Problem: Article: As with all seafood, the meat is fresher if you can prepare and eat it right away. If you will be waiting several days to prepare your mussels, store them in the refrigerator and keep them damp either with wet newspaper around them or a damp cloth. Since mussels are living, storing them in a plastic container or plastic bag will suffocate them. Mussels will stay alive longer if you wait to clean them until you are ready to use them. Use a small, stiff brush and water to scrub the mussels' shells and remove barnacles and stuck-on seaweed. Place your mussels in a colander or on a tray. Rinse the mussels several times with a steady flow of fresh water. This will remove any dirt and sand from the mussels. Do not submerge the mussels in water or soak them as this will kill the mussels. Some mussels, mostly the cultivated ones, will have their beards already removed when you purchase them. However, if the beard is still in tact, as will be with wild mussels, you will need to remove the beard. To remove a beard from a mussel, grab hold of the beard, a brown, stringy tuft coming out from between the two shells, and give it a firm pull. The beard may come off during this process. If not, use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the beard away from the shell.
Summary: Wait to clean mussels until you are about ready to eat them. Get rid of barnacles on wild mussels. Clean the outside of the mussels. Remove the beards.

Problem: Article: A narrative outline can help you break down the plot of your novel and make it easier for you to keep track of each element of the plot. Start by determining your novel’s opening scene. This scene should establish character, setting, and a conflict or problem that is plaguing your main character. The opening scene will be the start of your first act and help to immerse your reader in your story. For example, you may start with a scene that introduces the reader to your main character and the setting of the novel, such as “Susan Miro who lives in seclusion in the jungle.” You may then note a problem or conflict facing your main character, such as “Susan is struggling to survive in the jungle alone with very few supplies.” The inciting incident is the problem or conflict that sets your main character on a specific path. This incident will then tie into the main conflict, allowing your reader to feel more tension as the story goes on.  The inciting incident in your story may be the arrival of a new character that throws your main character off balance or a sudden change in the main character’s surroundings that leads to a conflict. For example, you may have an inciting incident in your story when Susan gets an unexpected visit from the daughter she never knew. This could then lead into the main conflict of your novel. The main conflict should be intense for the main character and create a big issue that the character has to address or deal with in some way. Some writers call the main conflict the point of no return for the character, where they must take action and make a decision. For example, you may have a main conflict in your story where Susan has to decide to leave the jungle and live with her daughter in the city. This could create feelings of confusion, anxiety, and tension for both characters. The rising action in your outline should look at how the character acts after they have been confronted with the main conflict. There should be obstacles or challenges for the character during the rising action that make it difficult for them to achieve a goal or stick to their decision. Having rising action will help to up the stakes of the story and encourage the reader to keep reading. For example, you may have rising action where Susan fails to get a job in the city and does not seem able to bond with her daughter or her daughter’s lifestyle. There may be a series of small incidents in the rising action that make Susan feel upset, anxious, or confused about her situation. The climax of the story is perhaps the most crucial element of the plot. It should be the most intense and important moment for your characters, where everything in the story comes to a head. The climax may be dramatic and intense or it may be more subtle. Either way, it should be the moment where the character is feeling the most emotion and the stakes are the highest for the story. For example, you may have a climax where Susan gets lost in the city and almost gets mugged. She may then have an emotional breakdown and tell her daughter she needs to return to the jungle. The final element in your narrative plot outline is the resolution. You may have falling action after the climax that then leads into a resolution of the conflict for the characters. The falling action may include the results of the climax. The resolution will tell your reader how each character ends up dealing with the climax of the story. For example, you may have falling action where Susan goes back to the jungle and tries to go back to her old way of life, away from her daughter. The resolution of the story may then be the daughter’s decision to live with Susan in the jungle and adopt a more traditional lifestyle with Susan.
Summary: Determine the opening scene. Come up with an inciting incident. Identify the main conflict. Determine the rising action. Identify the climax. Finish with a resolution.

Problem: Article: When it comes to hiding love handles, avoiding the wrong clothes is just as important as choosing the right ones. Tops that are tight and clingy without being shaping will only serve to show off your love handles, especially when paired with overly tight and unflattering bottoms. Fabrics to avoid include satin, full polyester, and elastane (Spandex and Lycra), all of which cling to your body and accentuate your silhouette. Unlike empires and A-lines, straight-cut clothing emphasizes your middle and stomach area, and this will draw all the attention to your love handles. This applies to pants, tops, skirts, and dresses. There are lots of recommendations out there saying to use belts to hide love handles, but even thick and oversized belts can cut into your sides and make love handles even bigger.  If you want to wear an oversized belt, choose one that’s loose fitting, wear it around your lower hips, and pair it with a loose top. Otherwise, stick with skinny belts that don’t cut into your waist. Tight underwear, especially ones with thin waistbands or straps, can cut into your flesh and make love handles bigger. In fact, thin, tight straps on underwear can even make you look like you have love handles when you don’t. Like with bottoms, choose underwear with a higher waist and thicker waistband. This includes bottoms that are too tight and ones that don’t sit where they should. Don’t try to squeeze into bottoms that don’t fit, especially if they're tight at the waist. For example, skinny jeans may be all the rage right now, but if you're bigger around the middle and choose skinny jeans with a low waist, your love handles are going to bulge out more than ever.
Summary: Stay away from body-hugging clothes. Avoid straight-cut clothes. Steer clear of belts. Don’t wear underwear that’s too tight. Avoid pants that don’t fit your waist properly.

Problem: Article: Pour about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of vegetable oil in a skillet with high sides. Heat the oil up to 350 °F (177 °C). Check the temperature with a candy thermometer throughout your frying process to make sure the oil is still hot enough. If you are using a deep fryer, pour your vegetable oil into it and then turn it on. Gently drop the shrimp in the hot oil using tongs. Fry them until the coating on the outside turns golden brown. Flip the shrimp over at least once as you fry them to make sure they are cooked evenly on both sides.  Cut open one of your shrimp and look for an opaque color inside to see if it is done. If you are using a deep fryer, place the shrimp into the basket and lower them slowly into the oil. Take the shrimp out of the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel. The paper towel will soak up any excess oil and grease on the shrimp. Let them sit for about 2 minutes and then serve them immediately.
Summary:
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to 350 °F (177 °C). Fry the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes or until they are golden brown. Drain the shrimp on a paper towel.