INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Include a plate setting for every person whose memory you wish to honor and include a favorite dish of theirs in your dinner. Invite your family to celebrate with you and tell stories about your deceased loved ones. Popular offerings include calaveras, calabaza en tacha, atole, and pan de muerto. Calaveras are Mexican sugar skulls. This is a fun activity for the whole family, and especially fun to eat, as calaveras are offered to both the living and the dead. To make your own, mix 1 teaspoon (4.93 mL) of meringue powder with 1 cup (237 mL) of granulated sugar, then add 1 teaspoon (4.93 mL) of water, and mix well. Pack the mixture into a mold and let dry overnight.  Decorate the calaveras using colored icing, sequins, feathers, and more. You can also buy the sugar skulls "ready made" and then decorate them. Calabaza en tacha (candied pumpkin) is a popular and traditional dish for Día de los Muertos. In a large saucepan, bring 2 pounds (0.907 kg) piloncillo, 4 cinnamon sticks, 4 cups (1 liter) of water, and the juice and zest from 1 orange to a boil. Add the flesh of one 5-pound (2.25 kg) pumpkin, cut into strips. Simmer an hour or two until tender, then serve.  Piloncillo is Mexican unrefined brown sugar; to substitute, you can mix 2 teaspoons (9.86 mL) molasses with every 1/4 cup (59 mL) of brown sugar. This recipe yields 6-8 servings of calabaza en tacha. Atole is a warm porridge-like drink made from masa. To make it, blend 1/2 cup (118 mL) fresh masa with 1/4 cup (59 mL) hot water. Transfer it to saucepan, add a cinnamon stick and the seeds from one vanilla bean, and stir until it thickens. Mix in 3-4 tablespoons (44-59 mL) piloncillo until it dissolves, then remove from heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean seeds.  You can serve atole as is, or choose to add 1 cup (237 mL) of pureed fruit, such as pineapple or strawberries, to your dish before serving. This recipe yields 5-6 servings of atole. Pan de muerto ("bread of the dead") is a sweet egg bread made in various shapes. This is a traditional Día de Los Muertos dish and is a fun activity for the family to do together. To make it:  Stir 1/2 packet (3.5 g) active-dry yeast and 1/4 cup (59 mL) warm water in a large bowl and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Heat 1/4 cup (59 mL) La Lechera sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 59 mL) unsalted butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add 1/2 teaspoon (2.46 mL) anise seeds, 1/4 teaspoon (1.23 mL) salt, and the La Lechera mixture to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 2 large eggs and 1 cup (237 mL) flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add 1 ¼ cups (296 mL) flour, in small increments, stirring well until the dough comes together. Knead the dough gently for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticky.  Place dough in a large greased bowl and cover it with greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the dough into a loaf or a shape such as a skull or an angel.  To make a skull, remove 3 tablespoons (44.36 mL) of dough and form each into a ball. Shape the larger dough into a loaf. Roll 2 of the balls into long worm shapes to form the bones on top of the bread. Drape the 2 worms-shaped dough pieces on top of the loaf to form an “X.” Form the remaining ball into a skeleton head and gently place it on top of the “X.” Place the loaf on the prepared baking sheet and allow it to rise in warm place for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176.6 degrees C).  Brush the top of the loaf with egg wash made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons (9.86 mL) water. Bake for 20 minutes; then remove the loaf from the oven and brush again with egg wash. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon (14.79 mL) granulated sugar. Return it to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Serve warm or cool completely.

SUMMARY: Prepare a special dinner. Create calaveras. Make calabaza en tacha. Serve atole. Mix the dough for pan de muerto. Knead the dough. Shape the dough. Bake your pan de muerto.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Claims that you can learn shorthand in a few hours should be taken with a dose of skepticism. The time it will take you depends on how often you practice, the difficulty of the system, and your goal speed. It may take as long as a year of hard work to really master a useful shorthand. You need to fully absorb the word-building principles first; speed comes from them. Try for at least 45 minutes to an hour, if you can. Remember, though, that even daily short sessions are better than one or two longer ones per week. Start with the alphabet, filling each line of a piece of notebook paper with one letter. Next, you'll move on to words, doing the same thing. When you're ready, you'll move on to common groups of words. Saying the words aloud as you write them helps your brain make the connection between the phonemic sound and the symbol. Shorthand dictations come in different speeds (words per minute), so you can work your way to an increasingly rapid pace.  Practice each speed (30, 40, 50, 60, etc.) until you're comfortable, then move on. If you want to practice as much as possible, put dictations on your MP3 player and practice whenever you have a few extra minutes.

SUMMARY:
Start off with realistic expectations. Prioritize mastery over speed. Practice every day. Drill in stages. Increase speed with dictation exercises.