Many rapists think that they can simply overpower a victim and have their way with them. They are arrogant, but they are also wrong. The more you put up a fight, the better chances your attacker will give up and look for an easier target. Don't make yourself an easy target. Try using anything at your disposal to defend yourself — things everyone has, such as nails and fists, or everyday objects, such as umbrellas and rocks, to ward off the attacker.  The good news is that, as late as 2001, only 11% of would-be rapists used a weapon during the attempted rape. That means 9 out of 10 rapists had no more natural defense than you likely do. Carrying out a rape with a weapon means a lot more prison time. If the rapist is carrying a weapon, follow your instincts and take cues from the rapist. If you survive the sexual assault, you've done the right thing. If you've got pepper spray handy, take it out and hold it out at arm's length, aiming for the attacker's eyes while shouting "I've got pepper spray! I'll use it if I need to!" If you don't have any pepper spray, you can try putting your hand in your bag and yelling the same threat — "I've got pepper spray! I'll use it if I need to!" — trying to outsmart the would-be attacker. Any rapist who's been stung by pepper spray before is very likely to think twice before assaulting you. An informal sampling of rapists in prison found that many would leave a target alone if she threatened to fight back. Say "Stay away! I will fight back if you get closer!" Rapists are looking for easy targets; people talking on their phones while walking, rifling through their bags, etc. If you show them you won't go down without a fight, you could scare them off. If an attacker wraps their arms around you or is close enough to touch, first try to pinch them in one of two places: inside the upper arm (between the elbow and the armpit) or the upper inner thigh. Pinch hard; pinch like your life depends on it (because it could!) For context, try pinching yourself in either of these places. It hurts, doesn't it? And you're probably not even pinching as hard as you could. If your attacker is male, a swift blow to the genital area will cause an intense amount of pain, and will dissuade most would-be rapists from following through with their intentions. If your attacker is female, a kick or punch that lands on the vulva or clitoris will also cause considerable pain.  A square hit in the groin area often incapacitates the attacker. If they are vulnerable after the groin attack, try punching them at the front of the throat (think Adam's Apple, women are sensitive here too). This is also extremely painful, and should render the attacker useless for enough time for you to get to safety. Really stomp on their toes if you get the chance. If you have access to the attacker's fingers, try bending them back with force. Humans have a lot of nerve-endings in our toes and fingers, making them excellent defensive targets. This stands for Solar Plexus-Instep-Nose-Groin. First, elbow them in the solar plexus, stomp on their foot as hard as you can, when they let go, punch them or hit them using the palm of your hand in the nose, then knee them in the groin. This may give you enough time to run away.
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One-sentence summary -- Try putting up a fight if the attacker approaches you empty-handed. Use pepper spray — or the threat of it — to deter your attacker. If you suspect a rapist is following you, don't be afraid to tell them you'll fight back. Try pinching them where it hurts. Punch, kick, claw, or otherwise aim for the groin. Stomp on the attacker's toes or bend their fingers back, if possible. Learn SING.


Align the openings together. Add an additional row of stitching around the "very edge" of the opening to add support. This will create a "contrasting" cuff on the "outside" of the bag.
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One-sentence summary -- With the "wrong" sides facing together, place the lining into the bag. Fold the opening over twice to form a half-inch hemline and stitch it in place.


Unless you are VERY skilled at braiding, it would be very difficult to do this technique on yourself. If you want someone to give you tree braids, offer to do a trade with them. Suggest that you can give them braids if they do them to you as well. This way you both get practice and a new hairstyle. In addition to a comb and some clips to hold back the hair that's not being braided, you will need to acquire hair extensions to complete your tree braids. The extension hair should be loose, also called bulk, but can have any other properties you like.  There are a wide variety of extensions out there, with a ton of different colors, lengths, textures, and types of hair, from real to synthetic, available. These choices are up to you! Remember, however, that the length you choose with need to be twice the finished length you want, as each extension will be folded in half when applied. Ask a hair care professional or employee at the beauty supply store you buy your extensions at how much hair you will need. There may also be suggestions of how much to buy listed on the packaging of the extensions you choose. After your braids are completed, you will need a sleeping cap to protect them while you sleep and you will also need a combo conditioner and detangler to keep your extensions healthy and shiny. You don't want to dry your hair completely after washing. Creating tree braids with wet hair is easier and provides better results. You don't want to have your hair dripping wet but you do want it to be pretty damp. Make sure there are no knots or tangles in your hair. Tangles will cause problems when you are dividing your hair into rows and when your are actually making your braids. It might be a good idea to divide them into small sections that are just thicker than a piece of yarn. You can also have the person who is getting their hair done divide the extension hair up as you go. As they sit there they can have pieces ready for you to attach. This will make the braiding process go much quicker.
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One-sentence summary -- Find someone to braid your hair, or find someone that you can practice your tree braids on. Gather all the materials you will need. Wash your hair and then lightly dry it. Brush or comb out your hair. Lay out the hair extensions in a place you can reach them easily.


Try to see which tones in your drawing match  the tones on the scale. Important - use your scale, not the one here!  If you think your drawing lacks something, probably the only tones you can match are in the middle range, say 4 to 6. So what does this tell you?   To give your drawing dynamism, you must be able to see the dark tones - whether it's 8, 9 or 10 on your tonal scale, it needs to have, somewhere,  the darkest, strongest tone you can make. It often only needs to be a small area that has this darkest tone, but it makes all the difference to the result.  1, the darkest, No 10 (or whatever it is on your scale), and one or two in the middle range - say 4 and 6.  Don't be too worried about the middle ranges, they usually look after themselves -it's the lightest and darkest which seem to cause problems, and that's the purpose of this exercise - to make you aware of them. Although it's vital, somehow it doesn't cause a anything like the anxiety to beginners that the dark tones do! “I'm scared!” is a common cry…Well, it's a sheet of paper - you won't kill anyone or drown or cause an accident - so just do it!
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One-sentence summary --
Find some drawings you've done, and compare them to the scale. Equally important is Tone Number 1, pure white - this, and the darkest tone, give you the complete tonal range to use in your drawings. Important - You don't need all these tones - 1 to 10 - in a drawing, but you do need the lightest, No. Look at pure white tone No 1 for a minute. Beginners often make a superb tonal scale, but somehow are afraid to re-create that darkest tone on their actual drawings. Good quality pencils and paper will definitely help - the next article will show you the pencil grades, and  how to get the most from them. Happy drawing!