Q: ” A good friend has sincere interest in finding out as much as she can about her friends’ point of view. If you’re really sincere about staying involved in this friendship, stay interested in your friends’ daily life and experiences. Let your questions reflect this deep interest, and don’t get caught up discussions of political likes and dislikes.  Explore your friends’ perspective by asking open-ended questions. Think out loud about what your friend shares, and ask questions to clarify that you’ve understood what she said. ” Political beliefs are sensitive, personal issues, and it can be easy to get emotional about them. When people have political discussions, they’re likely to engage in “blocked listening” which means selectively listening to your friend’s words for an opportunity to disagree with what’s been said.  If you find yourself wanting to include the word “but” in your conversation, chances are you’re engaged in blocked listening. Remember that telling people where they’re wrong is unlikely to change their minds or improve your relationship. Because political beliefs are based on interpretation of facts, you won’t be able to convince another person of your point of view by quoting well-respected experts who agree with you. This only invites your friend to bring in expert opinions that support her own point of view.  Quoting experts, or providing poll figures to show how many people agree with you on a political topic, isn’t likely to persuade your friend that she’s wrong and you’re right. If this is an issue that’s important to your values, it’s enough to just let her know what your own beliefs are. If she wants to learn more, allow her to ask you. It’s not fun to talk to someone whose beliefs are fixed. Political conversations between friends aren’t really about who is right and who is wrong. Instead, they’re an opportunity to keep a good, thoughtful mood going.  It will help to realize that political viewpoints are deeply connected to a person’s sense of identity. If you get so focussed on “winning” the conversation, no one will have a good time. Instead of trying to change your friend’s mind about a political topic, find ways to relax and enjoy the discussion. You wouldn’t want to find your own social media feed full of opinions you disagree with, so be careful not to do this to others. It’s okay to include occasional political opinions, but you don’t need to post your opinions day after day.  In particular, avoid putting in opinions that put down political perspectives that are mean-spirited or which put down opposing views. If your friend posts extensively on political perspectives that you disagree with, it’s okay to “hide” her feed. This way, you can focus more on your real-life friendship. If you feel yourself getting emotional during a conversation, it might be a good idea to take a break. Knowing when to walk away from a conversation can save a friendship before you say something that you can’t take back.  If your friend tries to end the conversation with you, don’t force her to continue. When the conversation’s not fun anymore, it’s time to end it. Remember that no matter what your political differences might be, your personal relationship is more important.
A: Practice “hungry listening. Be wary of “blocked listening. Don’t try to change your friend’s views. Avoid imposing your political beliefs on your friends. Be mindful of your social media feed. Agree to disagree.

Q: Make sure it is a legal bat for your league. Your coach or manager will probably check that out first. The bat should not be too long or too heavy for you to have excellent control and feel comfortable swinging it.   Bat speed is much more important that the size of the bat in how well or how far you will hit the ball.
A: Choose your bat.

Q: Fill a lawn roller ¾ full of water and walk it over the entire sod. This presses down the sod to ensure good root contact with the soil before watering. Keeping the grass moist during the first few weeks is essential. During this time, the grass roots are establishing and growing. Without plenty of water, this process will slow or halt, and the sod die before it takes. After the first two weeks, water the grass a few times a week to keep it from drying out.  Use a sprinkler system to ensure the grass gets evenly watered. Don't wait until the grass looks brown to water it. Do a soil test by sticking your finger into the dirt. If the soil feels moist to a depth of several inches, it's fine. If the dirt feels dry on the surface or to a depth of an inch or two, it's time to water it. Shade-grown grass should be watered less frequently, since it holds dew longer. Water just to the point of puddling, then stop. If the sod lifts up off the soil, it has been overwatered. Mowing before the roots are well established can pull them out of the soil and damage your sod. Wait patiently until the grass is at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) tall, and gently pull up on several areas of sod to confirm it is firmly attached. Once the lawn is ready, mow it down to no shorter than ⅔ of its height, and never below 2 inches (5 cm).  Always be sure the mower blades are sharp, straight and clean, Mow in a different directional pattern each time the grass is mowed to ensure even growth. You can bag the clippings, but leaving them on the lawn will actually improve its health, since they act as free fertilizer. Use the same starter fertilizer to dress the lawn after a month has passed. This is necessary to replace the nutrients that may have been washed away during a month of heavy watering. After the first month, you need only fertilize your grass once or twice a season to replace nutrients in the years to come. Keeping up with watering, mowing and fertilizing your lawn is the best way to grow thick, healthy grass, and it's also the best way to keep weeds away. Weeds tend to move in when the grass gets patchy. They're nature's way of covering up bare spots in the ground. If you make sure there aren't bare spots to begin with, you won't have to worry much about weeds. If you notice an area where the sod seems to be dead, replace it as soon as possible. Tear up the old sod, enrich the soil underneath with compost, and add fresh sod, making sure the seams lay right next to the healthy grass on either side. This will prevent weeds from coming up where the sod is dead.
A:
Walk over the lawn with a lawn roller. Water it thoroughly for the first two weeks. Mow once the grass is at least 3 inches (7.6 cm). Fertilize the lawn again after a month. Maintain your lawn to keep it free of weeds.