For Christmas my mom got me this weekly calendar. It's called "The Worst-Case Scenario 2004 Survival Calendar", and it cracks me up. We're already three months into the year, but I've decided to post the current week's survival guide every Monday. Here are the things you've missed:

How to survive a runaway sled
How to build a shelter in the snow
How to escape from a bear
How to drive in a blizzard
How to jump from a bridge or cliff into a river
How to put out a brush fire
How to sober up fast
How to escape from a car hanging over a cliff

So far, these have been extremely helpful seeing as I live in the desert. No snow, no bears, no cliffs, no woods. But skipping ahead, the mountain lion one may be good to know.

This week's tip is How to treat a blister.
1. Cover the blister with a bandage. If you do not have a bandage, you can fashion one with a tissue and a piece of adhesive tape.
2. If the blister is large and swollen, prepare to pop it. Use alcohol or the flame from a match or a lighter to sterilize a needle. Hold the needle in the flame for at least ten seconds.
3. Pierce the blister with the needle. Hold the needle parallel to the surface of the skin. Puncture the blister near the edge to make draining easier.
4. Drain the fluid. Gently apply pressure to squeeze out the fluid. Dispose of the needle in a sturdy plastic or metal box so that it does not accidentally prick anyone else.
5. Bandage the sore immediately. If you have antibiotic cream, use it.
6. Watch for signs of infection. These include redness, swelling, pain, discharge, and fever. If you have these symptoms, get to a health-care professional.
*Tip: Blisters are caused when the skin rubs against another surface, causing friction. Wearing sport-specific shoes, gloves, or applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly are all ways to prevent blisters from forming.

Stay tuned for more. P.S. She got me a card game to go along with it. Yeah.