5 Things to Learn Before Going Camping with Friends

1. How to make a camp fire from scratch.
One of the best parts of camping is roasting marshmallows and telling stories around a campfire, not to mention the wonderful campfire smell lingering afterwards.  This camp fire has to come from somewhere.  For steps go here.

2. How to extinguish a fire properly.
Only you can prevent forest fires.  Proper fire care is important.  You can wait till it burns out, watching to make sure every ember is out, you can pour water on it until it stops hissing, or your can smother it.

For more info. go here.

3. How to cook in a Dutch Oven.

Whether it is stew or peach cobbler, it makes for a great dinner and awesome bragging rights if you're a successful cook.  

For steps go here.

4. How to set up your tent.

You have to sleep somewhere, and if you don't want to wake up wet in the morning, you will need protection from dew and possibly rain.  It will also reduce bug exposure. There are many different kinds of tents.  They are significantly easier to set up than they were even a decade ago.  Many of them require no effort.  

For more information go here.

5. Basic First Aid

Before girls camp or scout camp, the campers are usually given lessons in first aid in case something goes wrong.  First thing you do is assign someone specifically to call for help.  Then diagnose the problem.  A broken bone can be splinted or put in a sling.  A shirt can make a nice sling. The principle is to immobilize the injury.  Other important things to know are the Heimlich, chest compressions, treating someone for shock, burns, lacerations and abrasions, poisoning, and concussions.

For a comprehensive guide go here.

Or you can register for CPR training.

Selling Ourselves

The past two weeks I have been looking for employment and trying to figure out what kind of career I want to get into.  In this process, I actually stumbled onto something rather surprising.

Sales plays a bigger and better role in our lives than we realize.  Each of us has to "sell ourselves" as a product on a regular basis.  We sell a projected image of ourselves to potential employers, to potential dates, to clients, to a future mother-in-law, to teachers as the great student or the terrible student and so many others.

From my interviews, especially with Verizon and my Media Sales class I have learned that salesmanship is often the difference between getting a job and being unemployed.

It is important to care about the people and make them feel important.  "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." -John C. Maxwell

Know about what you are talking about.  In this case, know about yourself.  What have you accomplished what are your strengths and weaknesses? Get to know about and believe in the product.

Finally, don't go overboard.  People don't like to feel like they're being pushed off an edge.  Sometimes all you need to do is talk, just tell people you know what you are up to and what your dreams are.  Often you will find someone else who is interested as well.

10 Ways to Stay Close When You’re Far Away

1.            Communicate

   Some ideas for communicating long distance would be text, phone, video chat, Snap Chat, letters, email, and Facebook.  Find what works for you.

   2.      Use your imagination

   Describe what you’re doing, what you would do, flirt some, hugs kisses, trace your “fingers” along their hand, describe what you’re wearing, paint a picture with your words.

   3.      Play games

   Tag works over text. (Try different kind of tags like flying ninja kick tag, or penguin tag.) You can also play Yatzee, Uno, Pictionary, and charades, over Skype.

   4.      Send a hug

   Two paper hands tied to a string. It’s a long distance hug.  These cheesy ideas are fun and usually get at least a giggle.

   5.      Write a story together

   A story has an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.  (Person 1: Once upon a time there was a hippo, his name was bill… Person 2: …bill loved to play outside…)

   6.      Give sincere compliments

   I’m really proud of you.  I believe in you.  You are awesome because ____. You are so attractive.  The more specific it is the better. This applies whether you’re far away or close together.

   7.      Do the things that you did before. 

   It might have to be modified and done differently to work long distance, but if you used to go bike ride, each go for a bike ride and tell the other person about it, or get a video camera for your helmet and video the experience.  If you liked to snuggle up and watch a movie, put in your favorite movie and Skype while cuddling a pillow.

   8.      Take pictures

   If you miss someone pictures help you stay connected.  You can see what they’re up to, and if there have been any drastic changes.  It can also supplement describing things, sometimes it’s best to leave it to the imagination, but every once in a while, shoot them a picture of you doing what you’re describing.

   9.      Be there for them

   If they’re having a crisis, be the cyber shoulder to lean on.  If they’re making a huge decision give them some encouragement and reassurance.  If they’re sad talk it through.  If they have nightmares, send them a teddy bear and sing them a lullaby.  (You know how to be there for your friend)

   10.  Send gifts

   Getting snail mail is fun, especially when it is something unexpected.  It doesn’t have to be extravagant, it could be something you made, or a little trinket that meant something.  Look up the area, sometimes flower shops will do delivery.

   
   

   
   

Poster project Abram Games

Blessings in Disguise

This past week I've been ill with a sinus infection.  Usually this would be seen as a negative, especially since I had to stay home from work and go to the doctor, thereby missing the revenue I would have made had I worked.  However, the time to rest and recuperate my body was also useful in recuperating my mind, and I came back rested, refreshed and ready to work.  Work then becomes far less of a boring task to be checked off and more of a pleasant experience.

What I have learned: be grateful for trials, they are often blessings in disguise.

Stress: treating the symptoms

In my previous post, I talked about how "stress-ers" are the disease, and stress is just the symptom.
Sometimes you need to treat symptoms till you can cure the disease, so here are some ideas of how to do just that:

Cleaning (I find sweeping/ scrubbing something to work best)

In home spa (get candles or a scented plug in if you can't have candles and take a bubble bath. Pamper yourself with a new hair style or do your nails)

(Pinterest.com has ideas on hair)
Pop Balloons (This really does work, stepping on them works best.) or get yourself a balloon.  this always brightens my day

Spend time with friends

Accomplish something (the feeling of success is euphoric)

Listen to fun music

Look up and smile (just doing this action sends happiness chemicals into action)

Paint (wear a smock and get messy with it)

Take a nap

Do something inspiring

And I recommend prayer.  In each of these or any activities you do.  Prayer will make it so you get more out of the experience.

Ways to De-Stress

I am stressed a lot, so I decided to study the topic. I figured I would share what I have gathered so far:
1. It is okay to feel stress.

• A lot of times people get more stressed because they get worked up about feeling stressed.  Life isn't supposed to be peachy keen all the time.  Negative emotions are just as important as positive ones and should be accepted.  If you don't accept them, they are harder to let go of.
• Sometimes emotions are irrational, sometimes it's your body saying, I need pressure release.  It's okay to cry.  Crying is a natural tension release.

2. Figure out what things commonly "trigger" your stress.

• This could be anything from traffic to the weather to marital problems.  Once you have figured out what causes your stress you can deal with those problems head on.  (curing the illness vs. treating the symptoms)
• I've seen recommended that you keep a stress journal.  Write down what time you are stressed and what the situation is.  You may find commonalities.

3. Evaluate whether your stress can be dealt with or if it is beyond your control.

• If it can be dealt with, deal with it.  If it can't, pray and use the atonement to help you let it go.  (I recently learned that there is a difference between saying prayers and praying.  The sincerity and the honesty is different, and the results are different)

4. Don't let it take over.

• If stress is impeding your work, schedule a time to think about it.  Write down the things that pop up and say I will think about this at 5:00 p.m. or whatever time works.  Then concentrate on something else (Kind of check it off your list, it's an appointment that has been rescheduled)

Diet and exercise also contribute to stress.  If stress is a reoccurring issue, look at what you eat and if your body is getting worked up just by living.