This Christmas was a bundle of joy, hilarity, and giving. This being my first independent Christmas, I used my given money to buy my family and friends gifts, and boy was that super fun! I love the spirits involved with shopping for others and being productive.
Pictured above is my family's beautiful tree and our plethora of gifts. I guess splurging on others' gifts this year payed off big time.
The gift out pour I received was intense. I got some PJs, a t-shirt with logo of my favorite pizzeria, snuggie, cute booties, and warm socks. I also got a few ".. for Dummies" books (thanks, mom and dad), a new webcam and phone cover, make-up items, clutch wallets, the Stars On Ice 25th anniversary DVD collection, deluxe photo frame, a root beer sampler, special ring, Starbucks' VIA instant packs, espresso/cappuccino maker with all the trimmings, and Starbucks and Macy's gift cards... not forgetting the navigation system, fog remover, and flat tire spray for the new, clueless driver in me!
This year, my gifts stirred up one thought in my head: my family and friends know me incredibly well! I finally realize: I do not have to worry. They may not be perfect at knowing everything, but for the most part, they know who I am. At my high school graduation, they will know what to pride me on. When I enter College, they will send me off with a year's supply of Starbucks coffee. When I succeed in my career, they will bring me a Martinelli's cider bottle as a congratulatory gift. When I get married, they will know the sentimental value behind the event. When I give birth, they will know to select a medicated procedure. And, when I pass away, they will accurately know what I gave to the world, the truth of my spirit and heart, and most importantly... what to say in my eulogy. Aside from all humor, that reassurance is the best gift of all.
When I first purchased my Blackberry Curve 8520 on the Sprint network, I was delighted and interested in learning the newest features.
However, that feeling got old. Fast. It feels like the phone has far too many features for being one of the least complicated, easy-to-use smartphones out there.
While the Blackberry Curve 8520 is not entirely useless, there are some serious pits of doom.
The first glitch I noticed was: once I ended a call from spending a couple decent hours on the phone, the Blackberry would freeze and I would have to initiate a reboot. This phone also cannot run a whole bunch of tasks in unison.
On the positive side: it works great for a person who likes to email, social network (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter), plan/organize, and SMS text.
Considering all the positives, and all the negatives: I would not recommend this phone to an avid smartphone user, but definitely to a person looking into the qualities of a smartphone, without much cell phone experience.
This meditation combines three intentions to develop a strong and supple body, a clear mind, and a spirit filled equally with power, love, and wisdom.
Sit comfortably. Close your eyes. Inhale and repeat silently: "My body is strong and supple."
Exhale and repeat silently: "My mind is clear."
Inhale and repeat silently: "My spirit is filled with power, love, and wisdom."
Exhale and repeat silently: "All in equal measure."
Breathe and feel the intention fill your entire being.
The benefits of this pose: slows the mind, reduces blood pressure and heart rate, calms the entire being, promotes peace and serenity, and brings you back to the present.
With the big holiday weekend just around the corner, and as it is time to begin baking, I have to remind myself not to get too carried away. Unfortunately, in all my 16 years on this planet I have never baked so many goodies in one Christmas season! I came out of the experience with tense feet muscles and excruciating exhaustion. However, I saved some recipes for ya guys!
1). Anzac Cookies Prep: 30 min. Bake: 12 min. per batch. Cook: 2 min. per batch.
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 2 cups flaked coconut 2 cups chopped walnuts 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter 1/3 cup golden syrup 1/4 cup hot water 2 teaspoons baking soda
1). Preheat oven to 325° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In an extra-large bowl, combine flour, soda, oats, coconut, walnuts, and salt; set aside.
2). In a large saucepan, combine butter and syrup; bring to boil. In a small bowl, stir together the hot water and baking soda; immediately adding it to the boiling saucepan mixture. Pour the boiling mixture into the flour mixture; stirring with a wooden spoon until well mixed.
3). Shape dough into small balls and place them 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Using the palm of your hand, flatten the balls slightly. Bake in preheated oven about 12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.
2). Vanilla Stars Prep: 30 min. Chill: 2 hr. Bake: 6 min. per batch
1/2 cup butter, softened 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour Buttercream frosting (flavor of choice; listed below) Smaller sized star cookie cutters
1). In large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese; beat with an electric mixer. Add the 1 cup sugar, the baking soda, and salt; beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover; chill about 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
2). Preheat oven to 375° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough, and cut out star shapes with cookie cutters. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle additional sugar on top.
3). Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack; let cool. Spread desired butter cream in between cookies and stack.
~ 2a). Buttercream Frosting Beat 1/2 cup softened butter until fluffy. Beat in 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla (for vanilla; substitute vanilla for either 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, or 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract for different flavor), and 1 tablespoon milk. Beat in another 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar until smooth. Add milk to make a frosting of spreading consistency (makes about 1 1/4 cups!).
3). Cranberry-Eggnog Twirls Prep: 25 min. Bake: 10 min. per batch. Stand: 1 min. per batch.
1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 eggs 1 teaspoon rum extract 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cranberry preserves 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1). In electric mixer, beat butter. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and rum extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half.
2). For filling: in a small saucepan, combine preserves and cornstarch. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Cover and cool.
3). Place half of the dough between two pieces of waxed paper and roll. Spread half of the filling over dough within 1/2 inch of the edges; roll dough into a log using your fingers. Wrap log in waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
4). Preheat oven to 375° F. Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper and cut rolls into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheets for 1 minute, transfer to wire wracks; cool.
5). Pumpkin Spice Cut-out Cookies Prep: 30 min. Bake: 8 min. per batch.
1 17.5-ounce package sugar cookie mix 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 egg 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg Icing of your choice Cookie cutters of your choice (I used snowflakes)
1). Preheat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, combine dry cookie mix, butter, egg, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Stir with a wooden spoon until dough is stiff; if necessary, knead to combine.
2). Lightly floured surface, roll dough. Using cookie cutters, cut out dough. Arrange your cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven about 8 minutes. Cool on sheet, transfer to wire rack, and let cool. * Decorate with icing as you please.
Feel free to modify these recipes to your liking. Enjoy, and happy holidays!
Everyone always says how the holiday season is stressful because of family drama, but I do not get a lot of that around here and quite often do not know what they are talking about. I love the holidays and I love my family!
However, what I do get is judgmental adults and family friends who do not have a CLUE who I am or what I stand for! While it is highly amusing, it can become very overwhelming and less hilarious as time goes by.
Hypocritically, I unfortunately notice myself feeling guilty for making a slight condescending remark to kids at my old elementary school (I currently have a weekly volunteer position at the school's library), and do my best to keep my mouth shut when possible.
Here are the two theories I have come up with for discussion in this particular blog post--both are completely valid, confirmed by adults themselves, and occur on a regular basis.
1). Adults (especially without their own children) have a very vague idea to what kids and teenagers know and engage in at particular ages these days, and adults without a good model for referencing knowledge between the generations do not know how (or are much less inclined) to communicate properly with individuals much younger than themselves.
2). Adults see how much wiser and intellectual the kids or teenagers are compared to themselves at that age, feel jealous and/or insecure, and try to "one-up" them.
I have talked with numerous, inspiring adults about this pressing issue, and witnessed numerous adults making harsh, condescending comments to myself and others. Even some of the most intelligent adults I have met do not know how or do not feel comfortable socializing with younger generations.
While getting ready to relaunch my website again, I was sorting through some of my ancient blog posts and found one from December of 2009.
Here is an excerpt:
Connecting with older family friends is always troublesome, you know what I mean? You have your tiny feud every now and then over such condescending remarks, but somehow, I always love it. I always fall back in the same happy state I always found myself in the year before. I will always hold my family friends' relationships close to my heart and look back upon them for years into adulthood! The comments such as "don't _____, yet" when you've already been there, done that are so great, that I always get a chuckle out of some hilarity as well!
So, perhaps the certain family friend I am mentioning a year ago did eventually push me over the edge into a breakdown when they kept continuing their remarks well into my teen years, but they taught me a lot, and for that, I thank them greatly.
Ever since I was 7 years old, I was condescended. Never abnormally by my parents, nor my amazing family. By peers' parents, family friends, Internet encounters, etc. First off, I had a childhood friend whose mom took me seriously at age 7 when I said a childish remark of: "Your mom is the worst mom ever!", and actually confronted me at our elementary school. Seriously? What 7 year old is going to know the difference of what a good or bad mom is? And even if a 7 year old had a valid reason, what gives a 40-some year old the right to confront them over it? If you want to take it to the analytical level, friend's mom, I probably said it because you were hurting my feelings, and as a child, did not know how else to put them into words. Again, when I was 11, I made another friend whose mom would say blunt insults in my face.
Throughout all my experiences of one-upping in my 9 years of being a target, through the times when adults would make remarks such as, "Oh! You're wearing a bra now!?" Or: "You wouldn't know ____, you will when you grow up.", I have learned one very solid thing about myself and my mission: I will do what ever I can to make sure my children never go through what I, and many of my friends had to endure.
Now, I know this is not the topic of world hunger or fatal disease, but I enter this topic with a sensitive spirit, and vulnerable outlook, with the voice many young kids do not have at this moment. I encourage you all to look and think before you speak to youth; it will make all the difference. For those who do not know how to communicate with youth: we would like to be treated as an equal. That simple!
As the holidays are in full swing, and school comes to its half-way point, I am starting to brainstorm ideas for where I could go on my next vacation. For Spring break last year I convinced my mom to take me to Las Vegas, Nevada.
I assume the first Vegas attraction to catch my eye was the Madame Tussauds Museum. I had heard about the latest Michael Jackson wax figure installation in the London museum, and quickly went online to see if there were any MJ statues in the U.S. As of today, there are only two other Michael Jackson Madame Tussaud wax figures--one in Vegas, and one in Hollywood, California. I was disappointed when I arrived, discovering that the figure in Vegas was not that realistic, and the look dated back to perhaps 2003.
Looking for further amusement, mom and I took a dip into the realms of magic. We got to meet legendary magicians Penn & Teller, and see some of the white tigers (among other animals) at the Sigfried and Roy animal habitat at The Mirage hotel. Bummer we did not see Cirque du Soleil: LOVE, The Beatles tribute.
For dinner one night, mom and I dined at the Rainforest Cafe inside the MGM (one of the world's biggest hotels--over 6000 rooms!), which was quite the "interesting" experience. Inside the cafe, there were articulate designs of a rainforest: branches, trees, bugs, animals, and the like. The starry sky rested above, with a thunder and lightning show every several minutes, that I must admit: was distracting to the diners, but quite neat.
Around every 20 minutes on the strip, by "Paris" (a famous attraction, replica of The Eiffel Tower), a fountain show at The Bellagio hotel goes on for about three long minutes set to beautiful classical music. Mom and I couldn't miss it. Gaining some other variety, we did also do the traditional act of splurging our wallet and eating in a high-end buffet, and got to walk through numerous hotels (such as Caesar's Palace), viewing the frighteningly high Donnie & Marie, and Cher billboards. I got pretty excited when I saw the outside view of Caesar's Palace with a sign advertising Celine Dion's tour in the spring of next year. I may just have to come back.
All in all: Vegas is a wonderful vacation spot, for the young and the old, buuuut... you may not want to stay more than a weekend. It gets boring. Quickly.
While, from the picture above, it does not seem like we had much snow (we usually do not have snow, but there was a lot more than that... believe me!), the temperature made record lows in some Washington State counties. Skagit had a record of 14 degrees out at the Sea-Tac (Seattle, WA) airport by November 24th. Around here we're used to maybe 5 or 7 degrees during some of the real harsh winters, but I am glad we could make those poor souls happy with a brand new record!
I cannot wait for next year's snowfall, as I sip hot cocoa and curl up next to a warm stove.
I adore this simple, fast and delicious recipe for pita bake! You can alter the recipe’s callings to your liking.
(Serving size: 2) Ingredients: 1 bag of pita bread (flat circles) 1 fresh roma tomato 1 small red onion 3 small mushrooms 1 pre-washed bag of spinach Feta cheese Parmesan cheese (optional) 1 jar of tomato pesto sauce
1). Preheat oven to 350° F. Lay your pita bread flat and spread some tomato pesto on one side of the bread.
2). Set your pita pesto-side-up on a baking sheet. Chop up veggies and drain spinach.
3). Top pita with fresh feta, Parmesan, mushroom, tomato and onion squares. Break up spinach and spread across pita.
4). Drizzle pita with some light olive oil and season with ground pepper.
5). Pop pita in the oven and watch ‘er bake (about 6-12 minutes, keep an eye out)!
Sometimes I enjoy not worrying about the baking process and slap all the ingredients together without popping it into the oven, this is what I’ll have for lunch some days. This recipe is good served both cold and warm, so feel free to experiment! If you’re not vegetarian, go ahead and throw on some chicken!
PARTY TIP: If you are having guests over and want to delight them with fresh pita bakes as a more formal appetizer, bake the pitas the regular way and cut them into small triangles after cooled.
Towards the end of July I decided I was sick of heading towards the “overweight” side of the spectrum and that I was going to buckle down and Get. Me. Some. Exercise! Starting off with some brisk bike rides down the trails with my dad and workouts on the treadmill/rowing machines at the Gym, I finally gave in to forming a daily exercise routine using the WiiFit. Luckily, I get school credit for this.
Every day I do 30 minutes of rigorous strength training and yoga. After clocking my time, I continue with anywhere from 30 to 60 sit-ups before I go off to shower. I would recommend WiiFit and easy around-the-house workouts (cleaning is a great exercise!).
Over time, our bone health deteriorates and it is important we strengthen and train our bodies to adapt to the ongoing changes occurring in our bodies every second of every day. Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and other life threatening conditions–of course, who wouldn’t assume this?
Do not forget to eat spicy foods before you step on that treadmill; eating spicy foods before exercise helps you begin to increase your metabolism by as much as 50%! Oh, and: don’t consume food after 9PM, all of which is stored as fat. That’s right… Wii talks.
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This post is part of the category "79 Things". Click to see the complete series of 79 Things.
While I am no pro on make up application (you should see my face after I apply it!), nor the biggest make up and glamour junkie, I have blemishes on my face that I just need to take care of, at least for the time being. I was born with a good-sized, red birthmark, smack-dab in the middle of my chin! Now, do not get me wrong: this is not some advertisement for BareMinerals… but, I just love BareMinerals make up!
I know this will sound like the women on those infomercials, but I have tried everything: drugstore make up, Neutrogena, even MAC! All of which I have been extremely dissatisfied and discomforted with. I figured I would scavenger up a mini get-started guide for anyone who is wondering about the pricing and facts of BareMinerals.
You can begin with the Starter Kit which is about $50 from Macy’s. This includes the basics: foundation, mineral veil, warmth, three brushes, and some samples you can ask the lovely women at the counter for (such as primer, zit cream, etc). A primer bottle (primer is a given; you need primer to avoid the blotchy spots and awkward smearing) is a purchase of $21 (should last about a year), and any additional foundation ($25) and mineral veil ($19) will be priced separately (usually an every-6-months purchase).
Foundation is the basic part of your make up, the starting cover on the canvas of beauty! Mineral veil is what it sounds like: A bunch of minerals, SPF15, to protect and nourish your skin. Warmth is a blusher: a darker covering for some balanced color. All of these products will be a definite investment, but a smart spend.You will always want to use a cleanser and a moisturizer when you wake up in the morning to reduce your skin’s oil, and dampen the skin.
BareMinerals is an 100% pure mineral blend, it is also made from pure virgin soil which speeds up cell turnover to minimize fine lines and wrinkles, remove red spots and blemishes, and increase skin firmness, improving the condition of your skin. All of BareMinerals is chalk-full of SPF, and is proven to reduce common cases of rosacea and acne. With its light texture and feeling, it literally feels like nothing is on your face at all!
Using the BareMinerals’ mantra “swirl, tap, buff”, you begin by taking a tiny droplet of minerals into the container’s cap, swirling your brush around really good, warming the minerals up so they set nicely on your skin. Tap the excess minerals back into the cap, semi-harshly buffing the brush on your face, yet not forcefully, working the minerals warmly into your skin for a clean finish.
I absolutely adore my make up and plan on saving in on the investment for many more years to come.
Today, I thought I would uncover something that deeply affects my life (and many others'), in greater depth.
I have a generalized anxiety disorder that makes it hard for me to function as a normal teenager. I first realized it as far back as pre-school, but it started to get considerably worse around 1st grade. Sadly, I was not officially diagnosed until I was 12 years of age and didn't start seeking serious help until age 14!
"What is a generalized anxiety disorder?", you may ask. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it. People with GAD can't seem to shake their concerns. Their worries are accompanied by physical symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes. (-NIMH)
I rarely get panic attacks these days, but had severe attacks every day for several months during the 6th grade due to harsh bullying I went through at school, and separation anxiety from my parents. I was adopted at six weeks old, and my theory is: due to the abandonment aspect that many newborn adopted children feel, it resulted, for me, through separation fear. In my childhood, this caused me to act bossy and clingy towards friends, parents, and the like.
"What is separation anxiety disorder?" Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a psychological condition in which an individual experiences excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment (like a father or mother). It becomes a disorder when the separation reaction becomes strong enough to impair people's ability to conduct their day to day lives and relationships (-WIKI)
My original SAD transformed into GAD later in life, and my fear fortunately gave up on the grip that was holding onto my parents, and began to focus more on everything around me, making it easier for me to control my fears.
Today, I have changed a lot. I have built a stable relationship with the important people in my life and gained confidence in myself. However, there are still underlying issues and I seek therapy to advise me on the path of coping with GAD.
Think of anxiety this way: A clam in a shell. The clam needs its shell to survive, and everything outside the shell is unknown, unfathomable. I'm the clam, and I'll surely learn how to live outside my shell with time.
A couple years ago, I went to the lab to get my blood drawn, hoping I would find out any allergic reaction I might have and what my blood type is. Turns out I am allergic to dairy, so from now on I will have a non-dairy, vegetarian, somewhat vegan diet!
My blood type is A positive, which is my mom's type. Because I am adopted, it is hard to know my biological family's health complications. All I know is that asthma was hereditary (and I battled that for six years). My birth mother had asthma, I believe her mom had asthma, and her other kids had asthma-like complications as well. I feel very lucky to have the same blood type as one of my parents, in case I ever need anything medically, or vice versa.
I have begun to read Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo. It is a book series covering all particular blood types.
Along with the A+ blood type comes B12 deficiency, and I have started taking vitamins for that. There is a plus here: they're cherry flavored!
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This post is part of the category "79 Things". Click to see the complete series of 79 Things.
This week was the hardest week of my life in quite a while. I decided to put things to rest with my boyfriend of five months. Him and I had met in elementary school, known each other for 11 years, three of those spent disconnected. One day we decided to re-connect via Facebook (typical new-age story, right?). It was bliss. Pure bliss. Vacations together, laughter, real feelings.
Sadly, many conflicts arose that were too hard to conquer alone: being blamed/put down by surrounding people, dishonesty and lies, disloyalty, etc. I gave everything to this guy. My heart, my soul, my mind, my body. And for what? A lousy ring and an insincere “I’m sorry”, perhaps even a physical illness. I feel bad for myself. I feel very, very bad for myself.
In some ways I blame myself for letting my soul get so sucked in to the whole imaginary, picturesque ideal of being in a head-over-heels relationship with an intelligent, loving boy who would always protect my heart. I guess this city just is not the place to find a genuine, warm prince charming.
I am packing up my heart’s little pieces in this wooden box of memories. Maybe one day I will reach in and rejoice upon the good times of the boy whom I love(d) so very, very much.
I visit Portland, Oregon one-two times a year. Here I've compiled some of my favorite places to go, which I think are some of the greatest hits of Portland.
SHOPPING
Many downtown stores close by 6PM so make sure you show up early!
Jantzen Beach Center 1405 Jantzen Beach Center Portland, OR 97217 A collection of just about everything. ROSS and the Burlington Coat Factory have decor, accessories, apparel and shoes with designer and famous brand names for cheaper.
Lloyd Center 2201 Lloyd Center Portland, OR 97232 A brilliant collection of 200+ stores. Is the leading, biggest mall in Oregon. Features 18 movie theaters and a nice ice rink.
Pioneer Place 700 SW 5th Ave Portland, OR 97204 Charming, but expensive mall. Very much worth taking a stop to visit The Body Shop or American Eagle.
Powell's Books 1005 W. Burnside Portland, OR 97209 One of the most famous bookstores in all of the USA. Great finds, quiet and friendly cafe atmosphere.
Made in Oregon 600 SW 10th Avenue, Suite 101 Portland, OR 97208 Gift shop filled with fun knick-knacks and apparel/food products to help you remember your Oregon adventure.
Stanford's 1440 N. Jantzen Beach Center Portland, OR 97217 Delicious way to treat yourself out to a formal dinner, or a dinner on the go. Food comes fast and impresses me every time. Try the veggie burger and Caesar salad - they're my favorites.
Paradise Cafe Pioneer Place 700 SW 5th Ave Portland, OR 97204 Unbelievable 3-salad dishes and cookies that are great for any lunch at any time.
Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park 1020 SW Naito Pkwy Portland, OR 97204 Beautiful park, perfect for a jog or relaxing stop along those long tiring blocks of walking.
Portland Ducks Land and Water Tours Approx. 777 NE ML King Blvd. Portland, OR 97232 Just like the Seattle, Washington ducks, the Portland tour goes on land and water to show you some of my favorite spots!
Japanese Gardens 611 Southwest Kingston Avenue Portland, OR 97205 These beautifully landscaped, well-known gardens have brought joy to the hearts of tourists for years. Whether it is the sand garden, the tea house, or the art gallery rotating in displays every season, you are sure to find something you like.
OMSI Museum 1945 SE Water Ave Portland, Oregon 97214 The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a winner if you are looking for a new museum experience. Every day, various laser light shows are put on to music and documentary. There is a U.S.S. Blueback ship for admiration and tours, and much more. * I visited during the Albert Einstein exhibit.
Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel 1000 NE Multnomah Street Portland, OR 97232 Leading Portland hotel in implementing Green Practices. My favorite hotel of all time, honestly. Amazing restaurant and custom ice cream sundaes. Very nice staff, great atmosphere. 5 stars.
Oxford Suites 12226 N Jantzen Dr Portland, OR 97217 Pretty nice hotel, 3 stars. Sweet staff, nice contenential breakfast. Comfortable beds and cool TV channel options. Beautiful artwork on the room's walls.
Lloyd Center 2201 Lloyd Center Portland, OR 97232 Ever heard of Jenni Meno and Todd Sand, three-time U.S. Champions? Well, they trained at this rink, and I think it is a very quaint place to hang out with friends! Very small, but a great place to practice while on vacation.
The school I attend is far above unique. There is absolutely no physical violence, nor bullying, and it is mirrored around independent learning.We are famous for our dabble in the arts program, and can even help students create robots. Yes, robots. We have a dark room for photography, teach web and graphic design, and can even help students work on a novel they might like to write.
The school is based around personal goals and interests, matching them with the right course material. The students get to choose which classes they are interested in taking, and progress on their own curriculum at their own pace.
Since this is such a special program, only about 140 students can enter the school at a given school year, and must pass a series of steps before acceptance. First step: interview. The student sits down with the principle to discuss their past and their future. If the interview goes well, you move on to step two: orientation. If the student finishes the tasks given to them in orientation with no grade below a B, they have passed the test, and are now officially a part of the school.
Using another special program, a junior may choose to go to a neighborhood College and take some courses to get College credits for the next two years! That is like two years of College courses paid off, and gained.
The other unique thing about the school is the fact it's only 4 days a week - we only attend Fridays if we're behind in work, or get "in trouble" with the teachers. We also only go 3 hours a day. Some may say this is odd, we just say this is "tight".
There are two blocks: morning and afternoon. Morning session runs from 8:20-11:00 and afternoon session runs from 11:40-2:20. Back at the house, we expect to complete 3 (or so) hours of homework daily in order to keep up with our work, or close to that.
The experience of enriching myself in my school has been one like no other, and I am so glad I found this wonderful program. If there is an option to attend an alternative route proven more effective than regular high school, I encourage you to do so.
* For the safety and well-being of myself, I have had to remove city names, hide identities, and take a mere few details out of the paper. It is still a master piece, and I am very proud of it. I scored an A on this paper, with a 28 out of 30. This was my entry biography piece during my freshman year, altered and edited as I have learned to punctuate and add details over the years.
I am a teenage girl: an example of life. I am extroverted. I am opinionated and I am confident in what I do. I am not perfect. I am stubborn. I am defensive. I am nervous. I am different. But I am me. I am Kathryn. And I am resilient, amazing, talented, loud, happy, a little bit complicated, and a whole lot unique. I was born on May 24th, 1994 in a California town called “Fresno”, to mother Sharon, and father Joseph. Sharon and Joseph met when Sharon dialed the wrong number, and as fate would have it, ended up having a long conversation with an intriguing man, whom she would later meet and fall in love with. I was a planned baby: nothing out of the ordinary. Sharon was an artist. An organized woman: a decorator, and a writer. Joseph was quite opposite. He enjoyed automobile engineering, and fixing car radios. Sadly, shortly after I was born, Sharon got notification that her father who she hadn't seen in 9 years wanted to have word with her. He sent her a one-way ticket to Washington, said some hurtful, racist connotations about her "mutt Mexican baby" and convinced her into adoption. At this point, Joseph would not forgive the fact that Sharon left against his wishes. She knew she had to make a heart-breaking decision, and put me up for adoption.
Six weeks after my birth, the papers were signed, the interviews had been made, and I was given to an incredible family, consisting of couple Margaret and David, who resided in Washington. They were so joyful to have a baby of their own, and to watch every new development I made. I was a very kooky baby. I talked early on, ate pretty much anything including rocks, and never crawled. All in all, I developed into a healthy tot, who hinted at artistic talents since pre-school, creating my own plates and light switch covers, decorating most everything with pasta shells. Acting, among other things, was also something I enjoyed doing.
I began kindergarten in 1999 with a teacher I will never forget. Her name was Wendy. On the first day of school, she laid all the kindergarteners down, and sprinkled what she called “fairy dust” on our heads: promising us that our wishes would be fulfilled and we’d have a super great elementary experience. I still remember that moment with perfect clarity.
All this changed when I entered first grade that next fall. I lost my best friend that I had since pre-school when she picked a new best friend over me, and I began experiencing fear of separation from my parents. Little did I know, when I was 12 years old, I would be diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder that would make it nearly impossible for me to live life like the average kid. I went through that selfish phase, like every other kid, but there were other occurrences that stood out from the rest. I would pick one friend, and cling to them. They were my security blanket when my parents could not be there. We would exclude other people from our duo, and made other kids feel bad. When I say feel “bad”, no, I do not mean bully them. That was turned around on me for six traumatic years. Hating is not in my nature, I tend to forgive and let go easily. Though some of the kids in fifth and sixth grade have not changed since, I have to the extreme. I am done with the close-minded, immature, ignorant, and pathetic atmosphere that my elementary and middle school possessed.
When I was seven years old I was diagnosed with medium level asthma. I did not enjoy the medicated heat through tubes, so twice every day I had to do a medicated puffer. When I was ten, I had a cold, and I ate some tomato soup. Tomato soup is spicy, and it seemingly aggravated my throat – causing my airways to become blocked. I was choking for air, and the emergency medication would not work. This is what has become my little near-death experience. Since then, I have nearly recovered from my troubles with asthma. I battled it for about six years. I have overcome other health problems, including poor stomach health, breast cysts, allergies to just about anything and everything, skin conditions, A.D.D., and an intolerance to the protein in cow’s milk. I cured myself with hope and by not giving up on my faith that I would heal. Some of these were easy diagnoses, and I could easily work on curing them. Others included paranoia and anxiety of what the heck was inside of me, affecting my body in these strange ways. Each one of my health complications has made me the strong person I am today. It has taught me to not give up, even if it is horribly hard to fight. It has also taught me to see the good in life, even when it goes sour.
I left public school after sixth grade ended, with the drive to pursue online school for the following three years, including my freshman year in high school. While I was online, I developed relationships and friendships with people in cyberspace. I interacted through web camera, microphone and texting with these individuals. They were some of the most inspiring human beings I have met in my life.
Growing up, figure skating was a big part of my life. My grandmother would record tapes, and I would curl up in front of the TV contently watching their grace and talent. In June 2007, I began posting my own figure skating montages on YouTube.com, becoming one of the biggest and best known figure skating montage makers. I began publishing my poetry online in March of 2008, and received positive feedback from decent grown-up authors with publicized novels, such as Richard Lee Orey, a court room drama novelist and poet. In September of 2008, I figured I would open a blog-slash-website, to put it all together in one place. All of my talents have continued to grow, and I am very pleased with them.
My favorite figure skaters are Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov. Ekaterina, "Katia", lost Sergei at the age of 24. He died of an unexpected heart attack while practicing for an upcoming tour of Stars on Ice, one of America’s most famous ice shows including World and Olympic champions. He was 28. Even though this death did not affect me personally, it left an inspiring mark on my heart. Death, you could say, has been a semi-big part of my life.
The first death I experienced was a driver running a red light, crushing a bicycle rider onto the sidewalk. My dad noticed the accident and told me he was going to get out of the car and help the man, and told me not to look at the sidewalk. Being curious me, of course I had to. To this day I wish I had not, but I realize that sometimes seeing the bad in life makes you thankful for the good you have.
Shortly after that, I was affected by the death of peace activist Cor. Cor had visited our fourth grade classroom right before visiting Pakistan to protest against the destruction of homes. She was standing in front of a bulldozer, and it ran her over. I attended memorials, and a march in honor of her. That was the first time I pondered the meaning of life and death. I came up with the association that it was a healthy, natural thing that we all will have to endure someday. While unexplainable, it is also something we have to deal with from a witness’s point of view.
A year later, I witnessed my mother and grandmother struggle with the death of my uncle John, who committed suicide from incurable depression. Two years later, my best friend Caz died from a tragic drowning incident while white-water rafting. Three months later, my father’s mother Marge passed away of old age.
I am not positive about what I want to do with my life, but I know I want to be some sort of therapist: possibly a relationship or teen counselor. I believe that my duty here on earth is to heal and help people, as that is a natural talent and something I enjoy doing immensely. I chose my current school because I was sick of being out-casted and thought it could help me fit in better. I am mature and attend to learn--I am not some nobody who does not care about their future. I want everything for myself. Everything I can get my hands on.
I would say I have been through a lot, but not half as much as some other people. It saddens me to this day, how much I had to experience at such a young age with poor health, deaths and ongoing hatred. I used to be a lost, confused and saddened kid, living in a world of turmoil. Now I can breathe, let loose and realize that this is what life is about: learning, and improving. Holding on to the past: only as a reference to the future. I suppose my own conscience taught me to let go of things I cannot control, and some self soul-searching helped me find happiness from life. You’re never going to get anywhere if you let somebody trample all over you. I hope you can look around you and find happiness in every day, no matter what your situation happens to be. Take my advice when I say that life is over before you know it. It is the journey that truly matters, not the destination.
About a week ago I decided to research some more and tap into my personal style.
First part of this process is learning your silhouette which you do by going to Style Makeover HQ and searching for your body type using their identification list.
The second part is finding out the colors that accent your skin tone, hair color and eye color. I can't say I was surprised at my results, but the experience was a good one.
Here are my results:
Rectangle Body Shape
Your main style aim is to add curves by defining your shoulders.
Do wear shoulder pads, semi-fitted clothes, short-sleeves and sleeve-less tops and dresses, medium to high necklines, dresses that wrap or flow through the waistline, straight to gently flared flat-fronted pants, and a-line shirts.
Do not wear clingy fabrics, fitted clothes, low necklines, baggy tops, baggy pants or narrow skirts.
Balanced Body Type:
Your main style aim is to elongate your mid-torso.
Do wear jewellery, scarves, and garment designs that draw the observer's eye up towards your shoulders and face, medium-long tops, un-tucked tops, tops and bottoms in the same color, skirts and pants with narrow waistbands or no waistbands, straight or flared skirts, waisted, and low-rise or hipster pants.
Do not wear short tops, empire line tops and dresses, wide belts, pants or skirts with a high waistband.
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The second part is the funner one. Now you get to find out what the colors that compliment your body are.
Fashion experts look at your skin, eyes, and hair for complimentary tones. One of the best, but time-consuming approaches, is to go to the mall and ask a professional to assess what colors seem best for you. Asking them won't cost a penny - unless you get sucked into buying a truckload of cosmetics.
In the world of fashion, you'll sometimes hear people talk about what season they are; it is a concept that beauty professionals use to figure out what colors suit people. Check out the list below and see where you fall. If you fit into more than one category, you are most likely a mix of seasons, as most people are!
Winter: Blue or pink undertones (skin), brunettes, dark eyes. Colors that look good: White, black, navy blue, red, shocking pink.
Summer: Blue or pink undertones (skin), natural blondes and brunettes, pale eyes. Colors that look good: Pastels, lavender, plum, rose-brown, soft blue.
Autumn: Golden undertones (skin), redheads and brunettes, golden brown eyes. Colors that look good: Beige, orange, gold, dark brown.
Spring: Golden undertones, freckles (skin), straw-colored or strawberry-blonde hair, blue/green eyes. Colors that look good: Peach, golden yellow, golden brown.
My result:
Winter!
That's silhouettes and colors in a nutshell for ya.
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This post is part of the category "79 Things". Click to see the complete series of 79 Things.
"We'd rather skate on the thinnest ice. Fingers failed us before they froze. And frostbite bit down on all our toes." - Owl City
A turning point into teenage reality. A huge step in your growth and experience. Typically, you would feel a sense of inner remorse, but I actually feel closer to myself on a more intimate level.
Possibly the level of intimacy between him and I was meant to be. And that it was meant to teach me a lesson. One of knowledge and comfort. I know one thing is for sure: I love passion. I love love. All I dream of is a level of romance that no one could explain.
But for now, I'll close this sentimental blog post with this: mere acts of romantic expression are not to be taken lightly. Force only causes scars. As I like to say, let your halo keep you safe. Don't give away your innocence to somebody who takes it and runs into the darkness.
I can handle so much. So much more than I thought I could.
Today I start a new category "79 Things" based on the goal book "97 Things To Do Before You Finish High School". I will be blogging about my experiences with each goal for the next year and a half.
Here's a bit about what you'll expect from this category:
The book is broken up into 9 categories itself!
For Your Personal Development: Deals with unique activities including examining professional artwork, listening to new music and attending theater performances.
For Your Body: Praise the temple that is your body while learning martial arts, detoxing, and learning about your silhouette and colors.
For The World Around You: Get involved in this wonderful planet. Visit a foreign country, participate in a new cultural tradition, or even hike to a mountaintop.
For Community and Environment: Help the planet by visiting your local officials, writing an op-ed, and raising money for charity.
With/For Friends: A special dedication to friends and me-time including activities such as making gifts, dining high on a low budget, and taking a road trip.
With/For Family: Explore the depths of family history with family outings, reaching out to long-lost relatives, and spending quality time with grandparents.
To Express Yourself: Share your talents while designing t-shirts, taking a dance class and creating comic strips.
Because You Should: Make obligations fun by adding spice to your resume, educating yourself on the stock market, and learning basic car maintenance.
Because You're Only Young Once: Embrace your kid side by burying a time capsule, telling someone your darkest secret, or trying a new hairstyle.
Sad to celebrate Sergei Grinkov's 15th year in passing. I loved this man's talent and appreciated him to great depths.
While I was still young when he left us, I continuously remember the love and pride he had for the people in his life, himself, and his country, that inspires me in how I live life every day.
Thank you, Mr. Grinkov. In honor, I recommend you all to visit the American Heart Association website and find tips on how to keep your heart healthy. February is American heart month - so get involved!
I have seen a lot of blogs, and used a variety of blog layouts. This is my limited expertise in the topic. I have narrowed this post down to explain what I think should be "musts" and "no-no's" for (most) every blog, and confirmation for common blogging myths.
Musts:
1. Use correct grammar and spelling. Make sure to always spell correctly, or use spell check if need be. Make sure your grammar as a blogger is also up-to-date. It is not pleasant to read a blog that says something like: "My friend and me went to the Market 2day: it was fun." It's okay if you make mistakes; nobody is perfect!
2. Blog "Hop" "Blog hopping" is when a blogger visits other people's blogs and leaves comments/gathers links to add to their blog. Make sure to add a separate subdomain or sidebar list of your favorite blogs, so they gain traffic and you are possibly added to their list, gaining traffic of your own. Every time you leave a comment on somebody's blog post, be sure to link your website URL to your name, so users can click over to your site if they're interested in hearing more from you.
3. Use subdomains and pages If creating your own domain name for your blog, do not only use the homepage. Get creative with pages (ex: www.____.com/about) and share your talents. It is fun to hear from somebody that has more to say than what's in their niche (personal interest topic within blog). If you can't learn to make pages quite yet (Blogger has a very nice, easy service for that), create a subdomain (ex: www.about._____.com) that works just as well.
4. Advertise and get paid (optional) There are plenty of built-in options for page ads and product reviews on most blogging hosts, and loads of instant, independent websites that scope you out themselves! If you are looking for paid opportunities, check out PayPerPost.com.
5. Photography You don't have to be a pro photographer, but at least buy a $100-$200 camera and take some shots for each post. You'll be highly respected by your viewers when they find a beautiful new picture on your blog that you have taken especially for them.
6. Uniqueness and Inspiration Though anyone can make a lifestyle blog like mine, what makes it unique is your special life experiences and outlooks. My inspiration comes from many of my friend bloggers and world famous blogger Karen Cheng. It's important to use a common environment that your viewers feel comfortable in, but think outside the box with your design and what you post.
No-nos:
1. Cboxes or unusual widgets Tacky and not fun at all. If you want to be more user-friendly and "trendy" (unprofessional), go ahead. They can be fun for casual bloggers, but perhaps not for middle-bloggers like myself.
2. Smileys I cannot stand reading blogs with smileys! Try using creative writing to express what you feel while using the smileys. Many find it much more original. Unique writing and phrases get you a long way; smileys are bold and can make for messy paragraphs.
3. Comments While comments can be a great discussion prop, they can cause conflict and are not all that important in gaining traffic for your website. Be cautious when choosing whether to keep or rid comments on your blog posts.
Myths:
1. It doesn't matter what you blog about. In fact, it does a great deal matter what you blog about. You never know who could be taking a peak at your website. A future employee, a co-worker, even a teacher or a parent. I know my parents read my blog and enjoy it, but therefore I am also very careful about what I post.
2. Blogging costs money. No, it does not! If you want your own domain name (.com, .org), you do need to pay a small price of $10-$30 per year. Most bloggers start out on sites like Wordpress.com or Blogger.com, and then convert to Wordpress.org. Some choose to make it even more small on LiveJournal or VOX (discontinued). All are great, but I'd suggest Blogger for newcomers.
3. Blogging is for people with "the gift". There is no "gift" of blogging. You cannot be born to blog. You can be born to write, however, and the people with selective writing skills are more prone to get the most readers and fans on their blogs. If you have something important to say and you know how to word it right, you can most definitely blog!
I hope this post helps you bloggers just getting started! These are the words of (minor) experience.
This is my grandmother Ellee. My mom's mom. I'm the most like her out of all of my family members. Loud, funny, creative, organized, and strong.
Last month, I got to visit her up in Oregon. Visiting my gorgeous grandmother at 89 years old was a big treat for me. I usually get to see her at least three to four times every year, so it is nothing abnormal, but I consider myself blessed to have visited her this month. As you may have heard, she was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, and at 89, does not want to fight it.
While my grandma was not very engaged in any conversation this time around, she would occasionally ask me about my love-life, education and friends. You know, the 4-1-1! My grandmother shares the most common traits to myself out of my entire family. We are both artsy, talkative, friendly individuals who accomplished their individual mission and zest at young ages.
We bond over many things and I can talk to her about anything. When I was a little girl, she used to let me scurry into her room and jump into her bed on Sunday mornings. She'd cuddle me and tell me stories about her childhood and the boys she liked and how her teachers were back in the day. I loved her soft Scottish accent! Those stories I will take with me, plus the wisdom of her beliefs for the years to come. She supports me in everything I do and has always wanted the best for me. I love her with all my heart, and will always hold the memories of my dear babushka.
