While trying to send messages during a time of political turmoil, Mary, Queen of Scots, used symbols as a substitute code for English letters and common words. Some features of Mary's code you might find useful for your own crypto-education include:  The use of simple shapes for high frequency letters, like Mary's use of a circle for the letter /A/. This saves time while encoding. Common symbols used as part of the new code language, like Mary's use of "8" as code for the letter "Y." These can confuse code breakers who might interpret this as a number and not a code symbol. Unique symbols for common words. In Mary's day, "pray" and "bearer" received unique symbols, but these were more common then than they are today. Still, using symbols for frequent words and phrases saves time and adds complexity. Code phrases can collapse a lot of meaning into a single phrase. Even many kinds of military alert, like the DEFCON system, are simply well-known codes for a state of defense readiness. Come up with suitable code words/phrases in your everyday life.  For example, instead of saying "I've got to run to my locker" among your friends, you might use the code word "Sloppy." To let your friends know that the person you want to date has entered the room, you might say the code phrase, "My cousin Bruce likes hockey, too." Books are relatively easy to come by. If a book has been decided upon as the key to a code, when you receive a message you can go to a bookstore or library to look up the key to decode it.  For example, you might decide on using Frank Herbert's Dune, with code numbers representing the page, line, and number word starting from the left.   Encoded Message: 224.10.1 ; 187.15.1 ; 163.1.7 ; 309.4.4  Decoded Message: I'm hiding my words.
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One-sentence summary -- Employ the code used by Mary, Queen of Scots. Use code phrases similar to military alerts. Encode messages with a book key code.


Whenever you're trying to lose weight, it's important to weigh yourself regularly.  You'll be able to see your progress and determine how well your diet is working.  Weigh yourself about one to two times per week.  Hopping on the scale each day doesn't show you the most accurate progress overall.  Daily fluctuations in weight (either a gain or loss) are normal and might not reflect your true overall progress.  For the most accurate trend, weigh yourself at the same time of day, on the same day of the week and wear the same clothes (or wear no clothing). Regular weigh-ins have also been shown to help prevent weight-gain. Keeping a food journal has been shown to help people succeed with weight loss.  Jot down all your meals and snacks.  It's harder to fall off track if you know you you'll need to document everything. You can purchase a journal or food journaling app. Track as many days as you can. Check in with yourself every month or two to reevaluate your progress.  Consider how much weight you've lost and how this diet has worked for you. Again, a diet low in vegetables may be cause for slower weight loss.  If you're doing well, losing weight and enjoying the diet you've adopted, keep going until your goal weight. If you notice your weight loss has slowed or stopped, take a step back and reevaluate your lifestyle.  Being more diligent with your food journal can help see if there's any areas where you've slipped up or are eating more than you should.
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One-sentence summary -- Weigh yourself weekly. Track your meals and snacks with a food journal. Reevaluate your progress.


They might be purposely or accidentally ignoring you. Think back to the last time you spoke to them––were they angry or hostile toward you? Did you say something to offend them? If so, they are probably still stewing over whatever it was set them off in the first place. On the other hand, if you had a great time with them last time, there’s probably some intervening factor which has led them to ignore you inadvertently.  Perhaps they are busy studying for a test or have become infatuated with a new love interest. If the person ignoring you is a friend or coworker, ask a mutual friend or coworker if they might know why you’re being ignored.  Perhaps this mutual friend could identify or explain to you why the person ignoring you is doing so.  Perhaps you’ve angered them without realizing it but rather than telling you so directly, they’ve decided to just ignore you to avoid deepening the conflict.  A third party might be able to examine the situation more objectively and help you figure out why you’re being ignored. Confront the individual who is ignoring you.  Ask them to talk privately.  In a quiet, private place, calmly ask “Hey, I was wondering why you’ve been ignoring me?”  Present evidence that they’ve been ignoring you, such as not returning your calls or emails, or not responding when you speak to them.  Listen attentively to their explanation. If this is the first time the person has ignored you, there may be a good reason.  However, if your friend or coworker has made a pattern out of ignoring you or others, they may be getting some satisfaction from the act.  They may, alternately, be using silence to evoke an apology or acquiescence to a certain demand.  Finally, they might be ignoring you to disempower you: you might hear them say “If you really knew me / loved me, you wouldn’t have to ask why I’m ignoring you.”  All the foregoing examples indicate a narcissistic personality which should be recognized and not catered to.
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One-sentence summary --
Ask yourself why the person ignoring you might be doing so. Ask a third party why you’re being ignored. Ask the person ignoring you directly why they’re ignoring you. Recognize manipulative behavior.