Planning on visiting or doing business with an Arab company? Here are few tips about Arab business and culture for visitors, exporters, and international traders to understand the culture, business culture, and how to do business with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, and other Middle East countries.

Conservative behavior: In public, Arabs behave conservatively. Display of affection between spouses is nonexistent. It is a private society and display of one’s feelings is kept private. You will also notice that laughter and joking in public is toned down, which is not the case in private gatherings. Arguments between spouses, friends, and people in general are also kept private or conducted in a way that guarantees no one else is aware of it.

Invitations: If you are invited to dinner or lunch, you are not expected to bring food, drinks, or gifts. Upon entering the house notice the guest room you are taken to. If shoes and sandals were left at the door by other guests, then take off your shoes. It is customary when entering guest’s room or office to greet everyone there by saying Alsalamo-Alikom, which means “peace be with you”. The reply to this greeting is “Wa’alikom Alsalam”. Once inside, everyone will stand up to greet you and shake your hand. Start with the person standing on your right side or the one who is approaching you. Notice that in both modern and traditional Arab guest rooms, attendants are seated in a circle to ensure that no one is facing someone’s else back. Also note that the soles of your feet should not point directly toward someone else. Always use your right hand when giving or receiving objects.

Save Face concept: The Arab culture is a non-confrontational one which seeks the least conflict possible. A concept called “save face” is a way to solve conflicts and avoid embarrassing or discomforting the parties involved. Saving someone’s face or dignity involves using maneuvers or holding one’s reactions to give the other party a way to exit the situation with minimal discomfort or harm to their dignity. It involves compromise, patience, and sensitivity. The “save face” concept is looked at as a behavior of high quality ethics and manners. The Arabian culture encourages people to act humbly and with sensitivity to a person’s dignity, especially when that person’s dignity and self respect is endangered. This is a crucial tip for those who might be involved in managing businesses in an Arab country.

Family structure: In an Arab family, gender and age plays a big role in deciding responsibilities. The father is usually the head of the family and the provider for its needs, while the mother plays a major role in raising children and taking care of the house. Although culture, traditions, and Islam strongly stress the importance of women’s roles in taking care of the house and raising children, it is a mistake to think that Arab women are confined to this role. Before Islam there were many successful Arab businesswomen and they still exist throughout the Arab region, but because of cultural reasons, they conduct business in an inconspicuous way. A daughter lives at her family house as long as she is not married. Sons might move to their own houses when they get married, but at least one son will still live at the family house even if he is married in order to take care of the parents. When a woman gets married there are no changes made to any part of her name.

Business Meetings with Arab companies: Sometimes when trying to set up meeting dates with your Arab clients you will find that their answer is something like “Whenever you are in the area give us a call”. Don’t interpret this as a sign of lack of interest in your business. It is equal to an answer that sets a specific date and time. Allow enough time for social chat with your Arab clients before you open any business discussions.

Advertising and Marketing to the Arab Market: Your business Advertisement should be conservative in content and appearance and does not present any social values or situations that contradict with the Arab culture or Islam. In almost all the Arab countries advertisement should not directly or explicitly contain comparison between two different brands for the same type of products. Message should place more emphasis on the quality and functionality of the product. The main advertisement outlet sources are newspapers, magazines and television.

When we observe art, our minds go through a process. This process naturally translates into the steps of art criticism. Following these steps will help us evaluate art effectively.

It is important for us to be able to evaluate art. If we are artists, we must recognize what is good and what is bad, so that we may become more successful at our craft. If we are patrons, we must be able to discern success from failure as well. If we are teachers, we must teach our students the mental process that people naturally go through when they look at and take in a work of art. This way our students are better equipped to create successful artwork on their own, and understand why and how their artworks are digested.

When I teach the steps of art criticism to my students, I have them say this word-“DAIJ”. Yes, I know-“DAIJ” is not a word. I am very ridiculous about it. I say silly sentences like, “Have you guys played any DAIJ ball this summer?” The students may think that I’m crazy, but they remember that word-“DAIJ”. DAIJ stands for the steps of art criticism.

D=Description. The first step in art criticism is description. When we look at a work of art, our minds naturally take notice of the general information that is present. For example, if we take The Mona Lisa, we notice, “Hey, this is a painting of a woman.” When critiquing, start here with a simple description of what is seen in the artwork.

A=Analysis. Analysis refers to how we see the elements and principles of art. In this step, our minds take in the lines, values, and colors of the artwork. We also may take notice of the balance, proportion, rhythm, and unity found within the work. In a critique, students should point out what is happening with these specific elements and principles. Many times, the formal qualities of the artwork are what makes the art successful. Students should understand how these qualities work and what makes them successful in artwork. They should also be able to discern when these formal qualities are unsuccessful as well.

I=Interpretation. Often times, students will automatically skip to this step. We look for meaning in everything, so this is natural. In this step, we explore the meaning of the artwork. What is the artist trying to communicate to us? There are no wrong responses here.

J=Judgment. The last step in art criticism is judgment. Is this work of art successful? It is important if we are teaching students, to guide them in this step. Remind students that the work of art may not be their favorite, but it may still be successful. This way, we teach students to appreciate good art, even if we personally do not like it.

Understanding the steps to art criticism and implementing them in a structured way in critique, will help you create better artwork.

In their book New World New Mind, Robert Ornstein and Paul Ehrlich make a strong argument that when we moved out of the trees and onto the savannah, we were competing with animals that had already evolved to survive on the ground. As a result we had to evolve quickly to adapt to our new environment. Being able to notice the dramatic and immediate (a movement in a bush, a carnivore taking a particular interest in us etc.) would have been more than an advantage, it would have been necessary for survival.

Ornstein and Ehrlich argue that this evolutionary preference continues to this day. We notice the immediate and the dramatic and this preference is fed by the tabloid media. The news shows us the immediate and dramatic and that is because it gets ratings and it gets ratings because the immediate and dramatic is popular.

The authors argue that this preference is not a useful preference in our modern environment. Few humans are today in danger of losing their life to an unexpected attack from another animal. As a result the ability to notice the dramatic and immediate is more of an inhibiter when it comes to the problems that humanity faces.

For example:

The growth of human population

The effect of this on the environment

Water and food security

Resource depletion and pollution

Nuclear proliferation

These problems are more of the slow and creeping kind than the immediate and dramatic. Our understanding of these issues is more intellectual than experiential. We cannot experience the growth of the human population in any real terms in one life time, the degradation of the environment is not immediate, water and food safety is not dramatic until it is extreme.

Ornstein and Ehrlich focus on two psychological preferences to make their case. These are:

• Preference to notice the immediate and dramatic

• Primacy and recency (noticing the first and the last and forgetting the middle)

Fortunately this is not the whole story

Critics could argue that by focusing in on two preferences, Ornstein and Ehrlich are not discussing our full human perceptual capacity.

Noticing the immediate and the dramatic could be loosely equated to the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) preferences of noticing the sensate and the emotional. While there are people in the world who have a preference to notice the sensate and the emotional (And we are very fortunate to have them, as many of them are nurses or work in industries that help people with immediate need) we also have a large population of people who have a preference to notice the intuitive and the logical.

Looking at the statistics of poverty creates a different response to looking at an individual’s struggle with poverty. When we read that there are 1 billion people who live in poverty and that 29,000 children die from poverty a day, it is easy to dissociate with the issue because the numbers create a distance between us and the issue. When you see a mother in tears as she holds her baby who is malnourished, diseased and dying, you would have to be sociopathic to not feel something. Mother Theresa is attributed (possibly incorrectly) to saying “If I look at the mass I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.”

So what this means is that we have the capacity to notice both the immediate/dramatic and the global and logical. As a result we have many people who are working hard to address the very issues that Ornstein and Ehrlich are discussing.

Not everyone is sucked in by the tabloid

The news shows us the immediate and dramatic and that is because it gets ratings and it gets ratings because the immediate and dramatic is popular. But that does not mean that everyone is sucked in by the tabloid. And not everyone has a preference to focus on the immediate and dramatic. I think there would be some very hard working people in the UN, Not-for-profits, NGO’s, community and grass roots organisations who could take offense to Ornstein’s and Ehrlich’s position.

There are many people working very hard to make the world a better place and perhaps Ornstein and Ehrlich are ironically suffering from what they are suggesting is our biggest problem. The work done by a large army of NFP’s, NGO’s, volunteers etc. might not be immediate or dramatic and as a result it seems as though (and I only read the first couple of chapters) their efforts have been missed by the authors.

Underestimating the environment

Another issue that would be easy to argue with the authors is that we are not just genetic, we are also affected by the environment. Once again I would suggest that the changes in our behaviour to match the environment are slow and undramatic and therefore have been missed or underestimated by the authors.

If we travelled back to ancient Greece, the most honoured members of society were its fighting men and it was considered a disgrace for a fighting man to be seen in the market or even to know how to count. Travel forward to modern day United States and the most honoured males are its entrepreneurs. It would be considered a disgrace for these men to not know how to count or how the market works. Fortunately Jeffrey Skilling, Bernard Ebbers and Bernie Madoff didn’t try the ‘Yeah but if we were in Greece… ‘ defence.”

Fortunately there are a plethora of books that show that we can indeed change our behaviours as the environment requires. These include:

In sociology:

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

Nudge by Thaler & Sunstein

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Switch by Chip and Dan Heath

Spiral Dynamics by Beck and Cowan

In economics:

The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford

Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner

In history:

The Upside of Down by Thomas Homer Dixon

A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright

The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley

An assumption about evolution

Ornstein and Ehrlich write that “Our human mental system is failing to comprehend the modern world. So events will, in our opinion, continue to be out of control until people realise how selectively the environment impresses the human mind and how our comprehension is determined by the biological and cultural history of humanity.”

While this may be correct, there is an assumption in this premise that control of the environment is preferable or even possible. This could be argued.

We could also argue that it has never been our ability to foresee the future and yet we have already made phenomenal advancements and improvements. I also understand that this is the ‘so far so good’ argument and, perhaps, with our technology, research, study, knowledge etc. we are better equipped to do this now than we ever have in the past.

Alarmist

Paul Ehrlich also wrote The Population Bomb, a modern day Thomas Robert Malthus essay on the principle of population. Both claim that we will eventually lose the battle to feed, clothe, house and occupy the growing population. Critics attack his alarmist tone, amongst other things. The alarmist tone could have more to do with the fact that Ehrlich was one of the first people to popularise science through media. In the 1960’s television brought issues like population into people’s living rooms.

Having said that… I do get a little angry when I read drivel like: “Cities lead to epidemics of the diseases of crowding and to large-scale warfare. Public health measures lead to further increases in population and then, by permitting people to live longer, to an increase in cancer and heart diseases. Cities also lead to universities and the uncovering of many secrets of the universe. And uncovering secrets of the universe lead to Hiroshima and Chernobyl.”

Are the authors seriously suggesting that we should exterminate 9/10 of the population and the remaining few return to being cave dwellers? When I read sentences like that I can understand why Paul Ehrlich is such a controversial figure. A zealot is both an issues best friend and worst enemy.

Examples of clear calm thinking

In response to Ornstein and Ehrlich’s argument we could list examples of when the human race has solved complex problems with clear calm thinking. For example:

• We have sent people to the space and the moon… and brought them back.

• We have developed immunisation and have greatly reduced deaths due to diseases like the plague, the measles, polio, etc.

• We have avoided nuclear war on countless occasions. For example: The Cuban missile crises and perhaps many other times that we will never hear about due to the clear and calm thinking of good people.

We continue to be able to create a surplus of food (Unfortunately much of it is wasted in the first world while people in the third world starve. Also, the good work of NFP’s and NGO’s like foodbank.

In the end

I would agree that as humans and our civilisations have evolved, the decision to act or not to act has had ramifications for increasing numbers of people. In the Rift Valley of Africa between 1 and 2 million years ago, decisions would affect a family or tribe. At the beginning of the common era, such a decision would have implications for up to a million people (the believed population of the city of Rome at its peak), while today a decision to act or not to act on certain issues could threaten all civilisations, the actual existence of human beings and perhaps the even existence of life on the planet.

I would also agree that evolving our thinking is our ticket to a better world.

Where I disagree with Ornstein and Ehrlich is that they have been very selective with the human capabilities that they have chosen to make their case focusing in on just two psychological preferences and seemingly ignoring the ones we have that help. I would also point to all the work that is currently taking place and the good people already doing work and having completed work that has helped.

I would suggest that the authors would do well to balance their approach if they wish to widen their appeal.

And I also applaud them for contributing to the discussion in a far more useful way than talking about “Brittany’s Shock Baby Bump Rehab Horror Love Triangle.”

A “Loan modification” is a highly searched term on the internet nowadays. For good reason. As we all know the rate of foreclosures is at an all time high and getting worse. Homeowners who are not able to make their house payments on time are trying to figure out what their options are so they don’t loose their home to foreclosures.

All over the news we hear the term “loan modification” being bandied about with ever increasing frequency. What is it? How does it work? Do I qualify? Will my lender participate? What if my home is worth less than the current liens? What if I am currently late on my mortgage payments?

My objective is to help homeowners who are behind or having a hard time making their payments, facing foreclosure or notice of default to understand their workout options and whether a loan would be right for their situation. If a borrower does not qualify or their lender won’t participate in the program than other loan workouts would need to be considered.

A typical loan modification plan may include lowering the interest rate,adding the payments which are behind to the end of the loan and or even extending the terms of the loan. This solution would generally be for a borrower whose income has changed permanently (lowered) and they do not expect it to go back up anytime soon. It would be best to show your lender that you have changed your habits and are spending less, have paid down debts and evidenced other steps of good financial management as they consider your request.

There are many other terms that fall under the concept of a loan workout, however, they do not modify the mortgage. Such terms you may have heard of include: foreclosure, forbearance, deed in lieu of foreclosure, NOD, Notice of Default, Cash for Keys, Short Sale, Listing home for sale, Repayment plan, Reinstatement and Bankruptcy.

A brief definition of each follows:

Foreclosure: Due to non-payment of note the trustee sells home on courthouse steps in an auction format.

Notice of Default (NOD): this notice is delivered to the borrower and states that the payments have not been paid as agreed and that if the amount owed plus certain expenses is not paid in full by a certain date that the home will be sold at auction.

Cash for Keys: The lender agrees to pay the defaulted homeowner a set amount of cash when they leave the property in good condition. Clean and undamaged.

Deed in lieu of Foreclosure: This option is where the owner gives the deed of the home back to the lender in order to avoid foreclosure proceedings.

Forbearance: The lender can “stay” the foreclosure process with a forbearance agreement between the lender and homeowner. When the homeowner faces a temporary financial hardship the lender may approve this option and allow the homeowner time to get back on their feet (so to speak) and resume payments at a later date and catch up on payments in arrears within a certain time frame. This would be used with “temporary hardship” conditions rather than a long term financial problem.

Short Sale: The lender accepts a ‘short payoff’ meaning that the proceeds to the lender upon the sale of the home is less than the current mortgage value. If there is a 2nd or 3rd mortgage those lenders would also have to accept a short payoff or complete write off of their loan(s).

Listing Home for Sale: Selling home on the open market usually through a local real estate agent and using the MLS (multiple listing service).

Repayment Plan: The amount you are behind can be broken up into smaller chunks and repaid over several months with your normal mortgage payment till you are ‘current’ on your mortgage.

Reinstatement: Once you have paid the lender the entire amount of past due payments plus any late fees than your mortgage is reinstated.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: This can give a homeowner time to reorganize their debts and enter into a repayment plan that incorporates all of their monthly obligations.

A word of caution: Always seek the advice of your attorney, financial planner and accountant before proceeding with any type of loan workout or modification program of your exiting mortgage or selling your home. Don’t delay when behind on payments – seek legal advise immediately and be in constant communication with your lender till your situation is resolved.

How well you communicate is an indicator of your personal growth. The better you can connect with others, the more you will want to take on situations that stretch your self-development. The more “on purpose” conversations you have, the more you will seek opportunities to learn and grow.

All conversations come with some level of risk attached. Some conversations, such as an exchange between you and your dry cleaner, may carry little risk. Compare this to asking your boss for a raise or confronting a challenging client where you have at stake, and you’ll realize that higher risk conversations naturally increase your self-growth. The more frequently you engage in “higher risk” conversations the more you’ll feel confident and empowered to act on your own behalf.

Consider these five factors of effective communication:

Intention: Communicating with an honest and true intention is not as easy as it sounds. You’ll need a great deal of self-awareness to notice if your intention is purely for your own gains even if it is shrouded beneath the cloak of helping others. Consciously observe your conversations for a period of time and notice your true intentions.

Empathy: Much has been said about the ability to be empathic or the ability to vicariously experience the feelings of another. The truth is that without this component communication becomes hollow and lacks energy. It is the energy of empathy that promotes self-growth. Truly empathic exchanges can provide new insights and isn’t that the basis of personal growth?

Confidence: The ability to rely upon yourself, to own all that you know and to own all that you don’t, is the basis of self-confidence.This type of pure self-assurance is not “knowing it all” but rather the inner strength to declare what you don’t know but are willing to learn. The confident person says “tell me more.” The more you learn and put to good use the more you escalate your own development.

Engagement: Though engagement is a common business buzz word today with respect to involving employees, engagement is the key to avoiding misunderstandings. In a conversation it is more than active listening. It is the ability to integrate the interpretation of messages between parties. Your message may sound different in your listener’s mind than your intended message and vice versa. Engaging your listener means both holding their attention and interacting like a set of aligned gears.

Patience: It takes time to develop effective communication just as it takes time to develop personal growth. It takes fortitude to become proficient at handling difficult or higher risk conversations. Allow yourself the freedom of patience.

Take the challenge and increase the frequency of conversations that have more at stake and enjoy the rewards of becoming a more confident communicator.

Are bad smells coming out of your shower, bathtub, kitchen sink, or toilet?

Do you hear gurgling noises coming from the toilet each time you run water

in the sink? If you answered yes to these questions, chances are that you

have a clogged drain.

Clogged drains aren’t just an annoying problem that slows you down to do

your chores. They can be a severe plumbing problem with potential health

concerns.Without a route to the main sewer system, wastewater has nowhere

to go but to back up into your fixtures or up through floor drains.

Signs of Clogged Drains

1.

Strange Noises

Just like people make noises to complain, so do your pipes. When you hear

strange gurgling noises coming from the toilet or any other fixture, it is

a sign of disruption in the water flow. This means that there is a clog in

the drain, or another problem that needs attention. As soon as you notice

strange noises, listen to your pipes crying for help and call a plumber.

2.

Foul Smell

When drains accumulate waste, they produce a bad smell. This is a clear

sign that there is a problem in your pipes. Be attentive to the smell

coming from your shower, bathtub, kitchen sink, or toilet. Remember that

the stronger the smell, the bigger the clog is. If you notice a faint foul

smell, don’t let it get worse and call a plumber to prevent bigger

problems.

3.

Dampness and Wet Spots

When you have a clogged drain, it might be easier to diagnose the root of

the problem by looking for damp spots inside and outside your home. If you

believe your drain pipes or water lines aren’t functioning properly,

determine the places of the moisture and be in the look out for unusual wet

spots in your lawn.

4.

Changes in Water Pressure

Changes in the water pressure or in the water flow are one of the immediate

signs of a clogged pipe. The water pressure change can take place at any of

the taps in your home or in all of them at once. This depends on where the

clog is happening and the severity of the clog. As soon you notice a change

in pressure, call a professional plumber. Changes in water pressure can

also be a sign of a more severe problem like a cracked or broken pipe.

5. High Water Bills

Sudden increases in your water bill are a sign of clogged drains or leaks.

Clogs can cause waste to buildup in a pipe and eventually crack or break

the pipe. This could cause large amounts of water to leak near the clog and

have a visible impact in your water bill.

If you notice any of the signs mentioned above, make sure to call a

professional plumber as soon as possible. Clogs might not seem like a big

deal, but if they are left unattended, they can cause worse damages. Don’t

let things get worse and stop the problem at an early stage.

If you live in Denver Metro area, call Plumbers Denver. We are

a licensed, bonded, and insured plumbing company that offers quality and

affordable services. It is our goal to always keep our clients best

interest in mind, so you can trust that we’ll be honest with you.

Being ethical should be an unwritten rule, but for some reason the world we occupy needs a reminder. A written reminder. These ethical rules should not be something a company has to write down as “Rules of Ethics” In reality, there will always be that one person who will say “I didn’t get the memo”.

I work for the U.S. government and one rule is “Do not plug-in any unauthorized devices into the computers.” On the first day of employment this is what was drilled into us. Signs are posted through the office and workstations. The first notice to pop on the computer screen is a reminder not to plus in an unauthorized device. Signs are typed on the computers tower. Within 10 days of starting the employee has to view a cyber security training video which states “not to plug-in any unauthorized devices.” If that was not enough, employees receive cyber security training throughout the year as a reminder which includes what to do about unauthorized devices.

When an unauthorized devices has been detected. A warning goes directly to security and an investigation is opened. Not only is the employee receiving the notice, the notice is sent to his or her supervisor. This would be a first warning. If it happens again, the employee can or may be written up or worse fired.

Yet there are always those people who plays dumb. It’s when they receive a notice from security when protocol has been violated. Their reply, “I didn’t know.” At that point all I can do is shack my head (SMH). How in the world did they not see all the signs?

Really, people. What dumb stick have they been sucking on? People make so many excuses for why they are breaking the rules. But wait, ethics are in the eyes of the beholder, right? You might be asking, “Wait Sol, what are you talking about? Ethics, in the eyes of the beholder? Please do not freak out on me, let me explain. If we sit a group of people together and say, “create a list of Ethics” what exactly would they develop?

Well let’s do that right now. Take out a piece of paper and a pen. Start creating your “Rules of Ethics”. It doesn’t matter how long or short. This is not a test and no I’m not going to bore you with a list of what I feel should be on the list. Okay, maybe I will create my own list but what is ethical to me is not necessary ethical to those reading this article. But to make a point let’s see if we came up with the same list. On my list I would add the following:

1. Fairness
2. Trust
3. Respect
4. Honesty
5. Loyalty

I do not need a long list of ethics to remind me and my employees of the way a person must act while conducting business with my clients. No, the above list basically sums up all aspects from do not steal, do not cheat, and do not lie, etc. The list can go on and on. It is your list and your produce it the way you would like.

My point is, even with all the signs, people in general have the excuse not to play by the rules. Do not fall in the trap when trying to climb up the literary ladder of being a writer, editor, or any endeavors you decide to adventure towards. From the beginning of your journey to your success you should always remind yourself of your ethical values by staying true to yourself.

Eye rolls have a bad rep – especially when a teen reacts to a parent with leave me alone eyes. However, you can roll your eyes for the power of good: your relaxation!

When your eyes are closed, you can let your eyes soften and relax. Then your body slows and your unconscious mind guides you into deeper renewal.

You probably know that as you sleep, your eyes move. In a later stage of sleep comes REM–Rapid Eye Movement. Then your eyes bounce around under the lids, dreaming about monsters riding bikes or other odd imaginings.

Your eyes also move when you’re getting ready to sleep or have insomnia. Not the rapid movement of REM, but small movements beneath closed lids. They move around as you remember things to-do, imagine talking to your boss, or wonder if you should get up. When your eyes are closed, you’re getting some rest and helping your body pump some melatonin.

You can use your eyes to relax more deeply.

All you have to do is to roll your eyes to the back–though you’re actually rolling them up or down. That changes the eye patterns from a waking (working/worry) direction to the pattern of sleep or deep rest. In fact, many meditators suggest rolling the eyes to deepen the inward experience.

When I want to change my thinking mind with my eyes closed, I roll my eyes down. That connects me to my unconscious mind and soothes my body. When you sleep, your eyes naturally roll up and back.

It’s worth to try both downward and upward rolls.

First just close your eyes, and notice how your mind and body feel. Then roll your eyes down. Notice your breathing and sense of relaxation. Then roll your eyes up and notice your breathing and body again.

When I do the eye rolls, my breathing is a little slower, and my arms feel more relaxed. There’s a subtle change in each eye-roll state.

The odd thing is that when my eyes are rolled back, my mind’s eye still thinks that I’m looking straight ahead. When I open my eyes, there’s a clear difference. If my eyes are straight ahead with eyes closed, I can focus quickly when I open my lids. If my eyes are rolled, there’s a blur as I regain my vision.

Some of my clients find a noticeable change in their whole body when they roll their eyes. Others play with it for a while before they notice how the eye rolls can transform them. A few can’t notice much difference.

What power do eye rolls have for you? You’ll find yourself changing your mind and body without doing much at all.

1. He always tries to hang around you

If a guy likes you, he’ll always hang around you for no apparent reason because he finds you attractive and can’t resist just being close to you.

2. He does small niceties to you

He could buy you a chocolate bar or a pack of sweets for no apparent reason, it could just be anything to show you that you are special and that he doesn’t mind having fun times with you.

3. He asks about your day

Yes, he asks about how your day is going and if there is anything that he can do to make it more interesting. Often times, this is an indication that a man is into you.

4. He pays compliments to you

Yes, he pays you compliments – such as “I like your new shoes or dress or new hairstyle”, something that your other friends don’t seem to notice, he does notice and makes the right compliment.

5. He talks about you to his friends

If for example you are in the same college or workplace with the guy, he will definitely talk about you to his friends on a positive remark with comments like – “do you know this chick? She’s hot man and I can’t wait to take her out”

6. He takes you out

If a guy likes you, down the line when he feels comfortable around you and feels that you are not going to turn down his offer, then he may ask you out for coffee, meal, cinema or drink. Either of them is aimed at making the necessary time together for him to see how compatible you are together.

7. He notices small changes in you

Yes, a guy that likes you notices small things in you for example if you have cut and trimmed your hair short, or if you have had a different colour to your nail varnish. Or still if you have had a change in your eye make-up.

8. He laughs at your jokes

This is the strongest sign that a man likes you. Most men laugh only if a joke is really original and they have not heard about it before. But for a man to laugh at any joke you make even silly ones, then it’s a sure bet that he’s totally into you.

9. Acts nervous around you

Sometimes guys can act nervous and run out of what to say when around a woman that they like. This is partly due to the fact that they don’t want to say something and be embarrassed if it doesn’t go well with you. So they hold this bit till they are totally comfortable around you.

10. Enjoys spending time with you

Yes, if a guy enjoys your company whether at work, college or at the gym, then he perhaps likes you. Men can’t resist spending most of their time with a woman that he likes, it’s just fun and make them happier.

11. Calls you or texts to ask about things he could find on Google

If a guy calls you or texts to ask obvious things that he could find on the internet, then perhaps he could be interested in you unless he has no access to the internet. In reality he expects that if you like him too, you should be able to make the conversation on-going and interesting rather than cut it short to formality.

12. Smiles at you a lot

Yes, if a guy smiles at you a lot, then it shows that he’s interested in you and the smiling is partly to make you see the fact that he’s a pleasant guy to be around with. Also, it’s true that women get attracted to a guy who can smile, no woman wants to date a grumpy guy.

13. Touch you subtly e.g. a pat

Yes, he could pat you on your shoulder or back, just to let you know that he really likes you and doesn’t mind invading your private space. This way, if you smile or laugh at it, he will know that you reciprocate his efforts and he’ll take this further.

14. Gazing at you

A man likes a woman; he can’t stop himself from genuinely gazing at her in awe. This is mainly due to the fact that he wants to see if he can get more about this woman than what her face says. He wants to see if she can notice his gaze and reciprocate with a smile or wink.

Many people notice troubling changes from their scalp when they have telogen effluvium. Some notice itching. Others notice flaking when they’re reasonably sure that they’ve never had dandruff before. Someone might say, “as if my horrific hair shedding is not bad enough, now when I look at my clothes to pick off all of the spent hairs, I now notice little flakes sitting on my shoulder. It appears that I now have dandruff and my scalp is itchy. I’ve never had a dandruff issue in my life. Is my dandruff related to my hair loss? Will fixing the dandruff improving the shedding?”

I had some flaking with my own telogen effluvium, but I was told that it was dry scalp instead of traditional dandruff. Both of these conditions cause white flakes and itching. In my case, my scalp dried out because of some of the over-the-counter topical treatments that I was trying to stop the hair loss. Telogen effluvium is usually caused by some sort of medical condition, stress, or change that happens internally to the body. In turn, the body attempts to conserve its strength by changing your hair cycles to the shedding phase. Dandruff usually does not fall into the category of a telogen effluvium trigger, unless it is an allergic reaction or an inflammatory response to something. Most of the time, triggers are things like illness, medications, pregnancy, dieting, etc.

Inflammation to the scalp and the hair follicles being so active can definitely cause itching. (And there are some people who get some pretty heavy inflammation on their scalp as the result of all of the shedding that is hitting the hair follicles all at once.) Usually, though, this happens after the shedding begins. It is not the cause of the shedding. I’m not a doctor, but my research has shown that there are some inflammatory conditions of the scalp that can cause hair loss, but they’re relatively rare and they typically feel much more painful than typical itching.

I actually found that dandruff shampoo helped my shedding somewhat. I think that it was because of the anti-inflammatory properties. I compared dandruff shampoo with baby shampoo, regular shampoo, and shampoo that supposedly was specifically for hair loss. For me, the dandruff shampoo worked the best, although it just helped a little. It did not solve the issue. Again, I think that it was just tackling the inflammation that was caused by all of my shedding. I don’t think that it was treating my hair loss, as once the TE cycle starts, you just need to keep your scalp healthy, address inflammation, and wait for your hair cycles to reset.

I should mention that there is another hair loss condition called androgenetic alopecia (AGA) that is caused by reactions to androgens. Sometimes, you do see dandruff with this condition also, especially when there is excess sebum. So that is also a consideration.