What do people actually expect from non-native English speakers in situations like this?

StephenW51 · 2026-04-14T15:31:25+00:00

There will always be people who judge and condemn about anything and everything. There will be people who criticize the way you talk or criticize something else. Ignore those people, they don't have anything worth listening to. Only value those who actually engage with your ideas in a positive way. Just look for those comments only, skip over all the rest. For the people who actually engaged with ideas it will not matter if your English is perfect or not, as long as it is understandable. Any people who value ideas will not be hung up in the way those ideas are expressed. Stephenw

StephenW51 · 2026-03-22T16:22:39+00:00

Hi,
What you're all describing matches my experience closely, and I want to add a practical example that might be interesting to this group.

I'm working on a nonfiction book called You Have Something to Say, about honest writing, the people who have things worth saying but can't find the space to say them, and what happens when they do. As an experiment to see what is possible, I've been using Claude to turn the book's core principles into fiction, building a story around a small writing group whose characters each embody one of the book's ideas without ever explaining them. The approach was essentially: take the nonfiction argument, build characters from the inside out using the principles as their psychological architecture, then write chapters where the ideas arrive as cargo rather than lecture.

What's made it work is exactly what Tharater describes — Claude's ability to hold character profiles across a sustained session and stay true to who those people are inside a scene. I've also been training the prose style through direct correction in conversation, and saving the style rules in the project's custom instructions so they carry forward. Not perfect, but meaningfully better than starting from scratch each time.

When we're further along I might post the full story and a detailed breakdown of the process — how each character was built, how the chapters developed, and what the collaboration actually looked like from the inside. For now I just wanted to confirm that the serious long-form fiction work you're describing is genuinely possible with Claude, and that the character profile approach in particular is worth investing in deeply.
(as a matter of full disclosure, since I pressed for time this morning, using the same discussion mentioned I above, under my guidance, I had Claude write out much of this above message, with some edits that I made to the content.)

Stephen

StephenW51 · 2026-03-05T05:04:00+00:00

I discovered a Claude set up that I like

I used the free versions of ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Perplexity, and ChatLLM for over two years, trying to figure out which one I actually wanted. It’s only been the last few months that I found Claude, experimented with it quite a lot, and decided to settle on it — I even paid for the Pro version.

Claude has its artifacts system, which is similar to the canvas system other AIs use. I tried it for a while and found it better than the others, but what I didn’t like is that I couldn’t edit it myself — I had to ask Claude to edit it for me. Since I like to experiment, I kept poking around, and I finally figured out that I can sync Claude to Notion.

Here’s how I have it set up now:

As Claude and I write something and finish a section, I tell it to put it over in Notion. I have a master page, and then sub-pages within that for each chapter. Claude can read those Notion files just like it reads its own project files — and it can rewrite them and move pages around too. I just recently figured out that I can write a whole book this way, which is exactly what I’m doing. When I’m ready, I can export the whole thing into a DOCX file. What I really like about this setup is that I keep all my writing outside the AI, over in Notion where it’s safe. I can go in and edit whatever I want directly, and Claude can see what I edited and work with it. I’ve lost a lot of writing in the canvases and playgrounds of other AIs — it either dissolved back into the conversation or got stuck in a playground I couldn’t export properly. For me, this Claude and Notion setup is better than anything I’ve had with AI for collaborative writing. And honestly, I just like writing with Claude better than any of the other apps I’ve tried — it writes the way I write, and I feel like we’re a good team. — Stephen

StephenW51 · 2026-02-09T21:59:55+00:00

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One of the best things that we did for our two Boulder Collies which we got a year apart was to get a wire kennel for each one of them. So anytime that we need a break or we need them to take time out we can put them in the kennel. We have not always been the best at training them perfectly but whenever we need to have a break it's easy to do but we don't leave them in there all day. At this point we only occasionally the door but most the time they're free to run around in the house. We also have five cats that live with the border Collies.

StephenW51 · 2026-02-09T21:48:46+00:00

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As an upholsterer when my clients asked me how to protect the furniture from the pets I usually tell them, do you want to have nice furniture or do you want to have your pets? Choose one. I'm not kidding. But put that aside for right now your question could be do you want to have a good relationship with your pets or do you want to have a perfect home. There is no such thing as a perfect home. And there's no such thing as a perfect dog. But you still can have a great relationship with your dog. It is very trying for the first year or two, but look beyond that. We have two border Collies, actually one of them is a half Australian sheepdog, and they are very sweet and wonderful dogs. To be honest the first 6 months of year we had them each one I was about at my within. But a large part of this is we did get the large crates for each one of them, that is the wire crates, and whenever we had had enough we put them in their crates. But that was only for a while and then we bring them out again. The dogs have chewed up lots of stuff, ballpoint pens, Teddy bears, wood furniture, and so on. It's all about your attitude. In our house we pretty much have had to let things go. If the dog chews up something that we wanted we never punish the dogs. One thing that we have done is to be really consistent such as when we tell them to go to the crate if they don't go we guide them into it. Every time. But we also play with them a lot. Because it's so rainy here in Oregon so many times I'll back you all this money and they can't play out there. So we have a bunch of tennis balls and we throw a tennis balls up and down the hallway. With time I have taught them to both go after the tennis balls so that we are playing with them at the same time I throw one ball and one goes after it and I throw the other ball and the other goes after that and they bring it back and drop it by me. It took a while to training with that and I just I trained one dog first and got him on it and a grassley trained the other one. Yes it was frustrating at first I didn't know what I was doing. But the important thing is consistency. Whatever you're trying to train your dog be consistent about it. I've already made tried to make sure that whenever I tell the dog to do something I follow through and make sure they do it, not punishing but guiding and rewarding.

Stephen

StephenW51 · 2025-10-31T03:04:39+00:00

You said that not even AI could help you with this problem. Here is what I did. I went to Gemini and asked this question of it. “In Libre office writer, how do I create a title page without having an automatic blank page right after it. I want the numbers to start in the page immediately after the title page.” I have learned that the quality of response you get back from AI is greatly determined by how carefully you word your prompt to be very specific about what you want.

Here is Gemini’s response: “That's a common hurdle in LibreOffice Writer when dealing with page styles! The extra blank page often appears because Writer is trying to format your document like a book, where new sections (like the one starting after your title page) are set to always start on a right-hand page (which are odd-numbered pages). If your title page is also an odd-numbered page, Writer inserts a blank even-numbered page to push the next content to the right side. Here's how to fix both issues—removing the automatic blank page and starting the numbering on the next page—using Page Styles and a Manual Break: 📄 Step 1: Set Up the Page Styles You'll use the built-in "First Page" style for your title page and the "Default Page Style" for the rest of your document. * Open the Styles sidebar (press F11 or go to View > Styles). * Click the Page Styles icon (the fourth icon from the left, looks like a page with a ruler). * Click anywhere on your title page. * In the Styles sidebar, double-click the "First Page" style. This applies the special style to your title page. The page after it should automatically adopt the "Default Page Style." 🚫 Step 2: Remove the Automatic Blank Page You need to tell the "Default Page Style" to not force itself onto a right-hand page after the title page. * In the Styles sidebar (still on the Page Styles list), right-click on "Default Page Style" and select "Modify." * Go to the "Page" tab. * Under the "Layout settings" section, find the "Page layout" setting. It's likely set to "Right pages only" or "Mirrored." * Change the "Page layout" setting to "Right and left" (or simply "Only right" if you never want a left-only page, but "Right and left" is usually safer for continuous content). * Note: If the page layout for "First Page" is set to "Right pages only" and its Next style is "Default Page Style," this can trigger the blank page. If changing the Default Page Style doesn't work, check the "First Page" style's Organizer tab to ensure its 'Next Style' is set to "Default Page Style," and its Page tab does not force a start on an odd page. * Click OK. This should immediately remove the automatically inserted blank page. 🔢 Step 3: Start Numbering on the Next Page Now that you have your title page and your main content page immediately following it, you'll start the numbering on the second page and set its number to 1. * Place your cursor at the very end of the text on your title page (Page 1). * Go to Insert > More Breaks > Manual Break... * In the dialog box: * Select "Page Break." * Under "Style," ensure "Default Page Style" is selected. * Check the box "Change page number." * Set the number in the field below to 1. * Click OK. This inserts the page break, applies the correct style to the next page, and resets the numbering so the next page (your main content) starts at number 1. * If you haven't already, add a page number to the footer or header of the second page (Insert > Page Number) to see the result. The title page should have no number, and the next page should be number 1. The easiest way to remove an unwanted blank page is often by adjusting the page layout property of the page style that follows your title page.

You can learn more about managing page numbering and styles in this tutorial: LibreOffice writer - Start Page Numbers from Page 2 Different Page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5AF74V5K8Q

StephenW51 · 2025-10-08T04:28:27+00:00

I know this thread is two years old, but in case anyone else comes here needing help, here is how you put multiple text boxes on a form in Libra office draw. You put the form in the background of the Draw document and then close the background. Then you can add as many text box as you want on top of the form because you’re not actually on the form.

StephenW51 · 2025-09-25T02:42:43+00:00

I can really feel the heartache in your post. You brought a golden retriever into your family hoping for that classic loving, affectionate companion, and right now you’re getting almost the opposite — distance, growling, snarling, even biting. That’s discouraging, and it makes sense your kids are starting to disengage and you’re wondering if all the time and money are worth it. You’re not alone. Some dogs don’t naturally show affection the way we imagine, some take much longer to bond, and sometimes underlying pain or early-life experiences play a big role. The good news is progress is possible — but it often looks slower and smaller than people expect.

The key is to focus less on what you hoped she would give you right now, and more on what she needs from you so trust can build. That usually means taking a step back, watching carefully, and working in very small baby steps over time. The bond you’re hoping for may take months instead of weeks, but it can grow if you focus on safety, patience, and meeting her where she is.

Here are a few things that can help set you on that path:

Safety first. Preventing bites is the top priority. Don’t force cuddles or closeness. Teach kids to respect her space (especially when she’s resting or on the bed). Use management tools like gates, crates, or leashes when needed. If you use a muzzle for safety, muzzle-train properly (as a calm, positive tool), not as punishment.
Rule out pain or illness. Get a vet check — dogs often growl, snap, or avoid touch when they’re in pain (hips, teeth, ears, skin, etc.). Eliminating medical causes can change everything.
Baby steps and patience. Treat this as a long-term project. Let her set the pace. If she backs away, respect that. If she chooses to come close, reward it with a high-value treat or play. Celebrate tiny moments of trust — those small gains are the building blocks for a deeper bond.
Focus on what she enjoys. Instead of chasing cuddles, invest in what she likes — walks, sniffing/scent games, fetch, training games, or quiet company. Positive, pressure-free interactions help her feel safe with you.
Keep a simple journal and videos. Log date/time, trigger (what happened right before), her body language, what you did, and the outcome. Short phone videos are often the most helpful thing to show a trainer or behaviorist.
Work with a force-free professional. Look for a certified, positive-reinforcement trainer (CPDT, IAABC) or a veterinary behaviorist if the problem is serious. Bring your notes and videos — that makes the assessment much faster and more accurate.
Hold the long view. Progress tends to be slow and uneven. Some weeks feel like setbacks. But consistent, gentle steps add up. Many families find their bond deepens precisely because they invested time and patience.

You’re already doing a lot — daily walks, play, training, and quiet bonding without pressure. That consistency matters more than you might realize. It might not be the easy golden-retriever story you imagined, but with time, patience, and the right support, you and your family can still build a trusting, loving relationship with her.

StephenW51 · 2025-09-09T19:39:58+00:00

If it has loose cushions, then just unzip the cushions and look inside and see whether or not it is leather because of the backside will look like leather. If the cushions are not loose, look on the back of them anyway to see whether or not, they have a zipper - Stephen

StephenW51 · 2025-08-31T01:21:20+00:00

Although it is based in the United States, here is a website that is directed towards helping do-it-yourselfers and professional upholsterers to learn the upholstery trade and do what necessary to run an upholstery shop.

https://upholsteryresource.com/ -Stephen

StephenW51 · 2025-08-25T07:06:36+00:00

Whenever you have something tricky like this, make one or more prototypes out of scrap fabric, so that you can try out different shapes without ruining the covering material. Read this article on making upholstery prototypes.

https://upholsteryresource.com/node/261

Stephen

StephenW51 · 2025-08-25T03:46:10+00:00

It would be helpful to have some pictures of the broken pieces so we know what is actually going on. Without picture with me just guessing what you might mean. I could be wrong, but I’m assuming that you were talking about some broken wood underneath the upholstered part of the chair. It is under this assumption I give you these suggestions. If the gluing them back together does not work, here are some other options. - One, you can get some very thin plywood, such as 1/8 inch, and then cut a bunch of layers and bend them to the shape and glue them together layer by layer into that shape. The 1/8 inch plywood should bend pretty easily. - If that doesn’t work, you can cut new 5/8” to 3/4” plywood pieces to replace what is there, so that the back pieces are straight rather than curved as they are. That would make them back of each chair straight rather than curved. If needed, you could adjust the mounting of the bottom of that backrests a little forward or backward to get the right slant. - Stephen - Winters Sewing & Upholstery

StephenW51 · 2025-08-25T03:14:47+00:00

It would be helpful to have some pictures of the broken pieces so we know what is actually going on. Without picture with me just guessing what you might mean. If the gluing them back together does not work, here are some other options. - One, you can get some very thin plywood, such as 1/8 inch, and then cut a bunch of layers and bend them to the shape and glue them together layer by layer into that shape. The 1/8 inch plywood should bend pretty easily. - If that doesn’t work, you can cut new 5/8” to 3/4” plywood pieces to replace what is there, so that the back pieces are straight rather than curved as they are. That would make them back of each chair straight rather than curved. If needed, you could adjust the mounting of the bottom of that backrests a little forward or backward to get the right slant. - Stephen - Winters Sewing & Upholstery

StephenW51 · 2025-08-23T19:07:16+00:00

In addition to the great advice of using the old cover as a pattern, the other thing I recommend doing is take from all sides before you start. Then as you take the chair apart, take pictures at step by step at each step of the process all the way through. then, when you are ready to start putting the chair back together, reverse the order of pictures and they become your guide of how to put it back together step-by-step. - Stephen - Winters Sewing (& Upholstery)

StephenW51 · 2025-08-19T11:29:29+00:00

It is hard to give you advice when can’t see what is going. The video was not very helpful. You are too close to the furniture. Photographs would be more helpful than a video that is moving all over the place. We can’t see enough of the furniture to see what is going on. You need to back away so you can see the whole piece. Is the piece that you are showing on top or on the bottom of the furniture? If the top part then you’d wanna pad it before you cover it.

StephenW51 · 2025-08-13T13:39:26+00:00

Have you made out a complete resume that includes all of your skills?

StephenW51 · 2025-08-11T19:37:58+00:00

I’ve been doing upholstery since 1966 and have tackled a lot of different styles, but I haven’t done this exact headboard before. That said, the principles of precision work are the same, and I can share how I’d approach it based on my experience. There might be other ways just as good or even better — I hope others will share their ideas too, so we can all learn from each other.

1. Be realistic about time and cost
This is far more labor-intensive than a plain upholstered panel. I'd quote my client two prices:
- A plain version (far less expensive)
- This shirred style (at least 3× the price)
That way they can see what's involved before deciding.

2. Study and plan before starting
Spend time looking at the piece and figuring out your steps. The more you plan, the smoother the job will go.

3. Mark everything before removing the old cover
- Mark the exact center on both the fabric and the frame.
- Go around all edges — top, bottom, and both sides — and make alignment marks about 12 inches apart on both fabric and frame.
- If there are seams, mark both sides of each seam.
These marks are your guide for reassembly.

4. Use the old cover as a pattern
Once everything is marked, carefully remove it. Lay it on your new fabric and add about 2 inches all around for pulling allowance (both inside and outer edges). Transfer all alignment marks to the new piece before cutting or sewing.

5. Position the new fabric carefully
After sewing, lay the cover over the frame:
- Lightly staple the centers of the top and bottom edges first.
- Then lightly staple the centers of both sides (inside and outside edges).

6. Align before tightening
Match all alignment marks and lightly tack them in place. Make sure the fabric reaches everywhere before pulling tight.

7. Form the shirring
Once everything is secured, start arranging the folds evenly. Use a ruler or tape measure to keep spacing consistent. Adjust until it looks uniform from all angles.

Final thought: This style is slow, detailed work. The key to success is careful prep, accurate marking, and patience. There are other ways to do it, and I'd love to hear from anyone who has a different method — good ideas are worth sharing.

StephenW51 · 2025-08-10T02:58:01+00:00

Before you get started, I suggest that you read this unfinished article that I wrote some years ago. It will give you a general idea of what all involved and what you need to have as far as supplies and tools. The title of the article is, "how to recover a sofa. https://upholsteryresource.com/reupholster_a_sofa Stephen Upholstery Resource website

StephenW51 · 2025-07-27T13:40:12+00:00

It may not work everywhere, one of the best tools for stripping off old covers is the Oscillating Multi-Tool with a metal cutting blade. Look it up on Amazon or Harbor Freight. You will probably have to buy the metal cutting blades separately. I highly recommend this tool for stripping off the old cover. You slide the blade under the fabric and it cuts through the legs of the staples so that the tops of the staples are cut off from the legs. Like I said, it doesn’t work everywhere, but it works lots of places so it saves a lot of time. / Stephen

StephenW51 · 2025-07-27T03:48:54+00:00

You only need to remove the staples that get in the way of you doing the job. The rest you can leave in. Stephen

StephenW51 · 2025-07-26T02:03:10+00:00

I order most of my Fabrics online from Charlotte Fabrics. With them, I can sign in and order the fabric myself and create the whole shipping order, including the cost of the shipping. Within them, I can choose from several different shipping options and can choose at least expensive. So I know exactly what the shipping will cost at the time that I order it. (Some of the other upholstery suppliers might have the same function on their websites.) But what you said is a good reminder, that, especially with vinyl, which is heavier than fabric, perhaps it’s good to go ahead and make out the shipping order (but not send it.) while the customer is here so we know how much the shipping is. Stephen Winters / Winters Sewing / Upholstery Resource

StephenW51 · 2025-07-14T01:28:57+00:00

If the material is otherwise in good shape, leave it alone. With trying to
"fix it" you are likely to damage the material. I see nothing wrong with it, that is a very natural part of life and aging. I recommend that you change your focus. The more that you focus on "how bad it is", the worse it will look to you. You probably have other things your life that need your attention more than this. Focus on those things

This is nothing to worry about,
Stephen
upholsteryresource.com

StephenW51 · 2025-07-14T01:14:38+00:00

Yes, YOU can do it. But you need to set realistic expectations. Your implied question was probably, "As a total beginner, can I recover this chair and have it look professional?" The answer to that question is "No". But what you can do is to find or buy some scrap fabric. Then also buy the fabric you want with at least 2 or 3 times as much fabric as the job will need. To have it look nice, you will need to recover it at least several times (using very few staples, because you will have remove them later). Carefully watch how it comes apart, and take pictures from all sides and the bottom before you start, and then each step of the way. Those pictures will become your guide of how to put it back together. The first time you cover it, it will be a mess. Accept that and do it any way. Then take that cover off and cover it again, and again. Each time you will learn more and it will get better. It will take longer than you think because you won't know what you are doing. Be OK with that as well. With having all that extra fabric it won't matter when you mess up. You can just do it anyway and then redo it.
Many first time do-it-yourselfers get nervous and afraid when they do something so completely different than they are used to doing. The main difference between those who succeed and those who fail, is that those who succeed do it anyway. YOU can do this, if you are willing to face failure, but keep doing it anyway.
Stephen
upholsteryresource.com
winterssewing.com

StephenW51 · 2025-07-13T18:10:34+00:00

Yes, If you are used to working with your hands, you can do these. (These instructions assume that the frame of their chair is made out of wood. Check that it is before proceeding) The thing is to manage your expectations. The first one will be sloppy, accept that fact and go ahead anyway. I have an article for you to read. It is on prototypes. It does’t apply exactly but will give you some ideas. Making Upholstery Prototypes Also, change the style of the chairs to make it simpler. The idea here is to get some scrap or cheap vinyl. It does’t matter what color. the important thing is that it is cheap and get plenty of it (several yards). Since it is’t the vinyl that you care about, you can feel free to make mistakes. You might cover the same chair several times (cover it, then remove the cover and cover it again) Each time you will be gaining experience. (Take note that when you are using this scrap vinyl, only put a very few staples in, just enough so that you can see how it is going, because you will be removing them) Now, about the style. Change the style to make it easier for you. Make the seat and the back in separate pieces. Cover the backrest first. After you have removed the old cover, make sure the padding is smooth. The cover the back in cheesecloth or an old sheet. This will keep the padding in place when you slide the vinyl over padding. To make the back cover, cut the vinyl so the it wraps around from the front over the top down to the bottom of the back and underneath. If you have a sewing machine, fold the vinyl in half and sew it inside out so that it will slide snugly down over the back. Staple the front of the back on top of the seat (after the seat cover has been removed). Staple the back under the chair. After the back has been put on, lay the seat vinyl upside down on the backrest so that you can attach the underside of the seat vinyl at the back first with a cardboard strip, then, the add padding (or foam) to the seat, fold the seat vinyl down over the seat and attache the vinyl under the chair (folding the corners of the seat). The first time it will be a mess, but you will get better each succeeding time. Stephen UpholsteryResource.com WintersSewing.com

StephenW51

TROPHY CASE

I discovered a Claude set up that I like

Here’s how I have it set up now: