Problem: Article: Check the tag of your jeans to confirm this, but most jeans are supposed to be washed inside out. Since washing distresses the color and look of the jeans, turning them inside out reduces this a bit. Although denim isn’t going to shrink all that much, it’s still best to wash new jeans with cold water. Set the washer on a small load cycle and turn the agitation to high if you have the option. Let the basin fill before you put the jeans in it. For front-load washing machines, you won't have the option to fill the machine first. If you have a front-load washer, add the jeans as you normally would. Choose whichever softener you prefer. Measure out ½ to 1 capful of the fabric softener and pour it into the water. Swirl the water around with your hand or a hanger so the softener mixes into the water.  Don’t add any detergent the first time washing the jeans. Only add fabric softener. For front-load washers, you may have to put the softener in the detergent compartment so it adds to the water during the wash cycle. Put the jeans into the washing machine and press them down under the water. Hold them there long enough that they soak up the water. You want to make sure they soak up the water rather than sit on the top of it. Close the lid and start the washer. If the jeans are especially stiff, stop the machine after it finishes the wash cycle and before the water drains. Add a bit more softener and start the wash cycle over again. It’s okay to do this three or four times for extra-stiff, new jeans. If the jeans aren't super stiff, let the washing machine run as normal the first time through. Also, if you run the wash cycle with softener additional times, let the machine run through the whole cycle (including rinse and spin) on the last time.
Summary: Turn your jeans inside out. Fill the washing machine with cold water. Add liquid fabric softener to the water. Push the jeans into the water. Stop the machine after the wash cycle for extra-stiff jeans. Let the washing machine run through the cycle.

Problem: Article: There are 2 separate units of measurements on a standard metric ruler—centimeters and millimeters. The numbered lines correspond to centimeters, while the unmarked lines indicate millimeters. If you look closely, you’ll notice that there are 10 millimeters in a centimeter.  The medium-sized line at the halfway point between each numbered centimeter measurement represents half a centimeter, or 5 millimeters.  This same labeling scheme is also used on longer metric measuring tools, such as meter sticks and tape measures. More specifically, place the line marked “0” up against the far edge of your object. Make sure the ruler is straight and neatly aligned with your starting point.  If you’re trying to find out how long your smartphone is in millimeters, you would arrange your ruler so that the “0” marking is even with one of the device’s horizontal edges. Not all rulers have “0”s printed on them. If the one you’re using doesn’t, it’s safe to assume that the end of the ruler to the left of the “1” indicates “0mm.” Note the number of the last full centimeter measurement. Multiplying this number by 10 will convert the unit of measurement to millimeters and tell you how long your object is in millimeters up to this point. If the last full centimeter measurement reads 1, multiplying it by 10 would give you 10, since 1cm = 10mm. Now, count up how many unmarked lines there are beyond the end of your object. The reason this is necessary is because there aren’t enough millimeters to account for another full centimeter. Using the centimeter measurement to quickly calculate the bulk of the object’s length in millimeters just saves time.  If the object you're measuring is 1.5 centimeters, multiplying 1 times 10 gives you 10, and adding 5 gives you a total length of 15mm. If it’s easier for you, you can also measure one centimeter past the end of your object and then subtract the number of millimeters in between. 2 centimeters (20 millimeters) minus 5 millimeters equals 15mm.
Summary: Look at the unmarked lines on a metric ruler. Line up the end of your ruler with the object you want to measure. Multiply the centimeter measurement just before the end of your object by 10. Add the number of lines after the last centimeter mark.

Problem: Article: The muscles in the arm, shoulder, chest and back should be conducting all of the action while you write. Your forearm, hand and fingers should be still. Writing from your shoulder results in movement that is more intricate and gives you greater stamina. It also creates smoother and cleaner looking writing.  This movement will likely feel unnatural at first but it is crucial to developing your writing. Avoid writing with your fingers. The majority of people “draw” their letters by moving the pen across the paper with their hand. This method is more tiresome and gives you less control over your writing. Be conscious of writing with your shoulder, making it a part of your writing practice. Concentrate on writing using your shoulder and not your hand. Practice this until it feels natural. As you become more comfortable with the movement, make the letters smaller. You can also practice this method on a marker or chalk board. Start with big letters and gradually move to smaller ones. Again, remember to avoid writing with your fingers and concentrate on your shoulder. Start making Xs and ///s and OOOs and overlapped OOOs and spirals and | | | |s. Work on making this figures smoothly, uniformly, and evenly spaced. Practice drawing these figures daily emphasizing your strokes and movement.  Repetition is important so practice these movements daily. Focus on making clear, well-formed letters and words. Hurriedly writing results in messy or illegible writing. Remember that you want to write elegantly and that takes time. If you begin to get sore or fatigued, your writing will suffer. Get out of your chair and walk around. Stretch the muscles in your shoulder and hand. There is not magic bullet for developing elegant handwriting. Daily practice is the only way to hone your skill and, luckily, there are many strategies for doing this.  Set aside at least 20 minutes a day to write. Begin with five minutes and work your way up. Follow the curriculum laid out in a handbook or online lesson. These tend to have daily exercises as part of their instruction. Write things out by hand more. Hand-write your notes and grocery lists. Start a journal and send written letters to friends and family. Keep a pocketbook.
Summary:
Write with your shoulder and back. Hold your arm out in front of you and practice writing big letters in the air. Practice your movements with a pen in your notebook. Practice strokes and figures. Slow down and write methodically. Remember to stretch and move around. Practice your handwriting every day.