INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Try not to flirt in a suggestive way. If you don't want someone to try to kiss you, then be very careful about how you interact with them. In general, a person will be more likely to try to kiss you if he/she thinks that you want to be kissed. Perhaps you like this person, but you aren't ready for a kiss. You will need to be clear about your expectations. If the person goes for a kiss, let him/her down gently and explain exactly why you don't want the kiss. A person is much more likely to try to kiss you if you are alone together and having an intimate moment. Invite mutual friends to hang out with you, or make sure that a friend is with you at all times. Spend time with the kisser in public places where he/she will be unlikely to try for a smooch. Talk about something unrelated to kissing – something that will make it very hard for him/her to segue back to the subject of kisses. Suggest an activity that doesn't have much chance of leading to a kiss.  If you are refusing a kiss from a partner, hold his/her hand or rest your head on his/her shoulder. Show your partner that you can enjoy physical contact without kissing. Constantly suck a lollipop when you're with them. It will be in your mouth, so they can't kiss you. " If someone goes in for a kiss, divert them from your lips by tilting your head slightly to the side. Make it clear that you are offering up your cheek instead of your lips. The kisser should get the hint. Say that you have a cold or that you're recovering from a virus. Tell the person that you have a cold sore on your mouth, and that you don't want to kiss anyone in case you transmit the herpes simplex virus. Claim that you have a severe case of halitosis. The problem with this approach is that it is just a delaying tactic. If you don't want to kiss this person at all, or not for a long time coming, then you'll need to say so.

SUMMARY: Watch your signals. Avoid being alone together. Divert the person's attention. Give your date "the cheek. Make an excuse.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Slowly inhale and exhale to signal your body to relax, and to restore equilibrium if you are feeling out of sorts and tense. This also gives you a few extra moments to evaluate the situation and how you will choose to respond.  Practice regular meditation to learn how to control your emotions and calm yourself down when you need to. Try inhaling for 5 seconds, holding it for 5 seconds, and then exhaling over 5 seconds. This is a general standard rhythm, but experiment to see what timing works best for you. Taking a step away from the situation allows you to remove yourself from the situation if you are worried that your immediate reaction won’t be one of patience. This will help you to feel more level-headed to face the next few moments.  When you step away, try slowly counting to 10 or taking deep breaths to help you to be able to return more quickly. You could also try yelling your frustrations into a pillow when you have stepped away. Maintain supervision of the children even when you need to step away. Use a baby monitor or ask another adult to look over them. Singing can make losing your patience or temper much more difficult, as it can easily diffuse the situation into laughter instead. You can still say what you need to, however it will be much better received, and you won’t feel as though you have lost your patience as much. The singing may come as a surprise to the kids, which will make them more likely to pay attention to what you are saying. Try to keep having a connection and understanding at the forefront of your mind. Avoid lecturing them, and be reflective rather than reactive.  Listen to the children before you speak, and talk with them rather than at them. Simply saying “kids, I’m losing my patience,” can also help, as it openly communicates with the kids how you are feeling and lets them respond to it. The cycling nature of mantras is soothing and serene, which can definitely help in situations where you feel that you might lose your patience. Mantras can also help for you to put the situation in perspective.  For a patience boost, try “This too will pass, and I can stand it.”  To add perspective, try “I love my kids more than I love my . . .” and include whatever the situation is about such as plates, a wall, or the garden. Take a moment to evaluate the situation from the child’s point of view. This will help you to work out what their intentions are, and how to react in a way that they will understand. The more you practice this, the easier it will become to understand the child’s perspective in the future. This means that you will lose your patience less in future situations.

SUMMARY: Take a few deep breaths. Step away for a moment if possible. Sing what you want to say. Talk it out with the kids. Repeat a mantra. Put yourself in the kid’s shoes.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: It is important to remember that it is most likely not the same time in Japan as it is in the place you are making the call from. Japan’s time zone is Japan Standard Time, which is nine hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Keep in mind that you may be charged for your international call even if no one picks up on the other end. This should serve as an incentive to make sure that you are calling the person you are trying to reach in Japan at a time that he or she will actually be awake. To demonstrate, let us say that you are trying to call your friend who lives Fukuyama, Japan and you live in San Francisco, CA, USA. You would dial:  The United States exit code: 011 Then the country code for Japan: 81 Then the area code for Fukuyama: 84 Then the seven digit local phone number: XXX-XXXX The full number would be 011-81-84-XXX-XXXX. You have successfully called Japan.

SUMMARY:
Know what time it is in Japan. Place your call and dial the full international number. If someone answers by saying “もしもし” (Moshimoshi), congratulations!