One Girl, One Life

New Years, Coldplay, and Becoming a Vegetarian

2012-01-02T23:02:00.010-06:00

Well, howdy. How are you doing? I'm doing alrighty, I spose.

How was New Year's Eve? Mine was pretty good, I reckon. ;) I got to spend it with my very best friend, which was awesome. This was the first one I've spent without my family, though, so that was a little weird. We usually watch the ball drop in Times Square and bang pots and pans at New Years. ♥ But, I watched a bunch of different NYE celebrations on the telly and had a few dance parties, so it was pretty amazing.

PLUS, we watched the Coldplay concert. It was incredible, in a word. I got the feeling I usually only get when I watch Taylor Swift stuff. It's like inspiredinlovehopefulelatedmagic, and I love it. :) My best friend is the one that got me into Coldplay, and I'm really, really glad she did. I need to listen to more of their old stuff, plus other songs from Mylo Xyloto, their new album.

In other news, this is the year of my vegetarianism. I made a plan that allows me to become a vegan in 8 months, but I'm scratching that. I've decided to just become a vegetarian this year. The new plan is to go vegetarian 2 days a week every month. Like, January I'm not eating any meat on Wednesday and Thursday. Febuary, I'll add 2 more days of vegetarianism, totalling 4 days. Then, March, a total of 6 days, and, April, every day. So, I'll be a full vegetarian by April. :) I'm going to be taking supplements and all that until I settle the nutrition part of it, of course. This is going to be really good. :D

That's all for now, folks. Talk atchu laytah. Thanks for listening. ♥

Things That Make Me Happy - Revisited

2011-12-28T23:43:00.010-06:00

Well, howdy. How've y'all been? I've been not so great, but I'm getting better. :)

I was looking at an old post I put up in May about things I like to do. Here's the list from the post:

Read books
Write
Sing
Dance (in the privacy of my bedroom, or in a store, or in the middle of a mall)
Watch movies
Read blogs
Make lists
Study
Listen to music
Watch TV with my family
Drive with my family
Go to bookstores
Go to office supply stores
Watch the sun set
Watch the moon
Vacuum
Lay
Make easy decisions
Make hard decisions
Think about the future
Think about the present
Think about other people and how they got where they are
Watch YouTube videos
Speak French
Travel
Go to school
Be crazy
Be quiet
Be goofy
Be serious
Listen to the radio
Observe (especially people)
Watch teachers (they are so interesting!)
Jump
Listen to other's points of view and opinions
Single-task
Slow down
Sleep
Take the bus/train
Smile
Laugh

I really do enjoy all of those things. A lot. They make me really happy. :D So, in keeping with my wish to be truly happy, I'm going to make sure I make time to do all of these things regularly. I think that's really important.

Talk to you again soon.

Commitment

2011-12-26T22:15:00.012-06:00

Hey, guys. How are y'all doing? How was Christmas? I hope everyone is having a great end of 2011. :)

I've been thinking a lot about my life (as one normally does). There are so many things that I want to change. Of course, that's not to say I'm not content with some things, but I really want to maximize my life. I want to look back in 1, 5, 20, 50 years and remember all the amazing things I did and am still doing.

But, the thing is that I always say I want to change my life. Constantly. But, there's never any change. I'm tired of that. So, this is it. I'm fully committing to start living my life exactly how I want to live it. I'm going to do things, see people and things, make things, listen to things that make me truly happy. There's no point in having a life if I'm not going to use it to its full potential, so I'm committing now.

So, yes. That's where I'm at mentally nowadays. I'm going to be happy. That's all I want.

I'll be posting again soon. Promise.

Oh, the thoughts.

2011-12-03T16:54:00.025-06:00

Hey, y'all. I can't believe I didn't post yesterday. *facepalm* Failure aside, I had a pretty good week. It sped by after Tuesday, oddly.

I've been thinking a lot about college and my future and such. It's really exciting. But, as I once read somewhere, the future is made up of a bunch of nows. So, I'm working on making my nows great.

A couple of weeks ago I started with this Project 333 dealio. The basic idea is that you pick 33 articles of clothing, not including underwear, outerwear, PJs, etc. and use only those 33 for 3 months. My reasons for starting it were 1. I wanted to become less dependent on my outward appearance and let my personality shine through, 2. I wanted to stimulate my creativity through creating outfits with limited resources, and 3. I wanted to see how little I use some of my clothes, so I can see what I don't need. Pretty good reasons, I think. BUT. I've been pondering, and I don't want to limit myself. I want to develop my own style that reflects my personality. I want to be able to find something really, really cute and see what I can do with it. And, I can see what clothes I don't use by just observing how I dress normally. Soooooo, I'm going to end my participation in the project and do something different. With money from Christmas and my birthday I'm going to purchase a new wardrobe. I wear the same things all the time, but I don't feel comfortable or love them. So that.

Back to the subject of my university years. I've always known that I want to write. Novelist, columnist, and the like. Not poetry or plays, I don't think, though. Anyway. So, my major is going to be something along those lines. THEN, I think I'm going to minor in French. Or have a double major, or whatever. I don't really know how ye olde college system works as of yet, but I've an idea. I've always been fascinated by other languages and accents, and I've always wanted to speak a second language. French really appeals to me, which is why I am studying it at school. I plan to go to French III next year, then AP French after that, then study it in college.

Since I ADORE Europe, I'm going to travel and live there someday (starting with next summer - England!). I've also wondered if I should go to college there. Or, go to college in the States, but do a study abroad program for a few months. That would be incredible!

So that's where my head is these days.

Also, I've been thinking a whole lot about sports. I am going to do volleyball and basketball. I made the unwise move of not even trying out for basketball at my school for 2 years, so I know that I'll have to be really good to be on the team next year. I've been hard on myself about that lately, but I'm going to remedy it. Therefore, I'm going to start playing at a sports center by my house to get my sea legs back, then do a club. That way I'll be fully prepared for the season! I also want to be good at something, since I feel I don't truly excel at anything. Since basketball and volleyball and running have always been things I love and have fun with, I thought these would be good to be great at.

Aaaaaanywho, thanks for listening. I'll sprecken to y'all next Friday on time. ♥

Hey, y'all.

2011-11-26T10:38:00.000-06:00

*Blogger wouldn't let me publish this post yesterday for some reason.*

Howdy, guys. How are you doing? I'm swell. I've not updated in a while, but that's going to stop. I'm going to post every Friday from now on, and I'm actually going to start making videos on YouTube soon. :)

So, I've been very busy with school, but things are, thankfully, slowing down! I've finally asked for help, which is good. So, everything's dandy on that front. I had a great Thanksgiving! How was your guys'? Let me know.

So, I'm just keeping this post short, just to update y'all. I hope you guys have a fantastic week, and I'll talk to you next Friday. ♥

Letter from My 18-Year-Old Self

2011-08-31T19:10:00.010-05:00

This post is inspired by "I Am Old" from Momentum Gathering.

Dear 15-year-old Evelyn,

Hey! I know you're working to get out of a rut right now, and I am so proud of you!

Right now, you're working to become a minimalist, but nothing is really leaving. You have a gigantic pile of things to get rid of, and you need to get it out of the house! Once it's actually gone, you'll be physically able to see the progress! I swear, it will feel gratifying.

You've just had your eyes opened to a new perspective that you really agree with - if you're not the one wearing, doing, saying, acting, or looking like it, you shouldn't care. If you're not the one judging others for doing what they think will make them fit in, if you don't care what other people wear, if you just focus on living your life FOR YOU, it gets so much better! Train your mind not to make judgments, and to think positively.

Keep being yourself. I know it's hard sometimes, because you want people to like you, but your friends now love you for exactly the person you are, not the one you tried to be. Right now, you're so worried about what people think of you, but you have to keep it real. Be aware if you say or do something that seems fake, and try to correct it.

I know you think it is, but school is not as big a deal as you believe! If you score low on a test or paper or can't seem to understand something, do not be afraid to go ask for help! That's the point of school - to learn and grow as a person. Don't get caught up in the gossip and judging and popularity. It doesn't matter once you graduate.

You have one life given to you, and you have got to make it count. It feels like you're waiting for something to happen, a spark for this big change, but you're the only one that can make things happen for you! No one is going to hand you a fantastic opportunity! You've got to be able to put yourself out there. Take a risk. Because this one moment is all you're guaranteed.

Love,
18-Year-Old Evelyn

My Thoughts on School

2011-08-28T20:31:00.044-05:00

I recently read a blog post called "Leslie's Going to Boarding School?!" In it, Leslie writes about how she got accepted into a very exclusive boarding school and her confidence about it. But, the one part that really struck me was this:

"College Bound?
The funny thing is though… I don’t think I’m going to go to college. I’m not going to the school to prepare to get a scholarship and go to college. I’m purely going for a great experience. To learn, to grow, to push myself beyond my boundaries. I’ll be one of those people who messes up the 99% statistic for college goers."

The reason this part made me think is because I've been wondering why I want to go to college. I mean, as of right now, nothing I want to do in the future requires having a degree.

I know how to write.

I have the knowledge and common sense of how to run a business simply.

Travelling doesn't necessitate a degree.

Right now, those are the three main things I want to do, and I already have the resources and ability to do them, so why is it that I feel the need to go to university?

Since I was little, I've always thought that everyone needed to go to college in order to get on with their lives. I feel like it's a building block experience of life. I do think that we've been conditioned to feel that. Teachers are always saying stuff like, "I didn't go to college for _ years for nothing." It seems like everyone is expected to go, but why?

I still want to go, so I can have that experience, those friends that are supposedly the ones you hold onto for life, and the feeling of accomplishment you get when they hand you your diploma, but, if I don't go, I'll still have amazing experiences, irreplaceable friends, and the sense of accomplishment of doing things that I'm proud of and want to do.

I probably will go, because I feel like it is a necessary bridge from living with your parents and having most things taken care of for you to living on your own with all the responsibilities that come with that.

School Right Now

The part where Leslie writes about how she goes to school to have a great experience is amazing and kind of enlightening to me. I'm really into simplicity and living in the moment and all that, but it never occurred to me to do that in school.

I am always planning and working towards the future, when it comes to school. In fact, I spent about an hour today going through scholarship and internship matches and filling out forms for them online. That seems like a good idea, money-wise, but I did it at such an inopportune time - while I was visiting with my grandma. That makes no sense, now that I think about it. (Sorry, Grammy.)

All my hard work, the pushing, the staying up late, the doing homework during lunch instead of catching up with my friends, doesn't seem worth it, really. When I do that, I'm working towards a goal so far into the future, that it doesn't make sense to put off what's important now. Sure, pushing yourself and expanding your knowledge is good, but not to the point of ruining the only thing that you are guaranteed right now, the one moment you're in.

What if, God forbid, someone works so hard to get good grades and fills her schedule with extra-curriculars so she can get into a prestigious college, and her life is cut short or she is unable to go, for some reason? I feel that it's more important to enjoy this moment, than use it to get you ahead in an unpromised future.

How I'm Going to Change

Well, now that that's been said, here's what I'm going to change about how I do things in school:

No working at lunch, unless it's absolutely necessary. I'm going to use this time to hang out with my friends, to refuel so I don't negatively impact my health or feel groggy later, and to slow down, so I can fully remember my high school experience, so it doesn't seem like a blur.

Break down projects to the smallest possible steps, so it's hard for me not to start. For example, if I have one week to write a paper, the day it's assigned, I'm going to go home, type out the header on a word document, and come up with topics and thoughts on them, based on the assignment. The next day, I would expand each topic and pick which one I feel I would write the best about. The next day, I'd pre-write the introduction, and so on. *Ever since I was younger, I finished every project the day before it was due, if not that day. This causes so much stress, and doesn't leave me time to enjoy the assignment or do my best.*

Only join clubs and participate in service learning opportunities if I feel like they are something I want to do. I signed up for something like 9 clubs last year, just because they sounded interesting or because my friends were doing them. Of the 9, only 4 gave me more information, like meeting dates, and I only attended meetings of 3 of those. In the end, I didn't follow through with any of the clubs I had signed up for, because they weren't in line with what I felt most passionate about. This year, I'm going to focus on activities that actually make me happy and make me want to do them. Plus, I'm going to look for things outside of school, like a job at an independent bookstore and making videos on YouTube; things that really excite me.

Don't go 110% on things that don't really matter. Last year, I thought every single thing we did in class was going to be on the quarter test or final exam. This led me to study a little bit of everything we'd covered, instead of paying attention to what we spent the most time on or what was emphasized the most. I spent countless nights up late, just to make sure I had the perfect wording on a rough draft of a paper, or to finish coloring a time line for extra credit. Stupid stuff like that, that doesn't even matter.

To Summarize

I'm going to keep this year really simple. My locker, my schedule, my workload. I'm going to work on taking each day as it comes and staying in the moment, instead of working blindly towards a goal I may never have the opportunity to achieve. This year is going to amazing and much less stressful than last year, which I am really looking forward to.

Thanks for reading this exceptionally long post! I really appreciate it! ♥

Rest of the Summer to Date

2011-08-26T15:33:00.009-05:00

So, to finish up my Summer 2011 series, I'm just going to list some things that I did.

1. July 11 - got contacts.

2. July 13 - had another meeting for England (I'm really getting excited!) and went to a picnic for my father's work.

3. July 14 - went to Navy Pier with a couple of my best friends. :)

The skyline is magic.

4. July 16 - went to the Renaissance Faire with my sister and uncle.

5. July 29 - went to Pierogi Fest with my aunt and sister + had way too much food.

6. August 1 - WENT TO THE PAUL MCCARTNEY CONCERT! This was absolutely amazing, and I can't believe I got the chance to see one of my idols, a member of the Beatles, someone that changed entire generations of people, with the people that grew up when the Beatles were huge. Incredible.

7. August 10 - WENT TO THE TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT! This time, it was a different cousin, my sister, and I, and it was the best TS concert I have been to so far. I don't know why, but I enjoyed myself more (probably because I let myself experience it, rather than taking a whole buncha pictures) and it was more magical. Plus, we had a better angle to the stage, so the view was perfection. :D

8. Mid-August to present - volleyball tryouts, then practice, because I MADE THE JV TEAM! I've been having a pretty good time, but my shoulder is a tad messed up, which sometimes brings me down mentally. Either way, as of now, our record is 1-1, but we should be undefeated. I've not played in a game yet, but I hope I'll get my chance to soon!

9. August 13 - block party + sleepover. Fun!

10. August 20 - picnic for my family's old neighborhood + sleepover. Very fun!

Of course I did more fun stuff than that, but those things stood out to me. Tomorrow, I'm going to catch a movie at an old theatre in this neck o' the woods, and Sunday, I'm meeting up with my friends at our little hang-out restaurant.

Happily, summer has been really exhilarating, but it is almost over. I'm excited to go back to school, because I am going to make this year ROCK! I hope y'all have a marvelous weekend. Payce!

July 2-8

2011-08-12T15:57:00.028-05:00

Today, my cousin picked my family up (at 5:30) and drove us to the airport. We got there, printed our boarding passes, checked our bags, got breakfast, and waited for our plane to arrive. Where, you might ask, were we going? To Las Vegas! This was a pretty big deal, because my sister and I had never been farther west than Texas. The purpose of the voyage was to go to a family friend's wedding, but my family made a trip out of it!

When we landed, we drove around a bit, got lunch, and went to the church! It was a very pretty, simple ceremony, and the bride's dress was gorgeous!

Afterwards, we went to our hotel and took a nap! We then got ready and dolled up to go to the reception, which was held at a resort in the mountains.

The view was incredible!

The food was great, the music was pretty good, and the dancing was fun! I kept an eye on my little cousins, which is always a blast.

The night ended late, and we slept in the next day. :)

On the 3rd, we checked out a bunch of the swanky casinos, one of which being Paris. We, of course, went up in the Eiffel Tower, which was crazyawesome! My sister forgot about her fear of heights until we were up there, so she stayed glued to the middle of the viewing deck.

We went to Hoover Dam on the 4th of July, and I thought the video that they showed us before we went up was pretty dang cool (mostly because it looked like it was made in the 60s, which I love). :D The view here was pretty breathtaking, too. My sister and I got the obligatory one-person-standing-on-each-side-of-the-Nevada/Arizona-boarder picture, which was fun!

The next couple of days, we traversed from casino to casino, and had a whole lot of Panda Express. Here are some more pictures from the trip:

(My first time zip-lining - pretty fun.)

I think this post or my next one will be the last in this series, because I don't really feel like writing about every single thing I did, and I'm sure no one really wants to read that. Plus, I have some cool topics to write about.

Laytah.

June 30 - July 1

2011-08-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

On July 30th of this year, my family packed up our stuff and decided to leave Minnesota. The original plan was to leave the next day, but we liked the idea of more relaxing time at home before our next adventure.

It was a really pretty drive, actually. We went through Duluth over a few bridges that overlooked some gorgeous lakes or rivers, I don't remember which. My sister and I took turns staying up with my dad, so he could stay awake while driving, which was very fun. :)

We got in some time in the early AM, and slept for a looooong while. We did laundry and packed our clothes into suitcases and relaxed.

I know this isn't the most interesting of posts, but the upcoming ones will have a little more action. :) I'm going to start grouping the days and publishing more frequently, so I can get this series over more quickly, so I can move on to some more focused and more beneficial articles.

I really appreciate that you're keeping up with the blog. Thanks!

June 18-30

2011-08-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

My home away from home:

The beginning of our stay there involved some technical difficulties, but we eventually got them straightened out. Then, by the time that was fixed, the weather was awful! It was pouring buckets for the next couples of days and getting into the 40s! Not what I'd call summer weather.

Because of the bad weather, we didn't get to fish as much as usual, but our pickins weren't too bad. I only went fishing a few times, but I definitely want to go more next year. Even though I will only be there a week next year, because, as you remember, I'm going to England!

My family and I had a glorious time of relaxation, fun playing cards (Back Alley Bridge), and going into town. I love that in little towns, like the one we were near, you say "going into town." I can't really say that here, because I live in the city. Here's a picture of a shop that looked unbearably cool from the outside, but turned out to be a bit disappointing in the innards.

I was really excited to go in here, because the outside looks similar to a store that I've been to and loved, called Lemon Sky Unlimited. But, alas, I didn't find it to be the greatest. Yes, everything was either handmade or vintage, which is awesome, but nothing really caught my eye. The prices were a bit steep, too. Here's the website, if you'd like to check it out: yellowumbrellashop.com. They also list their stuff on etsy.

My daddy got me a box of Reese's fudge mix, so here's a picture of me and the final product! It didn't turn out as pretty as the picture, but it was really good.

I was just sitting outside of my aunt and uncle's cabin with my dog, reading, when I decided to get my dog some water from our cabin. When I walked up to the door, this is what I found:

An itty-bitty, colorful birdy! It barely moved when I got near it to take a picture, and stayed there for a while. My sister kept yelling at me not to touch it, but I wanted to make sure it was okay! I guess it was okay, because in 15 minutes it was gone.

Here's my precious doggy, Cody. :)

Either way, we really enjoyed ourselves, even if the weather didn't cooperate too much. :D

June 18

2011-08-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

On this day, my family left for Up Up North. I use 2 "Up"s, because this is farther north than where had stayed for the past few days.

I can proudly say that I did not sleep the entire way up there. :) We ate at Bonanza, which is a buffet-type restaurant that we've been stopping at for as long as I can remember. It's always fun to have little traditions like that. I don't really remember very much of the trip, so it was probably the usual stopping at gas stations every couple hundred miles, sleeping, and listening to music.

When we got there, we unloaded the boat, got it in the water, and started to cozy up our cabin. We put all the food where it needed to go, started to unpack our clothes, and relaxed after a long day of driving (in my dad's case).

June 17

2011-08-05T10:00:00.001-05:00

On this day, we went to the Mall of America! My family has been coming here since before I could remember, and it's always tons of fun! I remember when it was Camp Snoopy (ah, childhood), "the park at MOA," and Nickelodeon-themed, as it is now.

We didn't spend as much time here as we usually do (I forget why), but it was still a good time. I made a short list of things that I knew I wanted to get (mostly clothes, because there's no tax on clothes in Minnesota) and set out to find them.

My family ate at Tony Roma's, as per usual (it's my dad's favorite restaurant there), and we had a lot of fun, overall. :)

June 16

2011-08-03T10:00:00.001-05:00

On this day, I went to a Twins/White Sox game with my family! I'm not too into watching sports intently, but something about professional sports just inspires me. Though, for some reason, I think that baseball is such a weird sport to watch. Just something about it makes it strange to me.

I spent most of the game walking around the stadium with my sister, so we got to talk and be silly in ways only twins can. :)

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures today. TTYS!

June 15

2011-07-18T12:54:00.037-05:00

Alrighty, who's ready for the first official post of the Summer 2011 series?! I know I am. :) Aaaand, begin.

On June 15th of this year, we (mostly my dad) packed up our clothes, boat, and everything else we needed for 2 weeks in the "wilderness" that is Minnesota. We left early in the AM and made few stops. I didn't mean to, and I hate that I did, but I slept the. entire. way. there. That's like 6 or 7 hours after about 4 the night before. I know, I know. Lazy. So, unfortunately, I missed the gorgeous journey from city to suburbs to pure country to suburbs and city again.

And guess what I did when we got there. Yep, I took a nap. :)

A few hours later, I got up, showered, and got ready to go to the first Taylor Swift concert of my summer! (I'm going to another one in August, but that's another post.) My aunt made quite possibly the most delicious meal I'd ever had (pork chops, I think, with rice and mushroom sauce), and my cousin drove us to the venue.

It was glorious. :) There were giant posters, like these, that were available for taking pictures in front of.

Plus, we got in line for a special picture (which, I don't know where it is) and we got free tubes of CoverGirl's gloss balm. If you don't know, and how could you not?, Taylor Swift is the face of CoverGirl's Natureluxe line. PLUS, they gave us a coupon for more Natureluxe stuff. Pretty cool.

So, we got to our seats, which were really close to the stage (thanks, Pa!), and waited. There were gigantic screens that played Taylor's CG commercials and little behind-the-scene videos from her music videos and such. Then, Randy Montana came on to open. Then the official opener, Need To Breathe, played.

Finally, Taylor Swift came out. Her first song was "Sparks Fly" and it was magic. Every song's set was so well-thought-out and executed so perfectly! Here are a bunch of pictures from the show:

She played 2 medleys: "Back to December" with "Apologize" and "You're Not Sorry" & "Fearless" with "Hey, Soul Sister" and "I'm Yours." The "Fearless" medley was on ukulele and it was dang awesome. That's the picture where she's sitting under a silver tree. And, she played "Fifteen" and "Love Story!"

I had an absolutely incredible time, and I can't believe I'm lucky enough to be able to go to another of Taylor Swift's concerts this summer! That's surreal to me, but it's coming up soon. It's hard to describe how much I look up to Taylor Swift. She's so wholesome, kind, generous, magical, and original, which is exactly how I try to be. She seems to be full of passion and dedicated to what she does, which inspires me to find my passion and pursue it in the same way.

Talk to you soon!

Summer 2011

2011-07-11T21:19:00.004-05:00

I have had a pretty great summer so far and lot more greatness is to come. I've decided to do a series about what I've done this summer. There will be pictures and little stories about my adventures, including 2 weeks in Minnesota and going to Las Vegas for the first time. My goal is to post every other day, so I'll have plenty of time to get them done.

I hope you enjoy it! And, even if you don't, it'll be a good way to document the magic that I've gone through this summer. :)

31: Doing Things on Purpose

2011-06-10T19:57:00.006-05:00

Finally... the last BEDIM blog. I know it's taken a long time coming, but I'm glad it's finally being written. Anywho.

As y'all know, I am a strong supporter and believer in the minimalist lifestyle. To me, minimalism is doing everything consciously. Consuming objects, eating, walking, organizing, just living. It's making every decision you make deliberate.

So many people, myself included, go through their days doing things and not caring, much less thinking, about the outcomes or consequences. I'm not saying you should overthink everything, but that things should be done on purpose.

3 Ways To Be Deliberate

1) Go slowly. When you take the time to do something slowly, you truly experience every second of it. You do each step purposefully and mindfully. For example, how often do you brush your teeth whilst thinking of something else? The coming day, what you're going to wear, whatever. I challenge you to do a routine activity, like brushing your teeth or folding clothes, while focusing just on that thing.

2) Be mindful. I know I don't do this all the time, but I'm working on it. I so often speed through the day, without really feeling the emotions or experiences touch me. What I'm really working on now is taking away or ignoring the distractions, like listening to my iPod or reading on my phone on the bus or train. You miss so much of this blink of an eye we're given on earth if you don't take the time to just feel and be present.

3) Think things through. I've just recently started thinking about my actions and words before I do or say them. This prevents telling white lies when you could just tell the truth, missaying things, and leaving something out.

These 3 little tips are just some things that I am trying to focus on in my life, so I can fully live. I know I've only got one life, but I want to really be mindful and maximize it.

And, thus, concludes BEDIM, 2 months later. :)

31: Last Day of BEDIM... postponed.

2011-05-31T22:23:00.001-05:00

I'll try to make a worthy post sometime this week, because I am just so overwhelmed right now.

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30

2011-05-30T22:22:00.001-05:00

I had a pretty good day today, even though it started off quite overwhelmingly. I hope y'all did, too. :)

A bunch of my friends and family came over and we had a barbeque. It was dang hot, but once the sun went down, the weather was wonderful!

Overall, I had a lot of fun and learned a few things. I hope you guys had an awesome day.

P.S. God bless all the soldiers, vets, and those who have recently enlisted. <3

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29: What I'm Going To Do Tomorrow

2011-05-29T21:50:00.001-05:00

1. Get up and eat breakfast
2. Cut the grass
3. Take a shower and get dressed
4. Take notes on an algebra PowerPoint
5. Finish my algebra homework
6. See if my biology homework is online yet
7. Relax, probably read
8. Think about soldiers and vets
9. Have an awesome Memorial Day cookout with my friends and family!

I hope y'all have a great day, too!

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28

2011-05-28T23:12:00.001-05:00

Today, I babysat and read and thought. I need to simplify.

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27: Things I Do

2011-05-27T22:34:00.003-05:00

I had amazing day today! I went with my friends to see Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D. I don't think it was as good as the first one, because it seemed like basically the same plot, but I loved spending time with my friends. :) I am so happy I have them. I was thinking, This is exactly where I want us to be in 4 years. I want the same ability to just let it flow. We can have really deep, philosophical conversations, or ones that we don't stop laughing through.

Anywho, here are a few things that I like to do:
Read books
Write
Sing
Dance (in the privacy of my bedroom, or in a store, or in the middle of a mall)
Watch movies
Read blogs
Make lists
Study
Listen to music
Watch TV with my family
Drive with my family
Go to bookstores
Go to office supply stores
Watch the sun set
Watch the moon
Vacuum
Lay
Make easy decisions
Make hard decisions
Think about the future
Think about the present
Think about other people and how they got where they are
Watch YouTube videos
Speak French
Travel
Go to school
Be crazy
Be quiet
Be goofy
Be serious
Listen to the radio
Observe (especially people)
Watch teachers (they are so interesting!)
Jump
Listen to other's points of view and opinions
Single-task
Slow down
Sleep
Take the bus/train
Smile
Laugh
♥♥

26: Thinking

2011-05-26T22:17:00.001-05:00

I've been reading more of Minimal Student and it's got me thinking. One of the posts, "The biggest challenge," got me wondering why I want to go to a big university. Like, an Ivy League one. I'm obviously going to college no matter what, but I was thinking, what does it matter if where I learn is big or small, famous or not? As long as I get the education I'd like to pursue my goals, what does it matter?

Considering I don't even know what I want to do yet, I have no idea where I want to go, but in my head an Ivy League school just sounds so much better than a regular college. But, why? It's still education. It's still a piece of paper saying I graduated. I don't know.

These are the questions.

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25

2011-05-25T22:45:00.001-05:00

Oops.

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24: Good Day

2011-05-24T22:23:00.001-05:00

Today was pretty good. I got my school, visiting with my family, most of my homework, and babysitting done. Had some good, albeit interrupted, conversations. How was your day?

Starting tomorrow, I am only going to have 1 or less servings of soda (I don't drink much now, but I'd like to cut it pretty much out) and have more fruit than candy. Baby steps. I think that if I get my diet to a healthy, maintainable level, then I'll be able to become a pescetarian, then a vegetarian, and then possibly a vegan. I just want to simplify my diet so I feel better.

Well, this post took an unexpected turn. TTYTomorrow. <3

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23

2011-05-23T22:32:00.001-05:00

Sleep.

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21: The Day That Nothing Happened? and 22: Stuff

2011-05-22T22:46:00.001-05:00

Alrighty! Well, clearly we were all spared from the Rapture, so, congratulations on being the damned! ;)

I didn't really buy into this whole "the world is ending!" nonsense, because I believe that only God will decide when it's time and we won't have a clue. Obviously that is a tad scary, but it's what meant to happen, I suppose. Yesterday, I can honestly say that when the clock was approaching 7 (the expected time of Judgment, as I'd heard), I was getting a bit nervous. That's when my mind was thinking, well maybe God did have his people write in the Bible a warning and this is it. But, lo and behold, we are still here.

Onward.

My family has been thinking a lot about the upcoming summer and the hectic schedule we have planned. It's going to be so much fun! Of course, y'all have heard our plans, what with the wedding and the West Coast and the fishing and concerts and all. Very exciting. :)

I'm still reading Minimal Student and loving it. It's so amazing and it's inspired my to get more of a jump on my goal of paring down my possessions and commitments. I have a garbage bag full of clothes ready to be donated, I've looked through tons of my old school stuff and am getting rid of a lot of it, and I'm planning on going through my books sometime this week. It feels wonderful to make this positive change!

Anyway, I'll speak at you tomorrow. Sweet dreams. <3

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20

2011-05-20T23:12:00.001-05:00

Goodnight. TTYTomorrow. <3

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19: Darn

2011-05-19T22:23:00.001-05:00

I almost forgot to post! Sorry. Better things tomorrow. Til then.

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18: On Life

2011-05-18T21:56:00.001-05:00

I had a fantastic and eye-opening textual conversation with one of my very best friends tonight. We got to our opinions on life and, while different, they both were passionate. Here's mine: We only get one life to do anything we want. We have opportunities every single day to try new things and find/focus on our passions. We can do absolutely anything we want and I like to be fully present. I look at life like something to be active in, not passive, letting it slip through your fingers. I want to do something that makes me truly, truly happy for the rest of my life, or else it's wasted.

This may sound like I want life to be a nonstop tornado of new adventures and experiences, however I think I want to become a minimalist and celebrate the simple pleasures, too. If you're jumping from one high to the next, you're not enjoying life to its full potential, because you're missing the little things. A private smile, something funny that only you saw, the pretty eyes of a stranger. Any of these things can change your life and every one you miss is a lost opportunity for happiness. I'm not saying that people should be paranoid that they'll miss everything, just that we should try to be present.

My friend's opinion is simple. She just wants her music and to watch other people. Their reactions, emotions, how they feel about where they are and how they got there. Hers is so wonderful and it opened my eyes to other points of view. I love her passion and strength and how she does what she does.

So, I want to know other people's opinions on how they live their life. Is it day-to-day just trying to get by? Do they lead it with full purpose and intent? Are others, like me, trying to find themselves? I want to know. I'll put this on FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube, anywhere. This is really interesting and I'm hoping to get some feedback. Leave your opinion as a comment or on one of the other sites I mentioned.

Peace, love, and simplicity.

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17: Greetings

2011-05-17T21:55:00.001-05:00

Hey, y'all. I've been reading a lot on Minimal Student, that blog I linked to yesterday, and I love it! It's so inspiring and it gives me applicable advice. :) Happiness.

Today, I ate 1 bowl of Cheerios, 1 chicken salad sandwich, 2 chocolate chip cookies, 1 mini Nutter Butter, some pistachios, a few peanut butter wafer cookies (love), some gumbo-like Campbell's soup, saltines with butter, a Banana Baby, and some mini Reese's. Yummy, but too much. My tummy doesn't like it. :(

Anyway, goodnight!

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16: Ohmygoodness

2011-05-16T21:30:00.001-05:00

I just watched the season finale of Gossip Girl and it was so. dang. good! I want to put my thoughts about it on here, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone or bore anybody with my fangirling. I'll have to save that for when I talk to my French teacher tomorrow. :)

Getting over that, I recently came across a website called http://minimalstudent.com/ and I love it! I've been looking for ways to more easily apply minimalism to my life as a teenager and student. Most minimalist sites I find seem to be targeted towards adults who have a lot more freedom than I do, so it's nice that this one pertains to me. The author Jessica Dang is very relatable and I think she's from the UK!

I don't feel like writing my noms down, so I'll just tell you what I'm reading. I finished rereading HP1 a few days ago and I'm onto the second one now. Love. I've not read the full series since the summer before 5th grade! Absurd.

Anywho, TTFN. <3

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15: Day Blog

2011-05-15T12:07:00.004-05:00

♫ Hello, world, hope you're listening. ♫

Well, hello there! I feel like I've been up for a loooong time, because I've been up since 8! For no particular reason, of course. It seems like I got a lot done, but this is what I did so far: ate breakfast, ate lunch, caught up on my YouTube subscriptions, finished checking over my French homework, started an assignment for Biology that I don't know when it's due, and read a tad. Pretty good day, and it's barely noon!

As you can see, I have lots of energy. I suppose I could exercise to release some of this energy. Perhaps.

I've been thinking a bit about YouTube lately. About watching vlogs, making vlogs, and the like. I'd really like to start. Now that I think about it, I feel that the only thing holding me back is the unwillingness to put forth the energy and time needed to go into the videos. This is a problem for me that translates to many things in my life (ie. school, reading, making plans, etc.). I think I'll talk to my pa today and ask him if I can.

On the rest of the todo list today: clean my room, finish Biology homework, exercise, check over my Algebra homework, and take a shower. Pretty relaxed.

I think I might start a tumblr. Probably for my personal use, to collect inspirations, but I might make it public. I don't know.

Sorry this post is so jumpy and unfocused. I'm just in an odd mood right now.

Breakfast was 2 blueberry Eggos and 1 bowl of Reese's Puffs.
Lunch was leftover tomato soup and noodles from yesterday.

Later, taters.

14: What Interests Me

2011-05-14T22:00:00.001-05:00

Books. Magazines. The interwebs. YouTube. Writing. People. Accents. Other languages. Gilmore Girls. Gossip Girl. Sarah Dessen's writings. Harry Potter. Blogs. Minimalism. The sky. Infinity. The afterlife. Fashion. Photography. Music. Instruments. The education system. Society. Cameras. Telephones. Nutrition. Antiques. Travel. Aaaaaand...

Nosh: 1 1/2 bowls of Reese's Puffs, many blueberry Eggos throughout the day, tomato soup and noodles. That's all I can think of, but I know I ate a lot, because j'ai une food-bébé.

Good night. >.<

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13: Why I Like Minimalism

2011-05-14T13:25:00.003-05:00

Sorry, sorry. I know that I'm late. Meh.

Here are the top 5 reasons why I like minimalism so much (btw, some of these are ones that I've read before, but I wholeheartedly agree with them) :

It makes you pick what's important, be it an item, an activity, a TV show, whatever. Minimalism is about paring down to what you absolutely need and gives you time and space to focus on the things you love.

The simplicity. Even though it may not seem like it on the outside, I adore simplicity. Having just enough and being able to cherish every object or thing you do is so inspiring to me.

The neatness of it. This goes along with #2. If you only have a few things, then nothing is cluttered or messy and it all looks clean.

The way it reminds me of the olden days. Minimalism makes me think of colonial times or even before that in developing nations like Egypt or France or anywhere else where people did not have or need a lot.

The rebelliousness of it. By not buying everything you see or like, you are taking a stand against corporations and consumerism. You are sending a message that you do not support what a company is doing. If you like a company and its concept, then you use your hard-earned dollars to invest in it, because money is your voice when it comes to buying.

These are just some of the reasons why I lovelovelove minimalism and what it stands for. Check out mnmlist.com or ZenHabits for more info on this topic.

I'll have another post up tonight for today.

Peace, love, and simplicity. ♥

12

2011-05-13T18:41:00.001-05:00

Food: 2 blueberry Eggos, 1 Rice Krispie Treat, 1 banana, peanut butter, hobo dinner (pork chop, potatoes, carrots, onion, and butter), and 1 Like It Peanut Butter Cup Perfection from Cold Stone. Lovelovelove.

Perhaps interesting content tomorrow, since it'll be the weekend, weekend.

Payce.

***Edit: Blogger was down Thursday night, so sorry for the late post.***

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11: Howdy

2011-05-11T22:23:00.000-05:00

So, I started swimming at school today. Eh.

Neither of the 2 bathing suits I had made me feel comfortable, so I just picked the 2-piece. Thankfully, I got a new one after school. A bikini. For realz. (I don't wear bikinis normally. Ever.) It's superduper cute and I have these purple swimming shorts that go over. So lovely!

Noms: 1 bowl of Cheerios, 1/2 a chicken salad sammich, 2 brown sugar cinnamon PopTarts, 2 blueberry Eggos, and Panda (white rice, Golden Treasure Shrimp, and Honey Walnut Shrimp).

I shall blog to you tomorrow, possibly about a worthwhile topic. Maybe.

Peace, lOvE, and simplicity.

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10: Ohmysweetdearlord

2011-05-11T06:31:00.001-05:00

Argargarg! Sorry, again. I'm going to try to make this the last one I forget. I have to get back into the habit of writing everyday!

Foods: 1 bowl of Cheerios, 2 blueberry Eggos, 1 hamburger avec ketchup, mixed fruit, pistachios, peanut butter wafer cookies (soooo good), 1 dark chocolate Banana Baby, 3 Checken Selects, a small order of fries, 3 Swedish Fish, and that's all I can think of.

I promise *cross my heart and hope to die* that I'll write again today.

Later, taters.

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9: Oh, no!

2011-05-10T07:18:00.001-05:00

I am sosososo sorry! I can't believe I forgot to post 9 days in! Drat.

Either way, this first post will be a short one, since I'm in the car on the way to school.

Fod: 4 blueberry Eggos (2 for breakfast, 2 for snack), 1 spicy chicken sandwich, applesauce, 1 Caramel World's Finest Chocolate bar, peanut butter, and hash.

TTYL

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8: Volleyball and Nosh

2011-05-08T22:13:00.001-05:00

Short post, yet again. :)

Howdy! Hope y'all had a great Mother's Day! I endured day 2 of the aforementioned volleyball camp. Today was much better than yesterday because 1. I knew what to expect, 2. I wasn't going in cold, and 3. I
it was 5 hours instead of 7.

Overall, I had a good time and got some good insight on the game. It occurred to me, while I was in line to hit, that I was about to be set by a former Olympic volleyball player. Someone who was the best of the best, earned his living doing what he loved. It was kind of an honor.

And... back to the present. Or the past, rather, since I'll be listing what I consumed this day: 1 bowl of Cheerios, 1 bag of mini Chips Ahoys, 1 turkey/tomato/lettuce/wheat bread sammich, leftover pesto from Portillo's, a bit of pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, a Fierce Grape Gatorade, a bit of Diet Pepsi, and a blueberry Eggo.

Off to bed to rest my awfully sore bod. Night.

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7: Short Post

2011-05-07T23:45:00.001-05:00

Hi, there. A week gone already. Wow.
So, today, my sister, my friend, and I participated in the first day of a volleyball camp run by Pat Powers, a former Olympic volleyball player. He is awesome and his theories, like overcorrection, are really good, but the camp was grueling. I've not played volleyball much since the season ended and this overworked me, I think. I'd say that, if I had joined a club or at least conditioned a few times a week, this wouldn't have have taken such a toll on my body. But, alas, I can be very, very lazy when it comes to athletics.

Before each drill he explained why we were learning it and how it benefited our playing, which I thought was amazing. Most coaches just tell you to do something but never explain why. Either way, then we would do the drill. He broke up the drills into 4 or 5 steps, adding each one as we went along. One criticism I have of the camp is that I feel he did not give us enough time between adding the steps. If I can't practice the step, how can I remember, let alone, add onto it and work it into my playing? I don't know. He said he wants to make us only think of one thing at a time, but if the thing we're supposed to build upon isn't second nature, how can we do it? Questions, questions.

When we left, I could barely move. It was excruciating. I did get a nap in and I took a Tylenol, so I feel better, but not much.

I'm excited to learn new skills and better my own tomorrow, because I think I do like volleyball, but I have a feeling that tomorrow's going to be even tougher. Wish me luck.

Nosh: 1 bowl of Cheerios, 1 double chocolate doughnut, 1 blueberry muffin (love), 1/2 of a Rice Krispie Treat, Pesto Cavatappi with chicken, a mini Reese cup, 1/2 a mini KitKat, and a spoonful of peanut butter.

Until tomorrow. :)

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6: Review of "Something Borrowed"

2011-05-06T23:24:00.002-05:00

Howdy. How're y'all doing? Thanks for joining me on Day 6 of BEDIM (Blog Every Day In May, in case you're new).

I went to see "Something Borrowed" with two of my friends today. Here's some background on the film: the 4 main characters are Ginnifer Goodwin (love her!) playing Rachel, Kate Hudson playing Darcy, John Krasinski (love) as Ethan, and Colin Egglesfield as Dex. It's a chick flick, with major drama and secrecy.

Before I saw the movie, I checked how long it would be - 1 hour and 43 minutes. By my standards, this is a pretty short movie. I've seen films as long as 3 hours and I'd say the average is at least 2 hours. I'm wondering if the producing companies are trying to tailor to the American attention span.

I love Ginnifer Goodwin! She is an amazing and emotional actress, who plays the quirky, quiet girl very well. Kate Hudson's characters, Darcy being no exception, are often loud and obnoxious. While she plays them well, it does get annoying after a while. John Krasinsky, AKA Jim from "The Office",'s character Ethan was too sarcastic or cocky for my liking. Don't get me wrong, I liked his story and I love me a good sarcastic remark, but it was a bit overkill. He is good-looking, though. Speaking of good-looking, Colin Egglesfield sure is a hunk! His character Dex was not as strong-willed as I would've liked. He seemed to be indecisive at times when a direct answer was needed. I guess you need a little suspense, though, right?

Overall, I liked the premise of unrequited, then mutual, love. The supporting characters, like Marcus and Clara/Claire were hilarious! While Dex's parents did make a few appearances, their role wasn't really defined. Maybe they'll be in the sequel.

Onto other things. Here's what I ate today: 2 blueberry Eggos, 1 chicken salad sandwich, 1 chocolate chip cookie, 1 Subway sandwich (9-grain wheat, chicken breast, tomatoes, pickles, green peppers, vinegar, oil, and caesar dressing), 1 bottle of Sprite, 1 box of SnowCaps (my weakness), and a bit of pesto chicken and mushrooms from Portillo's. That sure does sound like a lot, but it was rather spread out. Either way, it's late and I've got a big day tomorrow, what with the volleyball camp. Wish me luck!

Peace, love, and simplicity.

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5: Oops

2011-05-05T22:51:00.001-05:00

I keep forgetting to blog! Arg! I think I'll try blogging in the morning sometime.

Either way, here's a short post, since it's late.

Tomorrow, I'm going to see "Something Borrowed" with a bunch of my friends. It looks hilarious and I love Ginnifer Goodwin. I'll have a review of that sometime this weekend.

I ate 1 bowl of Cheerios with milk, 2 blueberry Eggos, 1 chicken salad sandwich, 4 mini KitKats, 1 glass of Pepsi, 2 bowls of spaghetti, 2 little pieces of garlic bread, and a few MnMs at lunch. :) BTW, the Polish pastry I had the other day was a strawberry or cherry (I can't remember which) kolaczki. Yummy. :)

Also, did anyone see Gossip Girl this week? I just watched it today. So good. Chuck = psychotic when drunk, though. Either way, best episode in a while.

Peace, love, and simplicity.

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4: Continuation

2011-05-04T22:53:00.001-05:00

Sorry for yesterday, folks. I set out to post, but got very distracted. Oops. Alrighty, here we go, reasons why I write this blog:

1) For myself! Now, I do not believe this is selfish. I'm using this blog to capture memories and to be able to look back on when I am older. It's kind of like a public diary. :) I love comparing myself to myself. Seeing what I was like at this age (15) and seeing how I am at 20 or 30 or 50 and all the progress I've made will be amazing!

2) I want someplace to make my ambitions public. To have some sort of incentive to finish a project or accomplish a goal.

3) I want people to see the real me, my thoughts, my dreams, my opinions. This is one of the reasons I love reading other people's blogs. You get to hear their opinions and they can give you a new perspective.

4) Now this reason is very, very tiny. This is absolutely NOT the main reason why I do this. By putting my thoughts out there, there is a tiny, almost-not-there chance of dozens of people reading this. Hundreds. Thousands. Millions. The top 50 blogs in the world have millions of readers and I can't imagine how that would be. To influence so many people. To have them take enough interest in what you have to say that they go online every day to check if you've written a new post. Hmm. Daydreams.

Aaaaaanyway, these are some of my reasons. And, onward. Here's what I ate yesterday:
1 bowl of Cheerios with milk, 2 blueberry Eggos, 1 chicken salad sammie on a bun, some tater wedges, 1 vitamin water (my first time trying it, not strong enough), 4 Chicken Selects from Mickey D's, fries, a medium Sprite, and a fun-size KitKat.

And, today:
1 bowl of Cheerios with milk, 2 blueberry Eggos, 1 chicken salad sammie, 3 fun-sized KitKats, 2 bowls of mostaccioli, and 2 little pieces of French bread with butter. Oh, yeah. And one little Polish pastry that I can't remember the name of. Good stuff.
Alrighty. Nighty, night, readers.

Peace, love, and simplicity.

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3: Reasons

2011-05-03T22:47:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking for quite a while now about why I write this blog. I feel like it should be to bring other people entertainment, to share my creativity. While this is one of the reasons why I do this, there are others:

I almost forgot to publish this! List and food tomorrow. Sorry!

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2: Part Deux

2011-05-02T22:18:00.001-05:00

As I'm certain everyone's heard about the murder of Osama bin Laden, I wont weigh in on the issue.

So. 'Sup, y'all? I've been thinking a whole lot about my health today because I simply disregarded it. I ate awfully and didn't get much exercise. Bleh. I want to change my eating habits, I really do. I just can't seem to stick to it. So, as previously mentioned, I am going to start listing what I eat on here so I can keep track and publish my progress. I'm not going to start today, though, because I am way too ashamed.

As for exercise, I'll be starting tomorrow. My sister, my friend, and I are participating in a volleyball camp this weekend, so I need to condition! I hate being inactive, yet I do it so often. I definitely am going to start running. Push-ups, crunches, maybe a few sets of burpees. Nothing too hard to start off with. I need to figure out how to practice my volleyball skills, though. Bumping, setting, hitting, and the like. I know I have a perfectly good partner (aka my sister), but we oft argue whilst practicing. My cousin had the idea to ask if we could use park houses near our house in which to practice, and that is a definite possibility.

On a somewhat related note, I've chosen a habit to start changing for this month! I'm going to work on being less excessive. I even worked on it just before finishing this post! I emptied out my sock/tights/leggings drawer! It's absurd how many of each I had compared to my needs. I got rid of the definite unnecessary and put a few pairs of the socks I wear most often in a bag in my closet, so if I can't live without them, they're there.

And with that lovely anecdote, I bid you farewell. Sweet dreams, lovelies.

Peace, love, and simplicity.

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1: It Begins

2011-05-01T22:24:00.001-05:00

Now, I'm aware that I missed BEDA (Blog Every Day in April, for all y'all who don't know), but I'd like to do a modified version of that. What to call it? BEDIM? Blog Every Day in May? Hmm, I suppose.

Either way, I'm going to write a blog post every day this month! For two purposes: the first, to keep a log of my wonderful life for the world to read (for me to look back at's more likely). And, secondly, to teach me a bit of discipline. I'm having a hard time keeping promises to myself lately. It's discouraging, so I've decided to make a promise to my blog readers! I do solemnly swear to publish one post a day for the entire month of May, regardless of plans and unexpected adventures.

The topic for today, my dear readers, is my goals. I know if written about these before, but I've developed more and gotten rid of others, so this is an updated list. Plus, these will have plans of action. :) Always good in my book. By the way, these are on no particular order.

1) Learn to speak French fluently. I'm not sure if I've said this on this blog, but I study French at school. I've always loved the language and, learning about the culture, it definitely seems like I could live there someday. People have told me that taking Spanish would actually be useful, but I say it depends. It depends on your job, where you live, and where you plan to live or travel. I took the language that I thought I'd enjoy the most.

2) Learn to speak Polish fluently. I've only recently taken to loving this language. It absolutely entrances me how it sounds completely different than it looks. I love how it sounds, too, of course.

3) Travel. Just, in general. To different countries, states, even cities. I just want to see the world from different points if view. It amazes me constantly and I always think that, at this very moment, billions of people are in different places doing completely different things than I am. Europe is an especially incredible place to me. I have this notion in my head that Europe is the United States done right. They don't have this crazy trillions-of-dollars debt or an absurd obesity rate or sky-high stress levels. Europe equals simplicity in my mind and I love it. This also contributes to my desire to learn Polish, French, and any other language that I can.

4) Be content. This is something I'm working for every day, if that makes sense. I know it sounds contradictory, but I'm working on being happy exactly where I am in life.

5) Dance. This may sound a little silly, but it's something I really want to do. I want to be able to move freely and not look like a seahorse on an acid trip. Okay, I don't actually look like that, but it sounded funny in my head. :) Dancing is really captivating to me. I'm not talking about this grinding and juking nonsense. Choreographed dancing, like broadway and ballet. Ballet is incredible and beautiful and lovely and captivating and I'd love to learn how to do it. Broadway dancing and singing is just beautiful to me. I don't know. I like weird things. O.o

6) Find my passion. I'm working hard to discover this now. I'm trying new things, revisiting old activities, and keeping my mind open so I can see what I truly like to do. I don't want to be stuck in a 9 to 5 job for 30 years that I hate. That's not going to happen to me. I want to love waking up in the morning and doing what I love every day. It's quite the journey.

That's all I can think of right now, except for the obvious, like graduating from college and having a family and such.

I realize this was a long post, but thanks for reading this far. :)

Peace, love, and simplicity.

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Life in Progress

2011-04-21T22:19:00.001-05:00

Howdy. This post is just a little update on my life right now.

So, I think I'm sick. I have that drained feeling in the center of my chest that makes it unpleasant to breathe. Not so good. I think I'm due for an illness, anyway, because I've not gotten sick all winter. Meh.

I'm still into minimalism and simplicity, though I'm not sure I want to become a minimalist. The whole concept of paring down just to the necessities really fascinates me. My room is a tidbit messy right now, but that's partially due to the fact that I'M ON SPRING BREAK! It's very strange to me that I only have a few, I think 7, spring breaks left. Hmm. Aging.

Either way, I still have quite a bit of homework left to do. I promised myself that I wouldn't leave it until the last minute, but that minute is fast approaching. I just need to print out a few pictures to finish up a biology project, outline a section for world studies, write a poem and essay about a poem, study for a biology test, finish 3 biology PowerPoint guides, and memorize my part of a French script for a presentation. That seems like a whole lot, but isn't. I definately don't want to have to worry about it on Easter.

Random: Today I found out that my friend is going to be in Las Vegas for the last 2 or 3 days that my family is going to be there. Also, our hotels are 0.2 miles away from each other. :) Victory.

Update on working out/eating healthier: Hasn't really happened yet. I know I need to recondition for volleyball, since I'm doing a camp in the beginning of next month, but I just haven't had the motivation/discipline to do it yet. All in due time, I suppose. Also, I think I'm going to start writing down what I eat everyday to get an accurate look at my nutrition and such. I don't know if I'll put it on here yet, bit we'll see.

Alrighty, off to rest my aching body. Sweet dreams.

Confidence level: 6
Books read this month: 1, sadly. I'm going to start rereading the Harry Potter series tonight in preparation for the next movie. :)

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Updates and philosophy.

2011-04-03T18:27:00.003-05:00

Howdy. How've y'all been? Sorry I haven't posted in such a long time. I get lazy and forget. Many a thing has happened since I last posted. This is just a bit of an update on all that, plus some philosophical thoughts. :) So, I am going to 2 Taylor Swift concerts this summer! She is my #1 celebrity role model and it's crazy to think I am even going to be in the same room as her. Obviously, I am incredibly excited! This summer, in general, is supercrazy for me, what with fishing and concerts and weddings and travelling to the WEST COAST! It's going to be a blast and, cross my heart and hope to die, I promise I will blog while I'm on these adventures. Promise. Another adventure on the horizon is going to England next summer (2012)! I applied at my school to travel around England for 10 days and I got picked! All my friends that applied were also chosen to go, so this trip is going to be really memorable. More on this when the time nears. As you might remember, one of my life goals was to become a minimalist. Well, I've decided that I don't want to become one. I love that about life. You can be so passionate about one thing one minute, then the next, you can change your mind. I love it. ♥ I cleaned out my room a bit. It now has actual curtains and one less (rather large) piece of furniture, so it definitely looks opened up. So, to summarize, I do not want to become a minimalist, but I don't want to have an excess of possessions. Compromise. :) And, here come the philosophical thoughts... I've been thinking about it. I'm always thinking to myself, "I wish my teeth were whiter." "I wish I was taller." "I wish my hair was longer." "I wish my eyes were greener." When am I ever going to be satisfied with myself? Will I ever feel the contentment of knowing that I am exactly where I need to be? As I'm typing this, I have teeth whitening strips on! I want to be at peace with myself. That's something I need to work on. (Irony... improving myself so I'm content with myself.) That's going to be a new goal of mine. I am going to work on my confidence. In fact, I just went to report card pickup day at my school with my dad and almost every teacher told me I don't have enough confidence. Honestly, telling me that doesn't help. I know this. I know I need to feel comfortable with myself, but the drive has to come from me, not from anyone else. On to sunnier topics... I've been reading a blog called Tongue in Cheek lately and it's really inspired me. The writer is Corey Amaro, who is an American women who has lived in France with her husband for over 20 years. She's absolutely inspiring and her blog makes me want to live in France. The simplicity of life, going to the local bakery to get baguettes, going to brocante (antique fairs; her passion), all the little moments, cherished. It's amazing. I will definitely go to France in the future. Someday. But, for now, I sit typing away in my little hometown of nearly 3 million people. Goodnight, youngins. ♥ By the way, I'm going to be doing something that a few of the bloggers I follow do. I'll be keeping a count of certain things at the bottom of my blog posts. Hopefully I can remember. ;) Confidence level: 5 Books read this month: 1 Dreams and aspirations: countless

Progress, Winter Ball, and Music

2011-01-30T21:46:00.003-06:00

Hi, there. I know, posting 2 days in a row? Absurd! Either way, here I am.

As you know, I posted about wanting to become a minimalist yesterday. Well, today I decided to get to it! Mostly I just put stuff where it belongs, but I made progress nonetheless! Even my dad noticed that my room was cleaner!

So, I completely forgot to mention yesterday that Friday was the Winter Ball! It is a dance that was held in my school's main gym and I'd say at least 300 people were there, but I'm no good at estimating. Especially with pasta, but that's another story. I went with a group of my friends, plus my sister! At the ball, my sister and I mostly hung out with two other friends that we met there. And we danced. I know in a previous post I wrote about the Freshmen Dance and how people weren't awkward or self-conscious and this dance was the same thing! I love that. I love what music does to people.

Music has always been an influence in my life. Something about it is just so powerful. Listening to certain types of music has gotten me through a lot of tough times in my life. Sometimes I have to change the station on the radio or skip to the next song on my iPod because a certain song will make me feel something I don't want to feel at that moment. For example, I had a Linkin Park phase for a long time. For those of you who don't know, LP is grungy, rocky, and very rebellious. I still love their music, but when I hear some of their songs now, I just feel so angst-y.

Alternatively, Long Live by Taylor Swift, which just came on my iPod, gives me so much hope and inspires me. Maybe I'm just impressionable, because it's the same way with books and movies. A book I read not too long ago, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, gave me a terrible, horrifying nightmare. And that's just from a book.

I have to go to bed now, as it's a school night, but I shall write again soon.

Magic.

Lifestyle Changes

2011-01-29T20:52:00.003-06:00

Heyo! Yes, yes, I know haven't posted in a while. But... onward.

I've been reading many, many posts on Zen Habits. The main author, Leo Babauta, writes about his minimalist, vegan, incredibly simple life. For months, I've been wanting to simplify my life and I've found something that is constantly inspiring and motivating me to do it. In his posts about making the changes in your life to become minimalist, vegan, simpler, or just healthier, he emphasizes small steps. Gradually changing into the truest you. So, I am going to start.

I'm going to outline the changes that I want to make and give myself a "deadline" for each one, so I'll be sure to keep on track. Also, my progress is going to be periodically put up on here, so you guys can see how I'm doing.

First, my space. Currently, I live in a 9-by-11 bedroom with a walk-in closet. My room is small by most standards and not packed, so much as cluttered. I have recyclables, clothes, boxes, and other random things on my floor and, honestly, most of that, I don't really need. And that's only on my floor. The surfaces of my nightstand, windowsill, bookshelf, and dresser, among other things, are strewn haphazardly with arbitrary (word of the day) stuff. By May 29th, 2011, I will have half as many possessions in my room as I do now.

Next on the space agenda is my locker. I know that it's just this little space to call my own, but I need to at least keep it clean. I'm going to purchase an add-in shelf or two, so I don't have to be kneeling to get to my books. Organizing my locker should only take me about 15 minutes or so after school one day, so I'll give this a week (by February 5th), so I can go buy the shelves.

On to my time. As of now, I have a semi-free schedule after school save for some sports, commuting times, and clubs. But how I use my free time needs to be put to better use than excessive sleeping, watching TV, using the computer, and just vegging out. I want to put my skills and talents to good use. From tomorrow on, I am going to set aside one hour to do something for another person or to be creative. *Post about Etsy coming up soon.*

Of the creative things to which I can dedicate myself, I've been very consumed with the idea of making YouTube videos. Video blogs, or vlogs as they are know as today, are very popular. In vlogs, people talk about their life, much like a text-based blog. I'm subscribed to many a vlogger on YouTube and they all inspire me to do interesting things with my life. I plan to do little trial runs on my digital camera (but not uploading them) just to see what it's like. If I do enjoy this, I am going to put my money down and buy a good video camera and start uploading! That is, if I get my father's permission. ;)

Next, my eating habits. I am going to start eating less and healthier. THIS IS BY NO MEANS BECAUSE I HAVE AN EATING DISORDER, because I don't. I am doing this because I constantly see and hear about the increasing obesity rate, number of heart attacks, and all these health problems that could have been prevented by eating healthier and exercising. I am not going to shorten my life by eating all junk food. This post on Zen Habits reminded me that you're not supposed to eat just to keep you alive; eating is supposed to be a fun experience. One that doesn't make you feel guilty or sick afterwards.

I am going to start eating whole, real foods. Fruits, veggies, things that taste good and that the earth created, not machines. I plan to cut out about half of the processed foods that I eat (by January 1st, 2012). The other half will be when I go with my family to fancy restaurants, where I don't exactly have another option. I love the Whole Foods supermarket, even though I've only been there once. They have fresh, organic foods that make you feel good when you eat them, not guilty. I know that my dad wants to start eating healthier, too, so I am going to help my family start making better food decisions at the grocery store.

These are the main three areas in my life that I am going to work to simplify, but I'm sure there are lesser ones that could use some toning up, or down rather. Thanks for reading this, even though it was particularly lengthy.

Love.

P.S. I'm going to tweak the graphics on this blog to fit the purpose a little better. Tell me what you think. :)

Almost 2011!

2010-12-31T23:23:00.002-06:00

I wanted to write one last post during 2010, just to list some things I want to remember, be grateful, or whatever comes to mind.

5 good things that happened to me in 2010:

1. I started high school!

2. I made a ton of new friends.

3. I'm closer to knowing who I am.

4. I've accomplished many, many things, but have new aspirations.

5. I've become closer to my real friends.

4 not-so-good things that happened to me in 2010:

1. On of my best friends passed away.

2. I've become distanced from my sister.

3. I didn't accomplish a lot of things that I'd have liked to.

4. I lost touch with important people.

I have so many goals and things I want to do in the new year. I'm going to write another post !next year! about my resolutions and goals.

God bless A.O. [7.31.2010] Missed, loved, never forgotten.

High school has been good so far, but I haven't taken full advantage of it. I'm sorry to all the friends I've grown apart from, but I promise we'll reconnect this new year.

I can't wait until 2011, because I've got so many things I want to do!

Peace, love, and happy new year!

Slow down.

2010-11-04T22:33:00.003-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while and I do have topics I would like to write about, but I'm not going to right now because it's past my bedtime.

Anyway, today is my fifteenth birthday. I don't feel fifteen. I don't feel older. All I feel is scared. It doesn't seem right for me to be fifteen. Obviously, I don't want to be forever young and I do want to live a full life, but it's going by so quickly. I just want everything to slow down. I want to be able to feel each emotion and stay in the moment, but it's hard when the world is moving so fast.

In my next couple of posts, I'll be writing about veganism, happiness, my birthday, time management, growing up, Taylor Swift, and anything else that comes to mind.

Peace, love, and simplicity. Always.

Speak Now

2010-10-24T23:35:00.000-05:00

I know if my dad catches me writing this, he's going to be angry, because it's late, but I am just so excited! Taylor Swift's new album, Speak Now, is being released in less than half an hour. I know that I'm probably not going to get the album until Tuesday, but it is just too amazing!

It's going to change my life, just like everything else she does. To school tomorrow, I am going to wear my white Taylor Swift shirt, that I bought at her October 9 concert last year. I have never worn it, but I'm excited to. I want to paint a 13 on my hand, like Taylor does, but I don't know if that's going to work out.

I recently found out that one if the girls on my volleyball team is just as in love with Taylor Swift as I am! She was surprised to hear that the only single I've listened to is 'Mine'. I don't know why, but I just want to listen to the album as a whole. I want it to be special.

I'll take a picture when I get the album and I'll probably either write a blog post, tell you on FaceBook, or both.

Peace, love, simplicity, and Taylor Swift. <3

Bahdahdah.

2010-10-23T00:16:00.003-05:00

♫Taste you on my tongue, with your lips to kiss like the red, hot sun. You're one big sugar rush. Suck me in, suck me in, hold me down 'til the very end!♫

Life is good. Yesterday was the Freshmen Dance at my high school. For my very first high school dance, it was really great! I learned what juking (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=juking) is, though not by experience I am proud to say. It's really interesting to me how different the dancing is from grade school to high school. At the dance, people weren't holding back or being awkward or anything like that. It was very cool.

The dance ended badly. A girl either popped her knee out or she broke her leg. People aren't sure. Either way, we were evacuated, there was an ambulance, and we get a free dance next Friday. Lose-win?

As for the educational part of school, I think I'm doing pretty well. I have all As and Bs, which quite lovely. :) I'm trying to balance school, sports, clubs, and a social life, and I'm getting there. For sports, I did volleyball and I am going to try out for bowling. I don't think I am going to do basketball because 1. I really don't want to add another activity to my schedule and 2. I think I'd be playing for my dad and I refuse to do that. If I'm going to do something, it's going to be for me, because this is my life.

I've been to Polish Club and Christian Club meetings, and I missed the first French Club, Key Club, and Cereal Club meetings. I haven't heard anything about the Baking, GSA, and Vegetarian clubs. I am not joining the Polish, French, or Cereal Clubs, but I am definitely doing Christian Club. I don't know about any of the others, but we'll see and I'll let you know.

I am very sleepy. Today, I found out that someone who sits very near me at lunch and who told me to add him on FaceBook is the cousin of someone in my graduating class. What a small world, no? I find it to be absurd that I know that particular person in over 4,000 people.

I think I'm a pretty honest person. I like to keep everything in the open, so there is not confusion as to my morals, likes, dislikes, and life, in general. It feels good to have people really know you. BUT, I want to be completely honest. I don't lie consciously, but I want to make sure I don't do so subconsciously. Plus, I want to be sure that my friends know of any skeletons I have. My skeletons like to hang out on the dance floor, not in a closet. So, I would like to post at least one completely honest thing about myself on FaceBook at least every week. That would make me happy.

I'll talk to y'all in a few days. LaYtAh. ♥

Glorious Day

2010-10-01T17:17:00.006-05:00

Hey, readers! Since I last typed to you, I started ye olde high school. It is so awesome! I have tons of friends from volleyball and I'm meeting people in my classes. It's hard to believe that I just finished my first 4 weeks of high school!

Last Monday was Club Day for the Freshmen, where all the clubs set up tables in the cafeteria and you sign up for whatever you're interested in joining. You go to the first meetings and, if you don't like them, you don't ever have to go again. Pretty free, no? Any-who, I signed up for Polish Club, French Club, Cereal Club (yes, it believe it will be as cool as it sounds), Baking Club (I'd say about 1/4 of the Freshies signed up for this one), Vegetarian Club (one day...), GSA, Christian Club and, Key Club. I think I might have forgotten one, but, oh well. I'll continue with this topic later in the post.

Today, as you can tell from the title, was indeed glorious. Yesterday, I left my folder (in which I keep EVERYTHING) in my first period class. I went back to get it right before lunch and a different teacher was there and [older] people were presenting something. I ran in, the teacher gave me a really weird look, looked around for the folder, and ran out, because it wasn't in sight. I freaked out about that all day yesterday, but today was a new day.

When I went to my first period class, there it was, with everything still in it. That started my high. In Algebra, my second period class, we were assigned a mini-project. Whoever does the mini-project the neatest will receive extra-credit points on their next test. Drafting was fun, as always. P.E./Health was good and watched a video that everyone else thought was cheesy, but I loved it. Lunch was fine and I got to meet new people and talk to a new-ish friend. Biology. This class is where one of the high points of my high school career so far happened. So, there's this boy... ;) Anyway, it ended with him putting his arm around my shoulders and my putting my arm around his waist. This happened while he was blindfolded, mind you, but he did it deliberately. In French, we were assigned a family tree project that is going to be so much fun and in World Studies, we took a test. This test wasn't necessarily hard, but I know I got a few points off. Eh, it's a give-and-take.

After school, I went to my very first club meeting of my high school career. It was for Christian Club and it was so fun! I met a lot of people who seems like they would be fun to hang out with. :) My friend's friend, who is also in Christian Club, Polish Club, and the GSA, lives near me, went to a school near me, and takes the same bus and train home as me. On the bus, she and a random girl struck up a conversation and they had so much in common! They sounded like they were really good friends, but they were complete strangers. I love coincidences. >

All days should be as glorious as this. My description may not sound very brilliant, but the natural high I had all day was fabulous.

Yet another blog post all.about.me. Eh, it's my blog, I suppose. I'll have something more worldly next time, which will not be 2 months from now. Sorry 'bout that. Love ya'll.

Peace, love, and simplicity. *hearts*

P.S. Let me know how your day was in the comments...

Bettering myself and others.

2010-08-22T12:52:00.005-05:00

Hello, there. I think I'll do 2 blogs today, because I have 2 ideas that don't exactly relate well in one blog.

Yesterday was my family reunion! It was extremely fun and I love to get together with people I rarely get to see. My sister and I almost took the trophy for horseshoes, which we had never played before, but got beaten out by two of our uncles. Ah, well; it was fun nonetheless.

Recently, a few bad things have happened in my life. A few weeks ago, I had that tragedy and, now, another one occurred. I want this to stop. I know I need to take care of myself and I know that my friends and family need to do the same.

Quite a few of my family members smoke and it drives me crazy. Not only can I barely tolerate the smell of smoke, but it's just plain disgusting. Why would you want to put your body through that? I know tobacco is supposed to be really addictive, but I know someone (who I look up to) quit with sheer determination. No special pills or gum or patches, just will. If they can do it, cold-turkey, why can't other people? It confounds me.

I think I might start a sort of family campaign to better our lives. Maybe something with getting people to stop smoking, start eating healthier, or exercising more. That would be really fun! Plus, I know something has to be done. Almost every single one of my elders has at least one medical problem. They blame it on old age, but I know it's not only that. We have to start taking care of ourselves and each other.

In order to evade hypocrisy, I am going to better myself, as well. I will start eating healthier and exercising regularly (God knows I will, with all these volleyball practices). I will detox myself and become the healthiest I can be. I know I can get out of this rut and make myself feel better. I can start by eating less junk food and taking walks more often. Just the little things, no extremes.

I feel decisively determined.

Peace, love, and simplicity. *heart*

Moo.

2010-08-19T16:36:00.002-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while. Just sortin' things out.

Since my last post, I made my high school's freshmen volleyball team! Woohoo! All the girls are really nice and funny. It feels like I've known them for a longgggggg time. Our first game is this upcoming Monday and I am excited! We get to take buses to the away games and we get taken out of class early on days we have earlier games. It's much different from grade school volleyball. The practices are longer and harder. They really push us and the conditioning is killer, but it makes me stronger.

Yesterday I watched Cinderella, just because I felt like it. I might watch the second one tomorrow. I love watching G-rated movies. They make me feel good, for some reason.

School begins in 19 days and I am super-excited! I was weary before, but making the volleyball team kind of reassured me that going there was the right decision. I made a schedule for a project that I have to do (due the second day of school) and, as usual, I am not following it. I should be doing that. By the by, I still have no idea what I'm doing for the science fair project. This is no good because the entire first semester is devoted to it. *thuds head on wall*

I am going to go work on working on the other project. Wish me luck!

Peace, love, and simplicity. *heart*

Hello again.

2010-08-06T17:42:00.003-05:00

Greetings to my reader(s). (Hi, Aunt Wendy!) I would like to thank you for your patience with me and my lack of posts in the recent past. Like I said, serious tragedy.

Anyway...

I've decided that I am going to live my life to the fullest. I'm not quite sure how to go about doing this, but I am sure-as-heck going to try. To start this adventure, I am going to list some things that I already like to do and things I'd like to try.

I like to cook, read, run, walk, build, tend to plants (only a few), write, play music, listen to music, watch videos on YouTube, go to office supply stores, go to independent stores, see movies, be independent, and spend time with my friends and family. Building off these things and adding more, I'd like to take cooking classes or teach myself to cook, read books I wouldn't ordinarily read, walk more often, perhaps start creating things, plant plants in pots, start writing the novel I planned to write (due date = May 2nd, 2011), perhaps start writing music, seek out new music that I would not ordinarily listen to, go to a movie by myself, go to a new restaurant by myself, do things by myself (to prepare for "the real world"), start making videos on YouTube, design stationary, venture to new independent stores, spend more time with my friends and family, and go horseback riding.

I know that, if I do these things more often, I will increase my quality of life, which is exactly what I'm trying to do. I don't want to feel so tired anymore. I don't want to sit at home all the time. I don't want to reject invitations from my friends just because I don't feel like hanging out. I will make the most of my childhood and life. I don't want to have so many regrets. I want to live.

I've recently been advised to try things by myself. Things like going to a movie, going to a restaurant, going into a store, etc. I've been reading things that make me know that I need to learn how to become independent. It's vital. I will become more independent, but I will not lose my friends and family. I will make more friends and I will not settle into a comfortable rut. I will get out of my current rut.

This is starting today. No more fear! I will post my progress.

Peace, love, and simplicity. (heart)

Delay.

2010-08-04T00:02:00.002-05:00

I know I haven't posted recently, but a very serious tragedy occured in my life. I can't go into detail, out of respect, but please pray for me. I'll be posting more often, but I just need time to collect myself. Sorry. ♥

Thinking.

2010-07-28T23:40:00.001-05:00

Right now, I have this heart-aching-breath-is-caught-in-my-throat feeling. I believe it's because I have the immense need to hug this certain person. Hmm.

Today, while eventful, had very few noteworthy events. I got up, started making a calendar for August, ran a bunch of errands with my father, had a slight fiasco, rented 6 movies, and watched one and a fifth of said movies.

The fiasco. Long story short, it involved my sister getting angry at me concerning paper, but it ended happily with some ice cream.

Yesterday, I went swimming again! The water was refreshing at first, but it quickly became frigid. I went to my grammy's after, which was also fun. :)

I recently stumbled upon a song called "The Only Exception" by Paramore. For some odd reason, it makes me think about my graduating class.

I've been thinking a lot about regrets lately. It could be because I just watched "I Love You, Beth Cooper", but I think it started before then. I'll expand that thought soon, but I'm typing this on my phone because my computer is angry, so it's a bit frustrating.

TTFN.

Peace, love, and simplicity. <3

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Renaissance Faire!

2010-07-25T22:57:00.003-05:00

This year's Bristol Renaissance Faire was awesome! I wore my blue and purple flowered dress, that has a layer of tulle which gives the skirt a slightly poofy look. I love it.

Let's start from the beginning, shall we? The clouds made my sister and uncle, along with the other Faire-goers a bit weary about the conditions of the day, but I was confident that it wouldn't rain much more. The sky did indeed perk up and let the sun shine down for a while. It was quite comfortable.

We got there just after the opening ceremony and had to wait awhile for my uncle's friends to come. When we did get into the Faire, my sister and I split off from the group to shop for about an hour. We found our group at one of the many Gypsy Geoff shows that occurred that day. My uncle's friend's wife's grandson even got to be part of the show and challenged Geoff for a duel.

After that, we walked around some more and got lunch. My sister and I shared a bowl of garlic mushrooms and a bread stick and, while they weren't very filling, they were delicious. We saw Moonie after that, which I said recently was one of my favorite shows. I don't remember the order of the rest of the day, but I do know what happened.

All the shows that we watched are Moonie, Barely Balanced Acrobatics (very entertaining), part of Gypsy Geoff, and the Washing Well Wenches. The Washing Well Wenches was, by far, my favorite show. This year was the first I had seen it and it was absolutely hilarious! Both the women (wenches), Dottie and Ruby, reminded me of people I know or have seen movies of. They were so entertaining and they really got the audience involved. Though I won't go into detail, Ruby and Dottie made 4 men do things like run up to a random guy on the phone and yell, "Daddy! Daddy! Why did you leave me?" (both men hugged, though they did not know each other and the guy on the phone didn't know what was going on) and they made one guy run to a nearby hill, put on a gigantic pair of underpants, and yell, "In my big boy pants, I can do anything!" Overall, it was my favorite part of the Faire.

The items that I bought are awesome! I got a blue steel rose that is scented with rose essential oil, a little tiara on a pink ribbon (necklace), and a beautiful gypsy-type ankle bracelet that jingles every time I take a step. Along with those things, I got a bar of peppermint soap, a small blue bag of fairy dust, and a lavender eye pillow. I also got a beautiful book of fairy history ("Fairies and Fairy Stories: A History" by Diane Purkiss [see above picture]). It was rather expensive, but I thought it would be worth it. There was another fairy book that was a sort of journal of a fairy, that I thought was really cool, but I decided to buy it online later (Fairyopolis: A Flower Fairies Journal by Cicely Mary Barker). It is just like a journal, with little things glued in it and pictures. I thought it was really adorable.

I went on a pirate ship ride that was manned by a very, very cute boy. Although he was much older than me, his was sweet and even helped me down off the ride. *sigh*

My grandma, who made my sister and I flower crowns to wear for the Faire, might make us dresses for next year! I am, personally, extremely excited! Even if she ends up not making them, I'll probably dress up. I love wearing dresses and would like to start incorporating period clothing into my normal wardrobe. I especially love the belts that the women used to wear that had everything on them. Yesterday, I saw women carrying mugs, fans, parasols, their money, and oodles of other things on them. I would love to have one. I also plan to purchase a cloak-type thing to wear over my clothes in the winter. What I'm looking for has a hood and a clasp that closes at the neck (much like the one Jamie in "A Walk to Remember" wears during the play).

On a related note, I watched "A Walk to Remember", along with several other movies, this weekend. I love re-watching it because, even if it does have a bittersweet ending, it just makes me feel inspired. I don't know how to describe it, but it makes me feel good. Such a lovely movie.

Alright, it's time to put that lavender eye pillow to good use. Goodnight!

Peace, love, and simplicity. ♥

Day 4 and Renaissance Faire!

2010-07-23T18:56:00.003-05:00

Day 4
Day 4 was okay in some ways, but disappointing in most. It's crazy; I thought I would be having a great time, but this Alpha program is a bit trying. Yesterday, I went up to the un-air conditioned library yet again. This is where I spent about 3 hours worrying to no end.

By this day, every person in the Alpha program that was there was supposed to run their science fair project idea by the teachers in charge. I went up with 3 ideas (all Environmental Science) the first time and all were rejected. The teacher I went to barely looked at the second and third ones before saying, "No." He wanted to change completely the one I liked most, the first one. So, I headed back to my table (where I was sitting by two people I had met in the days before, who were very helpful).

Again, the upperclassmen were walking around, trying to help those whose ideas did not get approved, which was mostly everyone. I ran each of my ideas past a few of them and they were pretty much misunderstood and/or shot down. Some people, however, actually seemed like they wanted to help me. The idea that I liked was made fun of and deemed "impractical". I worked and reworked each idea until I was ready to lose my mind.

I finally went up to the other teacher and told her that I had originally wanted to do something concerning Behavioral Science (that was the one thing that went right). She was incredibly helpful while she looked over my pages of ideas, set me up on a computer, and give me several nudges in the right direction. While I did not come up with a concrete idea, I was told that I could always e-mail her during the summer to confirm a new idea.

Thank goodness for helpful and encouraging teachers.
*******************

Anyway, that is the past and I will try not to dwell on it, even though I will need to come up with something new. It's a good thing I have something to look forward to!

Tomorrow, I am going to the Renaissance Faire! My uncle has taken my sister and I, along with his friends and their grandson, for the past three years, although they have been going for quite some time. It's such a magical time and, this year, I'll be going in very, very partial costume. My grandma made my sister and I nearly matching flower crowns. They are beautiful and I plan to wear mine for upcoming years, as well (as long as it stays intact).

I love seeing all the performances (including my two favorites, Broon and Moonie), but my favorite part is going around to all the little shops. They have oodles of book, snack, candle, aromatherapy, and period costume shops, along with many others! I love looking at the little doodads these dedicated people come up with. Some of them are rather expensive, but they seem to be worth their price.

There is so much more I'd like to say about the RenFaire, but I'll save it for my recap either tomorrow or Sunday.

On a tangent, I watched Memoirs of a Geisha for the first time today. It was very beautiful and inspiring, while cruel and eye-opening. The geisha were so precise and elegant, if not horribly treated and suppressed. I really, really enjoy the beauty of Japanese culture, though I do not know about the government. Perhaps I'll further this topic in the future.

Peace, love, and simplicity. ♥

Days 2 and 3.

2010-07-21T21:28:00.008-05:00

Day 2
Yesterday was eh. The Alphas were herded into the library (hotter than Hades, might I point out) and we were given tips on how to present our Science Fair Project by an Alpha upperclassman. She told us things like be loud, make charts and graphs, don't go crazy with the colors, et cetera. Guess how much the poster board that we have to get is. 15 dollars! Eeesh!

After the library pep talk, we shuffled into one of the many computer labs and learned about researching and sources and the like. Unfortunately, I was asked to give my name and a book title to one of the teachers presenting. I introduced myself and promptly made a complete fool of myself. Like an idiot, I said, "Twilight." And, as soon as it left my lips, I knew I was making a mistake. Really? Twilight? THAT'S THE BEST I COULD COME UP WITH? And, guess what? It wasn't even the first book that crossed my mind. First I thought of my favorite book, Picture Perfect (by Catherine Clark), then I thought of Harry Potter (by, duh, J. K. Rowling), and I landed on Twilight. Lord knows why I didn't say one of my first 2 thoughts. I don't know if any of the other freshies were laughing, but I know that some of the upperclassmen were. I'm really hoping that everyone forgets about that little ordeal, because I would like to keep that in the past. Ugh.

Then, we went into another computer lab and worked on Microsoft Excel with graphs. I left early from there, because I had the doctors appointment. It was odd, because that was the first time I've been there since my old doctor retired. Now, I have a male doctor. Fun. He sent in a student person to give us (my sister and I, because we went in at the same time) head-to-toe checks (listen to heart, check back for scoliosis, etc.). He left the room after asking us a bunch of questions and giving my sister her head-to-toe check. He had forgotten to do it for me. Oh, well. It wasn't that important. I hope. We didn't get any shots, but we do have some non-required ones that we should get in the near future.

Aaaanyway...

Day 3
Yet another failure to add to my list. Firstly, I fell asleep promptly after all 4 of my alarms went off. This put me 25 minutes behind schedule, so I had to rush. In doing so, I lost track of the time and missed the first bus I was supposed to take. So, I walked until I got to the next bus stop and waited there. I got on the train from there (no problems, thank goodness), and waited for my next bus. Which was late, mind you. So, the combination of my leaving early yesterday and getting there late this morning caused me not to know where I was supposed to go.

It took about 15 minutes of confusion for several very helpful people to get me in the right room. So, my lateness caused me to miss about 10 minutes of what the teacher had taught. Which is not good. I had not one clue what they were talking about, so I had to get more help from an upperclassman. I still didn't quite understand it by the time I left the room, but I plan to ask at some point.

On to the next computer lab. We recapped what we learned yesterday and were given the rest of the time to research for our project. The upperclassmen were coming around to see how we were doing and giving help. Both that came to me said that I probably shouldn't do Behavioral Science because 1. one of the teachers that has to approve the project doesn't like Behavioral Science and 2. I would need about 500 people to be test subjects (which I knew). I was discouraged from doing that category. And, of course, about 95% of my ideas (on both sides of 2 pieces of paper) were Behavioral Science!

This lead me to have to scramble to come up with new ideas in other categories. Did I mention that we have to tell them our project idea TOMORROW!?! Crazy, I know, but I persevered. I got on the bus, the train, and stopped to check the time that my next bus was supposed to arrive. "No arrival times available." Do you know how that feels? I walked home about 1.5 miles in 95 degree heat.

I worked on coming up with ideas for my science fair project for a while, then I walked with my twinerd partially (about 1/3 walking, 2/3 bus) to the mall to get lunch and to shop for a little bit. I bought a few things and, obviously, my feet hurt.

I had about 15 new ideas, I pitched them to my father, and he called quite a few of them "off-the-wall." Very encouraging, no? So, I tweaked some, got rid of most, and I'm down to 3! I'm leaning towards 1 in particular, but we'll see.

I didn't even mention that I believe I went with the wrong Alpha group, did I? I know, I know. Problem child.

***************************

I hate when I go on and on and on about nothing special. It's bothersome. Either way, tomorrow is my last day of Freshmen Connections, I'm going to my grammy's house, and I will finally have time to work on whatever this school wants me to do. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll make it out of Freshman Year alive. I hope so.

Peace, love, and simplicity. ♥

I survived.

2010-07-19T12:54:00.004-05:00

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!

I made it through my first day of Freshmen Connections!!! Plus, I took the bus and train without an adult for the first time. This is amazing!

I am so proud of myself, and I know that high school won't kill me! Sorry for all the !e!x!c!l!a!m!a!t!i!o!n !p!o!i!n!t!s!, I'm just really excited.

(Here's where I go into detail about everything that happened, so you can skip down to the line of asterisks, if you don't care.)

First, I met with my best friend, Omi, and we walked in together. We went into the auditorium and were separated, because I'm in Alpha Honors and, unfortunately, she is not. :(

Basically, the first semester is working only on the science fair project. I will be doing this project for the next four years, so, obviously, I need to pick a captivating topic. To add even more fun, I have to know what I want to do my project on in three days. Woo. But, luckily, I have two-ish-three ideas, so I should be good.

Then, we were given four papers (plain white, mind you; how boring) and directed into a classroom on the first floor. We went over the papers (about the science fair project, of course) and proceeded to a very, very hot computer lab. We actually researched for the project and I found some pretty cool stuff. After that, we were whisked away back to the auditorium. There, we were left alone with Alpha upperclassmen.

I have to be honest, they were pretty darn cool. They have an amazing camaraderie and build off each other. They are so funny and they strengthen my desire to be an Alpha. (By the by, it is so weird how we're "Alphas" now. It's like we're superior, which I don't want. I enjoy equality, thank you very much.) So, we were able to ask them anything we wanted about the Alpha program and life as an Alpha. They said that it could get frustrating sometimes (which I figured), but it was definitely worth it.

I was supposed to get out at 12:15, but they let us go at 10:50! So, I had to wait for Omi at McDonald's, which wasn't bad, because I was able to work on my project.

So, I may or may not have seen/slightly spoken to a VERY cute boy. Most likely, I did. ;) All we said was, "Thank you," and "You're welcome," but it was very meaningful, if that makes any sense. O.o

In short, I think I just might like high school.

**************************************

Anyway, I might post progress of my project on here. Possibly.

I know, if you read the account of my first day, that you may be thinking that I am nerdy or geeky or just plain weird. But, say what you will, because I am excited and no one can take that from me. Hmph! *stomps foot*

I have a doctors appointment tomorrow. I'm hoping for no shots, but my hopes may be unsuccessful. Eh.

Wish me luck! I might post each day, to recap my experiences at Freshmen Connections. Talk to you tomorrow!

Peace, love, and simplicity. ♥

Daydream

2010-07-17T13:49:00.001-05:00

I want to have tea everyday. I want a simple table dressed in a lacey, ivory table cloth with light blue and white tea cups, saucers, and little plates. An ivory tiered stand with scones, muffins, cucumber sandwiches. A little pitcher filled with cream for the tea and a crystal bowl for sugar. Tiny spoons and embroidered napkins, a vase of colorful flowers. A seat for every one of my friends and light music playing in the background. <3

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Well.

2010-07-16T21:46:00.004-05:00

Life has been seeming a little bit too good lately. But, nevertheless, I will enjoy it as long as I can.

Some amazing things that have happened recently:

I was assigned to read a book I've been wanting to read for months; I absolutely fell in love with it; and, beautifully, there's a sequel.

I got to go to Walker, MN, where they have at least 2 stores that are very near the kind that I'd like to open some day. Also, there is a tea room called The Enchanted Cottage at which you can reserve a tea time (either outside or in) and it's very Victorian. ♥

I learned that it doesn't make me a bad person not to finish every book I start.

I just got ice cream from Cold Stone. ♥

I realized that I am going to a great school, no matter if it wasn't the one I had originally planned on attending.

I am actually enjoying summer.

*****

It makes me very pleased that life is great now. I am thinking that it has always been great, though, but I had just not noticed it.

*****

I feel as if I have very distinct parts of my personality. They're actually very conflicting. One part of me loveloveloves all things having to do with Victorian times, lace, white, ivory, castles, sweetness, meadows, light, happiness, flowers, country, fields, dresses, skirts, love, and water. BUT, another part of me loves Linkin Park; slight darkness; mystery; "alternative", screaming-type music; and black. It's like good vs. evil in side of my head. It's quite surprising I haven't exploded yet.

I just felt the need to share that, because it's been on my mind. I've been thinking about how I'd like to present myself in high school. Obviously, I am against stereotypes and cliques, and all that, but I have to be something, right? I want to be quiet, loud, friendly, independent, bubbly, reserved, athletic, smart, serious, and silly. How one person can be all that is a mystery to me, but I have to try. I guess that I am all those things, but the people I've been around since Kindergarten (or before) understand that. They know I have different sides to me; but I'm afraid the people in high school might not.

I hate this pressure to be someone I'm not. But, maybe it's not an outside force contributing it. Maybe it's all in my head? I'm not sure.

*****

I just put quite a few (about 25) new songs onto my iPod. Woop!

*****

I will be attending Freshmen Connections at my school next week. That though thrills and terrifies me. It's great, because it will be a change to the routine I've fallen into, but it's scary because I (probably) won't know anyone in my division. It's yet another conflict. Right now, I am going to put an end to the conflict. It's going to be great, I'm going to meet new people, make friends, and be myself. The end. See? No negative thoughts. I can do it.

*****

I went swimming today. And, though I applied sunscreen liberally, I, unsurprisingly, burned. Again. I know I'm destined for skin cancer. Scary. I do try to protect myself, but to no avail.

*****

♫Who do you think you are, running around leaving scars? Collecting your jar of hearts, tearing them apart? You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul. Don't come back for me; don't come back at all.♫

^^^Great song.^^^

That reminds me, I wrote another song a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what to call it, but it has a lot of "I love you"s, so I guess that's a good enough title. I know, I know. A love song? Yes, I happen to be very fond of them, so shush. It's not about anyone particular. Or is it? The world may never know. Also, while I'd like to share it, it would have to be in audio form (because you can't appreciate it fully without hearing it). Which means I would be putting myself singing onto the internet, where people I know could be watching. Which I'm not sure I'm ready to do just yet.

Although, I do love to sing and I don't think I'm bad. So, perhaps. Hmm. I would need to get the instrumental part of it out of my head and into reality. I'm not sure how to go about doing that. Darn it

*****
I hate doing this, because I have a record for failing, but I am going to promise that I will write at least every other day. It helps that I can do it from my brand-spanking-new DROID now, though. Okey-dokey, later, Mater.

Peace, love, and simplicity. ♥

Update

2010-05-30T14:25:00.002-05:00

Ah, the dance.

It was absolutely fantastic! The theme was "City of Dreams", so the ground was decorated to be a street, there were streetlights, and there were skyscrapers with characatures of us on them. We got the DJ we usually get, Ernie Torres, who is amazing and hilarious. I will put up pictures eventually. I ended up dancing with 2 boys, both of which were during the playing of our class song (Ernie played it twice). (I won't name them or say anything else about it, because I plan to put a link to this blog on the FaceBook.) I did get one rejection, but it's alright.

Overall, the night was incredible.

I only have 2 days of school left. Monday is Memorial Day; Tuesday we're going to the park, so it shouldn't really count; Wednesday is normal; and Thursday we have a breakfast and then we go home. I can't believe how nostalgic I am. I didn't even get everyone to sign my ribbons yet! I came to my school in Kindergarten and have been with pretty much the same people for 9 years. Too many crushes, dramas, and petty fights, but the good outweighs the bad. I can't believe that I might not see some of these people ever again. That bothers me.

In recent news, some of my family has moved in with us, so that's pretty cool. It's nice to have a little change like that once in a while. My immediate family is going on vacation to the same place we go every year in a couple weeks! I love that place.

I think I just hurt my sister's feelings. Darn it.

Alright, I'll post again tomorrow. Later, Mater.

Bloggity Blog

2010-05-16T17:58:00.006-05:00

I like that I have a public blog now. Because, even if people don't read it, I know that they can. And that just makes me that much happier. :)

School
My school last day ever in my life as an eighth grader will be June 4th, the day of my graduation. I have mixed feelings about this, like I'm sure most people in my class have. I do want to graduate and keep progessing in my life, to high school, but I don't want to leave the familiarity of these people I've known for most of my life. I am truly going to miss each and every one of them. I don't care if they've been annoying or rude to me, most of them have been with me since kindergarten, at least. It's kind of scary to thing that I'll rarely see some of them again. It makes me want to redo the past 9 years and be nice to all of them. I know that I'll be going to high school with at least 5 of them, but that's only 1/10 of my entire class! It frightens me.

Hobbies
I recently decided that I am going to do as many things that I like to do as I can, and I will try to stop doing as many things that I don't like to do.

I wrote the above text 6 days ago. Today is the day of my graduation dance. I am quietly ecstatic. I got my nails painted a delicious red yesterday and my hair is in an amazing updo today. I'm going to apply my makeup in a little bit, get dressed, then go to have Mass and the (hopefully) best dance I've ever had.

Mmm... I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, because I don't want to be let down. I don't care how many boys I dance with, because I feel incredible. My nails are unbelievably perfect, as is my hair, and my makeup will be silently seductive. Just kidding, it will look pretty natural. As I was sitting in the chair to get my hair done today, I realized that I am actually very pretty. It's true that I I don't have the best complexion. I don't have the prettiest hair. But, I am lovely. This feeling of self-worth makes me feel alive.

I will post pictures in days to come. Wish me a night of fun, good memories, and maybe a little romance.

Peace, love, and simplicity.

I know, I know.

2010-05-11T22:43:00.003-05:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I haven't blogged recently. Sorry. I am just a bit unsatisfied with how my life is going right now. Okay, a lot unsatisfied is more like it. But, my problem is that I am frustrated with some things that I can't change. I won't mention them specifically (in case anyone I know ever reads this), but it does have to do with people sometimes.

Also, every so often, I get this awful feeling. It makes me feel so incredibly uncomfortable. I have it right now and it needs to go away. I feel so angry and irritable. I think it's affecting my twinsie sister. Ughhhhh. It's a feeling of dread and intense discomfort. You know that feeling you get if someone. Is really close the bridge of your nose and it's so uncomfortable and you can feel them there, even though they're not touching you? Imagine that on your entire back. It's all my nerve getting together and doing some awkward mamba group dance and I need it to stop for my mental health. I HATE complaining, yet I do it so often.

I know I wanted to make big changes on here, but I haven't gotten myself sorted out yet, so that will have to wait. I did ask Skye from Princess Portal to help me out with the blog. She responded promptly and I never responded back to her. I feel bad, so I will do so after I finish this.

Mostly, I'm justing waiting/ dreading for school to end. It's going to be awful with lots of unecessary tears, because I'm going to find ways to see the people I love no matter what. It's also going to feel like a huge weight will have been lifted off me. This wonderful feeling of relief will, of course, only be temporary because I will feel the looming cloud of high school. A new start. New people. New location. New everything.

I am going to change myself for the absolute best this summer. There will be no junior varsity sports where I am going, so, if I try out, it'll have to be for varsity teams. I am going to condition myself for one, some, or all of the following: basketball, volleyball, and bowling. I conflicted about sports nowadays, but that's a whole different issue.

I promise I will write more soon.

P, L, and S. <3

Sorry.

2010-04-23T17:15:00.004-05:00

I am aware that I haven't posted in a while and I apologize. There, done.

Anyway, I have had quite a lot of things happen since I last posted. I've gone to Washington, D.C. with my class, which honestly felt kind of average. Yes, I did get to visit 3 states to which I've never been, but it wasn't as amazing as I thought it would be. The moment I stepped into my house, I reached for a letter saying that I got rejected second-round to my school of choice, so I am going to a school that I didn't really want to go to in the first place, but it's okay. I'm looking forward to high school in general.

I have decided that I am going to make some changes. I know I said I was going to change the template for the website and everything, but it hasn't happened yet. I am giving myself a deadline of 1 week to get that finished. Another change is that I am going to start eating fewer processed foods. I am also going to set aside a half hour every day to relax. I will be adding more exercise into my life and more sleep, because I know that I need it.

As I said previously, I am now accepting life as a princess in training, which is getting hard at some points. It just seems like, once I'm done with major sports, like basketball, volleyball, and softball (which will probably be in college, if I play in high school), life will be so much simpler. I won't have to worry about getting home late and doing my homework and showering twice a day some days. I'll still get exercise, but I won't be forced into doing things that I don't like to do.

My next post will be about something other than me. I promise it won't be 12 or so days later than this post.

Peace, love, and simplicity. ♥

Changes

2010-04-11T10:28:00.003-05:00

I am changing around the template and colors of my blog today. Probably right after I finish writing this. I just feel that it's not fitting with what I've decided to do. Eventually, I am going to purchase a domain name and set up a website for myself that will have a blog on it, but this will do for now. I think if I focus mostly on one specific topic, it will bring a reader, because I don't believe I have any.

Anyway, my relatives are returning to their castle in the North today, so we're sending them off with a hope for a safe trip.

This post is short because I need to update the template and purpose of this blog. I might write another post later. We'll see.

Peace, love, and simplicity. <3

A Discovery

2010-04-09T22:54:00.005-05:00

I recently Googled "how to feel like a princess" and came across an amazing website called "Princess Portal". A young Australian woman who dresses in Lolita fashion and makes her world magical writes these articles that really inspire me. I believe she has stopped writing for Princess Portal, but now writes on "The Lost Princess" The Lost Princess. She is amazing and you should check her out.

In other news, some of my family members from up North are in for my cousin's 2nd birthday. His name is Brady and he is the cutest. Instead of calling me Evelyn, he says "Ehhhm". It's adorable. Leave him happy birthday messages in the comments!

I'm still working on "Julie and Julia" for some reason. It never takes me this long to read a book. At most, it's usually about 5 days. I've been filling my time with reading PrincessPortal. Back to that topic, I really want to live like this girl. Her name is Skye and she lives in Perth, Australia. She calls her boyfriend the Prince, her mother the Queen, her father the King, and her house the palace. I love it. She makes every little thing magical. She has a doll named Charlotte, who likes to have tea and play with Skye's friends' dolls. She dresses in Lolita, so, kind of like a doll, and it is beautiful. I want to be like her someday.

That last paragraph made me think of something. That thing is that I have gotten way too lazy. I don't know why, but I know it started after I got sick last year. I've just felt really blah. I wish it would stop, but wishing is going to do nothing. I have to make it happen. So, this summer, I am going to go horseback riding a few times (which I have said), I am going to wear a lot of dresses (which I am absolutely in love with), and I am going to prepare for ye olde high school. I am going to be taking French (I love the language), and am so excited.

In the mean time, I would like to sign up for yoga classes or purchase a some yoga videos, to help me to center myself, improve my balance, improve my flexibility, and acquire more energy. I also plan to write a few songs and possibly record them (only on my little digital recorder, because I don't exactly have access to anything else). Lastly, I am going to start eating much healthier. I know that it will clear my skin, improve my health, and make me feel alive. A few years ago I gave up pop for Lent and it just sort of stuck. But, recently I have noticed that I've been drinking a lot of it (only Sierra Mist/Sprite). I plan to cut pop out of my diet and only drink water.

On a different note, I do want to start writing posts about something other than my life, because who wants to read that every post? If there is anyone reading, let me know what you'd like read. I was thinking some book reviews and/or recipes. I could also do missions! Like, one could be I have to make a sidewalk drawing for my whole block, so something like that, so I can post pictures and write about that. I think that would be pretty cool. I would let you guys (assuming there are people reading it) assign me some missions and such (none perverted, as I am still a minor, for any creepos out there).

Alrighty, I will leave you now. Go celebrate your inner princess. :)

Guest Blogger!

2010-04-07T14:16:00.003-05:00

Bonjour. Today I am going to have a guest blogger (as the title may have pointed out)! She is the one, the only, my twin sister, Lizzie! You should know that she is an avid cat lover, she loves to draw and paint, she loves many male celebrities (all too old for her), and she is a great person. Without further ado, here she is!

Shalom. my name is Lizzie, and I am the twin sister of Evelyn. I love cats, have a few GREAT friends, love going out, love turtles, frogs. toads, pandas, green, blue, Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson, Ian Somerhalder, Adam Lambert, James Franco, and Jesse McCartney.(to name a few) i love making new friends, meeting cute, sensible boys, meeting any boys, meeting anyone, making new friends, meeting up with old friends, meeting cool people, meeting strange people, meeting funny people, meeting unique people, meeting famous people, meeting poor people, meeting young people, meeting old people, talking to people, looking at people. to put in simply, i just love people. when i get older, i want to have a job where i get to meet lots of people. because i love them! i think anyone you meet can help better you mentally, physically, and spiritually. and whenever i meet someone, i try to get something out of the experience. i love weird lists, strange laws, underdogs, strange phobias, drawing, typing, talking, listening, watching, hearing, and growing. i love being unique. one of my favorite quotes is: "When walking into a garden, pick up a bouquet of different flowers, not all the same ones.". it goes something like that. i love the movie Kung Fu Panda. i want to learn kung fu someday. i want to learn some kind of self defense.
I hope you learned something about me :) :D
peace out, girlscout.

Alrighty, I hope you liked her because she really is amazing. She inspires me to be a better person and I learned a lot about her from having her post on here. Let me know if you want to here from her again, but I think she is going to start a blog of her own soon.

Love you lots, like tater tots.
Peace, love, and simplicity,

Oops.

2010-04-06T00:43:00.004-05:00

Alrighty. While I was brushing my teeth, I realized that it was Monday, the day on which I was supposed to post. By that point, it was about 40 minutes after 12, so Tuesday had already begun. That's alright. I apologize to any readers, if there are any.

So, I tried to make whipped cream today for some strawberry shortcake. It did not turn out as well as I would have hoped, but it tasted just fine. After consulting the interwebs, I discovered that I must have beaten it too much. *shrug* It tasted like whipped cream, so it's all good.

Today, took a shower, sat around, helped my dad around the house, put sunscreen on [because we were supposed to go out], put makeup on [which I regret because I felt disgusting, because I usually don't wear makeup that often], watched 'New Moon' for the millionth time, and ordered Chinese food for my family. Fun. Overall, not a contenting as it could have been.

I have been feeling very discontent lately. Like, right now, my shirt feels uncomfortable and I'm tired. Discontenting, no? I just feel like I need to do something. Anything. I need to finish the book I'm reading ('Julie and Julia'), I need to get my laundry done, I need to blah, blah, blah. I just need to move. I think it's vital to my mental health. I seriously want, but (here's where I start to make excuses) my bike is still up in the rafters of my garage, I have to do stuff around the house, the only place I have to go is the movie theatre (not really), which is far away and cost money, and I don't have anyone to go with (not true; I have my twinsie sister).

I hate making excuses for myself. Tomorrow I am going to get all the stuff I need done before 12 noon and get my bike so I can just ride around. Yep, that's the plan.

My dad recently updated my iPod Touch to 3 OS, or whatever it is, so I can copy and paste! I am so excited! I love copy and paste! But, it gets annoying when I'm reading an article and it keeps turning blue, asking me if I want to copy it. Plus, today Google started being weird on my iPod. The auto-fill or -search, or whatever it is, isn't working. :(

Eh. I need to improve my quality of life. I came across a phrase recently that inspired me (but apparently not enough to get moving) that said something like 'Live your dreams, instead of dreaming your life.' The actual phrase was worded more eloquently than my paraphrase, but you get the idea. This really applies to me because I would say that I spend about 70% of my time and energy on daydreaming, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it really gets in the way of things. I need to make the daydreams a reality! Like, I dream of being great at volleyball, but I never actually bought a volleyball so I can practice and make that dream a reality. I dream of having a great boyfriend, but I never go out (like, of my house), so how am I going to meet people?

I just need to go out on the town and be me. I definitely want to go horseback riding this summer, so maybe I'll meet a cute stable boy... ;)

Peace, love, and simplicity.

What I Have Learned From Country Music

2010-04-02T17:32:00.005-05:00

With all the country music I've listened to, I was suppose I was bound to learn something.

1. Love like crazy, with every ounce of your heart.

2. Life isn't about where you end up, it's how you get there.

3. It's normal to be crazy.

4. Spend as much time as you can with your parents, because they won't be here forever.

5. Be a best friend.

6. Tell the truth.

7. Don't outsmart your common sense.

8. Pray.

9. If you work as hard as you can, it will pay off.

10. You can't overuse "I love you".

11. Everybody messes up sometimes.

12. When you find true love, don't give it up for anything.

13. You are beautiful.

14. Do what you love.

15. Whatever you're going through right now, it will get better.

16. You can't trust every cute boy you meet.

17. Those who love you can bring out the best in you.

18. Every heartache makes you who you are.

I know I have learned more than that, but those things really stick out to me. If you have anymore things you've learned from country music, feel free to leave a comment!

I saw "The Last Song" again yesterday. The experience with sort of bittersweet. Sweet because I was with 4 of my very best friends and I could catch what I missed the first time around. But, bitter because I knew what was going to happen and it wasn't as much of a thrill. Nonetheless, it was a great movie, as I said in my previous post.

I really want to be like Miley Cyrus's character in "The Last Song". She plays piano amazingly, can apparently write music, has a gorgeous boyfriend, got into an amazing school, is a vegetarian, protects animals (though, I couldn't understand why she was wearing leather shoes and a leather purse), and is her own person. She didn't change for anyone else, except herself.

I have some musical experience. I used to play the flute. I admit that I never wanted to practice, so I wasn't very good, but I didn't quit for 3 or 4 years. I listen to music constantly and get really into the lyrics. That's something I love so much about music, that you can put your heart and soul into every word you sing. Anyway, I would like to become a vegetarian someday and I am very environmentally conscious and do my part. But, one way that I am unlike Miley Cyrus's character is that I do sort of change for people. I have very, very firm beliefs, but sometimes I change the little things to please others. Like, I sometimes judge others, when I always say "Don't judge me." I feel much like a hypocrite and stop as soon as I catch myself.

Wow. That last paragraph is quite scrambled, but I like it that way.

Yesterday, I got a free makeover with my friends. I think I looked really pretty. It was kind of odd because I usually only wear a little mascara and powder, but they did the whole shebang, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, concealer, lip gloss. I did buy a really cool kit that has tons of makeup that I would actually wear. (http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp;jsessionid=272B9349BF291BA098B2AFB269A14336.papp1-app1?productId=xlsImpprod2040009)

Enough of my ramblings! Have a nice Easter, if you celebrate it. If not, have a pleasant weekend and prepare to hear from me on Monday!

Peace, love, and simplicity.

Hello, world.

2010-04-01T23:44:00.006-05:00

Hello! This is my first ever public blog!

I am one girl on a mission to find herself in one lifetime. To tell you about myself, I'll just list some things that I like/love:

Taylor Swift

Country music

Cotton

Tim McGraw

Lady Antebellum

"Be Still" by Tim McGraw

Music

Writing

Writing Music

Dresses

Being a girl

Blue

Purple

Green eyes

Blue Eyes

Brown Eyes

Brown hair

Life

Inspiration

Books

Paper

Windows

America

Horses

Journals

Green

White

Love

Boys

Family

Friends

The internet

YouTube

Blogs

Magazines

Simplicity

The country

Farms

Take from that list what you will about me.

Anyway, today I saw "The Last Song" starring Miley Cyrus. Now, usually, I have a minor dislike for Miley Cyrus, but her character really inspired me. The entire movie inspired me. If you saw it, did you notice that all the main characters, besides Jonah, had blue eyes? It was glorious. If you haven't seen the movie, go do so as soon as you can! It had me on the verge of tears and my heart beating quickly for Liam Hemsworth as Will Blakelee. Mmm... He is a hunk! Miley is beautiful and I fell in love with "When I Look at You", which is on the soundtrack. Go see it!

After having seen that movie, I have decided that I really want to inspire people in my lifetime. Through music and writing. I think I really can. Two of my New Year's resolutions for 2010 are to learn how to play guitar and learn how to play piano. Somehow, this has gotten delayed, but I will get around to it because it means so much to me. I have written a song or two and I used to write poetry all the time. That was, like, my thing when I was younger. I still have my blue TechDeck notebook full of acrostics.

Alrighty, prepare for another post either tomorrow or Saturday!

Peace, love, and simplicity.