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.

Blog post dated to November 2009.

"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.