Aucunu's advice column

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Q: how do you straight lace etnies?

If you click the link below, you can see step-by-step instructions with a picture. I also copied onto here the instructions for your convenience.

http://shoe-lacing.com/shoelace/straightbarlacing.htm

Lacing Technique:
1. The lace runs straight across the bottom (grey section) and the ends are fed into both bottom eyelets.

2. One end of the lace (yellow end) runs straight up the right side, emerges and runs straight across the second set of eyelets.

3. Both ends now run straight up the left side, each skipping one eyelet before emerging two eyelets higher up.

4. Continue running both ends across the shoe, then straight up two eyelets at a time, until one end reaches the top.

5. The other end then runs straight across the second last set of eyelets, then straight up to the top.

Q: does anybody have a list of college level books i an read???
all i know is shakespeare...
thanks, i need this to 'expand my vocabulary' for my SAT test!
thanks for your answers [=

You could look into Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Also, anything by Faulkner, Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters will be up to the level you're after. I've read a lot by each of these authors, and they're both challenging and enjoyable.

Also there is a page on collegeboard.com with 101 Great Books. Since collegeboard.com is the owner of the SAT, I think anything on this page would be a great option. http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/plan/hs-steps/21276.html

Q: how do you lose face fat!

thanks.

It's impossible to lose weight on one spot. However, if you lose weight throughout your body, your face will slim as well. You should try to get into excellent cardiovascular shape. Those who are in great shape typically have sharper jawlines. Sorry, I hope this helps at least a bit.

Q: ok...i have this anerexic friend name liz and she told me b4 i asked her to stop and she hasnt.now my other friend adam (her best friend) also knows bc she told us together...he wants her to stop too..and we r thinkin bout havin an intervention...we kinda want to have it soon but liz is always out....should i tell her mom...i think she knows though (she tells liz to buy food and all at lunch but i think she gives it to her friends)...
what should i do...

consered friend,

Anorexia is a very serious battle that can't be overcome quickly. You need to talk to Liz's mom about what's going on. Tell her exactly what you've written above, that you think that Liz gives her food to friends -- meaning she's not eating lunch! What you can do from there is support your friend. She's obviously going through a very challenging period of time, and she's going to need your friendship if she makes the decision to become healthy.

Q: http://www.kyvl.org/html/tutorial/research/intext.shtml

"If you incorporate the author's name into your text, give only the page number in parentheses. For example:

According to Krushke, an assault weapon can be defined as "any weapon used in an assault on another individual" (375).

If the context does not identify the author, include the author's last name before the page number:

An assault weapon can be defined as "any weapon used in an assault on another individual" (Krushke 375)."

my question: if you were assigned to only read ONE book and write an essay only using that one book and nothing else, if you don't include the author's last name in context, is it necessary to have to put the author's name in parentheses or is it implied that you're only reading from that one book & nothing else?

e.g., if you were assigned to read a single book written by krushke, and don't use their name in context, do you still have to say (Kruske 132) or can you just say (132) ?

Ultimately, it depends on your professor or teacher's preferences. From my experience you could just say (132), but your best bet will always be to ask the professor himself.

Q: I have some "pudge" on my tummy and I want to get rid of it. I don't really care to lose too much weight maybe 5-8 pounds. I am happy with my weight basically but I just would like to tone my tummy up so that its flat and i dont have to sit with my arms crossed over my tummy at the pool.

What is some step by step things I can do?

Well, you could try some ab workouts. Perhaps your local gym has some cheap or even free classes that you could try. The point in this would be not to lose weight in a specific spot, but to build muscle and essentially tone your abdominal muscles.
Some exercises you could do at home include various forms of sit-ups, flutter kicks, crunches. Check out this website for more info: http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm

Q: okay this isnt a specific dream but every once in a while i have a dream of one of my family members die. so far my brother and his bestfriend (which is like a bother to me) have died along with my sister and my dad, but my mom and other brother and my grandma havent died yet. does anybody know what this means.is dream because i hate them but i dont know that i do.

The meaning is probably not literal. You might fear separation, or the dream may indicate some sort of change in your relationship. For example, you might be going through a lot of new experiences -- moving out may be approaching, or maybe you're growing up and the way they treat you is more like a mature adult.

Q: I love that movie :)
But during the bit when Cooper goes to 'Club Vandersexxx' there's a song in German playing.
Like when he's attached to the metal table and the two big scary guys are in there.
A bit that I could make out went like 'eins, zwei, drei, vier, warroom bin ich hier?'

Anyone know what song that is? Also sorry if I made any mistakes in the German spelling, I don't study it.

Thanks.

According to Germaniac.com (http://www.germaniac.com/blog/2007/10/16/who-made-the-club-vandersexxx-song-in-eurotrip/), it's actually just a song that the film's composer created for the movie, and it isn't a full song. The page I linked does tell you where you can download the mp3 clip though!

Q: how old do you have to be to get a hip piercing.?
bc i want that bad im 13/f
can you please tell me how old you have to be .
Thanks.

In most states you have to be 18 or older or have parental consent in order to get a piercing.

Q: What color should I paint my room? I wan't a warm color but nothing too young, but nothing i will get sick of either. Hope you have some great ideas!

I like using the Sherwin-Williams color visualizer, located here: http://www.sherwin.com/visualizer/ . What's neat about it is that you can apply each color to a room so that you can see what the color looks like in a massive space, rather than in just a square pallet.
My favorite warm colors from there include 6315 Luxurious Red, 6661 Papaya, 7677 Gold Vessel, 7597 Trek Tan, and 6644 Champagne.

Q: i spilled red nail polish on my white carpet. besides calling a carpet cleaner & getting the carpet replaced, is there any carpet cleaner you know for a FACT works to remove nail polish? i tried nail polish remover and it helped a little but not all the way.

I know someone who swears by hair spray and rubbing alcohol. Spray the hair spray on the stain about 15 times and splash the rubbing alcohol 5 times. Scrub the area gently and then pour a little water over it. Use paper towels to get rid of excess moisture. Hopefully then it'll go away. If not, repeat as needed.
Also, you could use bleach. Bleach takes away the carpet, but since yours is white ... it wouldn't be a problem.
I hope one of these solutions will help!

Q: so this is kinda gross and its bothering me.
so i kinda have strong hairgroth. like it even grows on my butt and my back. so IÄm desiding to shave it all cos it's discusting. but is there any kinda way to make it grow less fast and dark?
I'm shaving my arms already, but it's really tireing since i have to get up earlier etc :/
what should i dooo??
i'm NOT one of these fat ugly people or smth and nobody knows about my "issues". I'm also very very pale and have black hair :/ and i'm just scared that if i get a bf he'll be grossed out which i can totally understand. and i wanna feel better about myself :/ heelp.

I would definitely not suggest shaving. I think a guy would be more grossed out by hair that's growing in than natural hair. You should look into having the hair waxed. It's painful, but there will be more time in between sessions than with shaving (typically 2-8 weeks), since you have to wait for a whole new hair follicle to grow back. A cheaper route would be to use depilatory creams (nair, for example) which remove hair from the surface when the cream is applied.

Q: This college says it accepts certain 'college level' scores for the E-ACT.
I took the ACT, is that the same? I meet the requirements for the ACT.. so is that the same as E-ACT?

I know that the EACT is the "Enhanced American College Test" whereas the ACT is the "American College Test." However, from what I can tell they're used interchangeably. I would assume that the requirements for the ACT are the same as for the EACT. If you're still worried, then if I were you I'd definitely contact the office of admissions for the college you're looking at.

Sorry I wasn't a great help. I've seen that this has been unanswered for a while though, so hopefully this will at least push you in the right direction. =]

Q: I can't get some e-mails-like from my huband and a friend and who knows who else???These are people I know have tryed. I even got on my husbands computer and sent something to myself and it didn't come through----I use yahoo

There are a couple possible problems that come to mind:
1) Your inbox may need refreshing. Sometimes your computer stores web pages in a cache. Try pressing F5 or your refresh button. Hopefully new messages will appear.
2) A filter could be directing your mail into a different folder. Click options >> mail options >> filters. You might see some emails there.
3) You could be mistyping your email address when giving it out / when you sent something to yourself. I think this is the least probable, but it could happen.
I hope one of these three solves your problem! If not, you could contact yahoo customer care and mention that you've tried these three possible solutions.

Q: I've babysitting a 7 year old boy for almost 2 years. The parents are very nice but I kind of feel like they don't trust me. A few months ago I was babysitting for them late at night and before they left, they made a very big deal out of it. They kept telling me to lock the door and not open it for anyone (like I don't already know that) and gave me their cell numbers even though I already have them and told me to call if anything happens. I was really confused because they were acting like they were really worried and this wasn't the first time I've babysat for them, and nothing ever happened to the little boy while I was there. Last week I was babysitting him in the morning and someone knocked on the door. I told him that we shouldn't answer because we were alone, but the person kept knocking for literally about 5 minutes and wouldn't leave. The little boy kept telling me to open it and I wouldn't, and he started to cry and get scared when the person kept knocking. So I kind of panicked, and told him to stay in the living room while I answered the door. I talked to the person through the screen door and he wanted to talk to the boy's dad. I said he wasn't home and the guy gave me a business card and told me to give it to him. So when the boy's mom got home I showed her the card and she said "Oh, that guy came?" So she obviously knew he was going to come and I don't know why she didn't tell me (other families I've babysat for always told me if they were expecting someone to come to the house). I babysat him again a couple days ago, and his mom told me over and over again not to answer the door for anyone. She never really gave me a chance to explain why I answered the door the last time. They do want me to keep babysitting for them, but they treat me like I don't know what I'm doing. So how can I get them to trust me?

It's hard for parents to leave their children with anyone, even their own (older) kids. So the fact that they keep asking you to babysit means that they must hold quite a bit of trust toward you. It may seem otherwise, especially since each time they go over the same instructions. But this is probably because they don't want something to happen and then regret not re-informing you. Repeating the rules is probably their way of consoling themselves before leaving their kids in the hands of someone else.
I do think that you should talk to them and explain the scenario you spoke of in the question. Perhaps you could talk to them after your next babysitting gig, or even call and ask for a convenient time to come over for 5 minutes. Tell them exactly what you said here, that you answered the door because you were in a panic and thought it would be the best thing. And make sure you tell them you appreciate that they want you to babysit for them.
The bottom line, though, is that because they want you to keep babysitting for them, it's highly doubtful that they DON'T trust you. Best wishes.

Q: 13/f
I'm going to California in about 20 ish days. I don't wanna get my period on that time, because in June, I got it on June 22. And trip is around that week. I'm just thinking that my period would make me having a harder time going around & playing and stuffs. So can I eat something or do anything to make my period come earlier?

Thanks a bunch :)

Unfortunately, you can't make your period come early. Birth control can modify your schedule. But honestly, your period is something you're going to have for many years to come. It's something you're going to have to learn to deal with and not keep you from enjoying yourself on trips. You could try wearing both a tampon and a pad so you don't have to worry about any leakage, which would also let you go a bit longer in between changes.

Q: for some reason since about the of the year ive started feeling left out all of the time does any1 know why this is happenin(btw im 13)

I think it's normal to feel left out at times. But if you're constantly feeling left out for a long span of time, maybe you should ask yourself why. Is it because your school friends make plans for after school and the weekends, but don't include you? Is it because your old group of friends have stopped calling you?

Once you determine why you feel left out, you'll need to form a solution. Confront the old friends if that's the problem. Find people who you like and ask if they want to hang out. If you're too shy to initiate plans, then start talking about something that interests you. Then, if the person shows interest, add in, "You're so funny. We should totally hang out sometime!" or "You know, we should go see that movie together this Friday."

Ultimately, you are the one who can solve your problem of constantly feeling left out. It's not easy, especially if you're shy. But if you take the initiative, everything will work out! Best of luck.

Q: my boyfriend and i can be pretty romantic. we want to go out to dinner at a nice resturant. theres a problem, hes allergic to fish. just smelling fish makes his throat close up. he cant eat peppers or onions because he has ulcers.. and we live in washington. where the main food group is sea food. we have tried mexcian, itlian, chinese, thai.. they all have served seafood. what kind of food does not have seafood in it?? i have called every resturant intown asking if they have seafood before. i need help thinking of atleast a type of food that wouldnt serve seafood. any help thanks tons

Are there any restaurants that serve vegan-only dining? If so, that wouldn't have fish products.

An alternative could be to prepare your own meal together. I think that would be a really romantic activity for the two of you. You could go to the grocery store together, pick up ingredients for various courses, prepare the meal together, and then eat over a candlelit table.

Q: i am a junior college student, and i am not able to cook real foods because the lack of a kitchen. from the time i graduated high school until now, i can DEFINITELY say, that i have gain A LOT of weight. when i was 16, i was 5'2 and 168lbs, i wasn't fat, i just had a stomach, but now i'm 21 and i'm 5'3 or 5'4 and i weight 250 (size 17-18 sometimes a 20). because of my weight, i get A LITTLE and i mean very little depressed because clothes don't fit me right, and that makes me not want to go shopping, i would like to get down to a size 10 or 12 (which for me, is 135). i've tried diets, but i always end up cheating because they're so nasty and when it comes to exercising i dont have the energy for it. i have already stopped drinking pop and i don't eat alot of burgers and chips. another reason i need to lose the weight is because dietbetes run in my family and they are always saying something about my weight, but its not easy to lose if you don't have the energy for excerising. so are there any suggestion. thanks...i would greatly appreciate it!!!

It's definitely harder to eat right when you can't cook your own food. However, it is possible. Research nutritional information at the restaurants you eat at, and try to plan what you'll eat before you go out. That way, you won't impulsively order something extremely high in calories and fat. Try to cut out your snacking. One method that helps your eating habits is keeping a long. For a few days, write down everything you eat and drink, and record how much also. After a few days have passed, take a look at this. It can be surprising just how much those late-night snacks can add up to.

Exercising is the other component in becoming healthier. Start with something realistic. If you dive into an extremely vigorous program, chances are you'll grow frustrated with it. Instead, start by taking 30-minute walks in your free time. If you want to eventually be able to run (which is excellent for weight loss), add in a minute of light jogging to the middle of your walk. Of course, as this becomes easier, increase the length of the run to 2 minutes, then 3, and then so on. A plus to this is it won't take up all your energy, since you're wading into it.

Of course, losing weight is always easiest with a support system. Ask a friend to join you. When someone's counting on you, it's so much harder to back out of plans!

Best of luck with your journey.

Q: has any one ever made it having a gym membership for a year? i just started at a gym up my street and ive been going about 4-5 times a week for a month now, and just signed up for a good deal for a year thing with my family. but now im thinking,,, a whole year! how will i possibly stay motivated and have time. plus ive got school and sports practice =[ just curious if anyones ever done it before without like quitting for awhile. haha thanks! and im 16 =]

ps. for me, mom, and brother its $54 dollars a month total. normally one person is $30 a month. =]

It's easier to stay motivated when you enjoy what you're doing. So chant this mantra: "I love working out, I love going to the gym," and eventually it will become true.

Also, variety helps. It's never fun for me to go to the gym everyday knowing I'm going to run on the treadmill, then lift weights, then go home. That seems like a waste of time. Instead, one day you can use the elliptical and then a machine. Another day you could take a kickboxing class. The next day you could do some spinning and then run.

Think of it like this: wouldn't life be so boring if your day-to-day routine was the same? Going to the gym is nothing different.