INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Try picking your lavender just before you use it so that it has the freshest possible taste. Choose blossoms that have the fullest color and pass over any that are wilted or less robust.  Alternatively, you can place the blooms in a salad spinner as long as you spin them slowly and gently.

SUMMARY: Obtain your lavender. Immerse the blooms in a bowl of cool water to remove any insects or soil. Place the lavender between two paper towels and dab the blooms until they are dry. Place the lavender in a mortar and pestle and grind the flowers with the pestle until the leaves become fragrant.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Make sure that your friends, classmates, and acquaintances all know that you are always there for them, and ready to be a sympathetic ear. If you're a helpful listener, people will seek you out when they have really juicy gossip to share. Help them to unburden themselves of those weighty secrets. Then, you know, spread them around.  Practice your active listening skills. Make eye contact when someone is talking, nodding your head along to encourage them. Repeat and summarize what they've said, and encourage them to talk more. Sometimes, it's helpful to give a little gossip of your own to help get someone talking. If a friend seems bothered by some problem, say something like, "You know, I've been feeling the same way. Tell me how you're feeling" to get them started. Then just keep talking about them instead of circling back to you. People typically want to keep secrets to themselves. If you want to bring gossip up to the surface, you've got to learn how to dig below and get at the good stuff.  Pay attention to body language when someone talks to you. If someone is shifty, uncomfortable, and won't make eye contact, it likely shows that they're feeling uncomfortable about a topic you're discussing. Ask leading questions to keep them talking. "What happened next?" or "And then what did he say?" will help to keep the gossip rolling, even if the other person doesn't want to talk. Be insistent. If you like to talk, go where the talkers go, and hang out with people who like to gossip. Learn who you can trust with secrets, and who will spread them on to others by asking pointed questions. If someone gives you the goods when you ask, "What's her deal?" you know you've got a friend in dirt.  Added bonus: If you have a friend who is always blurting out secrets, it makes it easier to blame gossip on them, if necessary. If your friends are unable to keep secrets, keep your own secrets under close lock and key. Be very careful you don't go from gossiper to gossiped-about. Women often get an unfair reputation for being the gossipers of the world. In truth, studies reveal that men are slightly more willing to gossip, especially when it comes to workplace rumors and conversations. While the gossip of strangers is never quite as good as the gossip of people you actually know, good dirt is good dirt, regardless. If you want to find something good to gossip about, pay attention to what other people are saying around you. When you're on the bus, in a coffee shop, or just taking a walk, keep an ear out for good side conversations. Pro tip: Wear ear buds or headphones when you're sitting somewhere in public, and pretend you're listening to something and can't hear. People will talk more freely if they think you're not able to hear what they're saying. Facebook and Twitter are great places to dig up some serious gossip. People tend to be less guarded and more loose-lipped when they're posting online, which means you can find out stuff they might not normally tell you.  If you know a couple train-wrecks, set your phone to send you a notification any time that person posts something, or change your settings to promote that person's stuff. Be sure you don't miss out on any ridiculousness. When someone posts a big batch of pictures, make sure you look through it for signs of potential gossip. Where did they go? Why? What's going on there? Try to come up with good answers. Read celebrity gossip blogs and dirt-sheets as well. While gossiping about what one of the Kardashians is up to might seem less exciting than people you actually know, starting out by dishing on celebs can be a good way to transition into juicer gossip. Get the conversation rolling with red carpet talk, then dish on the real dirt.
Summary: Be a good listener. Learn how to dig deeper. Make friends with other gossipers. Eavesdrop. Snoop around online. Pay attention to the stars, too.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The most successful athletes are defined by their ability to accommodate for a wide range of techniques. In a competitive environment, you can't depend on the other team to use one kind of shot. If you feel like you've mastered certain blocks but other players are still getting shots past you, it is likely you haven't taken all possible shots into account yet. Here are some common shots to look out for:  A jump shot is the most common shot. To gain height, offensive players will jump in the air and throw the ball towards the net. A slam dunk is the most efficient shot in basketball. This is where an offensive player runs directly up the court, jumps up, and delivers it directly into the net. A fadeaway is an advanced shot where the offensive player will lean away from the net as he throws it in. This is done to avert the efforts of blocking players. It can be resisted by putting your arms in the predicted path of the basketball. A faked shot is where an offensive player lines up a shot but doesn't actually throw the ball. This is done for psychological reasons of tricking up the opposing team. Slam dunks are considered very risky shots, as it's difficult to get a proper block without incurring a foul call. If you do attempt to block a slam dunk, get in between the net and the other player and jump directly up, aiming your hand in the path of the ball. A fadeaway shot is where a shooting player will hop backwards as he throws the ball towards the hoop. This tactic is specifically geared to trick up a blocking player. To maximize your chances of blocking a fadeaway, jump up between the ball and the net and extend your hands towards the ball. Don't swing your arms unnecessarily around as you're blocking. This will incur a foul call. A significant part of blocking shots in basketball involves the proper use of jumping. Jumping is a muscle-based exercise, but it's not often seen as a primary workout focus for many players. Practice doing sets of vertical jumps, attempting to get as much force off the ground as you can. Next, add on to this exercise by holding barbells in each hand and jumping with them. This will increase the pressure on your legs, making them better-suited for jumping blocks when you play competitively.

SUMMARY:
Practice a versatile range of shots. Jump up to fend a slam dunk. Accommodate to block a fadeaway shot. Focus on your jumping.