| How to Not Be Boring in a Long Distance Relationship Posted: 20 Sep 2021 01:00 AM PDT Long-distance relationships are challenging. When you're not seeing each other in person, it can be hard to feel a sense of connection and excitement. But if you're concerned that your partner might get bored, don't worry—there are things you can do to keep the spark alive! In this article, we'll talk you through some of the best ways to keep your long-distance love life intimate and fun.
This article is based off an interview with our professional dating coach, John Keegan, founder of The Awakened Lifestyle. Check out the full interview. [Edit]Make the most of video calling. - Don't rely on just emails, texting, and voice calls. Being able to see each other even when you're far apart can make a big difference in your level of intimacy. As much as possible, use video platforms to communicate so you can see one another and feel more connected.[1]
- Make sure you and your sweetheart both have the same video calling software installed. Some popular options include Skype, FaceTime (for Apple devices), Google Duo, and Zoom.
[Edit]Have deep conversations. - Your time together is precious, so make it quality time. When you're dating long distance, it's especially important to make sure that you're meeting each other's emotional needs.[2] When you chat, avoid just making vague small-talk. Instead, try to go a little deeper.[3] For instance, go into the details of anything important or exciting that happened during your day, and talk about how it made you feel.[4]
- If you're not sure what to talk about, ice-breaker questions can help. For example, you might ask things like, "What's your most precious memory?" or "What's something you've always dreamed of doing?"[5]
[Edit]Connect over shared interests and passions. - Finding common ground is important in any relationship. When you don't have the intimacy of regular in-person interactions, it becomes even more important! Ask lots of questions and try to get a sense of what you're both into.[6] Try to take a genuine interest in things they like that you're not as familiar with, too. Look for creative ways to bond over the things you both care about.[7]
- For example, you could both read a book by a mutual favorite author and have a chat about it next time you call each other.
- Or, try collaborating on a creative project, like a blog about a topic you both love.
[Edit]Plan some virtual dates. - Make it as much like an in-person date as you can.[8] Work out a specific time and decide what you want to do in advance. For instance, you could share a candlelight dinner and wine over Zoom, watch a movie together, or go to a virtual concert.[9]
- You could also play online games together or sign up for an online class on a topic you're both interested in.
[Edit]Share an image, video, or song. - If something makes you think of your SO, don't hesitate to send it. It could be a funny video on YouTube, an inspiring quote you saw on Instagram, or a meme that made you laugh. Text them the link so they can enjoy it too and will know that they're on your mind.[10]
- You can also share your own pictures and videos. For instance, send them a selfie or a photo you just took of a beautiful sunset. Include a heartfelt message, like, "I really wish you were here to see this with me! <3"
[Edit]Find ways to get them involved in your everyday life. - Including them in your daily routine can bring you closer together. When two people live together or regularly see each other in person, it's much easier to feel like you're actually sharing a life. Make a conscious effort to help your SO feel more present in your life by talking to them about day-to-day things, like your work, school, or social interactions.[11] In addition to just talking, look for other ways to let them share in your experiences, such as:
- Asking for their advice on work situations.
- Asking them to help you study or review for a test.
- Getting their feedback on personal projects you're working on.
- Virtually including them in get-togethers with friends or family.
[Edit]Experiment with virtual sex. - Get creative and have fun! Whether you're sexting, getting steamy over the phone, or having a face-to-face encounter over video chat, sexual intimacy can play a huge role in keeping a long-distance relationship exciting. Talk to your partner about what they enjoy and how you can keep things spicy, even if you can't get physical in person.[12]
- For instance, you might both enjoy sharing a naughty fantasy, watching porn together online, doing a little virtual roleplay, or just talking about what you'd like to do with one another next time you meet.
- Having virtual sex over video chat can be especially exciting and fun. Just make sure to use a secure platform with an encrypted connection, such as Signal, so there's less danger of somebody else seeing what you're doing.[13]
[Edit]Try to meet in person as often as possible. - If you can, plan regular meetups—even if it's just once a month.[14] While a long-distance relationship can work if you're both willing to put in the effort, going too long without seeing each other can be really frustrating. To keep things exciting and give you both something to look forward to, do your best to get together now and then.[15]
- If you live really far apart, consider meeting halfway. For instance, if one of you lives in Pennsylvania and the other lives in California, you might meet up in Montana for a hiking adventure in the mountains.
[Edit]References |
| How to Fix the Skin Around Your Nails Posted: 19 Sep 2021 05:00 PM PDT Many people suffer from dry, cracked skin surrounding their nails due to things like cold, dry weather and biting their nails. Along with biting their nails, sometimes people even bite the skin surrounding their nail. This can lead to painful rips and tears that have the potential to become infected. Thankfully, dry, cracked, and ripped skin around the nail can be repaired by following a few easy steps to ensure your hands stay groomed and moisturized. [Edit]Repairing Your Cuticles - Soak your hands. Take a medium sized bowl and fill it approximately 4 inches deep with warm water. Dip your hands in the water, making sure to submerge your nails and cuticles. Soak your hands for about 5 minutes.
- Warm water helps to soften the skin around the nail for easy and pain-free grooming.
- Dry your hands. Pat dry your hands with a towel. Your cuticles should be free of water drops, but still moist. You want your skin to stay moist and soft while you manicure your cuticles, so it's easier and less painful to remove dead skin.
- Push back your cuticles. Using a wooden cuticle pusher, or an orange stick (a manicuring stick with a pointed end and a flat end) can help keep your cuticles from growing out onto your nail. Use the flat end of the orange stick to push the cuticle back, and the pointy end to run along the underside of your fingernail and remove any built up dirt.[1]
- Metal or plastic cuticle pushers should be sterilized before and after every use, and wooden orange sticks should be thrown away after every use, otherwise they can harbor bacteria.[2]
- Cut the extra skin around your nails. Using manicure nippers and manicure scissors, cut away extra, dead skin around your nails. This could include skin near your cuticle that you pushed back with the manicuring sticks, but be very careful to only cut away skin that is loose, soft and translucent, not your actual cuticles. The only skin you should cut is the part that grew out over your nail and is now loose.
- You should not cut the skin that surrounds and protects your nail, which is your upper cuticle.[3]
- Loose, extra skin will be white in color compared to the actual attached skin on your fingers. You only want to nip away skin that can snag on things and cause skin tears.
- Apply moisturizer. Use lotions, moisturizing oils, or store bought moisturizers specifically made for cuticles to moisturize the dry areas around your nails. Rub a generous amount of moisturizer on the nail, and pay special attention to your cuticles. The entire area surrounding your nail should be coated with the moisturizer.
- You can also try applying moisturizer underneath your nails as well.
- Alcohol and fragrance free moisturizers usually hydrate skin better.
- Wear moisture locking gloves. Put on cotton gloves and wear them overnight. The gloves seal in the moisturizer and help heal your nails and cuticles. Remove the gloves in the morning.
- If you want to improve the absorption of your moisturizer, cover it with petroleum jelly or paraffin wax to seal in the moisture. Then, put your gloves over your hands.
- For better, longer lasting results, repeat this procedure every night.
[Edit]Preventing Dry Cuticles - Moisturize often. For smoother, hydrated skin around your nails, moisturize everyday, multiple times a day. You always want your cuticles and nails to be hydrated, because hangnails, rips, and breaks happen when your nails and cuticles are dry.[4]
- Keeping your hands moisturized is especially important in the dry, winter months.
- Avoid drying agents. Dry hands are prone to cracking and peeling, so protect your hands from unnecessary exposure to activities that can dry out your skin. Avoid things like:
- Washing dishes in hot water without gloves. The hot water and soap pull out moisture from your hands. Wear gloves while you wash the dishes to protect your nails and hands. After you wash dishes, make sure your hands are fully dry.[5]
- Acetone-based nail polish remover. Acetone removes important natural oils from your skin and nails.
- Not wearing gloves in the winter months. The cold, dry air during the winter dries out your skin, so protect your hands by wearing gloves.
- Avoid picking your skin. Rather than picking at loose skin around your nails, soak and moisturize your hands. Picking can lead to open cuts, which can breed infections.
- Some people pick the skin around their nails as a nervous habit. Looking into better ways to curb nervous habits, and practicing self-control can break this habit.
- Keep your hands out of your mouth. Try to refrain from biting your nails or nibbling on the pieces of loose skin around the nail. Bacteria in the mouth can lead to an infection if you rip your skin around your nail, or bite your nail too low.[6]
- Try using a special foul-tasting ointment to keep you from putting your fingers near your mouth.
- Stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of fluids daily. Keeping yourself hydrated helps keep your skin, including your cuticles, soft and moist.[7] Water is your best option, and you can add flavor to your water using orange, lemon, lime, or cucumber slices. You can also increase your hydration with other fluids, such as tea or juice. Eating water-based foods such as soup and watery fruits also helps boost hydration.
- If you sweat a lot, increase your fluid consumption.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet. If your body is deficient on nutrients, your skin, hair, and nails all suffer. Eat plenty of lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. To make sure your body properly absorbs nutrients, eat healthy fats.[8]
- You can also take a vitamin supplement to support healthy nails. However, talk to your doctor before you take any supplements.
- File your nails. Keep your nails at a length that prevents them from getting caught and snagged on things. Pay special attention to the corners of your nails and keep them smooth, so the edges don't injure the skin around your nail.
- When you do file your nails, pull the file across your nail in one, steady direction. This helps prevent splits and tears in nails that "sawing" (pulling the nail file back and forth) creates.
[Edit]Warnings - Never completely remove the cuticles around your nail. Any loose, dead (white) skin can be snipped at, but the whole cuticle should never be totally removed.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References
[Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Draw a Skull Posted: 19 Sep 2021 09:00 AM PDT Whether you're drawing anatomy or preparing for Halloween, learning to draw skulls is a practice in proportion. Start with a simple circle and make a few faint guidelines that help you place the jawline, teeth, and eye sockets. Once you draw these outlines, give your skull definition by shading in the shadows. [Edit]Sketching the Front View of a Skull - Make a circle. Press lightly with your pencil to make a faint circle. Sketch the circle so it's as wide as you'd like the whole skull to be. You'll use this outline to make the top portion of the skull.[1]
- If you're struggling to draw a circle, use a compass or trace a round object that's as large as you want the skull to be.
- Draw a straight horizontal and vertical line through the center of the circle. To make guidelines for placing features, lay a ruler on your paper so it passes through the middle of the circle. Make a straight horizontal line and then turn the ruler to make a vertical line.[2]
- Make the vertical line extend below the circle so you can use it to draw the jaw.
- Create 2 hexagons along the bottom of the horizontal line. Draw an eye socket in both of the bottom quarters of the circle. Make the top line of each hexagon along the horizontal guideline and sketch each hexagon large enough to fill half of each quarter.[3]
- Leave a space that's 1/5 the width of the circle between the hexagons.
- Sketch the nose cavity along the vertical guideline. Make a short horizontal line on the vertical guideline so it's halfway down the eye sockets. Draw a straight line that comes down from each end and away from the center of the circle. When your pencil is close to the bottom of the circle, bring the 2 lines together in a point at the very bottom of the circle on the vertical line.[4]
- The nose cavity is diamond-shaped near the bottom, but boxier near the top.
- Draw the angular outline of the sides and middle of the skull. Lightly sketch from the temples towards the eye socket so the skull bulges out a little. Curve the line back towards the center of the skull before making it curve away at the level of the nose cavity. Then, draw a straight line down at an angle below the nose cavity. Make this line go across horizontally to connect to the opposite side of the skull.[5]
- Repeat this on the opposite side so it connects with the line you just drew.
- Draw the horizontal line of the middle of the skull so it's about twice the width of the nose cavity.
- Make the upper teeth along the horizontal line in the middle of the skull. Draw vertical ovals that extend below the line to make the teeth. Each tooth should be about 1/2 the size of the distance between the bottom of the nasal cavity and line for teeth. Sketch 3 full-size teeth to the right and the left of the vertical guideline. Then, draw 2 smaller ovals that at both ends to show teeth that are receding.[6]
- Draw the teeth as rounded or square as you like. Consider using a reference photo to help you draw anatomically since people's teeth are quite unique.
- If you want the skull to be missing a few teeth, leave some of them out as you draw.
- Draw the outline of the jaw. Measure the distance from the top of the skull to the point where the horizontal and vertical guidelines meet. Draw a horizontal line that's the same distance from the bottom of the nose cavity to the bottom of jaw. Sketch the line so it's about half the length of the teeth and draw a straight line at each end that angles up and away from the center. Then, draw a straight line that connects the bottom of the jaw to each side of the skull.[7]
- Make both of the straight lines at an angle the same length as the horizontal line in the center of the jaw.
- Sketch the lower teeth along the jaw. Make the teeth about the same size as the upper teeth and draw the teeth in the front larger than the ones on the sides. Draw 4 or 5 teeth on each side of the vertical guideline and make 1 or 2 small teeth off to the sides.[8]
- To give the skull some perspective, you can draw a small gap at each end of the line of teeth. This shows space between the skull and the jaw.
- Fill in the nasal and eye cavities. Use a darker pencil or press firmly to shade in each eye socket and the nasal cavity. Since these are deep and empty, make them darker than other parts of the skull that you'll be shading.[9]
- If you want the cavities to be smooth, go back with a blending stump to rub the graphite.
- To make the teeth stand out, go over the lines between the teeth and the skull and jaw again.
- Erase unnecessary guidelines. Before you start shading in the skull, take an eraser and remove the horizontal and vertical guidelines that are still visible. Lightly erase the lines for the circle as well.
- Take care to not erase the actual drawing when you're removing the guidelines.
- Shade in the skull to show depth. Lightly cross-hatch or shade in the space above the eye cavities where the brow would be. Keep going over the spaces until they appear deeper-set than the rest of the skull. Other areas to shade include:[10]
- The top sides of the skull
- Along the jawline
- To the sides of the nasal cavity
[Edit]Drawing the Side View of a Skull - Draw a circle that's slightly longer at the ends. Instead of making an oval with narrow ends, sketch a circle that's as big as you want the skull to be. Make the circle a little longer than it is wide, but don't make the ends taper.[11]
- Sketch a concentric circle and make guidelines through the skull. Lightly draw another circle inside the one you just drew. Make this circle 1/4 the distance from the larger circle. Then, draw a horizontal line through the center of the skull and make a vertical line that also passes through the middle. To help you draw the jaw, put your pencil on the vertical line where it touches the bottom of the smaller circle. Draw a straight horizontal line to 1 side of the skull.[12]
- Draw lightly so you can erase the guidelines later.
- Create the outline of the jaw to 1 side of the skull. Sketch a faint vertical line coming straight down from the side of the skull where you're positioning the jaw. Put your pencil where the jaw's vertical guideline meets the horizontal line you just drew. Create a curved line that extends away from the skull and down towards the bottom of the jaw. Once this line is the same length as half of the skull's width, make it into a straight line that angles back up towards the skull.[13]
- Make the outline of the jaw stop at the smaller concentric circle where it meets the vertical guideline.
- Draw the nose cavity and where the brow sticks out. Place your pencil on the top of the jawline where it sticks away from the skull. As you draw up towards where the nose would be, make the line curve in towards where the bottom horizontal guideline meets the vertical guideline of the jaw. Then, draw the line back up at an angle and make it bump out a little.[14]
- The top bump is the brow before it reconnects to the skull.
- Sketch the eyesocket and shade it in. Draw a vertical crescent shape just behind and below the brow. Extend the crescent until it's halfway down the length of the nose cavity. Then, shade in the eye socket so it looks empty and deep.[15]
- Draw a jagged line at the bottom of the skull where it meets the jawline. Sketch a line coming down below the eye socket and bring it up towards the center of the skull. Keep drawing the line in a horizontal direction that zigs and zags a little until it reaches the center jawline. Then, make the jagged line bend down so it connects to the curve of the skull.[16]
- This creates the bottom of the skull itself.
- Make the upper and lower rows of teeth. Draw an elongated S-shape down the middle of the jaw and make 2 faint horizontal lines that go from the side of the jaw to the shape. Leave a gap between the lines that's big enough to fit the teeth. Then, draw 6 or 7 teeth along each horizontal line. Make the teeth that are closest to the S-shape about the same width as the eye socket. Sketch the teeth at the other end of the row progressively smaller until they're only slivers at the end.[17]
- Erase visible guidelines. To make your drawing look finished, use a small eraser and remove the horizontal and vertical guidelines that you can still see. If you've already drawn over them, leave them. Just erase the ones that stand out.[18]
- Instead of using a large eraser, try working with the eraser on the end of a pencil.
- Shade in parts of the skull where you want to show depth. Press firmly as you sketch along the back of the skull to show its curve. Then, shade in the center of the skull behind the eye socket. Make this a large crescent shape and use cross-hatching to make the skull appear bumpy.[19]
- Make the jaw look distinctive by shading the top of it where it meets the bottom of the skull.
- Embellish your skull by drawing flames, crossbones, wings, or roses around it.
- Go back and color in the skull with colored pencils or markers if you like.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Pencil
- Ruler
- Eraser
- Paper
- Blending stump, optional
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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