An easy way to paint in your stripes is to apply a base color to the entirety of the paper (retrace lines afterward, if necessary). Then, once your base coat has dried, you can paint different colored stripes over it.  To keep your lines clean when painting the stripes, try using painters tape on the borders.  Keep in mind that you should mark which stripe gets which color as it can get confusing. You can do this by dotting each line with the color it will take, or by marking them with bits of tape. This is a good method if you plan to paint each line a different color - or at least more than two. For example, if you want to alternate shades of blue, you could start with a light blue at the top and then paint each stripe a darker blue until the bottom. This would give you an ombré look. Make sure your lines are clearly marked so your colors don't run over and into each other. Depending on the thickness of your paint, this can take anywhere from 10 minutes to a half hour. Once it has dried, gently pull up the tape if you used any. You can also take the time to erase any remaining pencil marks from your original grid.
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One-sentence summary -- Use a base coat. Paint each stripe separately. Wait for the paint to thoroughly dry.


Make sure that your trash is not a rat buffet. Rats have trouble chewing through metal or thick plastic bins, but they can easily enter a container with an open lid. If they make a home in the trash, they’re more likely to come inside the building as well. If you or your tenants improperly store food, then rats are more attracted to your building. Food should not be stored in dark, closed areas where rats can be easily active. Additionally, food shouldn’t be left sitting out.  Don’t store food in the basement. This includes pet food. Encourage good pet food habits amongst your tenants. Food should not be left out. Leaky pipes offer a water source, and damaged systems offer a place for rats to hide. Keep them out by doing regular maintenance and fixing any issues immediately. Stop rats from entering the building in the first place by keeping your building and foundation secure. Rats can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks, so even a hole as small as a dime needs to be repaired. Carefully inspect and repair your walls, roof, and foundation. Check close to the ground for freshly dug holes. Rats sometimes dig near the foundation so that they can crawl through to the inside of the building. If your walls or basements have vent openings, the rats can enter through the slats or holes. While you can’t block the opening, you can apply wire mesh over the open slats so that the rats cannot enter. You can use steel wool to fill in gaps around vents or pipes. Windows provide rats with an open opportunity to enter a building, but it’s unreasonable to expect people to leave their windows shut at all times. Instead, make sure that every window has an undamaged screen. Ask tenants to regularly inspect their screens for holes and slits. Offer to replace screens at no cost to them. Rats can squeeze under gaps at the bottom of the door. If your apartment building has doors that leave a gap between the door and the jam, then install a door sweep. The door sweep will attach to the bottom of the door, providing a seal against outside intruders. Rat can hitchhike in large deliveries, especially if food is involved. Rats love to hide in wood piles, garbage, discarded items, and tall grass.
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One-sentence summary -- Secure the lid to the trash bin. Use safe food habits. Maintain plumbing systems. Repair cracks and holes. Block the area around pipes and vent openings. Cover all windows with a wire screen. Add door sweeps. Encourage tenants to carefully inspect deliveries. Remove any debris from around the building.


If your parents don’t seem comfortable letting you go to homecoming, ask them to explain why. They may be concerned about drugs and alcohol, or they may be worried about who’s driving you. Listen to them calmly and patiently, so they have a chance to express themselves.  If you're not sure how to start the conversation, you might say, "I know that you're unsure about homecoming. What are you concerned about?" It may be difficult, but don’t interrupt your parents when they’re talking. Be respectful and show that you take their concerns seriously. Once you know what your parents’ concerns or objections are, you can try to find ways to address them. In most cases, that means being willing to compromise. For example, they might not want you to go to the post-homecoming activities, so agree that you’ll just go to the dance and come straight home. They may be concerned about your transportation for the evening, so you might suggest that they drive you to and from the dance. Find a way to make you and your parents both at least a little bit happy. Another way to compromise with your parents about homecoming is to suggest periodic check-ins over the course of the night. For example, you might agree to text or call when you arrive at the dance, at some point in the middle, and right before you leave. If you’re headed to post-homecoming activities, you can check in again when you arrive at the locale and when you’re on your way home. If you behave in a mature, responsible way, your parents are more likely to trust you and allow you to go to homecoming. Make a habit of always obeying your curfew, so they know that you'll be home when you say that you will. If they give you chores around the house, do them without your parents having to remind you. You should also be kind to your siblings, and try to resolve conflicts with them without having your parents intervene. Your performance in school can also help convince your parents to let you go.  Work to get good grades so they know that you take your responsibilities seriously. If your parents ultimately decide not to allow you to go to homecoming, accept the decision calmly and maturely. Avoid whining or yelling because you didn’t get what you wanted. That will only make your parents angry, so they’re less likely to allow you to attend other events in the future. It can also help convince them that they made the right decision. If you feel yourself getting upset about your parents’ decision, take a moment to count to 10 in your head. That can often help you calm down.
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One-sentence summary -- Listen to their concerns and objections. Be willing to compromise. Earn their trust. Accept their decision.


This method is your best option when there is very little space in between the head tension bracket hooks on your banjo. If you cannot fit the cradle strap through these hooks, you will need to use this option to attach the strap. Most beginner and open back banjos require the use of this technique. Other professional bluegrass banjos can typically use the standard cradle strap technique. Stand the banjo in your lap or on a working surface. The neck should stand straight up, in the "12 o'clock" position of the banjo.  The strings of the instrument should face you. Note that you can alter this position to something more natural or comfortable once you familiarize yourself with the correct placement of the strap. While learning, though, it helps to hold the banjo like this.
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One-sentence summary --
Check the banjo. Hold the banjo upright.