How Do You Pronounce "Worcestershire Sauce"?

Just as I thought: you definitely have to ignore a couple of letters to pronounce this correctly. :)

She does a better pronouncing it, but for those on a time crunch, it's approximately:

"wus-ste-shure"

How To Remove Wax From Cloth

From Reader's Digest, March 2012:

"Remove candle wax from a tablecloth, carpet, or couch by gently rubbing the spot with a plastic bag full of ice until [the wax] hardens. Then gently tap the splotch with a hammer and vacuum the chips."

And now if you'll excuse me, I have some stain-removing to do... ;)

How Long To Cook Hard-Boiled Eggs?

Reader's Digest recently answered this question for us thankfully. Making hard-boiled eggs is one of those things that seems like it should be common knowledge, but is it? :)

From March's issue, here are their simple hard-boiled-egg cooking instructions:

1. Place eggs in a pot large enough to hold them comfortably
2. Fill the pot with water until it's about 2 inches over the eggs
3. Bring the water in the (uncovered) pot to a boil over medium-high heat
4. Remove from heat
5. Cover

Then, based on the amount of time you leave the eggs in the hot water, you'll get different levels of "boiled"ness. They offered this handy guide:

3-Minute Soft-Boiled Egg
The yolk is completely runny and barely warm; the white is still slightly liquid.

5-Minute Soft-Boiled Egg
The yolk is cooked but runny; the white is soft.

7-Minute Medium-Boiled Egg
The yolk is partially hardened; the white is fully cooked and almost solid.

9-Minute Hard-Boiled Egg
The yolk is firm but not too dry; the white is also firm.

11-Minute Hard-Boiled Egg
The yolk is edible but "a little chalky"; the white is firm.

Also, they recommend replacing the hot water with ice-cold water in the pot right away to prevent the yolks from having a green "skin".

Hope that helps all of you hard-boiled egg and deviled egg lovers!

How To De-Pill Your Clothes

Oftentimes, after you wear a shirt or sweater a couple of times, it begins to "pill" or get annoying fuzzies on it.

Lifehacker offers this trick that just uses a disposable razor:

To clean pilling off your clothes just spread the fabric across a flat surface (something firm like a table is best) pull the fabric taut and carefully shave the pilling away from the fabric. Be careful with the razor, especially around seams, buttons and stitching because you can easily cut the fabric.

This simple solution works - I tried it out personally! It made some of my t-shirts look like new, in seconds.

Tips For Staying Awake

Lifehacker Lessons, #3

Topic:

"How to Manipulate Your Body to Wake the Hell Up"

(from 5/20/11)

Summary:

There are ways to wake yourself up naturally and cheaply, even when the caffeine doesn't seem to be kicking in during your long workday afternoons.

From Lifehacker:

Tip #1: Put less sugar & milk in your coffee. The bitterness can help jolt you awake.

Tip #2: Grab a few minutes of direct sunlight, outdoors. Light through windows isn't the same.

Tip #3: Gently tug at your hair to get the blood flowing to your head.

Tip #4: Splash cold water on your face. For best results, head outside to feel the breeze.

Tip #5: Place your alarm clock far away from your bed so you have to stand up to turn it off.

Tip #6: Take a laughter break with a YouTube video, funny blog, etc.

Tip #7: Eat a mint; the stronger the better!

Tip #8: Massage your hands, especially between your palms and wrists.

Tip #9: Talk to a stranger. Your body will tend to wake up to avoid awkwardness.

Tip #10: Play upbeat music that you love.

Tip #11: Stretch your limbs and back like you're about to exercise to get your blood flowing.

Tip #12: Shed some clothing layers (if appropriate!). It's easier to feel sleepy when we're warm.

Tip #13: Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart, and flip your head upside-down to help with circulation (but come back up slowly!).

Tip #14: Suck on a lemon to shock your system!

Good luck!

Split An Apple With Your Bare Hands!

Lifehacker Lessons, #2

Topic:

"How to Split an Apple Without a Knife"

(from 5/23/11)

Summary:

The title says it all! You not only can do this to share an apple in a pinch, but also to impress your friends. :)

From Lifehacker:

How To Clean Burnt Pans

This is literally something I just learned: Even if I follow the recipe, I cannot make spaghetti sauce that tastes as delicious as my mother's (and she's not even Italian!).

On a related note, I also learned that if you accidentally burnt said spaghetti sauce (or anything) onto the bottom of a stainless steel pan, there is a scour-less way to remove it:

1. Put about a half-inch of water mixed with vinegar into the pan.

2. Bring it to a boil for a couple of minutes.

3. Simply rub off the charred food (no major scrubbing required!).

I don't remember where I heard about this tip, but it certainly did the job. :)

Removing Stripped Screws

People can come up with such smart ideas!

Apartment Therapy recommends this simple way to remove a stripped screw:

Placing a wide rubber band in between the stripped screw and the screw driver can sometimes help give enough grip to remove a slightly stripped screw head.

Check out their site to see other more conventional ways, too!

Brilliant! I can't wait to try it. :)

How To Stretch Out Tight Shoes

Our friends over at Lifehacker have shared these tips for getting your shoes to fit better:

1. To stretch out tight shoes, throw on a couple pairs of socks and squeeze your feet into the shoes. Then blast the tight places with the hot air of a hairdryer. It works even better if you stretch out your feet and toes while you do it. Keep wearing the shoes while they cool, then test them without the socks. If they are still tight, you can keep repeating the process until they fit better.

2. To prevent shoes from shrinking, avoid getting them wet (they shrink as they dry, much like clothes). If your shoes do get wet, don't place them in a hot area, like near a heater vent, to dry, or they will shrink faster.

With leather shoes, you can also help them keep their shape when you're not using them by stuffing them with crumpled newspaper.

Yes! A perfect fit!

For those of you who have trouble with sore feet or blisters from wearing new shoes, I have personally found something that works. :) Before wearing them for the first time, I will take some time to twist and bend every part of the shoes and straps. For me, taking a bit of the stiffness out of a new pair of shoes really helps.

Hope all this stuff helps you too!

All About Curling

Olympic week is almost over already! Hope you've learned some new stuff. :)

Since the Olympics are being held in Canada this year, it would be a shame to not learn something about Curling! I've been especially curious about it considering that at least one of the NBC affiliates has been airing every Curling match this Olympics!

How does Curling work?

Short Answer:

Two teams of four people take turns sliding granite stones down an icy lane towards a target painted on the path. Points are scored when a team gets one or more of these stones closer to the target than the other team's stones. Not only can the initial thrower of the stone make it slide in an arched path, but the other team members can alter the path and speed of the stone by sweeping the ice around it.

Each team slides eight of these stones, and once both teams have thrown all of their stones, it marks the end of a match. A game consists of 8-10 matches. Whichever team has the most points at the end of the game wins.

Like boccie ball on ice. :)

The Details:

Terminology*:

1. Stone: A thick polished granite disc weighing between 38 and 44 pounds, with a handle on top.

2. Running Surface: The part of the stone that makes contact with the ice. It's a narrow (0.25-0.5") ring (5" in diameter) attached to the bottom of the stone.

3. Curling Broom/Brush: Brush used to sweep the ice in the path of the thrown stone. Modern ones are made of fabric, or hog- or horse-hair bristles.

4. Off Foot: Shoes that have a Teflon sole, so they slide along the ice.

5. Hack Foot/Gripper Shoe: A non-sliding shoe, typically with a rubbery surface over the entirety or portions of the sole.

6. Curling Sheet: The iced lane.

7. House: The target, consisting of three concentric circles. There is one target on each end of the curling sheet.

8. Backboard: The extreme ends of the curling sheet.

9. Centre Line: Line drawn along the center of the lane, which goes through the center of the house.

10. Tee Line: A line perpendicular to the centre line that also goes through the center of the house. Each tee line is 16-feet away from each backboard.

11. Button: The absolute center of the house, at the intersection of the centre and tee lines.

12. Hog Line: A line 37-feet away from and parallel to each backboard.

13. Hacks: Two fixed, rubber-lined holes by each backboard. They give the thrower something to push off of when throwing the stones.

14. Throw/Delivery: To slide the stone down the curling sheet.

15. Skip: Teammate who determines the weight, turn, and line of the stone and communicates it to the sweepers.

16. Weight: The velocity of the sliding stone.

17. Turn: The rotation of the sliding stone.

18. Line: The direction of the throw, not taking into account the turn.

19. Thrower: The teammate who throws the stone.

20. Sweeper: The teammate/s who brush the ice in the stone's path to change its trajectory.

21. Draw: A throw that's just intended to get the stone close to the house.

22. Take-Out: When a stone knocks an opponent's stone out of the house.

23. Guard/Block: When a team places a stone in the path of the house.

24. Tap: When a stone hits another stone.

25. Burning A Stone: An infraction that occurs when the stone is accidentally touched by the sweepers, either with their broom or a body part.

26. Hammer: The advantage of being the team to throw the "last stone", usually determined by either a coin toss or a "draw-to-the-button" throw-off.

27. End: When both teams have played all of their stones.

Gameplay:

1. The first thing to do before the stone is thrown is to clean the running surface, so nothing can accidentally alter the stone's path.

2. The thrower delivers the stone from the hack. Due to the thrower's preference, s/he can choose to release the stone at any point (even if the thrower is still sliding with it), and to turn it however many degrees s/he wants. The thrower must release the stone, however, before s/he reaches the hog line.

3. The skip tells the sweepers what to do; brushing the ice can either make the stone travel farther or change the stones turn. The skip typically yell the line to the sweepers, and the sweepers communicate the weight back to the skip. The skip can be a thrower, a sweeper, or just a watcher.

4. Any teammate (besides the thrower) can sweep their team's stone until it reaches the tee line. After that, only one teammate may sweep (usually the skip), and one of the members of the opposing team can sweep that stone, too.

5. Each player on both teams throws the stones twice until the End is achieved. The teams take turns throwing the stones.

6. After both teams have thrown all of their stones, the team with the stone closest to the button wins that End. That team gets a point for every stone of theirs in the house that is closer to the button than the closest stone from the opposing team. After 8-10 Ends, whoever has the most points win.

The women of Sweden won the Gold in Curling at the 2010 Olympics

It may sound simple, but it's actually a game of intense strategy. Just the sweeping alone requires all sorts of strategy: from when to start sweeping, to the position of the sweepers, to the pressure and speed of the sweeping, and on and on.

Hope I helped clear it up for anyone interested. I definitely want to try it out sometime!

*There are many more curling terms in the Glossary of Curling!

(source)

Selling Your Eggs

My coworker and I were brain-storming how to make some extra cash this summer. Of course, selling our eggs came up. :) I looked up what a woman has to go through in order for someone to harvest her eggs. It's a pretty involved process, actually, which is probably one reason it brings in tens of thousands of dollars!

Here's the overview, with help from New York's Department of Health:

1. Eligibility

- Woman must be between 21 and 35.

- Some programs prefer women who have already had children.

2. Selection

- Woman applies or interviews for a program. Her height, looks, athletic ability, intelligence, etc., can be evaluated.

- Program staff go through the emotional and physical outcomes of donating, so that the woman knows what to expect.

- She has a psychological evaluation.

- She has a thorough physical exam, and fills out a questionnaire about general health, drinking and smoking habits, etc.

- She gives blood, urine, and cell samples to test for diseases, infections, and viruses.

- She gives an exhaustive medical history of herself and her family, and gives another blood sample to look for genetic diseases.

3. Preparation

- Woman first takes one (or more) weeks of medicine to stop her normal ovarian functioning. Side effects can include hot flashes, sleep problems, vision problems, headaches, etc.

- She begins ten-ish days of injections of fertility drugs to mature more eggs than normal. Side effects can include mood swings, fluid retention, etc., and in some cases, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, which can cause a variety of side effects from abdominal pain to kidney failure.

- During the injection cycle, the woman must have frequent blood tests and ultrasounds to monitor how her body is responding.

4. Procedure

- When the doctor determines the "time is right", the woman receives one last injection of another drug to prepare the eggs to be harvested.

- She undergoes a short (30 minutes usually) minor surgical procedure, where a thin needle retrieves the eggs from her ovaries.

5. Recovery

- Woman typically only stays in the hospital a few hours after the surgery. She may need a couple of days of restricted activity afterwards.

- It's normal for her to feel "let down" after the intense process ends.

- Some programs require her to come back for a couple of follow-up appointments or meet with a counselor.

Overall, egg donation seems to come with a lot of inherent risks, but if all goes well and the woman doesn't have any infections, she should recover fully and still be able to have kids of her own. Also, whereas the entire process usually takes less than a month, it apparently is completely time-consuming during those weeks!

Maybe there are easier ways to make some fast cash? :)

How Does A Bill Become A Law?

I wouldn't say that I confidently understand exactly how our government works. I could always learn more!

With all of the buzz about the new Health Care Bill, I realized I needed a refresher course on how a bill becomes a law. Actually, the clearest description I found comes from our friends at Schoolhouse Rock!

Watch and learn. :)

And here are the lyrics:

Boy: Woof! You sure gotta climb a lot of steps to get to this Capitol Building here in Washington. But I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is?
I'm just a bill.
Yes, I'm only a bill.
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city.
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee,
But I know I'll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage.
Bill: Well I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill, I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local Congressman and he said, "You're right, there oughta be a law." Then he sat down and wrote me out and introduced me to Congress. And I became a bill, and I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.
I'm just a bill
Yes I'm only a bill,
And I got as far as Capitol Hill.
Well, now I'm stuck in committee
And I'll sit here and wait
While a few key Congressmen discuss and debate
Whether they should let me be a law.
How I hope and pray that they will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?
Bill: Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope they decide to report on me favourably, otherwise I may die.
Boy: Die?
Bill: Yeah, die in committee. Oooh, but it looks like I'm gonna live! Now I go to the House of Representatives, and they vote on me.
Boy: If they vote yes, what happens?
Bill: Then I go to the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again.
Boy: Oh no!
Bill: Oh yes!
I'm just a bill
Yes, I'm only a bill
And if they vote for me on Capitol Hill
Well, then I'm off to the White House
Where I'll wait in a line
With a lot of other bills
For the president to sign
And if he signs me, then I'll be a law.
How I hope and pray that he will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: You mean even if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the president can still say no?
Bill: Yes, that's called a veto. If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to Congress and they vote on me again, and by that time you're so old...
Boy: By that time it's very unlikely that you'll become a law. It's not easy to become a law, is it?
Bill: No!
But how I hope and I pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Congressman: He signed you, Bill! Now you're a law!
Bill: Oh yes!!!

Brilliant! I guess it seems like it'll be a while before we have these major changes in America's health care system... if it changes at all!

Burn Calories By Tapping Your Foot

Worried about the few extra pounds you may have picked up recently? Lifehacker just posted this easy advice that they learned from MSN's Shaun Chavis:

Tap your foot. Your skinnier friends are probably fidgeters, who burn up to 350 calories a day just by tapping their feet or being restless. Try it for a few days. Walk around while you're on the phone, or tap out a tune with your hands or feet (in the privacy of your own office, of course).

Seems simple enough, right? Plus, it'll give you a good excuse to dance a little at your desk to any new tunes you acquired this season!

How Many Guests Can You Host?

Ever wonder how many people can comfortably party in your house? Clinton Kelly from TLC's "What Not To Wear" figured out how to calculate it for you! Just follow this method:

1. Estimate how much personal space each person will need.

- Is it a mingling appetizer party? If people may want a 4-foot-by-4-foot area of space, then they need 16 square feet each.

2. Estimate the square footage of your party space.

- Living Room (12-ft by 16-ft) + Kitchen (12-ft by 10-ft) + Dining Room (10-ft by 10-ft) - counters (2-ft by 10-ft) - tables (4-ft by 6-ft) = 368 square feet

3. Divide answer #2 by answer #1.

- 23 people can fit comfortably!

Clinton even helps with how many people to invite. He claims that typically 80% of the people who are invited will rsvp "yes", and that typically 5 of those will end up not showing up. So to figure out how many invites to send:

4. Take the number from 3, add 5, and divide by 0.8.

- Invite 35 people. :)

Of course, depending on how popular you are, or how many "close talkers" you invite, or any other number of factors, your numbers can get a little skewed. But at least it's a start!

Clean Your Carpet With Shaving Cream?

According to Lifehacker, a glob of shaving cream can save your soiled carpet!

"Lifestyle website Thrifty Fun says one of the best ways to get pet accidents and other unfortunate stains out of carpet is with a liberal dousing of plain white shaving cream. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, blot with a damp towel, and the stain should disappear."

It worked on someone's tan carpet after a dog... um... "messed" on it 18 times! Maybe it could work for any December carpet disasters you may have? If your family is anything like mine, you'll need it for the red wine and green sugar cookie icing spots!

How To Dry Out Electronics

In case your Thanksgiving was a little crazier than you thought, and your iPod ended up in a glass of water or you dropped your cellphone in the punchbowl, here are some tips for saving your electronics:

1. Turn off your device and place it in a bowl of uncooked rice. Make sure the room is relatively dry (near the shower isn't a good idea!), and let it sit until the rice absorbs all of the moisture.

or

2. Remove the battery and the SIM card. Pat the extra moisture off the device (don't use heat). Then soak it in rubbing alcohol and let it air dry for a couple of days.

It's worth a try at least! According to the experts at Lifehacker, these steps saved a Blackberry from a toilet and a cellphone from a swimming pool!

How Does An Abacus Work?

As kids, my brothers and I always played around with the ancient beaded calculator, the abacus. But to this day I have never known how people actually use them. To this day when I looked it up. :)

How To Add Two Numbers With An Abacus (via WikiHow):

Say for this example, we're adding 35 to 113.

1. Assign values to the columns in a systematic way from right to left, like here:

This mimics the way that we read numbers; with the highest magnitude as the left-most number, and they decrease to the smallest on the right (like 256 = 2 hundreds, then 5 tens, then 6 ones).

2. Row I beads will be 5 times whatever Row II beads are worth.

3. Start with all the beads towards the ends. Then place the abacus flat on the table.

4. Break down the first number into units that fit the values you assigned:

35 = 3 units of 10, and 5 units of 1

Move the beads towards the center bar accordingly:

3 beads from Row II in the "10s" column

1 bead in Row I in the "1s" column:

5. Break down the second number into units:

113 = 1 unit of 100, 1 unit of 10, and 3 units of 1

Move more beads towards center to account for those units

1 bead from Row II in the "100s" column

1 bead from Row II in the "10s" column

3 beads from Row II in the "1s" column:

If you end up needing 5 or more beads from Row II, you can replace 5 beads from Row II with 1 bead in Row I.

6. Count the beads that are by the center bar and figure out their worth to get the answer.

In this case,

"100s" Column: 1 bead from Row I = 100

"10s" Column: 4 beads from Row I = 40

"1s" Column: 1 bead from Row I, and 3 beads from Row II = 8

= 148!

If that was too complicated, there's a handy video here. I think the explanation is harder than the practice, actually!

You can imagine this could be as helpful as a calculator for adding many or larger numbers together. Brilliant, considering it's over 800 years old. When people get the hang of it, they can do it very quickly!