How to be Professional at Work

How to be Professional at Work While you don’t want to create a phony professional persona at work that doesn’t make you feel comfortable or like you’re being yourself, there are a few words that should be stricken from your vocabulary- at least at the office, if not beyond.These are words that, fairly or unfairly, can easily undermine your credibility and professionalism. Don’t give anyone an excuse to doubt you.Just say no to:â€Å"Like†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I like pizza† is fine. So are similes: â€Å"that sunset is like a painting.† So is the thing you do on Facebook. What isn’t fine is using this word as conversational filler, or a verbal tic. â€Å"She’s, like, so pretty; it, like, hurts to look at her. I’m like†¦ wow.† Do yourself a favor and try to notice every time you say â€Å"like† in these bad ways for a few hours, or a day. Then try and charge yourself a dollar every time you do it. It’s a tough habit to notice- even toug her to break- but it has to be done.â€Å"Almost†There’s nothing wrong with this one, grammatically. It just implies†¦ well, not getting the job done. In a work environment, when you’re trying to convince peers and superiors of your capabilities and butt-kicking potential, you can find a better way to express yourself than â€Å"almost.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"You know†This is a lazy bit of conversational filler. The person you are talking to either does or doesn’t know what you mean. Try reading their cues to see which is which. If they do know, stop talking; you’ve already made your point. If they don’t, try to explain what you mean more clearly.â€Å"Try†This is like â€Å"almost.† In the immortal words of Yoda: â€Å"Do or do not. There is no try.† There are ways to convey failed, yet valiant attempts without using the word and implying that you’ve given up. Try it!â€Å"Wish†If wishes were horses†¦ Well, you get the picture. Every time you’re tempted to say â€Å"wish,† change it to â€Å"will.† You’ll get a whole lot more done if you’re constantly challenging yourself to put your money where your mouth is. Same goes for â€Å"might!†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Literally†This word has been ruined by overuse. Unless you’re very specifically conveying that you are not exaggerating, strike â€Å"literally† from your vocabulary. Most people use it nowadays when they are, in fact, exaggerating- in an ironic way. If you don’t know exactly what you’re trying to convey when using this word, chances are you’re using it wrong. Better not to use it at all.

How to Start Green Fire With a Drop of Water

How to Start Green Fire With a Drop of Water You dont need a match to start a fire. In this project, start a fire by adding a drop of water to a dry chemical mixture. The best part? The flames will be green! Fire Safety You should be able to tell from the premise that this  is an adult-only project, best performed by someone with prior pyrotechnic project experience. Follow the instructions carefully to minimize the risk of a fire. Youre using water to start a combustion reaction, so keep your materials away from moisture, soft drinks, perspiration, etc. Got it? Green Materials Instant cold pack (3 grams ammonium nitrate)7 grams zinc filings or powder1/2 gram table salt (sodium chloride)Mortar and pestle If you dont have a cold pack, you can use pure ammonium nitrate, which is available online. You can buy zinc filings or powder online or you can sand a galvanized piece of metal from a hardware store to get the element. If you have to file or sand the zinc, its a good idea to wear a mask, such as the kind used for home repair,  so you dont inhale zinc particles. Procedure for Starting the Green Flames Open the cold pack. Remove and discard the bag of water. Open the bag of ammonium nitrate. Measure out 3 grams of the granules and put them in the mortar.Add 1/2 gram of sodium chloride (salt).Use the pestle to grind together the salt and ammonium nitrate to form a powder.Carefully grind the 7 grams of zinc powder into this mixture. Water can ignite the mixture at this point, so dont spill your drink or drip sweat into the powder. Its a good idea to wear disposable plastic gloves, because you dont want the final mixture reacting with water on your hands.Transfer the mixture to a metal or otherwise fire-proof container. Take it outdoors to start the reaction. Use a pipette or other long-handled dispensing device to add a few drops of water. The reaction can be spectacular, so move back immediately. Another reaction you can do using these materials is to mix ammonium nitrate with zinc and initiate combustion by adding a few drops of hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.