Aside from not doing your job, there are many ways you can guarantee that you’ll get fired from your job.

Few people like every aspect of their jobs, and it’s highly likely that throughout your career, you’ll be asked to perform tasks and work with people you don’ t like. However, you’re being paid to do a job, and it’s your responsibility (as long as you’re still accepting your salary) to complete the work assigned to you.

Following are 10 of the easiest ways to get fired as well as tips to avoid them. You might not even realize you’re making some of these mistakes, so review your behavior and make sure you’re not providing your boss with reasons to fire you.

1. Not Showing Up

Repeatedly showing up late to work or calling in sick is not acceptable. Your coworkers depend on you to pull your weight, and opting out is not an option. Continually missing work is grounds for termination, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself out of a job if you’re guilty of skipping work too often. The only way to avoid this problem is to get yourself to work each day.

2. Refusing to Do Specific Tasks

Of course, if you’re asked to do something illegal or that is far outside of your job description and area of expertise, you should speak up and discuss it professionally with your boss (no complaining allowed). However, if a task falls within your job function, you have to do it. You’re not allowed to pick and choose which tasks you do. That’s up to your boss and your employer.

3. Refusing to Work with Certain People

Unless you can prove why working with another employee is a danger to you, you can’t pick and choose who you work with. You’ll come across many people that you don’t like throughout your career, but you have to learn to tolerate them and work with them. You’re not being paid to make friends. You’re being paid to perform a role. Your personal preferences shouldn’t get in the way. Speak to your boss and ask for guidance in learning to work with the other person.

4. Publishing Inappropriate Content on Social Media

Even if your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and other social media profiles are private, the content you publish on those sites can be seen by people outside of your personal connections. For example, that tweet you published on your private account can be viewed by the world if it’s retweeted by one of your followers with a public account. Be careful what you say on social media. Avoid complaining about your boss, your company, or your job and never publish proprietary information.

5. Working on Another Job During Work Hours at Your First Job

If you have a night job in addition to your full time day job or you’re starting your own company in your spare time, you should never spend time while you’re at your primary job doing anything related to those other jobs. It’s unethical and grounds for firing. If you need to make phone calls or send emails about your side job, do so during your lunch hour or breaks. Never do it during the time you’re being paid by your primary employer.

6. Making Too Many Personal Calls, Spending Too Much Time Online on Non-Work Related Activities

Your time at your job should be spent working, not making personal calls or browsing the web. Don’t check your Twitter feed or take a quick peak at your Facebook profile. Wait until your lunch hour for any personal activities. Of course, most employers understand that employees need to make occasional personal calls during work hours, such as calling doctors offices. Confirm what you’re allowed to do with your boss. If personal calls are permitted when necessary, don’t take advantage of the policy by abusing it. Limit your personal calls to ones you can only make during work hours. The rest should wait.

7. Stealing

Never take anything from your workplace unless you’re given express permission to do so. A box of paper clips might seem small, but taking it home and using it for your personal needs is stealing. If you need equipment or supplies at your home in order to do your job, request permission to have access to those items.

8. Using Company Resources for Personal Reasons

It is not okay to use the company printer to print out your personal correspondence. It’s not okay to bring home disks to load software on your personal computer, and it’s not okay to use company email for personal messages. Get your own printer. Buy your own software, and get a free email account through a provider like Google that you can access via your mobile device during your lunch hour. Never use company property and resources for personal reasons unless you’re given permission to do so.

9. Being Difficult to Work With

Are you difficult to work with? You might be without realizing it. If you come across as highly negative, as a complainer, or as a low performer, your reputation will land you on the metaphorical employee black list. You might not get fired immediately, but you’ll be paving a path to getting fired in the future.

10. Refuse to Work Late or Come in Early

There are times when a project needs to be completed by a specific deadline or an employee calls in sick. When that happens, you might be asked to work late or come in early. If you’re unwilling to be flexible and show that you’re willing to support the company as needed, you can bet your boss won’t be happy. Is this right? Of course not, but it happens. If your employer expects you to work a significant amount of extra hours that you’re unable or unwilling to commit to, you should look for another job. Even though you shouldn’t feel obligated to work these extra hours, the perception of you as not being a team player will put you on the path to a dead end career with the company (and possibly firing). It’s not right, but it’s often the reality. If this culture isn’t right for you, get out now.

10 Ways to Get Fired and How to Avoid Them is a post from: Lifed

Recruiters are often hired by seasoned professionals seeking management and executive roles or specialized roles in technology, science, and engineering. The recruiters are either paid on a retainer basis, which the job candidate pays, or they’re paid a predetermined amount by the employer.

Either way, there are specific things you can do to ensure your experience working with a recruiter to find your next job is as successful as possible. Following are five tips to help you get started in building a positive relationship with a recruiter.

1. Be honest about your background, experience, education, and accomplishments.

It’s your responsibility to make sure your recruiter has the information he or she needs to successfully place you in your next job. The recruiter’s reputation is on the line when he sends you for an interview with a prospective employer, and you don’t want to embarrass him or yourself.

Instead, give him all of the details he needs to successfully find the right jobs for you and to position you with employers as the right candidate for those jobs. You’re doing your recruiter and yourself a disservice if you only provide him with the parts of your story that paint you as the perfect candidate. Honesty will work in your favor in the long run.

2. Explain exactly what you want in a new job.

Don’t assume your recruiter knows what you can do and what you want in your next job. You need to spell out all of the details so there is no room for misinterpretation. Communicate your short- and long-term goals. Focus on the roles that you’re most interested in and be sure to explain the roles you’re not interested in, too.

It’s common for candidates to be vague in their job requirements to recruiters, because they think they might miss a great opportunity if a recruiter doesn’t think they’re interested. However, being vague does more harm than good, because the recruiter has a more difficult time trying to figure out what jobs are a good match for the candidate. Make your recruiter’s job easier by telling him specifically what you do and don’t want.

3. Be an active participant.

Recruiters juggle a lot of candidates and employers. It’s up to you to stay top-of-mind by communicating with your recruiter on a regular basis. Not only should you stay in close contact with your recruiter before you interview for any jobs, but you should also connect with him or her after each interview you attend. It’s important to go over the interview together and identify next steps.

4. Grill your recruiter for information about any company you interview with.

If your recruiter lands an interview for you, don’t go in without the information you need to pass the interview with flying colors. It’s highly likely that your recruiter has worked with the employer before and may have worked with the specific hiring manager in the past. That experience could provide you with essential information, which could improve your performance during the interview.

Ask your recruiter if he has placed any other candidates at the company. Also, ask him to share information about how the company interviews, the type of employees they typically hire, and any other information he can share based on his prior experiences. A good recruiter will provide as much information as possible to help you get the job.

5. Keep your recruiter apprised of your other job hunting activities.

Recruiters know that you’re using multiple avenues to find employment, but it’s not acceptable to work with multiple recruiters who might be pitching you to the same employers for the same positions. You should let your recruiter know about any other actions you’re taking to secure employment so efforts don’t overlap and the embarrassing moment when a hiring manager calls your recruiter to tell him that your resume was already submitted through another channel or recruiter doesn’t happen.

5 Tips to Work with a Recruiter and Land a Job is a post from: Lifed

Dick Tracy’s Two-Way Wrist Radio. Fahrenheit 451′s Wall Panel Televisions That Transfixed Society. Mark Twain’s Electroscope As Precursor To The Internet. These 10 Predictions That Missed The Mark (Completely) Don’t Have It.

The problem with predicting future events is that you risk your entire reputation on one day. The smart phonies — like Nostradamus — gauge most of their major predictions thousands of years in the future so they don’t have to be around when it all blows up in their faces. And then there are the ones, who in one fell swoop ruin whatever street cred they had left by reaching too far in the present. You’ll see a mix of both on this list. 

1. Sylvia Browne

On a 2004 appearance on The Montel Williams Show, the self-proclaimed psychic — aren’t they all? — told Louwana Miller that her daughter was deceased. But in May 2013, Miller’s daughter, Amanda Berry, was found alive along with two other women. Unfortunately, Ms. Miller wasn’t around to hear the news because she died in 2006 of what her family called “a broken heart” after giving up all hope in light of Browne’s mistaken prediction. Naturally, Browne has come under heavy fire from the Twittersphere with countless people calling her out on the BS.

2. Nostradamus

With Nostradamus you have to be careful. If each one of the man’s End of the World predictions had come true, than we would have seen this rock blow up three or four times by now. A lot of it is due to the interpretation of the people saying that he predicted it. The man’s prophecies were allegedly “good” through 3797, according to Discovery Science. The last anyone has attributed to him, to our knowledge, is the “King of Terror falling from the sky” prediction that he made for “1999 and seven months.” Last we checked, we’re still here.

3. Harold Camping

Harold Camping’s contributions to this list of predictions that missed the mark should actually get two entries instead of one since the president of Family Radio in California picked the wrong end-of-world date twice in the same year. Monumentally epic fail, it was. So much so that, when the date of the final prediction rolled around — October 21, 2011 — and no one suffered a fiery, brimstone-y death, Camping stepped down from his position in humiliation and disappointment. Yeah, maybe we can’t blame him. It sure is a disappointment when people you deem beneath you don’t suffer in agony for all eternity. What’s particularly interesting about this prediction is that many of Camping’s followers sold or gave away all they had, quit their jobs, etc., in order to ready for the event. Later, according to the Christian Post, several even came at him, fangs bared, on the radio program. Example: “You’re really pathetic, you know? I wasted all my money because of you. I was putting all my money and my hopes on you.” (Yeah. Camping’s pathetic.)

4. Dale L. Reistad

In 1963, Dale L. Reistad predicted that the check would no longer be around by the year 2000. Before you say, “But Life’d, I never use checks for anything any more; this man was right (though off by a few years),” consider this. As early as 2008, 73.5 percent of people still used checks or money orders for bill payments. It’ll probably take another generation before the check is gone altogether. And if services like Google Wallet continue to develop, you may be saying goodbye to the plastic credit card along with it.

5. Dick Rowe

In 1962, Decca Records rep Dick Rowe had a chance to sign the Beatles but ultimately decided to pass. The stories have varied wildly on how Rowe went about it, but tabloid The Daily Mail — grain of salt here, everyone — reported that the Beatles rep was told, “We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” That rep has followed Rowe, but he later redeemed himself by landing a contract with The Rolling Stones.

6. Herman Kahn

In the 1966 Time Magazine article “The Futurists,” Herman Kahn predicted “a pleasure-oriented society full of ‘wholesome degeneracy.’” The article also stated that by 2000, industry would be “producing so much that everyone in the US will, in effect, be independently wealthy.” Checked the unemployment and underemployment rates lately, folks? Kahn also predicted human hibernation and robot slaves and figured that by now we would have underwater societies and interplanetary travel (by humans). Luckily for Kahn, he died in 1983 so any eggs thrown his way would have to be tossed posthumously.

7. Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill, in a 1932 article for Mechanics Illustrated, predicted mankind would eventually advance to the point of being able to grow parts of a chicken instead of killing the whole thing, putting a serious dent in the hunger problem. While there are some promising developments via 3D printer technology slowly bringing us towards the point of “growing” our own meat, we’re still a long way from making this entry on the predictions that missed the mark list feasible.

8. Harper’s Weekly

“The actual building of roads devoted to motor cars is not for the near future, in spite of many rumors to that effect.” This statement from the August 2, 1902, edition of Harper’s Weekly, was made right as the first major automobile push was coming off the assembly line. Anyone with foresight could have seen the wave of the future on the horizon, except Harper’s, which was out of business by 1916.

9. Karl Rove

In an October 2012 piece via Wall Street Journal, the political profit Karl Rove had this to say: “In addition to the data, the anecdotal and intangible evidence—from crowd sizes to each side’s closing arguments—give the sense that the odds favor Mr. Romney. They do. My prediction: Sometime after the cock crows on the morning of Nov. 7, Mitt Romney will be declared America’s 45th president. Let’s call it 51%-48%, with Mr. Romney carrying at least 279 Electoral College votes, probably more.” As we all know, that didn’t happen. Neither have many public appearances by Rove since the article was posted.

10. Aric Mitchell

Lord of the Rings won’t be a success. Yep. That’s right. I said that. Publicly. To more than one person. Just so you know I’m open to a little self-abuse as well, I’ll provide the numbers (as if you need them). To date, in theatrical gross only, the three films — not counting the related film The Hobbit — have grossed a shade under $3 billion on a combined budget of $281 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Now do you see why I’m qualified to write this article?

Those are our top predictions that missed the mark. Right. Wrong. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

10 Predictions That Missed The Mark (Completely) is a post from: Lifed

Getting engaged is an exciting time in your life, and like most couples, you may shout this news from the rooftop. Several things have to be discussed as you plan your upcoming nuptials.

When will you get married? Where will you live? Will you have a big or small wedding? Who will pay the wedding expenses? If you’re fortunate enough, your parents may jump in and offer to flip the bill for the wedding, or at least pay a portion of the costs. This might ease some of your financial worries.

There is no denying the expensive nature of weddings. Even if you keep it simple and low-key, the cost of hiring a caterer, a wedding planner and a photographer, plus the venue, the wedding cake and honeymoon can break the bank. If you’re not comfortable with money topics, you might shy away from financial discussions. However, marriage isn’t only the merging of two lives – it’s also the merging of income and finances. You can’t run away from money discussions. The money moves you make while engaged can set the stage for how well you manage money in marriage.

If you’re planning a trip down the aisle, here are five things to do with your money.

1. Set a Budget

Determine a spending budget for the wedding. It is important that you and your partner are on the same page. Some couples go all out and spend crazy money to have the best day ever and “wow” their guests. Most people want the dream wedding, but you have to consider whether your dream is financially doable.

If you and your partner are paying for the wedding, sit down and determine how much you can spend. How much do you have in savings? How much can you save before the wedding? Take into consideration any financial contributions from your parents or other family members. Having a figure in mind can keep your finances on track throughout the planning phase and you’re less likely to overspend.

2. Start Saving

Things don’t always go according to plan when planning a wedding. There may be last-minute expenses, or some expenses may cost more than you originally anticipated. Even if you already have money in the bank, don’t stop saving. A strong financial cushion can lower your stress level. Plus, the money saved can be useful after you say “I do.” Maybe you’re hoping to take a little time off work or purchase a home. The more you put away while engaged, the easier it is to meet financial goals as a couple.

Where can you reduce expenses? If your wedding is six months in the future or longer, maybe you could move in with your parents temporarily. The money you save by not paying rent and utilities can go into your wedding/marriage fund. Perhaps you can curb your spending, dine out less or postpone vacations and other trips.

3. Review Each Other’s Credit Report

Personal finances are just that – personal. But if you walk down the aisle without knowing your partner’s financial background, this can create trouble in your marriage. Credit scores and credit reports carry a lot of weight in the financial world. Both determine whether you’re able to qualify for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. Asking to see your partner’s credit report isn’t an invasion of privacy – its the smart thing to do. You can see the number of accounts in his or her name, current balances and payment history.

Most couples rely on their combined income and credit score to qualify for mortgages and auto loans. If your partner doesn’t make smart money decisions and doesn’t care about his credit, this can affect your financing options. Not to say that bad credit and poor money management is a deal breaker in relationships. But these habits should be addressed and fixed before walking down the aisle.

4. Don’t Hurriedly Combine Bank Accounts

Married couples typically have at least one joint bank account for household bills while maintaining personal accounts. As a newly engaged couple you may excitably prepare your mind for marriage, and with this excitement you might decide to merge your bank accounts. A joint bank account for wedding-related expenses makes sense, but with regards to the combination of all your financial accounts -including personal checking and savings – wait until after you say “I do.” Things happen, and unfortunately, some engaged couple never make it down the aisle.

5. Pay Off Debt

Start your marriage with a clean slate debt wise. There’s probably little you can do to eliminate an auto loan or a student loan before your big day. But if you have too much credit card debt, develop a plan to reduce or get rid of balances. Modifying your spending habits and cutting back can generate extra income. As you plan for the wedding, avoid swiping your credit cards to cover expenses – unless you have a plan to pay off new charges. The less debt you have at the start of your marriage, the better.

Engaged? Five Things To Do With Your Money is a post from: Lifed

Content is the bloodline of the Internet. Blogs and websites are in constant demand for fresh, valuable content to attract new readers. If you have chosen to pursue a freelance writing career, the following tips will get you up to speed…

1.Always Carry a Pen and a Pad

Ideas are fickle and you never know when inspiration will hit you. As a writer, you need to get this stream of ideas flowing so the next time you sit down to write an article all you’ll have a list of ideas to choose from. This is why you should always carry a pen and a pad, wherever you go. While you can use a mobile device to jot down ideas, a pen and a pad are much more reliable – their batteries never run out, nor do they break or reflect the sunlight.

2.Get ‘in the Zone’

Have you ever gotten so immersed in creativity that you almost went to a different dimension?
Being ‘in the zone’ is an almost meditative state where you are fully focused at the creative task at hand. It can take 15 minutes or more to reach that state, but a single minor interruption – like a phone call or a chat incoming call sound – to be throw you back into ‘reality.’ That is why you must remove all disruptions so you can be detached and focus on creating. For best results, work in power sessions of a couple of hours at a time, turning off your phone, social media, email etc.

3.Get Lots of RAM

You don’t need the top of the line computer in order to become a writer. However, you do need to stuck up on RAM (Random Access Memory). A lot of it! Here’s why: As a writer you will get most of your information online. You will often need to conduct online research and opening 20-40 browser tabs at a time is not a rare scenario. This is the fastest, most effective way to gather information today but it requires lots of RAM. Invest in 4GB RAM on your machine if you can, or even more if you can. You can never have too much RAM!

4.Back Up Constantly

The words you write are your asset. You spend a great deal of time on finding ideas, researching and putting it all together in writing. That is why you can’t afford any disasters! And disasters, unfortunately, do happen. Computers get stolen, hard disks fail and CDs are suddenly deemed unreadable. So constantly backing up your work is crucial. Try to have at least three backups at any given time. I back up my files to an external hard drive, a flash drive (which I take with me when I’m away) and to the cloud (I use Google Drive but there are various free and paid services you can use). To increase security, I use a different file name whenever I make significant document changes: [Filename] + version 1, [Filename] + version 2 etc. This way I can always go back to the original document should I need to and I eliminate the risk of deleting my entire project by mistake.

5.Create Article Series

If you have a long-term working agreement with a certain client, suggest to write article series for them. In many cases you’ll be required to write short articles of 500 words or so each time. With an article series you can develop a complex subject matter by breaking it down to a few separate articles. For example, you could write a series of four articles on: Relationship Tips for Couples:

1. 7 Communication Tips for Couples
2. How to Overcome Cheating in a Marriage
3. How to Handle Arguments in a relationship
4. 7 Tips for Getting Over Your Ex.

By writing article series you increase readers’ loyalty as they are intrigued to read the next article in line. You also increase the value of the publication you write for by turning it into a thorough, in-depth information source.

6.Never Underestimate Your Reader

Always remember that you write for people. Don’t write in a way you wouldn’t use to talk to your best friend. So be respectful, be helpful, don’t insult your reader’s intelligence, don’t go overboard with sarcasm and don’t waste your reader’s time with pointless waffle.

7.Get the Facts Right

Bad writers go to Wikipedia and to existing online articles and try to rephrase them. Good writers do their research, go right to the sources and put together a fresh, innovative new article. Be original, unique, creative, thorough. Instead of writing: “It is well known that…” or “I believe that…” check for the actual facts and bring up the numbers, referring to the sources. This will set you apart as a serious, authoritative writer.

8.Never Compromise on Quality

Your articles are your signature. Once online they are forever searchable alongside your name. Therefore you should never compromise on quality since your (and your client’s) reputation is at stake. Always think “What’s in it for my reader?” as you start crafting your article. If you can’t answer this question then find a better subject to write about. Before sending the article for review, always give it another view, making sure it reads well and double check the spelling.

9.Keep Your Own Records

As a freelance writer you will probably be working with various publishing clients. Some publishers are more organized than others, some pay on time while others need to be reminded. In any case, keeping your own records is key. Keep track of all the articles you write and organize them in folders on your hard drive. I also like to bookmark the browser tabs I work on and to organize them in folders according to the article’s title and the client’s name. When it comes to invoices, you can either create your own using a word processor or use an online tool like FreshBooks. Staying organized will make it easy to file your taxes and get paid on time.

Writing for the Web: 9 Tips to Become a Better Freelance Writer is a post from: Lifed

Soap making is a lot easier (and cheaper!) than you think. Sure, there are many ingredients, supplies, steps, and precautions involved, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to make soap with your eyes closed (although not literally)!

Don’t believe me? Just take a look at this picture:

When I took up the ridiculously frugal hobby of soap making last year, I taught myself by reading countless books, websites, and blogs. It was so time-consuming that I wished I had all the soap making tips, precautions, recipes, and information in one place. It would’ve made my life so much easier.

Well, now that I’m a somewhat seasoned soap maker, I’ve decided to make your life easier by giving you the tutorial I wished I had.

I tried to be as thorough as possible, but I’m sure I accidentally left out a few minor details. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section.

Okay, let’s start making some awesome soap!

Ingredients checklist

If you already have a handmade soap recipe you want to try, you can definitely go ahead and use it! If you haven’t the slightest clue what you’re supposed to put in soap, no worries: I have a wonderful recipe for you to use! You will find it further down the post, but let’s focus on the ingredients right now.

Most handmade soap recipes contain palm oil, a controversial ingredient I personally prefer not to use (find out why). I went ahead and found a wonderful palm-free soap recipe. It lathers well and moisturizes my skin so much that I barely have to use lotion. If you want to use my recipe, here are the ingredients you’ll need:

* Olive oil

* Coconut oil

* Shea butter

* Avocado oil

* Lye

* Distilled water

Supplies checklist

The good news is that you don’t need a set of obscure soap making supplies. In fact, you probably already have most, if not all, of the supplies you need lying around the house! Don’t cheer just yet, though. The bad news is that once you use the following supplies for soap making, you can never, ever use them to prepare food again. It’s because those supplies will come in contact with lye, which can be deadly if ingested. I keep all my soap making supplies in a box far away from the kitchen, and I don’t ever use them unless I’m making soap.

There’s no need to take the supplies checklist to the store. You can just dig through your old kitchen stuff and add the supplies you no longer use to your soap making box. As for the stuff you don’t have around the house, you can pick up some used things at a thrift store.

Also note that it’s extremely important to use the right materials. It’s because lye will destroy certain materials, such as aluminum or Teflon. However, lye won’t react to stainless steel, plastic, and wood. You have to follow the checklist closely and use the materials specified in the list.

And, now, here’s finally the checklist:

* A stainless steel pot (Never use an aluminum pot. I scored a used stainless steel pot at a thrift store for 50 cents. Bring a magnet to the store. If it sticks to the pot, even weakly, then it’s stainless steel.)

* A plastic or stainless steel hand blender (I got a used one at the thrift store for a couple of bucks.)

* A stainless steel meat thermometer

* A small plastic container (a Tupperware container or an empty sour cream container would do well.)

* A plastic mixing bowl

* A wooden, plastic, or stainless steel spoon

* A food scale

* Lots of white vinegar

* An old sponge

* Soap molds (You can buy some from a craft store or use any type of container.)

* A covered box large enough to contain the soap molds

* A soap color dye of your choosing (optional – if you don’t want to end up with yellow soap)

* An essential oil of your choosing (optional – if you want to add fragrance to your soap)

What to wear

Lye is very dangerous when inhaled or come in contact with skin, so you have to protect yourself as much as possible, even if it means looking totally ridiculous like me right now.

When you’re done laughing at me, take a look at what you need to throw on beforehand:

* Safety glasses

* A respirator mask

* Long rubber gloves

* An old long-sleeved shirt

* Old pants

* Old socks

* Anything else that you feel will protect your skin, eyes, and lungs

Now that you have all the stuff you need, it’s time to crunch some numbers!

My handmade soap recipe

As promised, here’s my recipe:

50% olive oil

25% coconut oil

15% shea butter

10% avocado oil

(Lye and distilled water to be calculated later)

1. Determine how much soap you want to make and do the math.

I suggest starting small, with maybe 2 pounds (32 oz) of soap. Do the math using the percentages in the recipe to determine how many ounces of each ingredient you need to use. Here’s an example using my recipe and a total of 32 oz:

16 oz olive oil

8 oz coconut oil

4.8 oz shea butter

3.2 oz avocado oil

Make sure to write it all down. You will be using those numbers during step 3. If you hate doing math, you can just enter the percentages in a lye calculator (see step 2), and it’ll do the math for you.

2. Use a lye calculator to figure out how much water and lye you need to use.

If you do a Google search on “lye calculator”, you’ll get some pretty good hits. The Bramble Berry Lye Calculator is my favorite one. What a lye calculator does is determine how much lye and water you should put in your soap based on the type and amount of ingredients you’re using. The lye calculator will also ask you for the superfatting level (or the amount of excess fat you want in your soap). The more excess fat there is, the more the soap will moisturize your skin. However, too much excess fat will result in mushy soap. Too little excess fat will result in too-hard soap that doesn’t lather well. I’d recommend putting down any number between 4% and 8%. I always superfat at 6%, and it works out perfectly.

When the lye calculator gives you the results, be sure to write down the amount of water and lye you should use.

3. Weigh the oils.

There are two things you have to do first: make sure all the solid oils (such as coconut oil) are in their solid form, and make sure the food scale weighs in ounces.

Put the stainless steel pot on the food scale and reset the scale to 0. Pour the first oil into the pot until you get the amount of ounces you need. Reset the scale to 0. Pour the second oil in until you get the amount of ounces you need. Reset the scale to 0. Repeat the process until you get all the oils in the pot. Be very careful not to over pour, because once the oil’s in the pot, you can’t take any out because it’ll mess up the measurements.

4. Heat the oils.

Put the pot on the stove over low heat and use the meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the mixture. When it reaches 110 degrees, remove from heat. In the meantime…

5. Weigh the lye.

First of all, make sure your rubber gloves are on! Put the small plastic container on the food scale and reset the scale to 0. Pour the lye into the container until you get the amount of ounces you need. Set aside.

6. Weigh the distilled water.

Put the plastic mixing bowl on the food scale and reset the scale to 0. Pour the water into the bowl until you get the amount of ounces you need.

7. Go outside and add the lye to the water.

When lye mixes with water, it will produce some toxic fumes. The first time I did this, I foolishly stayed inside and I accidentally inhaled some of the fumes. My throat burned nonstop the next couple of weeks, and I couldn’t stop coughing. Lesson learned: always go outside when mixing lye with water!

When you’re outside, slowly add the lye to the water (never add water to lye). The mixture will heat up on its own. Keep your face away to avoid breathing in the toxic fumes. Use the wooden, plastic, or stainless steel spoon to gently stir the mixture until the lye dissolves in the water.

Leave the bowl outside until the fumes dissipate. Use the meat thermometer to measure the heat of the mixture. Once it cools to 110 degrees, bring it inside and…

8. Add the lye mixture to the oil mixture.

You need to do this right after the oil mixture is removed from heat. You want both mixtures to be at the same temperature.

Slowly pour the lye mixture into the pot with the oil mixture and use the spoon to mix it in.

9. Blend it.

Take the hand blender and carefully blend the combined mixture for 3-5 minutes. Be sure not to lift the blender up or let the mixture splash around. You can alternate between blending and stirring.

You need to blend the mixture until the trace stage is achieved. You can start testing for trace as soon as the soap starts to exhibit a pudding-like consistency. To test for trace, lift your hand blender (when it’s off) and let the soap drizzle on its surface. If you see a trail of soap that takes some time to dissolve back into the mixture, you’ve achieved trace.

10. [Optional step] Add the essential oil and/or soap dye.

As soon as the soap reaches its trace stage, stir in by hand the essential oil and/or soap dye. Be sure not to over stir, because you don’t want the soap to get too thick.

11. Pour the soap into the mold(s) and put it in the covered box.

The soap has to be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place. I keep mine in a large box (or if the batch’s small, a shoe box). Keep it there for at least 24 hours while the soap mixture sets.

12. Clean up.

Now, you should be dousing everything in white vinegar. By everything, I mean all the things that have come in contact with lye (including your rubber gloves). It’s important to note that you shouldn’t touch anything, not even the soap, with your bare hands because lye is dangerous in its raw form. White vinegar neutralizes lye. Put everything in the sink and soak it in 50% water and 50% white vinegar for a few hours. Next, drain the sink and use an old sponge and dish soap to scrub everything down. Throw the sponge out when you’re done.

13. Lather up!

After 24 hours, the soap should be hard enough to pop out of the mold(s) and cut up if necessary. At this point, the soap is safe to touch with your bare hands. Some people use the soap right away; others think it’s better to age (or “cure”) it for a few weeks.

The first couple of times you make soap, it might not come out perfectly. Don’t let that discourage you; it happens to everyone. Practice makes perfect!

Good luck, and happy soap making!

How to Make Soap at Home (A Step-By-Step Tutorial With Pictures) is a post from: Lifed

Life is short, so why waste time worrying about the negative Nellies, Debbie downers, green-eyed monsters and chronic criticizers in your life?

You deserve to be happy. You don’t need to be around anyone who stresses you out or makes you feel bad about yourself. If you allow yourself to be put down, held back, or affected by a negative person in your life, it’s time to do yourself a favor and break free. Negative people are a buzz kill and you can certainly do without them in your life.

Different types of negative people

When it comes to negativity, one size doesn’t fit all. There are so many different traits and habits that make a person unpleasant to be around. Common types of negative people include:

-       The Green-Eyed Monster: This kind of person gets irrationally jealous at everyone and everything. Due to the Green-Eyed Monster’s highly competitive nature, s/he sees everyone as a threat and would stop at nothing to make himself/herself seem superior to everyone else.

-       The Problem Finder: “That will never work” is the Problem Finder’s favorite phrase. Whenever you approach the Problem Finder with a solution, an idea, or a goal, the Problem Finder will gladly give you a list of reasons why your solution, idea, or goal will never work.

-       The Know-It-All: This self-righteous person thinks s/he can do no wrong, but is extremely quick to point out others’ mistakes or shortcomings. As far as the Know-It-All is concerned, s/he is always right, and everyone else is always wrong. The Know-It-All takes great pleasure in offering unsolicited advice, even if one doesn’t need it. If you’re cooking breakfast for the Know-It-All, expect him/her to attempt to correct the way you’re cooking your eggs, buttering your toast, or pouring your orange juice.

-       The Chronic Criticizer: Nobody likes to be judged, but the Chronic Criticizer doesn’t seem to care. The Chronic Criticizer finds the bad in everything and everyone, and isn’t afraid to voice his/her opinions. If you’re afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing in front of a certain person out of fear that s/he will judge you or discuss your flaws with other people, you’re dealing with a person who falls in this category.

-       The Needy Victim: There is always something bad happening to the Needy Victim, and s/he expects you to sweep in and make his/her problems go away at his/her beck and call. The Needy Victim whines about everything all day long, and contacts you only when s/he needs something. If you’re in a dilemma and seek out the Needy Victim’s help, you can bet on him/her coming up with an excuse not to help you because s/he believes that your problem is trivial compared to his/hers.

There are so many more types of negative people that we can’t list them all here, so we’ll only say this: If a person makes you feel nervous, stressed out, or uncomfortable, you’re dealing with a negative Nelly, and s/he needs to go.

How negative people can hurt you

Whether it’s intentional or unintentional, negative people can hurt you if you’re around them enough. Here are some ways a negative Nelly can wreak havoc on your mental health:

Negative people make you feel bad about yourself. When you’re around a negative person, you’re not allowed to be happy. Misery loves company, after all. When a negative person feels an inkling of good fortune or positive vibes coming from you, s/he will subconsciously try to destroy it by shrugging off your good fortune, bringing up his/her own misfortunes, laughing at you, criticizing you, or focusing on your lesser qualities. This can be done in a blunt or passive-aggressive way. Whether s/he means it or not, you’ll still end up feeling bad about yourself.

Negative people add stress and anxiety to your life. Think about the most negative person you know, and think about how s/he makes you feel. Stressed? Nervous? Unhappy? It’s hardly easy to be in the presence of a cynical, apathetic, or downright cruel person.

Negative people don’t have your best interests at heart. Let’s face it: negative people rarely support and encourage others. That’s why you shouldn’t always trust them to guide you in the right direction. They’re reluctant to give sound advice that benefits you; rather, they’re more likely to advise you to do things that benefit them.

Negative people discourage you from doing your best. Have you ever wanted to achieve a goal only to have someone tell you that you can’t make it? Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will, and negative people know that. That’s why they consciously or subconsciously try to plant doubt into your head whenever you put your mind to something. They believe that if they can’t succeed at something, no one else can, either.

Negative people take up a lot of your time and energy. Negative people are often described as big black holes that suck the energy, happiness, and soul right out of you. It doesn’t matter if a negative person is complaining or criticizing your ear off or if you haven’t spoken with him/her in a long time, this person is taking up space in your head simply because you’re bothered by the stuff s/he has said or done.

No matter how you cut it, negative people are bad for you. You need to detox them from your life. That means completely cutting them off or limiting your interaction with them. You’ll end up much happier!

It takes 6 steps to free your mind from the control of negative people.

Step 1: Identify all the negative people in your life.

Some negative people can be easy to identify, like that sinister aunt of yours who constantly makes snide remarks about everyone who has ever crossed her path, but there are plenty more negative Nellies out there who may be much harder to detect. Think about each person you know and decide whether or not s/he is a positive presence in your life.

Step 2: Realize your own value.

You are amazing. You are unique. You are you. Your character is too wonderful to be destroyed by all the negative Nellies out there. Once you realize how precious and valuable you really are, you’ll have an easier time letting go of the negative people in your life who want you to believe otherwise.

Step 3: Mentally prepare yourself for the detox.

Now that you’ve realized your own value, you’re strong enough to break free of all the negative Nellies getting in the way of your happiness. However, letting go of some negative people in your life may be difficult. Making a list of how they’re holding you back from true happiness might help you take action. Just remember that letting go of negative people doesn’t mean you hate them; it only means that you love yourself. After all, life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.

Step 4: Change your focus.

There are nearly 7 billion people in the world; why let one person ruin your day? Instead of letting negative people occupy space in your head, start focusing on the better things in your life. Once you have completely shifted your focus to more positive things, it’s time to…

Step 5: Detoxify yourself!

There are several different ways you can detox negative people from your life. You can stop taking them seriously, limit your interaction with them, avoid them, or just cut them out of your life. Just because they’re still physically around doesn’t mean they have to be an active part of your life.

Step 6: Surround yourself with positive people who will lift your spirits higher.

Now that you’ve emptied your life of negative people, it’s time to fill it with positive people who are good for the soul!

How to Detox Negative People From Your Life is a post from: Lifed

A common misconception about gardening is that it requires a big backyard and a lot of money. That’s why a lot of people, namely city dwellers on a tight budget, shy away from growing their own food. If you’re one of them, we have good news for you:

You can certainly grow your own food with a teeny-tiny balcony (or indoor space near a window) and only a few dollars in your bank account!

How?

Containers. All you need is a bunch of containers. It’s entirely possible to grow all kinds of herbs, fruits, and vegetables in all kinds of large and small pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, or used rain boots.

Yes, used rain boots. You don’t need a typical pot; you can use pretty much anything as a container!

Affordable upcycled container ideas

There’s no need to drop $25 on a fancy ceramic pot when you can dig around your garage or a thrift store. There are so many different things you can upcycle into a container for your balcony or window garden. Here are some fun, practical, and ridiculously cheap ideas:

Mason jars

Mason jars are a very versatile type of container for herbs. You can place them indoors by a window, hang them from a window sill, put them on an outdoor table top, adorn them on a balcony railing, or set them on the ground. You just have to make sure they’re in direct sunlight for the most part of the day.

If you don’t have any Mason jars (or empty pasta sauce jars) lying around your house, you can look for some at a thrift store or, as a last resort, buy a dozen of brand-new Mason jars for under $20 at Walmart, King Soopers, Safeway, or Amazon.

Pallets

Pallets are a great container for herbs, lettuce, or strawberries because they let you save a lot of space and money! You can pick up some good pallets behind a department store, grocery store, or pretty much any type of business that orders a lot of inventory on a regular basis. Be sure to check with the manager or owner first; they’d be likely to let you haul away the pallets for free just so they won’t have to pay a company to do it. You can also check Craigslist for free pallets.

Once you get your hands on a pallet, you have to make sure it’s not made of pressure-treated lumber. You don’t want toxic chemicals to leach into the soil and ruin your plants. Look at the cut end of the pallet. If there’s a green tinge, then it’s probably pressure-treated. If there’s no green tinge, you still have to make sure it’s definitely not pressure-treated. It’s better to be safe than sorry, after all! So go ahead and cut a small piece of the pallet. If the inside is yellow or white, then it’s probably not pressure-treated. For further information, check out Instructables.com’s How to determine if a wood pallet is safe for use. If you find that the pallet hasn’t been pressure-treated, sand it down and get it ready to serve as a gardening container! Growing a Greener World has a great set of instructions on how to do it right.

Tin or plastic buckets

You can use paint cans, empty coffee cans, sand buckets, or anything else you can find at the dollar store or around your house. You just have to remember to punch drainage holes in the bottom of each bucket.

Things to consider before getting a container

Before you let your imagination go wild and repurpose something into a container, take a look at the following list of important things to consider. It’ll help you choose the best container for the type of plant you want to grow.

* Size: When it comes to growing herbs, fruits, or vegetables, bigger is always better. The larger the container, the more likely the crop will come out all right. If the container’s too small, your crop will become root-bound and die. Note that most vegetables require a container that’s larger than 5 gallons.

* Weight: If you choose to use a tall container, you have to make sure it has enough weight in the bottom so it won’t fall over. If you intend to move the container around frequently, it’d be best to go with a lightweight container made from synthetic materials (such as a sand bucket or a plastic drum).

* Material: While most materials are safe to use, it’d still be wise to choose one that would suit your needs the best. Here’s a list of acceptable materials to use and how each one will benefit you.

-       Plastic: With plastic, soil will not dry out as quickly as with other materials. Also, plastic containers are easy to move around, even after you plant in them.

-       Ceramic: Ceramic pots are usually frost-resistant and will last for years. They also look nice and will pretty up your balcony. However, ceramic pots will make soil dry out quickly, so it’d be wise to line them with plastic sheets. You might be able to score a few ceramic pots for pennies on the dollar at a thrift store.

-       Stone/concrete: If you’re worried about someone stealing your plants, you should invest in a stone or concrete pot. Those bad boys are extremely heavy, highly durable, and frost resistant.

-       Untreated wood: This is a highly versatile material, because it can contain any type of plant. However, soil will dry out quickly, so be sure to line the inner walls of a wooden container with a plastic sheet, or just water the plant often.

-       Metal: While this is an acceptable material to use in a container, it doesn’t do so well in extreme weather. Metal containers heat up quickly in hot weather and fail to provide adequate insulation in cold weather. If you must use metal containers in extreme weather, line them with plastic sheets or bubble wrap or just bring the containers inside when the weather gets too bad. Otherwise, only use metal containers in areas where the climate is generally mild.

-       Fiberglass: This inexpensive material is ideal for balconies because it’s lightweight and can be moved around a lot. Also, fiberglass containers are weatherproof, but they don’t last a long time because they’re fragile.

Designing your balcony garden

Before starting your balcony garden, ask yourself the following questions to determine which fruits, vegetables, or herbs would fare best on your balcony:

* What type of microclimate exists on your balcony? Is your balcony exposed to wind, cold, and sometimes frost?

* What direction does your balcony face? If your balcony faces west, your plants will get plenty of sun in the afternoon and evening, and they’ll be shielded from the northeast winds. Plants in east-facing balconies are often subjected to frost and the abrupt change in temperature due to the sunrise in the morning. North and south facing balconies get sunlight for the most part of the day, and north-facing balconies get some wind.

* Is your balcony sheltered from the wind? Is there a screen or a wall that can protect your plants from the wind?

Take those questions into consideration and determine the best types of fruits, vegetables, herbs, or other plants for you to grow on your balcony.

Next, grab a sketchbook and plan different options. Be sure to get the measurements right. Figure out which types of containers would fit in your space in the best way possible.

Once you have everything planned out, get the containers you need, start planting, and watch your balcony garden flourish in no time!

How to Build a Balcony Garden on a Shoestring Budget is a post from: Lifed

Sunny season is just around the corner - for those of us in the northern hemisphere, that is – and so are the summer movies.

Here’s a list of 11 upcoming action movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This summer is going to be hot in theaters…

May 2013

1.Fast & Furious 6

In this sequel to Fast Five, Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker) and their crew are left with $100 million after a previous heist but, still on the run, they’re unable to return home to their families. Agent Hobbs needs Dom’s team in order to rival an international organization of lethal drivers. In return, Dom’s crew will get full pardon for their past actions. In Fast & Furious 6 director Justin Lin has taken the action, stunts and narrative to a whole new level.

2.The East

“We are The East.
We don’t care how rich you are.
We want all those who are guilty to experience the terror of their crimes…”
Ex-FBI agent Sarah Moss (Brit Marling) goes undercover to infiltrate elusive anarchist group The East, whose main target is corporations guilty of covering up criminal activity. As Sarah gets deeply involved with the group she falls in love with anarchist Benji and faces moral contradictions in her own life.

June 2013

3.Man of Steel

“In time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders…”
Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) has directed this latest Superman film. Going back to the origins of the DC Comics superhero, Man of Steel tells the story of a young boy who discovers that he has supernatural powers. He goes on a journey to find out where he came from but he must unleash the hero within him to save mankind. Starring Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe, this movie can be enjoyed by Superman fans and ordinary people alike.

4.World War Z

A zombie pandemic takes over the globe, and United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is called to the rescue. Leaving his family behind, Lane traverses the world, racing against time, in attempt to save humanity from extinction. Based on a book by Max Brooks and directed by Marc Foster, World War Z is an apocalyptic horror film packed with action. Not for the faint of heart…

July 2013

5.The Lone Ranger

“If we ride together,
we ride for justice…”
First appeared in an American radio show back in 1933, the Lone Ranger has become an enduring icon of American culture. Now the team behind Pirates of the Caribbean, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, are bringing the legendary Old West masked hero to life through new eyes, using humor and friction. Starring Armie Hammer in the title role and Johnnie Depp as Tonto, The Lone Ranger tells the tale of John Reid, a man of the law, and his transformation into a legend of justice, fighting against greed and corruption.

6.RED 2

A sequel to the 2010 action-comedy hit RED, RED 2 sees retired black-ops agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) reuniting his team of elite fighters. The current mission: To track down a missing portable nuclear device. Starring John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lee Byung-hun, Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren, this high octane film will take you to Paris, London and Moscow.

7.The Wolverine

If you’re a fan of the X-men movies, you’ll be in for a treat! Two years in the making, Wolverine takes the most iconic character of the X-men universe to modern day Japan. With so many deadly enemies to confront, it’s hard to know who to trust any longer. But Wolverine also has an internal war to fight, struggling with his own immortality. Starring Hugh Jackman, the latest installment of the X-men series is also the most action peaked. Focusing on Wolverine’s character, it brings a fresh perspective to the movie.

August 2013

8.300: Rise of an Empire

The year is 480 BC. The Persian forces, led by king Xerxes I of Persia (Rodrigo Santoro), and Artemisia (Eva Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy, march towards the major Greek city states. First in line is Athens. Heavily outnumbered in ships, admiral Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) attempts to unite all Greece in a naval engagement that will change the course of the war. The backstory of Xerxes and how he became the God King will also be covered. 300: Rise of an Empire is a follow-up to Zack Snyder’s 300.

9.Elysium

Moving into Canada at 18, after growing up in Apartheid South Africa, District 9 director Neill Blomkamp witnessed the polarities of the Third vs. First World. In Elysium, Blomkamp takes this reality to the most logical extreme. In the year 2154 the wealthy live on a state of the art man-made space station called Elysium while the rest live on a ruined planet: Earth has gone completely Third World where crime, war and poverty are rampant. His life at stake, Max (Matt Damon), an ordinary man on Earth is on a dangerous, urgent mission to get to Elysium. Should he succeed, he could save millions of other people on Earth as well.

10.Kick-Ass 2

Highschool hero Kick-Ass returns, inspiring a group of self made masked crusaders. As Hit-Girl Mindy is forced to retire, Kick-Ass joins Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey) and his team, in attempt to bring down supervillain Red Mist, reborn as The Mother F****r. Based on a comic book of the same name and Hit-Girl (both by Mark Millar and John Romiota, Jr.), Kick-Ass 2 is a sequel to the 2010 action comedy film Kick-Ass.

11.Getaway

In this action thriller film The wife of Brent Magna (Ethan Hawke), a burned out race car driver, is kidnapped. There’s only one hope for Brent to save his wife’s life: With his only ally, a hacker kid (Selena Gomez), Brent has to stay behind the wheel, following the orders of a mysterious voice who watches every move of his through overhead cameras.

Summer Films: 11 Hot Action Movies You Don’t Want to Miss this Summer is a post from: Lifed

Though we all experience them on a nightly basis, dreams are mysterious occurrences; even scientists who study the brain have not been able to determine exactly why we dream. There are many different theories of dream interpretation, but most generally agree that dreams symbolize hidden aspects of our lives;

dreams are a way for us to recognize and process our unconscious fears, desires, and beliefs. Some people also believe that dreams can be omens that can warn us of upcoming changes or threats in our lives. At the most basic level, dreams are composed of images, symbols that come from our unconscious minds. As follows are the most popular interpretations for 50 common dream images, drawing on mythological and Jungian archetypes, folk wisdom, and a little bit of psychology (note that most images have multiple possible interpretations). What are your dreams trying to tell you?

Angel

An omen of good luck, prosperity, or protection

Delivery of an important message – Pay attention to what the angel or angels have to say.

Divinity, spirituality – Seeing three angels is considered especially holy and meaningful.

Animal

Habits, instincts – Animals are simplistic creatures and therefore represent the most basic drives and urges that are key to our survival.

Depends on animal size and tameness – Small, tame animals can represent children or siblings, while large, wild animals can represent exciting, sexy people.

Depends on animal type – See below entries for common dream animal images Cat, Dog, Horse, and Snake.

Baby

Purity and rebirth

Good luck – Could predict success or good news.

Vulnerability – You are feeling vulnerable or are anxious about taking care of a needy person.

Barrier (or Wall)

Feeling stuck, limited, or restricted – Could relate to your love life, work, or another area of your life where you feel trapped

An obstacle to success or progress that you need to confront

Dream Symbols: 50 Common Dream Images Decoded is a post from: Lifed