Avoid overcomplicated slides that could distract the audience away from your intention. If you have a lot to say or show for one slide, stretch out the content over a few slides. If you are only using pictures in your slideshow, use one centered picture for each slide. If you have text and pictures, be sure to have plenty of white or negative space. Negative space allows the content to breath and will draw the audience in easier.  Limit the number of bullet points per slide. Don’t force people to read a lot while listening to you speak. In general, avoid being text heavy in your slides.  Limit the number of words for each bullet. If a bullet has two or more lines of words, there are too many words for that bullet. When using digital photos it is a good rule to never “break” the image. Breaking an image means stretching it along the vertical or horizontal axis alone, or stretching a small image larger. Poor image resolution can detract from your slideshow by straining your audience. Creating a logistical flow is important in slideshows. There should always be some type of narrative even in photo-based slideshows. Think of it like a story or essay where the slideshow has a beginning, middle, and conclusion. When sorting through your slides you can also decide if you want to break up any slides that are packed with content. Let the slides communicate with each other instead of clashing against each other. Use the same typography, colors, and imagery throughout your slides. Using a template can help keep a consistent flow.  Templates can also become restrictive, so be sure to add your own message and creativity.

Summary: Make it simple. Use high-quality content. Choose the order of your slides. Be consistent.


Place one foot on the skateboard and make sure you’ve got solid footing. Then, quickly and cautiously lift the other foot and set it down beside your first foot. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart, the way you practiced. Once you’ve gotten on the board successfully, the hardest part is over!  Don’t go too fast or too slow. If you hurry, you might cause the board to shift unintentionally. If you take too much time, you could throw yourself off balance standing on one leg. Aim to step up with an easy 1-2 pattern, with about the same pace that you would walk up stairs. You’re most likely going to fall a time or two as a beginner. Don’t let this discourage you. After you’ve taken a spill, your fear of falling will begin to fade and you’ll be able to better commit. A good rule of thumb when you’re first getting comfortable with standing on a skateboard is to stay centered over the trucks. The trucks are the long metal shafts on the underside of the board that attach the wheels to the deck (the wooden platform you stand on). Rest each foot over the bolts on the top of the board that hold the trucks in place. Don’t let your feet spread out too far or come together in too narrow a stance. Conveniently, the distance between the trucks is approximately the same as your feet when in a shoulder width stance. Lean your weight forward slightly until you’re poised on the broad part of your foot directly behind the toes. When you’re skating, you need to be able to shift and reposition to stay balanced and perform different maneuvers. Staying on the balls of your feet makes it easier to lift, slide, and pivot your feet at will, and will also allow you to absorb shock through your lower leg muscles while you’re riding.  Standing flat footed on a skateboard feels awkward because it essentially takes all agility out of the equation. When you’re on the balls of your feet, you’re ready to respond to the movements of the board. Raising up on tiptoe or letting your heels come off the board will also compromise your balance. Your entire foot should remain in contact with the top of the board; it’s just a matter of where your weight is directed. Use delicate movements of the feet, ankles, knees and hips to maintain your balance on the board. Lean, tilt, pump your legs and do whatever else you have to do in order to stay upright. You can even wave your arms to steady yourself, if it helps. You should constantly be making small adjustments to keep the board under control, especially once you’re in motion. It will continue to get easier the more you practice.  If your feet and body are fixed in place, you will almost always come unbalanced. Try not to sway too far forward or backward. You might fall off or even tip the board over. Balancing on a skateboard is similar to standing on the deck of a boat that is rocking,  pitching and swaying. It forces you to stay light on your feet.

Summary: Step onto the board carefully. Position your feet over the trucks. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Make small adjustments.


At the end of the evening, escort your date to their place of departure, whether it be their front door, their car or the bus stop. Most first kisses happen right before you go your separate ways, so your first step is to put yourself into the proper setting to take advantage of the moment. If you don’t even manage to make it that far, there’s a much smaller chance that you’ll part with anything other than a friendly word. It’s best if the two of you are somewhere dark, quiet and private. That way, you can focus all of your attention on one another. Move in close to your date by bridging the distance between the two of you. Try to stand about an arm’s length away, or closer if circumstances allow it. If they don’t pull away as you get closer, you’re on the right track. The cozier and more personal you and your date get, the more likely you are to share a smooch.  Standing face-to-face almost guarantees the prospect of a kiss. Don’t, however, hover unnecessarily close or violate their personal space. This will make you come across as more creepy than charming. Look your date square in the eye and smile warmly and flirtatiously. Making constant eye contact helps to form a connection between two people and opens channels for unspoken communication. If he or she steadily returns your gaze, there’s a good chance that they’d be receptive to a kiss. Keep an eye out for what’s known as the “lover's triangle”: glancing from one or both your eyes down to your lips and back. It’s a nearly foolproof clue that your date foresees a kiss in their future. Assuming that the two of you are still chatting and haven’t cut straight to staring into each other’s eyes, pay attention to frequent, pronounced lapses in your dialogue. It might mean that you both have something on the brain other than talking. Gaps in conversation often make a great cue for locking lips.   The best time to act usually comes after either you or your date has said something along the lines of “I had a really great time tonight.” When you’ve run out of things to talk about but you’re both still standing around expectantly, there’s a good chance your date is waiting on a kiss.
Summary: Walk your date to the door. Get close. Maintain eye contact. Look for breaks in the conversation.