Fix Your Broken Makeup

I can’t even count on one hand the number of times I dropped a perfectly good eye shadow palette, only to see it crushed into a million pieces. Makeup is not cheap, let me tell you, so it’s also frustrating when a product breaks.

Thankfully, all you have to do to repair a broken blush, bronzer, or eye shadow palette is to spray it with alcohol. Once it’s wet, smooth the product out with a spoon and let it harden over a few hours. Good as new!

Clean Furniture

You may clean your floors and scrub down your bathroom, but when was the last time you cleaned your furniture? If you’re anything like me, it has probably been too long.

The good news, however, is you just need rubbing alcohol to get any stains out of microfiber furniture. Just rub the alcohol on the stain and let it soak into the fabric. You can use a cloth to dab it in, but you won’t have to worry about the alcohol staining the fabric.

Soothe Skin Irritation

As mentioned above, rubbing alcohol can do a lot of wonders for the skin. Though most of us know rubbing alcohol can remove nail polish, many don’t know it can actually help to soothe skin irritations. It’s true!

Clean Makeup Brushes

When’s the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? If you can remember, now’s probably the time to do it. Our makeup brushes touch our faces almost every day, so it’s a good idea to clean them as often as possible.

But, rather than buy an expensive makeup cleaner, just gather your brushes and soak them in rubbing alcohol for half an hour. Once they’re done soaking, rinse them in a little bit of soap and water and let them air dry. 

Calm Down Cold Sores

CONTINUED. . . 

Perfect Granite Cleaner

Stop buying expensive cleaners to use on your nice countertops. While those probably work well and get the job done, you don’t need to be spending lots of money on cleaning products.

Rubbing alcohol mixed with water and essential oils is actually a wonderful cleaner for granite countertops, as it’s not abrasive and isn’t filled with a bunch of unnecessary chemicals. Plus, it gets the job done in no time. You can even keep your homemade solution in a spray bottle for easy use.

Get Rid of Hair Lice

Rubbing alcohol may be the greatest invention known to man. While there are a number of obvious things you can do with rubbing alcohol — like take off nail polish and clean out a cut — there is so much more you can do with this cleaning product.

From stretching out shoes to removing pesky stickers to even combatting underarm sweat, rubbing alcohol takes care of it all. So, if you have some sitting around your home that you don’t know what to do with, here is a list of hacks that’ll change your life! 

8. Respect boundaries and privacy.

Technological developments make it so easy for us to track each other and to be in constant communication. However, permitting each other to have privacy, as well as not pushing the other person to do things they'd prefer not to do, helps increase happiness in relationships, since it builds up mutual trust.

9. Have healthy conflicts.

Surprise—conflicts can be healthy in relationships! If you go into a relationship expecting never to fight, then your first fight could very well lead to the end of the relationship. Instead, learn strategies for healthy conflict resolution, and talk about them with the other person beforehand.

Also, when a conflict does arise, start by highlighting how much you care about the other person and the relationship. Talk about both the facts and how you feel about them. Avoid the blame game, and instead be as generous as possible when interpreting the other person’s actions. Be open to changing your mind if you discover you made the mistake, and apologize quickly and profusely. Avoid focusing on the past and instead orient toward better behavior in the future. At the end of any conflict, focus on reconnecting and rebuilding emotional bonds strained by the conflict. My wife and I have found these techniques to be so helpful in resolving tensions between us!

1. Be honest.

Any issues you avoid, or truths you don’t want to acknowledge, will likely undermine your relationship. It’s better to face the truth squarely in the face right now and address it, rather than let it sabotage your relationship in the long run.

For that reason, be intentional and figure out the truth about your relationship. Think through all aspects of it—your feelings and thoughts, the other person’s feelings and thoughts, as well as their external context. If you notice yourself flinching away from a certain aspect of reality, this is the time to double down your focus and really get at the truth.

2. Avoid "failing at their mind."

One of the biggest dangers in close relationships is assuming the other person is exactly the same as you in their feelings and thoughts — in other words, "failing at their mind." At times, our emotional self just doesn’t want to accept that the person we’re so close to is actually different from us—sometimes very different. I know I've made this mistake, and it has cost me dearly in the past. So how do we avoid it?

But if you’re looking for lasting love, are apps the right place to go? 

And how can you make sure your chances of matching with ‘the one’ are as high as possible?  

Dating guru Michelle Elman says the start of the year always brings fresh hope for singles.

The author said: “The start of a new year tends to bring about a new energy that helps us to be more hopeful.

“Internet dating and dating apps are still around because they work.

35. Buy less plastic.

It's polluting our oceans, destroying the earth, and hurting animals. Be more aware of what you're buying.

36. Send handwritten letters.

Nobody does this anymore, and it's such a thoughtful, genuine gesture. Make somebody's day!

Related: How To Address an Envelope

37. Donate clothes you never wear.

We tend to hang onto stuff "just in case." If you haven't worn it in a year, give someone else the chance to.

38. Pay off your credit card every month.

And if something is so expensive that you think that you won't be able to? Don't buy it.

2023 21. Keep a journal.

The University of Rochester Medical Center says that journaling can help battle anxiety, stress and depression. Even if you write only a few sentences, you can reap the benefits.

Related: New Year's Eve Songs

22. Clean out your car.

It's so easy for it to become trashed, especially if you drive a lot. Spot clean as you go so that your ride is always looking sharp.

23. Put your bills on autopay.

If this won't put you under any financial stress, do it! It's one less thing you have to think about and you'll never pay late fees again. Win-win.

24. Take the stairs.

It's good for your caboose.

Narcissists are users. While they are capable of creating false positive impressions, behind the scenes they seek ways to be in an advantaged position. Presuming superiority, they like to find people who will play the role of the underling. Wherever they are, they want and need a human doormat they can wipe their feet upon.

As narcissists assess people, they think, Who can I most easily use and exploit? Which person is most likely to cater to my cravings, mandates, and self-serving initiatives? Who will give me the least resistance as I advance my causes? Which person can I out-argue? Who is most gullible, or at least the most pliable?

Narcissists are all about dominance, meaning they need people who will acquiesce, and that’s where you come in. A starting point in their relational style is entitlement. So, in their minds, it is your job to service them, propping up their egotistical yearnings. And along the way, if you show feelings of hurt or disillusionment, you will receive reminders of the impropriety of those feelings. With narcissists, you are always in the position of subordination.

So, what do narcissists look for as they seek individuals to fill the role of the doormat?

• Let’s look at multiple features:
• A willingness to go along to get along. Narcissists like people who are naturally flexible.
• People who have FOMO, the fear of missing out. They will prey upon your hunger to be included and accepted.
• Weak assertiveness skills. To the narcissist, the more conflict averse you are, the better.
• Someone who says yes when they need to say no.
• A person who is disinclined to debate or push back. Narcissists need the final word.
• People who are natural servants, who have a reputation for helpfulness. Narcissists believe they should be served.
• Those who are motivated by duty and obligation.
• Those who are susceptible to messages of guilt and shame.
• People who naturally give others the benefit of the doubt. Narcissists like being attached to people who let their weaknesses slide.
• Those who are inclined to receive the narcissist’s sales pitch.

If you fit the profile of one who has become a doormat to the narcissist, there is a virtual guarantee that you will struggle with feelings of resentment, distrust, insecurity, and betrayal. You will want out, but you may find it difficult to navigate the barrage of coercive comments that will predictably come your way. But in the end, it will be essential to understand that you are in a losing situation that has no end date. Narcissists will use you and step all over you for as long as you allow. It’s a pitiable strategy for dominance, but it’s simply built into their character.

How to move forward

That being the case, become a person of assertion and boundaries. Don’t expect the narcissist to like your independence, but do what you need to do anyway. Define who you want to be and how you want to prioritize each day. Then commit to your own common sense. And when the narcissist inevitably scorns, don’t defend. Instead, remind yourself that the narcissist virtually never has your best interests at heart, so it remains up to you to care for yourself.

FOOD AND DRINK ARE YOUR BEST OPTIONS!

LASER ENGRAVED HARDWOOD CHEESE BOARD

https://theconversation.com/christmas-trees-can-stay-fresh-for-weeks-a-well-timed-cut-and-consistent-watering-are-key-196109

Every year somewhere between 25 million and 30 million Christmas trees are sold in the United States. If you’re one of the people who decorate for the holiday with a freshly cut Christmas tree, you might be wondering how to keep it looking good all the way through Santa’s visit – and maybe even a little beyond.

Curtis VanderSchaaf is a forestry specialist at the Mississippi State University Extension Service who knows a thing or two about conifers. The Conversation U.S. asked him for guidance on how to keep a fresh green Christmas tree from becoming a giant pile of brown needles, for as long as possible. Whether you end up with a Douglas fir, a Scotch pine, a Leyland cypress, a piñon or any other evergreen, he says the quality of care you provide is a major factor in the prolonged freshness of your tree.

What to consider when choosing a tree

Select a tree that looks fresh and whose needles are not brittle. You want one that has a strong fragrance and a dark natural green color. Avoid bored holes in the wood, signs of bugs – like spider egg sacs – and other marks of pest damage. This advice holds whether you’re chopping down your own tree or buying it from a retailer.

Different species of trees have various colors, shapes, branching habits, needle types, scent and even bark type. Depending on what’s available to you, this comes down to personal preference.

Whether it’s a party with family at Christmas Eve, the company holiday party, or a get together with friends and acquaintances, one thing is for certain: you probably have a lot more opportunities for small talk over the holidays than you typically would any other time.

That’s why, no matter where you are over the holidays or who you’re with, it can be useful to have some handy conversation starters to make sure no conversation ever starts– or goes– dull.

20 Holiday conversation starters

• How do you shop for gifts for the holidays?
• How do you stay sane during the holidays?
• What are you looking forward to for next year?
• What is the coolest gift you’ve ever given someone and why?
• What is the coolest gift you’ve ever received and why?
• What’s the best unused business or product idea you’ve ever had? Or an idea you had that you realized someone had already come up with?
• Who’s the best, or coolest, person you met all year?
• What’s the most exciting thing that happened to you this year?
• What’s the most dangerous thing that happened to you this year?
• What book is sitting on your figurative nightstand right now?
• What do you think about the holidays? Do you love the lights and bustling December mall vibe or think there’s too much commercialism?
• What happened this year that you’re grateful for?
• If you could talk to anyone in the world right now, who would it be and why?
• What kind of a holiday decorator are you?
• What do you want for Christmas this year?
• If you had an hour of free time right now how would you spend it?
• What is your favorite thing to do with your family over the holidays?
• What is your New Years resolution?
• Are the holidays a fun time for you or a drag? (This question is less fun than some others, but many don’t have great holiday memories, so it’s not a particularly happy time for them. But this is great for going deep quickly if they say it’s a drag. If they say it’s a happy time use the follow-up question below.)
  • What is your favorite holiday memory?

Conversation tips for the holidays

Remember not to just leave it at these questions. These are starters, so follow up your question by asking them to tell you more or offering your own view or answer and then following that up with another question.

And don’t make it all about you asking questions. People don’t like feeling like they’re being interrogated, so balance listening with speaking (yes, it’s actually good to talk– you’re not interviewing them!).

Having said that, be the best listener you can be while they’re talking. Most people converse in a way where they’re just waiting for their next chance to speak. Have you ever had a conversation with someone like that? You hate talking to people like that, right? Everyone does, so don’t be that guy or gal.

liveaboutdotcom

Do you ever wonder why you gravitate toward a friend who has consistently hurt you, yet you keep going back for more? Ideally, you should spend your time with people who care about you and encourage you, not those who put you down and cause problems in your life.

Sometimes a friendship will be so difficult to leave that you'll be putting up with your friend's bad behavior for years. Why do you do this? And more importantly, how do you stop it? Here are some thoughts.

You Keep Thinking Things Are Going to Be Different Next Time

Chances are that sometimes you'll have a good time with your toxic friend. You'll enjoy his or her company, so when they have a major blow up or put you down suddenly, you shake it off thinking that next time will be different.

The problem with toxic friends is that you are unable to communicate reasonably with them. Whereas you'd probably tell a friend, "Hey, that hurt my feelings" and they would apologize and you'd both move on, you can't do that in a toxic friendship because your friend just won't hear it. Maybe they're a bully, maybe they can't listen to criticism, or maybe they are just unable to have a conversation that isn't about them.

liveaboutdotcom

A lack of communication is one of the biggest reasons friends fight and even sometimes end their friendship. Things that aren't a big deal initially get made into a big problem simply because one person didn't properly communicate to someone else.

Listen

By far, a lack of listening skills is the biggest problem in communication. It is the cause behind:

• Hurt feelings (when a friend feels you aren't listening)
• Misunderstandings (when you assume what a friend is going to say and miss the actual point)
• Arguments (when you only hear a few words and get mad that your friend doesn't appear to be saying what you want them to).

Learn how to actively listen, where you fully understand what your friend is saying. In addition, it will help your friend feel that they are being heard.

Identify Times When the Message Gets Lost

Are there certain times when you and a friend usually misunderstand each other? Did you make plans over Facebook that got messed up? Or text a friend that you were going to meet them somewhere but they never showed? Or perhaps your friend got angry with you because they thought you were making fun of them in an email, when in fact you were trying to be sympathetic.