Q: In the United States, your main options are Kentucky Lake and Tennessee River in Tennessee and San Angelo for freshwater pearls. For saltwater pearls, your main option is Hawaii. While you can find mussels that produce pearls in other areas, these are the main states for commercially viable pearls. In most areas, you will need to pay a fee for a permit. In Tennessee, for example, license fees are based on whether you are a commercial in-state resident ($200 in 2016) or commercial out-of-state resident ($1,000 in 2016). You may also get a license as a wholesaler ($500 in 2016). When you are in the water, you usually must use a diver's flag. The flag shows that there is someone under the water. In Tennessee, for instance, the law specifies that no boat can go within 50 feet of the flag nor cause wakes withing 200 feet of the flag. The only boat that can be within 50 feet is the boat used to dive from. Like with a guided tour, you will likely need to take a boat to the diving area, especially if you are diving for saltwater pearls. However, many freshwater mussels are found in stream beds. So when hunting for freshwater pearls, you only need to walk along areas of the river. Mussels can be difficult to find because they are camouflaged to blend in with the sand and silt at the bottom of the river.  Check for mussels in shallow water. Generally, sandy areas are best, and you'll be able to find them in rivers, lakes, and streams.  Many fisherman use waders to wade into the river and gather mussels. Essentially, you wade into the middle of shallow water and feel around in the bottom of the steam for mussels.  In lakes, you can employ similar methods of feeling for mussels, but you may need basic diving equipment.  If the water is not murky, you'll be able to see mussels sticking up out of the sand at the bottom. Use a dull knife to shuck your oyster. Place it on a hard surface with the opening up before inserting the knife on one side into the slit on top. Push across the slit, slanting down as you go. Once you've done this step, you should be able to pull it open and look for your pearl. Burnish your pearl with table salt and a soft cloth that's a little damp. Usually, the mussels you take will need to be of a certain size. In Tennessee, for instance, they lay out the size for each species.  The easiest way to measure your mussels is to use a ring with an interior that is the specified size. Then you just see whether the mussel passes through or not. For pink heelsplitters and washboards, the mussels need to be 4 inches in diameter. River pigtoes, lake pigtoes, maple leafs, southerns, three ridges, and elephant ears need to be 2 5/8 inches in diameter, while ebonies and monkey faces need to be 2 3/8 inches in diameter.
A: Visit a state with natural pearls. Pay the fee. Employ a diver's down flag. Dive for pearls. Shuck your mussels. Follow local regulations.

Article: You may be worried about embarrassing yourself by making a mess.  You want to look good in front of your crush.  You certainly don’t want to slop food all over your outfit, or gross your crush out by eating food that ends up all over you.  Make it easy on yourself by avoiding messy options.  Eating spaghetti can lead to slurping long noodles and slopping sauce all over. Choose salad over soup.  Soup is another slurpy and splashy troublemaker. Ice cream is a melty mess.  You don’t want to have to be licking away at your dessert. Take care with finger foods which will get sauce all over your fingers or drip toppings down your arms.  Some culprits are burgers, and bbq or buffalo wings. Eating noisy food can seem very awkward, and draw unwanted attention to you while you are eating, especially if no one around you is talking while you are chewing.  Choose what you will chew with the noise it makes in mind.  Avoid foods you have to chew a LOT in order to swallow it.  This will reduce the amount of time you are making noise with your food.  An example of a tough to chew food would be Grape Nuts. The crunchiest fruits and vegetables like apples, uncooked carrots and celery will make quite the crack. Some chip companies pride themselves on making the loudest, crunchiest products.  Some notorious brands are Kettle Brand, Cape Cod and Doritos. You don’t want to have to worry about stinking the place up.  Garlic is known to leave your breath stinky, but you also want to avoid things which could stink up the whole area or give you indigestion.  Fish products, like tuna, can really send off a strong smell when opened in public. Spicy foods from Indian food to Mexican food can be doubly problematic.  Not only can they give off a strong odor, but they can lead to indigestion and gas. You may feel judged that you are eating too little or too much.  Measure your food with your hands by comparing portions of your food to parts of your hand.  This way you will go into your meal knowing what is the norm when it comes to portions.  Even if the serving you receive is larger, you can eat only as much as is considered an appropriate portion.  Your main meat portion of beef, chicken or fish should fit in the palm of your hand, which should equal about 3 ounces. Eat a handful, or half a cup of a starch like noodles or rice. A side vegetable portion, like cooked carrots, should match the size of your fist, which would be about 1 cup. A bowl of salad should be the size of both of your fists put together or 2 cups.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Avoid foods that are messy. Beware of foods that have too much crunch. Stay fresh not stinky. Choose a comfortable portion size.

Q: Telling your spouse is vital; if your spouse has no idea how you're feeling, they may put you in situations you'd rather not be in. Find an opportune time to sit down together and talk through the issues in a calm way. Let them know what’s bothering you and what you’d like them to do about it. Your spouse may be better suited to talk to their mother for you.  Don't be surprised if your spouse refuses to "take sides". They love both of you, so taking sides can put them in a difficult situation. Ask your spouse to talk to their mother about things that bother you. She might take the discussion better when it come from their own child. Even if you don’t agree with what she has to say, listen to your mother-in-law. Don’t immediately write off what she has to say. Hear her out (even if you feel  it’s ridiculous) and let her know you’re listening. You don't have to agree to anything.  Respond neutrally by saying, “Okay, I’ll consider that” or, “Thanks for your input.” If she puts you in a difficult position, defer to your spouse. Say, “I don’t want to answer right away. Let me talk to my spouse first.” . Deflecting criticism or other awkward interaction with humor can deflate conflicts and put everyone at ease again. Whether the situation seems tense or she’s making things difficult, a little humor can go a long way. For example, if your mother-in-law is complaining about the weather, reply with "Well, at least it means we don't have to sit indoors complaining about how cold it is!” Are you able to put yourself in her shoes occasionally and see just where some of her so-called interfering or judgmental behavior comes from? She values the person you're married to, so there must be something good inside her!  Keep in mind that whatever your feelings, your mother-in-law remains one of the most important people in your spouse's life. Be sure it's not your own untamed jealousy causing problems. If your relationship with your mother is strained or difficult, consider if that is affecting your relationship with your mother-in-law. Remember that they are different people, and you can have a different relationship with each one.
A:
Come up with solutions with your spouse. Respect her different viewpoints. Use humor Work through your own feelings about your mother-in-law.