INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Keep the big picture in mind as you work. Think about how homework will help you get good grades, get into college, or achieve your dreams. You can also think about what fun things you can do once your homework is finished.  Homework may seem boring, but it's an important tool for learning new skills. Try to remember that doing your homework will teach you important things for your future. Remind yourself that if you finish now, you'll have more free time later. You might say to yourself, "If I get this all done today, I won't have to do anything on Saturday." You may need to take some time to get your brain back into study mode, especially if you’re doing your homework after dinner. It’ll be easier to focus on boring homework if your brain is ready to work. Reading is a great way to warm up your brain. Read a newspaper article that catches your eye, a chapter from your favorite book or a section of a magazine. When possible, homework should be done on a set schedule as part of a daily routine. Boring homework won’t seem as boring if you know that it’s homework time instead of struggling to find time to get to your homework.  Find a routine that works best for you. You might prefer to tackle your homework as soon as you come home from school to get it out of the way, or you might want to take 20 minutes to relax first and then start on your homework. Whatever routine works for you, it’s important that you stick to it. Try to do your homework in the same place and at the same time each day so your routine becomes second nature. Determine what time of day you work best, such as the morning, afternoon, or evening. Schedule your homework sessions for these times. Take a few moments to plan out how you are going to do your homework. By creating a plan, the workload will seem more manageable because you’ll know exactly what is coming next.  Write your plan as a to do list. Once you finish a task, you can cross it off your list. Schedule your homework into sections. It’s less overwhelming if your homework is comprised of small tasks instead of one huge project. Write your plan in the order you want to finish it. Make sure homework that is urgent is on top of the list. It’s important to give your mind and your body some rest time while doing your homework. You don’t want to burn out or get frustrated. Schedule your breaks so that you keep yourself fresh and alert.  Try the Pomodoro Technique: Set a timer for 25 minutes and work without stopping until the timer goes off. Once it goes off, take a five minute break. Reset the timer for another 25 minutes and repeat. After three short breaks, take a longer (15 - 30 minutes) break.  Use your break time wisely. Get yourself a snack, refill a glass of water, stretch or walk around. Try to get up from your desk so that it feels like you’re really taking a break from the work. Homework can be hard work, especially if it’s boring and tough to get through. Treat yourself to little rewards as an incentive to push through and get it all done.  Set up a reward system so that you get a treat for reaching mini milestones. For example, you can leave a piece of candy at the bottom of every second page to eat once you get there. Remember, rewards don’t always have to be candy. Get creative and think of other small treats you would enjoy as a reward for a job well done.

SUMMARY: Remind yourself how homework will help you. Warm up your brain. Stick to a routine. Create a plan for finishing your homework. Take breaks. Reward yourself.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Digitizing important archives and documents will not only let you cut down on clutter and move forward in going paperless, but it will ensure the security of those documents for the long term.  Doxie and Neat are new brands of scanner that are specifically designed to make scanning lots of documents quick and easy. They’re hand-held and sleek, making it a good investment if you don’t already own a scanner. If you do, though, standard scanners on printers are fine for the job. Scan at a quality low enough so that the files aren't huge, but high enough so that your printout will be useful as a copy of the original document. Usually 300dpi is adequate unless you're archiving photos. Use grey scale scanning to save even more memory. After you've scanned your important, sensitive, or personal documents, you don't have to print them to keep them secure or to keep them copied. Instead, choose "Print to PDF," which will create a secure, high-quality file that can't be edited. Name the file and keep your important documents organized neatly. Name your documents something specific and keep them organized so that your computer desktop doesn't become as cluttered as your real desktop.  For every scan you add to your database, use keywords that mean something to you, like "house payment July 08" or "laptop receipt 12/23/2008 Best Buy" or "car insurance statement 20090201." This will allow you to do a search of keywords to locate a document if you need it for something. If necessary, you might consider using a database program that uses keywords to help you organize your scans. Doxo, FileThis, and Neat all offer this type of service. . Invest in an external hard-drive for your computer and back up your information regularly to keep a copy of the things you'd be heartbroken to lose. Make at least backups of your most important data, and keep one backup in a different location from your computer: a bank safe deposit box, a friend's house, and an online backup service are several options. If you're afraid of somebody potentially taking control of your computer and stealing all your digitized documents, then store them on an external USB hard drive or USB flash drive, keeping it disconnected from the computer. This is a process known as "air gap," and it can help to keep your most sensitive information secure. However talented, no hacker has ever learned how to steal data from a drive that is not connected to anything. If you've got your info backed up to the great hard-drive in the sky, you don't have to worry about anything being corrupted, lost, or damaged in a fire. Upload your sensitive information to the cloud and you'll always have it.

SUMMARY: Invest in a good-quality scanner. Print to PDF. Stay organized. Back things up Air gap important info. Consider cloud storage.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Although the water filter in the tank will help keep the tank clean, peacock eels can be very sensitive to water quality.  Peacock eels may require more water maintenance that some other breeds of tropical fish.   Replace approximately 30% of the water in the tank each week. Peacock eels prefer very clear and clean water, so if your water become foggy change it out and consider adjusting your filtration method. Once you are sure your peacock eels are healthy and adjusting to your aquarium you can reduce feeding to multiple times per week, but feed them frequently until then.    Peacock eels need live food to survive.  Bloodworms, black worms and tubifex are excellent food sources and can be bought at most pet stores. The worms you feed your peacock eel can burrow into the substrate and establish their own colonies so your eel will have plenty to eat. Over time, peacock eels can even learn to eat right from your hand! Peacock eels don't usually require tank heaters to adjust the temperatures of the water.  Many people who live in warmer climates will find their tanks don't require any kind of heater.  Peacock eels prefer temperatures above 72 degrees Fahrenheit, so if your house stays warmer than that on average you probably won't need a tank heater. Never let the water in your tank exceed 80 degrees. Peacock eels tend to become very shy when introduced to new environments.  They will hide most of the time when first brought into a new home, but with the right variables in place they can become happy members of your aquarium's community.  Over time, peacock eels can become extremely friendly fish. If you set your tank up to make the peacock eels feel safe, they will begin emerging from their hiding places sooner.

SUMMARY:
Keep the water clean. Start by feeding your peacock eels every day. Keep the water the right temperature. Be patient.