INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Dress lightly (but take a jacket if you need to) and take only what you need. If you take your own food, check the park permits this and make sure your amusement park offers storage first. Try to check the weather report for the area you're going visit. Dress accordingly for the weather. Try to avoid wearing dark colored clothes (such as black or dark grey) if it is during summer. Wearing these colors could make you warmer and you may start sweating. Also, if you're going on the water rides, have a swimsuit on underneath your clothes. Flip flops aren’t really the best idea for an amusement park, especially rides that leave your feet dangling. Wear supportive sneakers or walking shoes. If you want to wear a hat, always remember to put it in a secure pocket before going on a ride. Keep your wallet or purse secure! They can be easily lost in the hustle and bustle of an amusement park. Hair past shoulder length can easily get tangled on a windy ride. Braids are recommended, as they stay closer to the head and don't have loose hair like ponytails. Many coasters can be rough, and you don’t want holes poked into the back of your head. Some earrings may get stuck in your hair or attire. However, if you really want to wear earrings, wear non-dangling ones such as studs or pearls. Especially in the summertime. Most of the ride lines will subject you to the elements, whatever they are. Take a water bottle. It's easy to get dehydrated out in the sun all day. Unless you’re visiting with someone who won’t be riding most of the rides, don’t take huge bags or purses with you if you can help it. You won’t be able to take these on most of the rides. You’ll either have to leave them with a non-rider, pay for a locker, or stuff them into bins before getting onto a ride. This last option offers no guarantee that someone won’t walk off with your brand new Coach purse while you’re on a coaster.  Wear something with big pockets that either zipper or button closed. All you really need is some cash, and maybe your phone. You can always leave a jacket in your car, and go get it later. Always take medication with you or take it beforehand. Who knows, you might need it.

SUMMARY: Consider your attire. Wear good shoes. Don't wear loose clothing. Tie up long hair. Don’t wear earrings. Take plenty of sunscreen. Don’t take a ton of stuff.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: properly. Your piercer should give you specific instruction for how to clean your new piercing, including suggesting what products to use for cleaning. Different piercings have somewhat different cleaning requirements, so get clear, written instructions. In general, follow some simple guidelines:  Clean skin piercings with warm water and non-scented antibacterial soap, like Dial, or with warm salt water. Don’t use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the new piercing. These are too harsh and can damage or irritate the skin. Avoid using antibiotic creams or ointments. They trap dirt and debris and do not allow the piercing to breathe. Clean your piercing as often as your piercer recommends – not more or less. Under-cleaning can cause buildup of dirt, crust, and dead skin. Over-cleaning can irritate and dry skin out. Both are detrimental to healing. Gently move or twist the jewelry while cleaning it to get the solution inside the piercing and coat the jewelry. This isn’t true for some types of piercings, so always ask your piercer first. Other than proper cleaning techniques, taking care of your piercing can help prevent unnecessary pain and infection. Some guidelines to follow for general piercing care are:  Don’t sleep on your new piercing. Your jewelry can rub on your blankets, sheets, or pillows, causing irritation and getting the area dirty. Sleep on your back if you got a navel piercing; if your new piercing is facial, try using an airplane support pillow and aligning your piercing with the middle "hole.” Wash your hands before you touch the piercing or surrounding area.  Do NOT remove the jewelry before you piercing is healed. Doing so will probably let the piercing close up. If the area is infected, the infection will be trapped in your skin. Try not to let clothes rub directly onto new piercings. Also, do not twist your jewelry unless you’re cleaning it.  Stay out of pools, lakes, rivers, hot tubs, and other bodies of water until your piercing heals. About 1 in 5 piercings get infected, usually because of unsterile piercing procedures or improper aftercare. Only ever get pierced by a trained professional and in a reputable, clean piercing studio. Before getting pierced, insist that your piercer show you how and where their equipment is sterilized – they should have an autoclave, and clean all surfaces with bleach and disinfectant.  Piercers should only ever pierce you with a new needle out of a sterile package, NEVER a reused needle, and they should always wear fresh, disposable gloves while piercing.  A piercing gun is NEVER appropriate. Walk out if you see a piercing gun. Go to a professional to ensure a sterile procedure. Check with your state legislation about what licensing and training someone needs to have in order to pierce you. Do NOT pierce yourself or ask an untrained friend to pierce you. Though having an allergic reaction to jewelry is not the same thing as getting an infection, anything that irritates your new piercing also increases the risk for infection. A severe allergy could also force you to remove your new jewelry. Always get pierced with hypoallergenic jewelry for the best chance for good healing. Request stainless steel, titanium, niobium, or 14- or 18-karat gold. There are lots of places you can get pierced, through different types of tissue in areas that get more or less blood-flow. Thus, healing time varies a lot. Know the specifics of your piercing so you know how long you have to take extra care of it (for a specific piercing not listed, consult your professional piercer):  Ear cartilage, nostril, cheek, nipples, navel, and dermals/anchors/surface piercings: 6-12 months Earlobe, eyebrow, septum, lip, labret, beauty mark, and Prince Albert: 6-8 weeks Clitoral hood: 4-6 weeks Tongue: 4 weeks

SUMMARY: Clean your new piercing Follow new-piercing guidelines. Choose a reputable professional. Get pierced with hypoallergenic jewelry. Know how long it takes for your piercing to heal.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The last thing you want when ironing your flowers is any kind of moisture or steam, so take a minute to empty out the water tank and don’t refill it. Plug in the iron and switch the setting to the lowest, driest heat setting available. You may be tempted to use higher heat to make the process go even faster, but high heat could burn the flowers and turn them brown, making them lose their beautiful color. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes total to press your flowers unless you’re using really thick blooms, like peonies or orchids. To check the flowers, gently lift the top sheet of parchment paper and touch the blooms. If they feel papery thin and dry, they’re done! If they are still retaining moisture, keep ironing them. Don’t forget to unplug the iron when you’re done and refill the water tank so it’s ready to go the next time you need to use it on your clothes.

SUMMARY:
Empty all water from your iron and turn it on to the lowest setting. Iron the flowers in 10-second increments until all the moisture is gone.