INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Get the tough stuff out as soon as possible. Plan out what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it before you attend your sessions. You may have learned to stay silent as a coping mechanism or to keep yourself safe, but you don’t have to do this with your therapist.  For instance, you might practice by introducing yourself and stating the reason you came. "Hi, I'm Matthew. I came in because I have been having trouble fitting in at school." Therapy is a safe place in which you are able to speak about how you feel in an open and supportive environment. Over time, you’ll likely find that opening up will become easier. Talk about the problem you want to overcome, the area in your life you want to improve upon, or whatever it is that brought you to therapy, during the first or second session. When you talk about your goals and expectations with your therapist, you can create benchmarks  that you can use to measure your success along the way. For example, you might say, “I came here because I have problems socially. I would really like to have more friends and go out more.” Don’t hold back. Talk to your therapist about everything you are feeling, even if you think it is unimportant. Not divulging everything could be detrimental to your recovery.  Intentionally leaving out facts that you are embarrassed about or feel shy revealing could hinder you. If you’re not completely open with your therapist, you are essentially wasting your time. Be open by saying what you really feel--it's the only way your therapist can truly help. For example, say "I feel like a total loser because I'm always be myself when everyone else is always hanging out with friends in a group." And, remember that he or she is bound by law to protect your confidentiality. Know that you can tell your therapist anything and you won’t receive judgment or criticism. However, keep in mind that your therapist is bound by law to intervene if you express an intent to harm yourself or another person. Keep in mind that this is in your best interest. And also know that your therapist won’t leave you unexpectedly. The therapist/patient relationship is special, and one that can be comforting and beneficial.

SUMMARY: Practice what you are going to say beforehand. Express what you hope to achieve by attending therapy. Share your thoughts and feelings openly. Think of your therapist as your closest confidante.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: An infinity scarf can be made from many existing scarf patterns, provided the length is long and the style stays rectangular. It should also be of a decent width. Experiment to see what will allow the final scarf to hang nicely.  One infinity scarf from your favorite pattern!

SUMMARY: Choose a pattern. Knit the pattern. Stitch the ends together when done, to create a loop.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Cut a piece of parchment paper that will overlap the sides of the dish. You can use a slightly larger or smaller baking dish if you prefer, however, this may adjust how long it takes for the rocky road to set. Alternatively, you can grease the baking dish with cooking spray instead. Use a knife or your hands to break up the block. The pieces don’t have to be perfect or even, as this is just to help the chocolate melt faster. Simply snapping the block roughly into 6 pieces will be enough. Place 4 1/2 oz (125 g) of unsalted butter, the dark chocolate pieces, and 3 US tbsp (44 ml) of golden syrup into a saucepan. Stir the mixture until it has melted and combined.  Melt the ingredients until you can’t see any lumps of chocolate.  Remove the saucepan from the heat when it is ready. Place the baking dish into the refrigerator. Check it after 2 hours to make sure that it the chocolate is solid. Alternatively, you can leave it to chill overnight if you prefer. The rocky road may take a slightly shorter or longer amount of time to set depending on the size of the baking dish that you used.

SUMMARY: Place parchment paper into a 9 in × 9 in (23 cm × 23 cm) baking dish. Break 10 1/2 oz (300 g) of dark chocolate into small pieces. Melt the butter, chocolate, and golden syrup over a low heat for 3-5 minutes. Refrigerate the rocky road for 2 hours until it is set.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Reading is the foundation for gaining any type of general knowledge. There are no specific requirements on what books to read or on what subjects since the acquisition of general knowledge incorporates a wide-range of topics. The most important quality of reading is to make it a daily and routine part of your day.  Get a membership at the local public library. Memberships are often free or inexpensive, giving you access to thousands of books with friendly return dates. Go to a yard or garage sale. You can stock up on cheap books on a range of topics that you might not otherwise spend money on. Purchase an e-reader to download reasonably priced books and articles from a variety of websites. This will give you instant gratification and more knowledge. Newspapers are great sources of local, regional, national, and worldly news. Some are better than others, but newspapers offer reasonably updated information on politics, sports, fashion, food, and a diversity of other interests.  Try to make reading the newspaper one of your morning habits. A newspaper can be delivered to your doorstep before you even wake up, giving you few excuses to use it as a valuable resource in your pursuit of knowledge. Most newspaper publishers offer online subscriptions at a lower cost. If you prefer to receive your information digitally, then you should consider one of the many newspapers available to you at a click of a button. If you work for a company, they usually subscribe to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or the Washington Post. Take advantage of this freebie and gain knowledge while at work. Go to a bookstore and you will find several rows of unending magazines lined up for your perusal. Magazines are everywhere and cover every topic. Although you might not want to subscribe to a magazine service like Publisher’s Clearing House, there are numerous other options available.  Pick up a magazine at the local grocery store while your family shops for food. Nobody ever got escorted out of a supermarket for standing in front of the magazine rack for thirty minutes. When you are at a doctor, dentist, or automobile appointment, take advantage of all the popular magazines available to you in their waiting rooms. Usually they have Time, Newsweek, and some entertainment magazines for you to read while you wait. Journals typically provide academic research that are longer than magazine articles and use extensive citations. A journal contains very specific information about one particular discipline. Compared to books, newspapers, and magazines, journals are more difficult to access and are more expensive, but provide more detailed and proven information.  If you prefer the academic nature of a journal, then join a society that you are interested in like history, biology, or sociology. These societies fund journals and send them to members who are interested in the same fields of knowledge. Go to a university library where you can access hundreds of different journal titles on nearly any academic topic.

SUMMARY:
Read a book. Subscribe to a newspaper. Browse through a magazine. Sit down and peruse a journal.