The_MoUsY_spell_checker's Advice Column

i have a 3rd generation ipod nano with video. I'll be listening to a song, and when it goes to replay a song, it'll say its playing but it'll be stuck at 0:00. it happens 2 to 3 times a day. What i normally do is hold the play and menu buttons until it restarts and it will be okay. Is there any reasoms why its doing this?

Does this only happen with a specific song? If yes, delete the song from your iPod and get a new copy of it from the computer.

Otherwise, using iTunes, check for software updates. If there is an update available, install it and see if the problem persists.

If all else fails, backup everything you have on the iPod and restore it to factory settings. I repeat, BACKUP FIRST!

Details on restoring here: http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/nano3gen/
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is it:

- "a unique" or "an unique"?

- "an year" or "a year"?

citing any other weird ones would be appreciated too

"A unique" and "a year". It's the sound that matters, not the spelling.
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Hi! I was hoping that maybe someone can answer this for me. I am 18 years old. I got my period when I was 9. I'm 4"11. I'm a very short girl. I don't mind being short. I mean, everyone has I always thought I was adorable and I look good short. But, I've been dealing with problems with my weight since I was 9 years old.I was always very thin as a child. I was very underweight when I was little. I had a lot of trouble eating and I wouldn't eat at school and things like that. I was at a healthy weight, though, up to when I was about eight years old. Once I got my period, I started gaining weight like a mad-woman. But, interestingly, I wasn't overweight or obese or anything like that. I mean, I had gotten my period, and my body was changing. I started getting breasts, and things like that. So, most of the weight was just me growing into my body. It wasn't necessarily that I was fat. It's just that I was still growing into my body. Then, when I got to Jr. High and High School, I would say that I was pretty chubby. I mean, i was weighing like 120 and I was like 4"11. I wasn't even overweight in my BMI, but it's just that I wasn't in a weight that I liked or felt comfortable in. I went to an endrocronoligist. I know I spelled it wrong (but, basically a doctor that deals with growth and bones). I had tried everything to lose weight, but I felt like nothing worked. So, I wanted to grow a little bit, so I would feel more comfortable. At the time I was about 4"9 1/2 or 4"10. They told me they couldn't give me growth hormone shots because I got my period so early on, that it wouldn't do anything. It turns out that I grew to be 4"11 1/2. During my senior year in high school, I was so frustrated that I became anorexic. I was weight about 90 pounds. Now, at my weight, I didn't look that thin, as someone who is anorexic does. But, I started to look like a little boy. I was obviously sick. I had bags under my eyes, I had no body fat, and my heart rate was very low. I was eating like 600 calories a day and it became an obsession. I've realized that after I lost weight, my body does everything it can to stay at 112. It's so frustrating! I don't look FAT at 112. But, I'd like to be at 100 because that's where I look GOOD. If I were just 5"2, I know that I would look the same at 112 as I do now at 100 pounds. I excersise every day, but I don't think I can go on a strict diet right now. I just recovered from anorexia. The last thing I need is to go on a diet. I just need to know if there is any way I can grow just an inch or 2. I'm almost 5 feet right now. I'm not one of those people who wants to be tall or grow for superficial reasons. I just want to be able to deal with my weight a little better and not struggle so much with it. I know that we have a lot of technology now, and probably a lot of things have evolved since I was 14. If you know of anything, can you please let me know? Just so I can explore a little more on it.

Thank you so much!!

Cristy

Have you been to an endocrinologist more recently? If there's anything that can be done at all, the professionals will know.

Other than that, get a bicycle and ride it everywhere instead of using any motorised transport. The exercise will stimulate growth.

Besides, when you're on a bicycle, you'll notice the slightest increase in your height because suddenly your saddle won't be high enough.

Also, make sure you eat well. Getting enough nutrients is very important to growth.

Yes, it is definitely possible to grow after you're 18. Some people continue growing until they're 25. I'm 20 and I put on 5 cm earlier this year. (I needed a new bicycle because of that. Then again, I only got my period when I was 11, not as early as you.)
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I'm skinny. I have a good body shape.I want to gain weight but its so hard....i can't....i just don't have much of an appetite. I don't starve myself, i do eat, but not too much. I want to know how I can gain. In the past I have forced myself to eat more often, I end up gaining weight after a while, but then I just fall back into my normal state and lose it all. I don't know what do do! I'm 5"2 105. I want to gain five more pounds and be more lean....like a little muscle...does anyone know an easy way to do this?

To gain muscle, do some weight training exercises. Go to a gym if possible. Otherwise, use large water bottles as weights.

Here are some videos to show you what to do: http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/videos/video%20main%20page.htm

The extra exercise should increase your appetite. Do eat proper meals rather than junk food though.
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At dance we wear leotards and our bras always show really bad. We have our Christmas recital coming up soon and we cant have our bras showing on stage. So how can we stop our bras from showing under our leos? Should we wear something eles under our leos?

Wear a t-shirt bra. (That is, a seamless bra that is designed to allow for a smooth shape when one wears a tight-fitting top.)
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So I want to have a body like a victoria's secret model... just how do I go about getting a body like that?

Is there a special Victorias Secret models diet? Is there a special exercise routine? Just how do they all stay like that?

First of all, people who got the job as a model in the first place are the type who are naturally predisposed to being skinny. If you don't have that kind of body type, "skinny" for you

Secondly, chances are that those models stick to a strict diet under the pressure of losing their job if they gain too much weight. If they have a "special" diet, it's not something you'd want to follow.

The bottom line is, there is no secret to losing weight. Stick to a sensible diet and exercise routine. Watch your portion sizes. Avoid junk food. Fit in exercise by walking or cycling to places.
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Okay, I am 16 yrs of age, male, and im about 5'9. I'm very concern because most of my friends are taller than me and I am started to worry that i have stopped growing. The question I am trying to get at is am I going to grow anymore, how can I increase my height, should I stop eating junk food? Also my father is about 6'3.

I'm 20 and I'm still growing, and I'm female. Males usually start and finish growing later than females do, so you are likely to keep growing too. I also stopped growing from around 14 before I started to grow again this year.

Being healthy does increase your chances of growing. Make sure you eat well, sleep enough, and do a lot of exercise.

Genetics do influence your height, so if your father is tall, you have a better chance of being tall too.
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I use to love the Disney Channel and could sit for hours watching it. On the weekends I would be glued to that television! When I was little I watched things like The Care Bears, My Little Pony, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh but later I watched The Proud Family, That's So Raven, and Even Stevens (Shia LaBeouf is awesome). Now, I can't stand to watch that stuff! Especially with the Jonas brothers and Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus. I can't even STAND to watch The Suite Life of Zack & Cody!

I'm 14 though and, like I'm saying, I use to LOVE Disney. Why don't I any more? My friends like it...

Just because you liked some of the shows on a channel doesn't mean you'll like all of them.

Ask yourself: if they showed some of the shows that you liked when you were little, would you still watch them?

If yes, maybe it really is the quality of the shows themselves. If not, maybe you just don't like kids' shows any more.

How is not liking Disney Channel a problem anyway? Go ahead and find something else to watch (documentaries, maybe?), or do something other than watching TV.
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I saw on a commercial a long time ago that having so many glasses of milk a day can really help you lose weight. I assumed that drinking milk helps you lose weight then.

Well, I just read on another site that if you drink too many glasses of milk a day then you gain weight. Now, I'm really confused. One thing is saying that milk makes you lose weight while another one says milk makes you gain weight.

What is true?

Why?

Anything with calories in it makes you gain weight if you eat/drink too much.

There have been studies that suggest calcium helps increase metabolism, and milk has calcium in it, which is why people claim that milk helps you lose weight.

Milk can be part of a healthy diet. Just don't drink too much.
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please comment if u hate ur parents. ok so me and my friends nickname EVERYTHING, and so we nicknamed going to utah with her as "getting drunk" as a joke. then my stupid ass mother got on my fb and read our conversation and we were talking about "getting drunk" (going to utah) and then she FREAKED out and i was like wtf? so now she thinks im going down the "wrong rode"

Explain to your mother that it's an inside joke. Refer to other more innocent-sounding inside jokes to prove the point. If she doesn't know the inside joke and therefore takes it literally, she has reason to be concerned.

Also, if you don't actually drink, point that out and reassure her that there is no need to be worried.

Other than that, there isn't really much you can do. Some parents are more paranoid than others. If your mother doesn't believe you, tough luck.
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I'm female, 15, and i'm not sexually active. Nor have i ever been. But my vagina has a really gross smell to it, and i always just feel dirty down there. I don't thiiiiiiink i have a yeast infection. I haven't gone to a doctor about this, and i don't plan to. Is there anything i can buy at the store, or anything else i can do to get rid of this smell? and to feel cleaner down there?

If you don't have any infections (are you sure?), then the smell should just be your natural smell.

Just washing with water and soap should be enough.
Use panty liners and change them frequently if you think it is necessary. Also, make sure your underpants are not too tight. Cotton ones are the best because they absorb moisture.
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I was thinking of starting an early Christmas gift round this week but I don't want to seem stupid in the lines when I buy lots of Christmas presents for my friends and family. I want to beat the holiday rush and I don't see WHY it would be wrong to buy now but I don't know if I'm missing something. Is it too soon to start my holiday Christmas shopping or should I wait a little longer before I start buying gifts? What do you think and why?

Good for you to be so organised. I think it is a good idea to start early and beat the holiday rush. This is especially true if you have lots of friends and family members for whom you intend to buy presents. I don't see how it can be "wrong".

Just keep in mind that the earlier you buy something, the longer you will have to store it for before you give it away. This might be an issue if you don't have enough space to store all the presents you intend to buy, or if you tend to lose things easily.

Other than that, the only disadvantage is that you might see a more suitable present for someone after you've already bought something for that person.
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i just have a couple of questions about the sims 3 game. first off, my sims have raised their kids to adults but i can figure out how to get them married. they all have girlfrinds and boyfriends but i cant do anything else. i thought maybe it was because i have a full household but i figured i could make them move out. i cant do that though without making the new home the active home. if i make the new one active, can i still go back and play the house i have now? thanks so much in advance.

After your Sims who you want to get to marry are going steady, make sure they have full relationship bars and get them to do some romantic interactions until the box in the top corner says that "[other Sim] thinks [active Sim] is irresistible". There should then be an option for them to get engaged, and then they can either have a private wedding or a wedding party.
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my name iS Rachel and I go to a mental health center 5 days a week monday through Friday but anyways here is my problem they let us smoke at the center and there are a bunch of people that smoke and I don't mind giving out ciggerates once in a while and everybody gives them back to me except this one girl who lives in a group home and I understand that she only gets $31.00 a month out of her social sucurity check but it never fails she always asks me for at least 6 or 7 smokes a day and I know she can't afford to pay me back should I mention it to a staff member or would I be a snitch?

What do you expect a staff member to do about it?

Just don't give her any if she never gives them back.
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im a senior in high school and im not sure what i really should do. I want to join a sport team and get a job to make money, but at the same time i wanna be free and hang out with my friends and family so if i get a job i wouldnt have a fun time with friends and i want to enjoy since im a senior so i rather work after i graduate, but i need money to buy a car and other things i need or wants and same with sports i might miss out something and i might get too tired to do my homework or study so im really confused what should i do? if i get a job/sport/school i wouldnt have time for anything i want to have fun before i step into a real world =[

If whatever sport you plan to do isn't fun, why are you doing it? See, there's fun for you. Encourage your friends to join in too. Then you'll get to spend time with them. (You'll make new friends at your sport team anyway.)

As for the job, if your family can afford to support you, you're probably better off focusing on your studies while you can, but go for it if you really need the money. It'll be good work experience too.

Just give it a go. You'll get used to being busy. Having more commitments will force you to manage your time properly. Just make sure your commitments don't clash, and that you still have enough time to sleep after getting everything done.

I used to be one who never got involved in anything and thus had all the free time I needed. It was great. I had the time to go online and do whatever I wanted, and I did well at school.

Then I suddenly became interested in doing more (after a really good cycling event). My life has never been the same ever since. I became involved in doing a lot of things. Having a lot of free time was great, but this is even better.

I'm at university. I overload every semester, and I help run three of the clubs on campus and am involved with another five outside. I still have time to go out with my friends. You can do it too.

To be fair, this kind of life isn't for everyone, but just give it a try. You can quit if it's really too much.
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whats a girls bra size if she measures 37 1/2 inches around her boobs and 30 1/2 inches under her boobs...

Here, use this bra size calculator:

http://www.85b.org/bra_calc.php
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At my school, the seniors compete in a costume contest every year. We go on stage and perform a skit based on what our costumes are.

There's about 7-8 of us in the group, 3 of which our guys and the rest are girls.
We were thinking about Power Rangers..going on stage and playing "Go go power rangers!" and having one of us dress up as a monster randomly come up and we'll fight it haha.

I like this idea... but I want a costume that's "cuter".

..So I need IDEAS!!!!!!

..Feedback on the power ranger idea?

I like the Power Ranger idea too, but if you want a cuter costume, there are better options.

Dress up as pirates. There are cute pirate costumes if you want to be cute. You can either be attacking another ship with people or fighting fantasy creatures (as in the Pirates of the Caribbean series).

Otherwise, think about other shows. Cartoon characters can be interesting too. For example, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.

For Pokemon, you have the options of being a trainer or a Pokemon. Of course, this would require the members in your group to decide on who gets to be what.

As for Sailor Moon, you have enough girls for all the Sailor Scouts, and then one guy can be Tuxedo Mask and the other two can be any of the many villains.
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Tomorrow I'm going to my town's annual carnival. Usually I don't bring a purse, or I leave it in the car, but for personal reasons I'll need to take it with me, & I won't have time to walk to the car every time I need it.

So, any advice on what to do with your purse when you get on a ride? I'd take it on with me, but wouldn't it just fly off the ride or something? Also, I know some ride operators that will hold your things for you, but I'm really untrusting about things like that, & pretty much anyone could just walk up & take it when the operator is distracted. Any advice?

If you don't have too much stuff to carry, you might be able to get away with carrying the stuff in your pockets. Wear something with zip up pockets so that your stuff won't fall out.

Otherwise, use a small backpack to carry your stuff and wear that onto the ride. It helps if you can conceal it with a jacket, because ride operators are not supposed to let you take stuff onto the ride.
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So yesterday (sunday) my sister had plans to go to her boyfriends house for a bbq. (16f) My mom bought an apple pie and a cute small pot of flowers (yellow) for her to bring. She flipped out saying its so stupid and nobody does that, and all her friends say its dumb and "gay." I thought it was a really good idea. Anyway she was late, and almost didnt go because she got into a huge argument over it with my parents and refused to take them. She wasnt even going to call her boyfriend to tell him she couldnt go. We even tried to get her to just bring the apple pie. My mom ended up bringing it when she dropped my sister off, but it was almost such a waste, we bought two apple pies one for us and one for them so it wasnt like we could just eat it.
Opinions? thanks. and help.

How is it dumb or "gay" to bring a gift when visiting someone's house? I would've thought it was a polite thing to do.

If your sister spends a lot of time at her boyfriend's house, it might seem unnecessary, but it was rude for her to tell your mom that it's stupid. Your mom was trying to do her a favour.

An important message for your sister is to think about why people do things. Keep in mind the good intentions even if the actions are not appreciated. Also, chill out. It is unnecessary to make a big deal out of an apple pie.
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Is there any sites where I can download philosophy podcasts to my iPod for free?

Thanks!

I recommend The Philosopher's Zone. It's from ABC Radio National.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/

Podcast directories such as Podcast Alley http://www.podcastalley.com will have a philosophy section. Look through it.

Check the philosophy section on iTunes podcasts too.
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