Don't invite the other party into your space and don't approach the other party on his or her space. Instead, invite the other person to somewhere you could consider neutral ground—as in, a place not belonging to either of you.  For example, don't invite the other party into your office or offer to hold the conversation in his or her office. Consider holding the conversation in a meeting room (if you both work at the same company), living room (if you both live in the same house), or low-key public area, like a park or coffee shop. Avoid audiences. Even if you have the conversation in a public place, it's best to choose somewhere with a limited audience. Neither you nor the other person in the conversation may feel comfortable enough to be honest when there are onlookers observing your every move and sentence. Ideally, you should aim to converse until the two of you can resolve the issue. Some conversations can sink into an endless loop, though, preventing any real progress from occurring. To prevent this from happening, it might be helpful to set a time limit for the conversation before you start it. Each situation is different, but 30 to 60 minutes is usually a good time limit to stick with. If there's still more to say after that amount of time passes, part ways and address it another day. Be direct and honest about the topic you want to discuss, but introduce that topic in a calm, non-accusatory manner so that the other person does not automatically raise his or her guard.  Consider a line like, "I think we're viewing _____ blank differently, and I'd like to take a few minutes to talk and see if we can understand each other better." Be upfront about the matter at hand. Don't make the conversation seem less important than it really is, or else you run the risk of making the other person feel tricked and trapped into a corner.

Summary: Hold the conversation on neutral ground. Set a time limit. Use a direct yet non-confrontational opening line.


If you're still using Internet Explorer or an outdated version of Safari, you're bound to be disappointed even on a fast Internet connection when browsing the Web. Instead, make sure that you're using one of the following web browsers:   Chrome and Firefox are incredibly fast web browsers for both computers running the Windows and macOS operating systems.  Microsoft Edge is a minimal but relatively fast web browser for Windows 10 users.  Safari 12 remains the fastest choice for Mac users. Though many plugins and add-ons can make your browsing experience more efficient, others make it difficult to perform instant page loads. You can cut down on your web browser's add-ons in order to increase speed by doing the following:   Chrome — Open Chrome, click ⋮, select More tools, click Extensions, click REMOVE under an extension, click Remove when prompted, and repeat with other extensions.  Firefox — Open Firefox, click ☰, click Add-ons, click Remove to the right of an extension, and repeat with other extensions.  Edge — Open Edge, click ⋯, click Extensions, click the gear icon to the right of an extension, and click Uninstall. Click Ok when prompted, then repeat for other extensions.  Safari — Open Safari, click Safari, click Preferences..., click the Extensions tab, select an extension's name, and click Uninstall. Confirm the uninstallation when prompted, then repeat for other extensions. Opening multiple tabs won't necessarily harm your Internet connection, but it will eventually slow down your web browser. Pairing a slow web browser with slow Internet is a recipe for frustration, so keep your currently open tabs limited to five or fewer. Sticking to one browser (e.g., Chrome) at a time will ensure that your Internet isn't straining to support the content of two web browsers at once. This is especially important if you have a bandwidth-heavy service, such as YouTube, open in one web browser. It can be tempting to watch Netflix or play a track from YouTube while working in a different window, but doing so will result in slower overall Internet speeds.

Summary: Use a fast web browser. Remove unwanted add-ons, extensions, and plugins. Avoid using more than a few tabs at once. Don't open more than one browser window at a time. Stream only when not performing other tasks.


There are several free and open-source media players available on the internet. VLC Player and Media Player Classic are two of the most popular options. Right-click on it and select Open With… From the list of programs, select your newly installed media player. Check the box labeled “Always use the selected program to open this kind of file”. This make so you just have to double-click the MP4 file in the future and it will play automatically. Some older computers may have difficulty running high definition video smoothly. If VLC or Media Player Classic keep giving you choppy playback, you may need to download a lower-quality version of the video in order to watch it successfully.

Summary: Download a universal media player. Select video you want to view. Download the right quality.


If the soil is too dry, it will soak up all of the water from the jug before you leave on your trip. By the time you get back, there may not even be any water left in the jug. Water the soil before making the string drip system to avoid this issue. Position the jug so that it is out of direct sunlight; this will reduce the amount of evaporation. If you are only going for a few days and have a small plant, a mason jar will be enough. Don't fill the jug with water yet. This method will keep your plants watered for up to a week. The twine needs to be long enough to extend from the bottom of the jug to the base of the plant. If you can't find cotton or nylon twine, or if it is too thin, braid 3 strips of cotton fabric together, and use that instead. The string must be able to hold water. If it can't hold water, this method won't work. The string must reach the bottom of the jug. If you wish to water more than 1 plant, it might be a good idea to set up more jugs, 1 for each plant. This way, you won't run into the risk of the jug running out of water while you are away. If you have a few plants that don't require a lot of water, such as succulents, you might be able to get away with a single jug for 2 or 3 plants. Even if the jug does run out of water, your plants may still survive because of their water-retaining properties. The string needs to be about 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) deep. Also, make sure that the string is out of direct sunlight. Partial sun is fine, but if there is too much sunlight, the string will dry out before it can get the water to the plant. If your plants need fertilizer, you can also add some liquid fertilizer into the water at this time. If your plant is in a sunny spot, consider putting a piece of duct tape over the mouth of the jug; be careful not to cover the string, however. This will help slow down the rate of evaporation. If the jug is too low, put it on top of a book, a block, or an upturned pot to raise it up a little. This way, the water will be able to drip down the string.
Summary: Saturate the soil before you begin. Place a gallon-sized (3.79-liter) jug next to your plant. Cut a long piece of cotton or nylon twine. Place 1 end of the string into the jug. Poke the other end of the string into the soil at the base of the plant. Fill the jug with water. Make sure that the mouth of the jug is above the base of the plant.