First, draw the rounded base of the teardrop shape. Then, draw the point coming up off of the base. Make the lines leading up to the point bend gradually 1 to 2 times, like a wave, so your drawing looks like a flickering flame. The waves should start about halfway up the teardrop shape. Make it about half the size of the first one, and position it so the base is nearly touching the bottom of the first teardrop. Make the second teardrop wavy just like the first one. The second teardrop will give your flame dimension. Later, you can color it a different shade than the first teardrop so it looks like your flame is burning at different intensities like a real flame. Make this one about half the size of the second one, and give it the same wavy shape. Draw it near the bottom of the second teardrop shape so their bases are nearly touching. Color in the smallest teardrop shape with yellow. Then, color in the medium teardrop shape with orange. Finally, color in the biggest teardrop shape with red. You can use colored pencils, markers, or crayons. Removing the pencil outline will make your flame look more realistic. Don’t press down too hard on the eraser or you could smudge the colors. Once you’ve erased all of the pencil marks, your drawing is finished! Add a candle and wick to your flame if you’d like! Just draw a thin, vertical cylinder under the base of the flame (for the candle), and connect the top of the cylinder to the flame with a vertical line (for the wick).

Summary: Draw a teardrop shape with a wavy point. Sketch a second teardrop shape inside of the first one. Add a third teardrop shape inside of the second one. Color in the teardrop shapes using red, orange, and yellow. Erase all of the lines you drew in pencil.


If you are trying to introduce it into an existing conversation among friends, use a short introductory phrase to begin the story, such as: “You know, that reminds me of a story…” or “It’s funny you should mention that, just the other day, I was…” It’s important to get the first laugh as quickly as possible, ideally in the first 30 seconds. Don’t worry about setting up an elaborate, detailed scene or mentioning what happened the night before, unless it’s full of funny details that get to the point. If you can’t tell the story in less than thirty seconds, make sure the first thirty seconds and compelling and entertaining. Don't trail off, don't look away from people and don't stutter. Try to relax and tell the story in a casual tone, like you’re telling it to a good friend. Because you have practiced the story beforehand and gotten used to telling the material well, it should be easy to act like a confident storyteller. Well-timed hand movements and facial expressions can really liven up the details of the story and keep your listener engaged. Don’t forget to also vary your voice and pause before the punchline. As in all comedy, timing is very important and will contribute to a good telling. Don’t be afraid to look your audience in the eye as you delve into the details of the story. Eye contact also indicates you are confident and comfortable in front of your audience. Most listeners will only remember the last part or punchline of a story. If the ending is flat, it will likely ruin the funnier details in the set up. Remember not to laugh yourself. Ideally, you want to leave the audience laughing and wanting more. Desperation, no matter how smoothly it’s presented, is never funny. If your story doesn’t get the big laugh you were hoping for, shrug it off.  Wrap up the story with a smile and say something like: “Well, I guess you had to be there" or "I guess it really can't be translated from the original German". Don’t focus on the story if it doesn’t go over as well as you had hoped. The best way to recover is to laugh at yourself (even if no one else did) and move on to another topic or subject.

Summary: Introduce the story. Be brief. Be confident. Remember to use your hands and face. Make eye contact. Try to end on the biggest laugh. Move on if your audience doesn't laugh.


Benzoyl peroxide is similar to hydrogen peroxide in that it can act as an antibacterial agent and it can help dry out excess oil on your skin.  Salicylic acid helps reduce inflammation and unclog pores, which in turn helps reduce or eliminate pimples.  Both benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid can be found as the main active ingredient in topical skin treatments (i.e. creams or lotions) or cleansers designed specifically to treat acne.  There are a large number of options available over-the-counter at your local drug store. It can take six to eight weeks before such treatments start to show serious results, so be patient.  If you do not notice any difference after 10 weeks, consider trying something else. Lemon juice works as both an antibacterial agent and an exfoliant.  It not only kills the bacteria that causes acne, but it help remove excess oil and dead skin from your face.  Lemon juice can also act as a natural bleach and can help lighten acne scars over time.  After you’ve washed your face using your normal daily routine, apply one to two teaspoons of pure lemon juice to the affected areas of your skin using a cotton pad or ball.  Leave for at least 30 minutes.  If you do this before bed, you can let the lemon juice dry and simply to go bed.  If it’s during the day, rinse the lemon juice off your face with cold water.Apply your normal daily facial moisturizer when your face is dry.  Be careful using lemon juice if you have open sores, as lemon juice can cause stinging if applied to open sores. Due to the skin lightening effects, you should not use lemon juice if you have naturally dark skin. Tea tree oil is a natural ingredient that works as an antibacterial to kill the bacteria that causes acne.  It is also gentler on your skin that many other more acidic treatments.  You can use 100% pure tea tree oil directly on pimples after you’ve washed your face, or you can mix it with either aloe vera gel or honey to create a cream that can be used for spot treatments.  Make your very own facial scrub by mixing ½ cup of sugar, one tablespoon of honey, ¼ cup of olive or sesame oil and 10 drops of tea tree oil together.  Once mixed you can apply it to your skin and scrub for three minutes to help exfoliate your skin, then rinse off with warm water. For some people with acne, tea tree oil can be too irritating, so try it out in a small area before using it all over, and stop using it if it causes significant irritation to your skin. Baking soda is a great natural exfoliant, and it is very inexpensive. You can mix baking soda with warm water until it forms a paste, and then apply the paste to your face like mask for up to 15 minutes.  Before rinsing off the mask, make sure you very gently scrub it into your skin to help remove excess oil and dead skin cells.  You can also add a teaspoon of baking soda to your non-exfoliating facial cleanser before washing your face.  The baking soda will add exfoliation properties to your cleanser.
Summary: Try benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Tone your skin with lemon juice. Use tea tree oil. Create a baking soda paste.