INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you have a shirt that you love and it has a lot of holes, consider using a creative fix to make it usable and unique. For example, you could embellish the hole by embroidering around it. Stitches all around the hole will stabilize the fabric and add a creative touch. You can also put an applique over the hole. Putting a decorative patch over the hole, instead of trying to match the existing fabric, can add a bit of fun to an otherwise subdued shirt. If you do not know how to sew or you just don't want to, there are still options for fixing your shirt. There are a variety of glue products that are made to glue fabric together and these can be used on your shirt. In fact, if the hole in your shirt is on a seam or in a spot that is not visible, using glue may be the quickest and easiest fix.  Go to your local craft or sewing store and look for products made to glue fabric to fabric. Depending on the product that you use, it may discolor the area you are gluing. It may also make the area less soft and flexible. Follow the directions that come on the glue you buy when fixing your shirt. Different glues have different drying times and techniques for application, so it's important to follow your product's specific instructions. There may be a point when a shirt has too many holes to make it look presentable or to have it be functional. If your shirt is in tatters or has numerous holes, consider letting it go and turning it into a fun project. If you really love a shirt because of its fabric or because of sentimental reasons, consider using the shirt's fabric to make a quilt or other keepsake item. That way the fabric can continue to be used, just in a different form. If your shirt has a large hole or you're worried about ruining it by attempting to fix it yourself, take it to a tailor to have it fixed. A professional tailor will likely be able to fix holes so that they are practically invisible to the eye.  When you take your shirt in to be repaired, talk to the person about your expectations and ask them what they think they can do for you. Giving the person sewing your shirt clear instructions and getting a clear understanding of what kind of fixes are possible will help you to manage your expectations for the repair. A business that does tailoring or alteration should be able to help you. If you don't know of one in your area, do an internet search to find businesses near you.

SUMMARY: Do a creative fix with embroidery or decorative patches. Use glue to fix a hole that's not very visible. Turn a shirt that is too far gone into a creative project. Have your shirt fixed by a professional if you can't fix it yourself.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Keep in mind a basic rule when ordering coffee at Starbucks: bigger is not better, especially if you are watching calories. A venti often has double or even triple the amount of sugar, fat, and calories that a short does. Middle sizes like tall and grande fare a bit better but will still bump up your total count by 40 to 60 calories.  Opt for a short caffe latte over a venti, for example. You’ll get between 70 to 100 calories rather than between 170 to 240. The same goes for the terribly unhealthy White Chocolate Mocha. A short is between 180 to 200 calories, while a venti is the equivalent of a meal: 450 to 510 calories. The only exception to the size rule is regular brewed coffee, which is almost entirely calorie-free when it’s black. Just limit the amount of milk or sugar you add. Many people like milk in their coffee to enhance the taste or because they dislike coffee’s naturally bitter flavor. The milk cuts the bitterness and also give the drink a rich taste; however, milk adds fat and sugar to the beverage. If you can’t take your coffee black, at least ask for low-fat and low-calories alternatives.  Consider that a tall cappuccino with non-fat milk is only 60 calories, while the same size with regular milk is 90 calories. That’s a “savings” of 30 calories. Some Starbucks beverages are only made with low-calorie milks. The “skinny latte” is a great alternative to the classic caffe latte and only uses non-fat milk, for example, as does the Frappuccino Light Blend. Both of these nonfat milk alternatives have lower calories counts across the board. A short skinny latte is 60 calories, compared to 100 in a short, regular caffe latte. A tall Frappuccino Light is 90 calories, compared to 180 in the regular blend. Another big source of calories at Starbucks is added sugar from things like flavor syrups. These go into many of the specialized coffee beverages and tack on dozens of grams of sugar and sometimes hundreds of extra calories. You can better limit your calorie count by asking the barista for a sugar-free syrup or to even go without it.  Starbucks offers the option of sugar-free flavor syrup when you customize your coffee, for example. Opt for this over the normal flavor syrup. You can also request sugar substitutes, like packets of Splenda instead of cane sugar. Better yet, choose a beverage that doesn’t need syrup at all. Starbucks usually adds syrup to iced coffee beverages, for example, but these drinks can be just as refreshing and tasty with nonfat or soy milk and no added sugar. Consider the sugar content of some of these drinks: a venti iced brewed coffee (with milk and syrup) has between 33 and 36 grams of sugar. That’s about a day’s worth of your recommended sugar intake. The venti Frappuccino has between 66 and 69 grams.

SUMMARY: Order a short. Ask for no fat milk or soy milk alternatives. Limit extra sugar and syrups.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A good relationship is built on open communication. As you and your dad try to foster a healthier relationship, work on talking to him every day.  Find time to talk every day. You can talk to your dad at the dinner table, or after he gets home from work. You do not always have to have a serious discussion. You can simply talk about your day at school. If your dad did something to hurt your feelings, make sure to let him know. You want to make sure he knows if he's continuing to pick on you and upset you. It's possible your dad may not improve. Your dad may have problems with anger or stress management. You may need to see a family counselor to figure out how to best address the issue and form a healthier family dynamic. You may want to talk to a counselor at your school before talking to your parents. Your counselor can help advise you on how to bring up family counseling, and may even be able to talk to your parents for you. Parents screw up sometimes, and may accidentally pick on their children. However, if your dad is routinely making you uncomfortable, you may be the victim of emotional abuse. It's important to figure out if you are being emotionally abused so you can take action to end the abuse.  Your dad may ignore you when you do not behave the way he wants. He may not look at you or call you by name. Your dad may prevent you from seeing friends. He may not allow you to have a normal social life. This is to keep you isolated and away from others. Your dad may talk to you in a way that is traumatizing. He may ridicule you or curse at you. He may call you things like "stupid" or "worthless." He may also do things to scare you, like placing a pet or a sibling in a dangerous situation. It's important you tell someone about abuse, as it can be very damaging over the longterm. Emotional abuse may also eventually turn into physical abuse. Tell another adult relative, the parent of a friend, or a trusted teacher or counselor at school what is going on. These adults should be able to find you the resources you need to get away from an abusive situation. If you do not have an adult you feel you can trust, try calling Childhelp USA. This is an organization that seeks to help children who are being physically or emotionally abused by a parent. You can call at (800) 4-A-CHILD.

SUMMARY:
Talk to your dad regularly. Ask your parents about family counseling if the situation does not improve. Watch for warning signs of emotional abuse. Seek help from a trusted adult if you are being abused.