INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The Game is both infinitely simple and ridiculously complex. Also, you lost again, if you're still reading. The rules to the Game are as follows:  Everyone in the world is playing the Game, whether they know it or not. If you think about the Game, you lose the Game. This includes things like desperately trying not to think about the Game, or being tipped off by anyone else talking about losing the Game, or any split-second that the Game randomly pops into your mind. You think about it, you lose. When you lose, you have to announce that you lost. It can be out loud, on the Internet, in writing, or in any number of other ways. Announcing your losses is the only way that the Game is played. Nobody ever wins the game, you can only avoid losing and attempt to make other people lose by spreading the word about the Game. If you're in the Game to win, you're going to lose. If you're in the Game to lose, congratulations! Ironic processing is the psychological phenomenon that describes the inverse relationship between a desire to avoid thoughts and the persistence of those thoughts. In other words, the more you want to stop thinking about the Game, the more you're thinking about the Game.  This is also sometimes called the "white bear phenomenon," based on a reference in Tolstoy, or the "pink elephant phenomenon." The act of deciding to not think about something makes you think about something.  Ironic processing was used to humorous effect in the first Ghostbusters movie, in which the Ghostbusters were told that whatever they thought of would come to destroy them. Despite attempts to clear their minds entirely, someone thinks of the Stay-Puff'd marshmallow man, who arrives in monster-form to destroy Manhattan. Some people play the Game slightly differently, giving players a grace period after losing before you can lose again, or are not required to announce it for a certain period of time. This time can range from a few seconds to half an hour or so. Others put restrictions on ways that a loss can be announced. If you're playing with some friends, decide on winnable rules, if you want. Some may say that death can also end the Game, while others say that the Game will end when the British Prime Minister, President of the United States, or the Pope says the Game is lost on national television. Still others believe that the Game can only be won when someone knocks the hat off the Pope.

SUMMARY: Learn the three basic rules of the Game. Give up the idea of winning. Learn about the background of Game psychology. Consider adding variations to the Game to make it winnable.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Warming up before a race helps you give your best performance and prevents injury. Jog for about 10 minutes to warm up your muscles, then do some light stretches. As part of your warm up, do some dynamic stretches, such as high knees, butt kicks, squats, reverse lunges, and alternating side lunges. It’s tempting to sprint out of the starting line so you can secure the lead, but that’s a mistake. Running too fast at the beginning of the race will tire you out sooner, leaving you little energy to finish the race. Instead, pace yourself so you are able to finish the race at a faster pace than the other runners. Don’t let other runners psych you out if they choose to start off fast. Remember, they’re going to burn through all of their energy before the end of the race, so you can always pass them later. At the beginning of the race, you’ll need to manage your energy levels so that you don’t run too fast, which may tire you out too soon. As you progress through the race, you can increase your pace occasionally to pass other runners. However, save your sprint for the end of the race. It’s natural to want to run faster to finish first, but tightening your shoulders and face won't accomplish this goal. In fact, clenching these muscles costs you energy that you could be using for a strong finish. Instead, keep your face and shoulders neutral and relaxed. Check in with yourself when you reach race landmarks and release any tension you're holding in your face or shoulders. Sticking close to your teammates can keep you motivated during the race, so try to run as a pack for most of the race. However, don’t slow down your pace if you’re much faster than your teammates.  Practice sticking together when you go on practice runs. When in doubt, ask your coach for advice about where you should be running in the pack.

SUMMARY: Warm up about 30 minutes before the race with a light jog and stretching. Start the race at a steady, moderate pace. Keep a quick, even pace rather than alternating between a sprint and a jog. Relax your shoulder and face muscles so you don’t waste energy. Run with your teammates for encouragement.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: White, French, or sourdough sandwich bread will work great for this, but you can also use other types as well, such as wheat. Do not use baguette for this. For a tasty twist, use mayonnaise instead of butter. Place one of the bread slices, buttered-side-down on the cutting board. Layer the ham and cheese on top, then press the final bread slice on top. Make sure that the buttered side is facing up. When you grill the sandwich, the butter will help make the bread nice and crispy.  The number of slices of ham and cheese does not have to be exact. You can use more/less of ham or cheese depending on your personal taste. Cheddar is the most popular choice, but you can also use other cheeses as well, such as Comté, Gouda, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, or Swiss. For an added punch of flavor, add some ranch dressing on top of the ham and cheese before you put the final slice of bread down. Place a skillet on the stove and let it get hot; you do not need to add any butter on it. Once the skillet is hot enough, place the sandwich on it and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The sandwich is ready when the cheese melts and the bread turns golden brown. Use a heavy pot to press the sandwich down before you flip it and just before you take it off the skillet. This will flatten the sandwich and make it easier to eat. You can serve it as it is, or add a side, such as chips or fries.

SUMMARY: Spread some butter on one side of each slice of bread. Assemble the sandwich, with the buttered sides of the bread on the outside. Cook the sandwich on a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the sandwich over using a spatula, then cook it a few minutes more. Serve the sandwich while it is still warm.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Pour the sugar and water into a small saucepan and stir the two together. The two won’t combine properly until the sugar dissolves in the water, which will happen when you add heat. To increase your simple syrup yield, increase the amount of sugar and water you use, sticking with the one-to-one ratio. To turn your sugar and water mixture into syrup, heat the mixture over medium-high heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. When the syrup starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer it for three minutes. While the sugar will eventually dissolve in cold water, this can take hours or days to occur. Moreover, if you don’t add heat to the mixture, none of the water will boil off, so the syrup won’t be as thick. After simmering for three minutes, remove the syrup from the heat. Set it aside to cool for 30 minutes to an hour. Your homemade syrup is now ready. Transfer the syrup into a sterilized storage jar with a lid and refrigerate it. Simple syrup will keep in the fridge for at least a month. Good storage containers for simple syrup include:  Plastic squeeze bottles Wine bottles with screw lids Clean vinegar or oil jugs Maple syrup bottles

SUMMARY:
Combine the sugar and water. Heat the mixture. Cool and bottle the syrup.