Problem: Article: If you have access to a washing machine, you can use it to easily shrink a cap made from polyester or another synthetic. Load the cap into the washer by itself or with other clothes. Use a small amount of laundry detergent to clean the cap as you shrink it.  If you’re washing the cap by itself, make sure to set the washer to the smallest load setting so that the wash and rinse cycles don’t use too much water. Putting the cap in the washer with other clothes will cause pressure and friction to work on the cap, breaking it in better. Set the washer to a normal wash cycle using regular water heat. Synthetic materials like polyester shrink easily when exposed to heat, meaning a standard washing is often all that it takes to bring a garment down a half-size or so. Allow the hat to go through the complete wash cycle. If you only need to shrink a polyester cap a little bit, you can remove the cap from the washing machine after the initial wash cycle. For caps needing only minor sizing adjustments, a standard wash should do the trick. Put on the cap and let it air dry on your own crown for a customized fit. If the polyester shrunk a little too much due to the heat from the wash, wearing it as it dries can stretch it out to an optimal fit. Assuming the cap is considerably looser than you’d like it, you might follow up the wash with a run through a machine dryer. This will expose the cap to more intense heat to ensure shrinkage while also drying it much faster and more thoroughly. Put the cap through a timed drying cycle on medium heat. The constant heat of machine dryers is notoriously harsh on synthetic fabrics, so if you need to shrink a cap quite a bit, this may be the best way to go.  Washing and drying a synthetic cap regularly will most likely cause it to shrink quite a bit more than a gentle soak or hand wash. If the hat shrinks too much, try putting it on while it’s still somewhat damp. The fibers should stretch out as the cap becomes worn in. Keep an eye on the hat as it dries. Synthetic materials have been known to scorch if exposed to heat for too long.
Summary: Place the cap in the washer. Wash on regular heat. Let the hat dry on your head. Throw the cap in the dryer.

Problem: Article: if we cannot decide at what point life actually begins, can we decide at what point life ends? If they don't know, explain the concept of brain death, and how doctors pronounce a patient dead when the brain stops sending pulse signals to the body. A fetus' brain begins sending signals eight weeks into pregnancy. Use this argument to show that since life ends when the brain stops, shouldn't life begin when the brain starts? Up to two weeks after fertilization, that clump of cells could split up into identical twins. Where did the second life come from? Assuming that human cloning takes place - probably a matter of time - no fertilization takes place at all, the new person has the exact same genetic information as the "donor", yet they are clearly distinct individuals.  Animals, such as Dolly the sheep, have been successfully cloned and were very much alive. Mosquitoes, spiders, cockroaches, mice, and rats might cause annoyance at best and illness at worse. Many people kill them or call exterminators without second thought. An unwanted fetus can cause almost nine months of suffering in an unwilling pregnant person, far worse than any other pest, so why is this life sacred? Remind them that there is a difference between a wanted and an unwanted fetus. A happy parent-to-be is willing to suffer because they love the fetus and look forward to having a baby. This is great! But a person who doesn't benefit from the pregnancy is only suffering. Is it okay to force someone's body to host a fetus against their will? Can someone's body be used as an incubator?  If they believe that life begins at fertilization and must be protected at all costs, then what about the zygotes that are naturally rejected by the uterus? Are they doing anything about those? Statistically speaking, someone on birth control is less likely to have a fertilized egg, and thus is less likely to have a zygote die. Yet the pro-life movement does nothing about this.
Summary: Ask them to consider the following question: Point out identical twins if they insist that life begins at fertilization. Ask what they think about cloning if they insist that life begins at fertilization. Point out that people are willing to kill similarly-sized organisms without calling it a sin. Remember that the precise beginning of life is not the point—bodily autonomy is.

Problem: Article: Don't keep your visit open-ended. Also, don't book an airline reservation before you first discuss it with your host. If your host has agreed to certain dates, don't try to add on to those dates without discussing it, and respect that your host may have to discuss your stay with their spouse or housemate.  Avoid overstaying your visit. Even though you have been graciously invited into their home, your hosts may have rearranged their normal routines on your behalf. Their hospitality also requires their investment of time, energy, and money. If you are staying for a period longer than three days, consider putting the arrangement on a business footing, or finding ways to leave and stay elsewhere for a few days to give your hosts some private time. Don't show up earlier than the time you had agreed upon. Your host may not be ready for you and an early arrival could inconvenience them considerably. If, for some unforeseen reason, you caught an earlier connection or you had an extra day's vacation and want to arrive earlier, call them first. Avoid showing up later that you promised. This may upset many hosts who worry about what might have happened to you. If you are delayed for any reason, call them and explain. If you will not be with your hosts all the time, discuss your plans beforehand to make sure that you will not inadvertently inconvenience them. Don't leave their home, even for a short outing, without telling them. Your host should not have to guess whether you went out or not. Be quiet when arriving back late, and, if given a key, use it. Turn out the lights and check to make sure that the door is locked behind you.
Summary: Be specific with the dates of arrival and departure. Be respectful of the host's time. Communicate clearly about comings and goings.

Problem: Article: If you are working in a call center, take advantage of the opportunity to see what calling techniques work for other people. Approach a more senior, or really successful, representative and ask if you can listen in to a few of their calls. Make notes about any tips or tricks that you notice. For instance, you might notice that your coworkers tend to ask their customers a lot of open-ended questions. This makes customers feel more comfortable and then tend to stay on the call longer. Get a friend to go through a pretend phone call with you and record it. Or, put a real caller on speakerphone and record your conversation. Then, play back the call. Pay attention to the clarity and speed of your voice. Look for areas that you can improve on, like sounding friendly early on in the call. Most telemarketing companies will provide at least one online or in-person training period for all representatives. Go to as many of these sessions as you can, especially when you are first starting out. Write down your own notes to consult later. Ask any questions that come to mind. This sessions are also important because they often involve a practicing component. For example, you may get to work with a partner making calls. As part of your training, you’ll likely learn about the particular laws that apply to telemarketers in your location and sales area. Pay close attention to this information and reread the guidelines every few weeks. If you are concerned about a regulation impacts a particular call, put the customer on hold and ask your supervisor. For example, the Federal Trade Commission regulates much of what telemarketers can promise their customers. If you oversell the benefits of a particular product, then both you and your company could get into trouble.
Summary:
Learn from more experienced agents. Record yourself talking. Attend any training sessions. Follow all legal regulations and laws.