Q: This is also called the "apex" of the rack. Make sure the 1-ball is at the apex, the 8-ball is in the middle of the rack, and both a stripe and solid are at the bottom corner, but line up all the other balls in random fashion. If solids and solids are together, or stripes and stripes, that's okay.  One variant of this step in amateur play is to vary the edges of the rack so that the pattern is stripe, solid, stripe, solid, etc. This will result in the two corner balls being the same, i.e. either both stripe or both solid. Another variant of this step in amateur play is to order the balls down and from left to right, according to their number. This will always result in the 1-ball being at the apex, the 11 and 15 being at the bottom corners, and the 5-ball being in the 8's customary position. The center of the first ball should be in the middle of the table at one quarter of the length.  Some tables have this spot marked with a small dot.
A: Start off with the 1-ball  at the front of the rack. Place all the other balls at random. Line the apex (the first ball) up with the middle diamond on the side of the pool table.

Q: To prepare homemade lox, you’ll need 1 ½ to 2 pounds (680 to 907 g) of boneless salmon fillet with the skin on. Run some cold water in the sink and rinse the fillet well. Next, examine the fillet to make sure that all of the bones have been removed.  You can purchase either "belly lox" or regular "lox" fillets. Both are salmon, but belly lox comes from the stomach region of the fish. The graining of fat in the stomach region makes belly lox the better option to use when you make lox because it is more widely spaced. This results in a final product that is more desirable and less salty. If there are any pin bones left in the salmon fillet, use a small pair of tweezers or pliers to pull them out in the same direction that they’re facing. Pin bones are more likely to occur in wild salmon than farmed salmon. Once the salmon is thoroughly rinsed, use a sharp knife to cut the fillet in half. Make sure that the pieces are as equal in size as you can get them. Add 1 cup (288 g) of kosher salt and 1 cup (200 g) of sugar to a medium bowl. Mix the ingredients together well so they’re fully blended. If you like, you can also add about ¼ teaspoon (½ g) of coarsely ground black pepper to the mixture. Place the two pieces of salmon in a shallow dish so they’re side by side. Pour an equal amount of the salt mixture over each piece, piling it right on top of the salmon. It may seem that there is a lot of excess salt mixture on the salmon, but the fish will absorb it during the curing process. After you’ve added the salt mixture to the salmon pieces, divide half a bunch of dill with the stems removed between them and add it on top of the salt. Next, place one of the salmon pieces on top of the other, being careful not to knock off the salt mixture. When the salmon pieces are sandwiched together, carefully wrap them in plastic wrap. Once the fish is secure in the plastic wrap, set it in a large plastic zipper bag. Before closing the zipper bag, be sure to push all of the air out of it first. Set the bag with the salmon down in a shallow dish. Place another heavy dish on top of the bag to weigh it down, and refrigerate the fish for 2 to 3 days. You can use any heavy item, such as a bottle of wine, to weigh down the salmon. While you’re curing the salmon, it’s important to keep it from getting soggy. Remove any liquid that’s been extracted from the salmon from the plastic bag and flip the fish over so both sides are evenly weighed down. At the two day mark, begin tasting the lox. Once it has the taste that desire, you can take it out of the curing container and unwrap it. If the lox isn’t properly cured after two days, you should leave in the container for another day. After you’ve removed the fish from the plastic wrap, rinse it well under cold water to remove any residue. Use a sharp knife to cut it thin on the bias. Make sure to leave the skin behind. You can freeze the lox if you don’t plan to eat all of it right away. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag for storage. You should eat it within 3 to 4 months.
A: Rinse the salmon and check for bones. Cut the salmon in half. Combine the salt and sugar. Divide the salt mixture between the two salmon pieces. Set the dill on top of salmon and sandwich them together. Wrap the salmon and place it in a plastic bag. Weigh the salmon down and refrigerate it for a few days. Drain the liquid from the container daily. Taste the fish and remove when it’s reached the desired taste. Rinse the fish and slice it.

Q: Tell yourself that tonight is not Christmas Eve. Do the same things you always do in your bedtime routine: brush your teeth, read a book, chat with your friends, etc.. Say to yourself: "What am I gonna do tomorrow?" -- like it's any normal day: "Oh, hey, tomorrow maybe I will hang out with my 'bud', ______". A technique that, strange as it sounds, works well is to play a quiet game you can play alone (or with another hyper and excited friend or sibling), such as Mad Libs, while in bed. This will help take away your energy and help you fall fast asleep.  Santa came a lot quicker than you thought! Although this may seem counterintuitive, exercise can help to calm you down. A couple hours before you go to bed, see how many push-ups, crunches, or jumping jacks you can do in your room. Exercise only for thirty minutes, though; you don't want to stay up too late. Exercising is a great way to help you feel physically tired so that your body will want to sleep. Better still, it will take your mind off Christmas for a little while. Having a warm bath will relax your muscles and make it easier to fall asleep. Squirt bath toys at imaginary targets, submerge yourself in bubbles, and relax your muscles. Try scented bubbles and soap. This might spoil any surprises and will keep you very excited and awake! Remember, Santa Claus knows when you are sleeping and when you are awake. He won't come if you are peeking. In addition to providing you with nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and L-tryptophan, warm milk can be a soothing, comforting drink that lulls you to sleep. You can also try hot herbal tea; it is very soothing and calming to drink. Just make sure it doesn’t contain caffeine!  When you're setting up a cookie plate for Santa is a great time to have some warm milk. Or, drink hot chocolate after you are in your pajamas. This will also help you to relax and stay warm! Don't drink coffee. The caffeine in it can keep you awake. If warm milk disgusts you on its own, add some honey. It will make for a relaxing treat. . If you are just jumping up and down and feeling hyperactive, you need to calm down; you're only feeding a buildup of excitement that it'll be hard to come down from. Read a book. Listen to music. Whatever makes you calm down and relax.  Read a book. It can be about Christmas, although it doesn't really matter. Try reading a school textbook, a really boring one from your least favorite class. Read a boring book to induce sleepiness; read an exciting one to get lost in and to help take away the urgency of thinking about Christmas things.  Some good non-Christmas books are Harry Potter, Twilight, School of Fear, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. They are fairly long and can keep you occupied for a while. Burn a sweet scented candle for a little while in a safe place in your room.  The scent will help you to relax, particularly if you choose a scent like lavender or jasmine.  Just make sure to extinguish it before you fall asleep!
A:
Think of it as a normal night. Play a game with someone. Exercise. Take a warm bath. Don't peek at the Christmas tree. Drink warm milk. Relax