You can use the same trimmer you use for your beard to save money or you can purchase a new one. Since it’s very easy to clean trimmers—both electric and non-electric—this is really a matter of preference. There are a variety of electric clippers—both with and without cords—available online and in stores. Most electric clippers come with guards. Another option is to go with a non-electric trimmer to avoid the hassle of plugging in or charging your trimmer. The Gillette power fusion razor and trimmer is a non-electric option that can be purchased in stores and online and it comes with guards for setting the length. Guards are the attachments, also known as spacers, that can be affixed to the clipper or trimmer to determine how much hair the trimmer or clipper will leave uncut. Guards should come with the trimmer and most trimmers come with guards ranging from 1/8 inch to 1 inch. If you’re cutting off a lot of hair, you may want to avoid trimming in the bathtub, as this could clog the drain. One option is to spread out towels on the bathroom floor to collect the hair. Another option is to simply trim your hair in an area that is easy to sweep. If you have access to a private space outdoors, consider trimming your hair outside to avoid having to clean up. If you do trim your hair in the bath tub, a damp paper towel can be used to collect the hair from the sides and base of the tub so you can dispose of it in the trash to keep it from going down the drain.

Summary: Choose a trimmer. Make sure you have a selection of guards to choose from. Choose a convenient and private location to trim your hair.


Mind maps allow you to place your thoughts on paper in a highly visual way. They are simply an organized drawing with the themes of your ideas highlighted through the placement on the page. They can be as messy or as structured as you like, and making multiple drafts may help with getting your ideas organized. The size varies based on how involved the project is. While a mind map for deciding a yes or no question may be less involved, the thought map for a research paper or a novel may be much more involved. This will give you room to think through your ideas in a visual way. There are also many online apps for mind mapping. Make sure the circle is big enough so that it will stand out from the subtopics, but not so big that you don’t have much room to write your ideas around it. The topic itself should be as precise as you can make it, so that you can organize your thoughts more easily. Instead of using the topic “Global Warming,” for instance, you might use “The Effects of Global Warming,” or the “The Theories Surrounding Global Warming.” These will be topics related to your main topic, but you can write more than you will use in this section. Doing so will help you select the most important parts of the thought map, as you see how the sections relate to each other. If you want to get really detailed with your topic, you may want to draw lines from the subtopics, and write details about the subtopics. This is where it is really useful to have larger paper or a poster board, so you’ll have plenty of room to go into as much detail as you’d like. Writing out these details will help you organize your thoughts further as they will help you see the connections between subtopics.

Summary: Make a mind map, or visual organizer. Start with a large piece of paper or poster board. Write your overall idea or them in a circle in the middle of the paper or poster board. Draw lines leading from the circle, and write the ideas that stem from the main idea. Draw lines leading from the main lines to indicate subtopics.


If you’re calling her or approaching her in person, you need to introduce yourself. While she might remember you, there is a good chance she might not remember your name. Take the opportunity to briefly introduce yourself. In addition, remind her of how you know each other.  Say something like “Hey, Ann! I’m John – we know each other through Andy.” Don’t be offended if she doesn’t know your name or forgets it later. Whatever way you decide to contact her, you should consider using humor. Humor will make a potentially awkward situation funny, and help remind her of your virtues. There are many ways you can do this:  Start with a light-hearted joke about something you might think is funny. For example, if you remember she really likes Oreo cookies, you can joke about those. Joke about fashion. For instance, say “I was just in the mall and saw someone that looks exactly like you wearing crocs.” Use self-deprecating humor. For example, say, “Hey, do you remember me? The guy who wears the absurd cowboy boots.” Contact her and start up a conversation about how she’s doing in life. If you’re interested in a romantic relationship with her, this is a good way to find out if she is available. In addition, this is a very honest and straightforward way of reinitiating contact.  Generally, you can say something like “It’s been a while since we spoke. How are you doing?” If you knew her from work, and one of you has moved on, ask her “So, what’s going on with work these days?” In the case you knew each other through a mutual friend, you could simply ask about whether she’s spoken to that person recently. While it may seem disingenuous, send her a text in which you’re talking to someone else, like a friend or a romantic interest. Make sure the text is simple, but somewhat intriguing. She may respond telling you that you’re texting the wrong person, or she might pretend to be the person you’re supposed to be texting. Whatever happens, use it as an opportunity to talk to her. You should eventually let her know that you knew that it was her you were texting or calling. Chances are, though, she will already know.

Summary: Re-introduce yourself. Use humor. Ask her how she is doing. Pretend contacting her is a mistake.


Gather parsley before the first flowers start to open, and gather it in the morning after the dew has dried. It will have maximum flavor at this time of day; the heat of the afternoon will diminish the parsley's flavor. Alternately, purchase fresh parsley at a grocery store. Choose bright green bunches of parsley that look nice and smell fresh. Don't pick parsley that is shriveled, brown, moldy, or is dried out. Carefully cut the parsley with stems still attached, and be careful to not bruise the leaves. Use cold water to rinse, and then shake the parsley gently to remove excess water from the leaves. This will remove any residual dirt, as well as any bugs that crawled into your parsley. Wrap a paper bag around each bundle of parsley to keep dust and sunshine from the parsley while it is drying. Sunshine can diminish the drying parsley’s bright green color. If you wrap the bundles with paper bags, be sure to allow enough air flow around each bundle so that they do not mold. Check each bundle occasionally to ensure there is no mold growth. Indoor drying will typically produce more flavorful dried herbs. This process may take a week or two to produce fully dried parsley. If you hang the bundles outdoors, be sure to choose a spot that is protected from moisture, animals and birds. Tie the bundles securely so that they do not blow away. When leaves are crumbly, they are ready to put into an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry place.
Summary: Harvest fresh parsley from your garden. Rinse the parsley. Tie stems of parsley together with string into bundles. Hang these bundles either indoors or outdoors. Store your parsley.