INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Sometimes the hardest part of talking to people is figuring out how to start the conversation. This can be particularly intimidating when you want to talk to someone that you have not previously met. To strike up a conversation with a new person, try to find some common ground.  For example, if you are waiting in line at your neighborhood coffee shop, you could say to the person in front of you, "What's good here? I've never tried any of their specialty drinks." You can also comment on the situation. Try saying, "Isn't it nice out today?". If the person responds in a favorable tone, you can follow up with some more specific comments. Another conversation starter is making a comment about the person you want to talk to. You could say, "I really love that bag you're carrying." Look for someone who is not otherwise occupied and has a friendly expression. For example, if you are standing in line and someone makes eye contact with you, offer a smile and an opening question. Avoid trying to start a conversation with someone who is speaking to someone else or who is actively engaged in a task.  At a party, a good place to start a conversation is near the food table or bar. These things provide natural conversation starters, such as "Have you tried the spinach dip?" or "Can you show me how to use this wine opener?" If you are having trouble mingling at a party, head towards the kitchen. This is often a gathering space, and you can join in the crowd by helping to mix drinks or set out snacks. The same rules apply when deciding when to approach a co-worker. Wait until they are not obviously engaged with someone else. Lunch is an ideal time to start a conversation. Maybe you want to talk to someone you've met, but you don't know how to break the ice. One effective approach is to ask that person something about themselves. Questions are a great way to get the conversational ball rolling.  If you want to chat to a colleague in the cafeteria, questions are a good way to start. Try saying, "How was your weekend? Did you take advantage of the great weather?" Maybe you'd like to get to know your new next door neighbor. When you see her grabbing her mail, say, "How are you adjusting to your new neighborhood? Let me know if I can recommend a good pizza place." You don't have to have a great opening line in order to start talking to someone. You can start by saying something as basic as "Hi" or "How are you?". The other person will often take it from there and keep the conversation going.  You can make a simple statement about yourself. After a challenging spinning class, say to the person next to you, "Wow, I'm going to be sore later." By keeping things simple, you are starting the conversation, but allowing the other person to help you get things started. It also takes some of the pressure off of you to find something clever to say. When you are trying to start a conversation, it is important that you do not make the other person feel awkward. Many people have a tendency to babble or chat nervously when making small talk. This can lead to a common social problem known as over-sharing.  Unless you are talking privately to someone you know well, it's best to avoid sharing sensitive information about yourself. For example, don't try to start a conversation by telling a casual acquaintance the  results of your most recent checkup at your gynecologists office. People often feel uncomfortable when you share personal information. The cashier at the grocery store likely does not want to hear that your teenage daughter is not performing well at school. When you are starting a conversation, stay away from potentially sensitive subjects. Sometimes silence can feel awkward. Your natural inclination might be to fill that silence with chit chat. However, there are times that it is best to stay silent.  If you are bored on an airplane, you might want to entertain yourself by talking to your seatmate. But if she is giving you certain social cues, find another way to amuse yourself. If someone is avoiding making eye contact, that is a sign she doesn't feel like talking. Someone who is reading or listening to headphones is probably also content to remain silent.

SUMMARY: Talk to a new person. Choose the right person to approach. Approach someone you know. Keep it simple. Avoid over-sharing. Know when not to talk.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A squirrel, much like most wild animals, is just as scared of you as you may be of it. As much as you want the squirrel out of your home, the squirrel's primary goal is also to get out of your house and back to a familiar environment.  Animals have a similar anxiety response to humans and respond aggressively to perceived threats to safety. By staying calm, you will prevent the trapped squirrel from having a severe aggressive response. The squirrel is likely to be erratic since it is unsure what to do in the foreign environment of your home. Additionally, a squirrel, on very rare occasions, can be rabid, so don't get bitten by one. You’ll want to keep your pets as far away from the squirrel as possible so no fleas, ticks, or diseases are transmitted between them. Move all of your pets outside, into a holding pen/crate/cage, or put them into a separate room immediately.  Pets can catch diseases the squirrels carry. Pets can catch illnesses from parasites squirrels have, like fleas and ticks. Disease can be transmitted through a squirrel bite, or potentially a significant scratch. Pets can become serious ill from consuming or biting a diseased squirrel. An example of this is squirrel pox, which grey squirrels are immune to but carry. Even if you evict a mother squirrel from your home, if her babies are still trapped or nested inside, she will expend every effort to get back to her young. Beyond this, a mother squirrel that fears for her young will be more likely to attack. To check for young squirrels you should:  Search 20 feet (6 m) around where you’ve found the squirrel. Avoid invading the space around a potential nest. The mother may attack if she thinks you are a threat to her young. Make some noises and then be silent. You should hear noises from the young squirrels in response. The main squirrel breeding times are February through May and August through October. During these times of the year, it’s highly likely babies will be present. Relocating a squirrel family can be taxing on the health of its members, and young might not survive for long outside of the safety of the nest. If you are certain there are baby squirrels in your home, you’ll want to call a professional, or you could wait a few weeks before ejecting the squirrels from your house. Baby squirrels only take a few weeks to grow large enough to survive without a mother. Waiting may be the most humane way of getting rid of squirrel young.

SUMMARY:
Stay calm. Isolate the squirrel if possible and separate your pets. Determine if a mother has nested her babies in your house. Allow young squirrels to mature before evicting.