Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Join your neighborhood council or school board. Start a petition. Speak out in the community. Stand for local election.

Answer: Does your city have councils and school boards? Some do, and joining is a great way to get politically active in your local community. Neighborhood councils usually meet regularly and may get funds for things like crime prevention, roads, streets, sidewalks, and the creation of safe play spaces. School boards manage the local school system.  Talk to people in your area to see if you are served by a neighborhood council. If you don't know, call the city offices and ask about such bodies, how they operate, and how you can join one. Consider putting your name up for a school board position. Often representatives are chosen in local elections for a number of years. Another way to get politically active in your community is to petition the government. Start a petition drive on an issue that speaks to you. Do you think that the community needs a park? Maybe you are sick of dangerous speeding on your street and want speed bumps installed? Petitions are a way to bring your concerns forward.  Pick an issue that you care about. Then, start putting together a formal petition. Usually, a petition will start with words like, “We the undersigned...” You can find many templates online. For example, a petition on speed bumps could start, “We the undersigned are very concerned with unregulated speeding on X Avenue and advocate speed-bumps to protect pedestrians.” Take your petition around the neighborhood and knock on doors to collect signatures. Even if some neighbors don't sign, you will have the chance to inform them on the issue. If your issue is of wider importance, you can also put the petition online on a site like Change.org and reach a larger, regional audience. There are other ways you can advocate on issues in your community besides petitions. Do you have a special interest in a topic like traffic control, community schools, or parks? Think about writing an opinion-editorial piece for a local website or newspaper, or even giving a talk at a community meeting.  Take your issue to the local paper. Call the editorial office and say that you would be interested in writing a short op-ed piece on X issue, which is important to the community. Do you have expert knowledge on a community topic? You might be able to get an audience to listen. Ask to speak at a city council meeting, at the school board, the PTA, or at a community center. Some people who get politically active in the community take the next step: they make involvement a part-time or full-time career and stand for local office. You could run for positions like school board representative, city council member, roads commissioner, or perhaps even mayor. To get these jobs, you'll usually have to run in an election and win.  Pick a job that you find important. If education is your passion, start with the school board. If you are sick and tired of poor roads, perhaps the roads commission is for you. Prepare yourself. Standing for election requires a lot of work, so read up on the requirements. You will probably have to file an affidavit of candidacy by a specific date to run, and there may be filing fees and other paper work. Run a campaign.  Local elections are generally small affairs. You likely won't have a “campaign team,” but still consider doing some publicity. Canvass door-to-door to get your name out, invest in yard signs, or try, again, to write an op-ed in the local paper.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Write down a list of your core values. Write a list of must-have traits in a partner. Learn to be happy with yourself. Ignore the lists you made.

Answer: If you plan on spending the rest of your life with someone, you want to find a partner who shares your fundamental outlook on life. What are your most uncompromising, unchanging beliefs? Some examples might be:  You want a big family vs. you don’t want kids How to raise children Religious beliefs Feelings about marriage and/or divorce How you approach conflicts and problem-solving You’re never going to find anybody who matches your entire partner wish-list perfectly, so you have to be realistic about what the most important characteristics you’re looking for are. Prioritize the things you’re looking for in a relationship and figure out what the five most important elements are. Some examples might be:  Sense of humor Good-looking Shares your taste in music or other hobbies Enjoys/avoids outdoor activities Financial stability Regardless of how great a romantic partner you find, you’ll never be happy in a relationship until you can be happy with yourself. You’ll also have a better idea of what you want and need in a partner if you’re the best version of yourself that you can possibly be, and you’re happy with it. Though it’s good to know what you want in a relationship, don’t close yourself off to potential partners just because they don’t fit with some preconceived idea you wrote down on a piece of paper. Admit that you’re never going to find someone who meets your entire checklist, and just be open to spending time with the people you feel a connection with.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Opt for demi-permanent or permanent hair dye over semi-permanent. Try a bright, concentrated dye, but understand that it will be subtle. Use a specialized product for best results, but expect limited color options. Opt for a cool or ash tone. Have a bottle of toning shampoo ready in case of brassiness.

Answer: Demi-permanent dye contains small amounts of peroxide, so it can lighten your hair to a certain degree. It's a good choice if you want to go a tiny bit lighter. Permanent dye is much stronger and can lighten your hair up to four levels; unfortunately, it is also more damaging. Semi-permanent dye will not lift color. It will only deposit more color. Light colors will not show on dark hair, period. Brighter colors, such as blue or purple, will show up, but they will be very dark. They may show up as highlights in the sun; they may not show up at all under other lights. Look for "punk" hair dyes, such as: Directions, Manic Panic, and Special Effects. There are dyes made specially for brunettes, such as Splat hair dye. These products are still fairly new and come in limited color options, such as purple, red, and blue.. When out shopping, look for labels that say something to the extent of: For Dark Hair. You can also try a color-depositing dye, such as Splat or Manic Panic. These dyes are concentrated, and may show up better on dark hair compared to other types of hair dye. Dark hair tends to go brassy when lightened. If you use a warm-toned hair dye, this will make your hair appear even warmer. In some cases, it can even make your hair look orange. Using a cool or ash-toned hair color will help balance out the red tones and give you a more accurate hair color. You don't have to do this, but it would be a very good idea to do so. Like previously mentioned, dark hair tends to go brassy or orange when lightened. Washing your hair with purple or blue-tinted toning shampoo will help neutralize the brassy, orange tones.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Wash your cloth napkins. Dry your napkins.

Answer:
Soak your linen from 8 hours to overnight in your washing machine with cool water; you should add laundry detergent to it. In the morning, drain the washing machine and refill it with hot water. Wash the cloths with as short a cycle as possible to avoid abrasions to the material and add an extra rinse cycle since linen absorbs more soap and detergent than many other materials.  Do not use chlorine bleach on white linen napkins. While bleach will restore most white cloth to its original state, chlorine bleach will actually yellow linen. Avoid putting any other items in the washing machine. Other fabrics will increase the amount of friction that the linen will experience, and if they are of a different color those colors could run onto the napkins. Do not use any fabric softeners on linen. Repeat as needed if you notice any stains upon completion. The best way to dry linen is to hang it up on a line outside using some clothing pinchers during a warm, sunny day. If it's wet and rainy outside, you can lay the napkins flat on top of some terrycloth towels inside. Finish this off by first spraying the material with starch and then ironing the napkins on a low heat.  Starching and then ironing your napkins will help them to keep their form once folded and to have extra crisp creases. Do not use a mechanical dryer to dry your linen napkins. Doing so will weaken the fibers, causing them to become brittle and shortening the longevity of your napkins.