Some people may react aggressively to certain situations or behave badly after a bad day. In such a situation, their hostility is being delivered to anyone in their path, and has nothing to do with you. When people act aggressive, often it has nothing to do with you. Maybe they're...   Having a bad day Having had to deal with a difficult person before Being reminded of a situation that upset them Not able to manage anger, fear, or other emotions well They might tease or insult everyone they meet. Some people are just antagonistic like that. Ask yourself:   How does this person interact with other people? Does this person act like this with everyone (or almost everyone)? What is the content of their speech, as opposed to the tone? Could they feel threatened by you in some way? If so, don't feel bad for being your awesome self. Think about how you can help this person feel better about themselves.  Give this person a compliment if possible, or ask them if they’d like to talk about anything. Keep in mind that the other person may have poor communication and emotional management skills. Some individuals do not learn how to communicate effectively or how to express and manage their emotions. This is important to remember because it helps you be patient and sympathize, much the same way you would with a young child who hasn’t yet learned to regulate and express their emotions.  Imagine that there's an inner child acting out, because the person hasn't learned how to deal with problems in a mature way. It's much easier to be patient and feel compassionate when you visualize a learning child at the helm of their behavior. Some people lack or have a different set of social skills and norms. Sometimes a person can come across awkward or maybe even a bit rude, when they do not mean to. Some individuals act a certain way and lack the awareness of how their behaviors are being received. It is not a cold or rude behavior directed at you.  For example, someone from a different culture that is a bit more reserved may come across as cold or aloof. People with certain disabilities, such as autism or intellectual disabilities, may not be aware of certain social cues or speech inflections. They may come across as insensitive or rude when they do not mean to be. Some people may not realize their “joking” behavior is not being well received by others. Constructive criticism is a suggestion intended to help you. It is not a critique or criticism of your self-worth or character.  For the person giving the criticism, it is easy to point out places in need of polishing. But sometimes we forget to mention how much someone is shining. Constructive criticism should have clear and specific ways in which to improve.  This is opposed to non-constructive criticism, which may just be a negative remark that offers no ways of improving.    Not constructive: “The article is sloppy and poorly referenced. The second topic is lacking in substance.” (This comment offers no methods for improving.)  Constructive: “The article you wrote needs to have a few more references and an expansion of the second topic. Other than that, this looks good.”  Definitely not constructive: “This is a terribly written article.” It can be hurtful to hear criticism that is not constructive. Think again about this person's skills in managing their emotions and interacting with others. When you hear criticism, especially when you don't hear constructive remarks within that criticism, ask the person what they mean. This shows them that you value their opinions and is a tactful way to improve their ability to give constructive criticism.  For example, if your boss says, "This is a terribly written article," you can follow up by asking, "I'd like to hear more details about what you don't like about the article. Let's work together to improve it."
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One-sentence summary -- Take someone’s emotions into account. Look at how the person treats others. Consider the person's insecurities. Consider the other person’s emotional management skills. Recognize the other person’s background. Identify whether criticism is constructive. Ask questions when you receive criticism.


While you may be tempted to immediately log onto a search engine, slow down and write a “cheat sheet” on what you know about your long-lost friend.  Think about interesting details beyond name, occupation, and last city lived. Do they play any sports? Are they a member of any political organizations? What are their hobbies? What might they like to do online? If you think your long-lost friend has changed their name, through marriage or otherwise, think about the potential city where the name change happened. In most states in the United States, someone seeking a name change has to publish a notice in the local newspaper stating that the action for a name change has been filed.   You might want to include the name of such a newspaper on your "cheat sheet." An example would be to include the person’s first name + their favorite hobby + a city they once lived in. Think outside the box: A highly specific interest or characteristic of your friend may elicit a favorable search even if you don’t know your long-lost friend’s last name. Now that you’ve developed several search variations, you can turn to the search engine, Google. Enter your terms and click search.  Chances are good that you will find a social media profile connected to your long-lost friend; in 2016, almost 80% of the U.S population has a social network profile.   A social network profile for your long-lost friend may be connected to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or perhaps a website less popular in the United States. (Xing has a global presence, and RenRen is prominent in China.)   If you don’t have luck on Google, consider using the next three most widely used search engines: Bing, Yahoo!, and Ask.. If your search successfully elicited evidence of your long-lost friend’s existence, congratulations. If the evidence came in the form of one or more of your friend’s social media profiles, you can attempt to connect to your friend through these profiles. The easiest way would be to use a platform for which you already have your own personal profile.  On LinkedIn, click Connect and/or Send InMail. On Facebook, add the person as a friend. On Twitter,  “follow” the person. Then “tweet” at your long-lost friend by copying their user name preceded by the @ symbol, and writing a message as your Twitter status.
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One-sentence summary -- Write down everything you know about the person you’re looking for. Combine these details into potential search terms. Apply your search terms to an online search. Study the results of your search.


If you know or suspect that your cat has been stung by a bee, you should quickly assess whether your cat is having a reaction that requires immediate medical attention. Take your cat to the vet or animal emergency room immediately if you see any of the following symptoms:  Rapid or labored breathing Facial swelling Pale gums or mucous membranes Vomiting (especially within the first 5-10 minutes after the sting) or diarrhea Weak or rapid heartbeat Collapse Bee stings are a little different from wasp or hornet stings, and you will need to take a slightly different approach to treatment depending on what kind of insect delivered the sting. If you saw the insect that stung your cat but are not sure how to identify it, you may be able to narrow it down with a visual guide like this one: https://www.southribble.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Bee-wasp-and-hornet-leaflet.pdf  Wasps do not usually leave their stingers behind when they sting, but bees generally do. If your cat was stung by a bee, you will need to find and remove the stinger.  Bee venom is acidic, while wasp venom is alkaline. It is better not to try to neutralize the sting with an alkaline substance (like baking soda) or an acid (like vinegar) unless you know for sure what stung your cat. Look for signs of swelling, redness, or tenderness. If your cat has been stung in the mouth or throat, or if you suspect that your cat has been stung multiple times, take your cat to the vet immediately.
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One-sentence summary --
Check for signs of a severe reaction. Try to determine what stung your cat. Determine where your cat was stung.