be between their two eyes and the point of the triangle should be at their mouth or just below it. As you talk to this person let your eyes wander between these three points. This will make you look engaged without staring at one spot the entire time.
Rotate between the three points every five seconds or so.
4. **Don’t look too much.** Maintain a balance between looking at them and looking away. Try to look at them or look away at natural points in the conversation. For example, if they say something you agree with you could try looking away and nodding your head in agreement.
Replacing eye contact with non-verbal cues is a great way to assure the other person you are paying attention.
5. **Make an effort.** Even if you feel uncomfortable and awkward looking people in the eyes, it is healthy to force yourself to do it. Science tells us that making eye contact with someone is not so dissimilar to the idea of ‘keeping your eye on the ball’.
It is something that you choose to do voluntarily, and it gets easier with practice.When you are talking or listening to someone and you catch yourself looking over their head or off into the distance, force yourself to reinitiate eye contact.
6. **Try feigning eye contact if you are disabled and find actual eye contact upsetting.** While you certainly don't need to suffer through eye contact if it's jarring to you, it is helpful to accommodate non-disabled people by sending signals that tell them you're paying attention. Look at somewhere near their face, where you can be comfortable. You can also give other signals that you're listening, such as nodding and interjecting with questions or statements like "I see." Try looking at their...
Nose
Mouth
Hairline/eyebrows
Chin
Neckline/shirt area, unless they are wearing a low-cut shirt
General direction
7. **Understand that eye contact varies depending on culture.** Studies show that East Asians desire less eye contact than other cultures. Eye contact can even come off as angry or unapproachable. On the other hand, Westerners tend to think of eye contact as being assertive and confident.
Recognize that eye contact is rude in some disability subcultures. Autistic people and some others find eye contact alarming and upsetting, which means it hinders a conversation instead of helping. If you're talking to someone who avoids eye contact, it's polite to look elsewhere, such as at their hands or their shirt, so they can be comfortable.
8. **Practice using the television.** Find a talk show that features multiple people in a still frame. As each person talks, focus your eyes on their eyes. This is a great way to practice maintaining eye contact in a group.
9. **Give each person attention.** If you are speaking you have to make sure that you switch your eye contact between all the people you are talking to. If you only maintain eye contact with one person then the others will feel like they are not a part of the conversation.
Try looking at one person per sentence and then switching when you start your next sentence.
10. **Don’t let people's expressions faze you.** If you are talking to an audience and you make eye contact with someone who is frowning or shaking their head at what you are saying, don’t be thrown. Maintain eye contact with this person for three or four seconds just like you would with everyone else. Maybe even throw in a smile just so they know you are taking their nonverbal criticism good-naturedly. Then move onto the next person unflustered.
If making eye contact with so many people makes you nervous, try looking at the tops of their heads. From a short distance, they can't tell the difference.
People will naturally have different opinions on what you are saying but maintaining eye contact is important regardless of what they think. This establishes a subconscious connection that is vital in social situations.
11. **Keep your eye contact head on.** Don’t look at people out of the corner of your eye as you talk to the group. Move your whole head to face theirs when you make eye contact. Making eye contact out of the corner of your eye is not much better than making no eye contact at all.
12. **Maintain a balance in the conversation.** You shouldn't be speaking too much and you shouldn't be forcing the other person to hold the entire conversation either. Try to maintain a balance by responding to what the other person is saying rather than waiting for your turn to speak.
Giving positive feedback during the conversation is very helpful. For example, if the person tells you something say "oh, interesting. Can you tell me more?"
13. **Be self-aware.** Self-awareness is key to effective communication. You have to understand that while your ten year old cat may be a very important part of your life, other people don't necessarily want to hear about it constantly. Understand what is of interest to others and react according to the way that they respond.
You don't only have to use stories from your own life as you make conversation. Don't be afraid to talk about anecdotes that you read or heard from someone else. This will show that you are willing to pay attention to and talk about topics other than yourself.
14. **Don't feel put off by the end of the conversation.** All conversations end at some point, so don't feel discouraged if you stop talking with someone. If you have had a good conversation with someone you don't need to force it to continue along. Gracefully end the conversation.
For example, say something like "it was good talking to you, we should hang out again sometime", or "hope to chat again soon". This will end the conversation on a positive and comfortable note.
15. **Allow yourself to disagree.** One myth about communication or good social skills is that you are not allowed to disagree with the person you're talking with. This is entirely untrue.. You shouldn't disagree in an impolite or aggressive way, but being willing to express your own opinion will make the conversation more interesting. It will also last longer.
Talking about sports is a good example of polite disagreement. Someone might say, I think this player is the best player in the league right now. If you don't agree you can say something like, "I'm not so sure, have you seen this other player play? He is having a really good year this year. I think he may have passed your player by." This is a polite way of disagreeing that will spark debate without offending the person. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Maintain-Eye-Contact", "language": "en"} |
How to Move to Switzerland | Do you desire to move to the neutral country Switzerland? Switzerland is a country with four languages, extensive history, and plenty to discover. While a beautiful country, Switzerland is notorious as a difficult country to move to, and there are many things to consider before moving. This article will offer some guidance and advice.
1. **Determine your motivations for moving.** Are you trying to get a better job? To get a better lifestyle? To get a better education? To escape from unhappiness at home? Understand your motives, and evaluate alternatives to see whether moving to Switzerland is the best option.
2. **Write down all the reasons you want to move to Switzerland.** For example:
Switzerland is famous for its beautiful mountains. The in Switzerland, varying from glacial mountaintops to pleasant Mediterranean climate at the southern tip. Summers tend to be warm and humid, with periodic rainfall, so they are ideal for pastures and grazing.
Switzerland has one of the most in the world. The Swiss franc remains one of the world's strongest currencies with the lowest inflation rate.
Switzerland remains and has a diverse population. Resident foreigners and temporary foreign workers make up about 22% of the population.
Religious freedom: Switzerland has . Christianity is the predominant religion of Switzerland, divided between the Catholic Church (41.8% of the population) and various Protestant denominations (35.3%). Islam (4.3%) and Eastern Orthodoxy (1.8%) are sizable minority religions. Greeley (2003) found that 27% of Swiss are atheists.
Switzerland is particularly suited for skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering, which are enjoyed by both locals and tourists.
3. **Research** Check out books from your local library or bookstore, search the internet, ask around people who have been to Switzerland or know about the country. Be familiar with the country's cultures, traditions, laws, religions, cost of living, climate, language, transportation, etc.
4. **Make your decision** Moving to another country is a big decision in your life, so be sure to take your time and consult with your friends and loved ones. You must be absolutely convinced that moving to Switzerland is better than staying where you are, and that it is the best country for you to move to.
5. **Get your documentation in order.** A passport is a must for Americans. You will probably require a passport to travel by plane to Switzerland wherever you travel from if you live in Europe already, a passport may not be required, you may be able to cross the border from another European country unchallenged. Remember Switzerland is not part of the European Union. Get all required legal documents, such as passports, visa and work permits. This is essential, or you cannot gain entry into Switzerland. Visit the Federal Office of Immigration, Integration and Emigration if it helps, for all questions pertaining to visas and regulations. It is very easy to follow and has detailed information in four languages.
6. **Secure a job, preferably from a large international company based in Switzerland.** They will typically help you get a work permit. There are many internet resources that can help you find a job in Switzerland.Excellent job search tool, with many international positions including Switzerland.</ref> Most Swiss employers are great employers, and many of them are even willing to hire someone with the technical skills they need regardless of language proficiency. (The Swiss languages are German, French, and Italian, each spoken primarily in areas of the Switzerland neighboring the respective countries.) If you work for a company in the US that has an office in Switzerland, you may be able to apply for a transfer. If not, consider looking for such company.
Know that highly qualified specialists and top executives are awarded work and residence permits, in lieu of the above step. If that applies to you, you may apply for such permit. Be aware that this type of permit is extremely hard to obtain and even harder to get renewed.
Take advantage of the three month rule: you are allowed to stay in the country legally for up to three months. Ensure that you are entitled to work during the three months. Take small jobs such as babysitting or English teachers, while looking for permanent work during the three month period. If you fail to find permanent work, don't be discouraged, but simply try again. When the three month period is up, leave the country for a while, then return for another three month visit to resume the job search.
7. **Establish a budget.** Switzerland is the wealthiest country in the world, with an average per-capita income about £28,000 a year, and is one of the most expensive country to live in. If this does not deter you, you need to bring enough money to get a good start once you arrive, and be very conservative with spending every penny.
8. **Book your transportation to Switzerland.** For example:
From Britain: Flying is by far the easiest, cheapest, and most convenient way to get from Britain to Switzerland. Travelling by train is comfortable and scenic, but is more expensive and takes more than a day. Trains and buses are worth considering if you are interested in visiting other parts of Europe during the trip.
From North America: Several airlines fly direct from North America to Zürich; many other airlines offer flights to Zürich via other major European cities.
From Australia and New Zealand: Flying is the cheapest and easiest option. Fares vary significantly with the season: low season runs from mid-January to the end of February and during October and November; high season runs from mid-May to the end of August and from December to mid-January; the rest of the year is considered "shoulder season". So plan to travel during low season if possible. Find the best deal. Travel agents often offer better deals than buying direct from airlines.
9. **Convert your currency into Swiss francs.** Note that the symbol for the Swiss franc is , which stands for Confoederatio Helvetica Franc; the official name of Switzerland is Confoederatio Helvetica, or Swiss Confederation. Remember, the more money you bring, the better start that you will get in Switzerland. The rate of currency conversion may fluctuate, so keep a look out on the foreign exchange market, as you may be able to get a little bit extra money (especially if you are converting a lot of money).
10. **Import your belongings.** For example:
: You may freely import cats and dogs without a permit. Obtain a rabies vaccination certificate from a veterinarian. The certificate must be written in German, French, Italian, or English can contain name and address of animal owner, description of the animal (breed, sex, age, color), confirmation that the animal was submitted to a veterinary examination prior to vaccination and found in good health, date of rabies vaccination, type of vaccine used, name of manufacturer and batch number, & signature of the veterinarian. Certificates in other languages are accepted if accompanied by a legal translation. Guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, mice, aquarium fish, and canaries can be imported without a veterinary certificate. Domestic animals and dangerous animals require import permits from the Federal Veterinary Office.
Weapons: Obtain authorization from your place of origin to import weapons.
Cars: You must pay import duty (consisting of customs duties based on weight of the vehicle and engine capacity; 4% consumption tax; 7.5% Value added tax; and 15-Fr for the report) to import a car that you owned for less than six months. Contact is the customs authority for full details. Cars you owned for more than six months are exempt from import duty and will simply require filling out a clearance request form. Also consider selling your cars and buying a car in Switzerland, or use a bike or public transportation.
11. **Pack** Big items can be imported separately, so pack only what you can fit into a bag, such as books, clothes, personal care items and money.
12. **Say goodbye to loved ones who will not accompanying you on the move.** This is likely to be very emotional, so remember to bring tissues. Hug each other and tell them you love them, and invite them to come visit any time they want. Promise to keep in regular touch, and do so.
13. **Board your mode of transport, and go to Switzerland.** Relax on the trip, and feel excited about starting a new life, in a new country. Do not worry too much about friends or family, as they will come and visit often, and you will make plenty of new friends.
14. **Look for a house** Visiting the country will offer you an opportunity to find a place. Real estate agents can help you in the process; alternatively, you can read books and search the internet.
15. **Have utilities installed, find a school for your children, etc.** once you get there.
16. **Meet new people** at work, in the library, at the gym, at school, or at your hobby club. Check out all the resources available to help you integrate into the community
groups.yahoo.com/group/Expats-in-Switzerland/ - A discussion forum full of good advice about many practical issues], from moving to Switzerland to finding peanut butter and maple syrup. Here you can find a large list of more specific newsgroups and online communities for Switzerland.
xpatxchange.ch/ - A one-stop shop for English speaking ex-pats in Switzerland, full of advice, businesses, addresses. It is perhaps more useful once you have arrived in Switzerland.
17. **Obtain Swiss citizenship.** Not only will becoming a Swiss citizen help you integrate into the country permanently, you will also be able to start your own businesses, no longer need to re-apply for residence permits when changing jobs, no longer need special permission before purchasing residential property, and be able to move freely within the country. There are two ways to become a Swiss citizen:
By birth, if both parents are Swiss. Children born in Switzerland from non-Swiss parents do not automatically become Swiss.
By naturalization. Make your request to the Aliens Police in the municipality of residence. From there, it will then be sent to the Federal Department of Justice and Police, who will give a principle authorization if you meet the following conditions:
You have resided in Switzerland for at least twelve years, three of which are within the five years prior to the request. Time spent in Switzerland between the ages of 10 and 20 years counts double.
You are integrated in the Swiss community.
You are accustomed to Swiss way of life and practices.
You comply with the Swiss legal system.
You do not compromise the internal or external security of Switzerland.
You are able to afford it. Since Switzerland is a federal country, authorization must then be obtained from the canton and the municipality, which may add further conditions and set the cost of acquiring citizenship before approving it. Some municipalities apply rather open policies, while others will go as far as granting nationality by means of a local population vote. Cost varies according to municipality and canton. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Move-to-Switzerland", "language": "en"} |
How to Win at Checkers | Ready to start beating your family and friends at checkers? Learn the fundamentals of checkers and you'll have a big advantage over amateur players. If you're ready to take your game to the next level, there are some specific strategies that can help to improve your chances of winning. You may also want to consider getting into tournament play or working with an expert to improve your game.
1. **Focus on crowning more pieces than your opponent.** In checkers, the person who has more kings also has the advantage. Try to crown as many pieces as possible to increase your chances of winning the game.
To put this advice into practice, advance a piece toward an area on your board where your opponent has fewer pieces, or pieces that are more spread out. If you can protect this piece with nearby pieces and sacrifices, then you have a good chance at making a king.
See Intermediate Strategies below for how to "redirect the enemy" and sneak through a king.
2. **Keep your back row in place until you need to move those checkers.** It's impossible for your opponent to crown his or her pieces if your back row is occupied, so this strategy will prevent your opponent from getting the advantage too soon in the game. You will also have more movement options left when you do start moving your back row pieces.
Remember that you won't be able to keep your back row intact forever. Once you're low on pieces or you see an opportunity for an advantageous trade, don't hesitate to move out.
3. **Advance pieces in close groups and in tandem.** Two pieces "in tandem" are adjacent to each other on a diagonal line. Keeping pieces near enough to form tandem in one move makes it much harder for your opponent to capture them.
"Following" a piece you moved earlier before you move it again will leave your front piece less open to capture. Following it with two pieces is even safer, since you can block capture from two directions.
See Intermediate Strategies to learn how to form "trapping pairs".
4. **Trade checkers when you're ahead.** It's obvious that trading one of your checkers for two of your opponent's checkers benefits you, but even trading one for one is useful if you had more checkers to begin with.
For example, if you have 5 checkers and your opponent has 4 checkers, then the board is almost equal. But once you trade three pieces each, you have a huge advantage with twice as many pieces as your opponent.
5. **Control the center of the board.** If you keep a few pieces near the center, you will keep your options open and be able to move rapidly to whichever side of the board needs your attention. Likewise, preventing your opponent from placing pieces in the center will deny him or her this advantage.
It takes practice to judge how many pieces you need to commit to the center in a particular game. As a general rule, you should try to build up enough of a position that the opponent is unable to safely advance anywhere except the left and right edges. After that goal is achieved, adding more of your pieces can actually clog up your board and lower your options.
6. **Sacrifice pieces to gain advantages.** The "forced capture" rule requires a player to make a capture if they are able to. Think ahead to what the board will look like if you force your opponent to capture your piece and you might discover it's worth the sacrifice.
If you're trying to crown a piece but your opponent is pursuing it, you can sacrifice a less important piece to lure the pursuer away from your soon-to-be king.
If you have a diagonal line of pieces, moving the forward one toward the enemy can force a capture that places the enemy piece next to another of yours. Make sure you don't open yourself up to a double capture!
7. **Try a "Trapping Pairs" strategy.** To use the "Trapping Pairs" strategy, you need to wait for a certain setup on the board. Your first checker (piece 1) should be in the leftmost or rightmost column, against the edge of the board. Your second checker (piece 2) should be one row in front of your first checker on the diagonal. Following that same diagonal, there should be an empty space, then one of your opponent's checkers(piece A), then another opponent checker (piece B) one row behind.
Move piece 2 toward your opponent's pieces, so that it is in danger of being captured.
The forced capture rule requires your opponent's piece A to jump piece 2, but it cannot then jump piece 1 because it is against the edge of the board.
After your opponent has captured your piece 2, the you can use your piece 1 to jump piece A.
In the basic scenario described, this is an unexciting 1-for-1 trade. However, after setting up your trapping pair, you can often wait to "trigger" it until the opportunity for a double capture arises.
8. **Use the "Redirect Your Enemy" strategy.** To use "Redirect Your Enemy," you will need to designate 6 pieces on one side of your board as group A and the other 6 on the other side as group B. You will use these designations to determine what pieces you move at different times in the game.
Move the pieces in A group almost exclusively at the start of the game, only occasionally moving a B piece when there is no good A move.
When you begin trading pieces with your opponent, trade A pieces over B pieces whenever possible.
Once a few capture exchanges have happened, your opponent will likely be concentrated on the side of the board with your A pieces. Begin advancing your B pieces in groups and you'll be in a strong position to crown past your opponent's depleted defenses.
9. **Decide which rules of checkers to follow.** Some tournaments are run using basic checkers rules, referred to as Go As You Please, GAYP, or freestyle. Others follow the rules, which limit players' options at the start of the game to a set of three move sequences. (The 3-move rules greatly reduce the possibility of a draw between skilled players.)
10. **Study a checkers strategy guide that matches your rules system and skill level.** More recent books will contain up-to-date strategic advances, but this is less important if you're a beginner. Browsing the checkers shelf at a library or bookstore can help you find a book that is helpful and fun to read.
11. **Practice and memorize specific opening sequences.** For 3-move play, find an encyclopedia of 3-move openers. For GAYP rules, select a preferred opener and practice games with every possible response from your opponent.
Memorizing specific board states from the mid-game and endgame can be useful as well, but you're much less likely to encounter a specific midgame in a tournament than one of the standard openers.
12. **Play against the best opponents you can find.** Playing against more experienced players who are willing to share their knowledge is a great way to improve your game. Whether that means entering tournaments or finding your local amateur expert, the better your opponents are, the more you'll learn. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Win-at-Checkers", "language": "en"} |
How to Learn to Love Yourself | Sometimes life can get you down and you may be really hard on yourself. No matter what your are facing in your life, it is important to continue to love yourself. You can learn to love yourself by using strategies to become more compassionate towards yourself, let go of things that bother you about yourself, and develop a sincere love and appreciation for yourself.
1. **Imagine how you would react to a friend in your situation.** To start practicing self-compassion, it may be helpful for you to start thinking about how you would respond to a friend who was in your situation. Try to imagine the words and behaviors that you would use to comfort a friend who was dealing with the same problem as you are and write about them. Some good questions to answer as part of this exercise include:
What would you say to a friend who came to you with the problem that you are having? How would you treat him or her?
How do you tend to treat yourself? How is this different from how you would treat a friend?
How might a friend react if you treated him or her the way that you treat yourself?
How might you start to feel if you treated yourself the way you would treat a friend?
2. **Create a self-compassion script.** In difficult moments, it may be helpful for you to recite a self-compassion script to keep yourself from being over-critical of yourself. A self-compassion script will help you to acknowledge your feelings and be kind to yourself in the moment.
For example, you might say something like, “I am having a really hard time right now, but suffering is part of being human. The way I feel right now is temporary.”
You can alter the script so that it is in your own words or recite it as is whenever you are tempted to criticize yourself.
3. **Write a kind letter to yourself.** Another way to start seeing yourself with more compassion is to write yourself a kind letter. Write the letter from the perspective of a friend who has unconditional love for you. You can imagine someone real or imaginary
Try starting the letter with something like, “Dear (your name), I heard about (your situation) and I am so sorry. I want you to know that I care about you….” You can continue the letter from this point. Remember to maintain a kind, understanding tone throughout the entire letter.
4. **Give yourself some physical comfort.** Physical comfort can help you to feel better when you are feeling low. That is why friends and family members may hug you or pat you on the back if you are struggling with something. Even if you are alone, you can give yourself the benefits of physical comfort by hugging, patting, or just laying hands on yourself.
Try holding your hands over your heart or wrap your arms around yourself in a big hug.
5. **Practice meditation** After a while, self-critical thinking may become automatic, which can be difficult to change. Meditation can help you to become more aware of your thoughts, so you will be able to tell when you are criticizing yourself and address the thoughts rather than letting them take over.
Learning to meditate takes time and practice, so it is a good idea to take a class or find someone who can give you lessons.
You can even try a self-compassion guided meditation: http://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/#guided-meditations
6. **Recognize opinions do not equal facts.** How you feel about yourself may not be accurately be represented as fact. Do not believe everything you tell yourself.
7. **Avoid negative people** People who make you feel bad about yourself will make it more difficult to find self-love. If you find yourself surrounded by people like this, it is time to consider distancing yourself.
It might be difficult to completely disappear or disengage from people. Start slow. If you want to distance yourself from friends, for example, try to communicate less. Gradually stop seeing or talking to them, and then block them on social media.
Breaking up with someone who is a negative influence can be a bit trickier. However, if you can handle it, then your life can be much better.
8. **Stay away from negative situations.** Negative situations can create negative behavior and may create self-hatred. Avoiding these situations will remove the stimuli and will help you focus on making a better you.
9. **Do not to dwell on things you can not change.** For example, you can’t control the weather. Why let it upset you? When it comes to things about yourself, there are just some things you will not be able to control (such as past decisions). Focus on the things you can.
10. **Avoid thinking that you aren’t good enough.** Feeling inadequate is very common. You must recognize that you cannot excel at every aspect of your life. Imperfection is part of the human condition. Recognize this to begin loving yourself and what you do accomplish.
11. **Write a list.** Start by writing down what you like about yourself. This strategy will give a focus. Consider writing both physical and psychological lists. Start with small things to help motivate yourself. Perhaps write things:
I like the color of my eyes.
I like my laugh.
I enjoy my job.
I like my hard work ethic.
12. **Be thankful.** Similarly, it helps to write a list for what you are thankful. These can be vary from the previous list to focus more on what you appreciate about the world around you. Consider writing things:
I am thankful for my loving family.
I am thankful for my dog.
I am thankful for my apartment/house.
I am thankful for the wonderful weather today.
13. **Talk to those you love.** If you are struggling with getting started with what you should write about, consider talking to people who love you. They might provide a different perspective. Think about asking:
”Mom, what do you think are my best traits?”
”Dad, what are you thankful for?” (This might give you ideas.)
”[Sibling name] Do you think I’m good at [x]?”
14. **Practice daily affirmations.** Daily affirmations are scientifically proven to improve the way to think about yourself. They have been proven to improve mood and reduce stress. To practice daily affirmations, do the following:
Every morning, when you first wake up, stand in front of a mirror.
Look yourself in the eye and repeat a mantra. This affirmation is designed to help you reinforce positivity. Try saying things like: “I will say yes to more things today.”
Repeat this three to five times to help you reinforce the idea.
You can change your affirmation daily, or focus on something specific you want to change.
15. **Exercise.** Getting physical has many positive benefits, both psychological and physical. The “exercise effect” is the scientific phenomenon of feeling better about oneself after physical exercise.
Also, participating in exercises that you enjoy can promote happiness. For example, try taking a walk through a local park. It’ll give you time to think, burn off some calories, and provide a beautiful view!
16. **Eat a healthy diet** Similar to exercising, eating healthy has psychological benefits.
Try eating more proteins (fish, meat, beans) and less simple carbohydrates (white bread, sugars, sweets, etc.).
17. **Get plenty of sleep** Sleeping makes a body and mind feel good. Scientists suggest that amount of sleep varies on age.
School age — nine to 11 hours per night.
Teenager — eight to 10 hours per night.
Young adult — seven to nine hours per night.
Adult — seven to nine hours per night.
Older Adult — six to eight hours per night. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-to-Love-Yourself", "language": "en"} |
How to Deal with a Bipolar Person | Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness that can be confusing for other people to deal with. Someone with bipolar disorder might be so depressed that they cannot get out of bed one day and then seem so optimistic and energetic the next day that no one can keep up. If you know someone with bipolar disorder, then you may want to develop some strategies to support and encourage the person so that they can recover from this illness. Just make sure that you keep your limits in mind and seek emergency medical help if the person seems violent or suicidal.
1. **Watch for symptoms.** If the person has already been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, then you may know all about the symptoms of this condition already. Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of mania and depression. During manic phases, someone may seem to have boundless energy and during depressive phases, that same person might not get out of bed for days.
Manic phases may be characterized by high levels of optimism or irritability, unrealistic ideas about one’s abilities, feeling energetic despite getting little sleep, speaking rapidly and going quickly from one idea to the next, not being able to concentrate, making impulsive or poor decisions, and even hallucinating.
Depressive phases are characterized by hopelessness, sadness, emptiness, irritability, losing interest in things, fatigue, lack of concentration, appetite changes, weight changes, difficulty sleeping, feeling worthless or guilty, and considering suicide.
2. **Consider the differences in bipolar disorder types.** Bipolar disorder is divided into four subtypes. These definitions can help mental health practitioners to identify the disorder whether the symptoms are mild or severe. The four subtypes are:
Bipolar I Disorder. This subtype is characterized by manic episodes that last for seven days or that are severe enough that the person needs hospitalization. These episodes are followed by depressive episodes that last at least two weeks.
Bipolar II Disorder. This subtype is characterized by depressive episodes followed by mild manic episodes, but these episodes are not severe enough to warrant hospitalization.
Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (BP-NOS). This subtype is when someone has symptoms of bipolar disorder, but they do not meet the criteria for a bipolar I or II diagnosis.
Cyclothymia. This subtype is when someone has had symptoms of bipolar disorder for two years, but the symptoms are mild.
3. **Communicate your concerns.** If you think that someone may be suffering from bipolar disorder, then you should say something. When you approach the person, make sure that you do so from a standpoint of concern and not judgment. Remember that bipolar disorder is a mental illness and the person cannot control their behaviors.
Try saying something like, “I care about you and I have noticed that you have been struggling lately. I want to you to know that I am here for you and I want to help.”
4. **Offer to listen.** Someone with bipolar disorder may feel comforted by having someone who is willing to listen to how they are feeling. Make sure that the person knows that you are happy to listen if they want to talk.
When you listen, do not judge the person or try to solve their problems. Just listen and offer some genuine encouragement. For example, you might say something like, “It sounds like you have been having a really hard time. I don’t know how you feel, but I care about you and I want to help you.”
5. **Make a doctor’s appointment.** The person may be incapable of making an appointment for themselves due to the symptoms of bipolar disorder, so one way that you can help is by offering to make a doctor’s appointment.
If the person is resistant to the idea of seeking help for the disorder, then do not try to force them. Instead, you may consider making an appointment for your the person to have a general health check-up and see if the person feels compelled to ask the doctor about the symptoms they have been having.
6. **Encourage the person to take prescribed medications.** If the person has been prescribed medications to help control their bipolar symptoms, then make sure that they take those medications. It is common for people with bipolar disorder to stop taking their medications because they feel better or because they miss having manic phases.
Remind the person that the medications are necessary and that stopping them may make things worse.
7. **Try to be patient.** Even though there may be some improvement in the person’s bipolar disorder after a few months of treatment, recovering from bipolar disorder can take years. There may also be setbacks along the way, so try to be patient with your the person as they recover.
8. **Take time for yourself.** Supporting someone who has bipolar disorder can take a large toll on you, so make sure that you take time for yourself. Make sure that you have some time away from the person every day.
For example, you might go to an exercise class, meet a friend for coffee, or read a book. You may also consider seeking counseling to help you deal with the stress and emotional strain of supporting someone with bipolar disorder.
9. **Be a calming presence.** During a manic episode, a person with bipolar disorder may become over stimulated or irritated by long conversations or certain topics. Try to talk to the person in a calming way and avoid engaging in an argument or lengthy discussion about something.
Try not to bring up anything that might trigger the person’s mania. For example, you might want to avoid asking about something that is stressful for the individual or a goal that the person has been trying to accomplish. Instead, talk about the weather, a TV show, or something else that is unlikely to stress the person.
10. **Encourage the person to get lots of rest.** During a manic phase, the person may feel like they only need a few hours of sleep to feel rested. However, not getting enough sleep may make matters worse.
Try to encourage the person to sleep as much as possible at night and to take naps during the day if needed.
11. **Go for walks.** Taking walks with your the person during manic episodes can be a good way to help them use excess energy and provide a good opportunity for the two of you to talk as well. Try to invite the person to go on a walk with you once per day or at least a few times per week.
Regular exercise can also help when someone is having symptoms of depression, so try to encourage exercise no matter what the person’s mood is like.
12. **Watch for impulsive behavior.** During manic episodes, the person may be prone to impulsive behavior such as drug use, shopping in excess, or going on a long trip. Try to encourage the person to think a bit longer before making any major purchases or starting a new project when they are in the midst of a manic episode.
If overspending is often an issue, then you might encourage the person to leave credit cards and extra cash at home when these episodes strike.
If drinking or using drugs seems to intensify the situation, then you might encourage the person to avoid using alcohol or other substances.
13. **Try not to take comments personally.** When someone is in the middle of a manic period, they may say hurtful things or try to start arguments with you. Try not to take these comments personally and do not engage in arguments with the person.
Remind yourself that these comments are due to the illness and do not represent how the person really feels.
14. **Suggest working towards a small goal.** During a depressive episode, it may be hard for the person to accomplish large goals, so setting small manageable goals may help. Accomplishing a small goal may also help the person feel better.
For example, if the person is complaining that she needs to clean her whole house, then you might suggest just tackling something small like a coat closet or bathroom.
15. **Encourage positive strategies for dealing with depression.** When someone is depressed, it may be tempting to turn to negative coping mechanisms, such as alcohol, isolating oneself, or not taking medications. Instead, try to encourage the person to use positive coping mechanisms.
For example, you can suggest calling their therapist, doing a little exercise, or engaging in a hobby when a depressive mood strikes.
16. **Provide genuine encouragement.** Encouraging the person during depressive phases will help them to know that someone there cares. Make sure that you avoid making promises or relying on clichés when you encourage your friend or the person.
For example, don’t say, “Everything will be fine,” “It’s all in your head,” or “When life give you lemons, make lemonade!”
Instead, say things like, “I care about you,” “I am here for you,” “You are a good person and I am happy that you are in my life.”
17. **Try to establish a routine.** During depressive phases, the person may prefer to stay in bed, isolate themselves, or just watch TV all day. Do your best to help the person establish a daily routine so that they always have something to do.
For example, you might establish a time for your the person to get up and shower, a time to go get the mail, a time to take a walk, and time to do something fun, like reading a book or playing a game.
18. **Watch for signs that the person may be suicidal.** During depressive phases, people are more prone to thoughts of suicide. Make sure that you take any comments about suicide seriously.
If the person is acting suicidal or indicating that they have plans to kill themselves and/or harm others, then call emergency services for help. Do not try to deal with someone who is suicidal or violent on your own. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-a-Bipolar-Person", "language": "en"} |
How to Remove Polyurethane | Maybe you're staring at a piece of furniture you want to refinish or perhaps your hardwood floors need a touch up. Either way, you're faced with the challenge of taking off a coating of polyurethane, which is a clear substance used to protect surfaces. You'll need paint stripper and a metal scraper to remove the polyurethane. But don't forget to prep yourself and your work area before you begin.
1. **Create cross-ventilation.** Generally, you need chemicals to remove polyurethane. Because these chemicals are often harsh, you need good ventilation to protect yourself. If you can, go outside to work. If you're working on floors, create cross-ventilation to help keep you safer.
To create cross-ventilation, open the doors and windows in the room. Also, it's a good idea to set up one fan blowing inward and one fan blowing towards the outside to get the air moving.
2. **Protect the floor.** If you're working on a piece of furniture inside, you should put something down to shield the floor from drips. A plastic tarp underneath the piece of furniture should work well to provide protection.
You can tape down the edges if you're worried about tripping.
3. **Protect yourself.** Paint stripper can do a number on you if you're not careful. You'll need rubber gloves to protect your hands. Wear goggles to protect your eyes. Finally, you'll need a vapor ventilator mask, also known as a respirator, available at hardware stores, so you don't inhale the fumes.
You should also wear closed-toed shoes, long sleeves, and pants if possible.
4. **Choose your paint stripper.** Chemical-based paint strippers, such as those with methylene chloride, are very effective. However, they're also more harsh on your skin and can cause respiratory problems if you're not careful. If you're worried about the effects, you can use water-based strippers instead, though they do take much longer to work.
5. **Paint a liberal coating of stripper on the area.** Completely coat the polyurethane with paint stripper. It needs to look wet with the paint stripper, so be generous with your application. Use an old paintbrush or even a paint roller. Be sure to get into any nooks and crannies.
The type of paint brush isn't important, but you may want to get one you'd be willing to throw away afterwards.
6. **Let it soak in.** The paint stripper is going to do the work for you, so you need to let it soak into the polyurethane. Ten minutes is usually enough for a chemical-based paint stripper. You'll know it's ready when the polyurethane starts wrinkling and bubbling.
If you're using a water-based stripper, it will take much longer to work, maybe even six to twenty-four hours. Check the back of the can to find out how long it should take.
7. **Cover the project if you need to take a break.** If you need to leave the project for longer than it says on the back of the can, then you should try to cover the project to keep the paint stripper wet. The stripper needs to be wet to soak in properly. Another plastic tarp should be sufficient, and you can place it lightly over the furniture or flooring.
8. **Use a scraper to scrub it down.** A metal scraper is a good place to start, though if you're worried about scratching the surface, you can use a plastic one. The polyurethane should peel off fairly easily as you move along. The paint stripper should have done the hard work.
Scrape in the direction of the wood grain. Scrubbing against the grain can damage the surface of the floors or furniture. Plus, if you add any scratches, it will look like the grain of the wood.
9. **Use a steel brush to get into small areas.** In curved or decorative areas, a scraper won't work as well. Instead, scrub it with a metal brush, as the bristles will get in all the nooks and crannies and remove the polyurethane.
10. **Rub the polyurethane down with after wash.** After wash is a solvent you use after paint stripper. Its purpose is to clean up the end of the polyurethane, as well as remove the paint stripper you used. Just use a paper towel to rub it in. You don't have to leave it on for any time. Just rub it on until the rest of the polyurethane comes up.
11. **Repeat as needed.** If the first round didn't take off enough of the polyurethane, go through the process again. Apply another layer of paint stripper to the area, and then scrape it down again, checking to see if that completed the process.
12. **Sand the surface to remove polyurethane.** After you've removed most of the polyurethane, sand down what remains. You can simply use fine steel wool. You can also use 150-grit sandpaper. The sandpaper will smooth it out and take off the last of the polyurethane.
The after wash should have taken off most of the polyurethane, which is why you shouldn't need a heavy-duty sandpaper. Always rub with the grain.
13. **Soak your discarded rags and steel wool in water to avoid fires.** Take the water and rags to a hazardous waste disposal unit in your town, along with leftover stripper. Do not throw rags and chemicals directly into the trash or sewer.
Contact your city to find your local waste disposal center. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Polyurethane", "language": "en"} |
How to Upholster a Bench | Creating a customized upholstered bench is easier than it looks. Because of the rectangular shape and versatility, it is ideal for interior rooms, porches or outdoor seating. Always use caution when working on upholstery projects with a powerful staple gun.
1. **Choose to either reupholster an existing bench or make a new one.** If you are reupholstering an existing bench, you will need to unscrew the legs and reattach them later.
If you are reupholstering a bench, you will also need to remove staples at the back of the base with needle nosed pliers. Then, remove the fabric, batting, and foam so that you can replace them. It is a good idea to replace them unless they are relatively new.
Keep your piece of fabric to use as a template for your fabric bench cover.
2. **Measure an existing frame or decide how large you want your bench to be.** If you are creating a bench from scratch, you can customize it to the space you want to fill. Measure the area in inches.
3. **Purchase a piece of 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch plywood from a home improvement or lumber store.** Ask the store to cut it to the exact size that you measured.
4. **Buy thick foam core and in a size that is greater than or equal to the size of your piece of wood.** Your foam core should be at least three inches (7.5cm) thick to assure comfort. Purchase one and a half times the size in upholstery or outdoor fabric.
Just as home improvement stores will cut plywood for little to no cost, large fabric stores can cut foam core to size.
Use an electric knife to cut foam core at home.
5. **Clear a large workspace or table.** It is easiest to upholster a bench if you are able to slide the fabric and batting along a smooth surface.
6. **Drill holes into the corners for the legs.** Practice attaching them before you start upholstering to ensure they work for your piece of furniture. You will need a drill and screws for this process.
7. **Buy a large roll of batting from a craft store.** You will need two and a half times the amount of batting as you need foam core.
8. **Cut a piece of batting in the exact size of the foam core and plywood base.**
9. **Set your wood base on top of the worktable.** Then, get ready to layer your foam and batting.
10. **Glue the foam to the wood base using foam glue.** Make sure to apply an even, thin layer atop the wood base. Let it sit according to package directions.
11. **Glue the batting to the top of the foam with a layer of foam glue.** Apply an even layer, and then wait for it to dry.
12. **Pick your wood base, foam and batting off the table.** Lay and center a large piece of batting on the table. It will need to wrap around the base and foam to create the upholstered look.
13. **Lay the wood base facing down on top of the sheet of batting.** Center it on the table so that you will have more than enough batting on every side to wrap around the back of the base.
14. **Choose a mechanical staple gun, an air compressor staple gun or an electric staple gun to affix the batting and fabric.** Plug in the staple gun, as needed, and refill it with staples.
15. **Starting at the center of one side, fold the batting around the bench and onto the back of the base, pulling fairly hard to create tension.** Affix the batting to the base with staples within the first inch and a half of the edge of the base.
16. **Staple every inch.** Work from the center of each side out toward the corner. Use a hammer to knock loose staples into the wood.
17. **Create round corners by pulling the batting around the center of the corner and affixing it right at the corner.** Create square corners by folding one side of the batting in toward the other side of the corner. Then, pull the batting up on the second side and affix it with several staples to the base.
18. **Continue stapling until the entire edge of the batting is wrapped around the foam core and secured.**
19. **Cut the excess batting from the bottom of the base.** Make sure not to cut below the staple line.
20. **Lift the bench up again.** Place your material upside down on the table. Center it.
21. **Replace the bench base face down on top of the upholstery material.** Center it as well.
22. **Wrap the fabric around one end of the bench and secure it with the staple gun.** Pull it taught before you staple it.
23. **Continue around the perimeter of the bench.** Fold the corners in either by creating two darts on each side or by doing a square fold. Staple at least every inch, with more staples in the corners.
24. **Cut excess fabric outside of the staple line.** Use fabric scissors to ensure a straight, even cut.
25. **Consider placing a bottom cover on the bottom of the bench to protect the upholstery.** Cut a piece of fabric that is one inch smaller than your wood base on all sides. Choose interfacing, cotton or synthetic fabric.
26. **Staple the bottom cover over the raw upholstery edges every inch or two.**
27. **Reattach the legs or base.** | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Upholster-a-Bench", "language": "en"} |
How to Avoid Looking Hungover at Work | Enjoy a long night out before a day at work? Turning up to your job looking ravaged by a hangover isn't going to impress anyone. Acting exhausted and looking rough is only going to draw unwanted attention. Superiors won’t be happy if you’re inattentive or slacking. Maintain your professionalism and keep nosy coworkers at bay by hiding it as best you can.
1. **Wash up.** If you went straight to bed from the pub or club, chances are you’re still reeking with the all the smells of the night before. Take a long shower. Wash well all over, from your hair to your toes. Fresh is best for the start of the day.
Have a bucket next to the shower in case you need to vomit. There's nothing pleasant about showering with vomit at your feet.
Watch out for any club stamps you’ve got on your wrists. These will be a dead giveaway of the previous night’s activities.
Again, pay a little more attention to detail than you would during a usual shower. If you have the time, repeat all your usual steps for a deeper clean.
2. **Dress well.** Today won’t be the day to relax your dress habits. Whatever the dress code of your work is, reach for its upper limits. Try to remember a day where you felt you looked your best, and dress exactly the same.
If your office dress is appropriately formal, go for the nicest pieces in your wardrobe. Don't go for something too flashy that will draw conversation. Iron or press anything that needs it.
When the dress is casual, throw on whatever you’ve got that’s clean and doesn’t draw too much attention. Just take the time to make sure everything’s on the right way and fits well. Avoid looking disheveled this way.
3. **Check your face.** Even if you’ve showered and made sure to dress as well as you can, it won’t do much if you’re eyes are still bloodshot or sunken. The devil will definitely be in the details when it comes to making sure no one notices your hangover. Unfortunately, since it’s such a shared experience, most people can spot the subtle clues.
Use eye drops to remove red eyes. While you could plead a sudden attack of hay fever, this won't always work. Use the eye drops to clear up your eyes and avoid pointed questioning.
Use makeup to hide those eye-bags. Eyeliner on the 'waterline' of the eye makes it look less bloodshot, and a dash of blush fakes the look of health that you will be sorely missing. Men can reach for a slice of cucumber or damp tea bags to fix sunken, swollen eyes.
4. **Brush or comb your hair into place.** Nothing broadcasts your long night out better than tousled, unkempt hair. If anything, a messy hair-do is an easy conversation starter for any curious coworkers wanting to ask about the night before. Avoid scrutiny by ensuring that every single hair is neatly in place.
If you normally rock a well-sculpted cut that takes time to get ready, prepare to do the same even on the morning of a hangover. You could opt for a more economic style, but beware coworkers asking where your normal style went.
Keep a comb or brush handy at your work or in your car for mornings like these. Often it will be enough to make sure there are no cowlicks.
5. **Check your breath.** Alcohol has the tendency to linger in your breath. Even if you can't tell whether it smells or not, assume that it does. Unfortunately this is one of the toughest things to notice yourself while also being one of the easiest to spot for everyone else.
Be sure to brush your teeth and use a strong and pleasant mouthwash to rinse.
Through the day, suck peppermint candies or chew mint gum. Be careful not to do this when it might be socially inappropriate, such as in a meeting or speaking with a superior.
6. **Eat breakfast.** Most likely you’ll be hungry from a hangover anyway. Unfortunately our instincts won’t always serve us well in these instances. Very often we’ll reach for grease or carbs to sate our hunger, but these won’t necessarily be the best for you. Grease may end up upsetting your stomach and excess carbs can leave you feeling heavy.
Shoot for a breakfast of fruit, eggs, and oatmeal. Try to have two out of the three at least. These will give you energy to push through the day.
Drink plenty of water with breakfast. You will quickly find that you’ll want to keep drinking water throughout the day, so get a head start with your first meal.
Avoid juice. Although a healthy option, the acidity of the juice poses the risk of bothering your stomach more than it already has been. Stick to water if possible.
7. **Keep to yourself.** Do your best to limit personal interaction. The easiest way to not look hungover is to limit how much you’ll be looked at. Avoid long conversations with others and when forced into them, do more listening than speaking. Provided they’re not your superior, a terse “sorry, I’ve got to get back to my work” should deflect any chatty coworkers.
Stay away from as many people as you can - your coworkers, your boss, your clients and especially anyone notorious for office gossip. Hopefully your scarcity will be taken as a sign of hard work.
If you are an underage drinker, this poses a range of risks. Not only can it be detrimental to your health if you drink irresponsibly, but you are at a high risk of being caught, and likely reported to an official. Most individuals will roll their eyes and go on with their day, but there are few that If your coworkers seem suspicious and question why you are acting unusual, simply respond that you were working on a project or thing (of your choice) and didn't complete it until the early morning. Plan your excuse if you choose to take this route, but remember the consequences of if you are caught. If you are worried, simply don't drink beforehand.
If you can't get away from a meeting, stare intensely at each speaker. Allow your mind to completely shut down while you "look engaged.” Be careful not to zone out so much that you’ll look unresponsive, especially if you’re likely to be asked anything.
8. **Act as you normally would.** Though the previous step cautions discretion, don’t be so unreachable that it’s odd or especially noticeable. Try to make your day exceptionally unexceptional: do everything you normally would, no more or less. Remember in all things you’re trying to avoid suspicion and attention. So much of not looking hungover at work will be trying to look as normal as possible.
This will start with being on time. Again, you’re looking to have to explain yourself very little on the day of a hangover. Don’t trap yourself into having to lie about being late.
Keep the day’s schedule. If your job involves a lot of meetings or organized face-to-face time, you’ll unfortunately need to maintain this. It’s far too suspicious to try and cancel things.
Watch how you speak with others as well. Keep from being curt, dismissive, or tired with others (even if you are). Maintain a smile and excuse yourself from conversations whenever appropriate.
9. **Work slowly and methodically.** If you attempt to get through work like a maniac in an attempt to look put together, you'll set yourself up to make a mistake. That’ll be one more thing have to explain away, which you’ll need to avoid. Work deliberately and slowly if you have to. It’s better to work well than to work a lot; it’s easy to blame a slow day on a bad night’s sleep.
Find something more menial and less intellectual to maintain a steady-but-productive work look throughout the day.
If you’re really looking to do the bare minimum, ask your immediate superior what really needs doing that day in particular. Note though that this might draw their attention to you throughout the day.
10. **Tell no one.** Nobody needs to know you’re hungover. You may a look a little worse for wear, but if anyone asks you can blame it on any number of things from not sleeping well to the chance that you might be getting a cold. Nothing will undo your hard work disguising your hangover like office gossip.
Depending on your social media presence, your coworkers may already know some about your night before. If asked, be vague; “oh I had a great time,” or “Yeah, it was a blast.”
There’s a chance a co-worker was the with you the night before. Hopefully you’ll know about situations like these in advance, and you both can agree on mutual silence. If it’s someone you don’t know too well, be prepared for the worst. They may tell more than you’d like.
11. **Take medicine.** A hangover can cause you all sorts of physical discomfort. Co-workers will develop concern and wonder if you look bowled over in pain, or if they hear you vomit. Fortunately, the most common problems can be fixed with over-the-counter medication. If you’re a regular drinker or know when you’ll have a hangover, try to keep these in stock.
If you feel like you might vomit, drink an Alka-seltzer or take some Pepto-Bismol, as they both settle your stomach. Have an excuse such as food poisoning if you get caught throwing up. If time allows, consider going to a bathroom on another floor or at another office to avoid being seen or heard.
If you're in pain with a throbbing head, take some painkillers before arriving at work and keep more to take during the day. Use ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) as opposed to acetaminophen (Tylenol), as it puts stress on your already stressed liver.
12. **Stay hydrated.** Once at work, drink plenty of water throughout the day to help keep you awake and reasonably alert. Sports drinks such like Powerade or Gatorade are useful as well. They contain electrolytes which can aid rehydration. Alcohol dehydrates, so you’ll need to put back what’s been taken out.
Initially, sip the water slowly. If you're feeling like you're going to vomit, anything you consume can trigger the need to throw up. As the day wears on, you'll probably be able to drink more and faster.
You may have people prod you about why you’re drinking so much water. Explain to them that you think you might be sick, and are hydrating to try and avoid it. Hopefully then they avoid you in order to do the same.
13. **Exercise.** If you’ve got the time before work or during lunch, take just ten minutes to get the heart and sweat going. If only to wake you up a little bit, exercise can help to jump start your body into flushing away the hangover feeling. Even if you’re a seasoned athlete, do over-do it on a hangover day; just enough to get the heart pumping should be good.
If you haven’t exercised in quite some time, it may not be the best idea to start the morning of a hangover. Take it easy and follow the other steps here.
If you haven’t the time or resources to exercise fully, try to walk to work if it’s feasible. Even that should be enough to get your body started. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Looking-Hungover-at-Work", "language": "en"} |
How to Keep Score for a Softball Game | Keep score of your softball game using a scorecard. Purchase scorecards or print them out online, and try practicing a game or 2 to get the hang of it. Write down the players' names to start. As the game continues, make notes regarding the players' progress and outs. There are many parts to juggle and abbreviations to learn when scoring softball games, though once you know the structure, scoring in softball will be second nature!
1. **Use pre-printed softball scoring cards to score your game.** You can either purchase a notebook with scorecards from sports stores, or you can print off scoring sheets from the internet at home. Assign 1 scorecard per team, one for the home team and another for the visiting team.
You can find scoring cards online by searching "printable scoring cards" on Google.
2. **Write out the players' names in batting order.** You can write one name per row, starting with the 1st batter. Fill this out for the "Batter" and "Pitcher" columns. Include other relevant information on your scorecard, like team, umpire, and the date.
You can make a separate section at the bottom for bench players, if you’d like.
3. **Write down each players' jersey number and abbreviated position.** Typically the jersey number is listed first, followed by the players' name, and then the players' position number. In softball, each position is assigned a number in order to keep track with your scorecard. There are other positions that receive alphabetical abbreviations, as well.
1 = Pitcher, 2 = Catcher, 3 = 1st base, 4 = 2nd base, 5 = 3rd base, 6 = Shortstop, 7 = Left field, 8 = Center field, and 9 = Right field.
There are also 2 other player positions to abbreviate. Designated Hitter (DH) is the player who only hits for someone who only plays on the field. Pinch hitter (PR) is a player who is substituted to bat for a player in the starting lineup.
If the pitcher is hitting, you can include them in your lineup. If not, DH will take your pitcher’s spot.
4. **Mark the balls and strikes for each batter in the designated grids.** When someone is up to bat, take note of what they hit for each pitch on your scorecard. Record the number of balls hit in the row with 3 squares and the number of strikes in the row with 2 squares.
Make your marks with Xs, checks, or slashes--whatever feels right to you.
After each pitch, the umpire will shout out the call and hold up his hands to indicate the count so far, such as 2 balls and 2 strikes. When giving the count, balls will always come before strikes.
5. **Draw a line to the correct base after a player makes a run.** You will see a small diamond shape to the right of your players' names. When a player reaches a base, draw a line connecting to that base. You will go around the diamond just like the players are doing.
You may be completing this for multiple players at the same time, depending on whose on what base.
For example, if someone makes it to 1st base, draw a line connecting the home position to the 1st base position. If someone gets a home run, then fill in the entire diamond.
6. **Include abbreviations to give more details for each play.** In addition to drawing the lines around the bases, add abbreviations to give details about the player’s turn. A player can hit a single, double, triple, or home run. They can also earn a walk if the pitcher throws poorly.
7. **Write “1B” if a batter gets a single.** A single is the most basic hit, where the batter runs to 1st base safely.
Draw a line from the home to 1st base on your diamond, and write “1B” next to it.
8. **Record “2B” if a batter gets a double.** A double is when a batter makes it to 2 bases in one turn without any errors.
Draw a line from home, to 1st, and to 2nd. Write “2B” next to the line.
9. **Jot down “3B” if a batter gets a triple.** A triple is when a player makes it from home to 3rd base successfully.
Draw a line from home base to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Then, write “3B” for 3rd base.
10. **Write “HR” and shade the entire diamond if a batter scores a home run.** A home run is when a player successfully hits the ball far enough to run from home base to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and back to home plate.
Outline the entire diamond, shade it in, and write “HR” to indicate a home run.
11. **Record “BB” for “Base on Balls” if a batter gets a walk.** A walk occurs if the pitcher throws 4 balls and the batter cannot hit any of them. The batter can “walk” to 1st base since they were not pitched a decent throw.
Make a line from home to 1st base, and write “BB” for “Base on Balls.”
12. **Record which players got out by the other players’ position numbers.** Write down the position number for everyone who touched the ball whenever an out is made, using the 1-9 positions abbreviations.
1 = Pitcher, 2 = Catcher, 3 = 1st base, 4 = 2nd base, 5 = 3rd base, 6 = Shortstop, 7 = Left field, 8 = Center field, and 9 = Right field.
If a pitch is hit to left field and then a player throws the ball to 2nd base to force the player out, it would read “7-4,” for 7 represents left field, and 4 represents 2nd base.
13. **Write “K” in the batter’s box if a player strikes out.** A batter strikes out by swinging the bat 3 times without getting a hit. Their turn is now over, and they do not get a position on base.
14. **Mark if a player "Grounds Out" by writing the player's position numbers.** A “Ground Out” is when the ball is hit to the ground, and a player on the opposing team throws the ball to get a player out. Abbreviate this by listing the position numbers of the opposing players. Write the total number of outs in the inning in the lower left corner, and circle this number.
For example, if a ball is hit to shortstop and they throw the ball to the player on 1st base to get the batter out, write “6-3” for the position numbers. Also write “2” in the lower left corner, since this is the 2nd out of the inning.
15. **Write a letter “F” and other players' position number to mark a “Fly Out.”** A “Fly Out” refers to a ball caught in the air before it hits the ground. In this case, the batter is automatically out. Record this by writing the position number of player who caught the ball. You can still circle the number of players out in the lower left corner.
If the player in the right field position caught the ball, write “F10” and then “2” in the bottom.
16. **Indicate a “Sacrifice Fly” by writing “SF” and players' position number.** A “Sacrifice Fly” occurs when a fly ball is caught and the players already on base run to another base. If a runner makes a score after the fly ball is caught, write down “SF” next to the batter’s name. Include the position number of the person who caught the ball.
For example, if the batter hit a ball caught by the left fielder, and afterwards another runner scored, you would mark this batter as “SF7.”
You can still circle the number of players out in the lower left corner.
17. **Record "Unassisted Outs" by writing “U” and players' position number.** “Unassisted Outs” are when the batter hits the ball to someone on the ground, and the batter gets out without other players throwing the ball. You can score this by writing the position number of the opposing player and then “U.”
Let’s say the batter hit the ball to the 2nd baseman, and the 2nd baseman tagged the batter. You can mark this as “4U.”
18. **Mark "Double Plays" by recording “DP” and players' position numbers.** “Double Plays” occur if 2 players get out in the same play. This can only happen if there are 0 or 1 outs total in the inning. The inning will end when the 3rd out is made. Write “DP” and the position of everyone involved in the play.
For example, the batter hits the ball to shortstop. The player on shortstop then throws the ball to 2nd base to get a runner out, as they run from 1st to 2nd base. Then, the 2nd baseman throws the ball to 1st base, to get the batter out. This would be record as “DP 6-4-2.”
19. **Score a "Triple Play" by writing “TP” and the players’ position numbers.** A “Triple Play” is essentially the same as a "Double Play", but with 3 outs instead of 2. If 3 people get out in 1 play, write “TP” and then the position numbers of each player involved.
For example, the 1st out could happen if the batter hits the ball to the 2nd baseman, and the 2nd baseman catches the ball in the air. The runners on 1st and 2nd base started running after the batter hit the ball into the air. To get the runner on 2nd base out, the shortstop catches the ball from the 2nd baseman--making the 2nd out. Then, the shortstop throws the ball to the 1st baseman to get out the runner who should’ve remained on 1st base. You would write this as “TP F4-6-3.”
Write a 3 in the lower left corner and circle it, since this was the 3rd out. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Score-for-a-Softball-Game", "language": "en"} |
How to Name Chemical Compounds | Naming basic chemical compounds is essential if you want to succeed in chemistry, since the name of the compound clearly defines what it is. Each type of compound has its own rules for naming it. When naming compounds, you need to understand these different rules, as well as how to spot clues that will help you properly name the compounds. Follow this guide for some basic rules on how chemical compounds get their name, and how to apply names to compounds you are unfamiliar with.
1. **Know what makes a compound ionic.** Ionic compounds contain a metal and a nonmetal. Refer to the periodic table of elements to see what categories the elements in the compound belong to.
2. **Build the name.** For a two element ionic compound, the naming is simple. The first part of the name is the name of the metal element. The second part is the name of the nonmetal element, with the suffix “-ide.”
Here are some examples:
Al2O3. Al2 = Aluminium; O3 = Oxygen. So the name would be “aluminium oxide.”
FeCl3. Fe = Iron; Cl3 = Chlorine. So the name would be "iron chloride."
SnO2. Sn = Tin; O2 = Oxygen. So the name of this compound would be Tin Oxide.
3. **Recognize and name transition metals.** Metals in the D and F blocks of the periodic table are known as transition metals. Their charge is written with a Roman numeral when writing out the compound name. This is because they can have more than one charge and make more than one compound.
Example: FeCl2 and FeCl3. Fe = Iron; Cl2 = Chloride -2; Cl3 = Chloride -3. The names would be iron(II) chloride and iron(III) chloride.
4. **Understand what a polyatomic compound is.** These compounds are built off of groups of atoms that are covalently bonded together, and the entire group has a positive or negative charge. You can do three basic things to polyatomic compounds, which will help you identify and understand these types of compounds:
Add a hydrogen to the beginning of the compound. The word “hydrogen” is added to the beginning of the compound name. This reduces the negative charge by one. For example, “carbonate” CO3 becomes “hydrogen carbonate” HCO3.
Remove an oxygen from the compound. The charge stays the same and the ending of the compound changes from “-ate” to “–ite”. For example: NO3 to NO2 goes from “nitrate” to “nitrite.”
Replace the central atom with another from the same periodic group. For example, sulfate SO4 can become Selenate SeO4.
5. **Memorize the most common ion groups.** These are the basis for forming most polyatomic compounds. Listed in order of increasing negative charge, they are:
Hydroxide ion: OH
Nitrate ion: NO3
Hydrogen carbonate ion: HCO3
Permanganate ion: MnO4
Carbonate ion: CO3
Chromate ion: CrO4
Dichromate ion: Cr2O7
Sulfate ion: SO4
Sulphite ion: SO3
Thiosulfate ion: S2O3<2-
Phosphate ion: PO4
Ammonium ion: NH4
6. **Build compound names based off the list.** Associate whatever element(s) is attached to the group ion and name accordingly. If the element comes in front of the ion group, the name of the element is simply added to the beginning of the compound name.
Example: KMnO4. You should recognize the MnO4 ion as permanganate. K is potassium, so the compound is named potassium permanganate.
Example: NaOH. You should recognize the OH ion as hydroxide. Na is sodium, so the compound is named sodium hydroxide.
7. **Understand a covalent compound.** Covalent compounds are formed by two or more nonmetal elements. The name for the compound is based off how many atoms are present. The prefix attached is the Latin term for the number of molecules.
8. **Learn the prefixes.** Memorize the prefixes for up to 10 atoms:
1 atom – “Mono-“
2 atoms – “Di-“
3 atoms – “Tri-“
4 atoms – “Tetra-“
5 atoms – “Penta-“
6 atoms – “Hexa-“
7 atoms – “Hepta-“
8 atoms – “Octa-“
9 atoms – “Nona-“
10 atoms – “Deca-“
9. **Name the compounds.** Using the correct prefixes, name the new compound. You attach prefixes to any part of the compound that has multiple atoms.
Example: CO would be carbon monoxide and CO2 would be carbon dioxide.
Example: N2S3 would be Dinitrogen trisulfide.
In most cases, the “mono-“ prefix can be omitted, because it is implied when it is not present. It is still used for carbon monoxide due to the term being in use since early chemistry.
| en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Name-Chemical-Compounds", "language": "en"} |
How to Know if You Are Gifted | Whether you were flagged as a gifted student at a young age, or you’re starting to discover your giftedness in adulthood, know that no 2 gifted individuals are the same. This is largely due to the fact that there are a few different domains of giftedness, including intellectual, academic, leadership, creative, and/or artistic giftedness. IQ tests can provide one perspective on your intelligence. Generally, a gifted person is in the top 2% (or the 98th percentile) on IQ assessments and standardized tests. But these results don’t necessarily capture other aspects of giftedness, such as artistic abilities. Reflect upon your work habits, social interactions, emotions, and personality to spot signs of giftedness.
1. **Gauge how quickly you pick up new concepts and ideas.** Do you find learning an easy (and perhaps fun) experience? A lot of gifted individuals turn to lectures, books, and documentaries from which they can soak up new facts and complex ideas.
Socially, gifted people like to engage in debates which nourish their minds with a barrage of challenging ideas and perspectives. If you love debates for this reason, to the extent that other people find you aggressive and intimidating, you could be gifted.
In the workplace, you might be able to put new knowledge into practice very quickly. For instance, you might be proficient in a new software program within a few minutes, whereas it takes others a few hours and training sessions to competently navigate it.
2. **Ask yourself if you pursue knowledge and activities independently.** While many people are content to stick with just 1 or 2 fields and hobbies, gifted people chase after a variety of experiences, ideas, and activities with a childlike sense of wonder. If you find yourself constantly drawn to different and seemingly unrelated things, this may signal your innate giftedness.
If you have this tendency, you might find it difficult to choose a major or stick to a career path.
You may have faced some criticism for not focusing on just 1 thing.
3. **Reflect on the amount of knowledge you've amassed about 1 or 2 topics.** Aside from a gifted individual’s preference for variety and diversity, it’s not uncommon to see self-directed learning on a single topic. Oftentimes, this focus and topic have little to do with other, more “practical” endeavors in an individual’s schooling and career.
If you exhibit an uncommon interest in figuring out exactly how trains work, or which developments came out of the Industrial Revolution – just for fun – you might be witnessing your gifted mind at work.
Sometimes this focus can result in obsessive behaviors, like forgetting to eat when you’re in the middle of a project.
But it can also result in highly productive and enjoyable work sessions while you’re in what psychologists call “flow” or “flow state.”
4. **Consider whether you have a strong and highly active memory.** Not everyone taps into their memory on a daily basis. But as a gifted individual, you might find yourself coming up with original analogies when trying to grasp new concepts and solve problems.
With a broad and deep knowledge base, gifted people can draw highly unusual connections and patterns across seemingly unrelated disciplines.
These analogies might not make sense to those around you. This can put a damper on your exciting moment of discovery and understanding.
5. **Think about the size of your vocabulary.** Many gifted people have minds like sponges. They enjoy encountering new words, processing and learning them, committing them to memory, and employing them in everyday life. If you find yourself delighted at learning a new phrase, discovering the etymology of a word, or using words that others don’t seem to understand, you’re similar to many other gifted individuals.
Your vocabulary has likely developed as a result of reading many different texts.
If you’re not sure how large or advanced your vocabulary is, try one of the many online tests and quizzes to get a sense for how your vocabulary compares to the average person’s.
6. **Pay attention to whether or not you’re a perfectionist.** Many gifted individuals are perfectionists. If you’re a perfectionist, you set impossibly high standards for yourself (and often for others around you, too). You and others might joke around about your perfectionist habits, but it can be immensely frustrating when you and others fail to meet these expectations.
On the flip side, think about whether you feel frustrated when you do manage to reach your goals but fail to get a reward fitting for the intense amount of effort you dedicated to your work.
Consider whether you’ve felt overwhelmed by your perfectionist tendencies in the past. These might be urges resulting from your giftedness that you can’t control.
7. **Think about whether you find group work to be tedious and frustrating.** Group work can be especially challenging for gifted individuals since their minds seem to soar above those of their collaborators. Do you always end up doing the bulk of the work on a group project, picking up the slack of your less-gifted collaborators? Can you remember a time when you’ve seen the big picture but others failed to? If so, you exhibit one of the habits of a gifted individual.
If you and a team need to solve a problem, your zoomed-out perspective allows you to see all the factors and brainstorm a variety of possible solutions. But not everyone can see what you see.
You might sense that your colleagues or classmates don’t understand your ideas, and as a result, they find your contributions confusing and annoying.
8. **Decide if you require complex challenges to stay engaged.** As a gifted individual, you’re drawn to intriguing problems and love tackling complicated puzzles. Your mind craves new challenges and stimulation at work and at school. When you’re intellectually or creatively challenged on a regular basis, you thrive!
If you don’t have a variety of projects to dig into, or if the projects you’re working on are too simple, you’ll start to disengage and lose interest in school and work.
An easy way to spot giftedness is by noticing that you get bored and restless in the absences of suitable challenges.
If you're in school, you may notice that you always finish your homework early or that the material in class seems boring because it isn't challenging enough.
9. **Consider if you’re intentionally seeking work well below your abilities.** This might seem contradictory, but many gifted people choose to pursue less ambitious careers. Look at your career history and think about how you’ve made job hunting decisions. If you’re avoiding the boredom and monotony of a corporate job, or you’re sticking with a low-level but highly engaging job, chances are you could be a gifted individual in disguise.
Sometimes gifted employees prefer work that’s less creatively and intellectually exhausting. This frees them to use up their creativity and intellect on their own projects.
Related to perfectionism, many gifted individuals struggle to reach their near-impossible career goals. Abandoning these goals in favor of underemployment may come as a huge relief.
This path might not necessarily be the most productive use of an individual’s gifts. It’s healthier to find a balance of realistic goals and expectations that aren’t too overwhelming to cope with.
10. **Determine whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert.** While there are plenty of outgoing, extroverted gifted people out there, it’s more common for gifted individuals to exhibit signs of introvertedness. This means they’re shy and reserved. Think about whether you tend to get overwhelmed by large gatherings of people, and if you prefer to sit alone with your thoughts.
As a gifted introvert, you may find socializing with others to be uncomfortable and overwhelming, especially if you’re not in the company of gifted or introverted peers.
Many personality assessments, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), provide results on where you fall on the introvert/extrovert spectrum. You can take the MBTI online for a fee. Speak with a school administrator or psychologist to set up an in-person test.
11. **Reflect on whether you often feel misunderstood or like an outsider.** As a gifted individual, you’ll naturally have different interests, ideas, and abilities than your peers. It might feel like other people can’t relate to you, and that you’re alone in your giftedness. This can be alienating and upsetting.
Even though gifted individuals are usually highly competent, they often feel imposter syndrome when entering new environments.
Know that you’re not alone! Instead, you’re just one of the many gifted individuals who feel the same way from time to time.
12. **Monitor how intensely you experience emotions and urges.** Maybe you feel like the drive to fulfill your potential is driving you crazy. Perhaps you get overwhelmed by too many options, projects, and possibilities in your day-to-day life as well as far into the future. If so, you’re like other gifted individuals who experience greater intensity in their lives than the average person.
Gifted individuals tend to be deeply moved by natural beauty and the arts, exhibiting intense emotional responses that others might not understand.
13. **Pay attention to how quickly you think and speak.** When gifted people are trying to express themselves, they have a tendency to speak rapidly in an effort to keep up with how quickly their minds are working. If people tell you to slow down when you’re formulating thoughts into words, and if you feel like you can’t type as fast as your ideas are coming to mind, you may be gifted.
Socially, this behavior can get gifted individuals in trouble. Interruptions can come off as rude or annoying.
For instance, they often can’t help but cut off another person mid-sentence, since their mind is already leaps and bounds ahead of what they’re hearing.
14. **Take the Stanford-Binet test to receive your IQ score.** Contact a professional psychologist or a school counselor to schedule a test date. You can’t really prepare for this type of test, but you should show up having eaten, hydrated, and gotten a good night’s sleep. Complete the test under the supervision of the test administrator, and await the results via mail or email.
Your test result will be a number between 40 to 160. This number is your IQ, or intelligence quotient.
If you score between 130 and 144, you’re considered gifted along with 2% of the population.
If you achieve a score above 145, you’re part of the 0.1% of the population considered highly gifted.
15. **Complete the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) test for another IQ result.** This 12-minute, 50-question test is formulated for adolescents and adults who want to know their IQ. While it’s advisable to contact a psychologist or school counselor to schedule a moderated test, you can also complete the test online.
If your score is 130 or above, you’re considered gifted.
For younger individuals, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children may be more suitable.
16. **Study your scores from achievement tests and standardized tests.** Chances are you’ve taken a handful of standardized tests at school. You may have chosen to take additional tests (such as the SAT or ACT in the United States) as part of a college application process. Examine your test scores to see which percentile you fall within. If you consistently score within the 98th percentile, this means you performed better than 98% of other testers and are academically gifted.
For the SAT, the highest possible score is 1600. A composite score of 1450 or greater places you within the 97th percentile.
The highest possible ACT score is 36. A score of 33 or higher falls within the 98th percentile. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-You-Are-Gifted", "language": "en"} |
How to Paint a Roof | If you don't like the current color of your roof but you don't want to replace everything, you can paint it to freshen it up. While painting won't fix any cracks or damage you have, you can still make your roof look brand new. After you repair any damage and clean the roofing material, you can easily use a sprayer to make painting easy. Just be sure to stay safe while you climb and work on your roof!
1. **Check your roofing material for any cracks or damage.** Lean an extension ladder against your home so you can easily climb up your roof. Look for any shingles or tiles that have large cracks or that are lifting up from your roof. Make note of all of the damage on your roof so you know what you need to replace.
Hire a roofing inspector to look at your home if you're not comfortable climbing onto your roof.
If you have a steep roof, be sure to use a roof safety harness so you don't slip and fall.
2. **Replace any damaged parts on your roof before painting.** Start on the lowest tiles on your roof and work your way toward the peak. Remove the shingles or tiles that are damaged and put in a replacement. Keep working on all of the spots that damaged until your roof is completely finished.
Work during a sunny day so you don't have to worry about inclement weather while you're on your roof.
Contact a roofer to fix your roof for you if you don't want to do the work yourself.
Use caution if you have asbestos shingles since they are carcinogenic. Hire a licensed contractor to help replace or remove the shingles.
3. **Clean debris and moss from metal or tile roofs using a power washer.** Use a power washer with a 25-degree angle wand tip and a long enough hose so you can leave the machine on the ground. Start from the peak of the roof and work down do you don't lift up any shingles or tiles. Hold the tip of the washer 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) from your roof while you spray any moss or lichen growing on the roofing material.
Many hardware stores let you rent power washers if you don't have one of your own.
Have a helper come up on the roof with you to help guide the hose so it doesn't get caught.
4. **Make a cleaning solution to kill moss off of asphalt shingles.** Mix together 1 US quart (0.95 L) of bleach, 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water, and ⁄4 cup (59 ml) or heavy duty cleaner. Pour the solution in a garden sprayer apply it to your shingles evenly. Rinse the cleaner off after 15 minutes with your hose.
5. **Let your roof dry completely before you start painting.** If you worked on a sunny day, your roof should dry within 1 hour. Otherwise, wait for 1 day so all of the moisture is gone from your roof. Once the roof is dry, you can start painting.
Metal roofs may dry faster since water will run off of them.
Don't start painting while your roof is wet or else moisture may get caught in between the shingles and paint, which could cause mold to form.
6. **Buy water-based acrylic paint for your roof.** Go to your local paint supply or hardware store to see what options they have for roof paint. Pick a water-based acrylic paint for the best coverage and protection for your roof. Use the surface area of your roof to determine how much paint you need for your roof.
Try white paint for your roof to reflect light and keep your home cooler during warm months.
7. **Rent an airless paint sprayer to get the job done quickly.** Airless paint sprayers are machines that paint an even application through a spray wand. Look at your local hardware store to see if they offer rentals for paint sprays so you can get your roof done with 2-3 days. Once you have the sprayer, load your paint into the tank.
If you don't have access to a paint spraying machine, you can use paintbrushes and rollers, but it will take about 5-6 days to finish.
8. **Wear non-slip shoes and a safety harness to prevent falls.** Look for shoes or boots that have non-slip soles so you can easily walk on your roof without falling. If you have a steep roof, install a safety harness bracket on the peak of your roof. Secure the harness around your shoulders and legs, and tie a rope to the harness and bracket. This way, you won't fall off your roof while working.
You can get a roofing safety harness online.
Be sure to keep the harness taut so it doesn't touch your paint while it's wet.
9. **Cover any vents or skylights that you don't want to get paint on.** Use plastic sheets to wrap and cover your vents and skylights while you work. Seal the edges of the plastic with painter's tape so none of your paint can get through. Make sure the painter's tape isn't stuck to any of your roofing material or else it may not stick as well.
You can get plastic covers from a paint supply shop or hardware store.
10. **Work from the top to the bottom of your roof.** Place your ladder in the middle of your roof along the bottom edge. Start painting at the peak of your roof on the left side and work across the top to the right side. Keep working down your roof toward your ladder. Once you get to the bottom, stand on your ladder to paint the final section.
11. **Apply a coat of primer and let it dry before painting them for a better color.** Fill your airless sprayer with a water-based primer so you can easily apply it to your roof. Coat your roof evenly so there's a thin coat of primer covering all of the roofing material. Once the primer is applied, let it dry for at least 2 hours before you start applying paint.
Primer works best to help get bold colors on shingles and tiles.
12. **Spray the paint onto your roof.** Hold the nozzle of the sprayer 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) away from your roof and pull the trigger. Move your sprayer from the peak of your roof to a spot 3–4 ft (0.91–1.22 m) down. Let go of the trigger at the end of your stroke.
Avoid working on a windy day since the paint will blow away while you're trying to apply it.
13. **Paint across your roof strips that are 3–4 ft (0.91–1.22 m) thick.** Step back from the first strip you painted and continue working toward the opposite side of your roof. Make sure you overlap the area you painted slightly so you get even coverage. Once you reach the opposite side of your roof, go back to the side you started on to make a new 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) strip. Continue working down your roof until it's entirely coated.
Have a helper come on the roof with you to help guide the hose leading back down to the sprayer.
You may need to move the airless sprayer's tank while you're painting if your hose doesn't reach far enough.
14. **Wait at least 2 hours before your second coat.** Once you have the first coat on your roof, allow it to dry for at least 2 hours so it has time to set and so it's safe to walk on. Go back to where you first started painting and apply a second coat in the same way. Keep working across your roof until it's completely painted.
You can apply a third coat after another 2 hours if you want a more vibrant color.
15. **Paint any edges or tight areas with a brush or roller.** Once the second coat of paint is dry, get back on your roof and look for any areas you missed. Work paint onto any edges or tight corners with the tip of a paintbrush or roller so the color looks uniform. Wait for the first layer of paint to dry before applying another coat. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-a-Roof", "language": "en"} |
How to Use Cialis | The drug Cialis can be used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) or an enlarged prostate. To purchase this drug, you'll need a prescription from your doctor. Make sure you take the correct dosage so it works when you need it. Stay safe on Cialis by avoiding substances that could interact with this drug. If you experience any negative side effects or the drug is not working for you, see your doctor for guidance.
1. **Get a prescription for Cialis Daily for regular use.** You can use Cialis on a daily basis at a lower dosage. Cialis Daily helps to prevent erectile dysfunction 24 hours a day. This may be a good option if you plan to have sex at least 2-3 times a week.
Cialis Daily will come in doses of 2.5 to 5 mg.
2. **Obtain a prescription for Cialis As Needed for occasional use.** This type is best if you do not plan to have sex regularly, but want to have the medication on hand. Cialis Regular will have a higher dosage and is not designed for daily or regular use.
Cialis As Needed will be prescribed in doses of 5 to 20 mg.
3. **Take no more than 1 dose of Cialis a day.** Consume Cialis orally with water. Swallow the pill whole. Do not chew on it or break it apart.
If you are using Cialis Daily, you will need to take 1 dose at the same time every day.
Taking more than 1 dose every 24 hours can cause heart issues and other problems.
4. **Eat a small amount of food with Cialis.** To prevent stomach problems, have a small meal before or after you take Cialis. Avoid eating a large meal or a lot of food, as this can slow down the effects of the drug.
5. **Have Cialis As Needed 30 minutes before you plan to have sex.** The medication will be effective for up to 36 hours.
If you are taking Cialis Daily, you do not need to take it before you plan to have sex. Just make sure you take it at the same time every day.
6. **Use sexual stimulation to help the medication kick in.** Taking Cialis does not mean you are guaranteed to get an erection. You will still need to be sexually stimulated to be able to get an erection and maintain it. Communicate with your partner and interact with them after you take Cialis to help the medication work.
Try being romantic in bed and being intimate with your partner to help the medication kick in.
7. **Avoid taking Cialis if you are on heart medication.** Nitrate medications used to treat chest pain or heart problems can interact negatively with Cialis. Do not take Cialis if you are taking medication for hypertension (high blood pressure).
You should also avoid taking Cialis if you are taking medication for liver or kidney issues.
Your doctor should discuss the medications you are taking and confirm Cialis is safe for you before prescribing it to you.
8. **Do not drink excessive amounts of alcohol.** Having a lot of alcohol while on Cialis can cause side effects and affect the potency of the drug. Limit yourself to 1-2 alcoholic drinks when you take Cialis.
9. **Avoid having grapefruit while on this medication.** Grapefruit juice and products containing grapefruit can interact negatively with Cialis, causing side effects.
10. **Watch for the side effects of Cialis.** You may experience headaches, nausea, upset stomach, or become flushed when you take Cialis. You may also develop muscle pain, especially in your back, arms, or legs. This side effects should fade away as your body get used to the medication.
If your side effects do not go away or they become worse, stop taking Cialis and see your doctor right away.
11. **Speak to your doctor if you feel light-headed or have chest pain during sex.** You should also see your doctor if you feel nauseous, dizzy, or like you are going to pass out. These are all possible symptoms of a heart problem caused by Cialis.
You may also experience ringing in your ears, temporary hearing loss, and vision issues.
12. **See your doctor if your erection lasts longer than 4 hours.** An erection that lasts longer than 4 hours can cause damage to your penis. Head to your doctor’s office or the nearest medical center right away so the issue can be addressed.
13. **Discuss lowering your dosage with your doctor.** Your doctor may suggest you try taking less Cialis on a regular basis or spreading out your dosage so you only take it occasionally.
They may also ask you about how you are taking Cialis to ensure you are using it correctly so you are not at risk of any issues.
14. **Switch to another medication if you are at risk of heart issues.** If Cialis is putting you at risk of developing heart problems or a heart attack, your doctor may suggest that you try another medication. They may recommend another erectile dysfunction medication you can try to address this issue. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Cialis", "language": "en"} |
How to Deal With Puberty | Puberty can be an awkward and confusing time for many young people. You may be unsure about how to deal with this stage in your life. You will notice a lot of changes in your body, but don't worry, they are all perfectly normal and they happen to everyone. Knowing what to expect can go a long way in helping you handle puberty.
1. **Deal with body odor.** When you go through puberty, you will probably notice that you start to sweat more (especially under your arms) and have more body odor. This is completely normal, but it does mean that you need to be more conscientious about your personal hygiene. Remember to shower every day and wear clean clothes. Applying deodorant every morning will also help you smell fresh and clean.
Some deodorants contain antiperspirants, which also prevent sweating. A regular deodorant without an antiperspirant will not prevent sweating, but will prevent odor.
Your hair may become more oily as well, so you may have to wash it more often than you used to.
2. **Treat acne.** During puberty, your skin will start changing due to hormonal changes, and this may cause you to get acne. You may also notice that your skin is becoming dry or oily. To combat these issues, be sure to wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser. Applying an over-the-counter acne cream can help you deal with breakouts, and moisturizing can help you deal with dry skin.
Acne medications that contain benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid as active ingredients tend to be very effective. Everyone's skin is different, so try a few different products until you find one that works for you.
Be aware that acne medications may dry your skin out, so you may need to apply a moisturizer as well.
Always use an oil-free moisturizer on your face, especially if you have acne. Oily moisturizers can cause more breakouts. Moisturizers that contain sunscreen will help protect you from sun damage as well.
Popping pimples and picking at your skin can make your acne problem worse, so avoid doing this.
Try to avoid touching your face or letting your hair come in contact with your face, as this can transfer oil to your skin and cause breakouts.
If you have serious acne that does not get better with over-the-counter treatments, consider seeing a dermatologist.
3. **Expect growth.** Most people have at least one growth spurt during puberty. You will probably grow several inches during this time, and you will probably gain some weight, too, as the shape of your body changes. If you feel a little awkward in your body during this time, know that you will grow out of this phase. Some people gain weight before they begin growing, and some start growing taller before they gain weight, but both are perfectly normal.
It may help you feel more confident about your body if you wear clothes that fit you. Ask your parents/guardians if you can buy some new clothes (even if it's just a few things) if you notice that your old clothes don't fit that great anymore. Keep in mind that you may continue growing and changing for a while.
You may also feel like your feet are awkwardly large at this stage in your life. This is because feet often grow before the rest of the body. Know that you will not feel clumsy for long and the rest of your body will catch up to your feet.
4. **Cope with emotional changes.** Puberty is caused by an influx of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. These hormones affect not only the way your body looks, but the way you feel. As a result, you may be more angry or emotional than you used to be. There's not much you can do about this, but try to recognize your emotional changes and avoid lashing out at others.
You may also feel uncomfortable in your body during this time. Try to remember that all of these changes are normal.
You may also feel unusually tired at times, so let yourself get some rest. If this becomes severe, be sure to mention it to your doctor.
It usually helps to talk to someone about your emotions, whether it is a trusted friend or an adult. You may need a little support during this time in your life, so don't be afraid to seek it out.
One way to improve your self-esteem during this difficult stage in life is to commit yourself to doing something you love. Whether you are talented at singing, painting, or playing baseball, these activities will give you a great boost of confidence.
If these emotions are interfering with your everyday life or causing you to feel very distressed, seek professional counseling. Talking to a professional can help you learn how to deal with these emotions in a healthier way.
Exercising can help you cope with the anxiety that you may experience as a result of all of the changes that are happening during puberty. Exercising releases chemicals in your brain that are known to improve your mood, so find some kind of physical activity that you enjoy, whether it's swimming, dancing, or playing a team sport.
5. **Avoid comparing yourself to others.** Puberty happens to everyone, but not necessarily at the exact same time. If you start experiencing puberty before all of your friends, or if you feel like you are behind all of your friends, this is nothing to worry about! In a few years, everyone will have caught up to each other.
Puberty usually starts between the ages of 8 and 13 for females.
Puberty usually starts between the ages of 9 and 15 for males.
6. **Expect to feel sexual desire.** At some point during puberty, you will probably begin to feel sexual desire. Just because you feel desire does not mean that you are emotionally ready for sex. It is always a good idea to talk to a trusted adult about how to know when you are ready for sex and about practicing safe sex.
If you do decide to have sex, understand how important it is to protect yourself from pregnancy and from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). The best way to protect yourself is by always using a condom, although this is not 100% effective either.
Oral sex can cause the transmission of STDs as well, so it is still important to practice safe sex. Use a dental dam, plastic wrap, or a condom that is cut open into a square when performing oral sex to someone with a vulva (area outside the vagina) or anus. Use a condom when performing oral sex on a penis. You can find condoms and items like plastic wrap at grocery stores or pharmacies; you may need to go to a clinic like Planned Parenthood or try a dental supply store to find a dental dam.
Never let anyone pressure you into having sex if you are not ready. This is a personal decision that no one can make for you.
7. **Be prepared to start questioning your sexual/romantic orientation and/or gender identity.** Relationships tend to come and go during adolescence, and partners frequently enter the picture. The thrill of flirting and meeting new people can be exciting, but it can also be quite stressful, especially if you're unsure of who you're attracted to. You may be confused about your gender, or you may be transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer, and have dysphoria, or pack/bind, etc. You may already know who you are, or you may still be discovering yourself. In any case, this is normal and acceptable.
You might consider educating yourself on LGBTQ terminology.
It's also crucial to understand the distinction between gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as to recognize that everyone has a sexual orientation that is distinct from their gender identity.
Remember that everyone's life experience is unique. If you have feelings of attraction for someone, accept those feelings for what they are.
You are not required to come out to anyone if you do not wish to. However, if you trust them, it's a good idea to talk to someone (a friend, relative, or sibling) about how you're feeling.
8. **Find someone to talk to.** If you are feeling uncomfortable about the changes that are happening to your body, it may help to talk to someone who has gone through these changes before. Find a trusted adult to talk to, whether it is a parent, an older sibling, or your doctor.
You can talk to your friends about these issues as well, but remember that they are just as confused as you are, so don't rely on them for advice.
If you have been seeing a pediatrician who is not the same gender or sex as you and you do not feel comfortable talking to them about puberty, ask your parents/guardian if you can see a new doctor.
9. **Learn to remove body hair.** Females begin growing hair on their arms, legs, and around their pubic areas during puberty. You don't have to shave if you don't want to, but many people choose to begin shaving shortly after body hair begins to appear. It is always a good idea to talk to your another trusted adult (who shaves) about shaving before you try it for the first time.
A manual razor is the easiest way to shave. There are many different types available, but all of them should be used with some kind of lubricant, such as shaving gel or soap. You will need to be careful while shaving to avoid nicking your skin. You can also use an electric razor if you prefer.
Waxing your legs, underarms, and bikini area is also an option. This may be painful, but it will last for longer than shaving.
There are also chemicals that you can buy at drug stores to remove hair at home without the use of a razor.
10. **Get a bra.** When your breasts start to grow, you may find that you want to start wearing a bra. Ask your parent or another trusted adult to take you shopping for one.
You may need a different kind of bra that offers more support for sports.
It's very important that your bra fits correctly. If you need help with this, most department stores have bra-fitting experts on staff, so just ask.
Don't be concerned if one breast starts growing faster than the other. They will eventually even out, although most people's breasts are not exactly identical to one another.
11. **Be prepared for your first period.** Getting your first period can be very scary, but it's a lot easier if you are ready for it. When you have your period, you will need to use either a pad, which sticks to the inside of your underwear, or a tampon, which you insert into your vagina. You will find instructions for how to use these on the packaging, but it helps to ask an older adult who menstruates, like your parent, for advice.
It's a good idea to keep a clean pair of underwear and a sanitary napkin in your backpack in case you get your first period at school.
Most people with vaginas get their first periods around the age of 12, but it is perfectly normal for it to happen anywhere between the ages of 8 and 16.
Getting your first period means that you will be able to have a baby. If your egg does not meet up with sperm from someone with a penis, then you get your period each month. About one cup of blood will come out of your vagina over the course of about 3-7 days.
Don't be alarmed if your first few periods are a brown color instead of red. This is perfectly normal. It is also normal for your periods to be irregular at first, but they will become more regular as you get older.
Be sure to change your pad or tampon regularly (at least once every four hours). Tampons can cause a serious medical condition called Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) if they are not changed within 8 hours.
In addition to your period, you may also notice that you occasionally have a clear or white discharge in your underwear. This can happen before your first period and will continue after you have your period as well. Vaginal discharge is caused by changing hormones in your body, and actually helps keep the vagina healthy.
12. **Accept weight gain.** In addition to breast development, females will experience other physical changes to the shape of their bodies. It is normal and healthy for females to gain some weight and become curvier during puberty, so do not try to prevent it.
Dieting during puberty to prevent normal weight gain is very unhealthy! Even though you may feel uncomfortable with the changes that are happening to your body, it is important to let them happen.
13. **Cope with a changing voice.** As males go through puberty, their voices become deeper. This occurs because the larynx and the vocal cords are growing rapidly. Unfortunately, as your body adapts to these changes, you may find that your voice cracks or squeaks unexpectedly. There's nothing you can do to prevent this, but it may be comforting to know that it usually only lasts for a few months.
For most males, this happens between the ages of 11 and 14.
14. **Start shaving.** At some point during puberty, you will notice that you start to grow hair on your chin and above your upper lip. When this hair becomes noticeable, you will probably want to start shaving. It's a good idea to talk to your dad or another trusted adult about shaving before you try it for the first time.
An electric razor with a flexible head is convenient and effective, although it may not offer the closest shave.
You can also shave with a manual razor, but you will need to be more careful not to cut yourself. Always use a shaving cream or gel with this type of razor to prevent irritation.
You will also see hair begin to appear under your arms and around your groin. The hair on your arms, legs, and other areas of your body will become thicker and heavier. You can leave this hair alone if you want, or, if your body hair bothers you, you can choose to wax or shave it.
15. **Expect erections.** As you go through puberty, you will typically begin to experience erections, which is when your penis temporarily becomes longer and harder because it is filled with blood. These can happen unexpectedly, so don't be too alarmed.
Erections can happen at any time, whether you are sexually aroused or not.
Try not to be too embarrassed if you get an erection in front of other people. They are not nearly as likely to notice it as you may think.
If you want to get rid of an erection, stop thinking about it. Instead, try focusing your attention on a boring and repetitive task, like saying the alphabet backward.
16. **Expect genital growth.** You will also notice that your penis and testicles are growing during puberty. Try not to worry about your size or compare yourself to others. Also, don't be worried if one testicle seems to be growing faster than the other, as they will even out eventually.
17. **Realize ejaculations are normal.** In addition to erections, you will also start to experience ejaculations. This is when an erection suddenly ends and you release semen from your penis. Like erections, these can happen unexpectedly, so don't be too alarmed. This is perfectly normal, and means you are changing from a boy to a man.
Ejaculations can happen at any time that you have an erection, whether you are sexually aroused or not.
Some people with penises experience nocturnal emissions, more commonly known as "wet dreams." This is when you get an erection while you are sleeping and ejaculate before waking up. Even though it doesn't happen to all people, it is a perfectly normal stage of development, and it will stop happening as you get older.
18. **Don't fret over minor breast growth.** As teens go through puberty and their bodies start to fill out, they often experience a small amount of breast growth. This is perfectly normal and does not mean that there is anything wrong with your hormones. As your body continues to grow and change, this will go away. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Puberty", "language": "en"} |
How to Razor Cut Bangs | Cutting bangs may seem intimidating, but it is actually quite simple. If you are afraid that cutting your own bangs will result in chunky, crooked strands, don't be. With the help of a razor comb, you can get several different styles of bangs to suit your face and taste. Razor combs make cutting bangs easy, and they help give your hair a delicate, feathered look that's perfect for creating layers, texture, and volume.
1. **Comb your bangs forward.** This style works on medium to long length hair. Most side-swept bangs are about jaw-length, you but can try shorter ones that skim the tops of your cheekbones instead. Make sure that your hair is dry.
If your hair is curly, then straighten it before cutting to ensure that you get an accurate cut.
2. **Create a V-shaped part in your bangs.** Find the point on your center part where it begins to curve downward towards your forehead. It is usually a few inches/centimeters from your hairline. Use the handle of a rat-tail comb to create an angled part going from that point, down towards your left eyebrow. Leave your bangs loose and clip the rest of your hair out of the way. Repeat the process for the right side of the part as well.
If your part is off-center, then the point of the V should be on the off-center part. Keep in mind that your bangs won't be the same thickness due to one side having more hair.
3. **Pinch one side of your bangs between your fingers.** Pick a side on your part to start from: left or right. Make a V-shape with your forefinger and middle finger, then close them across your bangs. Slide your fingers down to where you want the shortest part of the bangs to start. How high you start is up to you, but somewhere between eyebrow and nose level is a safe bet.
If you created an off-set part, choose the wider side, or the side that has more hair.
Consider misting or wetting your bangs with water first, especially if they are curly. This will help lubricate your hair and prevent snags. It also straightens wavy or curly hair, making it easier to get an even cut.
4. **Pull the bangs at an angle towards your temples.** This will help create a defined part between the two halves of your bangs, making it easier to cut them.
5. **Carve the bangs at a downward angle with a razor comb.** Begin cutting on the side closest to the part. Hold the razor comb perpendicular against the side of the bangs as you cut; don't keep the comb parallel to the top of the bangs. Make sure that you are cutting above your finger.
You can also use a feather razor for this step. It looks a little like a serrated knife.
6. **Slide your fingers down as you cut towards the other side of your bangs.** Keep your fingers at a sight angle as you slide them. This will help define the angle even more. Finish cutting at the height where you want the side bangs to end. Somewhere between your cheekbones and jaw would look great.
At this point, you can move onto the next step, or you can repeat the process to trim the bangs shorter.
Make sure to cut gradually while checking the length.
7. **Cut the bangs from underneath the strands.** Pinch your bangs between your fingers as before. Slide your fingers down until they are about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) away from the ends. Hold the razor parallel to the underside of the bangs, below your finger. Run the razor downwards, curving it against your finger.
The razor won't cut your finger due to the protective guard.
8. **Repeat the entire process on the other side of your bangs.** Try to start and finish cutting your hair at the same height as you did for the first side of your bangs. If you created an off-center part, that may require you to cut at a steeper or shallower angle.
9. **Comb and style your bangs as usual.** Once you are happy with your bangs, unclip the rest of your hair. Comb through your bangs, and style them. If you misted them with water, you can dry them using a hair dryer and a round brush with a large barrel.
10. **Comb your bangs forward.** This style will work best on shorter styles, such as pixie cuts. It is quick, easy, and fun to do, and will give you a casual, relaxed look. Make sure that your hair is dry, however!
11. **Clip the rest of your hair out of the way.** If your bangs are close to the same length as the rest of your hair, the transition may not be as visible. In this case, clip the front edges of your hair, right where the bangs end, out of the way.
12. **Divide your bangs horizontally if you want more layers.** Slide the handle of a rat-tail comb through your bangs, from one side to the other. Lift the top layer upwards, and secure it with a clip. If you have very thin hair, or want less texture/fewer layers, you can skip this step.
13. **Grab a thin strand between your thumb and forefinger.** Select a thin strand of hair at random from your bangs. Pinch it between your fingertip and thumb where you want to cut it.
14. **Cut the strand using a razor comb.** Hold the comb horizontally against the strand. Cut downward using a swift, short motion, just above your fingers. You can use this first cut as a guide for cutting the rest of your bangs.
15. **Work your way across your bangs.** Use the first cut as a guide and measure all of your hair against it. This will help you to ensure that your hair is all the same length.
If you need to have a pattern, work your way from one side to the middle, then repeat for the other side.
Don't worry if some pieces end up shorter than others; some variation works well for this style.
16. **Repeat the process for the top layer of bangs, if needed.** If you clipped the top layer of your bangs out of the way, unclip them now. Repeat the process of plucking strands and cutting them with the razor comb. Measure the uncut strands against the already-cut strands.
17. **Comb and style your bangs.** Once your bangs are the length you want, unclip the rest of your hair. Comb your bangs, then style them as you normally would.
18. **Comb your bangs forward.** Make sure that your hair is dry and straightened first. If it isn't, take a moment to dry and straighten your hair now to get the best results.
19. **Create a V-shaped part and pull back the rest of your hair.** Find the point on your center part where your head starts to curve downward. Slide handle of a rat-tail comb through your hair, starting at that curve point and finishing at your left eyebrow. Pull and clip everything behind the comb back, then repeat the process for the right side of your head.
20. **Separate and clip off the top two-thirds of your bangs.** Use the handle of a rat-tail comb to separate the top two layers of your bangs from the bottom layer. Slide the handle of the comb through your bangs. Comb the two layers upwards and clip them out of the way.
Using the razor comb will help create layers, volume, and texture.
21. **Measure down where you want to cut your bangs with your fingers.** Make a V-shape with your forefinger and middle finger. Close them against the bottom layer of your bangs, then slide them down to where you want to cut. You will be angling your bangs downward towards your jaw. How high you start to cut your bangs is up to you.
22. **Cut your hair above your fingers with a razor comb using short, downward strokes.** Start from one side of your bangs and finish at the other. Insert the comb teeth through your bangs at a slight angle. Cut from one side to the other using short, feathery strokes.
A razor comb looks like a rat-tail comb, except that it has a razor inside of it. It's sometimes called a "carving comb."
23. **Separate another layer of bangs.** Unclip the bangs from the top of your head. Separate them into two layers using your rat-tail comb and the same zigzag motion as before. Comb the top layer upwards and clip it out of the way.
24. **Comb through your bangs and measure down to where you need to cut.** Slide a fine-toothed comb through the underside of your bangs. This will help smooth out the hair and blend the two layers together. Pinch the bangs between your fore and middle fingers, as before, then slide your fingers down. Stop when you reach where you previously cut your bangs.
25. **Cut the bangs using the same technique as before.** Keeping your bangs pinched between your fingers, cut into them using short, downward strokes. Start on one side of the bangs and work your way to the other.
26. **Repeat the process for the final layer.** Unclip the top and final layer of your bangs. Comb through your bangs from underneath, then pinch your bangs between your fingers. Measure down, then cut using a razor comb and short, downward strokes.
27. **Gather a vertical section of hair from the center of your bangs.** Make a V-shape with your fore and middle fingers, then pinch the section between them. Keep your fingers pointed upwards, and slide them towards the ends of your bangs.
28. **Cut the bangs using a pair of blending shears.** Texturing shears look like a pair of scissors, except that one of the blades has comb-like teeth. Snip the ends of the bangs with these, then let go.
29. **Repeat the process on the sides of your bangs.** Pinch the left side of your bangs between your fingers. Keep your fingers pointed upwards, then snip the ends with the blending shears. Repeat this step for the right side of your bangs.
30. **Comb through your bangs, then style them.** Brush your bangs through using a fine-toothed comb. This will get rid of any snippets of hair left over from the blending sheers. Style your bangs as you normally would. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Razor-Cut-Bangs", "language": "en"} |
Blocking a Crochet Blanket: The Complete Guide | Blocking a finished crocheted blanket sets its shape and makes the stitches look more even. This is an important step for improving the look of your finished crocheted blanket, so don’t skip it! If your blanket is made of natural fibers, such as cotton or wool yarn, use a water-based method, such as washing and air drying or spraying the blanket with water. If your item is made from an acrylic or acrylic-blend yarn, then use an indirect heat method, such as by using the steam from an iron.
1. **Wash the blanket on the delicate cycle or soak it in a tub of cool water.** When using water to block a natural-fiber crocheted blanket, the item needs to be completely soaked through. You can do this by washing the item on the delicate cycle in your washing machine or by soaking the item in a small tub of cool water.
You may use a small amount of detergent to wash or soak the blanket if desired, but plain water also works fine for blocking.
2. **Wring and press out the excess water.** After you remove the item from the washer or tub of water, use your hands to gently squeeze out any extra water. Then, place the blanket on a towel and roll the towel up around the blanket to blot more water out of the blanket.
Use more than 1 towel to blot the excess water out of the blanket if needed.
Do not twist or stretch the blanket as you wring out the excess water!
3. **Spread the blanket out on a few towels on a flat surface.** Lay a few clean, dry towels on a flat surface such as your bed or the floor. Then, lay the blanket on top of the towels and smooth it out so that it is flat. Arrange the blanket how you want it to look when it is dry, but be careful not to stretch it out. Aim for straight edges and an overall even appearance.
There are also special blocking mats that help to promote air circulation under the blanket as it dries. These are available at craft supply stores or online.
4. **Pin the blanket to the towels at the corners and sides.** Insert 1 pin into each of the corners of the blanket and then insert a pin about every 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) along each edge of the blanket. Push each of the pins all the way through the blanket and towel, and then back up again.
Use rust-proof pins to prevent stains on your blanket.
Special blocking clips are also available at craft supply stores if you prefer not to insert pins.
5. **Allow the blanket to dry for 12 to 24 hours.** The total time your blanket needs to dry will depend on the size and density of your item as well as on the climate you are in. If you have a small blanket, then it might only take 12 hours to dry, whereas a large blanket will take longer. If you are in a hot, dry climate, then your item will also dry faster than if you are in a cold or humid climate.
Wait until the blanket is completely dry to remove the pins. Touch it in a few places to check.
6. **Lay out enough towels to place the blanket on.** You may need to use 2 or more towels depending on the size of your blanket. Place the towels on a flat surface, such as your bed or a clean patch of your floor. Make sure that the towels are flat and even.
Only use clean, dry towels to block your blanket.
7. **Pin the blanket to the towels.** Lay your blanket on top of the towels and arrange it how you want it to look. Make sure the edges are straight and there are no bumps in the blanket. Then, insert a pin into each corner of the blanket and 1 pin every 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) along each edge of the blanket to hold it in place.
If you don’t want to insert pins into your blanket, then binder clips or special blocking clips (available at craft supply stores) will also work.
8. **Spray the blanket with water until it is just damp.** Fill a spray bottle with plain tap water and then spritz the blanket all over so that it is damp. Making the blanket damp instead of soaking it through is enough to block the blanket. The blanket will also dry much faster if you only get it damp, so this is a good option if you are short on time.
9. **Let the blanket air dry for 1 to 3 hours.** Expect to wait about 1 to 3 hours depending on your climate and the amount of water you sprayed on the blanket. You can also aim a fan at the blanket to speed the drying process if you are in a hurry.
Remove the pins after the blanket has dried completely. Touch the blanket in a few spots to make sure it is dry.
Whatever you do, make sure you let the blanket dry completely.
10. **Pin the blanket onto a large sheet or towels.** Smooth out your blanket on top of the sheet or towels, and arrange the edges so that they are straight and even. Insert a pin into each corner of the blanket and then insert 1 pin every 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) along each edge of the blanket to hold it in place
You can lay the sheet or towels on a bed or on the floor. Just make sure that the area is clean and dry.
11. **Turn on your iron and set it to steam.** Switch on your iron to a medium setting with steam. Allow it about 10 minutes to warm up before you begin blocking the blanket.
12. **Hover the iron over the blanket using the steam setting to make it damp.** When the iron is hot, hold it about 3 in (7.6 cm) above the blanket and allow the steam to hit it. Move the iron over the entire blanket without touching it. Hover the iron over a 12 by 12 in (30 by 30 cm) section of the blanket for about 2 to 3 seconds and then move it to the next section.
13. **Let the blanket cool off for about 30 minutes.** After you have covered the entire surface of the blanket with steam from the iron, set the iron aside and shut it off. Then, let the blanket cool for 30 minutes before you remove the pins. Once the blanket is cool, it will be blocked and you can remove the pins. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Block-a-Crochet-Blanket", "language": "en"} |
How to Upgrade Your Life As a Teenager | You may want to make sure you get the most out of your teenage years. Working hard as a teen can help you develop good habits you can carry into adulthood. There are a variety of ways you can upgrade your life as a teenager. Figure out your goals and passions, pursue success academically and elsewhere, work on your self-esteem and self-image, and make sure you foster positive relationships. This article is based on an interview with our certified life coach and professional astrologer, Tracey Rogers. Check out the full interview here.
1. **Consider your talents.** If you have goals set, you'll be able to make the most out of your teenage years and form valuable memories pursuing your passions. There may be certain things that you have a natural aptitude for, or talents or skills you've spent years developing. Considering your strengths can help connect you to your passions and allow you to set personal goals.
Is there anything that always came easily to you? Look back to your early childhood. Maybe you never had any interest in playing sports with your classmates, but loved to sit for hours drawing pictures during recess. Maybe you always aced math quizzes without much effort.
Consider things you seem to have a knack for, or that others have complimented you on. You may, for example, love taking pictures with your smart phone and uploading them on Instagram. You may get a lot of compliments on your pictures. You may benefit from pursuing photography more seriously. You could look into taking a photography class in school or at an art center.
2. **Make memories by exploring a variety of pursuits.** Do not limit yourself as a teenager. Have fun and make the most of this time by exploring a variety of pursuits. Join many different extracurricular clubs. Look into taking classes in a variety of fields. On your own time, read about subjects that intrigue you, like art, history, science, and culture. You'll end up making great memories that will make your teenage years a valuable time of your life.
It's okay if you try something and dislike it. Don't waste time doing something you hate. Stick to the pursuits that make you feel happy and inspired.
You'll also make friends while exploring your interests. Having a solid friend group will help you form lasting memories for your teenage years.
3. **Discover what inspires you.** Passions should make you feel excited and invigorated. Considering what inspires you in your day-to-day life can help you identify passions. Maybe you love reading about artists in class, and find going to art museums personally invigorating. This may mean you have a passion for art or art history. Spend your time pouring your energies into your personal passions.
Conversely, think about things that rub you the wrong way. Oftentimes, feelings of jealousy or frustration with another person are rooted in your own insecurities. If you feel miffed that your cousin's piano recitals and plays get so much attention from your family, maybe you wish you were more creative yourself. You may want to consider pursuing theater or music to see if you like it.
4. **Set goals for yourself.** After you've spent some time considering your passions, set goals for yourself. It's important to have goals as a teen, as these can help shape the trajectory of your adult life. Writing down a variety of goals for a given year, semester, or summer can help you upgrade your life.
Start by writing down the abstract. Just jot down some ideas on where in life you want to improve. For example, you may write something like, "I want to be a better writer."
Try to narrow down your goals into concrete terms. How might you go about achieving some of your abstract goals? What small goals can you set along the way? For example, "I want to write 20 pages by the end of the summer."
5. **Be specific and realistic.** Specific and realistic goals work best. Passions and interests are often abstract, so when writing goals you should work on specifying how you want to pursue these things. For example, maybe you're interested in animal welfare. A goal like, "I will avoid using products tested on animals," is a more specific goal than, "I will do my part to end animal cruelty."
Set a series of specific and concrete goals that move towards a larger purpose. If you want to be a writer, you can set goals for how many books you will read each semester, and decide to write for a set number of hours each night.
6. **Foster solid friendships.** You want to share your teenage years with worthwhile people. Having a solid group of friends can help you learn and grow. Work on developing quality friendships that will raise your self-esteem. This way, you'll have a group of friends you can share memories and experiences with as a teen.
Your friends should be supportive of you. They should not tease or belittle you, and should encourage you to make good decisions. In turn, you should also be supportive of your friends' pursuits and interests.
The best way to find a group of friends is to get involved. Join clubs relevant to your interests. Be social and make an effort to reach out to others. Having likeminded friends is important to upgrading your life as a teen.
7. **Ditch detrimental relationships.** Not all relationships are positive. A friend should be supportive and caring. If someone in your life makes you feel bad about yourself, that person is probably not worth your time. You do not want your teenage years to be tainted with memories of bad friends and troublesome relationships.
Watch for signs of abuse in a relationship. Abuse can be physical. You should not stay with friends who hit you, kick you, or otherwise physically harm you. However, abuse can also be emotional. It can come in the form of teasing, bullying, threats, or intimidation.
End relationships that are detrimental. Sever off contact with someone who is hurting you, physically or emotionally, and seek support from other friends or family members. Open up about what is going on so others can provide you comfort and advice.
8. **Do not give in to peer pressure.** It's great to be open to trying new things as a teen, and important to making the most of your teenage years. However, you should not do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe. True friends will not try to pressure you into doing something you don't want to do. Peer pressure comes in a variety of forms, and can create unnecessary stress and tension in your life. Know how to identify and avoid peer pressure.
You may be pressured to drink, smoke, or use drugs. Anyone who forces you into a situation that is unhealthy or dangerous is not a friend. You should look for friends who support you and understand your comfort zone.
Your friends may also pressure you to do things you're not interested in doing. It's good, to an extent, to have friends encourage you to try new things and overcome fears and insecurities. However, if you're truly uninterested in a given activity, your friends should respect your decision.
Peer pressure can also come in the form of excluding others. There may be a certain person in your friend's group who's being ostracized or left out. Do not participate in these kinds of tactics. Remember, you would feel bad if you were left out. You do not want to do the same to another person.
9. **Look for healthy romantic relationships.** During your teenage years, you may find yourself dating for the first time. Romantic relationships can be a great way to live life to the fullest and make your teenage years matter. You can learn a lot about yourself through dating. If you want to pursue romance, make sure your relationship is fun, healthy, and beneficial.
You and your romantic partner should be able to share things. Find someone you can talk to and learn from. You should find a partner who makes you laugh and you genuinely look forward to seeing.
Romantic relationships do get physical. Many people experiment with sexual activity for the first time in their teenage years. It's normal to want a physical relationship. However, you should not engage in sexual activity until you feel ready and should always use birth control and condoms to prevent pregnancy and STDs. If your partner pressures you, this is not a solid romantic relationship and you should get out.
Like friendships, romantic relationships can be abusive. Your partner should be supportive and loving. Anyone who harms you physically or emotionally is not worth your time.
10. **Keep your grades up.** Grades are important to your success as a teen, and you'll actually find fulfillment if you pursue your intellectual curiosities. Work on maintaining a high GPA if you want to upgrade your life. Good grades can help you professionally and also help you learn about yourself and your passions.
Practice good study habits. Make sure you make a schedule for yourself in regards to your homework and studying for exams. Try to do your homework shortly after school. Work and study in a well-lit area free of outside distractions. Keep your laptop and cell phone powered down while you work.
If you're struggling with a specific subject, talk to your parents about hiring a tutor. You can also talk to your teacher and ask him or her how you can go about improving your grades in that subject.
11. **Join extracurriculars.** Experience is important for finding a job and getting into a good college. It's also important to making your teen years memorable and fun. Finding extracurriculars will help you live life to the fullest, in addition to upgrading your life via professional success.
Remember your goals and passions as you choose activities. If you're fascinated by journalism, join the student paper. If you want to work in science, join an after school science club. If you're working in areas you love, you're far more likely to have a great time during your teenage years.
Teenage years can help prep you for success down the road, so try to take on leadership positions when possible. Being the Editor-in-Chief of your school's newspaper is far more impressive than just being a writer.
12. **Volunteer.** Volunteering can be a great way to bolster your resume, and you'll also build lasting memories. It can also help you pursue your passions and interests, allowing you to develop your character as a teenager. Volunteer for organizations you're passionate about. Look for local non-profits that accept volunteers. Volunteer to help out with events for your school. If you go to church with your parents, volunteer there. Work for a local political party.
13. **Prepare for interviews.** As you're pursuing jobs and internships, you'll end up getting a variety of interviews. Work on fostering good interview skills as a teen. This will increase your chances of landing a job or internship.
Make sure you dress the part. You want to wear something that looks professional. You should avoid jeans and a t-shirt, baggy pants, or gaudy jewelry. Strive for dress pants and a nice button down top instead. Make sure you wear appropriate dress shoes as well.
Research the company ahead of time. The more you know, the more invested you'll look in the job. Spend some time browsing a company's website prior to the interview.
Use your body language. Sit up straight and smile and nod to show the interviewer you are listening. Ask questions at the end of the interview. Choose open ended questions that show you're interested in the company. For example, "What do you like about working here?" or "What's the company culture like?"
14. **Find a part-time job.** A part-time job can be a great way to get some experience in when you're a teen, and many people bond with co-workers. Even a job like pizza delivery or working in a grocery store can provide fun and lasting memories. You'll end up meeting people your own age and developing a friend's group from work. Having some work experience can also help you down the road, as you prepare for college and later the work force.
You can look on job boards online to find job leads. You can also ask around at local businesses. Look for help wanted signs in coffee shops and restaurants.
Talk to your parents, relatives, and siblings. They may know someone in your community who is looking for employees.
Try to find a job you feel like you would enjoy. You may not land a highly professional job as a teen, but look for work that you feel will be fun. If you love riding your bike, for example, consider a job as a bike delivery person.
15. **Write a resume.** If you want to pursue success, you should write a resume. A resume is an overview of your professional experience, which you can use to apply for jobs and internships. Gaining some work experience in your teenage years can set you up for success later in life.
Resumes are usually formatted using headers and bullet points to list work and educational experience. Formatting should be consistent throughout and you should use a font that's legible, like Arial or Times New Roman. It can be difficult to write a resume for the first time, so ask your school's guidance counselor for advice.
You may not have a lot of work experience as a teenager. That's okay. Many people hiring teens for jobs and internships understand a teen's experience is limited. List things like volunteer work you've done. If you've been part of a club or organization, list that as well. Academic success may reflect well on you if you're applying for an internship, so mention your GPA and whether you've been on the honor roll.
16. **Look for internships.** Internships are a great way to bolster your resume. They can also provide you with lasting memories of your teenage years. A lot of internships are targeted at college students, but some businesses may offer internships specifically for teenagers.
Internships provide hands-on experience working in an organization. As an intern, you'll start to learn the professional aspect of a certain industry. You'll be supervised by a team of professionals who will help you gain professional experience.
Ask adults you know, like teachers, parents, and school counselors, about where to find internships in your area. You can also browse job sites for internships. You can possibly create your own internship with a family member or friend's company.
17. **Prepare for college.** You should also work on preparing for college as a teen. Things like internships, jobs, volunteer work, and extracurriculars will set you up for future success career-wise. However, you should also work on researching colleges.
Look at colleges in and out of your state. Research a college's reputation, faculty, and culture. You want to find a university with a solid reputation where you feel you'll fit in.
Pay attention to requirements for college. Start thinking about how to get great standardized test scores so you can attend a top university.
Ask your parents if they'll take you to tour colleges. Seeing a college campus can help you decide if a given college is a good fit for you.
18. **Regulate your mood.** You'll be surprised to find how much of your mood you can control. When you're a teen, you experience a range of powerful emotions. It's normal to feel sad and frustrated, and important to experience negative feelings, but you can also work on ways to feel happy and positive. This will allow you to better enjoy the experiences you have in your teenage years.
Have a ritual you can engage in when you're feeling down. Maybe there's a TV show that makes you laugh. Maybe there's a song you like to listen to. When you're having a bad day, make a point of taking 15 minutes to yourself to cheer up.
Find ways to interrupt a bad mood. If you can't stop feeling down, do something to distract yourself. Play a video game. Read a book.
If you're feeling stressed in the moment, focus on your breath. Take a series of deep breaths, paying attention to the air going in and out of your nose and mouth. Focusing on your breath can keep you grounded in the present, preventing your stress from spiraling out of control.
19. **Exercise.** Exercising has a lot of benefits. Not only is it good for you physically, a regular exercise regimen can also help elevate your mood. Regular exercise can help put you in a better mental state, allowing you to enjoy your teenage years.
Pick a physical activity you genuinely enjoy. You're unlikely to stick to an exercise routine you hate. If you love riding your bike, try to go for a two mile bike ride every day after school.
20. **Edit negative thoughts.** Your teenage years are often a time of insecurity. You may be bombarded with a variety of negative thoughts throughout the day about yourself and your abilities. It's okay to feel bad sometimes, but you do not want negative thoughts to prevent you from pursuing certain activities and goals that allow you to thrive as a teen. Work on editing negative thoughts as they occur.
Identify negative thoughts. Notice when you're feeling bad about yourself throughout the day. When you slip into a negative thinking pattern, make an active effort to resist and reframe your thoughts.
For example, you may see someone doing better than you at hockey practice. You may start to think something like, "She's so much better than me. I'll never be as skilled. I should just quit." Stop these thought patterns as they occur. Try to replace them with motivational thoughts. For example, "She's a very skilled and inspiring player. I'm lucky to have her on my team. I'm sure she can teach me something about hockey."
21. **Accept your strengths and weaknesses.** Everyone is good at different things. You may not have a natural aptitude for writing, but you may excel at science courses. You may not have a great brain for chemistry, but you may be a brilliant writer. Focus on what you're good at, and what you enjoy. You cannot succeed in everything, and that's okay. Pursuing what you're good at, and what you genuinely care about, will allow you to make the most of your teen years. You want to spend this time doing the things you genuinely want to do.
22. **Take setbacks in stride.** Setbacks do not mean failure. The better attitude you have about setbacks, the more likely you'll be able to bounce back and get on the road to enjoying your teenage years. If you slip up, accept that it's part of a larger learning process. Take rejection and set backs as an opportunity to learn and grow. If you didn't get a great grade on your chemistry quiz, take this as a chance to identify your weak spots for the exam. If you didn't get that summer internship, you can work on building your experience so you'll have better luck next time. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Upgrade-Your-Life-As-a-Teenager", "language": "en"} |
How to Play Temple Run | This wikiHow teaches you how to start a new game in Temple Run, as well as how to use the controls and basic strategies to improve your gameplay.
1. **Open Temple Run.** This app resembles a gold statue's face. Opening Temple Run will direct you to its home page.
If you haven't yet downloaded Temple Run for iPhone or Android, first do so.
2. **Tap OPTIONS.** It's in the lower-left corner of the screen.
3. **Customize your preferences.** You can change the following options:
- Slide left or right to lower or raise the music volume.
- Slide left or right to lower or raise overall sound.
- Slide left to disable the tutorial.
- If your friends play Temple Run, leaving this enabled will show their progress.
4. **Tap BACK.** It's at the bottom of the screen.
5. **Tap PLAY.** Your new game will begin.
6. **Tilt your phone left or right.** This will cause your character to move to the left or right side of the path.
7. **Swipe left or right to turn left or right.** You'll want to do this as soon as your character reaches a turning point in the path.
Swiping left or right while running on a straight part of the path will cause your character to stumble, which will forfeit your current bonus.
Stumbling twice in a row will cause the enemies behind you to catch you, thereby ending the game.
8. **Swipe up to jump.** Doing so will help your character maneuver over low obstacles and broken sections of path.
You can also retrieve power-ups by jumping through them.
9. **Swipe down to slide.** Sliding helps your character avoid high obstacles.
10. **Double-tap the screen.** If you have any utilities (such as resurrection wings) equipped, doing this will use them.
11. **Understand Temple Run's conventions.** In Temple Run, your character starts off running at a reasonable pace through a fairly linear maze. As your time in a specific run progresses, the character's speed and the maze's complexity both increase.
If your character stops running at any time (e.g., because of stumbling twice), the game ends.
12. **Collect coins when possible.** Coins both increase your score and count toward in-game purchases, such as power-ups and character skins. Yellow coins are worth one coin each, red coins are worth two, and blue coins are worth three.
Don't prioritize coin collection over safe running if you're going for a high score.
The magnet power-up will collect coins for you.
13. **Pay attention to the multiplier meter.** The vertical bar in the top-left corner of the screen grants you a bonus each time it fills up, meaning your overall score (and resulting reward) grow each time the meter refills. To fill this meter, collect coins.
Running into a tree branch or stumbling will reset the meter's progress.
14. **Jump instead of sliding when you can.** Sliding helps your character maneuver beneath some obstacles, but it also changes your camera angle, which can cause you to fall into another trap. Obstacles you can vault over instead of sliding under include the following:
Fire
Tree branches
Short gaps
15. **Purchase power-ups.** You can unlock each of the game's power-ups from the section of the home page for 250 gold apiece, though upgrading them after this point will cost significantly more. These power-ups include the following:
- Immediately grants your character 50 coins.
- Gathers coins for you so that you don't have to run through them to collect them.
- Allows you to run through obstacles and over gaps for a brief time.
- Makes you invincible and boosts you forward for 250 meters of running.
- While not technically a power-up, upgrading this attribute shortens the distance you need to run before coming across red and blue coins.
You can also purchase "Utilities", which are items to help you in-game. Tap the screen twice to use them.
16. **Pause when necessary.** To pause the game, simply tap the "Pause" icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Closing the game while it is paused won't reset your progress. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Temple-Run", "language": "en"} |
How to Make a Mosaic Table Top | A mosaic table top is a fun and creative piece of furniture that can lighten up your space and give it a more artistic vibe. However, finding the right table top can be difficult because they all have different designs and colors. Luckily, you can create your own mosaic table top out of an old table that you have sitting around the house. Start by designing the mosaic and preparing your table top. After that, it's just a matter of attaching your tiles to the table and enjoying the unique new mosaic you just created.
1. **Lay a large piece of butcher paper over the tabletop.** Secure the paper around the table's edges with tape. If your paper is not wide enough, tape two pieces together so that it can fit over the entire table.
2. **Cut the piece of paper in the shape of the table.** Use scissors to cut around the edge of the table. The tape should hold the paper in place as you cut. Once you're done, remove the remaining tape and butcher paper from the tabletop. It should be the same dimensions as your tabletop.
3. **Smash your tiles into different shapes.** If you want a more artistic look, you can create different shaped tiles yourself. Place your tiles flat on the floor and cover them with a towel. Then use a hammer and smash the tiles into different pieces carefully. When you lift up the towel, the tiles should be in different shapes and sizes.
You can also just purchase smaller tiles from the store.
Consider using premade ceramic tiles, glass tiles, glass gems, or a mirror to cover your table top.
4. **Arrange your tiles on top of the butcher paper.** Lay the paper out on a different flat surface, like the floor. Collect the tiles that you plan on using for your mosaic and lay them out on the paper. This will help you visualize what they will look like before you commit them to your table. It will also help you keep your tiles organized as you continue to construct your mosaic.
If you are using uniform sized pieces for your mosaic, remember to leave gaps in between the tiles so that grout can fit in between them.
Experiment with creating unique designs. If you don't like how your design looks, you can rearrange the tiles on the paper before you start constructing your table.
5. **Sand the table top.** If the table top is made of wood, you'll want to make sure that you have a smooth surface to place your mosaic tiles. Use a hand or belt sander to sand down any rough edges or bulges in the wood. If your table top is made of another material like granite or metal, you can skip this step.
Use 150-grit on coarse-grain woods like oak or walnut and 180-grit on fine-grain woods like cherry or maple.
6. **Dust the table.** Use a duster or a dry cloth to run over the surface of the table and remove any dust that you created from sanding. Make sure to go over the surface of the table with your hand to make sure that there aren't any places that you missed with the sander.
If there are places that you missed with the sander, go back and resand the area.
7. **Wash and dry the table.** Use a damp cloth and a traditional mild dish soap and go over the surface of your table. Once the table top is clean, you can start creating your mosaic.
8. **Paint the surface of your table.** Use a roller or a brush to apply a coating of paint over the surface of the table. You can purchase a latex semi-gloss paint made specifically for furniture at a paint or hardware store. The first coat of your paint will most likely not be dark enough, so you may have to apply multiple coats. Once you've painted the table, allow it to dry overnight.
Painting the table is important if you plan on using translucent tiles or stones and don't want the table's natural color to come through the mosaic.
9. **Seal the surface of the table.** Be sure to mix the sealer well before using it. Apply a coat of oil or water-based polyurethane sealer with a clean brush. Remember to read the instructions when using a sealer or stain. The sealer will prevent water damage.
Seal your table in a well-ventilated area.
10. **Glue the tiles to the surface of the table.** Using the tiles from the butcher paper, dab one side of the tiles that you plan on using and press it hard into the surface of the table. Work from the outside in when gluing down your design. Once you're done gluing down the tiles, allow the tiles to set overnight.
If you decide that you want to change the design of the mosaic, make sure that you move the tiles around before the glue fully dries.
The best glue to use for ceramic or glass tiles are mortar, mastic, or tile adhesive. You can purchase these at most home improvement stores.
11. **Mix grout** Combine the grout powder with water in a bucket and use a trowel to mix the grout until it forms a thick consistency. Make sure to read the instructions on the grout to get the exact measurement of water that you need.
Make sure there aren't any lumps in your grout before using it.
12. **Smear the grout over the tiles and in between the cracks.** The goal is to get the grout to go in between your tiles. This will add to the look of your mosaic table, make it flatter, and will help keep the tiles onto the table. Use the trowel and work the grout over the tiles. This will force some of the grout in between your tiles.
13. **Scrape the excess grout with a plastic card.** Use a plastic card and run it over the surface of your tiles. Some grout will be left over after the scraping, but try to get as much of it as you can with the card.
14. **Let the grout dry and wash off your table.** Let the grout set for at least 24-hours before cleaning it. Once it's dry, go over the surface of the tiles with dish soap and warm water. If the grout is not coming off, use a sponge to help scrub it. Once your mosaic table top looks shiny, wipe it down and dry it with a clean rag.
15. **Spray sealer to seal the grout.** Purchase a penetrating sealer that works with whatever material you used for your mosaic. Spray the sealer over the surface of the table and make sure to wipe down the tiles with a damp cloth to prevent a film from forming on the tiles themselves. Once the grout is saturated with the sealer, allow it to dry. Once the grout is dry, wash down your table one more time before using it.
If the table is going outdoors or you'll be having meals at it, it's important to seal the grout to prevent mildew and stop the grout from getting soft when it comes into contact with water. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Mosaic-Table-Top", "language": "en"} |
How to Help a Proud Person | Some people have a really hard time asking for or accepting help from other peoplem even if they need it. We can help you handle the situation with sensitivity and respect, which may help them be more receptive to what you're offering.
1. **Listen to the person.** First and foremost, to help a proud person, you should really listen to them. Hear them out and let them know you understand. You can say, "I hear you, and I want to help." Sometimes when you notice a proud person is struggling with something, listening for the small cues that something's wrong can help you get a better grasp of the situation.
Give the person your full attention when you listen to them, such as by putting away your phone and turning off the television.
Nod and make eye contact while the person is speaking to show that you are paying attention. You can also try repeating a short phrase out of what the person says and then to show you are hearing what the person says.
Ask questions to clarify what the person says. For example, if something is confusing to you, then try saying something like, “I’m not sure I understand. Can you elaborate on that?”
2. **Approach the issue gently.** After you have listened to the person and gotten a sense of what the person needs help with, then you might want to try to get the person to talk about it a little more in depth. However, it is important to avoid forcing them to tell you more. If you force it, they may not want to talk any more. They may even become angry with you and stop listening to you. They will then likely be further from the help they need than they were before you talked to them.
Try saying something like, “It sounds like you have been having a hard time lately. Do you want to talk more about it?”
3. **Be careful not to pressure them.** Putting pressure on a person who is struggling can make them feel even less like seeking help. As you talk with this person, make sure that you avoid telling them what they “need to” or “should” do. Instead, try to work with the person to help him or her come up with solutions.
For example, instead of telling someone, “You should apply for WIC to feed your family,” you might say something like, “Have you considered applying for WIC to help offset your family’s cost of food?”
4. **Don't put your own agenda on the person.** You may want the person to change in a way that would be beneficial to you, but that might not be the best option for this person. If the person gets the sense that you're trying to change them to what you want, they are likely not to listen.
For example, if you think a friend should look for a better job because there is no chance for her to get a promotion, then you might consider why the friend might like this job. Perhaps, she enjoys the extra time the job gives her to focus on her hobbies.
5. **Ask how he or she wants to handle the situation.** Asking about what the person wants to do will allow him or her to preserve his or her pride. It will also allow the person to consider all of the options. To encourage the person to consider the options, try asking questions instead of telling the person what he or she should do or think.
For example, instead of saying, "I think that's wrong" or "You can't do that," try saying "What if you did this instead?" or "Have you thought of trying that?"
6. **Talk to them.** Seeing where someone is with their problems, and the steps they’re taking to rectify the situation is a good start for trying to help them out financially. You can share strategies you’ve used in similar situations before immediately jumping to give them money.
For example, you might say something like, “I’ve struggled to pay my bills before and what helped me the most was getting help with things like buying food and paying my gas bill. Did you know that these kinds of resources were available?”
7. **Offer your money openly if you can.** If the person really needs money, they might just be too proud to ask. However, the person might accept money if you offer it in a sensitive way. When you offer them money, if you feel it is appropriate, you can let them know you don’t need to be repaid. For some this will be a relief. For others, it will feel like you’re pitying them.
For example, you might say something like, “You have helped me in the past when I have been struggling, will you please allow me to help you now?”
If the person says that he or she wants to repay you and you do not want to be repaid, then you can just say something like, “Don’t worry about that right now.”
8. **Offer to loan them the money.** If the person is too proud to take money from you straight out, then you may need to offer to loan them the money. This has some drawbacks though, as it can add financial pressure to their already strained wallet. Try your best to alleviate those fears by negotiating terms in a way that favors them but still allows them to pay you back. It can be difficult even so, so don’t push them.
For example, you might try saying something like, “This is a loan, but you don’t have to worry about paying it back right away. Just focus on you for now.”
9. **Suggest paying it forward as a means of paying you back.** This is an especially good tactic for those who are reluctant to take even a loan, as it obligates them to pay it forward in some way, but relieves them of the obligation to think about paying it back immediately. It will be something they can do once they’re back on their feet.
For example, you can tell the person, “You don’t have to repay me, just promise that you will help someone else someday if you can.”
10. **Give them money anonymously.** Giving the money anonymously may save the person from feelings of embarrassment or shame, which are likely if the person is too proud to ask for help. It may also prevent any awkwardness between the two of you because of a loan or gift of money.
You can leave a money order for the person in his or her mailbox. If you’re a part of a religious organization, then you can talk to your religious leaders to see if you can anonymously forward the money to them.
11. **Offer to help out in other ways.** You can also help the person by offering to help with tasks that they would usually need to pay for, such as by offering free childcare, lawn care, or personal services. This is an especially good option if they’ve helped you out in any of these ways before. The person will feel less like he or she is receiving charity, but they’ll have a bit of relief.
Try saying something like, “Hey Karen! I wanted to pay you back for watching my kids last week. Can I watch your kids for you sometime when you need a babysitter?”
12. **Hire the person.** If the person in financial need is unemployed or underemployed, then you could also offer them a job. Make sure that you pay them the same amount that you would pay anyone else. Do not pay more or less.
For example, if the person is a contractor, then you might hire the person to do some repairs around your house. If the person is a teacher, then you might hire the person to tutor your kids.
13. **Talk to them about your concerns.** If you notice a friend is withdrawing or just acting a lot differently than normal, ask them how they’re doing. Let them know they can talk to you. This will give them some space to express their feelings. They might feel alone on top of feeling too proud to ask anyone for help. They may have the sense that they should be able to figure it out on their own. So, let them know, they’re not alone.
It’s important that you ask in a way that doesn’t sound like the typical pleasantries. Try saying “What’s going on with you right now?” or “I noticed you’ve been struggling lately. How can I help?”
14. **Share your experiences if you’ve experienced something similar.** Sharing your experiences is a good way to let them know they aren’t alone. If they seem to be anxious or depressed, talk about a time when you felt that way. If you haven’t felt that way, try to find an experience that is at least somewhat similar. Don’t make it up. If needed, refer them to a friend who might be able to help them more than you can.
Try saying something like, “I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, but I have experienced something similar.”
15. **Show your support.** Letting them know you’re on their side can be a big relief for some people. By being a support in other ways (cleaning, childcare, etc.), you can help take a load off and possibly encourage them to get the help they need. You can say something like “I’m here for you” or “I’ll check in tomorrow to see if I can help you with something.”
For example, you might offer to cook dinner for the person one night by saying something like, “I am planning to try out a new recipe on Saturday. Would you like to come over to my house and join me for dinner?”
16. **Consider finding someone they respect to broach the topic with them.** Most people have at least one person who they look up to, such as a mentor, an educator, a boss, or a charismatic family member. Your friend might be more open to listening to someone who he or she looks up to. Find this person and get him/her to go up to the proud person and encourage him or her to accept help from others. This person might be able to convince your proud friend to seek help from you or someone else who can help.
17. **Know your limitations and accept them.** Sometimes we can’t help someone, or at least not in the way they need. If they push back aggressively, or are taking too much from you in time, effort, etc., it may be time to step back. Even if they do accept your help, there’s only so much you as a friend can do. Sometimes therapy and medication is needed, and a friend can’t offer that.
Keep in mind that you can say no if you feel that someone is taking advantage of your kindness.
If you are worried about a friend or family member’s well-being, then you might talk to someone who can help, such as a teacher or a counselor.
18. **Maintain healthy boundaries.** This means neither overstepping in helping them nor allowing them to overstep in asking for help, assuming they do. This is especially important with a proud person, as helping them too much may make them feel like you pity them or that you feel sorry for them. Instead, when possible, ask how you can help, and don’t attempt to do more than is requested.
For example, if the person has reassured you that he or she is okay, then you should not keep pressing the person to accept your help. You might simply say something like, “I am always here for you if you need my help. Just let me know.”
19. **Respect their decisions.** As much as you want to help them, it is important to give them the space to make their own decisions. Ultimately, it is their life, and they have the choice to get help when they need it or to reject that help. It might hurt, but being a friend sometimes means stepping back and letting your friend choose their own path. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Help-a-Proud-Person", "language": "en"} |
How to Change Your Betta Fish Water | One of the most important things to learn when taking care of a betta fish is how to properly change the water in its tank or bowl. Dirty containers are unhealthy and can make your betta sick, but changing its water improperly can also cause the fish harm. There are two methods for changing a betta’s water: a partial water change, and a total water change. The partial water change is usually preferable, as totally new water can shock the fish.
1. **Prepare the new water.** Fill a large, clean container with fresh water. Leave your betta’s current container alone for now. Use a water conditioner (available at pet supply stores) to remove chlorine and other harmful substances from the fresh water.
Follow all directions provided with the water conditioner, and use the exact amount required for your tank or bowl size.
2. **Allow the water to warm up.** Putting your betta immediately into water that is a different temperature can harm it. Let the container of fresh, treated water sit at room temperature for an hour so that it will be safe and comfortable for your fish.
Alternatively, you can mix hot and cold water from your tap until it is the same temperature as the water in your betta’s current container. If you follow this method, use an aquarium thermometer to make sure that the water in both tanks is the same temperature, and add water conditioner to the new water as instructed.
3. **Remove some water from your betta’s current container.** To do a partial water change, you will take some of the water from your betta’s container and replace it with some of the fresh, treated water. Using a clean scoop or something similar, remove 25 percent of the water in your betta’s current container. Leave your betta in the container as you remove the water.
To be precise, you can measure the water as you take it out. For instance, if you have a twenty-gallon tank, remove up to ten gallons measured using jugs or other measuring containers.
You can also use a siphon hose to transfer water from your betta’s container to a bucket or sink. Once the water starts flowing, move the hose so it "vacuums" the gravel at the bottom of the tank, picking up fish waste, old food, and other debris.
4. **Refill your betta’s container.** Slowly pour fresh, treated water from the container you prepared into your betta’s current container until it reaches the previous water level.If the container is too heavy to lift and pour, use a clean scoop (or similar container) or siphon hose to add the water. It is fine to leave your betta in its container as you add the fresh water, but add the water slowly so that you do not disturb the fish.
5. **Repeat water changes frequently.** Most experts recommend changing your betta’s water at least once a week. If for some reason your betta’s container becomes especially dirty, however, you may need to change it more frequently.
6. **Prepare the new water.** Fill a large, clean container with fresh water. Leave your betta’s current container alone for now. Use a water conditioner (available at pet supply stores) to remove chlorine and other harmful substances from the fresh water.
Follow all directions provided with the water conditioner, and use the exact amount required for your tank or bowl size.
7. **Let the water warm up.** Putting your betta immediately into water that is a different temperature can harm it. Let the container of fresh, treated water sit at room temperature for an hour so that it will be safe and comfortable for your fish.
Alternatively, you can mix hot and cold water from your tap until it is the same temperature as the water in your betta’s current container. If you follow this method, use an aquarium thermometer to make sure that the water in both tanks is the same temperature, and add water conditioner to the new water as instructed.
8. **Transfer your betta from its container.** Using a fish net, remove your betta from its current container to the container filled with fresh water. Be very gentle when moving your fish, as its fins are very susceptible to injury.
9. **Clean the betta’s container.** Pour out the old water from your betta’s container. Gently clean the container itself, using only water and a clean, soft cloth or sponge; soaps and other products can harm your fish. Make sure to sift the tank’s gravel to remove waste, food debris, etc.
10. **Begin filling the betta’s container.** Take some of the fresh water from the container your betta is currently in, and pour it into its container. Pour enough so that your betta will be able to move comfortably in its container.
11. **Transfer your betta back to its container.** Using a fish net, move your betta from the holding tank back to its container, now partially filled with fresh water. As before, be very gentle when moving your fish.
12. **Pour the rest of the water into your betta’s container.** Take the rest of the fresh water from the holding tank and very slowly pour it into your betta’s container. If the container is too heavy to lift and pour, use a clean scoop (or similar container) or siphon hose to add the water. It is important to pour very slowly so that you do not disturb your fish.
13. **Repeat full water changes as needed.** Most of the time, partial water changes are all that are needed for a betta's container. Complete a full water change, however, if the container becomes dirty all over. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Betta-Fish-Water", "language": "en"} |
How to Present a PowerPoint | If you’re giving a presentation for school, work, or any other reason, using a PowerPoint is a great choice. Presenting a PowerPoint is a good way to enhance a presentation with additional images, key text, and structure. However, sometimes the idea of giving a PowerPoint presentation is a little nerve-wracking. Luckily, the process of creating and presenting a PowerPoint is a lot simpler than you might think!
1. **Make a plan for how your PowerPoint will enhance your presentation.** The PowerPoint should complement what you’re saying, not replace it. After you determine what all you want to say in your presentation, decide how each point you make can be enhanced by a PowerPoint slide. Then, create those slides!
For instance, if you want to make a point about the effect scar remover has on a person’s skin, the slide you use to complement this point could have before and after pictures of a scar that’s been treated with the remover.
Once you know what your presentation will be about, make a list of the different type of information (e.g., images, graphs, or maps) that you might want to put on your PowerPoint slides to make your presentation better.
2. **Organize your PowerPoint slides to have a logical flow between them.** Use your PowerPoint to tell a story or some kind of narrative about the information that you’re presenting. Make sure that each slide logically flows into the next one.
For example, if one of your slides is detailing a particular strategy for increasing productivity in the workplace, the next slide could describe the impact of using that strategy in an office environment.
Even if your presentation is largely composed of a lot of data, be sure to talk about the underlying meaning that that data carries.
3. **Choose a consistent design template for your slides.** Use a consistent font, background, and color scheme across the entire PowerPoint presentation. Feel free to present the information in different ways, such as using a numbered list on 1 slide and an image on another, but don’t distract your audience by constantly changing the underlying design.
Use a relatively large sans serif font on all of your slides. This will not only minimize distraction, but also make it easier for people to see the text on your slides.
Make sure to have some contrast between the background color and the color of your text. This will make it easier for people to actually see what you write on the slides!
4. **Limit the amount of words you put on each slide.** Include only key words and essential information that people absolutely need to see. Otherwise, the audience will focus too much of their attention on reading your slides instead of listening to what you’re saying.
For example, instead of writing “There are a wide variety of factors that helped to bring about the American Civil War,” write something short like “Civil War Causes.”
You should never have full paragraphs of text on your slides. If possible, avoid even having full sentences on them.
5. **Be sure to include a few images, but don’t use too many.** Include visuals on your slides when they actively contribute to and enhance the point you’re trying to make. However, they can become distracting if you crowd your slides with them, so only add images if they’re serving a purpose.
For example, if you’re giving a presentation on how the price of pie has changed, you don’t need to add a stock photo of pie to the slide.
6. **Write a rough script to accompany your PowerPoint.** Do not write what you intend to say on the slides themselves. Instead, have a separate verbal presentation that you’ll use in tandem with what is presented on the PowerPoint slides.
Note, however, that you should not read directly from a script, either. The script should only be a rough outline for you to follow as you give your presentation.
7. **Practice your presentation ahead of time to make yourself less nervous.** For best results, do a practice run in front of a live audience to better simulate what it will be like presenting your PowerPoint to other people. At the very least, make sure you practice saying the words that will accompany each slide.
If possible, do this practice run on the same technology and in the same room that you’ll give your actual presentation. This way, you’ll be able to see if there are any technical issues with your presentation.
8. **Make eye contact with the audience and don’t stare at the slides.** If you’re presenting to a relatively small crowd, make eye contact with each individual member of the audience at some point in the presentation. If you’re presenting to a large crowd, pick 3 or 4 people in different areas of the room and shift your gaze between them.
This is one of the best ways of keeping your audience engaged with your presentation.
If you’re presenting to a very large crowd, you can also focus your gaze on the horizon instead of on individual audience members.
9. **Keep your arms up and move around a bit while you present.** Use your body language to accentuate the points that you’re trying to make. Make gestures and facial expressions that will augment what you’re saying and help drive the point home to the audience.
If you don’t feel comfortable using your body language this way, you should still try to keep your arms up and move around a little bit. This will help keep the audience engaged and interested.
Never cross your arms or put your hands in your pockets!
10. **Speak slowly and clearly so everyone can understand you.** If you have a tendency to get nervous during presentations and talk quickly, remember to take a deep breath and concentrate on getting your words out at the proper pace. If you’re speaking to a large room, make sure you’re projecting your voice enough so people in the back can hear you.
11. **Interact with the audience to keep them engaged.** Ask questions and be willing to pause your presentation to answer questions from the audience. It’s hard for people to give their undivided attention for longer than about 30 minutes, so try to find ways to keep them engaged with the content of your presentation.
For example, if you’re giving a presentation for a sales pitch, pass around models of the item you’re trying to sell.
12. **Refrain from using animation or sound effects in your slides.** Unless your presentation is meant to be comical, these types of effects might make your audience take your presentation less seriously. Make sure you’re presenting information in a formal, professional way.
Usually, it’s best to have all the information on a slide appear at the same time when you click the mouse. You should only “build” the slide (i.e., have a single line of text or image appear each time you click the mouse) if you’re building to a bigger point.
13. **Don’t try to cram a lot of information onto a single slide.** This will make your slides seem overwhelming and distracting; remember, the audience’s attention should be on you. Try to keep about 25-50% of the space on each slide empty.
Stick with a “less is more” approach to making slides whenever possible. It’s more impactful to have a single word or image on a slide than to fill the entire slide with text.
14. **Avoid reading off of the slides during your presentation.** Your presentation will feel very dull and your audience will be quick to lose interest. Always maintain a more conversational tone while you’re speaking and keep the audience’s attention on you.
15. **Stick to a schedule and avoid going over your allotted time.** Keep an eye on the clock and always be aware of how much time you have left to cover the rest of your slides. If you need to, be willing to skip some slides for the sake of time. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Present-a-PowerPoint", "language": "en"} |
How to Grow Dahlias in Pots | Dahlias produce bright, beautiful flowers that come in a wide range of colors. Due to their height and weight, many gardeners may feel skeptical about planting them in pots. However, dahlias can thrive in large containers; tall varieties also need a stake for extra support. With the right growing conditions and a little care, you’ll enjoy gorgeous, showy blooms all summer long.
1. **Select a species of dahlia that suits your space.** Purchase dahlia tubers online or at a local garden center. Dwarf and low-growing varieties are best for container growing. Some varieties can grow as tall as 5 feet (1.5 m), so you’ll need a much larger pot if you choose a tall species.
Small to medium varieties include Bednall Beauty, which grow up to 2 feet (61 cm), and Bishop of Llandaff, which grow up to 3 feet (0.91 m). Larger varieties include Hadrian’s Sunlight and Twyning’s After Eight, which grow 4 feet (1.2 m) or higher.
A single tuber needs about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 61 cm) of space, so you’ll probably only need 1 per container.
2. **Pick out a pot that’s at least 12 by 12 inches (30 by 30 cm).** Go for a heavy pot that’s at least 12 inches (30 cm) deep with a diameter of at least 12 inches (30 cm). Pots this size usually hold around 5 to 7 gallons (19 to 26 L) of soil.
For the largest varieties, go with a 24 by 24 inch (61 by 61 cm) pot, which usually holds around 25 gallons (95 L) of soil.
3. **Choose a heavy pot if you’ve chosen a tall variety.** Varieties that grow 3 to 5 feet (0.91 to 1.52 m) can become top-heavy, and a lightweight pot may not be sturdy enough to support their weight. Additionally, tall varieties require a stake, which will add even more weight.
Plastic containers are lightweight, so go for sturdy ceramic or terracotta pots instead.
Keep in mind terracotta and unglazed ceramic pots absorb water, so they can freeze and crack if they’re left out during the winter.
4. **Drill drainage holes, if necessary.** This step may not be necessary if the container already has several drainage holes that allow excess water to drain. However, if your pot has small holes or only has 1 center hole, drill a few extra holes to improve drainage.
Dahlias grow best in well-drained environments. While they require lots of water, their fine roots are prone to rotting if the soil is too waterlogged.
Fill the bottom with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of gravel for improved drainage.
5. **Clean the pot with mild soap and warm water.** A dirty pot could spread disease, and hidden insect eggs may be lying in wait at the bottom of the pot. Remove these threats by cleaning the container before you plant. Gentle soap and water will do the trick.
Be sure to thoroughly rinse away all soap residue.
It’s particularly important to wash the pot if you’ve used it for other plants in the past.
6. **Choose a rich, well-draining potting mix.** Standard potting soil alone is too porous and may lead to pour bud formation. For a good potting mix, combine 2 parts potting soil with 1 part peat moss or well-aged manure.
Note that garden soil isn’t suitable for container plants. Be sure you purchase potting soil labeled for potted plants.
7. **Plant your dahlia tubers in the middle of spring.** Dahlias should be planted in spring, or from April through early June in the Northern Hemisphere. They’re are frost-sensitive, so keep the container outdoors only when there’s no threat of freezing temperatures.
If your area is prone to frost in the spring and you don’t want to wait to plant, start your dahlias indoors, then move them outside.
8. **Line the bottom of the pot with a thin layer of gravel.** Placing gravel at the bottom of your pot also accomplishes this task, as long as you keep the layer less than ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) deep.
9. **Add soil to within 5 to 7 inches (13 to 18 cm) of the container’s rim.** Don’t pack the soil tightly. Pour it into the container, and let it remain loose. Remember that dahlias like loose, well-draining soil.
Eventually, you’ll plant your dahlia tuber about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) deep, and you’ll want to leave 1 inch (2.5 cm) between the surface of the soil and the rim of the pot at the end of the planting process.
To meet these measurements, start by adding soil to within 5 to 7 inches (13 to 18 cm) of the rim.
10. **Water the soil lightly, but don’t soak it.** The soil should be damp, but not so wet that it gets packed. Try using a watering can to dampen the soil instead of blasting it with a garden hose.
11. **Mix fertilizer into the top layer of soil.** Dahlias need a lot of nutrients, and mixing fertilizer into the soil where the roots will develop will give your plant a head start. Use a slow-release, general purpose fertilizer, or go with an organic option, such as bone meal or seaweed fertilizer.
Any fertilizers recommended for flowering plants or vegetables are suitable for dahlias.
You might find store-bought fertilizers with N-P-K numbers, which stand for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Good choices for dahlias include 5-10-15, 5-10-10, and 10-20-20 fertilizers.
Use a fertilizer with a higher nitrogen value earlier in the season and reduce it over time.
Read your product’s instructions, and use it as directed.
12. **Bury a stake in the pot to support large dahlia varieties.** If you’ve selected a variety that will grow more than 3 feet (0.91 m) tall, you’ll need to support it with a sturdy metal or wood stake. Place the stake in the soil before planting the tuber. If you bury the stake after planting, you’ll risk injuring the tuber and its root system.
Insert the stake in the soil next to where you’ll place the tuber. Choose a stake that will touch the bottom of the pot and extend at least 3 feet (0.91 m) above the soil’s surface.
For a 12 inch (30 cm) pot, go with a 4 foot (1.2 m) stake.
Tie the stem to the stake loosely as it grows.
13. **Plant the tuber in the soil on its side.** Lay the tuber down horizontally with the eye centered in the middle of the pot. The eye is where the stalk will sprout, so place the tuber on a slight angle so the eye faces upward.
The eye looks like a bud, and it’s located on the opposite side of the tuber’s roots.
14. **Cover the tuber with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of pre-moistened soil.** Don’t bury the tuber with lots of soil just yet. Instead, cover it with a 1 inch (2.5 cm) of layer of damp soil to allow the stalk to grow.
15. **Water new sprouts lightly, but be sure not to drown them.** Stick your finger into the soil to test it. If it feels moist, don’t add any more water. If it's dry, sprinkle just enough warm water to moisten the surface.
You don’t want the soil to dry out completely, but the young tuber will rot if you soak it.
Unless you live in a hot climate, you might not need to water at all until the first shoots and leaves emerge from the soil.
16. **Add small amounts of soil as the stalk grows.** Do so carefully to avoid damaging the young stalk, since it’s still fragile at this stage. Cover the new stalk with a little soil up to the top set of leaves; be sure these leaves remain above the soil.
As the stalk grows, continue adding small amounts of soil until 1 inch (2.5 cm) of empty space remains between the top of the soil and the rim of the pot.
Dahlias grow quickly, and you’ll see substantial foliage within 2 weeks. Blooms typically appear about 8 weeks after planting.
17. **Keep the pot in full sun.** Dahlias grow best with 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. For best results, choose a spot that gets full sun from the morning through midday. Try to find a spot that will also provide partial shade from intense afternoon light, especially if you live in a hot climate.
If you keep your dahlia indoors, you’ll need to supplement sunlight with fluorescent plant lights.
You’ll also need supplemental lighting if you’re starting your plant indoors in early spring. Set the light about 6 inches (15 cm) above the top rim of the pot for newly planted tubers and raise the light as the plants grow.
18. **Water the tubers deeply once the stalk extends above the rim of the pot.** Give them a thorough watering 2 or 3 times a week. Dahlias growing in hot, dry climates may need daily watering. While you should water thoroughly and keep the soil moist, the soil shouldn’t be soggy or waterlogged.
19. **Tie the stalk to the stake when it reaches a height of 1 foot (30 cm).** Use twine or nylon string to secure the stalk to the stake. As the stalk grows, tie it to the stake in 1 foot (30 cm) intervals.
20. **Fertilize the flowers once every 2 weeks throughout blooming season.** Go for a liquid fertilizer with higher concentrations of phosphorus and potassium. Good N-P-K combinations include 8-24-16 and 0-20-20.
Higher amounts of phosphorus promote blood production, and potassium encourages root development.
Apply your product according to its label’s instructions.
21. **Prune and deadhead regularly to encourage healthy growth.** Flowers last 4 to 6 days, then fade and die. Clip spent flowers as you see them to encourage further bloom production. Remove the bottom leaves by the middle of summer, or around mid-July in the Northern Hemisphere.
Pinch back the tips before flower buds form when the plant is about 16 inches (0.41 m) tall to encourage a bushier growth.
Removing the bottom leaves improves air circulation, which reduces the risk of mildew.
22. **Spray your dahlia with fungicide or insecticide as needed.** Dahlias are prone to a number of pests, including mold, earwigs, slugs, spider mites, aphids, and cucumber beetles. To prevent infestation and infection, apply a combination insecticide and miticide every 7 to 10 days once the plant grows to a height of 6 inches (15 cm).
Find a chemical insecticide and miticide labelled for flowering plants at your local garden center. Apply your product as directed.
Use organic insecticides, such as horticultural soap or neem oil, for a more natural approach.
23. **Store the tuber in a cool, dry place during winter.** The first freeze will kill the plant’s leaves and stalk. When this happens, cut the stalk to a height of 6 inches (15 cm). Allow 2 weeks for the tuber to harden in the pot, then carefully dig it out of the pot. Rinse it, let it air dry for a day, then pack it in paper, sawdust, or perlite.
Store the tuber in a dry, dark place that’s 40 to 50 °F (4 to 10 °C) during the winter, then replant it in the spring. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Dahlias-in-Pots", "language": "en"} |
How to Be Nocturnal | Humans have a circadian rhythm that causes us to sleep during the night and stay awake during the day. But what if you want to reverse this natural order and become nocturnal? Whether you work the graveyard shift and need ways to stay alert on the job or you’re just interested in becoming a creature of the night, with some practice you can train your body to adopt nocturnal habits.
1. **Train yourself gradually.** It’s difficult to switch straight from a normal sun-driven schedule to one in which you’re sleeping while the rest of the world is awake. Doing this will likely just leave you completely sleep deprived, since you’ll force yourself to stay up all night and you won’t be able to sleep well during the day. Instead, gradually start staying up later each night and sleeping in later in the morning. Push the times back more and more, and in a week or so you won’t have as much trouble waking and sleeping when you want to.
The first night of training, stay up as late as you can without forcing yourself. Stay awake until you feel like you can’t keep your eyes open a moment longer, then go to sleep. Don’t set an alarm, and block the windows so you won’t wake up with the sun. Sleep as late as you can, then wake up and go about your day.
The next night, try to stay up an hour later than you did the night before, and in the morning, sleep an extra hour.
Continue this process until you’re falling asleep and rising when you want to.
2. **Keep your mind occupied.** Staying up at night is a lot easier when you’re doing activities that keep your brain engaged. Watching shows or movies can be helpful, although many are known to fall asleep midway through an episode. Try something that keeps you active, like reading a book or playing video games.
Some find that they feel more creative at night. Try working on an art project, making music, or writing an essay in the middle of the night. Try not to go to sleep until you’re at a good stopping point. You probably won’t even notice when the sun begins to rise.
3. **Exercise at night.** This is a sure way to get your blood rushing and make you feel more alert and awake instead of sleepy. Go for a night run or a brisk walk. The fresh air will wake you up, too. If you don’t want to go outside, do sets of crunches, situps or pullups in your house to keep yourself awake.
Taking a shower after you work out, preferably a cool one, will also help keep you from falling asleep.
If you don’t like to exercise, just stick your head outside and take several deep breaths of air when you’re feeling tired. The temperature difference will make your body wake up.
4. **Eat a meal.** Your body will wake up a little in order to start digesting the food you take in. Cook a meal and eat it in the middle of the night. Don’t fall back on a typical midnight snack, like a peanut butter sandwich or pizza, because these are foods your mind already associates with late night eating. Instead, cook a meal you’d normally eat during the day, like poached salmon, spinach and couscous. Drink a big glass of cold water as well.
5. **Play music.** If you don’t share your home with people who would like to be able to sleep in peace, put on some loud, fast music to get your body moving. Choose music that makes you want to get up and dance or sing along, instead of music that puts you to sleep. If you’re concerned about waking people up, use headphones.
6. **Talk to other people who are awake.** Have you ever had one of those late night phone sessions with a friend that keeps both of you up until dawn? Talking with someone else is very stimulating, and it’s one of the best ways to keep yourself awake. If you have a friend who’s also trying to stay up all night and sleep during the day, schedule phone conversations to keep each other entertained.
If you don’t know anyone else who’s trying to be nocturnal, use a chat program to get in touch with someone living in another time zone where everyone’s awake. If you’re chatting with someone who lives in a place where it’s daytime, you’ll be able to wake right up.
7. **Shop at stores that are open all night.** Getting out of the house and walking around can help you feel more awake and normal at night. If you know of a store or a diner that’s always open, consider going there to hang out and shop or eat for a few hours. This is usually easier to do in a city where there are other people looking for spots to hang out at night.
Make sure you stay in safe, well-lit areas when you go out at night. Since fewer people will be out and about, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and mindful of your safety. Bring a cell phone with you and tell someone where you’re going.
8. **Use caffeine carefully.** Caffeine is a stimulant that provides an excellent pick-me-up for a few hours, and it’s great in a pinch when you need to pull a one-off all-nighter. However, if your goal is to become permanently (or semi-permanently) nocturnal, you shouldn’t fall back on caffeine as your tool for staying awake. Having a lot of caffeine in your system will make it more difficult to get to sleep during the day, and it’s important that you sleep when you can so you don’t deprive your body of rest.
The same goes for energy drinks that contain other types of stimulants. It’s better to gradually train your body to stay awake instead of forcing it using artificial means.
9. **Use blackout curtains.** When your body senses the sun has come up, it’s a lot harder to get to sleep. The slightest bit of sun peeking out from around the edges of your blinds will cause your body to become more alert. If you want to be able to sleep during the day, invest in blackout curtains. They’re so sturdy and opaque, they block out all sunlight. When the sun comes up, you’ll have no idea that it’s daytime.
If you don’t want to buy a set of blackout curtains, get very dark, heavy drapes or cover your windows with thick, dark-colored blankets.
Using a sleeping mask to block out light is also helpful if you don’t mind sleeping with something on your face.
10. **Block out sounds, too.** As the rest of the world wakes, they’ll start making all kinds of noises: the sound of a garbage truck barreling down the street, the neighbor calling his dog, your roommate’s microwave opening and closing. To defend against the onslaught of morning sounds, you’ll need a good pair of earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.
If you don’t like wearing items on your head while you sleep, try using a white noise machine. These machines produce low, quiet sounds to which your ears quickly grow accustomed, and they block out the other more annoying sounds that might enter your room.
11. **Try melatonin.** This is a chemical the brain produces to put the body to sleep. Melatonin pills are a natural sleep aid that can help your body rest if you have trouble sleeping during the day. Unlike regular sleeping pills, they don’t have addictive properties and won’t leave you groggy when you wake up.
If you’re interested in taking stronger sleeping pills that use synthetic chemicals to put the body to sleep, it’s best to discuss this with your doctor first. This is especially important if you have to drive or go to work upon waking.
12. **Eat breakfast when you wake up.** Even if you wake up at 6:00 in the evening, eat breakfast foods. This will signal to your brain and body that it’s the beginning of your day. If you eat lunch or dinner foods, you’ll be sending different signals. Follow the normal morning routine you’d have if you woke up at 8:00 am. Put on a pot of coffee or tea and enjoy your typical breakfast.
13. **Tell people not to disturb you.** If you’re quite serious about following a nocturnal schedule, tell the people in your life not to disturb you during the day unless it’s an emergency. Let them know that it’s very important for you to sleep during the day, because otherwise you’ll end up sleep deprived.
You’ll need to set up a schedule that works for your family so they have no need to disturb you. For example, if your children will be coming home from school during the time you’re supposed to be asleep, have a plan in place for them to go to after school care or stay with someone until you wake up.
14. **Stick to a schedule.** If you’re planning on staying nocturnal for a while, it’s important to stick with a steady schedule. Go to bed at the same time of day and rise at the same time, too. If you don’t, your sleep schedule will end up all over the place, and that can wreak havoc on your health.
After you’ve gradually gotten accustomed to your schedule, stick with it the same way you would a regular schedule. Set your alarm and try to go to bed on time.
When you’re ready to go back to a normal day/night schedule, do it gradually.
15. **Get vitamin D.** Staying inside during the day means you won’t be exposed to the sun’s healthy rays. Sure, too much sun is a bad thing, but too little sun is actually worse. When you don’t get exposed to any sun, your body doesn’t produce vitamin D, which is essential to healthy bone growth and other natural functions.
Try to arrange your schedule so that you get at least a little sun exposure during the daylight.
You may want to get a sun lamp to stimulate vitamin D production if you’re getting very little sun.
16. **Be careful operating machinery.** When you adopt a nocturnal schedule, you’re going against your body’s natural rhythms. You’re always going to be a little sleepier and less sharp than you’d be if you had a normal day/night schedule. For this reason, it’s important to be careful operating machinery, including a car, while you’re still getting used to being awake all night. Stay as alert as possible, especially while you’re at work.
17. **Decide if being nocturnal will enhance your life.** There are many reasons for going nocturnal, but they need to resonate with who you are and the life you'd like to lead. The disadvantages of going nocturnal should be weighed when considering it as a way of life. You won't be around when most people are awake, so that means missing out on a lot of social activities. You'll also be underexposed to vitamin D, which could negatively affect your health. However, the benefits of going nocturnal are numerous:
There are fewer people around during the night, which can be great for a number of reasons.
It can be a creatively productive time if you are naturally a night owl. People will not be emailing you with demands, so you will not be interrupted.
You'll be the life of the party because you'll be more refreshed than all the people knocking off a day's work. You might even join the ranks of the "professional night owls" who live to party in the best nightclubs in town.
It's a chance to connect with interesting people also staying up all night, including night owls, vampire fans, social moths, and people who just can't get off the internet late at night.
Your house won't seem as messy. Human vision is terrible at night. Even with the lights on, it is harder to see the dust and fluff bunnies. You won't need to clean half as hard!
Another thing to consider is being nocturnal seasonally or for a set period rather than all year long. This can be useful during a special season like summertime when the nights are lovely, during a vacation season and so on. You can be available to pursue whatever interests happen to coincide with your need to stay up all night.
18. **Find a job or lifestyle that allows you to have a nocturnal lifestyle.** If you're serious about making this a long-term commitment, you'll need to find a job that allows you to sleep during the day and stay awake at night. If you plan to stay nocturnal as a long-term or permanent change, you'll need to be able to work around the things that are usually done during the day.
Shift work will allow you to continue working during the night. There are many different possibilities for shift work, including loading and transporting goods, security and policing, monitoring facilities, night-fill in supermarkets, hotel reception work, fishing, cleaning, journalists, highway work, and so on. Even sports can be played at night; a recent study showed that morning larks made better morning pitchers, while night owls made better evening pitchers.
Work from home. If you are a blogger, online marketer, eBay seller, writer, artist, etc., who can work from home, set up your own routine as befits your work.
Studies will be harder, but if you are taking classes online, you can study this whenever you like. For university, get recordings of lectures, or ask friends for notes. You will have problems with missing tutorials that require attendance for grades, so try to schedule evening tutorials.
19. **Connect with other nocturnals or night owls.** Find other people who love the night more than the day, from geeks and gamers, to creative types and mystics. Try to connect with people who have the same love of the night as you. Be aware that this is going to be more likely in a large urban environment like New York, Tokyo, or Sydney than anywhere else – cities that never sleep.
In New York City, you can connect with other like-minded night owls through the New York Night Owls, a weekly meet-up of hardworking night owls which keeps the hours 10pm – 4am. The idea has also caught on in London, and may be coming to a location near you anytime soon!
Look for cafes and other meeting places that court night owls and don't throw you out after midnight. Again, these are more likely to exist in large urban environments but if there isn't one near you, consider creating a home network with fellow nocturnals so you can drop in on each other and have a cup of something and brainstorm creatively together in the deep of the night.
Use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to connect with other nocturnals in your area: check the location status so that you know you're talking to a night owl and not a lark in a city on the other side of the world!
20. **Pay attention to your mental health.** Be aware that while it has been claimed recently that night owls are more intelligent than their morning lark counterparts, being a night owl can impact your mental health negatively. If you find yourself experiencing mental challenges, such as depression, you might want to reconsider your night owl behaviors. Seek advice from your doctor if you're worried.
Be sure to get sufficient vitamin D. You will need a little regular sunshine daily.
21. **Revert to your diurnal self.** If you want to be back to your normal diurnal self again, it's easy. Just stay up all night and then keep yourself awake all day the next day. When the sun comes up and lights up the sky with beautiful colors, you should feel peaceful with that moon still hanging in the sky, it will give you a wonderful fresh, waken-up feeling for the day. The time it takes to get back into the usual rhythm will depend on your personality, activities, and how sleep deprived you're feeling. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Nocturnal", "language": "en"} |
How to Build a Shed Roof | Whether you’re building a brand new shed or re-roofing an existing structure, it’s important to know the best way to cover it. Start by choosing a roof style that suits your needs and preferences for your shed. From there, you can begin measuring, cutting, and arranging your rafter boards in the desired configuration. After that, it’s simply a matter of laying down plywood sheathing and installing your roofing material of choice for long-lasting protection against the elements.
1. **Choose a style for your roof.** There are many different roof styles used for building sheds. The most common styles include gable, gambrel, skillion, and saltbox roofs. Each of these roof types is sloped to provide runoff for precipitation, which means the design you go with will largely be a matter of aesthetic preference.
Gable roofs feature a single central peak, with two symmetrical sloped sides. They are most often spotted on houses.
Gambrel roofs are the style traditionally used for barns. Each side of a gambrel roof has two sloped faces, the lower of which is either perpendicular or at a slight angle to the ground.
Skillion roofs are one of the simplest roof styles used in shed-building. A skillion roof is made up of a single flat plane which slopes gradually from top to bottom.
Saltbox roofs look like skillion roofs, but with an extra short slope opposite the long angled plane, like an upside-down check mark. They aren't seen on sheds as frequently as other styles, but are still a popular choice.
2. **Determine your desired roof pitch.** The term “pitch” refers to the slope of the roof. In order to adhere to standardized building codes and ensure adequate runoff, your shed’s roof must have a pitch of at least 3-12 (read as “three-in-twelve”). Beyond that, you’re free to choose whatever slope best fits your plans for your shed.
A slope of 6-12, for example, means that for every 12 inches (30 cm) of length, the angle of your roof rises 6 inches (15 cm).
The steeper the slope of your roof, the better it will deflect rain, sleet, snow, falling leaves, and other materials that find their way on top.
3. **Mark the location of your rafters along the top of the shed.** When installing rafters, it’s generally best to follow the same spacing as your wall studs. Use a carpenter’s pencil or felt-tipped marker to draw a line on your wall plate timbers where each set of rafters will go. In the majority of cases, they'll be about 20–24 inches (51–61 cm) apart on center.
Proper placement of your rafters will maximize support while minimizing the overall amount of materials used.
If your shed already has rafters in place and you just need to put in or replace the roof itself, you can skip straight to installing your new roofing materials.
4. **Measure your rafter boards for your preferred roof style and pitch.** The exact length and angle of your rafters will depend on the overall size of your shed, as well as the style and slope you’ve chosen. The rafters on a steeply-sloped roof, for instance, will be much longer and have more end cuts than those on a flat roof. Once you’ve determined the measurements you need, mark them directly onto a series of 2 in (5.1 cm) x 4 in (10 cm) or 2 in (5.1 cm) x 6 in (15 cm) boards using a carpenter’s pencil.
If you’re planning on building a gable roof with a pitch of 4-12 for a shed that’s 200 inches (510 cm) wide, your rafter boards would need to be 105.3 inches (267 cm) long on each side.
Don’t forget to cut the ends of each board to the appropriate angle to allow them to fit together at the peak.
5. **Cut your rafter boards** Guide the blade over the end of the board slowly, aiming to make each cut as straight and precise as possible. Be sure to adjust your saw’s settings according to the necessary length and angle of your rafters.
Take care of all of your sawing at one time. You can then move on to assembling the rafters into trusses and attaching them to your shed frame.
6. **Make a birdsmouth notch at the end of each rafter to help it fit into place.** A birdsmouth notch is an angled cut that allows a rafter to sit level on top of a wall plate rather than balancing on top. Position your rafter boards at the same angle as your roof’s pitch, then draw a 90-degree angle up from the bottom edge of each board, with the lines corresponding to the height and width of the wall plate, respectively. Cut along these lines to make the notch.
You can also figure out the angle for your birdsmouth notch by placing a piece of scrap wood the same width as the distance between the rafter and the wall plate beside your rafter beam and tracing it onto one side of the beam.
Note that your notches will need to be higher up on your rafter beams if you’re planning on including an overhang.
7. **Assemble your rafter halves into trusses** Trace the upper 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) of your rafter peak onto a sheet of ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) plywood and cut out the triangular plate with a skill saw. Apply a thin layer of construction adhesive to the backside of each plate, then align it with the joint where two rafter boards and press it firmly into place. Secure the plates by driving 2-3 nails or wood screws through the plate on either side.
Gussets serve to reinforce connection sites between individual wood members, lending added strength and durability.
8. **Attach the end rafters to the wall plates of your shed frame.** Lower the first rafter truss into place at either the front or back of the shed. Fasten the truss by driving 8D finishing nails at an angle down through the board just above the birdsmouth notch and into the underlying wall plate. Use 3 nails for each side. When you’re done, install the opposing truss in the same fashion.
Make sure the birdsmouth notches seat securely over the wall plates, and that the outer edge of the truss is flush with the outer edge of the wall.
If you’re working alone, nail an unused 2 in (5.1 cm) x 4 in (10 cm) vertically to both ends of your shed. This will help hold your end trusses upright while you focus on positioning on the wall plates.
9. **Run a string between your end trusses to help you set the other rafters.** Drive a nail straight down into one of your rafter peaks and wrap the string around it a few times. Pull the string taut and anchor it around a second nail on the opposite end of the shed. The string will serve as a visual guide to help you make sure the rest of your rafters are set and centered correctly.
If you don’t want to leave nail holes in your rafters, you can also tie a knot at both ends of the string and tuck the knots into the joints where the boards of the rafter peaks meet.
Pull your centering string tight enough to be perfectly straight, but not so tight that it places strain on your end rafters.
10. **Set your remaining rafters using your centering string for reference.** Work your way from one end of the shed to the other putting your rafter trusses in place and checking their alignment against the string. When you’re satisfied with the positioning of a truss, toe-nail it using 8D finishing nails the way you did your end rafters, then move on to the next truss.
Ideally, you should have a helper around to hand you up every next truss whenever you’re ready for it.
Don’t forget to remove your centering string once you have all of your rafters installed successfully.
11. **Cover your rafter trusses with plywood sheathing.** Put down your first sheet of plywood at the corner of one end of the roof. Make sure it’s lying horizontally across the exposed rafters, and that the edges are flush with the edges of the end rafters. Drive a nail into each corner of the plywood to hold it in place temporarily.
Most constructions experts recommend using ⁄16 in (1.1 cm) oriented strand board (OSB) for small-scale roofing projects.
Plywood sheathing will provide structural support for your new roof, as well as give you a flat, stable surface to attach your other roofing materials too.
12. **Measure and cut additional plywood** Plywood is sold in large sheets, which means that you’ll most likely need to use multiple sheets and cut them to fit. Try to cover the remaining space using as few pieces as possible, starting from the lower portion of the roof.
It’s important to cut your plywood so that the end of each section covers half the width of the rafter it’s resting on. That way, the neighboring section will fit in easily beside it, and you’ll have a nice solid surface to nail into.
Make all your cuts with your plywood oriented the same way to ensure that the strand grain is running in a single direction. A consistent grain pattern will increase the strength of your roof sheathing.
13. **Fasten your plywood sheathing to the rafters using 8D finishing nails.** Drive nails every 6 inches (15 cm) through the face of the plywood and down into the rafter below. Work your way up the length of each rafter from the bottom edge. When you’re done, look for any loose sections of plywood that may require additional nails.
For the sake of caution, do your fastening from your ladder, reaching as far as you can safely with your hammer or roofing nailer.
The combined strength of the OSB and supporting rafters will be capable of withstanding weights of up to several hundred pounds.
14. **Cut fascia boards to finish the edges of your roof.** Once you have the sheathing in place, your final task will be to mount fascia boards to cover the exposed ends of your rafters. Cut your 2 in (5.1 cm) x 4 in (10 cm) or 2 in (5.1 cm) x 6 in (15 cm) to match the length of the shed. Fasten the fascia boards by nailing them to the end face of every other rafter using 8D finishing nails.
You’ll need to put up 2 fascia boards for gable, gambrel, skillion, and saltbox and other slanted roof styles—1 for each sloped edge. For flat roofs, it will look best to install a fascia board on every side.
When cutting your fascia boards, be sure to use the same size lumber as you did for your rafters to guarantee an exact fit.
15. **Attach strips of felt roofing paper** Line up the loose edge of the roll with one of the bottom corners of your roof and fasten it using 10-12 staples grouped closely together near the center of the strip’s edge. Gradually unroll the paper across the rooftop, stopping to add more staples every 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m). Depending on the size of your roof, you may need to cut excess paper from the end of each strip using a straightedge and utility knife.
To ensure complete coverage, make sure the bottom edge of each strip overlaps the top of the strip below it by at least 2 inches (5.1 cm), and that all strip ends overlap by at least 4 inches (10 cm).
Double-check that your roofing felt is straight, flush, and wrinkle-free before stapling it down.
Roofing felt can be used on its own as a cheap and easy surfacing solution or as a preliminary substrate for attaching asphalt shingles.
16. **Install asphalt shingles on your roof for an attractive traditional look.** Cut several full-sized shingles in half widthwise with the aid of a straightedge and utility knife and nail them along the bottom edge of your roof. These will serve as a starter strip. Proceed to install the remaining shingles from bottom to top in rows offset by 1 tile's width. Secure each shingle at the top using three 1 in (2.5 cm) roofing nails.
Use a chalk line or straightedge and framing square to ensure that your rows remain neat and orderly all the way across your roof.
Make sure the top and bottom of each row overlap by 2 inches (5.1 cm).
17. **Put in a corrugated metal roof for a more durable, customizable option.** Cut your sheet metal to size using tin snips, power shears, or an electric nibbler tool. Lay out each section vertically, so that the ridges slope toward the ground—this will create runoff. Fasten each sheet by driving sharp metal roofing screws into both sides of the ridges down the length of the underlying rafter.
You can find a wide selection of metal roofing options in various materials, styles, and colors at your local home improvement center.
One of the biggest downsides of metal roofing is that the surface is vulnerable to rust and corrosion, which means it will need need to be painted over every 2-3 years in order to maintain its appearance.
18. **Try out EPDM rubber roofing for a simple and inexpensive covering.** Load a paint roller with high-strength construction adhesive and brush the glue onto your plywood substrate in 3–5 ft (0.91–1.52 m) strips. Then, pause and unroll enough rubber sheeting to fit over the glued area. Continue until you’ve covered the entire roof, then trim the excess material from the edges using a straightedge and utility knife.
Apply your rubber sheeting carefully and take a few moments to smooth the surface afterwards to make sure it’s free of wrinkles, creases, or bubbles.
EPDM is sold in large rolls that are designed to be draped over a roof in a single sheet and cut to fit. You can usually pick up a 10 ft (3.0 m) x 10 ft (3.0 m) roll for around $100. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Shed-Roof", "language": "en"} |
How to Add Files to Google Drive Online | This wikiHow teaches you how to upload files from your computer, smartphone, or tablet to your Google Drive account. Google Drive is a free feature included with any Google Account; if you don't yet have a Google Account, create one before proceeding.
1. **Open Google Drive.** Go to https://drive.google.com/ in your browser. This will open your Google Drive main page if you're logged into your Google Account.
If you aren't logged into your Google Account, click the blue button in the middle of the page, then enter your Google Account's email address and password.
2. **Click NEW.** This blue button is in the upper-left corner of the page. A drop-down menu will appear.
3. **Select an upload option.** Click one of the following options depending on what you want to upload:
- Allows you to select a specific file or group of files to upload.
- Allows you to select an entire folder to upload.
4. **Select your file(s) or folder.** In the File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window that opens, go to the files' or folder's location and click the item that you want to upload.
You can select multiple files by holding down Ctrl (Windows) or ⌘ Command (Mac) while clicking each file you want to select.
Keep in mind that you can't upload more than 15 gigabytes of files without paying for additional storage.
5. **Click Open.** It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will confirm your selection and begin uploading the file(s) or folder to Google Drive.
If you're uploading a folder, you'll click instead.
6. **Wait for the file(s) or folder to upload.** The amount of time this takes will vary depending on the size of the upload and your Internet connection.
Do not close the Google Drive webpage during this time.
Once the files finish uploading, you'll be able to access them from Google Drive on any Internet-connected computer or smartphone.
7. **Organize your files.** Once your files have been uploaded to Google Drive, you can click and drag them to move them into folders if needed. You can also remove unnecessary files by right-clicking them and then clicking .
To create a new folder in Google Drive, click , click in the drop-down menu, type in a name, and press ↵ Enter.
8. **Open Google Drive.** Tap the Google Drive app icon, which resembles the triangular Drive logo on a white background. This will open your Drive page if you're logged in.
If you aren't logged in, enter your email address and password before proceeding.
If you haven't yet downloaded Google Drive, you can do so for free from the iPhone's App Store or your Android's Google Play Store.
9. **Tap ＋.** It's in the lower-right corner of the screen. A pop-up menu will appear.
10. **Tap Upload.** This option is in the pop-up menu.
11. **Select an upload option.** Depending on whether you're using an iPhone or an Android, you'll have slightly different upload options available:
iPhone - Tap to select photos and/or videos from your Photos app, or tap to select files from the Files app.
Android - Select a file location in the resulting menu. You should see at least an and a option here.
12. **Select files to upload.** Tap and hold a file to select it, then tap other files to select them as well.
On an iPhone, some files will upload immediately after being tapped.
13. **Tap UPLOAD.** It's in the upper-right corner of the screen. Your selected file(s) will begin uploading to Google Drive.
14. **Wait for your files to upload.** The amount of time this takes will vary depending on the size of the upload and your Internet connection.
Do not close the Google Drive app during this time.
Once the files finish uploading, you'll be able to access them from Google Drive on any Internet-connected computer or smartphone.
15. **Open the Backup and Sync website.** Go to https://www.google.com/drive/download/backup-and-sync/ in your computer's web browser. Google Drive's "Backup and Sync" feature allows you to upload files to your Google Drive account simply by moving the files into a folder on your computer while connected to the Internet.
16. **Click Download Backup and Sync.** It's a blue button in the middle of the page.
17. **Click Agree and download when prompted.** The Backup and Sync EXE file (Windows) or DMG file (Mac) will begin downloading onto your computer.
18. **Install Backup and Sync.** Once the Backup and Sync setup file finishes downloading, find it on your computer (it's usually in the Downloads folder), then do the following:
Windows - Double-click the setup file, click when prompted, and wait for Backup and Sync to install.
Mac - Double-click the setup file, verify the installation if prompted, double-click the icon in the middle of the window, and wait for Backup and Sync to install.
19. **Click GET STARTED.** It's a blue button in the middle of the welcome page.
20. **Sign into your Google Drive account.** Enter your Google Drive email address and password when prompted. As long as your login credentials are correct, you'll be signed into your Google Account in Backup and Sync.
21. **Click GOT IT when prompted.** Doing so takes you to the sync page.
22. **Select folders to sync with Google Drive.** Uncheck any folders that you don't want to sync at the top of the page.
Remember, you only have 15 gigabytes' worth of free storage in Google Drive.
23. **Click NEXT.** It's in the bottom-right corner of the window.
24. **Click GOT IT when prompted again.** Doing so takes you to the reverse sync page, where you can select folders from Google Drive to sync to your computer.
In most cases, Google Drive will simply sync your Drive contents with your computer.
25. **Click START.** It's in the bottom-right corner of the window.
26. **Move files into your Google Drive-synced folders.** Select a file or a folder, press Ctrl+C (Windows) or ⌘ Command+C (Mac) to copy the selected item, go to a Google Drive-synced folder, and press Ctrl+V (Windows) or ⌘ Command+V (Mac) to paste the file there. The file will then be uploaded to Google Drive when you next connect to the Internet.
For example, if you synced your desktop folder with Google Drive, you'll move files or folders to the Desktop in order to sync them to Google Drive.
27. **Review your computer's folders from Google Drive.** You can see the folders on your computer by opening Google Drive, clicking the tab on the left side of the page, and selecting your computer. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Add-Files-to-Google-Drive-Online", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Oilskin Canvas | Oilskin canvas is a type of waterproofed fabric. You can sometimes find it labeled as "oilcloth" instead. While modern oilskins are made from cotton and vinyl, traditional oilskins are made from tightly-woven cotton fabric and a solution of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. The process sounds intimidating, but it is actually quite simple. Once you know how to make a basic oilskin canvas, you can sew it into all sorts of items, from tarps to tablecloths, to picnic mats!
1. **Cut your fabric down to the size and shapes you need.** This way, you won't end up wasting any linseed oil on fabric that you won't be using. Canvas fabric would be the best for this, but can also use duck cloth, heavy cotton, or linen.
2. **Wash, dry, and iron the fabric.** Wash the fabric like you normally would, but in cold water. Dry it using a high heat setting, then iron it smooth.
3. **Add any desired designs to the fabric.** If you wish to dye your fabric or paint designs onto it, now is the time to do so. You won't be able to add designs to the fabric after you treat it. If you choose to paint the fabric, the linseed oil will also help seal your designs in. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Dye or tie your fabric using fabric dye
Paint, stencil, or stamp designs onto it with fabric paint
Leave your fabric blank for a natural effect.
4. **Let the fabric dry completely.** Whether you chose to leave your fabric blank, paint it, or dye it, it must be completely dry before you move on. How long this takes depends on what sort of paint you used. You can speed things up a little by leaving the fabric out to dry in the hot sun, however.
5. **Set up your fabric outside or in a well-ventilated area.** Stretch large pieces of fabric over a frame, or hang them from a clothesline outside. Place smaller pieces of fabric on drop clothes, making sure to smooth out any wrinkles.
It is vital that you work outside or at least in a well-ventilated area. Linseed oil gives of fumes that can cause headaches.
6. **Protect yourself and your work surface.** Put on a respirator and a pair of rubber or plastic gloves. Lay down a protective covering, such as a trash bag or cheap, plastic tablecloth over your work surface.
7. **Mix equal parts of mineral spirits and boiled linseed oil in a bucket.** How much you use depends on how much fabric you will be using. Make sure, however, that you are using equal amounts of both liquids. For example: 1 cup (240 milliliters) mineral spirits and 1 cup (240 milliliters) boiled linseed oil.
If you are dyeing a large, king-sized sheet, plan on using 3 cups (700 milliliters) of each liquid.
8. **Paint the fabric with your linseed oil solution.** Use a wide, flat brush to apply the solution to the fabric. Work your way from one side of the fabric to the other, using long, even, overlapping strokes.
9. **Consider dipping larger pieces of fabric.** If you left your fabric loose and did not hang it, you can dip the fabric into the bucket. Stir it around with a stick to ensure that it gets evenly coated, then lift it out and squeeze the excess oil from it.
10. **Wipe up any pools or spills with a rag.** This includes both the fabric itself and your work surface. Linseed oil will leave behind stains and residue regardless of how you clean it up. Nevertheless, you do not want puddles of it laying around. Do not discard the rags you used to wipe up the spills, however.
11. **Find a well-ventilated place to dry the fabric and the rags.** Linseed oil gives of heat as it dries. It can combust, even if there are no sparks to ignite it. The best place to dry the fabric and rags is outside; make sure that there is some sort of roof or awning over the set-up, however.
12. **Hang the fabric and rags up to dry.** Drape the fabric and rags over a clothesline or rack. This will help dissipate the heat generated by the curing process and reduce the chances of combustion. It will also allow for airflow around the fabric, and help it dry faster.
13. **Leave the fabric there until it dries and no longer feels tacky.** This can take as little as three days to as long as a week, depending on the humidity levels in your area. The more humid it is, the longer it will take for the fabric to dry. The oilskin is dry when it no longer feels tacky or sticky.
Once the rags are dry, you can discard them. Do not throw them away sooner, however, as this is a fire hazard.
14. **Apply a second coat, if desired.** You don't have to do this, but it will help waterproof the fabric even more. If you have any of the linseed oil solution leftover, pour it into a glass jar or an empty paint can, and save it for another project.
If you painted the linseed oil on, you can use this opportunity to paint the back.
Use this chance to fill in any bare patches.
15. **Air out the fabric, if desired.** Linseed oil will have a faint odor to it, even after it dries and cures. If this bothers you, leave the fabric outside for a few days. This will allow the odor to dissipate. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Oilskin-Canvas", "language": "en"} |
How to Fight (Girls) | If you know you're going to have to fight someone and you're scared, let wikiHow help. It's always better to try to find a peaceful solution to the problem but if you can't then you need to be able to defend yourself.
1. **You should always talk to a parent or teacher before fighting.** Try to find another way to solve your problems that doesn't include violence. We know that you don't want to seem lame to others, but if the person only likes you for being tough then they don't really like you at all. They aren't your true friends and they never could be.
Fighting can have lots of bad consequences for you. If you really, seriously hurt the other person, even if they started the fight, you could go to jail or get in trouble with the police. This can happen even by accident, so it's better to steer away if you can.
2. **Plan to have the fight outside the school grounds.** Fighting on school grounds could further increase your chances of getting suspended or even expelled. However it's important to note that even if you choose to fight away from the school, you are still very likely to get into trouble with your school for fighting as it is an unacceptable way to behave and solve a problem.
3. **Wear proper clothing if you know you're going to be in a fight.** Wear something underneath your shirt, so that if the first shirt rips you will have something on. Wear leggings or athletic shorts. It can be tough to move in tight jeans and leggings are harder to get a hold of.
If you're wearing a weave/wig, make sure it's fixed tightly. If it's not tight then your opponent will probably pull your weave.
If you do lose a piece of clothing, just keep fighting. Embarrassment is one thing, getting beat up is quite another.
4. **Chances are if the other person is a good fighter, their friends will jump in, so you need some to do the same.** This can keep you from getting seriously hurt. With a few friends in tow, the fight will probably stay smaller, since no one will let it get really out of control. Make sure to tell your friends that you want to keep the fighting to a minimum. They're only there to protect you!
Make sure you have people with you just in case anyone decides to jump in during the fight. Being outnumbered can increase the likelihood of you getting seriously hurt.
5. **You want to avoid fighting if at all possible.** Argue with them or talk them down: whatever you do just don't be the first one to start fighting. If you hold your ground and don't say anything too angering, you might not have to fight at all.
Try using dialogue (talking) to shut the fight down. Say something like, "I'm tired of all this arguing. It's not going to change anything. Can't we just stay out of each others way?" or "Is this really going to fix this problem? I want us both to walk away happy."
6. **While they're talking, stay calm and assess how you think they are vulnerable.** If they are shorter - bear down on them. If they're taller go for their legs and their midsection. If they have long hair grab a handful and pull their head down so they can't see.
If you're fighting with a girl, try to grab her by her hair, throw her over your shoulder (if you are strong enough), and beat her up. Getting girls by the hair is very effective because they usually want to keep their hair, so they'll follow your grip.
If someone pulls your hair don't back up, but go towards them. If they are smaller, go for a tackle where you'll end up on top. If they are stronger or taller, then go for their crotch.
7. **You should angle your head if you see they're about to punch you so that your forehead or top of your head gets hit instead.** This will hurt their hands and could help in discouraging further punching. Furthermore, it will do less damage to your body. Your skull is very strong!
8. **If they are trying to punch your stomach, move your body so that they hit your side instead.** This will protect your body and keep you form getting badly injured. Have your feet apart, so that if the attacker pushes you, you will be steady.
9. **Absolutely avoid getting on the ground, but if you fall to the ground, kick at your attacker to keep them away from you.** Look for an opportunity to get up but don't turn away from the other person. Roll into a ball to protect yourself if this doesn't work out.
10. **Avoid hitting with your fist.** Most people hold their fist wrong and you can end up hurting yourself. Instead, hold your fist in one hand and hit with your elbow.
11. **Try to hit in sensitive areas if you're going to hit.** The groin, chest, stomach, face, knees, feet and hands are all easy to hurt.
12. **Dodge as many hits as you can.** Let them move and keep them moving. This will make them tired and help end the fight sooner. If your attacker is on drugs, they may or not get tired out in a fight. Do what works.
13. **You want to get your attacker onto the ground to try to bring the fight to an end.** The best way to do this is to use your own body against them. Grab their pinky, and pull it back towards their elbow. Their arm will follow. Guide the arm so that it goes behind their back and then push them down to the ground. Place your knee at the center of their back and hold their arm in place until they calm down.
14. **Never let your opponent have the chance to get on top of you or drag you away.** Kick, scream, and keep hitting.
Protect your neck, in case they try to choke you. If she does try to choke you, turn your head.
15. **If they have a weapon, do a roundhouse kick aiming for their hand.** It will knock the weapon out of their hand, and their hand will be too hurt for them to pick it up again. You can then proceed to throw/kick the weapon out of their reach.
It's also a good idea to carry pepper spray with you in case more fights do happen.
16. **The best thing to do in a fight, is trick the opponent.** Throw your arms out, as if to punch them, and when they try to grab your hands, kick them where it hurts.
17. **In a fight, if you get punched or kicked, but it didn't hurt that badly, pretend that it did.** Fall to the ground screaming and crying with your hands over your face. When your attacker least expects it, get up and do what you need to do--this is a fight, after all!
18. **Sometimes you have to think smarter.** In many fights, you'll have to use your smarts to save yourself, rather than being impulsive and trying everything to win the fight. Try using one of these tricks to defend yourself from your attacker:
Always have your back facing the wall, if possible, so no one can sneak up on you.
Block your face in order to avoid your facial features from being harmed whilst fighting.
Make sure your hair is arranged so your opponent has nothing to grab. If you have long hair, put it in a bun in the middle of your head out of reach.
let them get too close. If you have that feeling something is about to go down, or that they are about to hit you, then go ahead and hit. Alternatively let them hit you first, if you fear getting into trouble.
If you want them to fall, lock legs with them and drive your knees upward. When they punch, you can duck down and kick them in the legs. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Fight-(Girls)", "language": "en"} |
How to Drift on a Go Kart | When go-karting, experienced drivers often perform a cornering maneuver known as a 'drift' to look stylish and save time on the track. In a well-performed drift, your go-kart will seemingly glide around a corner. Luckily, it's simple to learn how to drift. With a little practice, you'll be able to tackle the toughest corners on a track with methodical precision.
1. **Observe other drivers drift for valuable info.** Each track is a little different, so if possible, try and observe other drivers on the track and how they approach a corner they are about to drift on. You can then use these tactics in your own drifting. Watch for their speed, their lane, their direction, and at what point they begin the drift before the corner.
2. **Know the track before drifting.** It's important that you've raced around the track several times first so that you know the severity and length of upcoming corners before arriving at them.
There may be some hidden characteristics of a track that only a driver will be able to feel as they drive along, for example, the roughness of the road, if there are any blind corners, or how different weather conditions like rain can make the track slippery.
3. **Wear and use all the necessary safety equipment.** Before you start moving in a go-kart, make sure that you're wearing a suitable helmet that will protect your head in case of a crash. Additionally, strap yourself into the seat tight so that you're snug within the chassis of the kart.
Although a failed drift usually results in your go-kart stopping in the middle of a corner, there's also a possibility that you'll hit the sides of the track if it goes wrong.
4. **Correct your posture to a straight back.** Even if you're an expert in a go-kart, always make sure that your back is straight and that you are leaning back in your seat. This will give you maximum control of the wheel, gas, and brakes for when you need to drift.
5. **Keep your speed up.** When approaching a corner your natural reaction may be to hit the brakes so that you can corner it. However, speed is necessary to drift. If you're going too slow you may end up cornering the turn normally. Practice performing higher speed turns around the track so you'll get a feel for how fast you need to go.
Generally, most drifts are completed at speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).
6. **Remain calm at all times.** When you're approaching a drift it may feel like you're out of control. Drifting is a strange sensation and it may feel too chaotic, but pro-drifters will say that drifting itself is a form of controlled chaos. If it's your first time attempting a drift, breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth to slow your heart rate.
If you don't feel confident that you'll be able to begin a drift on the oncoming corner, don't be afraid to take it normally and try again next time.
7. **Approach the corner in the outside lane.** To complete a drift you need to approach a corner from the outer lane at all times. This will give you the maximum amount of space to complete a drift and minimise your risk of crashing into any other drivers while you're doing it.
Usually the outside lane of a turn is a little darker on the track due to most racers following that line. If you can't intuitively see the outer lane, look at the track beneath you for a darker strip when approaching the corner.
8. **Accelerate as you approach the turn.** Most corners are preceded by a straight section of the track. When you hit this area, start to accelerate your kart so that you have enough speed to drift. You will usually need to exceed 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) to complete a conventional drift.
If you don't have enough speed coming into a drift, there's a strong chance you'll just end up taking the corner normally. A drift requires speed.
9. **Lean your kart and body away from the turn.** If the turn is curving right, lean your kart and your body left as you approach the turn (and vice versa).
This will give you enough space to drift around the corner.
10. **Point your kart back in towards the turn.** As quickly as you can, turn your kart towards the turn so that you're now facing the inside lane of the corner.
If you are unsure of the drift, it's quite possible to over-correct at this moment which may kill the drift. If it helps, picture how you'd normally orientate your kart going around a turn, and try to emulate that position.
11. **Apply the brakes and pulse the gas to maintain the drift.** Gently apply the brakes then immediately release them. This will cause your kart to being drifting. Then, pulse the gas as you take the corner to maintain the drift.
How much gas you need varies depending on the severity of the turn. A sharp turn will require a sharp and intense burst of acceleration whereas a gentle turn will require a long but low pulsing of the gas.
Don't slam the brakes too hard, or you risk spinning out or stopping completely.
12. **Realign your kart.** If it's your first time drifting there's a strong chance your kart won't be perfectly aligned with the track as you come out the other end of the corner. If this is the case, make sure to reorientate your wheels so that you're ready to tackle the next piece of the track. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Drift-on-a-Go-Kart", "language": "en"} |
How to Treat and Prevent Dry or Cracked Lips | Dry or chapped lips can be a symptom of dehydration, sunburn, dry weather, excessive licking, certain allergens, and more. Relieving chapped lips is relatively easy and painless, but it's important to go beyond relief and treat the underlying cause, too. Follow the tips on this list to heal your lips and prevent chapped lips in the future.
1. **This treats and protects your lips from cracking in cold, dry weather.** Choose a product that contains natural ingredients like cocoa butter, vitamins A and E, beeswax, petroleum jelly, or dimethicone. Apply it several times a day, especially any time before you go outside. Carry the balm with you during the day and continue to moisturize throughout the day.
Try applying balm after you brush your teeth or wash your face. Toothpastes, mouthwashes, and facial cleansers alter your mouth’s PH and can cause chapping.
Another good time to apply balm is right before you go to bed, to keep your lips moist during the night.
2. **Getting sunburn on your lips leads to chapped lips.** To avoid getting a sunburn on your lips, wear a lip balm that has an SPF of 15 or higher. Be sure to apply the sun protection to your lips before going outside.
When buying balm, look for one designed for all-day use that has an SPF rating.
3. **This is an alternative to lip balms and ointments.** Although it does not work as well as balms and moisturizers, it does provide a limited amount of protection from the sun and wind. Avoid light lipsticks that will intensify the effects of the sun and, instead, choose tinted lipsticks that reflect more sunburn-causing UV rays.
Look for lipstick that has an SPF rating of 15 or higher for added protection from the sun.
Matte lipstick can dry out your lips so it’s important to apply moisturizer in the night and in the morning before you apply lipstick. This helps your lips hold their moisture.
4. **This is a natural home remedy for dry lips.** Rub a little bit of all-natural, organic honey over your lips to soothe them when they’re feeling dry and cracked. Besides moisturizing and healing your lips, honey can even act as a mild exfoliator to remove dead, flaking skin.
Honey sure is tasty, but try not to lick it off your lips if you want it to do its job of healing them!
5. **Removing the dead skin cells lets your lips absorb moisturizers better.** Once a week, rub a lip scrub all over your lips to exfoliate them and get rid of dry flakes of skin. After you exfoliate, immediately apply some moisturizing lip balm or a natural moisturizer like coconut oil to your lips to hydrate them.
You can make your own moisturizing and exfoliating sugar scrub by mixing brown sugar crystals with olive oil or coconut oil.
Avoid using any kind of abrasive exfoliating scrubs on your lips if you have a history of cold sores, as they can make your condition worse.
6. **These ingredients actually dry out your lips and make chapping worse.** This can lead to a vicious cycle in which you apply this kind of balm to your dry lips, drying them out even more, leading you to use more balm. Make sure any lip balms or ointments you use don’t contain any of these additives.
Instead, use products that contain natural oils like castor seed oil, hemp seed oil, and mineral oil.
7. **Various allergens can irritate your lips and lead to chapping.** Things like cosmetics and skincare products can contain such irritants in the form of fragrances and dyes. Use products that are fragrance-free and dye-free to try and avoid allergens that can make your lips dry out..
Look for hypoallergenic products to be extra sure they don’t contain allergens that can irritate your lips.
8. **Harsh wind, and cold, dry air sap moisture from your lips.** Use some sort of face covering like a scarf, bandana, or face mask to cover your mouth when you go outside when it’s cold or windy. You wouldn’t go outside in the cold without a jacket and other protective clothing, but it’s really easy to forget about your lips!
This is especially important if you’re doing some type of winter sport like skiing or snowboarding.
9. **Mouth breathing can dry out your lips because of the constant airflow.** Make a conscious effort to breathe in and out of your nose whenever possible. This limits the amount of air flowing back and forth over your lips so they stay more moist.
If you have a stuffy nose and difficulty breathing through it, try some nasal decongestants to clear it up so you don’t have to keep breathing through your mouth so much.
10. **Regularly wetting your lips with saliva dries out your lips more quickly.** It might temporarily feel like you’re moisturizing them, but once the saliva evaporates from your lips, they are drier than before. Try to catch yourself any time you feel like licking your lips and resist the temptation to do so.
Any time you feel like licking your lips is a good time to reapply some lip balm or ointment.
11. **This will make your lips bleed and, consequently, heal more slowly.** Resist the urge to touch or peel any sores or cracks and allow your lips to heal. Repeated touching of sores or cracks can also lead to infection or possibly make you ill.
Irritating the skin around your mouth can trigger a cold sore if you have the herpes simplex virus, which adds to the soreness and dryness of your lips.
12. **If you are dehydrated, your body pulls water from places like your lips.** Keep a bottle of water with you throughout the day and drink some whenever you feel thirsty. Other beverages that hydrate include herbal teas and juices.
Aim to drink about 15.5 cups (3.7 L) of water or other hydrating fluids per day if you’re a male or 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) if you’re a female.
13. **This keeps the air inside moist.** Plug a humidifier in your bedroom at night or in whatever room you spend a lot of time in when you’re hanging out at home. Turn it on whenever you’re at home so the inside air doesn’t contribute to your dry lips.
You can get small portable humidifiers online for as little as about $15 and bigger models for under $50. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-and-Prevent-Dry-or-Cracked-Lips", "language": "en"} |
How to Immigrate Into the United States Permanently | As of 2018, there are more than 44 million immigrants living in the United States. If you are currently outside the US, your path begins by applying for an immigrant visa and become a permanent resident. On the other hand, if you are already in the US, you can apply for permanent resident status through the "adjustment of status" process. After living in the US as a permanent resident for 5 years or longer, you may be eligible to become a naturalized citizen.
1. **Identify the appropriate category for your visa.** If you are currently outside the US and want to immigrate into the US permanently, you must first acquire an immigrant visa. There are several categories of immigrant visa, each of which requires a different application form and supporting documentation.
The US prioritizes immigrant visas based on categories. The highest priority is given to immigrants who already have family in the US who are either US citizens or permanent residents. The next highest priority is given to immigrants who already have employment in the US.
You can apply for a visa in other categories, such as an asylum visa. These visas are extremely limited. The number of available visas may be further limited depending on your current country. The wait list for a visa in these categories can sometimes be years long.
2. **Choose someone to sponsor your visa application.** If you want to apply for an immigrant visa, you need a US citizen to sponsor you. If you're applying under the family visa category, that person will be a family member of yours who is a US citizen. For the employment-based category, your sponsor will typically be your prospective employer.
If you are being sponsored by a family member, they must be a US citizen over 18 years of age.
If the person sponsoring you has never sponsored an immigrant before, the two of you may need to take some time to read through the process and understand what's involved. An attorney who specializes in immigration law can help walk you through it. There are also nonprofit organizations that help immigrants.
3. **Have your sponsor submit a petition on your behalf.** The required forms your sponsor must complete and file are available for download from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. The forms include instructions for completing them and submitting them to USCIS.
If you are being sponsored by a family member, they will file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. If you are being sponsored by a prospective employer, they will file Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker.
4. **Wait for notification from the National Visa Center (NVC).** If your petition is approved, USCIS will send it to the NVC for processing. The NVC collects your visa application, fees, and supporting documentation. Because there are a limited number of visas available each year in each category, it may be months or even years before you hear from the NVC.
The NVC notification includes instructions on the next steps to apply for an immigration visa. Read these instructions carefully and get assistance from an immigration lawyer or nonprofit agency if you don't understand them. Not following the instructions could delay the processing of your application, or result in your application being rejected.
At this time, you can choose an agent to receive NVC communications on your behalf. This may be necessary if you move frequently, or do not have a stable permanent address. You can also serve as your own agent.
5. **Submit your application, fees, and documents to the NVC.** The application for an immigration visa is detailed and relatively lengthy. Most of the information you provide on your application must be supported with official documentation. When you've completed your application and gathered the required documents, send the entire package to the NVC.
It's a good idea to go through your application and documentation with an immigration lawyer before you submit it. You must pay fees of more than US$1,000. If your application is denied you won't get any of that money back, and you'll have to start the process all over again.
In some countries, you'll use the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to submit your application, fees, and documents, rather than mailing them. This process is more secure and saves time.
6. **Have a medical examination.** The USCIS requires a medical examination to determine whether you are a threat to public health. You will receive any required vaccinations and be screened for any communicable diseases.
The doctor must complete Form I-693, which they will seal in an envelope. Do not take the form out of the envelope. You must deliver it to the consular office in a sealed envelope on the day of your interview.
This medical examination is valid 6 months.
7. **Attend your interview with a consular officer.** Your interview will typically take place at the US embassy or consulate nearest where you live in your home country.
During the interview, the officer will review your supporting documents and ask you questions about your application.
If you are applying with a family member, typically they must attend the interview with you.
You will find out at the end of the interview if your visa has been approved. If the consular officer needs additional documents or information before they can approve your visa, they'll let you know. Get those documents to them as soon as possible.
The consular officer may deny your visa application. There usually is no appeal from a denial. You may be able to get your application reconsidered by another officer. This may require an additional interview.
8. **Travel to the US with your immigrant visa.** Within a few days of your interview, your immigrant visa will be available. You can pick it up at the embassy or consular office along with your passport. You are expected to travel to the US before the visa expires, which is usually 6 months (your medical examination is valid 6 months, so keep that in mind as well).
You will also receive a sealed packet of documents to present to US customs officials at the port of entry. Do not open this sealed packet.
9. **Find out if you're eligible for a Green Card.** If you're in the US on a non-immigrant visa and want to become a permanent resident, you can apply for an "adjustment of status" if you fall within one of the available categories. Permanent residency is most commonly available for people who have a family relative who is a US citizen, or for people who have stable full-time employment in the US.
For example, if you came to the US on a student visa and were later hired as a professor by your university, you could apply for an employment-based Green Card with the university as a sponsor.
Green Cards are also issued to people here on a non-immigrant visa who fall in love with someone while in the US and decide to get married.
All available categories are listed on the USCIS website. It's also a good idea to talk to an immigration attorney before you begin the application process. They can give you some advice and help you navigate the process.
10. **Complete an application for permanent residency.** If you're applying for a Green Card from within the US, you need to fill out Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. The form asks questions about you, your reasons for seeking permanent residency, and your educational, work, and criminal history.
You can download a copy of the application, and instructions for filling it out, at https://www.uscis.gov/i-485.
11. **Gather documents to support your application.** Nearly all statements that you make on your application for permanent residency must be backed up with official documents. The specific documents you'll need depend on your application category.
If you married a US citizen and are seeking an adjustment of status on that basis, you would need to provide a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
If you're seeking an adjustment of status because you have a full-time job in the US, you would need documents proving your employment. Typically this includes a letter from your manager or supervisor verifying your employment.
Regardless of the category of your application, you'll need financial documents, including copies of your most recent tax return.
12. **File your application with USCIS.** When you've completed your application and gathered all the required documents, mail them to a USCIS lockbox for processing, along with your application fee. It's a good idea to make a copy of everything you send for your own records before you mail it off.
The address where you send your application and supporting documents depends on your eligibility category. Find the appropriate address at https://www.uscis.gov/i-485-addresses.
13. **Go to your biometrics services appointment.** USCIS uses biometrics to verify your identity. When your application is received, USCIS will send you a notice with the date, time, and location of your appointment. Biometrics appointments are scheduled at an Application Support Center (ASC) near you.
During this appointment, you will be fingerprinted and photographed. You will also be asked to sign an acknowledgment certifying that all the information on your application is complete and correct to the best of your knowledge.
14. **Attend your interview with USCIS if necessary.** In many cases, a USCIS interview isn't necessary for an adjustment of status – particularly if you've had a visa interview recently for a non-immigrant visa.
During the interview, a USCIS agent will ask you questions about your application and your reasons for applying for permanent residency. Answer their questions completely and honestly. If you don't understand something or don't know the answer, let them know so they can clarify or give you time to find an accurate answer.
If you're applying for permanent residency because you married a US citizen, your spouse typically must attend the interview as well. The USCIS agent may interview each of you separately.
15. **Receive a decision on your application.** Typically, USCIS will send you a written notice of the decision first. If your application was approved, you'll get your actual Green Card a few weeks after you receive the decision notice.
If your application was denied, the notice will tell you the reasons for denial and whether you can appeal the decision. Most reasons for denial do not allow for an appeal. However, you may be able to file a motion for reconsideration (to have your application reconsidered by a different USCIS agent), or a motion to reopen your case (if you want to submit additional supporting documents or information).
16. **Live in the US as a lawful permanent resident.** Before you are eligible to become a US citizen, you must live in the country as a permanent resident for 5 years. This period is reduced to 3 years if you are married to a US citizen or for other special circumstances such as military service.
Your residency must also be continuous, or the time starts over. While it's okay to take brief trips out of the country, at least 30 months of continuous residency in the US is typically required.
While you're a permanent resident, take care to follow all applicable laws and local ordinances. Any infractions could make it more difficult for you to become a citizen.
17. **Complete an application for naturalization.** After you've lived in the US for the requisite period of time, you can apply to become a citizen of the US. The application, Form N-400, is available on the USCIS website.
As a Green Card holder, you are entitled to live in the US permanently. However, if you become a naturalized citizen, you have the right to vote and receive benefits, such as Social Security, from the federal government.
Fill out the application completely and accurately. Be honest in your answers, even if you think the truth might hurt your chances of becoming a citizen.
Before you begin the application process, the USCIS recommends you read the Guide to Naturalization. You can download the guide at https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/article/M-476.pdf.
18. **Submit your application to USCIS.** Once you've completed your application and compiled any necessary supporting documents, mail it to the appropriate USCIS lockbox facility along with the fees for processing.
The Guide to Naturalization provides the addresses for the lockbox facilities. Generally, the address you use depends on where in the US or its territories you currently live.
19. **Attend a citizenship interview with a USCIS agent.** After your application is processed, you'll receive a notice of the date, time, and location of your interview. The interview typically covers questions about your application, as well as your background, your character, and your attachment and loyalty to the US and the US Constitution.
While you are taking your interview, you are considered to be under oath. If the USCIS agent catches you lying about anything, they will terminate your interview immediately and reject your application.
20. **Take the US citizenship test.** The citizenship test consists of an English test and a civics test. For the English portion of the test, you must be able to read, write, and answer questions in English. The civics test consists of 10 questions about the US government and history. You must answer at least 6 of the 10 questions correctly.
There are 100 possible civics questions you may be asked. You can download a copy of these questions from the USCIS website if you want to study.
You can also take a preparation course or use a study guide. These resources are available for free at most public libraries. Universities and nonprofit organizations near you may also offer resources free of charge to help you prepare for the test.
21. **Attend your naturalization ceremony.** If you pass the citizenship test, you will be invited to attend a naturalization ceremony and take the Oath of Allegiance. You are not considered an official US citizenship until you've taken the Oath.
The naturalization ceremony is a significant occasion for most new citizens. However, if for some reason you are unable to attend, you have other options for taking the Oath. You can even take the Oath at the end of your test if you choose. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Immigrate-Into-the-United-States-Permanently", "language": "en"} |
How to Be a Good Reader | Many people enjoy reading as a way to relax and enrich their minds. Reading is also an increasingly critical skill to learn and develop to be successful in school and in the professional world. By gathering the right reading materials, employing a few strategies to increase your skills, and maintaining a positive attitude, you can improve your reading or help a child become a better reader.
1. **Start at a comfortable reading level.** You can advance to more difficult reading materials from there. If you attempt to read material that is too challenging initially you are more likely to become discouraged. While challenging yourself to read at a more advanced level is a wonderful goal, studies have shown that if you allow yourself to become discouraged while reading you will be less likely to achieve that goal in the long run.
Skim the first few pages. If you have trouble understanding what the author is trying to say, you may not enjoy the book.
If you have chosen a book with a very narrow focus, like a scientific work or a specific historical treatise, you might want to instead familiarize yourself with books on more general topics first.
Use the five finger rule. Pick a book, and read the first two or three pages. Put one finger up for every word you can't pronounce or don't know the meaning of. If you've put up 5 or more fingers, the book is probably too hard. Educators have been using this method for years, and it can be applied for children as well as adults.
2. **Expand your vocabulary** Building a greater vocabulary will make reading easier and more fun in the future. The more words you are exposed to, the more your vocabulary will grow.
If you don't understand a word, first try to use context clues to figure out what it means. Frequently, the rest of the words in a sentence will offer hints about what a particular word means.
Look up words in the dictionary that you do not recognize or understand. Write down these words to review later to solidify them in your memory and make them a part of your vocabulary. Keep of a collection of these words for your own reference.
Use new words you learn in your everyday speech. Putting words into action in your everyday life will ensure that you remember them.
3. **Practice, practice, practice.** Studies have shown that people who spend more time reading, and take in a greater volume of reading material, develop a more extensive vocabulary and greater reading comprehension. This improves their ability to take in knowledge more generally.
As with anything else, developing reading skills takes work. Set aside time to read every day. Literacy experts disagree about exactly how much time you should devote to reading, given that it varies according to age, skill level, and ability. A good rule to remember, however, is consistency. Try to read every day. If you need to take frequent breaks while reading, go ahead. Even while practicing, reading should be an enjoyable experience.
Take a book with you on a morning bus or train commute, or read on your lunch break. Having access to reading materials during moments of down time makes it more likely that you will read regularly.
Read the words out loud. Reading out loud, alone or to someone, can improve how you read and spell. However, don’t force a nervous reader to read aloud, especially in a group setting. Fear of shame and humiliation can make some unsure readers dread the experience.
Visualize the story, pay attention to the introduction of characters and places. Try to see each in your mind. "Seeing" the story will make it more real to you and easier to remember.
4. **Read materials that interest you.** You are much more likely to commit to reading when it is an enjoyable and engaging experience. If you are bored while reading, you are more likely to put the book down and engage in a different activity.
Find books related to your hobbies, career goals, or a topic that piques your curiosity. There are books that cover every topic imaginable, and the availability of local libraries, bookstores, and the Internet means that all of them are at your fingertips.
Don't limit yourself to just monographs. Comic books and graphic novels are a great way to get children and young adults hooked on reading. Collections of short stories are a good option for those who don't want to commit to reading a longer work.
Read magazines that cover your areas of interest. Whether your interests are in motorcycle maintenance, gardening, bird watching, or 19th-century architecture, there is a magazine that caters to you. Many of these contain lengthy, well-sourced articles.
5. **Create a pleasant reading environment.** The more you associate reading with comfort and relaxation the more likely you are to continue developing your reading skills. Reading can become a treat, rather than a chore.
Find a quiet place to read so that you aren’t disturbed. Avoid distractions like TV or the radio, or other people prone to disturbing you. Make sure it is somewhere with good lighting where you can relax. Hold the book about 15 inches away from your face (approximately the distance from your elbow to your wrist).
Make a cozy and fun reading area. A nicely lit corner with comfortable pillows creates a great ambiance for reading.
If you are helping someone read, stay positive! Negative feedback will only discourage a fledgling reader, so keep the environment upbeat.
6. **Make reading a social experience.** Reading doesn't have to be a solitary pursuit, and can be even more enjoyable when shared with others.
Start a book club with friends. Making reading a social experience can inspire you to continue to improve. Friends can also provide encouragement for each other.
Start an online blog reviewing the latest books you have read. Encourage others to dialogue about their opinions of the work.
Go to a coffee shop or cafe readers frequent. Seeing others reading can inspire you, or expose you to interesting titles. Strike up a conversation with a fellow patron about what they have been reading.
Consider taking a class at your local college, community college, or community center. You can learn a new skill, study a topic that interests you, and practice your reading skills at the same time.
Read interesting passages to family or friends. You might encourage them to improve their reading as well.
7. **Make reading a family affair.** If you can establish reading as a regular and normal activity in your household, all members of your family will be encouraged to be better readers. It will also allow you to practice your reading skills.
Parents can help their children be good readers by reading to them when they are young. Reading to children helps them develop language and listening skills, which prepares them to understand the written word.
Keep books handy in your household and keep age-appropriate books accessible to children to peruse on their own. Even if a child cannot read on their own yet, establishing initial skills for reading—such as how to correctly hold a book and turn the pages—is an important step to becoming a reader.
Family reading time can provide a moment to bond with your children. Life can be very hectic, and it is often difficult to set aside quality time with your family. Try to schedule a moment to read with your children everyday as part of your routine.
Be patient if your child begins to favor one book and wants to read it over and over again. A favorite story could be offering your child comfort or appealing to a particular interest they have at the moment. Also, re-reading the same words and sentences repeatedly helps your child begin to recognize words by sight.
8. **Visit your local library.** Public libraries offer free and unlimited access to remarkable collections of reading materials and other types of media and technology. Getting a library card is easy and usually just requires a photo ID, although some libraries may also require proof that you live in the area, such as a utility bill.
Libraries are wonderful places to find a variety of books and librarians are there to help. Trained in how to most effectively help you make the most of your library experience, librarians are a resource you should not overlook. Ask the librarian for suggestions for books on a specific topic, or a more general genre, or to help you find a particular title.
Finding materials that interest you is an important first step in improving your reading. Read the backs of books or the inside of the dust jacket for a brief summary of the plot. Usually, you will be able to tell right away if a book will not sustain your interest.
Most libraries allow you to check out more than one title at once. Take home several books to give yourself a variety of reading materials to try.
9. **Go to a bookstore in your area.** Decide which type of bookstore can best suit your needs before setting out. Areas around college campuses and urban areas are more likely to contain a variety of bookstores to visit.
Larger chain bookstores carry everything from self-help books, to novels, to academic publications. If you are not sure what you are looking for, this type of larger bookstore can provide many different types of reading materials to help you narrow your search.
If your interests are more specific, look for a bookstore that caters to the type of book that appeals to you. Children's bookstores are designed to offer a more relaxed and fun environment for younger readers.
Buying from a small local bookstore is a good way to support local business in your community. You can find some unique books in these smaller stores, like work by local authors who have not been featured nationally.
Ask bookstore employees for recommendations. Usually, people who work in or own bookstores are there because they love to read. You will likely get a wide range of recommendations from them.
10. **Check out garage sales or thrift stores.** You don't have to go to the library or spend a lot of money to find good books. Used books are available for just a few dollars, sometimes even for the change you have in your pocket.
11. **Check out garage sales or thrift stores.** These offer easy ways to peruse reading material for interesting titles or collections. Sometimes people offer to sell off collections as an entire set.
Be careful when buying used or second-hand books to check the book thoroughly before buying it for missing or damaged pages. Flip through the entire book to make sure it is not badly torn or water damaged.
Feel free to negotiate on the price of a book or other reading material you come across at a garage sale. Sometimes the person selling the book is unaware of internal damage to pages that would decrease the price for the item.
12. **Go online.** You can easily find discount books or reading material on the internet, without even leaving home. You can also download e-books and other forms of media to take with you.
Used books are available through most major online retailers. Used books are substantially less expensive than new, and most sellers provide an assessment of the state of the book in terms of wear and tear, and internal notations or highlighting.
More and more information is available for free online. Find a website or blog that interests you and follow it. You can easily find blogs online that include book reviews, which could lead you to explore other books and authors.
Consider getting a portable reading device for easy access to digital material. Although there is nothing like holding a book in your hand, digital devices make it easier than ever to carry several different e-books with you in one small place, which could save you from carrying around heavy books and magazines.
Many public libraries now allow you to "check out" e-books for free for a certain period of time, such as two weeks. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Reader", "language": "en"} |
How to Babysit | Babysitting requires a lot of patience and maturity, but it can also be really fun! If you’re new to babysitting, you might be wondering how to find clients, what to charge, and how to be a good babysitter. Don’t worry—with a bit of preparation and dedication, babysitting can be an enjoyable, rewarding job (that also earns you some extra cash!).
1. **Spend time getting to know the kids.** Babysitting is as much a job as it is an opportunity to enjoy the company of children. The kids will be more receptive to you and your rules if they like you, and they’ll grow to like you faster if you try to develop a relationship with them. Talk with them, ask them questions, and joke around in order to develop a good relationship. Younger kids might not want to talk for too long, so try to incorporate during play or activities.
2. **Learn how to change a diaper.** If the children you are watching are under 3 years old, chances are they’re still in diapers. If you’ve never changed a child’s diaper before, ask the parents to show you how they do it.
3. **Know how to feed children.** You should know how to bottle-feed, spoon feed, and keep children safe in the kitchen.
Feed the children healthy food. It is not good babysitting to just allow the children to eat whatever. Tell them before they get crackers they have to eat a piece of fruit. These things include apples, carrots, grapes, and oranges.
Be sure the child doesn't have something they are not allowed to have (such as a cookie or ice cream) too often.
4. **Find out the bedtime routine.** Give a warning before sending kids to bed. You may want to let them stay up 10-15 minutes past what their parents allow—just be sure they know it's a special treat. Other than that, be firm with when it's time to go to sleep. Be prepared for some whining. For older kids, you need to know the difference between real problems and stall tactics. For babies, you have to be sure the sleep environment is safe.
End-of-day routines help kids wind down and signal their bodies that it's time for sleep. Ask parents what they usually do before bedtime. Maybe they have rules like no TV or computer time for an hour before bedtime. If they typically read, talk quietly, or listen to music before bed, follow the same routine.
Go through the basics. Take a child to the bathroom (or put on a nighttime diaper). Help the child brush their teeth. Find out from parents what else is necessary before the kid hops under the covers.
Always put babies (and children) to bed in their designated sleep space (be it a bed, crib, bassinet, etc.) This is especially important for babies, who can be injured if their sleep space isn't how it should be. Remove padding, pillows, stuffed animals, and other items from the crib, if these items are present. Be sure to lay babies on their back when putting them to sleep. It helps reduce the risk of suffocation.
Give the child any comfort items, such as pacifiers, stuffed animals, or blankets, that they usually sleep with. Do not give stuffed animals and similar to babies.
If a child calls you/wakes up, wait a minute before going in. They may fall back asleep on their own. If a baby can't go back to sleep, stroke them gently on the arms or belly. If the baby uses a pacifier, that can also help. Find out what calming tactics the parents use.
5. **Join in with their play time activities.** Although your job is to watch over the children, you should be interacting with them as much as possible by playing with them. Play will vary based on their ages; if you’re watching an infant you may be doing nothing more than making faces and holding up toys. Get creative with the things you come up with for the children to do to keep them interested and out of trouble. Make-believe games are great fun. You could even make up a simple handshake with the children.
Be an entertainer. Parents love babysitters who help kids have fun and learn while still reinforcing rules and keeping discipline. Ask kids to show you their favorite toys. Find out from parents and other babysitters what games kids of different ages like to play. Get the kids outdoors if you can.
Playing with toys, board games, and activity-based games are all good options for older children. Ask what their favorite thing to do is. You can also bring a few of your favorite games and toys from when you were their age, like Monopoly, Life, Candyland, Uno, or other card games.
Stay off screens. Parents are paying you to watch the kid, not put them in front of a television all day.
6. **Tell stories.** Kids like stories, and they'll be impressed by even the worst storytellers. Come equipped with obscure fairy tales they probably haven't heard, like "The Shoemaker and the Elves" or "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." You can even use stories as rewards.
7. **Come up with fun projects.** If you’re spending a long time watching the children, you can do projects together that are enjoyable for everyone. Consider doing an arts and crafts project or cooking/baking a new recipe (or an old favorite) together. Boxed mixes of brownies, cookies, and cakes taste delicious.
Making something will feel productive, pass the time, and give the kids something to be proud of.
8. **Take them to a playground if the parents say it's okay.** Simple games like tag and hide and seek get kids active and help them stay fit. Dancing with them is great exercise, too!
If you can’t leave the property, play outside in the yard, if possible.
9. **Check in often.** Kids aren't as good at regulating their time as adults are, and often forget to perform basic bodily necessities. Check once every hour or so to see if they need to go to the bathroom, need water to drink, are tired, or are hungry. Most of the time they won’t think to tell you these things on their own, so always be sure to ask.
10. **Follow the schedule.** Assuming the parents gave you a basic outline of daily activities, you should be sure you are keeping up with it. Make sure you are feeding the kid(s) at proper meal times, giving them naps, having them do their homework on schedule, etc.
11. **Watch a movie if allowed.** If there is time watch a movie with the kids, you can do so towards the end to settle the children down before their parents arrive. If you are babysitting for less than 3 hours, this probably isn't a good idea, as the parents may get mad at you for putting their kid(s) in front of television for half the time. Consider movies such as:
Tarzan
Finding Nemo
Tangled
Wreck-It Ralph
12. **Ask the parents questions before you take the job.** You don’t have to accept every babysitting job you’re offered. It’s really important that you feel comfortable and up for the responsibility. Talk to the parents before you babysit to make sure you’re ready. Ask questions like:
How many kids will I be babysitting?
How old are the kids?
What time will you be leaving and coming home?
What do you expect from a babysitter? Will I need to feed the kids? Put them to bed?
Do the kids need help with brushing their teeth or using the restroom?
Are the children allergic to anything?
What should I do if there’s a fire?
13. **Get a list of emergency numbers.** It’s very unlikely that anything bad will happen, but it’s always best to be prepared. On your phone number list, write down the home’s address and home telephone number if there is one. That way, you can easily provide them in the case of an emergency. Make sure you have the following phone numbers:
The children’s parents
Neighbors
Their doctor
Poison control
Fire and rescue
Police
14. **Keep a checklist for each family your babysit for.** A checklist will make your job so much easier. On your checklist, write the children’s schedule, the house rules, and the foods the kids can eat. Include information about meal times, nap times, and bedtimes. Additionally, note if the parents allow you to have friends over, and any friends they’ve approved.
Bring the checklist every time you babysit so you can easily fulfill your duties. That way, you can focus more on having a great time with the kids.
15. **Assemble a “babysitting bag” with supplies and toys.** Preparing your bag in advance saves you time on the day of your babysitting job. Additionally, it’ll help you be the babysitter all the kids ask for because you have special toys and games. In your bag, you might include:
Your babysitting checklist.
Tips for babysitting.
Age-appropriate games.
Age-appropriate toys.
Art supplies.
Books.
Puzzles.
16. **Wear comfortable clothing.** Babysitting can be quite the adventure, especially if the kids are imaginative. You might find yourself chasing pirates or having a dance off. Pick an outfit that you can easily run around in.
Your shoes are probably the most important part of your outfit. Wear shoes you can run in without tripping or losing a shoe.
17. **Get to the home before the parents leave.** Your job technically starts a few minutes before the parents are scheduled to leave. Before they head out, double check with them that you have all the proper instructions. Additionally, ask for a tour of the home if it’s your first time there. You’ll look super professional and your job will be off to an easy start.
18. **Contact the parents if you need help.** Sometimes things go wrong when you’re babysitting, so don’t be afraid to reach out. For small issues, send a quick text to ask for help. If you need help right away, call them and tell them what’s wrong.
You could text them things like, “I can’t find the extra toilet paper,” “How many snacks did you say they could have?” or “Where can I find Kiley’s favorite stuffie?”
On the other hand, call the parents if something more serious happens, such as a child getting sick or a child who won't stop crying.
19. **Play with the kids.** Both you and the kids will have a better experience if you play. The sky’s the limit when it comes to activities. You can keep it simple and play with toys, games, or puzzles. Or, get creative and make a craft, put on a play, or pretend to be pirates. Just have fun!
Always ask the kids what they want to do. You’ll have a much easier time if you play with their favorite toys or play games that they like.
20. **Be kind to the kids, even if they misbehave.** One of the hardest parts of babysitting is dealing with a child who’s acting out. Fortunately, this won’t happen very often. Dealing with these kinds of problems can be really stressful, but try to stay calm because it’s super easy to hurt a child’s feelings. If you do have a kid misbehave, stay calm and gently remind them what they’re supposed to do.
You might say, “Your mom said we can’t throw balls in the house, remember? Let’s play a different game.”
You could also say, “It’s not okay to hit. Why don’t you say you’re sorry so we can go play some more?”
If the behavior continues, you may have to contact their parent.
21. **Keep your eyes on the kids at all times.** As the babysitter, it’s up to you to keep the children safe. Children are really curious and very clever, so they can quickly get themselves into trouble when left unattended. Focus on them for the entire time they’re in your care.
If you put the children to bed, continue to check on them every 15 minutes. Make sure they’re still in bed and sleeping peacefully.
22. **Don’t open the door for strangers.** Keep the front door shut and locked for the entire time you’re babysitting. Only open the door for someone you’re expecting. If someone you don’t know comes over, tell them they can come back later.
Don’t tell strangers you’re the babysitter. Just say that it isn’t a good time. You could say, “Right now’s not a good time for us. You can come back tomorrow if this is important.”
23. **Be flexible.** Sometimes the parents will need you to arrive a bit earlier than planned, or they may be running late on their way home. Be open to staying a little late or coming early when they need you. On the plus side, they'll see you're a dependable, reliable babysitter, so they may hire you more.
Sometimes you just can't stay late, such as when you have a curfew. Tell the parents before they leave so they're home on time.
24. **Do not leave the children in your care alone.** No matter what the circumstances are, your job as a babysitter is to watch the children in their home and you shouldn’t leave them. Make sure you never leave the children alone in the house. Being in a different room is fine unless you're caring for a baby but running up to the store for ingredients or taking a walk without them is out of the question.
This applies even for older children, unless the parents gave you explicit directions stating that they could be home alone for a small period of time.
25. **Don’t bring people over to the house.** Unless the children you are caring for have friends who were pre-planned on coming over, no one should enter the home at any point during your stay. You should not have people—friends or family—coming over to spend time hanging out while you should be working unless you've agreed this in advance with the parent/s.
It can be tempting to invite a friend over late at night while the kids are asleep, but even this is off limits unless the parents have approved.
26. **Don’t abuse electronics use.** With cell phones, tablets, and laptops more prevalent now than ever, it can be easy to get caught up texting friends or scrolling through Facebook. Just like many jobs, your electronics should be turned off or used only in case of emergency.
27. **Don’t play movies/TV on repeat.** Children will often ask to just watch movies or TV, and while these may be appropriate in short allotments, several hours of them becomes laziness. If the parents haven’t set an electronics maximum, try to keep it at two hours or less. The children will enjoy having someone to play with, and the parents won’t think that you’re lazy or slacking on the job.
28. **Clean up** Although it is sometimes forgotten, a major part of babysitting is cleaning up after the children. You may not have much of a mess to deal with, but if you cooked or did a project, be sure to put everything back in its place. The parents will appreciate coming home to a clean house and will be more likely to rehire you again in the future.
Always clean up after yourself. If you and the children make a mess, pick up before the parents arrive.
Play cleaning games with the kid. Say whoever picks up the most wins or makeup a silly game that includes cleaning.
Usually there is a mess when you get there, pick it up. Everyone appreciates it when they come home to a house cleaner then when they left it.
29. **Don't let the children "get away" with things.** It's tempting to be the "cool" babysitter who lets kids get away with things parents never allow. Remember, you're not their parents, so you don't really have much say in how the house rules go. You can't be a child's friend all the time.
Know when to say no and when it's OK to let something small go like letting children stay up 5 minutes past bedtime on occasion.
Children will challenge you. Pushing boundaries to see how much they can get away with is a normal way kids (even toddlers) learn and figure out where they stand. Check in with parents to find out what the rules are, then follow them, even if you don't agree with them!
The best babysitters think of the job as a responsibility first, with having fun, or earning money, second. Few things are as rewarding as knowing you've earned a child's trust and affection.
Always feel free to call the parents if you feel you need to. It is better to be safe than sorry, and most likely the parents will appreciate your concern.
30. **Make sure that you know procedures for emergencies.** Before the parents leave, find out who to call, what to do, and where to go in case of an emergency. Your priority is keeping the children safe.
Get all relevant information regarding emergencies before the parents/guardians leave. This could be emergency numbers, where the main "Home" phone is kept, where a spare door key is, etc. Try not to come off as nosy, and the adult(s) will realize that you are just attempting to help. In this way you can be sure of what to do in an emergency and get the children out.
In the event of an emergency, such as a fire, drop everything and get the child or children and yourself out of the house. Do not reenter the house, do not let go of the children and call emergency services as soon as possible.
31. **Get the parents’ and child's information.** When you arrive on site for the job, start by getting all the information about the parents’ whereabouts for when they leave. Write down their full names and phone numbers, the address(es) of their destination(s), and their estimated time of arrival back at the house, and an emergency contact. Also take down any information on the child, such as allergies (or other health information). This list will need to be longer and more detailed for longer time periods.
Have the parents show you the location of first aid supplies and medications.
Get a list of medications that each child may need to take, or is able to take in case of injury or illness (such as Tylenol for growing pains or a headache).
Write down the child/children’s schedule. Most families have a general (or sometimes more specific) timetable of events in a child’s day. This typically includes meal times, the times for certain chores/homework periods, and bedtime. Getting this written down in advance will mean that the child (if they’re older) won’t be able to pull the wool over your eyes once their parents are gone.
32. **Find out what activities are allowed.** Each household you work in will be slightly different, and it is important to find out what activities are allowed in each. Ask about television/video game/computer time, when/where the child may be allowed to play outside, if their friends are allowed over, and any areas of the house that may be off-limits. These rules may vary from child to child in the same household depending on age, so be sure to specify.
Assume you are not allowed to take photos or video or the children. Ask if you are allowed to take and/or post pictures of videos of the children if you have a valid reason for doing this.
Find out what you are allowed to do when the children are sleeping, if applicable. For instance, you may want to ask if you can use social media, watch TV, or, on rare occasions have friends over.
33. **Set up a menu for your time there.** It is always good to have a plan. Depending on how long you’ll be babysitting, you may have to feed the child/children a meal or two. Ask the parents about what foods they prefer you prepare and serve, and what foods are appropriate for snack time.
Clarify about any foods that aren’t allowed; these are typically candy and dessert-related goodies that the kids might ask for when their parents aren’t supervising.
Kids, especially toddlers, may not want to play the activities you have planned. Be sure to come with backups and don't worry about staying too close to the activities part of the plan, as long as they don't use electronic devices too often.
34. **Find out what consequences are used when the child misbehaves.** It is fairly likely that at some point in time, a child you are watching will misbehave. Rather than guessing and either punishing them too little or too much, ask the parents what they typically do for small misbehaviors. Many times this includes having privileges revoked or being put in time-out.
A parent could also say that you are not to punish them, and instead should report all misbehaviors to them.
35. **Be a mother's helper.** Being in a home while a parent is there will give you a chance to practice childcare skills and gain some valuable experience which will improve your chances of getting babysitting work. Helping out with your own younger siblings is excellent practice, too. If you don't have younger siblings try doing this with a little cousin or close friend's kids.
Carefully observe the parents as they perform tasks you haven’t done before or are uncomfortable with. Ask for help learning skills you feel uneasy about, such as bathing a baby. Also, note your strengths, such as helping children with homework. These things can be included in your resume which will be explained in fuller detail later.
36. **Attend a childcare or babysitting class.** In some areas, it is necessary to be licensed or certified before babysitting. Either way, it is helpful to know basic child-care responsibilities and techniques. Look for childcare, CPR, and first-aid classes in your area so that you are well-prepared and qualified for your first babysitting job. These can often be found at Red Cross, YMCA, and other community centers.
Try reading books about babysitting. These will answer many common questions about the care of infants and children in day-to-day and emergency situations.
37. **Set up a schedule.** As a babysitter, you are likely working for yourself, unless you're a registered childminder, an au pair or a nanny. If you expect to be babysitting a lot, you'll have to make and maintain your own schedule. It may seem old-fashioned but filling out a calendar with all your free days and times, so that when a parent calls to schedule you for babysitting you'll know exactly when you are available is crucial.
Creating a color-coding system may be helpful in organizing your ‘busy’ days on the calendar.
Update your schedule frequently so that you don’t accidentally double-book yourself.
Having a standard schedule with all of your other activities, sports, etc. can also be helpful for parents.
38. **Decide upon a rate of pay.** Although some parents have a specific rate in mind when they hire a babysitter, many rely on the sitter to provide their hourly wage. There are two options for selecting a rate: being paid a flat rate per hour, or being paid per child. The former is better for small families while the latter is best if you plan on watching more than two children at once. You may want to charge more for weekends or for babysitting after midnight.
Flat rate hourly wages typically range from $9-$15 per hour, but can be significantly more or less depending on the household and the area in which you or the family lives.
Per child wages range from $7-$10 per child, per hour. However, to get a better idea of the competition and to see what is suitable for the conditions, get an overview of what others in your area are charging for a family the size of the family you are sitting for.
39. **Create a list of health/safety information.** You will also need personalized information for each child (such as allergy information), but you should have one generalized list of "worst-case-scenario" phone numbers. Keep all the information in a small notebook, a note-taking app, a binder, etc. so you have it with you at all times. You may want to include:
Poison control
Police station
Fire department
Nurse hotline
A trusted person who has children (like an aunt or parent) to contact in case of a minor case of confusion
Any other relevant numbers
Forms for the parents to fill out.
40. **Market yourself.** If you're new to babysitting, you'll need to let people know you're available. Word of mouth is often the easiest way to land a job. Talk to your neighbors, people from your church, or families at your school who have young kids. Ask friends who are babysitters if they know of any openings. If you have an older sibling who is moving on to another job, contact their clients.
It's always best to babysit for someone you know or someone you've heard about from a friend. If you're new to babysitting, you may choose to only babysit for those you know.
If word of mouth doesn't work, consider advertising in your neighborhood. You can use flyers delivered to homes in your area or send out an email if your neighborhood provides a list of residents. If you decide to advertise, check with your parents first. They need to know when you put out personal information. Put a flyer on any community notice boards.
Put together a résumé outlining any specific skills, experience, and training you have.
If you are old enough, register yourself on babysitting websites. Keep in mind that some of these won't accept you unless you are a certain age.
41. **Be prepared to be interviewed.** It's hard enough to find parents who are looking for babysitters. The next step, and perhaps the hardest, is to make yourself seem worthy of the job. Set up interviews so you can get to know the parents and their children.
Just as you'll be finding out if the job sounds good, the parents will be looking to learn as much as possible about you. Tell them about yourself, your family, your school, and why you want to babysit.
Be prepared with a list of questions so you know what's expected of you. Write them down so you don't forget to ask anything. The answers you get to questions like these will help you decide if it's the right job for you.
If you've interviewed the family and met the kids but still want to learn more, suggest another visit so you can spend more time with the kids. Most parents will be happy that you want to find out as much as you can.
42. **Know your comfort zone and its limits.** Before you go, know what you're comfortable with and what you're not. You need to feel in control. If you're unsure about a job, it's better to wait for the next one. Your safety is as important as the safety of the kids you'll be watching. If this is a first babysitting job, make sure you feel comfortable about the family. Trust your instincts, and don't feel like you have to accept the job on the spot.
Tell the family you need to talk it over with your parents before committing to the job. When you know what you want and what to expect, babysitting is a better experience for both you and the kids.
If you don't feel like you have the skills to look after a newborn, don't take the job.
If you're allergic to certain animals, you may need to turn down a job if the family has pets.
Get to know the children beforehand to know if you are ready to babysit them. This also might help them see you as an authority, and prevent the tears when the parents leave.
43. **Ask yourself these questions before you decide to take the leap:** Do you enjoy spending time with children?
Are you prepared to take care of kids?
Do you have an awareness of young children's needs?
Have you taken a babysitting course?
Do you have experience taking care of younger siblings or relatives?
What can you offer to the kids and their families?
Do you want to babysit occasionally or find a regular babysitting position?
If income is a concern, will the hours and payment meet your needs?
How many kids will you be taking care of?
What are their ages? The amount of care needed differs with age.
Do the kids have any special needs? Special diets?
Does the family have pets? A pool?
What are the hours you're expected to work?
What are you allowed to do in the home (e.g., use their computer, help yourself to food and snacks or bring your own)?
If you have your license, are you expected to drive the kids? | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Babysit", "language": "en"} |
How to Eat Canned Mushrooms | Is there a can of mushrooms collecting dust in your pantry? Not to worry—we’ve got you covered. Scroll through this list for tons of tasty snacks, sides, and dishes you can make with your canned mushrooms.
1. **Canned foods are perfectly safe to eat on their own.** Before any kind of ingredient, like mushrooms, gets canned, the food is heated up to a really high temperature, which kills off any bacteria or other microorganisms. You definitely won’t get sick if you snack on canned mushrooms right out of the can.
2. **Sauteed mushrooms** Heat up 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of butter in a skillet, along with 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp (2.2 g) of celery seed, and ½ tsp (1.4 g) of celery salt. Add 1 can of drained mushrooms into the mixture, stirring them in the skillet until they’re hot. Then, ladle the mushrooms over potatoes, steak, or any other savory dish!
This side dish only takes about 5 minutes to make and serves up to 4 people.
Sliced mushrooms work best for this recipe.
3. **Swiss cheese and mushrooms can really complement your burger.** Grill your burger patties over medium heat for around 12 minutes, cooking each side for 6 minutes. Then, sauté 2 cans of drained, sliced mushrooms with 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of soy sauce and 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of butter over medium heat, until the mushrooms look browned. Before taking it off the grill, top your juicy burger with a spoonful of the mushroom mixture, along with a slice of Swiss cheese. Once the cheese melts, serve your mushroom burger on a bun.
Two cans of canned mushrooms will top about 6 burgers. Feel free to half the recipe if you aren’t cooking that much.
4. **Canned mushrooms are a nice addition to a refreshing bell pepper salad.** Place 1 chopped green pepper, 1 chopped red pepper, and 1 chopped onion into a bowl. Then, add in 1 jar of pimentos, along with 2 cans of sliced mushrooms and 4 chopped celery stalks. Sprinkle the salad with salt and pepper, and drizzle ⁄2 to 1 c (120 to 240 mL) of Italian dressing over top.
This salad serves about 7 people.
If you only have whole mushrooms on hand, slice them up before tossing them into the salad.
If you aren’t a fan of these ingredients, just sprinkle canned mushrooms over your favorite salad as a nice garnish.
5. **You can make a delicious homemade soup in about 10 minutes.** Drain the extra liquid from 2 cans of chopped mushrooms into a separate measuring cup. Then, pour in some water until you have about 2 c (470 mL) of liquid. Next, sauté 1 small, chopped onion in a big saucepan over medium heat until it turns soft. Take the onions off the heat, and add in ¼ cup (24 g) of flour and 1 tsp (5.9 g) of salt. Stir in the mushroom liquid, along with 1 can of evaporated milk. Turn your stovetop to medium heat, and mix in the drained mushrooms; the soup is ready to eat once it starts boiling!
This simple soup serves up to 4 people.
This soup tastes great on its own.
6. **This quick, scrumptious side is ready in about 35 minutes.** Set your stovetop to around medium heat, and melt 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of in your saucepan. Mix in 1 cup (185 g) of long-grain rice, sauteeing the grains until they’re slightly browned. Pour in 1 can of condensed French onion soup, 2 c (470 mL) of water, and 1 can of drained mushrooms. Wait for the mixture to boil; then, turn down the heat, place the lid on your saucepan, and let the rice cook for 25 minutes.
This recipe can feed up to 4 people.
Any kind of canned mushroom works for this recipe.
7. **Mushrooms and other veggies add a healthy, tasty twist to your breakfast.** Saute ¼ of a chopped green bell pepper, ½ of a chopped tomato, and ½ of a can of sliced mushrooms. Stir-fry the veggies together until they’re soft, and transfer them to a plate. Then, prepare your omelet as usual, using the veggies as the filling.
8. **This hearty dish is easy and delicious.** Set your oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Then, mix 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 package of beef with onion soup mix, 1 can of drained mushrooms, and 1 c (240 mL) of water into a 13 by 9 in (33 by 23 cm) baking dish. Add 1 lb (0.45 kg) of cubed beef tips into the mixture, and bake the dish for 1 hour. While the tips cook, boil a package of egg noodles for 8-10 minutes. Ladle some beef tips and noodles onto your plate for a savory meal!
This hearty dish serves up to 8 people.
You can use any kind of canned mushroom for this dish—they don’t have to specifically be whole or sliced.
9. **Canned mushroom liquid can add a savory flavor to your recipes.** The canning fluid is perfectly safe to use—simply drain your mushrooms and set the liquid aside in a separate bowl. Then, mix a few spoonfuls of the liquid into your dish.
The “liquid” is actually water, along with citric acid.
You can add this liquid to just about any mushroom dish. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Canned-Mushrooms", "language": "en"} |
How to Grow Citronella | The citronella plant, also known as the mosquito plant or pelagonium, is actually a type of geranium. Interestingly enough, it does not produce citronella oil, which actually comes from lemongrass. The citronella plant is often touted for its ability to repel mosquitos, there’s no actual evidence that it keeps them away. However, the citronella plant’s lovely lemon scent makes it an excellent addition to your garden. You can also grow citronella indoors. Check out the tips below to learn how to grow citronella and care for your citronella plant so it thrives.
1. **Pick up some potted citronella cuttings to keep things simple.** You can grow citronella from seeds or juvenile plants, but it takes much longer to grow. Without a doubt, the most popular way to grow a citronella plant is from a cutting. You can either buy a pre-potted cutting, or clip a healthy branch off of an adult citronella plant to take a cutting yourself. If you do this, be sure to take at least 4 inches (10 cm) of any branch with a leaf on it.
The potting process is the exact same for juvenile citronella plants if you really want to go that route. Citronella is one of the easiest plants to grow from a cutting though, so it’s the best choice if you don’t want to wait a year or two for you plant to grow.
2. **Find a sunny part of your yard with no shade cover or obstructions.** Citronella requires a lot of direct sunlight, so you can’t plant it near any trees or overhangs. Choose an area at least 2 feet (0.61 m) away from other plants if you’re growing it directly in your yard. Otherwise, choose a sunny location to place your potted plant.
Citronella plants tend to grow more vertically than horizontally, and they aren’t particularly competitive with other plants. Still, it’s better to plant it at least 2 feet (0.61 m) away from other plants.
It’s exceptionally difficult to grow citronella indoors, strictly because it requires so much sun. You can try if you’d like, though. Pick an east-facing window that gets plenty of sunlight if you’re going with this option.
3. **Plant your citronella in the spring when it’s around 65 °F (18 °C).** After the last frost has passed, wait 1-2 weeks for the soil to warm up. Wait for a day when it’s a little warmer to pot or plant your citronella. Citronella is a perennial, but it still needs to be planted in the early spring so that the roots have time to develop before the growing season.
You can plant or pot your plant in the autumn or late summer if you live in an area with especially warm winters if you prefer.
4. **Plant your citronella in a deep pot if you’re growing it in a container.** Citronella will grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) in a pot, so it’s important to grab a pot that’s at least 12 inches (30 cm) deep and 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) in diameter. Choose a pot that has plenty of drainage holes at the bottom. It doesn’t matter if your pot is plastic or ceramic.
If you do want to plant the citronella in an indoor pot, do it early in the spring to give it a lot of light in the early growing stages. It’s really better if you can plant it outside, though.
5. **Use a well-drained soil comprised of loam and chalk or sand.** Any neutral or slightly alkaline soil will work so long as it is peat-free and has a pH of 6-7. Either mix 2-parts loam with 1-part chalk or sand, or pick up a premixed bag of soil at your local gardening store.
You can tell if a soil is well draining or not by pouring a little water on it. If the water takes a few seconds to drain and there’s a small pool on the surface, it’s not well-draining. Well-drained soil will immediately drain when you pour water on it.
Don’t use anything with peat. Citronella won’t grow well in soil that has peat in it.
6. **Dig a potting hole if necessary and add a thin layer of soil-based compost.** Take your empty pot or dig out a 12 in (30 cm) hole in your garden. Add a 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) layer of soil-based compost to the bottom of the hole or container. You can use a store-bought compost that lists soil as on of its main ingredients, or make your own compost using a peat-free soil as the base.
7. **Fill in the remainder of the hole with soil and add your citronella plant.** Pour your loam-based soil directly into the container or hole. If you’re planting a cutting, simply fill the hole or container all the way and push the cutting 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) into the soil. If you are potting a juvenile citronella plant, leave a 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) hole in your container or garden and gently lift the plant out of the original pot. Place it in the center of the hole.
Fill in any gaps with additional soil. You do not need to compact the soil or anything.
Give the plant a gentle spritz of 3–4 teaspoons (15–20 mL) of water. It doesn’t need a lot of water to get going.
8. **Water your citronella every 1-2 weeks in the summer months.** Citronella does not require a lot of water. Starting a few days after you first plant them, water the soil surrounding the plant for 5-6 seconds until the surface of the soil is damp. Do this once every 1-2 weeks depending on whether your plant appears healthy or not.
If the leaves are dried out or the plant isn’t growing, stick with watering once a week. If the plant is doing fine with less frequent watering, only water the soil sparingly. Citronella doesn’t tend to need a lot of water.
9. **Give the citronella fertilizer every 10-14 days in the spring.** Pick up a balanced liquid fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the container to give the citronella a healthy dose of nutrients and minerals. This will encourage growth as the plant develops its root system. Any
Any fertilizer with a near-equal distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium will work just fine.
10. **Switch to a high-potassium fertilizer after flowers start to form.** Once the plant begins flowering, switch to a high-potassium fertilizer. Tomato fertilizer works great for this, but any mixture around 15-20-28 will work. Follow the directions on the label to continue feeding your plants every 10-14 days.
Stop using the fertilizer in the fall.
If you don’t have a flowering variety of citronella, swap to the potassium fertilizer in mid-summer when the plant has grown considerably.
11. **Cover the citronella in compost or take cuttings before winter starts.** Citronella is a perennial, meaning that it will live for more than 2 years. If you live in a tropical climate or an area with warm winters, you can simply cut it back and cover it with a thin layer of compost. Alternatively, you can trim the plant down and take some cuttings. Repot your cuttings indoors using the same method you used to plant your citronella originally.
12. **Prune the citronella flowers and leaves whenever they begin to wilt.** If any of the leaves or flowers begin to lose color or wilt, trim them off. Trim any branches that begin losing color or drying out entirely. This isn’t typically an issue during the summer months, but you may need to prune the plant in the autumn when the plant is ready to go dormant.
If your plant requires constant pruning in the summer, you’re likely not watering it enough.
13. **Cut back on water if you notice dark spots on the tops of leaves.** If you see dark dots popping up all over the tops of your leaves, your plant is likely developing leaf spots. Don’t worry, this is manageable. Remove any destroyed leaves or branches, begin watering the soil every 2-3 weeks, and avoid directly watering the leaves until the condition clears up.
This is a common issue for citronella. The plant is pretty resistant to disease, but it can attract bacteria.
14. **Discard the citronella and wash the soil if you find black spots under the leaves.** If you see spots on the undersides of the leaves, you’re running into blight. This condition is unrecoverable, so you must cut your plants down, throw them out, and wash the soil thoroughly with water. Wash all of your tools, hands, and clothes with soap and water to avoid spreading the blight.
15. **Use an organic insecticide oil to protect your plants from pests.** Citronella is an attractive target for whiteflies, caterpillars, mealybugs, and other pests. To keep them off of your citronella, fill a spray bottle with neem or horticultural oil and gently mist your plants every month during the growing season. This oil will keep annoying bugs off of your plants and do a great job of treating any current infestations.
Neem or horticultural oil will coat the plant in an organic oil that will suffocate any bugs already on the plant. If a pest does land on a treated plant, it won’t stick around for long since the oil will dissuade them from settling down there.
These oils won’t harm your plants since they’re organic and don’t impact the growing process. Avoid synthetic insecticides whenever possible. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Citronella", "language": "en"} |
How to Turn a Cardboard Box Into a Basket | Instead of throwing away old cardboard boxes, why not recycle them and turn them into a nifty basket? You can make a simple basket by wrapping cord around it to hide the cardboard. You can get fancier by cutting the box apart, and then weaving it back together with cord to make a more traditional woven basket. All you need is a cardboard box, some scissors, cord, and glue.
1. **Cut the top flaps off of a cardboard box.** You can do this with a pair of sharp scissors or with a box cutter. If your box is not very stable, now is the time to reinforce it with duct tape or packaging tape.
Your box can be any size, but be aware that the bigger it is, the more glue and rope you will need.
2. **Draw a short line of hot glue along the bottom edge of the box.** Plug in your hot glue gun, insert a hot glue stick, and let the gun heat up. Once it's hot, draw a 1 to 2-inch (2.54 to 5.08-centimeter) line of hot glue along the bottom edge of the box, close to one of the corners.
3. **Quickly press the end of some jute cord into the glue.** You can use any thickness of cord you'd like. Thinner cord would work better for smaller boxes, while thicker cord will work for larger ones.
4. **Continue gluing and wrapping the cord around the box until you reach the top of the box.** Squeeze out another 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) of hot glue, and press the cord against it. Keep going around the box in rows until you reach the top of the box. Make sure that there aren't any gaps between the rows.
If you don't have a lot of glue, you can glue the cord down every few inches.
Avoid squeezing out too much hot glue at one time; hot glue sets fast.
5. **Trim the excess rope off.** If you need to, secure the end with more hot glue. Your basket at this point is essentially complete, or you can read on to learn how to make a lining and give it a nicer finish.
6. **Measure the inside of your box to get the dimensions for a lining.** Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure the length and width of the bottom of the box. If the sides are different sizes, be sure to take their measurements too.
7. **Draw your pattern on the wrong side of a large piece of fabric.** Draw the base of the box in the middle of the fabric, and the walls to each side of the base. You will end up with something that looks like a giant + sign.
You can use any type of fabric you want. Because of how rustic jute cord is, cotton, linen, or canvas would work best.
8. **Cut your pattern out.** Leave behind a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam on every edge. If you don't, your lining will be too small.
9. **Pin and sew the "walls" of the lining together.** Fold each of the walls together, so that their edges meet, and pin them in place. You should have something that looks like a box. When you're done pinning, sew the four corners using a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance. Remove the pins when you are done and turn the lining inside out.
10. **Fold the top hem down by ½ inch (1.27 centimeters), and topstitch it.** Fold the hem down all the way around the top edge of the lining, and pin it in place. Make sure that you are folding towards the wrong side of the lining, where the seams are. Topstitch close to the raw edge, then remove the pins.
11. **Insert the lining, and secure it with more hot glue.** Set the lining into the basket. If the fabric is flimsy, like cotton, clip the hem to the edge of the basket with clothespins or binder clips. Hot glue the hem, inch by inch (2.54 centimeters) to the top edge of the box, removing the clothespins/binder clips as you do so.
12. **Trace the base of a box onto a sheet of fabric or felt, then cut the fabric out.** This will make the inner lining of your basket. For a neater finish, cut two pieces of fabric or felt. Set these aside when you are done.
You can use any size of box you want. Keep in mind that, the bigger your box is, the more rope you will need to use.
13. **Cut the top flaps off of the box, then cut the box apart at the corners.** You can use a pair of sharp scissors or a box cutter to do this. Cut the flaps off first, then cut straight down each of the four corners. Flatten the box, so that you end up with something that looks like a +.
14. **Glue your fabric/felt to the base of the box.** Coat the base of the box using tacky glue and a stiff paintbrush, then place the material on top. Smooth out any wrinkles. If you cut two pieces of material, be sure to glue the other one to the underside of the box as well.
15. **Cut ⅛-inch (0.32-centimeter) thick slits into each flap.** Cut the slits from the edge of the flap all the way to the crease. Make sure that the slits are evenly spaced apart—including the side edges of each flap. About 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) apart should work for most size boxes. These will make the "fingers" of your basket.
Be sure to cut slightly into the fabric/felt lining as well. This will allow you to "catch" the lining as you weave and prevent raw edges.
The slits need to be about ⅛-inch (0.32-centimeter) wide to accommodate the string you will be weaving around the "fingers."
If you are using a very big box, you may have to use thicker cord so that it will be more proportionate. Make your slits about ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) wide to accommodate the thickness of the cord.
16. **Punch a hole into each finger, close to the upper, narrow edge.** Try to center each hole as much as possible. You will be weaving the cord through these holes at the end, so make them as close to the edge of each finger as possible—about ⅛ to ¼-inch (0.32 to 0.64-centimeter) will be enough.
Depending on the thickness of your box, you may be able to use a regular hole puncher. If your box is too thick, you can punch the holes with a nail instead.
17. **Hot glue the end of some jute cord to the base of one finger.** Choose a "finger" at the edge of one of the flaps. Draw a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) line of hot glue across the finger, right next to the crease. Quickly press the end of your cord against the glue.
The thinner the cord is, the better.
18. **Begin weaving the cord over and under each finger.** When you reach the opposite end of the flap, fold the flap and the one next to it together to make a corner, and continue weaving. When you are done with your first row, the walls should be standing in their original positions.
Be sure to weave tightly at the corners.
Be sure to weave over the fabric/felt. This will pin the material to the "fingers" and widen the raw edges.
19. **Continue weaving until you are partway up the holes you punched.** Every so often, use your fingers to push down on the rows. This keeps your weave nice and right, and prevents gaps. Make sure that the gaps left inside the holes are still big enough for the cord to fit through.
If you run out of cord, tie the end of a new cord to it, and continue weaving. Tuck the tail ends of the knot under the cord as you weave.
20. **Begin weaving over the top edge of the basket.** Weave the cord under a finger, then pull it up through the finger's hole. Pull the cord up, then feed it through the hole again.
Keep your weaving on this part loose.
21. **Skip a hole and feed the rope through the next one.** Pull the cord past the adjacent hole, bring it behind the finger, and push it out through the hole. Keep weaving the cord through every other hole until you are back where you started.
22. **Finish the top of the box.** When you get back to where you started, every other finger should have an empty hole. Continue weaving your cord over the fingers, and through the empty holes. You may have to make several rounds like this, until the holes are filled, and tops of the fingers are covered.
23. **Cut and knot the cord when you are done.** Once the top of the basket is to your liking, cut the cord, leaving a tail that is a few inches/centimeters long. Tie the tail to one of the cords on the inside of the basket, and trim it off. If you are worried about it unraveling, secure it with a drop of glue.
24. **Finished.** | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Turn-a-Cardboard-Box-Into-a-Basket", "language": "en"} |
How to Perform Mantra Meditation | Mantra meditation has become increasingly popular in recent years. The practice consists of the two individual components of chanting mantras and meditating and has a different purpose for every person. Mantra meditation requires consistent practice, but is simple and can effect many positive changes in your life.
1. **Figure out why you want to use mantra meditation.** Every person has a different reason for meditating from health benefits to attaining a spiritual connection. Figuring out why you want to use mantra meditating will help you identify the best mantras to chant and time to dedicate to your meditation practice.
There are many different health benefits to mantra meditation including lower blood pressure and heart rate, decreased anxiety and depression, less stress, and greater feelings of relaxation and general well-being.
Mantra meditation can also have spiritual benefits such as liberating your mind and letting go of any attachment to things you can’t control.
2. **Find an appropriate mantra or mantras for your intention.** One of the goals of chanting mantras is to feel their subtle vibrations. This sensation can help you effect positive changes and enter a deep state of meditation. Each mantra has different vibrations and you want to find one that corresponds to your intention.
Repetition of mantras can help you disconnect from any thoughts that arise during meditation and also help keep you focused on your intention.
There are many different mantras from which you can choose. The following are a few examples of powerful mantras that you can chant.
Om or aum is the most basic and powerful mantra you can chant. This universal mantra will create powerful, positive vibrations in your lower abdomen. It is often combined with the mantra “Shanti,” which means peace in Sanskrit. You can repeat aum as many times as you wish for your chanting.
Maha mantra, which is also called either the great mantra or Hare Krishna mantra, can help you achieve salvation and peace of mind. Repeat the entire mantra as many times as you like. It’s words are: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu is a mantra of cooperation and compassion and means “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.” Repeat this mantra three or more times.
Om namah shivaya is a mantra that reminds every person of her own divinity and encourages self-confidence and compassion. It means “I bow to Shiva, the supreme deity of transformation who represents the truest, highest self.” Repeat the mantra three or more times.
3. **Set an intention.** No mantra meditation practice is complete without first setting an intention. By taking a few seconds to dedicate your practice to something, you may be able to focus more intently and achieve a deeper state of meditation.
Lightly touch the bases of your palms, then the palms themselves, and finally your fingers to make prayer hands. You can leave a small space between your palms if you like to let energy flow. Lightly bow your chin towards your chest.
If you don’t know what your intention is, consider something as simple as “letting go.”
4. **Find a comfortable place to practice.** You’ll want to practice mantra meditation in a comfortable and quiet space. This can be somewhere in your home, or even in places such as a yoga studio or church.
Look for a somewhat darker place to practice meditating so that you don’t get overstimulated from the light.
Make sure the place you practice your mantra meditation is quiet so that no one can disturb you or break your concentration.
5. **Sit in a comfortable cross legged-position with elevated hips and closed eyes.** Before you begin your mantra meditation, sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with your hips elevated above your knees with your eyes closed. This will help you sit with a straight spine, which is the best position for your body to absorb the mantra’s vibrations and focus on your intention.
If you can’t get your hips above your knees, sit on as many blocks or folded blankets as necessary until you achieve this position.
Place your hands lightly on your thighs. If you like, you can place one hand in chin or gyan mudra, which represents universal consciousness. Chin mudra and prayer beads may help you enter a deeper meditation.
Use prayer or mala beads to help focus yourself.
6. **Focus on your breath, but don’t control it.** Focus on your breath and the feeling of each inhalation and exhalation while avoiding the tendency to control your breath. This will help you focus on your meditation practice and achieve greater relaxation.
It can be hard to not control your breath, but learning to let it go will help your overall meditation practice. The more you practice, the easier this will get.
7. **Chant your chosen mantra.** It’s time to chant your chosen mantra! There are no prescribed times or ways to chant your mantra, so do what feels best to you. Even a small amount of mantra chanting can have significant benefits.
Consider starting your chant with an aum, which is the most elemental sound.
As you chant, you should feel mantra’s vibrations in your lower belly. If you can’t feel this sensation, try sitting up straighter.
There are different perspectives on correct pronunciation, but simply do your best with the Sanskrit. You’re chanting and meditating for your well-being and not perfection, which may subvert the reason you’re practicing.
8. **Decide if you want to continue chanting or silently meditate.** Chanting itself can be a form of meditation, but you can also choose to transition from chanting meditation to a silent meditation. Either choice you make, you will reap the benefits of a mantra meditation practice.
Allow your body to flow with what it wants and whatever works for you in the moment. There are times when you may want to continue chanting or other times when you will want to meditate silently. The point is to not force your body or your mind.
9. **Meditate for as long as you want.** When you’ve finished chanting your mantra, transition to a silent meditation by staying in the same seated position and feeling any sensations that arise in your body. Sit in silent meditation for as long as you like. This will allow you focus on your intention and help you achieve greater relaxation.
Continue to focus on your inhalations and exhalations and any lingering vibrations from your mantra chanting.
Let your thoughts come and whenever they arise. This will teach you to focus and let go of anything you can’t control.
Any time you need to refocus your mind, you can repeat “let” with every inhalation and “go” with every exhalation.
Meditation takes consistent practice. You will have good days and bad days and accepting this is part of the meditation journey. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Perform-Mantra-Meditation", "language": "en"} |
How to Become an Interior Decorator | If you have a love of decorating and a knack for arranging furniture and choosing décor and color, a career as an interior decorator may be perfect for you. To become a "decorator" you don't need an extensive education or a fancy degree, just a good eye and a passion for the job. However, if you are interested in interior design, you will need to take specialized courses and gain the proper licensing from the state, depending on which state you are in.
1. **Evaluate your skills, strengths, and weaknesses.** If people regularly compliment your decorating skills and turn to you for advice, that's a good sign that you have the natural talent to be an interior decorator. However, when working for others, you'll be exposed to a variety of different tastes and styles. You'll have to be able to show an extensive knowledge of space planning, fabrics, and materials and you'll also have to be able to work with different personalities. List areas that may be challenging, and start working on them.
You will also need great organizational and business skills to handle jobs competently and efficiently.
2. **Get training.** You won't have to have a degree to work as an interior decorator, but some classes or certifications can give you greater credibility. Many community colleges offer associates degrees, and colleges often have certification programs or short courses on interior design. Online programs and classes in home staging or organizing can be helpful as well. Besides all of that, you can begin teaching yourself immediately. Learn the fundamentals, such as types of materials, decorating history and popular decorating styles.
3. **Practice interior decorating.** Volunteer to help friends and family with decorating projects. Look for volunteer projects with local organizations. Look for service organizations like Habitat for Humanity and local shelters. Even decorating spaces for special events is a good experience.
4. **Put together a portfolio.** Make sure to take photographs of all the projects that you complete. Keep hard copies as well as showing off your work online. Groups on Flickr, HGTV and other design sites as well as decorating blogs all offer opportunities to show off your work as well as network with others who share your interest and can give you more information about how to become an interior decorator.
You may need to take on jobs for free at first in order to expand your portfolio.
Making sure your portfolio translates to an electronic form is critical. In order to get the most out of your portfolio, you will want to create a website that highlights your work and keep an active blog to promote what you've done.
Utilize any and all popular social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Wanderfly. These sites are great spaces to share your work and engage in discussions with other people interested in interior decoration.
5. **Find a job.** Look for a job in interior decorating or visual merchandising. Competition is high, so a high paying, professional job may not be easy to find. However, you can get started by working in a furniture store, design center, or local department store. A job that offers a chance to do some decorating and visual merchandising--arranging items that attract buyers' attention and are pleasing to the eye--will add to your experience and portfolio.
6. **Draft a business plan.** The first step in starting any business is drafting a usable business plan. You can find some help with this process here. A good business plan consists of many things. You are trying to outline some basic concepts, like how your business will generate money and customers, how much it will cost to operate the business, and how you intend to expand or grow your business. Some things to address are:
It may be helpful to meet with your local Small Business Development Center. SBDC's provide help during all of the stages of a business' life cycle and can help you put a business plan together.
Address your customer base. In your business plan, you will need to identify how you will drum up business. With interior decoration businesses, word of mouth and local advertising are effective ways of building a customer base.
Address your financial situation in your business plan. Depending on how large or small you want to go with your interior decoration business, you may need to rally investors to support your efforts. In order to get others to invest in your business, you need to determine how much money you will need, how much you will generate, and how you will pay back any investors.
If you think your business will need employees, make sure to discuss hiring tactics and what these employees will cost you in your business plan.
7. **Get a business license.** Even if you plan to keep your business small and the overhead costs low, you will need a business license from the township, city or municipality where you intend to operate the business. Getting the proper licenses can help you get discounts on materials and increases your legitimacy in the eyes of potential customers.
Your interior decoration business will most likely require a “Business Occupancy License”. These licenses are acquired from your city or township, are fairly inexpensive and do not require site inspections.
8. **Acquire startup capital.** You'll need some money to get things started, mostly to cover the cost of materials. Your startup costs for an interior design business can be low, but you will need a business license. You might also need to rent office or storage space, depending on how large you want your business to be.
9. **Get materials.** Find sources for materials and supplies. Without a license, you may not be entitled to designer discounts. However, you can begin to negotiate with suppliers if you are buying in bulk. You can also learn to find inexpensive sources for materials like overstock stores and thrift shops.
10. **Spread the word.** You will want to advertise your services to potential customers. Paid advertising on local television or the local newspaper can be effective. Also, make sure you take the necessary steps to promote your business online, as a majority of people who need interior design help will probably turn to the internet to find someone. Finally, your business will rely heavily on word of mouth advertisement. People who see your work will get your name from friends, family, and acquaintances and seek you out.
You absolutely must have a business card in this line of work. Make sure your cards look professional and hand them out liberally. Leave cards with every client you work with.
11. **Hire help.** You may find that your business expands to a point that you can't possibly handle all of the work yourself. If this happens, you will need to hire some help. Be sure that the person or people you hire have the same sensibility and attitude towards decorating that you do. You want your interior design company to have its own style.
12. **Consider virtual decorating.** You can work remotely in interior decorating. Essentially, people take pictures of the space they need to be decorated, send them to you, and you, for a fee, can draft a decorating plan for the client without ever stepping foot in their home or business. This can be a really effective way to work in interior decorating without maintaining a brick and mortar business.
13. **Know the difference.** An interior designer is not an interior decorator. These are two different jobs, that require slightly different skill sets and have different educational and certification requirements. As a general rule, interior designers are far more employable and tend to make more money than interior decorators.
14. **Take courses.** The main difference between a designer and a decorator is education. To become an interior designer, you need to enroll in courses on interior design at a university, community college, or design school. These courses help you learn about interior design in order to pass licensing and certification exams, while also helping you learn the technical aspects of design, such as working within the guidelines laid out in local and municipal building ordinances.
15. **Get your license.** Depending on what state you live in, the licensing requirements and guidelines are different. Some states don't require any licensing for interior designers while other states will not allow you to work in interior design without a license. Whether your state requires licensing or not, you really need a license to be viewed as a legitimate and employable interior designer.
In many states, you need to pass the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) exam to receive your license to practice interior design.
California has its own certification process overseen by the CCIDC (The California Council for Interior Design Certification).
You will need to identify the licensing process for interior designers in your state, as practices and exams vary widely.
16. **Build a portfolio.** Just like decorators, designers need to keep a record of the jobs they have completed and have evidence of the quality of their work. You can populate your portfolio more quickly if you are initially willing to work for free or take on design projects for friends or charitable organizations with small budgets. Make sure you take high-quality photographs of your work to include in your portfolio.
It is wise to be able to convert your portfolio to an electronic format. This will be helpful when applying to jobs or promoting your skills on the internet.
17. **Get work.** Interior designers are needed for residential and commercial jobs. They are also far more employable than decorators, making finding a job easier. Look on any popular job search site (like Monster, Indeed, or Careerbuilder) for work in interior design. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Interior-Decorator", "language": "en"} |
How to Make a Circle Skirt | A circle skirt is a full, flowy skirt that gets its name from the circular shape of the skirt when it is spread out. You can make your own circle skirt using some colorful store bought fabric or create your own printed fabric. Even if you are new to sewing, a circle skirt is an easy project that you can complete in around an hour.
1. **Gather your materials.** Making a circle skirt is easy and you don’t even need a pattern. To make a circle skirt, you will need:
one yard of stretch fabric (in the color of your choice)
a fitted skirt (one that fits you well)
scissors
pins
sewing machine
2. **Fold the fabric four times.** Take your stretch fabric and fold it in half so that the shortest edges are even with each other. Then, fold your fabric again so that the long edges are even.
If you have chosen a print fabric, make sure that the print is facing in.
Lay your fabric out flat when you're finished, with the folded edges facing you.
3. **Cut a bit of fabric off for your waistband.** You will need to have a couple of strips of fabric to use for your waistband, so cut in a straight line a few inches away from the narrow edge of the open part of your fabric. Do not cut along the folded side.
Set these strips aside for now.
4. **Use the fitted skirt as a guide for the waist.** Fold the fitted skirt four times length-wise and then place the waistband of the folded fitted skirt over the edge of the folded corner of your stretch material. Use the width of the folded fitted skirt as a guide for how wide to make the waistband of your circle skirt.
To create the waistband, take your scissors and cut a half circle for the waistband that is about the same width as the width of the folded fitted skirt. Cut it from the corner that's closest to you.
It is better to cut the waist a little smaller. Remember that the fabric is stretchy and you can always make it a little wider if you need to.
If you prefer, you can also measure your waist circumference with a measuring tape. Just divide the number by four to determine how wide to make the cut for the waist.
5. **Cut the bottom of the skirt.** Measure from the waist down to the cut length on both folded edges and mark those spots with a pencil. Then, draw a curved line between the marks you just drew. Next, take your scissors and cut along that curved line.
Don’t worry if there are a few jagged edges at the bottom of your skirt. You will be hemming the bottom edges, which will cover up any minor imperfections.
Cut the skirt so it's an extra 1 in (2.5 cm) longer than the length you want. This will account for the top seam allowance and a small hem.
6. **Check the width of the waistband.** Unfold the fabric once so that is it just folded in half. Then unfold your fitted skirt and hold the waistband of it up against the waist of your circle skirt. This will help you to determine if the waist is the correct size.
If it is too small, then you can make it a bit wider.
7. **Measure fabric for the waistband.** Next, take the fabric that you set aside for your waistband and place it next to the waist of your skirt. You should have two strips on top of each other with the patterns facing each other (if the fabric has a pattern). Place the strips near the waist and cut the edges of the strip so that you will have enough to hem the waistband.
Since the waist is a half circle and the strips are straight, you may want to measure for this part or at least cut a little more fabric than you think you will need.
8. **Sew the waistband pieces.** Take your waistband pieces and make sure that they are lined up. If the fabric has a pattern, it should still be facing in. Take your two waistband pieces and sew them together along the short edges. Then, hem the long edges by folding about a half inch of the fabric over and sewing along the edge of this fabric.
Use a regular stitch to sew the waistband.
You do not need to use any elastic for the waistband since you are using stretch fabric.
9. **Pin the waistband to your circle skirt.** Open up your circle skirt and lay it out on your table or floor. Then take your waistband and start pinning it onto the waist of your circle skirt. As you pin on the waistband, make sure that the print side of your waistband faces the print side of your circle skirt.
The edges of the waistband and the circle skirt edge should be even as well.
Start by pinning one edge to the circle skirt and then pin the opposite edge. Then, pin the part of the waistband that is halfway between the two pins you just placed. Then, pin the part of the waistband across from that pin. Keep pinning in the way to ensure an even distribution of the waistband.
10. **Attach the waistband to your circle skirt.** After your waistband is pinned to your circle skirt, start sewing along the edge of your waistband and circle skirt waist with a zig-zag stitch. Remove the pins as you go.
Make sure that you stretch both pieces of fabric a bit as you sew to make sure that they will be even and smooth.
After you are done, just flip the waistband fabric over and tuck it into the waist when you wear it.
11. **Fold over the edges of the skirt bottom.** Before you hem the skirt, you will need to fold the edges over. Create the fold about a half inch away from the edge of the skirt bottom all the way around. You can pin the edges if you want to be sure that the hem will be even or you can just fold the edges as you go.
Another option is to start with a baste stitch to mark the hem fold. You can sew a baste stitch about ½ inch away from your skirt edge and then use this stitch as a guide as you fold over the material and sew the hem. Fold along the baste stitch as if it is a perforated line. Then, you can either remove the baste stitch or fold over the edge again and sew.
For even more accuracy, try sewing a piece of ribbon onto the inner edge of your skirt bottom. Then, fold over the ribbon and sew again. The ribbon can also help to provide some structure and added body to your circle skirt.
12. **Hem the skirt.** Sew the hem using a regular stitch. Make sure that the edges are even all around the skirt. If you are worried about making a mistake, then you can always start with a basting stitch and then go over it with a regular stitch when you are happy with the results.
Hemming a skirt can be a challenge because of the curved edges. Go slow and try to be patient.
Try ironing the edge before you sew. You can also iron the hem edge flat before you sew it in place. This may reduce the chances of puckering material or uneven spots.
13. **Trim off excess thread and wear your skirt.** After you finish the hem, trim away and loose excess threads along your hem and waistband. Now your skirt is ready to wear! You can wear a circle skirt lots of different ways, so have fun experimenting.
Try pairing your circle skirt with a fitted t-shirt and pair of sandals for an easy spring or summer look, or wear it with tights, a sweater, and some boots for a cute fall or winter look. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Circle-Skirt", "language": "en"} |
How to Begin People Watching | People watching is the art of observing the people around you and noticing characteristics about them. It can be a fun way to pass the time, a chance to get ideas and inspiration, or simply a way to connect with people around you. To begin people watching, find a well-populated area, sit somewhere out of the way, and avoid calling attention to yourself to observe people unobtrusively.
1. **Find an area with the demographic that you want to watch.** If your goal is to observe the elderly, head to a retirement home. If you want to find families, post up at your local mall. If you do have a goal for your people watching, don’t head somewhere that won’t have anyone you are interested in.
If you are not planning to people watch, you might not get to choose when or where you start. Standing in line at the doctor’s office or sitting in a waiting room are great chances to observe people.
2. **Go to an area that is well-populated.** People watching isn’t any fun if there aren’t people! Avoid places that don’t have many people and instead head to places like malls, zoos, parks, and stores that you know will be crowded with people. Places are more likely to be full of patrons on the weekends or during the summer when children are not in school.
Dog parks, art galleries, public transportation, and tourist spots are all great places to people watch.
3. **Sit in a spot where you’re out of the way.** If you people watch in the middle of a walkway, people are bound to run into you and interact with you. To people watch undisturbed, tuck yourself into an out of the way corner where you can sit down. A park bench, a corner booth at a cafe, or a bench in the mall are all great spots to sit.
Try to sit somewhere high up whenever possible. Balconies and rooftops are the ideal spots in a building.
4. **Set goals for your people watching if you want to learn something.** You may set out to people watch just to pass the time. Or, you may be looking to observe certain behaviors and mannerisms for a specific purpose. If you are looking to get information from people watching, set those goals beforehand so you know what to do as you watch.
People watching is a great way to get fashion ideas and character designs for books, movies, and plays.
5. **Bring a friend with you to have more fun.** People watching with another person is always more enjoyable. Grab a friend to sit and chat with you as you observe people. Don’t laugh at or make fun of people as you watch them with your friend. This can make people feel bad or uncomfortable.
Avoid bringing a large group to people watch. This will only call attention to you, and your group of friends might get bored.
6. **Wear an outfit that won’t make you stand out.** You want to blend in with your surroundings. Avoid flashy shirts and lots of bling. Instead, opt for neutral colors and weather-appropriate clothes to become a person in the crowd rather than standing out as an observer.
Avoid wearing large hats or glasses.
7. **Bring a notebook to write down interesting moments or people.** If you’re people watching with a purpose, like character inspiration or costume design, you might be struck with a great idea while you are out. Take a notebook and a pencil with you when you people watch to write down any great observations or insights that you notice as you observe people.
Be subtle as you write things down. Don’t stare right at someone and take notes on them. Instead, steal quick glances as you observe them from afar.
8. **Act like you are doing something on a phone or laptop.** Someone simply sitting and staring can be a little disconcerting to people walking by. If you don’t have a notebook, bring your phone or your laptop to look distracted as you sit and people watch. Act like you are typing a report or texting a friend instead of simply sitting and watching.
You can also bring a book or magazine to act like you are reading.
Plug headphones into your phone or laptop to look even more inconspicuous.
9. **Think about each person that passes and who they might be.** The most interesting part of people watching is making guesses about other people’s lives. To get the most out of your people watching experience, observe how people walk, talk, and interact with others to take guesses as to who they are and why they are here.
People’s clothes also say a lot about them. Layers indicate they are prepared for the weather, while showing skin can mean confidence.
10. **Avoid passing judgement on anyone.** Everyone has bad days sometimes. As you people watch, you may see some people who express behaviors you don’t quite agree with. Try to be an unbiased observer and simply take in what you see without making judgement calls on it.
People may act differently when they don’t know they are being observed.
11. **Observe people’s body language to pick up on their emotions.** Body language can say a lot about a person’s mood. Crossed arms can mean anger, hunched posture can mean sadness, and relaxed shoulders can indicate happiness. Pay attention to how people stand or sit and make guesses as to how they are feeling.
Facial expressions are also a good indicator of mood. Scowling or scrunched faces indicate anger while raised eyebrows often indicate contentedness or relaxation.
12. **Listen to people’s voices as they talk to learn more about them.** Note if they have an accent, a high or low speaking voice, if they seem excited or frustrated, or if they are overly quiet. Make guesses as to how they are feeling based on how they sound and if they are enjoying their conversations.
It can also be fun to overhear snippets of people’s conversations without context. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Begin-People-Watching", "language": "en"} |
How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc | The term spreadsheet was derived from a large piece of paper that accountants used for business finances. The accountant would spread information like costs, payments, taxes, income, etc out on a single, big, oversized sheet of paper to get a complete financial overview.
Spreadsheets today have more and more uses. Some examples are:
Spreadsheets act like a calculator by automatically doing calculations.
Spreadsheets are used for tracking personal investments, budgeting, invoices, inventory tracking, statistical analysis, numerical modeling, address books, telephone books, printing labels, etc.
Spreadsheets are used in almost every profession to calculate, graph, analyze and store information.
Spreadsheets are used for What-if calculations. Change one number in a spreadsheet and all the calculations in a large spreadsheet will re-calculate, will automatically change.
With this wiki learn how to use OpenOffice Calc to learn your way around this powerful (and free) software.
1. **If you are in a OpenOffice program, click File > New > Spreadsheet.** In either case a spreadsheet called Untitled1 appears on our screen.
2. **Examine the Main Menu Toolbar.** The first toolbar is the Main Menu toolbar that gives you access to many of the basic commands used in Calc.
3. **Look at the Function Toolbar.** The second toolbar down is the Function Toolbar. The Function Toolbar contains icons (pictures) to provide quick access to commands like New, Open, Print, Copy, Paste, etc. When you place your mouse cursor over any of the elements of a toolbar, the name of the element appears on your screen.
Move your cursor over the icon . (The word “New” appears. Clicking on opens a new spreadsheet.)
4. **Check out the Formatting Toolbar.** The third toolbar down is the Formatting Toolbar. The Formatting Toolbar has icons plus drop-down menus that allow you to select a font, font color, alignments, number formats, border options and background colors.
5. **See what the Formula Toolbar can do.** The fourth toolbar down is the Formula Toolbar. The Formula Toolbar contains the Name Box drop-down menu and a long white box called the Input Line.
Note: If your Toolbars look different, it is because these toolbars are in 800x600 screen resolution and the last eight icons are not shown but are available by clicking on the on the far right of the toolbar.
6. **Learn the definition of a cell in spreadsheets.** A cell is the fundamental element of a worksheet. This is where things are added and where things are seen. A cell address in a spreadsheet identifies the location of the cell in the spreadsheet. A cell address is a combination of the column letter and the row number of a cell, such as A2 or B16.etc. When identifying a cell by its address, the column letter is always listed first followed by the row number. The cell address of the example below is A5.
7. **Enter Data.** Click on the A1 cell (The cell at the very top left of the spreadsheet).
Notice the heavy black border around the A1 cell. The heavy black border indicates that A1 is the active cell. (A is at the top of the first column and 1 is on the first row. Both are highlighted. The highlighting also indicates that A1 is the active cell.)
Type Hello World and press Enter.
The active cell is now A2. (The words “Hello World” are in A1.)
When you type something in a cell and press Enter, what you typed is seen in that cell and the cell below becomes the next active cell.
8. **Delete Data.** Click on A1 again.
Press the Delete key or right click the cell and select delete contents. (The “Delete Contents” window appears.)
Check the Delete all box then click OK. (“Hello World” is deleted from A1)
9. **Format Data
** Separate Thousands, Two Decimal Places, Red Negative Numbers. Click cell A1. > Type the number -9999.129 > Press Enter. (The cursor moves to cell A2)
Right-click cell A1. (A small menu appears) > click Format cells. (The “Format cells” window appears)
Click Numbers tab. Under “Category”, click on Number. Under “Format”, click on -1,234.12. Click In the small box before “Negative numbers red”. (A check-mark appears in the box) > Click OK. (The number '-9,999.13” appears in cell A1.
Align Left, Click Alignment tab. In the “Horizontal” pull-down menu, select Left. Click OK. (the numbers move to the left edge of the cell.)
| en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Spreadsheet-Basics-with-OpenOffice-Calc", "language": "en"} |
How to Relax | Feeling stressed out is totally normal, but being stressed all the time isn’t great for your health. Knowing how to relax is vital for ensuring your well-being, and it can restore the passion and joy in your life. If you aren’t sure how exactly you can relax, read through this list of helpful tips to get you started on the right track.
1. **Spend some time outdoors to calm your mind.** Take a walk around the block, head to a local park, or go hiking on a new trail. Listen to the sounds of the wildlife and take in the beauty that’s all around you.
Treat your time out in nature as more of a wander than a walk. Let yourself go anywhere you want to without a destination in mind for the ultimate relaxation technique.
2. **Soak in a bubble bath to relax your whole body.** Draw up a warm bath and add some scented soap or bath salts. Play some soothing music and light a few candles, then lean back and enjoy your tub.
Taking a bath is a great way to get some alone time (especially if you have kids). You can soak and relax for as long as you need to (or as long as you have time to).
3. **Try a warm drink that doesn’t have caffeine in it.** Herbal tea or a warm cup of milk with honey in it can really calm you down and help you relax. Drinking a calming drink in the evening can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Caffeinated drinks like coffee and soda can elevate your anxiety levels. If you’re already feeling stressed, don’t add caffeine into the mix.
4. **Cuddle or play with your furry friend.** They’ll love it and so will you! You could even chat with your pet about your day or talk to them about the stress and anxiety you’ve been feeling. Even though they can’t talk back, you’ll probably feel a whole lot better afterwards.
If you don't have a pet, ask a friend if you can spend time with theirs.
Many cities also now have cat cafes where you can go and hang out with cats for a small fee.
5. **Tap into your artistic side to help you relax.** You could paint, draw, take pictures, do makeup, embroider, bake something, or play an instrument. Try not to focus on the finished product, and instead just enjoy the process.
If you want to dive into something new but you aren’t sure where to start, try looking up a tutorial online for some guidance.
6. **Stretch your body while relaxing.** Shavasana, or corpse pose, is a particularly relaxing pose. Lie on your back with your legs spread and your arms at your side. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing as you lie there. Try to do some yoga every morning to lower your stress levels.
If you’ve never done yoga before, look up a beginner’s video online to follow along with.
7. **Empty your mind to relieve stress.** Sit down in a comfortable position and try to think about absolutely nothing. Focus on your breathing, how your body feels, and whether or not your muscles are tense. Try to meditate for 5 to 10 minutes every day to lower your stress levels overall.
If you’re having trouble, look up a guided meditation video on YouTube to practice with.
8. **Pay attention to the present moment.** If you catch yourself worrying about something that happened in the past or what might happen in the future, challenge those thoughts. Try to really focus on what you’re doing in this exact moment, even if it’s something mundane. Make yourself be present to melt away stress and become more relaxed over time.
If you’re having trouble being mindful, think about what you can sense around you. What do the clothes feel like on your body? What can you hear right now? What are you looking at?
9. **Our phones and computers can really stress us out.** If you feel like you’re getting overwhelmed, turn off your electronics for at least 1 hour. During that time, you can head out into nature, read a good book, or spend time with your friends. When you feel a little more relaxed, feel free to fire up your computer again.
It’s also a good idea to take a break from social media specifically. Constantly scrolling through your socials can really up your stress and anxiety levels.
10. **Let your emotions out in a private place.** Set aside 5 or 10 minutes every day to jot down a few things in your journal. You could write about your feelings, what you did that day, or what you’re looking forward to in the future. Putting your thoughts down on paper can help you work through them faster than if you keep them bottled up.
Make sure you keep your journal in a private place where no one else can find it. If you have pesky siblings, try putting a lock on your journal to keep them out.
You could also use a journal to keep a gratitude list and remind yourself of what you’re thankful for.
11. **Use essential oils to calm your nerves.** When you’re feeling stressed, mix a few drops of an essential oil and water and put it into a diffuser. Turn the diffuser on and take deep, relaxing breaths, focusing on the scent. Keep doing your deep breathing until the scent runs out or you feel calmer.
If you don’t have a diffuser, put a few drops of an essential oil into a bowl of hot water. Then, breathe the steam in deeply.
Lavender oil, chamomile oil, sage oil, and rose oil are all good scents for relaxation.
Always dilute your essential oils, as they can be harmful in concentrated doses.
12. **Small breaks throughout the day can make a huge difference.** If you’re at work or school, try taking a 5 to 10 minute break to stretch, walk around, or even read a fun book. Doing this every 2 to 3 hours will help calm your thoughts and give your brain some time to rest.
This is especially important during long study sessions or when you’re pulling all nighters. Giving your mind a break for a few minutes can help you focus longer and work harder.
13. **Calm your heart rate and slow your breathing.** Sit somewhere comfortable with your back straight. Breathe in deeply through your nose, expanding your stomach, not your chest. Breathe out slowly through your mouth as you count down from 5.
Try doing this 5 to 10 times until you feel yourself start to relax.
This is a great technique to use when you’re feeling anxious or overly stressed.
14. **Use your senses to calm yourself down.** When you feel stressed, close your eyes and picture yourself on a beach or out in nature. Use all of your senses: focus on what you can hear, touch, smell, see, and taste there. Think positive thoughts to calm your mind and relax your body.
Your happy place can be anywhere you’d like it to be. Maybe you have fond memories of a house on the lake, or maybe you like to be in the mountains.
15. **Tense then relax every muscle in your body.** Start by focusing on your right foot. Squeeze all the muscles in that foot tightly and hold it for 10 seconds, then relax. Do the same thing to your left foot. Slowly work your way up your entire body, tensing and relaxing each muscle group as you go.
When you relax your muscles, think about how loose and limp your body feels.
16. **A therapist can track your body’s responses to stress.** Set up an appointment with a licensed mental health professional and go in for a session. During the procedure, a therapist will attach electrical sensors to different parts of your body that track your heart rate, your sweat glands, and your brain waves. You’ll be exposed to information like beeping and flashing lights, and your therapist will track your responses to them.
At the end of the session, your therapist can tell you about different techniques to relax the muscles in your body that are responding to stressors. The goal of the session is to take the information you’ve learned and use it at home to relax whenever you’re feeling stressed. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Relax", "language": "en"} |
How to Make Your Life Good | The idea of living "the good life" has endured since the ancient times. Aristotle and Plato included moral and political ethics as a means to happiness, understanding that a good life isn't one built solely on individual values. A good life is one that is conducive to living well with others, while living comfortably and honestly. If you’re looking to explore new ways to make your life better, this article will cover a variety of topics and ideas you may want to consider.
1. **Smile at those around you.** It's often been said that a smile is contagious, and research suggests that's true. Studies suggest that friendly engagement with others boosts happiness levels, at least in part because people are more likely to treat a smiling person better than a non-smiling person.
A smiling person is more likely to be regarded as viewed as attractive, reliable, relaxed and sincere.
Cheering yourself up by cheering others is a hallmark of how to have a good life.
2. **Help others.** Studies have shown that helping others has a direct correlation to individual well-being. Taking time to care for others has been a staple of understanding "the good life" throughout time. Volunteering to help others has been connected to better quality of life, including increased happiness, self-esteem, health and even longevity.
Taking time to listen to another person's problems is a great way to help others. Many times, people who are struggling simply need to be able to share their situation with a friend. By taking the time to listen, you are helping whether you can solve their situation or not.
The Dalai Lama has said, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”Putting your attention on another person, rather than yourself, is a common practice of living well with others.
3. **Abandon the idea that life is fair.** Most of us are taught this as children, but the idea that there are guaranteed outcomes for particular efforts or personal qualities is a sure-fire way to live in disappointment and resentment. Let it go.
Taking responsibility for your own actions is an important discipline to develop. There may be many circumstances beyond your control, but focusing on these won't help you develop the ability to make changes in your own life that may benefit you. Accept the things you can't change; change what you can.
Letting go of resentments towards others is an essential part of the good life. It has been well-said that a resentment is "like taking poison, expecting the other person to die." Resentments erode the quality of your own life, damaging relationships with those around you.
Others may not always agree with you. This doesn't mean that you are wrong, or that the other person is wrong. It simply means that you have two different ideas on the same topic - and that's okay.
4. **Treat others with honesty, respect and kindness.** This is not contingent upon how others treat you. Financial journalist Panos Mourdoukoutas said, "Harming others claims two victims—the receiver of the harm, and the victimizer, the one who does harm."Taking revenge or "getting even" with another person opens an endless cycle of hurt and frustration that can easily be avoided simply by sticking to a few simple principles.
Telling the truth, judiciously, is a habit of people who have good lives. Many times, people try to pretend they're telling the truth about others when instead they're engaging in gossip. The attention you receive when you share gossip may feel good, for a short time. However, in the long run, gossip erodes healthy relationships between you and those around you.
Before you act, consider, "Is this something that I would want another person saying about me, or doing to me?" If not, reconsider your actions.
5. **Value your friendships with others.** The quality of a person's friendship has a direct impact upon their well-being. Friends can increase a sense of your sense of belonging and purpose. People who have your best interest at heart, will also help prevent you from developing bad habits that work against your overall quality of life.
Let friends and family know that you care about them by spending time with them, calling them regularly, and doing things together. Friendship doesn't rely upon proximity, however. Even friends cultivated online have a positive effect on one's quality of life.
People with stronger social networks have stronger immune systems, get fewer colds, report less stress, and have overall higher quality of life for reasons that aren't yet known.
6. **Practice honesty within yourself.** Self-knowledge is an important key towards making your life good, and the only way to acquire self-knowledge is to practice honesty. It may be easier for you to acknowledge your character strengths, or it may be easier for you to admit your character defects. Either way, it will be essential for you to understand both if you are to live well within yourself.
When something is going wrong, look to your part. Avoid shifting the blame to others. Other people won't like it, and you won't learn anything.
Talk to people you trust about your situation. Many times, a good friend will have insights into your motives that you yourself cannot discern.
7. **Examine your desires.** What do you want from your life? What are you doing to achieve what you want?
Make a list of qualities you would like to emulate in your life. Then, make a list of ways you can practice using these qualities in your daily life. Aristotle wrote, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not a virtue, but a habit." If you want to be a kind person, do kind things.
Learning to be honest about what you want is a difficult practice. Many people prevent themselves from having a good life by overemphasizing the things that they want but don't feel they can have because of other life circumstances - such as finances, family obligations, economic pressures, etc. This only perpetuates the myth that the person is a victim, a belief that is corrosive to happiness at all levels.
If you don't know the big things of what you want out of life, start with smaller choices. Developing a sense of control and power over what you have in your life is essential to having a good life.
8. **List your fears.** Knowing the situations that you're afraid of will allow you to better see how these fears are constraining your life in ways that may not be immediately apparent. For instance, a fear of being called stupid may mean that you're not speaking up for yourself in your workplace, thus not being considered for a promotion.
Seeing your fears in writing will sometimes help you realize how useless it is to worry about things that aren't within your control.
Sometimes a fear will be based in circumstances that are no longer present. Many people develop fears in childhood, when much was beyond their conscious control. But as an adult, the person has more autonomy and more power over their choices. By becoming more aware of the fears that drive your behavior, you can make more conscious decisions about the actions you take.
9. **Cultivate self-acceptance.** No one is perfect. We all have short-comings, we all make mistakes and do things we'd rather not do. Mark Twain said, "A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval." A good life isn't a result of making perfect choices, but of accepting the reality of who we are, including our limitations.
Self-acceptance is a discipline of honesty. It means that the person isn't denying their actions or inactions, or their consequences.
Self-acceptance is a practice of self-care. Much like any other expression of self-care, accepting yourself is a practice that must be consciously learned, and relearned as your characteristics change over time.
10. **Practice mindfulness.** To focus on the present, a practice sometimes called mindfulness, is a discipline that research studies have proven directly increase one's quality of life.
Notice when you are worried about the future, or regretting the past. Turn your attention to your breath. Count 10 breaths. Even as simple an exercise in mindfulness as this one can start to show positive effects in your life, when practiced over time.
Cultivate daily habits, rather than setting distant goals. For instance, include exercise every day, rather than deciding to complete a triathlon in a month's time. Rather than deciding to lose 20 pounds, make a decision to eat healthily today. If you do decide to set a goal, break it down into manageable daily decisions.
11. **Make a gratitude list.** Research in the field of positive psychology indicates a direct correlation between being thankful appreciation, or gratitude, and happiness. Increasingly, gratitude is shown to have a beneficial impact on physical health as well. People who practice gratitude have lower blood pressure, stronger immune systems, and feel more connected to others.
Making a list of things that you are grateful for, no matter how large or small, is one way that people actively cultivate gratitude in their daily lives. Some people keep a gratitude journal, following the old adage to "count your blessings." Others include a list of things that they're thankful for in daily prayers or meditations.
Posting photos, images, or written reminders of gratitude around your home is another way to remind yourself to be thankful.
12. **Send a thank-you note.** Positive psychology studies demonstrate that the act of expressing gratitude for other people's efforts has been directly linked to living a better life.
Thank you notes can be written for any occasion, large or small. A thank you note can be no larger than a emoji, or can be a written letter detailing a major event in one's life.
Sometimes people are no longer present in your life. A suggested practice of gratitude is to write a letter thanking them for their positive influence on your life. While you may never be able to mail this letter, the act of writing it will directly benefit you.
13. **Set reminders to be thankful.** Gratitude is a discipline, and must be practiced to be effective. Simply relying upon gratitude to arise spontaneously when events are pleasing is easy. To develop a practice of gratitude, one must develop the ability to find thankfulness in everyday affairs.
You might set an alarm to call you to be grateful at random intervals throughout your day. When the alarm goes off, simply ask yourself: what am I grateful for, right now, this moment?
If you notice that you're having a thought that is resentful or complaining, try replacing that thought with one of gratefulness. For example, when caught in a traffic jam, replace the anxiety about being late to your next engagement with an observation about the seasonal beauty. After all, you might have missed that beautiful fall tree color if you'd been driving at the normal speed! | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Life-Good", "language": "en"} |
How to Start a Revolution | To create a revolution, you need to unite people around a shared purpose. It’s possible to start a revolution, although it can take a lot of patience, organization, and passion. It will be more likely to succeed if you don’t wing it. A revolution (from the Latin revolutio, "a turnaround") is a significant change that usually occurs in a short period of time.
1. **Find a central theme around which to organize your revolution.** You need to find such a central truth, whatever the revolution you are seeking. Find a way, in a simple sentence, to articulate your cause as a theory. Find a common purpose, and define it. Create a clear and eloquent message. What does your revolution stand for? What does it want to accomplish and why? Create a simple and powerful message that you can push out consistently.
You will want a cause that connects to people’s deepest passions and their sense of right and wrong. Anchor this in what really matters and how it will create a better world.
2. **Identify a need for reform.** You can only build your case for change if you articulate why the present is broken. In addition to theory, you can do this by seizing on a specific need or concern that is backed up with data.
Essentially, you are trying to articulate the reasons that change is necessary. Perhaps you want to change a single institution, like a school. Target a need or concern that is high profile and compelling. To use the educational example, this might be a high drop-out rate.
Perhaps you want to change a government. If you can explain specifically how that government is letting people down – or endangering the environment or something specific like that – people will rally more to your cause.
3. **Create concrete goals.** It’s helpful for the revolution to know what it’s seeking to change. Legislation? A system of government itself? A simpler shaping of minds about a certain concept, like environmentalism?
Breaking down your goals into smaller changes can help the revolution make actual change faster. For example, you might wish you could eliminate poverty throughout the world, but helping some local families in poverty might be a better place to start. You will see effects immediately.
You will need an action plan. This should be a written and/or visual model that can include responsibilities, activities, and timelines. Don’t just wing it. Sit down and plan. Measure progress, and use data constantly.
4. **Come up with a plan to secure resources.** Perhaps you will need operational support. You will need people who are willing to donate money or time to the cause.
Having a funding backer could be useful. Access to raw materials can also help. You will need to fund basic costs that you might not think of on the front end, such as postage, printing, permit costs, and a website. Seek donations.
You need partners. People with resources (people, intellectual, financial or otherwise) who can join in and assist the organization. Don't try to do it yourself.
5. **Choose a leader and symbol.** Put a charismatic face on the revolution. Revolutions can take off when there is a charismatic face of the revolution to rally the masses. This can be someone already known or just a person who is particularly eloquent or who has standing on the issue. You need someone or something to represent your rebellion like a symbol. For example: Katniss is the Mockingjay.
The leader can be the person with the original idea, or just a person who is courageous enough to take the heat. Choose a spokesperson who is articulate and good on camera. Build rapport with TV and newspaper reporters to get your message out.
There are some who advocate making all decisions by group and staying anonymous with no clear leadership, so leaders can’t be targeted or jailed by the opposition. Remember, though, that having a charismatic leader can be another strategy, and if that leader is targeted and jailed it can, in some circumstances, rally the masses to the cause (as in the case of Martin Luther King Jr.)
6. **Recruit activists.** You need the people who will organize and lead the movement. These people must be committed and willing to work in the trenches and to devote their hearts and time to the cause. Motivate people to join because they believe in the cause. Give presentations at coffee houses or music stores or other places where you think receptive audiences congregate.
The organizational team will require people with different skills and techniques. They will know how to interact with the media and how to get the masses to turn out for a protest. The average people might relate more to people like them than a charismatic leader. If they see other people they know or relate to joining in, they will feel more comfortable doing so themselves.
You cannot create a revolution with a single person. You need to remember the ground game. Creating a revolution is a painstaking process that requires grassroots organization. Build support and consensus: Nothing is going to happen if the only rebels are you and your buddies.This is an important step and the setup for either a successful revolution or a small civilian rebellion flop.
7. **Build partnerships with other people and groups.** Seek supporters for your change. You will need people both inside and outside the institution or societal structure in question to have a better chance at achieving change. Don't succumb to the temptation of competition.
Identify these people, and then seek their support. Pick people who are influencers and can themselves reach more people. Pick a mixture of people with different strengths. Build alliances, and link with other partners and people who are already working on the same cause or one related to it.
To create change, you will need at least 15% of the population to create a shift. Bring new people on board your team. Don’t turn only to the people you know. Find people whose skills are needed.Try to reach out to groups that are already organized and have membership lists and ground operations (unions are an example).
8. **Recruit intellectuals.** It’s easier to start a revolution if its causes are supported by intellectuals. This can mean professors, researchers, authors, artists, speakers, and opinion writers.
Intellectuals can help build the rationale for the revolution by articulating compelling theory. They can provide facts that will build the case. Many revolutions ignite with a deeper seminal work, such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter to Birmingham. King wrote this letter while in jail in response to a public statement issued by eight white southern religious leaders. It became a central document of the civil rights movement that defused the opposition and rallied support.
The intellectuals can also help create a coherent and clear vision that will excite the masses about what the future can hold. Intellectuals can articulate what the new world or system will look like.
9. **Turn to scientists.** Polemics matters, but grounding the movement in science and data can be particularly effective.
Consider the global warming debate and how important science is to environmental movements as they seek to make their case.
Ground the movement’s cause in scholarly research that is respected in its field, including from those who are not directly involved in the movement. It will be much harder for the opposition to refute the movement’s arguments.
10. **Remember the power of art and music.** The rationale for a revolution can come from all artistic realms and areas of pop culture. You don’t only have to focus on the written word.
Spoken word, poetry, music, and art – including public art – can advance your message and cause more effectively sometimes.
Some art can be lasting. Consider a mural painted in a community. Music has the ability to influence minds all over the world.Try to humanize the movement. Make people care by telling the stories of real people whom the masses will identify with and care about.
11. **Embrace all of the potentials of the new media.** You can also start a revolution through the quality of your own ideas. The Internet has given anyone the ability to publish and reach the masses.
Create a blog. Install WordPress or another blogging service. Write a blog, and push it out to the masses. In it, create the intellectual foundation for why change is needed, and explain how change will look and what it would mean for your audience.
Consider other formats as well. You might want to create a documentary. This can educate and motivate an audience. Don’t forget the power of shorter video. A You Tube series could help. Don’t have a one-prong media strategy. Use old and new media. Use the written word and multimedia like video. Use social media and blogs, but plant your message in traditional newspapers and magazines. Push your message out through multiple formats and mechanisms.
12. **Use social media to organize.** Remember to harness the power of social media. Social media is a great way to get your messages in front of a lot of people.
You can use social media to build attendance and events and to reach a targeted audience.
Remember not to only have a social media strategy. Revolutions are more successful when they organize both off and on the computer screen. Build support by handing out flyers and pamphlets, by word of mouth and advertisements and through today’s technology.
13. **Frame the debate.** You can do this by choosing your words carefully. Choose your model of morality. In America, this is sometimes divided into “nurturant parent” or “strict father.”
Consider how words like “freedom” create emotional response.Anchor your words to people’s needs and your overall mission.
Persuade through a mixture of pathos (emotional appeal), logos (appeal to reason), and ethos (ethical appeal). Build your case with logical reasoning and fact while adding in an emotional element.
Demonstrate the popularity of the movement to the people in power, legislature, and military. The greater the popularity among society, the more the likelihood of violent repression is reduced.
14. **Expect that people will react different ways to change.** Researchers have found five stages in the process of change.
The first phase is called “uninformed optimism,” and it’s the honeymoon phase of the project. There will be energy and enthusiasm at this point. However, problems will then crop up and “informed pessimism” results. Some change efforts may be abandoned.
In order to continue with the movement, you will need hopeful realism, the third stage. This sets in when efforts succeed even though there were some problems. Informed optimism is when confidence comes back because things are still progressing. Finally, rewarding completion develops when you can show concrete results, and communicate them.
15. **Take Action.** This is the most important step because the revolution dies without it. You must take action whether it is a nonviolent protest or a sit-in or a boycott.
Your leader must motivate the support and dutifully work day and night to improve your revolution. But at some point, you need to do something, not just write about it or talk about it.
The power in place will defend itself, for that is the nature of power. Illegitimate "governments" are not happy about a rebellion from their people and will do anything to crush resistance. Remember, your goal is the heart of your operation, your consensus is the mind of the revolution, and the actions you and your support take are the hands of your revolution.
16. **Work from within.** Gain decision-making positions in key institutions. Some of those who have studied revolutions, like Saul Alinsky, have argued that revolutions are slow and require patience.
Penetrate institutions that have power in society. Some of those can be churches, unions, and political parties. Gain influence within the decision-making ranks.
Once in power, use the new platform to create change within the system. Adapt and be flexible. Revolutionary movements must be adaptable to shifting political circumstances. Resilience can be important.
17. **Find a target.** You will need a foil to define your movement. Choose a target and then personalize it. Then polarize it. Do not choose violence. In one research study, it was found that non-violent resistance campaigns are twice as likely to succeed.
Freeze the target by centering on the target, whether it’s an institution or a specific leader. Match your strong points against your enemy’s weak points. That’s according to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Perhaps the opponent has a stronger military, but you are cooler.
Don’t ever cause harm to anyone else. However, you can create an eloquent case for change by focusing on the words and actions of a single target institution, group, or person.
18. **Study past revolutions.** You can create a revolution that is modeled on some of the principles that worked before. History is replete with revolutions that succeeded. The American Revolution. The French Revolution. The Civil Rights Movement.
Revolutions often start by disorganizing the old or established organizations in society. Disorganize them by challenging their foundations and principles. Revolutions have happened throughout human history and vary widely in terms of methods, duration, motivating ideology, and the number of participating revolutionaries. Their results include major changes in culture, economy, and socio-political institutions.
Once the old is disorganized, the new is able to better organize. Determine your tactics. Remember that power is what the enemy thinks you have. Keep the pressure on. Use ridicule. Hold the enemy to its own stated rules. Switch tactics because tactics can lose effectiveness if they drag on.
19. **Try civil disobedience.** Sometimes people decide that political channels are not working so they take to the streets in a show of people power.
For example, people have protested chemical factories in China and mining issues in Washington D.C. They have taken to the streets to protest what they see as police abuse.
You can try to work within the system but when that’s not working, you can work outside of it, but in a visible way – a hunger strike, a mass protest.
20. **Plan the protest.** Research the rules of public spaces. Pick the time wisely (probably on a Friday so people are available to go.)
Pick a spot that is in an area of public interest, pick a local political issue to activate people, and find a public space that can hold a lot of foot traffic. Research permit requirements and local laws and stay within them.
Make sure decisions are made by groups, and make booths or art in order to generate messages from the scene. Consider offering free services to show what society is taking away (like library books). Follow the law. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Revolution", "language": "en"} |
How to Lower Swimming Pool pH | Maintaining a pH level between 7.2 and 7.8 in your pool will help you prevent skin and eye irritation to swimmers, keep the water clean, and prevent costly damage to your pool and fixtures. If the pH is running a little high, our guide has the tips you need to bring it back down to a safe level.
1. **Get a DPD test kit.** While there are many types of kits on the market for testing pool pH (including digital testers and litmus test strips), DPD test kits are among the most accurate. They are also very affordable compared to digital test kits. DPD test kits are available at most department and home supply stores. DPD kits contain a variety of chemicals that change color when mixed with pool water. These chemicals test different pool water qualities, such as pH, total alkalinity, chlorine and bromine levels, and water hardness.
Different DPD kits come in different forms. For example, some use liquid reagents, while others use solid tablets.
Liquid and tablet test kits are similar in their level of accuracy, but tablets may be easier to use because they do not require precise measurements of liquid reagents.
While litmus strip kits are easier to use than DPD kits, DPD kits are more accurate when used correctly.
Digital test kits have no obvious mechanism for indicating when test results are inaccurate (e.g., colors that do not match the test chart), so their results can be misleading. Many Digital pH testers do however allow them to be calibrated. If you do use a digital tester, get into the habit of double checking results from time to time with drop based reagents.
2. **Follow the directions on your test kit.** To use a DPD test kit, you will be mixing different chemical reagents with samples of pool water. These chemicals change color when added to pool water, and you must consult the color chart to interpret the results.
Read the directions closely to make sure you are using the test kit correctly and that you know how to interpret the results.
Make sure you are using the correct reagent to test pH levels. Most kits use Phenol Red for this purpose.
3. **Watch out for false or problematic results.** Most pool pH testers appear more yellow at low pH levels(Below 6.8), and redder at high pH (Above 8.2) levels. However, if your pool water contains very high levels of chlorine(Above 10ppm Chlorine) or bromine, this may interfere with the test and cause it to give unusual results, e.g., turning purple. Very low alkalinity in your pool may also cause the test to give incorrect results. To minimize these problems, test your pool’s chlorine, bromine, and total alkalinity levels before testing pH.
Test kits can also give incorrect results if the reagents are stored improperly (e.g., in humid areas or extreme temperatures), or become cross-contaminated due to careless handling.
4. **Test your pool water at least twice a week.** Most pool experts recommend testing your pool 2-3 times a week, particularly during the summer, when the pool is used more frequently. The CDC recommends testing twice a day or even more often at times when your pool is being used every day or by many people throughout the day.
Pool pH needs to be checked more frequently when the pool is getting a lot of use, because anything that gets into the pool water (including natural oils from swimmers’ hair and bodies, traces of sunscreen and other body care products, or dirt that gets tracked into the pool) will affect the water’s chemical makeup.
5. **Purchase muriatic acid formulated for pool use.** Muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid, is a corrosive chemical with a variety of household uses. To ensure that you are getting the right concentration of muriatic acid for use in a pool, purchase a product that is marketed as a pool chemical. Most home and pool supply stores carry muriatic acid for swimming pools.
6. **Read the label instructions carefully.** Different products are sold in varying concentrations and forms. Some muriatic acid pH reducers are sold as pre-mixed liquid solutions, while others come in granular form. Read all safety precautions and make sure you understand exactly how to use your specific product before you add it to the pool.
Some forms of muriatic acid can be added directly to the pool, while others may need to be diluted in a bucket of water before use.
7. **Take proper safety precautions.** Even diluted muriatic acid can burn your skin and eyes. It can also irritate your nose, throat and lungs if you inhale the fumes. Before you work with muriatic acid, put on rubber gloves, and wear clothes that cover your arms, legs, and feet. Wear a respirator mask and safety goggles. Always work with the acid in a well-ventilated area.
If you get muriatic acid in your eyes, immediately flush them with fresh, cold water for at least 15 minutes, then seek medical attention.
If you get the acid on your skin, rinse your skin with fresh, cold water for at least 15 minutes, and remove any clothing that might have gotten acid on it. When you are done, seek medical attention.
Get medical attention immediately if you swallow any of the acid or inhale the fumes.
8. **Determine how much acid to add.** Check the instructions on the muriatic acid product label to find out how much acid to add based on the size of your pool and the current pH of your pool water. Try adding about ¾ of the recommended amount to prevent lowering the pH of your pool too much.
You can also estimate how much acid to add by using an online pool calculator like this one: http://poolcalculator.com/.
9. **Pour the acid into your pool over a return jet.** With the return jet running and the vent facing down, slowly and carefully pour the required amount of acid into the water directly over the jet. The return flow will distribute the acid evenly throughout the pool.
Hold your container close to the water as you pour in order to minimize splashing.
Be careful not to let the acid run over any pool fixtures or directly contact the wall of the pool.
10. **Test the pool’s pH again after 4 hours.** Once the muriatic acid has had time to circulate, test the pH level again. If it’s still too high, repeat the procedure, using the recommended amount of acid for the new current pH level.
11. **Wait at least 4 hours since the last application of acid before swimming.** The acid should have plenty of time to become evenly distributed in the water before anyone gets into the pool. Otherwise, you run the risk of encountering “pockets” of concentrated acid in the water. Keep the pump on and the jets running while you are waiting for the acid to work its way through the water.
12. **Buy sodium bisulfate or “dry acid” for the pool.** Sodium bisulfate is an acid that is sold in granular or powdered form. It has the advantage of being a bit safer and gentler than muriatic acid. Sodium bisulfate for pools is available at most home and pool supply stores.
13. **Follow the instructions on the package.** Different manufacturers may provide different instructions for use. In some cases, it may be necessary to dissolve the sodium bisulfate in water before adding it to the pool, while other products may be added directly to the pool water in powdered form.
14. **Determine how much sodium bisulfate to add.** Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to figure out the correct amount of sodium bisulfate based on your pool’s size and the current pH of your water. You may wish to use ¾ of the recommended amount in order to avoid lowering the pH of your pool too much.
You can also use a pool calculator, such as this one: http://poolcalculator.com/.
15. **Use safety precautions.** Sodium bisulfate is relatively gentle, but it can still cause serious burns and irritation. Wear gloves and clothing that covers your skin, such as a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. Always work in a well-ventilated area. If you are concerned about the wind blowing acid granules into your face, wear protective goggles or a face shield.
If you get sodium bisulfate on your skin, wash thoroughly with soap and water. Go to the doctor if you experience skin irritation that doesn’t go away after washing.
If you get any sodium bisulfate in your eyes, rinse with cold water for at least 15 minutes and then get medical attention.
If you swallow any of the powder, rinse your mouth out with water and drink at least one tall glass of water. Seek medical attention immediately.
16. **Pour the dry acid into the pool over the return jets.** With the pump running and the jets on, slowly add the acid to the pool water directly over the return jets. Take care to keep the powder away from the skimmer.
Get close to the water when you pour, and take care not to let the wind blow any of the powder back onto you.
17. **Wait a few hours and re-test your pool’s pH.** Give the acid at least 4 hours to circulate, then test again. Since sodium bisulfate can also decrease your pool’s total alkalinity, it is important to test that as well and make sure it is still within an acceptable range. Make any necessary adjustments based on the results of the test.
Don’t wait longer than 24 hours after adding the dry acid before re-testing your pool’s pH levels.
18. **Add an alkalinity booster, if necessary.** If your pool’s total alkalinity level is too low after adding sodium bisulfate, raise it by adding an alkalinity increaser, such as baking soda or sodium sesquicarbonate, to the water. Alkalinity boosters for pool use are available in most pool and home supply stores.
Soda ash can also raise your pool’s alkalinity, but may cause the water’s pH to become too high again.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to determine how much of any alkalinity booster to add to your pool based on the size of the pool and the current alkalinity level. If you are using plain baking soda, you can use a pool calculator, like this one: http://poolcalculator.com/.
19. **Wait at least 4 hours before swimming.** Although sodium bisulfate is relatively gentle, it can still irritate your skin and eyes. Give the acid plenty of time to dissolve and circulate throughout the pool before you jump in.
20. **Purchase a CO2 system for safer pH control.** Carbon dioxide, or CO2, can safely and effectively lower and stabilize your pool’s pH. A variety of CO2 systems for pools are available, some of which can automatically analyze your pool’s pH and adjust their output accordingly. These devices are available through specialty pool and spa supply stores.
Some CO2 systems are fully automated, while others have to be controlled manually. Consult a specialist at a pool supply store to determine what type of CO2 system is best for your pool.
These systems can be expensive, ranging in price from $300-$10,000 USD. However, a CO2 system may ultimately save you money, since it minimizes the need for frequent pH and chlorine adjustments.
21. **Have a professional install your system.** Unless you have a lot of experience installing pool equipment, it is probably best to have a pool technician install the CO2 system for you. Consider consulting a professional before you purchase a CO2 system, so that they can help you determine whether the system is a good fit for your pool.
22. **Avoid using a CO2 system if your water is hard or high in total alkalinity.** Since CO2 can raise your pool’s total alkalinity, it is best not to use a CO2 system if your water already has a high total alkalinity (i.e., if water tests reveal it is over 125 ppm). CO2 is also less effective at lowering pH if your water is hard. Consult a pool technician to determine if your water conditions are right for a CO2 system. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Lower-Swimming-Pool-pH", "language": "en"} |
How to Follow Dr. Atkins' Diet | The types of food that you eat affect your weight. That's why certain diets, like the Atkins Diet, may help some individuals to lose weight. Follow the four phases of Dr. Atkins' diet carefully, as outlined in this article, to potentially lose a significant amount of weight.
1. **Prepare for the Atkins diet** The Atkins diet will require major lifestyle changes for most people. Try to make the transition as easy as possible.
Set a healthy weight goal and acquire the right equipment.
Use tools like a food journal and a carbohydrate counting guide.
Talk to your doctor before starting the Atkins diet.
2. **Understand the diet.** The Atkins diet can be simple, however, it is unique. Learning about each phase of the diet will help you understand what to expect. This is the basic overview of the four phases:
Induction. Elimination of carbs and the start of the diet. Realize that this will be the hardest part of the diet. This is where carbohydrate withdrawals can and will happen. Pay attention to your body and remember that these symptoms will pass.
Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL). Slow introduction of carbs while still losing weight.
Pre-Maintenance. Weight loss is slowed and you prepare to sustain the diet.
Maintenance. After you have met your final goal, keep the weight off.
3. **Learn about the benefits and risks.** Like any diet, the Atkins diet can beneficial to your health. However, it may also have some risks associated with its methods. Review the following list of benefits and Risks:
Benefits
Weight loss
Improved cardiovascular health
Improved cholesterol
Risks
Headache
Dizziness
Weakness
Fatigue
Constipation
Pains or weakness in the calves and legs, especially when you lay down to sleep at night
Elevated uric acid
Gout
Heart arrhythmia if you have low glucose and go into ketosis
These look serious but they're mainly due to carbohydrate depletion and lack of fiber. The body will maintain balance shortly. In the interim, try a fiber supplement to alleviate constipation and a B12 vitamin supplement for fatigue.
4. **Count carbs on the Atkins diet.** Atkins focuses not on total daily carbohydrates, but daily net carbohydrates. Learn how to count net carbs by subtracting dietary fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrate count.
Find the number of total carbohydrates in a food on the food’s nutrition label.
Find the quantity of dietary fiber in the food
Subtract the amount of dietary fiber from the amount of total carbohydrates.
Look for sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols do not count against your net carb total.
Use a carbohydrate-counting guide for further help.
5. **Pick Atkins diet products and approved foods** Atkins International produces a variety of low-carb shakes and protein bars. Learn how to read the labels to determine the right products. Try some of the following foods that are approved by the Atkins diet.
Vegetables low in carbohydrates - these are the foundation of the Atkins diet
All fish.
All fowl.
Meat and Eggs
Fats and Oils, but avoid saturated fats or processed meats since they increase your risk of cardiovascular disease
6. **Understand what the Induction phase entails.** The Induction phase is designed to kick-start the Atkins diet by putting the body into a state of ketosis, which metabolizes stored fat. Some people lose as much as 15 pounds (6.8 kg) in 2 weeks, but only if they have an extreme amount of weight to lose, usually 100 pounds or more. It is normal to lose 4 to 6 pounds on Induction.
Ketosis occurs when your body has no sugar-based energy and uses fat instead.
Ketosis has some side effects such as nausea, headache, mental fatigue, and bad breath. Not everyone enters Ketosis.
It is not uncommon to get sick during any dietary changes, especially if you have been eating unhealthy foods for some time. Remember to hydrate your body, take your vitamins, and get adequate sleep.
7. **Focus on eating healthy carbs from vegetables as well as fat and protein during this phase.** After removing unhealthy carbs, replace them with vegetables and some proteins and fats. Atkins is a diet based on VEGETABLES, unlike any other diet out there. Eating more healthy carbs from vegetables will bring nutrition to your body and still let you lose weight. Try to eat the following foods to obtain these fats and proteins:
You can eat chicken, red meat, fish, and eggs, including egg yolks.
Aim for at least 4 ounces (113 g) of protein at each meal.
You may enjoy fats including olive oil and mayonnaise during this phase.
Consume more mono and polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated fats and trans fats.
Avoid processed meats, as they may be cured with sugar and count as carbs.
8. **Limit carbohydrates.** The main focus of Atkins is to eat healthy carbs from vegetables. Strive to get 12-15 grams of healthy carbs from vegetables like leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, and others listed on the Atkins Phase 1 (Induction) List here: https://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/atkins-20/phase-1/low-carb-foods. Keep the amount of other carbohydrates that you eat every day as low as possible. This will help you to lose weight at this stage of the diet.
Consume 20 grams of carbohydrates or fewer during this phase. 12-15 grams should come from healthy vegetables. Remember, Atkins is a VEGETABLE-based diet. No other diet puts such an important emphasis on healthy veggies!
Avoid fruits and grains such as bread and pasta during Induction.
Make sure that 12 to 15 grams of your daily carbohydrates come from foundation vegetables.
Foundation vegetables are vegetables with next to no carbohydrates. Examples include pickles, spinach, broccoli, sauerkraut, avocado, Daikon radish, red or white onion, and zucchini.
9. **Eat often.** Eat at least once every 2-3 hours when you are awake. You can choose to eat five to six smaller meals to jump-start your metabolism. Eating only 3 times per day will not yield as good results for most people, though it will still work.
When you do eat, make sure to only eat until you feel full.
Do not overindulge.
10. **Snack during the Induction phase of Atkins** Eat at least one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon snack to help conquer cravings and to help maintain energy levels. Keeping energy levels up is important.
Choose snacks that are high in fat and protein. Fat and protein help to maintain blood sugar and extend satiety. This is critical during any weight loss program, but especially in one where carbohydrates are limited.
Make sure your snacks have minimal carbohydrates.
Don't be afraid to make changes to how you were snacking before.
Try snacks such as vegetables with hummus, a deviled egg, or even beef jerky.
11. **Monitor water intake.** Drink 64 fluid ounces (1.9 L) of water daily during your low-carbohydrate diet. In addition, drink 2 cups of broth or eat 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to help your body retain sodium and potassium.
12. **Survive the first ten days of an Atkins diet** Surviving the big changes of the first days of Atkins may require support. Preparation for certain physical challenges, like lagging energy and dizziness, is also important.
Watch your food budget to accommodate for more vegetables, protein, and other whole foods.
Keep your meals interesting by trying new foods that fit with the Atkins diet.
13. **Avoid the pit-falls of the Atkins diet.** Certain uncomfortable physiological symptoms and potential nutritional deficiencies can be avoided by taking a few precautionary measures while you’re on the Atkins diet.
Avoid staying on Induction for more than 2-4 weeks. Some people try to stay on Induction for months or even a year or more, and this is VERY unhealthy for your body. In fact, it is NOT recommended by Atkins nor anyone at Atkins. If you are on Induction for longer than a month, you are no longer doing Atkins. Atkins insists on moving forward and adding more healthy carbs back to your diet.
Drink plenty of water.
Take supplements such as vitamins and minerals.
Get plenty of rest.
Eat plenty of fiber
14. **Determine whether you’re ready to move on to the next phase.** Monitor your weight and pay attention to exactly how much you have lost. Weight loss is NEVER the only gauge to tell if it's time to move on to the next phase of the Atkins diet. Remember to take measurements, check how your clothes fit, and if you have been on Induction for a month, move on to the next phase.
There is NO minimum weight loss to reach before moving on to step 2.
Stay in Phase 1 for NO MORE than 4 weeks.
You should NEVER stay on Inductions for 6 months or more. That is NOT Atkins. Anyone who states that you "should" lose a certain amount of weight like 15 pounds or that you should stay on Induction for 6 months or a year is NOT doing Atkins. They are advocating a dangerous and unhealthy diet. Please consult Colette Heimowitz, the nutritional expert at Atkins for more information.
15. **Understand Phase 2.** You should continue to lose weight during Phase 2, but the weight loss may occur at a slower pace than it did during Phase 1. During Phase 2, add 5 grams to your daily carbohydrate total each week as long as you continue to lose weight.
16. **Begin to add foods back into your diet.** The critical rule is to not exceed your maximum number of allowed daily carbohydrates. You can add the following foods at this point:
Nuts
Fruits
Soft cheeses
17. **Add more carbohydrates.** Boost the number of carbohydrates that you eat based on your body’s reaction. If you stop losing weight after eating 30 grams of carbohydrates daily, then you should scale back to 25 grams. You may, however, eat as much as 50 grams as long as you continue to lose weight.
Adjust your carbohydrate intake according to weight loss or gain.
If weight gain occurs, lower the level of carbohydrate intake.
18. **Combat constipation on Atkins** Diets low in carbohydrates tend to be low in fiber, which will contribute to constipation. However, you can combat these symptoms by taking the following actions:
Drinking plenty of water.
Eating foods containing healthy carbs and fiber, like vegetables.
Take a fiber supplement or a probiotic.
While Atkins does not require you to exercise, it does encourage it as you will not only have more regular bowel movements if you do engage in regular exercise, but there are tons of other health benefits of exercising. Exercising and lifting weights will also help you avoid baggy skin or other issues that can occur if you have a lot of weight to lose.
19. **Stick to the Atkins diet** You may encounter weight loss plateaus. Feeling like you are getting stuck on one of these plateaus can be demoralizing. However, most people define a "plateau" as not seeing the scale move for 2 or 3 days. An actual plateau means there is no loss in weight or inches for at least 2 weeks. You can encourage yourself through these tough moments by taking the following actions.
You can focus on the other benefits of the diet, such as lost inches and added energy.
Compare your blood tests from now to before you started Atkins. You should notice a positive change in your good cholesterol and a drop in your triglycerides.
It is important to note that plateaus are not always a bad thing. Plateaus can sometimes be the body's way of adjusting to the new body weight and creating a new 'normal.' Embrace plateaus!
20. **Balance sugar on the Atkins diet.** Calorie-free sugar substitutes can do wonders for baked goods and beverages.
Watch for hidden sugars by reading labels on your food.
Be careful with labels such as "No sugar added". This does not mean "No Sugar"
Try using sugar replacements such as Stevia or Splenda (in small amounts).
21. **Fight carbohydrate cravings on Atkins** Sometimes, cravings for carbohydrates are actually thirst in disguise. At other times, you may simply be craving the experience of eating or the habit of eating more than you are actually craving food. Learning to recognize your true hunger signals and how to strategically handle cravings will ensure that you are successful while following the Atkins diet.
Pay attention to your body's signals to see if you are actually experiencing hunger.
Plan your meals ahead of time if possible and eat every 2-3 hours. This should stave off severe hunger. As your metabolism speeds up and you become used to eating throughout the day, you may find yourself beginning to get hungry every 2-3 hours. This is natural. Just eat your healthy snack or meal and enjoy!
22. **Order Atkins-friendly meals at restaurants** You can still enjoy eating out even when you are on the Atkins diet. Most restaurants serve low-carb options and are willing to accommodate special requests. Atkins is one of the EASIEST diets to maintain when eating out.
Always order a salad or extra portions of vegetables at your meal. Restaurants will often replace the side carbohydrate (baked potato or rice) with a double portion of veggies.
Skip the bread basket. If the waiter brings one, just ask that it be removed from the table.
Be aware of what you are ordering, avoid any items high in carbohydrates.
If you aren't sure about an item, ask for more information.
23. **Balance vitamins and minerals on the Atkins diet** One of the main concerns of following a low-carb diet is that the lack of certain vegetables and fruits, particularly during Induction, can cause you to be deficient in vitamins. Also, low-carb diets tend to cause your body to shed sodium and potassium. Avoid these side-effects by taking the following actions:
Eat a large variety of foods and take supplements.
Taking sodium in the form of broth, soy sauce or salt can help maintain your sodium levels, but you usually only need 2 grams of salt each day.
24. **Know when to start Phase 3.** Phase 3 should begin when you are about 10 pounds (4.5 kg) from your goal weight. You will start adding carbohydrates back to your diet until your weight loss slows to a crawl.
25. **Add more carbohydrates to your diet.** Eat an additional 10 grams of daily carbohydrates per week. Watch the scale and pay attention to your cravings so that you know when you are eating too many carbohydrates. Opt for complex carbs, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, rather than simple carbs like processed foods and sugary snacks.
Weight gain indicates too many carbohydrates are being consumed.
Weight loss should slow greatly during this stage, but still be at a loss.
26. **Add foods one at a time.** If certain foods make you start to gain weight, then you will have to eliminate the foods from your diet. Watch the scale carefully for any fluctuation.
During diets such as these, you've unintentionally created an elimination diet-type environment for your body. This is a good thing! This means that your body has been rid of the foods/substances that had been plaguing it before. So, when adding foods back in, do them one at a time so you know how each food impacts your body.
27. **Eat a wider variety of carbohydrates.** In Pre-Maintenance, you can add starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, and whole grains like oatmeal back into your diet. Again, keep a close eye on your weight as you add more variety of carbohydrates.
28. **Understand phase 4.** During Phase 4, you will discover your Atkins carbohydrate equilibrium so that you can maintain a healthy weight throughout your life. Balance and careful attention to your carbohydrate levels are key in this stage, as well as paying special attention to how different foods affect your health and overall well-being.
29. **Focus on Maintenance as you begin Phase 4.** You do not "stop" the Atkins diet - it is a healthy plan that can be continued life-long. Continue to eat plenty of vegetables as well as fat and protein during the Maintenance phase of the low-carb diet even as you add more carbohydrates back to your diet. At this stage of the diet, Atkins is extremely similar to what is known as Clean Eating, a diet that has been used by body-builders and health and fitness proponents for decades. It is a very healthy lifestyle.
30. **Adjust the amount of carbohydrates that you eat.** You can add carbs to your diet as long as you don’t deviate from your goal weight. This helps you find your equilibrium number.
If you notice weight gain, scale back the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming.
31. **Give yourself more space in your diet.** You can enjoy the occasional slice of pizza or chocolate cake during Maintenance. Make sure the splurge happens only occasionally and you aren’t tempted to continually overindulge.
Overindulging will undo all of your hard work.
32. **Monitor your weight.** If you gain or lose more than 5 pounds (2.27 kg), then you need to lower or increase your carbohydrate intake to compensate.
Pay careful attention to your weight and the connection to the foods you are eating. Over time you will have a clear understanding of how different foods affect you and you will no longer have to measure or weigh food or monitor it as often.
33. **Learn how to add variations to your diet.** As long as you stick to the principles of low-carb, high protein, and fat eating, you can make some variations on the Atkins diet and still lose weight.
People say boredom causes more people to rebound from diets than anything else, but in the case of Atkins, it is actually a lack of following the diet appropriately. They feel so deprived during a diet that they binge when they get off of it. This has to be a lifestyle with small splurges in moderation. Staying on Induction for too long and not adding more foods and carbs back to your diet as prescribed in Atkins is NOT Atkins. It is a very unhealthy version of dieting and should be avoided. Following Atkins is very healthy and safe and will ward off boredom.
34. **Jump-start the Atkins diet** Dr. Atkins prepared a section in one of his earlier books about a technique called the Fat Fast, which is based on the Kekwick diet. This jump-start method is only for people who follow Induction to the letter and cannot lose weight because of metabolic resistance.
The vast majority of dieters should simply start with Induction.
35. **Use Dr.** Atkins' diet as a vegetarian or vegan. You can do Atkins as a vegetarian or vegan, though you'll need to start at Phase 2 with around 30 grams of healthy carbohydrates per day. This article will help you to identify good sources of protein and fat. You’ll also learn exactly how to get started with Atkins depending on your weight loss goals.
Choosing good vegetable proteins and fat sources will enable you to follow Atkins even if you don’t consume animal protein.
Many plant proteins contain carbs. This may cause you to skip the induction phase.
You can start with OWL or Pre-Maintenance and still meet your weight loss goals.
A restricted diet could lead to deficiencies in B12, vitamin D, and folic acid. Make sure you find enriched foods or take a multivitamin.
36. **Understand the Eco-Atkins diet for weight loss.** While no official guidelines for Eco-Atkins have been issued, there are still some guidelines to follow.
Eat 25 percent of your calories from carb-rich foods.
Eat 30 percent of calories from proteins.
Eat 45 percent of calories from vegetable fats.
37. **Modify the Atkins diet and still lose weight and inches** You can modify Atkins to match your own weight loss goals, regardless of the amount planned. The Atkins diet is modified by starting or maintaining a certain phase for differing periods of time.
For small weight loss goals, you may start with Pre-Maintenance or OWL.
For large weight loss goals start with Induction and move on to Phase 2 after 2-4 weeks.
38. **Begin the new Atkins Advantage 12-week program.** This article will teach you how to get started with Atkins Advantage. The new Atkins Advantage program can take you through a 12-week cycle of the Atkins diet starting with Induction and ending with Maintenance.
The new Atkins Advantage also includes exercise tips and journaling ideas to help your mental and emotional outlook. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Follow-Dr.-Atkins%27-Diet", "language": "en"} |
How to Dye Cashmere | A luxuriously soft fabric that is perfect for winter, cashmere is highly adaptable and simple to dye. As a sensitive wool fabric that can be at risk of felting, cashmere is best dyed by hand rather than dyed in the washing machine. So if you're planning a DIY makeover of your favorite cashmere sweater or you need to spruce up that old cashmere rug, try dyeing your cashmere in a hand-dye immersion bath. With a little preparation, you will soon have a brand new cashmere!
1. **Wash the cashmere item in soapy water.** To remove dirt or stains, hand wash the cashmere in cold water (ideally using baby shampoo), or as per the manufacturers’ instructions. An unclean garment could prevent the dye from spreading evenly, so it is important to clean your fabric before dyeing.
To find the manufacturers’ instructions, look for a care tag or label on the inside of your cashmere item.
Do not dry the cashmere after washing: for dyeing, it is best if the garment is already damp.
2. **Choose your desired color fabric dye.** Some fabric dye colors, such as blue and green, will be darker and stronger on cashmere than lighter dyes. Think about the current color of your cashmere and how it will affect the final shade. For instance, if you dye a blue garment with red dye, then the result will probably be purple.
In some cases, you will need to choose two different dyes to result in the color you desire. If you have a blue cashmere that you want dyed brown, for example, you will need to combine red and yellow dyes.
If you wish to color your cashmere a lighter color than it currently is, you will need to use a commercial color remover before you dye it. Read the color remover's instructions to ensure the remover is safe to be used on cashmere, as cashmere is a sensitive wool.
3. **Buy your chosen fabric dye from a craft or general store.** Fabric dye can be purchased online, from specialized craft and art stores, and from some general and supermarket stores. If you are particularly creative, you can also dye your cashmere with homemade natural dyes, such as spinach or beetroot.
Commercial dye brands you could choose include RIT dye, DYLON dye and Procion MX dyes.
4. **Wear rubber gloves and old clothes.** Before you start dissolving the dye, put on rubber or disposable gloves. Fabric dye can stain your skin and cause irritation, so it is important to wear skin protection while preparing the bath and dyeing your cashmere.
5. **Conduct a fabric dye test before dyeing your cashmere.** If possible, test your dye (or color remover) on a small piece of cashmere to see what the effect of the dye will be. You can do this by cutting a tiny piece of cashmere from an inner seam, then dyeing it in a small dish filled with cold water and dissolved dye.
Let the dye soak into the sample for at least 30 minutes, as this will be roughly the amount of time you will use to dye your cashmere item.
6. **Protect the surrounding area by placing an old towel or tarpaulin beneath your work area.** Dye can spread and stain quickly, so it is important to protect anything in the vicinity of your container (or sink) that you do not want to be dyed.
7. **Prepare the dye bath by dissolving the dye in your chosen container.** Choose a sink or container large enough to fit your cashmere item. Read the dye's instructions to understand the ratio of dye to water you will need (this will depend on how large your container or sink is and the weight of the cashmere you are dyeing). As a general measurement for a 1 pound cashmere item, use 2 tablespoons of dye per every 3 gallons of water, but double this amount if you are wanting a darker color. Dissolve the required amount of dye in lukewarm or cold water to create your dye immersion bath.
Remember to check the cashmere’s care label to know how warm the water should be, as most cashmere garments are sensitive to warm temperatures. If possible, cold water dyeing is best for cashmere.
If you are using a powdered dye, dissolve the dye in 2 cups of hot water before adding it to your dye bath.
Make sure the dye is 100 percent dissolved before you move on to adding the cashmere.
8. **Immerse your cashmere in the dye bath.** Lower your cashmere item into the dye bath, ensuring that the cashmere is completely covered in the water, but is still able to move freely.
9. **Stir the dye bath for 30 minutes with a long-handled spoon.** Stir your cashmere while it soaks in the dye bath, for at least 30 minutes. The gentle stirring agitation of the water allows the dye to infuse the cashmere evenly.
It is important to keep the fabric moving, so use a long spoon to keep stirring and redistributing the water.
When stirring the fabric, be careful not to twist or wring it. Cashmere is pliable when wet and it can be pulled out of shape if twisted.
10. **Check the color after 30 minutes.** Remove the cashmere item by gently lifting the item out of the container, taking care not to drip the color anywhere outside of the container or tarpaulin. If the dye seems too light, lower the cashmere back into the dye and check it every 5 minutes until the cashmere turns your desired color.
To lift your cashmere, lump it into a ball and move it upwards. Try not to pick the garment up by the shoulders, as this will cause stretching.
Remember that wet cashmere looks darker than it does when dried.
11. **Rinse the cashmere in cold water until the water runs clear.** If you are using a sink, drain the dye bath water and refill the sink with fresh water in order to rinse the cashmere clean.
If you have been using warm or lukewarm water to dye your cashmere, continue to use the same temperature water to rinse the item. If you suddenly change the temperature, the cashmere may shrink.
12. **Squeeze the water out of the cashmere.** Being careful not to twist or wring the cashmere, remove as much water as possible. It may help to dry the cashmere with an old dark towel: using the towel to absorb the excess water, roll the cashmere and towel together while pressing down gently. .
13. **Dry the cashmere by lying it on a flat, clean surface.** Lie the cashmere on a moisture-resistant surface, such as a drying rack. This will allow the air to circulate.
Let the cashmere dry at room temperature, avoiding heat and sunlight.
14. **Shape the cashmere back to its original size.** Gently coax the cashmere item back into its original shape, being careful not to stretch the fabric. By lying the damp cashmere on a flat surface, you can square the edges of the fabric, fasten buttons, fold the collar, and ensure that the ribbing at the neckline, wrists and waist are pushed together.
Try to avoid tugging or pulling the cashmere by patting the wool back into shape.
If the cashmere item has an attached belt, place the belt away from the cashmere on each side. For removable belts, dry the belt separately.
15. **Use bleach or cleaning products to remove the dye from the container.** To clean your sink or container, use bleach or an appropriate household cleaning spray to remove the dye remnants. This will ensure that you do not accidentally dye the next item you clean in the sink.
When using chemical cleaning items, ensure you wear gloves.
16. **Store your dried dyed cashmere after 24 hours.** Once the cashmere is fully dried, you can store the item by gently folding it and storing it in a dry, dark place.
If you do not plan to wear or use your cashmere for an extended time, place the cashmere inside a dust bag or sealable container to protect it from moths. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Dye-Cashmere", "language": "en"} |
How to Report Elder Abuse in California | Elderly abuse is a widespread problem, so if you suspect someone you know is being abused, it's important that you report it. In California, you can call the police department, Adult Protective Services, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman to report abuse. If you work with the elderly, it's also important to learn the signs of abuse.
1. **Call 911.** The first step to helping an elderly person is to get them the medical they need. If the person is malnourished, dehydrated, or incoherent, for instance, call emergency services so that the hospital can assess the elderly person.
2. **Talk to the police.** If you don't need to call 911 right away, it's still a good idea to make a report with the police. Call your local non-emergency number to report the abuse. You can ask if they have an elderly abuse unit, as many police departments do. The police will likely come out and check on the situation, as elderly abuse is a crime.
3. **Find the Adult Protective Services (APS) number for your county.** Elderly abuse is generally reported by county, so you'll need to find the appropriate number for APS in your county.
4. **Report long-term care facilities to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman.** When reporting a long-term care facility, you also need to make an additional call to the Ombudsman, who investigates claims of abuse in facilities. The crisis number is (800) 231-4024, and it is open 24 hours.
You can also find a local number at this website: https://www.aging.ca.gov/programs/ltcop/Contacts/
5. **Contact the appropriate department for specific facilities.** For state mental hospitals and state developmental centers, you need to contact that state department. These departments have jurisdiction over investigations within these facilities.
Contact the California Department of State Hospitals at (916) 654-2327 for mental hospitals. This number is for human rights. For other numbers, visit http://www.dsh.ca.gov/About_Us/Contact_Us.aspx.
Call the California Department of Developmental Services for developmental centers at (916) 654-1690, which is their general number. You can find other contact information at http://www.dds.ca.gov/Contacts/Home.cfm.
6. **Know who is responsible for reporting.** You must report abuse if you are a clergy member, a medical professional, or a professional caretaker. You also must report abuse if you are responsible for the care of an elderly person outside of professional care, such as if you are caring for a loved one.
If you fall in these categories and you don't report abuse, you can be convicted of a crime.
7. **Look for signs of physical abuse.** Physical abuse includes physical or sexual assault. It also includes physical restraint without cause. Withholding of food or water also falls into this category. While accidents do happen, reoccurring injuries can be a sign of abuse.
Physical evidence of abuse can include things like bruises, burns, or other injuries that do not have a good explanation.
8. **Check for signs of neglect.** While neglect may not leave the person with bruises, the effects can be just as devastating. Neglect includes not giving the person appropriate food, water, and shelter, as well as not helping with hygiene or medical needs. Neglect can also mean not protecting the person from danger.
Signs of neglect include poor hygiene, dirty clothes, a matted scalp, undernourishment, dehydration, and uncontrolled medical conditions.
9. **Notice signs of emotional abuse.** Emotional abuse is when the person is under emotional duress because of things the caregiver is doing. It can be threats, intimidation, cursing, or even not providing appropriate emotional support. Isolation is also a form of emotional abuse.
Signs of emotional abuse include the person withdrawing, appearing frightened, becoming depressed, or not wanting to talk about their condition.
10. **Pay attention to financial abuse.** Another form of abuse is connected to finances. Many people take advantage of the elderly, as they are often not cognizant enough to realize what is happening.
Signs of financial abuse include a drain on the person's accounts, items going missing around the house, signatures on checks that don't match the person's signature, and signed checks when the person isn't capable of signing a check.
In general, you have to be somewhat aware of the person's finances to recognize warning signs. However, you may also notice the person doesn't have things they need, such as basic care items. Also, a new person may have befriended the senior and offered to take over their finances. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Report-Elder-Abuse-in-California", "language": "en"} |
How to Clean a Range Hood Filter | The range hood filter is located in the area over your stove. Its main purpose is to clean the air by preventing the accumulation of grease and food particles. Many people do not realize that these filters need to be cleaned regularly to prevent harmful air pollutants in the home. You can easily clean your filter by soaking them in soap and baking soda or scrubbing them with dishwasher detergent. Whichever method you use, make sure you clean them on a monthly basis to get rid of any buildup that accumulates in the filter.
1. **Remove the filter from the hood.** The method for detaching the hood range filter may be different depending on the type and model, but they are all fairly simple. Some are attached with screws, while others have a simple latch mechanism that you need to press and lift to remove. Certain filters have a fastener that you can rotate in and out of position. Figure out how your filter is attached, and remove it prior to cleaning.
If there is a plastic casing that covers your filter, you'll need to remove that first using a screwdriver before you remove the filter.
2. **Fill your sink with hot or boiling water.** Make sure you use a sink stopper so the water doesn't go down the drain. Use hot water only, making sure it gets as hot as possible. Fill the sink up about ¾ of the way.
If your tap water doesn't get hot enough, boil water in a tea kettle or pot and then pour it in the sink.
3. **Pour 1/4 cup (60 g) of baking soda and a squirt of dish soap into the sink.** Measure about 1/4 cup (60 g) of baking soda and pour it in. Then, add about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of degreasing dish soap. Mix the ingredients together until the water is soapy.
Use a brush to mix the baking soda mixture, especially if you used boiling water, to avoid burning your hands.
Add ⁄4 cup (59 mL) of vinegar to the mixture for extra cleaning power.
4. **Put the filter in the sink and let it soak for 10 minutes.** If possible, make sure it is fully submerged so that the entire filter gets cleaned at once. Let the filter soak in the hot water for at least 10 minutes to allow the baking soda and dish soap to penetrate tough stains.
If your filter is on the larger side and doesn't completely fit in the sink, you might need to do one half of your filter at a time.
5. **Scrub the filter with a non-abrasive scrub brush.** With the filter still in the sink, scrub the filter to get off any residue. Scrub the entire surface, front and back, to ensure that the filter is completely clean.
6. **Rinse the filter under running water and dry it with a clean cloth.** Drain the sink and turn on the hot water to rinse the filter. Use the running water to remove all of the baking soda and dish soap. After it's rinsed, use a clean cloth to dry the filter thoroughly.
Leave the filter on a towel or dish rack for an hour or so if it needs additional drying.
7. **Replace the filter in the hood once it is dry and wash them monthly.** Make sure your filter is completely dry before you put it back into the hood. To keep your filter well maintained, aim for monthly cleanings. This will keep your range hood running effectively and your filter looking its best.
8. **Pour ammonia over the filters in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag.** Place the filters into the bag and pour enough ammonia over them to cover them, or enough to fill the bag about halfway full. Then, close the bag and leave it on a flat surface, such as a counter or table.
Sealing the filters in a bag with the ammonia will keep the smell of the ammonia contained.
9. **Let the filters soak in the ammonia overnight.** The ammonia will break down the grease and clean the filters while they soak. Leave the filters in the ammonia for at least 8 hours or overnight.
There's no need to scrub the filters or move them around in the ammonia. They will get clean just by soaking.
10. **Rinse the filters under hot running water and let them dry.** After time is up, take the filters out of the bag over a sink. Place them into the sink and turn on the faucet to hot. Rinse the filters thoroughly with the hot water to remove all of the ammonia. Then, place the filters on a clean, dry paper towel and let them air dry.
11. **Remove the filter from the hood and wet it with warm water.** The warm water allows the dishwasher detergent to better penetrate the grease and other residues on the filter. Rinse both sides of the filter, making sure it is completely drenched in water.
12. **Put the wet filter on a baking pan and cover it with dishwasher detergent.** Remove the filter from the sink and put it on a large baking sheet. The filter side with the most grease and residue should be facing up. Then, pour a generous amount of dishwasher detergent all over the filter.
This will prevent a huge mess on your counter or table space, as long as the baking sheet is larger than the filter.
Make sure to use dishwasher detergent instead of dishwashing liquid. Dishwasher detergent is a gel cleanser that is only used in the dishwasher, not the liquid soap that is used in the sink.
13. **Use a toothbrush to spread the detergent all over the surface of the filter.** Spread the dishwasher detergent on the filter, making sure to cover the edges and the entire surface. Use a toothbrush to evenly distribute the detergent, making sure all of the tiny holes in the filter are covered.
If you don't have a spare toothbrush, you can also use your fingers to spread the detergent, though that may not be as effective.
14. **Let the detergent sit on the filter for 20 minutes.** Leave the dishwasher detergent on the filter to let it penetrate the grease for easy removal. You should let it sit for at least 20 minutes. If your filter is significantly soiled, you will need to soak it for an hour or more.
15. **Rinse the filter with warm water.** After letting the filter soak, the dirt and grease on the filter should come off easily in the water. Make sure to rinse both the front and back of the filter to remove all of the debris.
Use a hose attachment to spray the filter if your sink has one. The water pressure from the hose should be strong enough to remove any accumulation on the filter.
16. **Repeat the cleaning if necessary.** If your filter is significantly soiled, you may need to repeat the cleaning process more than one time. There may be some debris still stuck in the filter, especially on the edges. If that is the case, add more dishwashing detergent on the trouble areas, scrub with a toothbrush, and rinse one more time. Any remaining dirt should come off and your filter will be sparkly clean!
Make sure to dry the filter thoroughly before putting it back in the hood. Use a clean towel to dry the front and the back, and let it sit on a dish drying rack for an hour or so if needed. | en.wikihow.com | {"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Range-Hood-Filter", "language": "en"} |
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