INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Place 2 cups (400 grams) of fresh, sliced strawberries, ½ cup (115 grams) of granulated white sugar, and ½ cup (120 milliliters) of water into a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the strawberry mixture into a blender or food processor, and purée until smooth, about 10 seconds. From time to time, pause the blender/food processor, and use a rubber spatula to push any lumps or clumps down towards the bottom. The smoother the purée is, the smoother your buttercream will be. Pour the syrup into a bowl, and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap. Put it into the fridge, and leave it there for at least 20 minutes. Keep the leftover strawberry syrup in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid, and use it within one week. You can use it on top of ice cream, waffles, pancakes, and other desserts. You can do this using a handheld mixer, a stand mixer, or a food processor fitted with whisks. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. The more sugar you add, the stiffer your buttercream will be. Keep adding the sugar and strawberry syrup a little bit at a time until you have used up all of your sugar. Remember, you are only using 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) of the strawberry syrup. Beat it in using a high speed setting for 20 seconds. This will lighten the frosting. Vanilla extract can change the color of frosting slightly. If this bothers you, use the clear, colorless kind. Keep adding the half-and-half until the buttercream holds its shape. You may not need to use all of it. Use a high speed setting, and beat it for only 20 seconds. This will help cut the sweetness a little while lightening the frosting up further. If you need to use refrigerated buttercream, let it sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature, then beat it on low speed until it turns smooth. If you'd like a thicker, stiffer buttercream, refrigerate the buttercream for 40 to 45 minutes. Be sure to cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap so that it doesn't dry out.

SUMMARY: Cook the strawberries, sugar, and water in a medium-sized saucepan for 10 minutes. Purée the strawberry mixture. Chill the strawberry syrup in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Set aside 4 tablespoons of the strawberry syrup, and store the rest in the fridge. Beat the butter and ½ cup (65 grams) of the powdered sugar. Add 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of the strawberry syrup and beat again. Add the vanilla extract. Beat in the half-and-half, 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) at a time. Beat in the pinch of salt. Use the frosting right away, or cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to three days.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Remember that part above about how being cool is about being liked by lots of different people? Well, to get all these different types of people liking you, you've got to like them. Open your mind and try to see that not only the coolest kids have value – that everyone does. You'll come off as a friendly, more likable, happier person – and that's the type of person most of us want to be around. Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Zac Efron, Kristen Stewart, Lady Gaga – these are all pretty cool people who were not cool in school (or so they say). This is proof that if you're not open-minded, you could miss out on some pretty awesome people. . Being respectful to others even if they aren't your friends shows that you don't discriminate people based on anything because they are not your friends. You'll develop a positive reputation of always being kind and considerate and being friends with everyone because they can rely on you and that you won't judge them. That definitely sounds pretty cool. A good way to make friends is to make them laugh. If you're cracking jokes at another's expense, just make sure they get it that it's in good fun. And try to stay away from making fun of teachers – that can easily backfire. You know that kid who's sulking in the corner, all dressed in black, who's always frowning and talking to no one? Doesn't seem very happy, does he? Do you want to hang around that negativity? Probably not. If you want to be a magnet for people, to get all of them liking you, stay positive. Keep your chin up, be willing to laugh at yourself, and spread your positivity and awesomeness. Other people will end up flocking to your side so it rubs off on them. And will it rub off on others? Probably. Some studies say that just being around other happy people makes us more likely to be happy; and hanging around sad people makes us more likely to be sad. So could you be that beacon of light for your friends? Of course! . When it comes to humans, we're pretty simple. We know what we like, and we don't like, and something we definitely do like is a person with a smile on their face. Not only does it show others that you're happier, make you happier (your mind actually starts believing it), but it can make you more sexually attractive, too.  Put a smile on your face and see how you feel. Eventually it'll become a worthwhile habit! Try not to put a fake one on either. Keep it natural. Most people can see through a fake smile. If you stay positive, having a genuine smile shouldn't be too hard to come by. Though the phrase "be yourself" is repeated frequently, it doesn't mean that it's not valuable advice. In fact, it should be pretty clear between "don't try too hard" and "stick to your own sense of style" that being yourself is where it's at, unless you are not cool, then, you have to change yourself to be cool. Why does being yourself, if you are cool, make you cooler? Being yourself means you're comfortable with yourself and you're more confident. When you try to be someone else, you're just an imitation, and phonies are definitely not cool. Think about it: only you can really be you: no one else can. You're unique and have a set of characteristics and skills that no one else around you has. You can offer the world something different. So why try to be a second-rate version of someone else? You are definitely cooler than anything else "you" can be. In recent studies, it has been shown that kids who were cool in middle school generally aren't as successful in the long run as their less-than-cool peers. So if you're stressing about being cool and popular now, try to see that the kids who are cool now are likely at their peak in life. It's all downhill from here for them, and all uphill from here for you. That's a win, even if it doesn't feel like it. In short, being cool is temporary. Eventually, as we age, we realize that "cool" doesn't really exist. We move on and we all start to do our own thing because it's what makes us happy. If the cool isn't coming easy to you, just wait. It gets easier with time. The cool people can't be followers, because they're the ones who set the trends. Take the initiative when it comes to making plans. Listen to different music, and introduce your friends to it. Start new games, and wear new styles. Not everything you do will become a trend, but being a follower isn't good for your status. When being a leader make sure your not bossy because this will keep your status good with people who aren't as popular.

SUMMARY:
Be open-minded. Respect people Keep it positive. Smile Stay true to you. Realize that school (and being cool) doesn't last forever. Become a leader.