INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If they voluntarily give you excuses that are detailed and scripted, then they probably are. He or she has most likely projected your questions, based on their indiscretion, and preemptively created a story to cover it all up. Listen and note any details which are unnecessarily significant to their story (names, times, exact locations, etc.) and keep a mental list. When they finish telling their story do they shake their head, toss up their hands, or use similar gestures to mimic exhaustion, confusion, and disbelief about their 'crazy evening' or event? Body language is a great indication that he or she is 'acting'. Keep it a seemingly harmless detail that won't frighten or alert your partner that you are suspicious (specifics are not what you are looking for).  Now ask them an abstract question about the specific detail you picked. Innocently ask when this 'detail' or event happened, or some other simple question. If he or she is not being truthful they will give it away during this question. Did they awkwardly get silent or shift before giving you an answer? Did they stutter or become nervous with their words? Did they look like a deer in the headlights? If so, here's why: When someone is telling the truth they don't need to think about the answer for more than a second or two. The details are already there because it truly happened. But, if this person is lying, they will have to stop and mentally go through their story from the beginning. He or she will need to remember where in the story this question happened and that takes thought processing. Since the 'minor' detail you asked them to provide wasn't prominent when they made up their excuse, they most likely won't have a cut and dry answer. Keep watching closely. Can you see them thinking it through again? Are they becoming frustrated and starting to snip at your 'dumb questions' and/or ask, "What does it matter?" If so, this is a stalling technique they use while making up new details. It's also a handy distraction if they point their finger back at you and make you the bad guy for asking in the first place. How often have we heard, "What exactly are you insinuating?" Usually your partner will start questioning you and inevitably say, "What? You don't believe me? Do you think I’m lying to you?”. Eventually you will hear the sweet words, "What? Do you think I'm cheating on you?!" Bingo! Did you steer the story in a direction to make room for interrogation then blatantly accuse them of messing around? Did you actually accuse them of anything at all? By asking simple questions your partner not only revealed what kind of behavior they have been hiding, but they also spun their entire story out of whack, no matter how solid they believed it to be, and became overwhelmed. At this point, if you ask them anything, he/she will probably start to sweat, panic, or lose the capability to accurately recall anything about their story. The discrepancies will flow at this point and soon you will have enough information know if your partner is 'on the level.'

SUMMARY: Listen to how your boyfriend or girlfriend explains his or her behavior. Notice the response. After a few moments of silence and once the story has finished, recall one of the details that stuck out to you. Pay attention to what happens now. Do it again with another detail oriented question. Expect to be questioned back. Wait patiently. Ask yourself, did you insinuate that they were hiding something?


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Oftentimes, people who are very sad withdraw from daily activities. Sad people may not keep up with work, school, or a social life. If you don't want people to know you're sad, strive to go through the motions as much as possible.  If you're sad, don't push yourself too hard. You don't have to expect you'll do a stellar job at work or school if you're going through something. However, make an effort to show up and do your best. Avoid shunning social situations. In addition to helping you hide your sadness, getting out with friends could potentially boost your mood. Try to force yourself to attend social engagements. A lack of overall energy is a common symptoms of sadness. If you're feeling sad, you may notice a dip in energy. To hide your sadness, take steps to increase your overall energy.  Do some light exercise. Something as quick as a 10 minute walk can boost your energy. Stretch. Stretching your body when you're feeling low energy can cause your energy to boost slightly. Find something to make you laugh. You can, for example, find a funny YouTube video online to laugh at. This can boost your mood and increase energy. Reflecting on when and why you feel sad can help you combat feelings of sadness. Certain situations or moments may cause you to feel sad, or make existing sadness worse. If you can figure out your triggers, you can avoid them. This will prevent you from experiencing as intense sadness, making sadness easier to hide.  Think about when you feel the most sad during the day. Does seeing a certain person make you sad? Does going to a certain place make you sad? Are there certain noises, songs, or other external stimuli that provoke feelings of sadness? If so, try to avoid your triggers as much as possible. While it won't eliminate sadness altogether, it can help you avoid situations that intensify your sadness. Hiding your feelings takes energy, so find a way out if it's reasonable. There will be times when you miss a social event or seem off during work. If you want to conceal your sadness, think of excuses for your behavior.  "My allergies are flaring up and I think I need to stay in tonight." "I'm pretty worn out and I think I need to go to bed early. I'll see you tomorrow." "I already have plans for the evening, but thanks for the invitation." (If they ask what the plans are, say it's personal.)

SUMMARY: Strive to keep up with daily activities. Take steps to stay energetic. Identify and avoid any triggers for sad feelings. Make excuses when necessary.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Use a spatula to transfer the frosting from the container to a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon (15 g) of powdered sugar to the bowl and mix it by hand or with an electric mixer.  If you would like the frosting to be thicker, mix another ½ tablespoon (7.5 g) of powdered sugar into the frosting. Put the frosting in a mixing bowl using a spoon or spatula. Add ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of milk to the bowl. Mix it with an electric mixer or by hand. If the frosting is still too thick, mix another ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of milk into it. You can substitute milk for water, if desired. Transfer the frosting to a large mixing bowl. Whip the frosting using a whisk or an electric mixer until it doubles in volume. Don’t continue whipping after the volume has doubled, or you risk creating lumps in the frosting.

SUMMARY:
Add 1 Tbsp of powdered sugar to thicken the frosting. Thin the frosting using ½ tsp of milk. Whip the frosting to make it light and fluffy.