Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Practice active listening. Use “I” statements. Use a soft, warm tone when speaking. Be respectful to your partner always.

Answer: This means preparing to listen to hear the message of your partner and not to prepare your defense. Find a time and place where you can be without distractions and focus only on what your partner is saying.  Try to set aside your negative perceptions about his or her actions or motives so you can focus on the conversation in real time.  Orient towards your partner. Make eye contact. Nod your head when you agree and show you are attentive. After he or she finishes speaking, paraphrase what was said like “What I heard you say was that…” and ask any questions to clarify whether you got the right message “Am I right in thinking you feel like…?” Be aware of the nonverbal signs as well as what is said out loud. Does the message your partner is sharing with you line up with the nonverbal cues? Also, look for signs of tension or frustration. Balled fists, crossed arms, or frowns may demonstrate that the other person needs a break or is to upset to resolve any issues right now. Communication is not about blame, it is about responsibility. “I” statements start with how you are feeling about the behavior or action of your partner. It means you take ownership of your feelings and also suggest a way to improve the behavior. The focus is not to tell your partner the action is bad, just to share your own experience of it.  "You" statements frequently blame the other person. Avoid making these kinds of statements. They may sound like "You are always making big purchases without asking me first!" An example of an “I” statement may be “I feel confused when you make big purchases without me because I thought we agreed to go together. From now on, I would like to be included in these purchases.” Your relationship should be based on mutual respect and love, not fear. A soft voice reflects the love, compassion and understanding that is missing from yelling. Meet your partner’s eyes and speak from a place of love and understanding. Disagreements don’t require anger and yelling to resolve. If affectionate names are commonly used in your relationship, you can use such names to show that you still care for your partner even during a disagreement. Saying things like  "What do you think, dear?" or "I'm sorry I disappointed you, baby. How can I make things right?" may help to ease the tension. Save harsh words, even during arguments. You can’t take back what’s been said. When you say something hurtful to your partner you send the message that a disagreement is equivalent to a war. You are on the same side. Remember that.  To prevent saying nasty things and getting caught up in anger, many couples use a “24 hour” rule. In this scenario, if things get too heated, they table the discussion for 24 hours so both parties calm down and are able to talk. It is pretty rare to find a discussion that can’t wait for a cooling down period if need be.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Gather a few basic materials and tools. Mark where you’d like to place your pencils. Wrap tape around your drill bit to mark the hole depth. Drill the holes into your block of wood. Give your pencil holder more character (optional).

Answer: Crafting a wooden pencil holder is a quick and easy project. You’ll just need a few supplies, all easily available from a craft or hardware store:  A block of wood. The size is really up to you -- just choose one that’s at least a few inches in all dimensions. A drill and a 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) drill bit (this will be wide enough so you can use your holder for pencils and most other writing utensils as well). (Optional) supplies for decorating your pencil holder, like paint or stain. Unlike an open canister-style pencil holder, the wooden block will have an individual hole for each pencil. Use a pencil, pen, or marker to mark the spots where you’d like the holes to be positioned -- you can place them in even rows, randomly, or in an arrangement like a zigzag or star shape. Whatever pattern you use, make sure to leave some space (at least 0.5 inches (1.3 cm)) between each hole. The holes you’ll drill should be at least a couple inches deep to hold the pencils securely in place. You don’t want them so deep that they’ll go right through the bottom, however. Take a piece of painter’s tape or other take, and wrap it around your drill bit at the depth you want the holes to be. For instance, if you want the holes to be 2 inches (5.1 cm) deep, wrap a piece of painter’s tape that far from the end of the drill bit. Set the drill bit on the first hole mark you made on your block, and carefully drill the hole. Keep the drill vertical so that the holes will be straight, and don’t forget to stop drilling when the tape you placed on the drill bit just touches the top of the block.  Repeat this step for all of the holes you marked in your block. Turn the block upside down when you are finished, and lightly tap it to remove all of the sawdust. At this point, your pencil holder is ready to use as-is. If you’d like, however, go ahead and add some flair. You could paint the block with spray paint, finish it with wood stain, apply Mod Podge to the sides and paste photos on it, or use any other method you would like to decorate it.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Explore the site a bit. Decide on a good account name. Create an eBay account. Set up your payment method. Build your reputation by buying a few small items. Set up your profile page.

Answer:
To find eBay, simply use your favorite search engine and type in eBay. eBay tailors its site to countries all over the world, so make sure that you are looking at your country's eBay site. For people in the United States, it is www.ebay.com.  Check out eBay's seller information pages. These pages thoroughly discuss eBay's selling policies. Experiment with eBay's search features, and browse a few listings. Knowing how eBay's search function works will help you make better listings.  Try changing the search results by changing the options in the "Sort" menu. Keep a good eye on listings that appear at the top of the search results and those that appear to be receiving many bids. eBay can provide you with a name, but if you come up with an attractive name, it can increase the chances of selling. Avoid anything that is offensive or lowers the value of items you are selling. Per eBay's username policy:  eBay usernames must have at least two characters and cannot contain symbols such as the at sign, ampersand (&), apostrophe, parentheses or less/greater-than signs, nor can they contain spaces or successive underscores. eBay usernames also cannot begin with a hyphen, period or underscore. eBay does not allow the names of websites or email addresses as user IDs, nor does it allow anything with the word "eBay" or the letter "e" followed by several numbers. This avoids abuse by users who want to pose as eBay employees, or redirect customers to other, less reputable sites via eBay. Don't use a trademarked name (such as a brand) unless you are the owner of it. Names like "iselljunk" or "chickmagnet69" seem unprofessional and can repel buyers. Names that are hateful or obscene can be blocked by eBay. Since so many people are already on eBay, spend some time checking that the name you want is actually available and come up with alternatives when your preferred name is already in use. You can change your User ID later; however, you can only do this once every 30 days, and if frequently done, your repeat customers may be lost. Go to eBay's main page and look for the "sign in" link near the top of the page. Enter your name and a valid email address and choose a password (must have 6-64 characters and contain at least one letter and one symbol). You will be asked to choose a username after you do this.  eBay will send an email to the address you provided. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your account. If you have an existing business, you can also sign up for a business account. On the sign up page, click the link at the top of the registration page that says "Start a Business Account." You will be prompted to enter your business name and some additional contact information. Accepted payment methods vary by country. In the United States, sellers are required to accept PayPal or to have a merchant credit card account. Set up your PayPal account following the links from the eBay website, or visit www.PayPal.com. Check eBay's accepted payments policies to find out what is allowed . One important way that ebay maintains itself as a safe marketplace is by encouraging buyers and sellers to leave feedback about each other. Buyers look at sellers' feedback ratings, and buying a few items is the quickest way to add positive ratings to your profile.  Try buying small items that you want or need anyway, and pay immediately to get good feedback as a buyer. Don't worry about buying things you can resell. The main thing is to establish yourself as a reliable member of the ebay community. Potential buyers who see a new seller without feedback can be very wary that you're a "fly-by-night" seller, and they may hesitate to buy from you. It's not necessary to have a very elaborate profile if you are just selling small items, but adding a picture and some information can help reassure buyers that you are a legitimate seller.  For selling more expensive items, adding more information about yourself is more important, especially if you are a new seller. People do read these to try to find out more about you, so it's a good place to explain your credentials, such as being a collector, a retailer, a person with knowledge of particular items, etc.