There's a bit of a change going on over here at UnstoppableKatya, so I figured if I crafted an easy, go-to guide for y'all, things might get a bit easier to navigate (as if it weren't easy already!).

I have a ton of friends, and of course, my parents, asking me: "Is there somewhere I can find all of your accounts and sites in one place?" Well, now there is, and I am planning to keep it that way.

Today, I released three new navigation choices (and updated one) up top on the navigation bar here at UnstoppableKatya.com, that will guide you to my social networking sites and more. I thought it would be handy to list these in bullet-list format.

• Tumblelog - A sequel to the main blog here at UnstoppableKatya.com, which can be found under the "Tumblelog" link on the navigation bar up top. This website URL is tumblr.unstoppablekatya.com. This is my "casual" Tumblr blog--if I find a image or quote I like, I'll post it there, along with things I don't feel are appropriate for my main zine.
  
• Montages - UPDATED! Instead of linking to a page that explains what my montages are, I'm linking to the direct montage site itself, readysetshinevideos.com. This "Montages" link includes timely updates of my montages instead of having to navigate my YouTube channel (some people prefer the channel so they can leave comments and favorite videos, at youtube.com/readysetshine).
  
• Vlogs - Remember this post? A few months back, I began creating personal videos of myself, sharing my latest shopping discoveries, favorite books and crafts, and emotional journeys I hadn't discussed here. Clicking on the "Vlogs" link will take you to that channel on YouTube, youtube.com/theunstoppablekatia.
  
• Twitter - Yep, I do tweet! Clicking on the "Twitter" link on the navigation bar will send you directly to my Twitter profile at twitter.com/katyadotcom. Don't forget to send me a tweet once you arrive @katyadotcom.

I typically hate smileys in blog posts, but I can't resist--I've reached nearly 15,000 views on UnstoppableKatya in the past 9 months, with the average of 100+ per day. A huuuuge thank you to my viewers! I know that's not a whole ton for such an intricate website, but I consider it an accomplishment for a gal in the Northwest, blogging about her humorous life :-)

With the release of my own personal YouTube vlogging channel, theunstoppablekatia, I am speaking out about my favorite style items, what has been going on in my life "behind the scenes" of UnstoppableKatya and talking about the hobbies and interests that engage me the most.

I have been gaining subscribers and views/likes every now and then, but need your support (my loyal readers, of course!). If you like this idea, please support by sending me a few comments or a message on my channel. I need as much feedback as I can get--I don't want to be doing something that's a waste of my time when you guys possibly prefer a different style of vlogging better.

Which would YOU like to hear more about? Leave me a comment anywhere - email, Facebook page, channel. Style? Shopping? Lifestyle? Opinions? 79 Things in video format? Cooking? Travel? Figure Skating Reviews? Let me know!

My favorite new “accessory” that I have added to my collection is my very own iPod Touch by Apple. It is a 2nd generation, refurbished (factory restored) Touch with 8GB memory. This was a product I won on eBay from a top seller with included warranty for only $78 plus $8 shipping.

There are some pros and cons to the iPod Touch 2nd Gen., such as the fact that this version is much outdated (currently the 4th Gen. is out on the market) and lacks a camera feature like the 4th Gen.

Pros:

• Fast speed interface and response time. A small delay when loading updated sites such as Twitter and Facebook, but all is normal.


• A wide, wide variety of apps to purchase for cost and free on the App Store, including most all apps developed for the iPhone (such as games and the famous photo editing program, Instagram—easier to use with 4th Gen. camera).


• Free texting apps are available to virtually turn your iPod Touch into an iPhone, and with a few dollars a month, can be turned in to a real phone made to call (this may need the camera feature on the 4th Gen.).

• Sleek look and durability. I adore the light-weight finish that this generation has (as all do) and the fact that it is hard to break. Mine came with a ton of light scratches on the back (presumably from battering it a bit), and still works like new.

Cons:

• Can’t make calls. This is the one feature lacking on the iPod Touch(es). However, the main purpose of the iPod Touch is for music (as all iPods are), not the lenient calling factor that the iPhone has.


• Doesn’t have a camera. One of the main reasons I got any Apple hand-held product was to use Instagram’s app, and without a camera, I have to manually sync or email/save all my photos to run them in the system or “Photo” folder. In some ways, it is better to wait and save up to splurge on a newly dated 4th Gen. with full features.

Hey all! This is my first tutorial post… EVER, on UnstoppableKatya.com.

I was in dire need of a change regarding physical appearance for my Internet browsing (the only thing I use my computer for, aside from typing papers, editing photos and video chatting) so I looked up ways to change my browser’s appearance into a MAC-like style… and well, I was successful and want to share how with you!

1. First things first. You need to download Safari, which is the MAC OS default Internet browser (developed by Apple Inc.), but has a PC version for the same features and price (FREE!). This has a really flexible “Top Sites” main screen that many people rave about. This screen appears when you hit Ctrl + T to get to a new tab, or whenever you start up the browser.

2. After you have gotten Safari on your desktop, go to this webpage and click download on the “OS X Font set” link and hit save. Once it pops into your download folder, right click and hit “Open Containing Folder…”. Once the ZIP file is highlighted, right click and hit “Extract all…”.

3. After each separate font is extracted in the folder, go to your “Computer” from the Start menu and search “Fonts” in the search bar. Once you find the file labeled “Fonts” (which should include every basic font that Windows automatically installed at creation / any fonts you have previously installed). Drag the font titled “Lucinda Grande” into the “Fonts” folder - this will install the font and it will be ready for input into your browser. (If you’d like to use the others seen in the pack preview, go ahead, but the default font is Lucinda Grande).

4. Open Safari and click on the Settings button in the far right corner, which has the typical settings star icon.  Hit “Preferences…” and under “Appearance” switch your “Standard Font” and “Fixed-Width Font” to “Lucinda Grande”, with the size of 14. Switch “Font Smoothing:” to “Strong”. These preferences will look different on all screen resolutions, so play around with this to your liking. The font alone was extracted from a MAC and will look similar no matter what smoothing - this just gives it its infamous MAC clarity. (Also note that this will not work as well in other Internet browsers, such as Firefox or I.E., but will look semi-MAC-like).

And BA-BANG! You’re finished! If installed correctly, a Tumblr post will look like this…






And when finished, it should look something like this on your web page…





Nice, smoothed font. Please remember this is not supposed to look IDENTICAL to an Apple product or MAC font, this is just to give the general feel. Websites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and most every other site/article will appear with the same, sleek font. Enjoy!

In comparison, here is Apple’s webpage with their default font style in a unaltered Firefox browser:

Yesterday, I launched my silly tumblelog titled Snippets from a Bookstore Cafe.



There I will be posting my favorite graphics, messages, quotes and music for you all to enjoy. I am going to let my “teenage side” grow and flourish there. Happy tumblin’!

Last week, I discovered one of the most brilliant freewares I have ever used: Poladroid, the free polaroid-mimicking agent that clicks and snaps just like a polaroid camera on your computer desktop with both PC and MAC compatibility.



You start out with a free screen with the mini polaroid camera icon in the corner. Then, you simply drag a photo to the camera icon, and watch it develop. If you want to speed the process along, shake the photo icon across the screen in a right-left motion. It will develop within approx. 10 seconds if you shake fast enough, but will take a good few minutes if you do not.

... And BAM! You have a polaroid photo ready for prints and framing right before your eyes. In my case, I am starting a Flickr stream / blog posting category called "Poladroid-a-Day", in which I include little photography surprises in between every other blog post - ya never know when one will pop up!

I encourage you to start the "polaroid" journey with me, and download Poladroid for free here (no spyware or viruses - I promise!) :-)

(You can follow "Poladroid-a-Day" in my Flickr stream here...)

Towards the end of one of my recent vlogs I mentioned the two latest activity/self-discovery books I have been finding myself within, 5 and 1. 1 was a birthday gift from my dear boyfriend, which I accidentally got on a roll with and filled out within half an hour (I'm good!).

I figured you all would like some of the highlight activities, so I jotted down most of them and their jists in case you wanted to experience the self-learning process within these gems.

Book 5:

1. Record your top five lifetime values. It is easier to identify your top goals in life if you identify the values in which you place yourself.

2. What are the 3 things you like the most and least about yourself?

3. Who is the happiest person you know?

4. Who are the two people you like and respect the most, and why?

5. Write your personal mission statement. Ask yourself: "What is my calling, my life's aim? What inspires me the most? What activity or service is my core values urging me to pursue?"

6. Write your dreams down (they may just become goals)!

7. Set five-year goals for yourself in these categories: Relationships, Spirituality, Family, Career, Health, Financial, Education, Recreation, Charitable, Travel, and Romance.

8. List five things you've been procrastinating about and plan a little bit of action on all five this week.

* Fun activity involving age and Mathematics * 1) Get out a pencil and do this math... multiply your age x 365 days (that will give you your current age in days). Subtract that number from 27,375 days (average lifespan). You probably have _____ days left.

9. Write down your definition of "success".

Book 1:

1. Who are you? Why are you here? What are you doing for others?

2. Chart your Course - List someone you've already taught/mentored, someone you've already supported or helped, someone you've already encouraged or inspired, someone you've already forgiven, and something in your community that you have already changed for the better. Now write one for each in your future that you will.

3. Make a collection of your heroes' names and jot down why they inspire you. Then, write down things you could be doing to encourage those around you.

4. Write down which causes you care about and what gets your juices flowing, things that upset you or make your blood boil, things that make you cry or feel sad, and issues you always talk about with your friends.

5. List things you are good at, things that make you feel good, talents you would be excited to put to use more, and your unique background or experience with subjects. Write down what most important things you will devote your energy to, to reach your highest callings? How will you personally address the world's deepest inequalities?

6. List some people that had a significant influence on you, but probably didn't know it. Then list the ways you plan on thanking them. How will you intentionally nudge others the same way these figures did for you?

7. Write your very own motto. Examples: "Every individual has a role to play." - The Jane Goodall Institute, "Speak up for the sharks" - Ocean Conservancy. My serious motto? "When people learn of mercy and love, they finally learn of living." My humorous motto, yet true? "Go big or go home!"

8. Now, form a big project idea and stick to it until you finish. What will your first step be? Set a target date for the first step, and proceed from then on.

I hope you all enjoyed these tips and tricks from Mr. Dan Zandra, guru in all things lifestyle and inspiration. I would like to share my all-time favorite quote while flipping through 5 and 1... "Help publicly. Help privately. Help in your actions by recycling and conserving and protecting, but help also in your attitude. Help make sense where sense has gone missing. Help bring reason and respect to discourse and debate. Help science to solve and faith to soothe. Help law bring justice, until justice is commonplace. Help and you will abolish apathy--the void that is so quickly filled by ignorance and evil." ~ Tom Hanks (You know, the guy from Big. I was surprised too!).

For me, social networking is (of course) a way to stay connected to my classmates, long-lost friends/family, teachers, co-workers, and bosses, while having the great opportunity to meet other people from around the world that think and speak like I do!

The services I use are always changing and being updated, but at the moment... I currently use these:

Twitter: I use this for connecting with blog/montage fans, fans of the things I love, and for updating friends and family on my current life's happenings.

Facebook: This is my haven of social networking--everything clicked into one, easy-to-navigate package. I have every single person imaginable that I would love to reconnect with, stay in touch with, and quite a few I don't know all that well. I am a pretty "open adder", and love to connect with just about anyone. However, due to confidentiality reasons, I am weary on adding blog/montage viewers. If you use Facebook and still haven't "liked" my blog's official page, you can do that by searching "UnstoppableKatya" under pages and get instant updates, photos, and quotes.

YouTube: I post my creative video montages (see page: Montages) and network with other figure skating fans. I also have my own personal YouTube channel for my favorites and friends.

Blogger: Blogger.com is my blog's host, and also the host of my montage site found here.

Formspring: I have faded out of this teenage trend over the past three or four months--it got tiring and troublesome, answering pointless questions, and most of the time: none at all! Formspring was a place for me to respond to questions from fans or family and friends, and give them the answers they wanted to know. Everyone grew tired of the daily grind after the fresh feeling wore off.

Tumblr: Along with my official blog here, hosted by Blogger.com, Tumblr is a place I can share my favorite iconic graphics with my friends and connect with people who are attracted to the same visual photographs that I am.

Digg: Under username UnstoppableKatya, I post some of the blog entries I provide here for others to see, and browse others' links every so often.

Do you know of any abnormal, or unheard of social networking sites that you would like to introduce me to? Please email me!

So, I purchased my approximate 6th laptop. With summer right around the corner, I decided to give my montage viewers something to look forward to: montages sponsored by Pinnacle Studios HD. My very first upgrade. Can you believe it!? I understand that upgrading my montage works is a long time coming, but I am eagerly excited to be working with a top-notch studio and greater effects--it can only add to the fun!

What I adore about my new laptop series, the Dm4 Pavilion by HP, is the beautifully appealing "Island keyboard" (think Macbook) and small, round, gray-pink tinted appearance, not to mention the inside features. Instead of entering your password (which can be troublesome for people like me who keep their passwords longer and complex), a simple swipe of your fingerprint over a box located as part of the keyboard will log you in. While Dr. Dre's "beats" music system is not featured on the 15", the 18"'s stereo system is beautiful and crystal clear like you're listening to HD music at a concert.

Among these features, my favorite is the amount of core processor and its speed--the Dm4 Pavilion is quad-core, which means 2.5 GHz processor speed working 4x faster, or in theory, approx. 5.1 GHz. Great for gamers and software programs (such as Pinnacle Studios) that take a bit more of a push!

The greater bargain? Only about $520 at office supply stores such as Office Depot, after mail-in rebates. I buy my anti-virus software separate, so that would have knocked off $100 of the final price, but I bought Microsoft Office and Student 2010 for another $99, and OD's 2-year wear and tear protection plan, which is another $200. Overall, for $700-800 dollars, I got much more than I had bargained for (or even need), for a fraction of the price building a laptop with HP or buying a desktop would have cost.

To this day, after experimenting with numerous brands of computers (HP, Dell, Acer, etc), HP remains my favorite. Easy to use, great customer service, quality products, and people that actually care about your technologically-advanced needs, not to mention: computers that ACTUALLY LAST!

Photo by: WeHeartIt

Tunes for the days that are rough, stressful, or just a little off. A warning that some may be explicit, or for the "younger crowd". These are my favorite songs for when my spirit needs some jazzy empowerment.

Stronger by KanYe West
Sixteen Tons by Oliver Darley
Walking on Thin Ice by Yoko Ono
Instant Karma by John Lennon
Not Afraid by Eminem
Lose Yourself by Eminem
We R Who We R by Ke$ha
Stronger by Britney Spears
Remember the Name by Fort Minor
Apologize by One Republic
Too Fake by Hockey
You Found Me by The Fray
Set Fire to the Rain by Adele
This One's for the Girls by Martina McBride
Louboutins by Jennifer Lopez

Have any personal favorites? Email me!

Last year, I came across a beautiful woman with a lot of heart, and a pretty loud mouth! Natalie Tran is the name-- a young woman from Australia who makes videos for YouTube.com under the name 'CommunityChannel', gaining immense fame and chuckles from the public.

Natalie is full of life, one of the reasons I admire her. Seemingly fun-loving and unable to beat down, Natalie is a great role model for teenage girls and College-aged women world-wide, despite her silly antics.

Natalie is known for using computer/Internet slang, making far-out sarcastic jokes, and famously ends every video with "Porno Music / Comment Time", in which she reviews fans' comments and individually responds to a few humorously.

She is currently on a trip around the world, sponsored by lonelyplanet. Check it out!

These are just two of my favorite videos from the very talented Natalie Tran:

While studying Nora Ephron's directing skills, I chose four feature films I absolutely adored. One of which was Julie & Julia, the popular summer 2010 flick that I wrote a review for (this includes the main plot--SPOILER ALERT!).

(Images by Google search)

Everybody needs a little inspiration in their day-to-day lives—this is exactly what character Julie Powell sets out for in the movie Julie & Julia, based on two remarkable women’s true stories of inspiration, passion, and hardships. Used to working in a stressful job for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, Powell is dealing with the emotional aftermath of the 9/11 Twin Towers attack and takes crisis calls all day. Julie and her husband, Eric, have just moved into a new apartment closer to Eric’s work when the movie begins. A fan of Julia Child (a famous cook, co-author of Mastering the Art of French Cooking), Powell cooks a delicious meal each night for herself and her husband to get away from work’s stressors.

Meanwhile, the movie transports back in time to the 1950’s when a middle-aged Julia Child was experiencing the same thing Julie Powell experienced. Julia and her husband Paul had just moved to Paris for Paul’s job, and Julia does not know what to do besides “be a housewife”. She enrolls in an advanced French cooking class and is the only female. She is motivated to beat the guys in speed, strength, and quality, and forms cooking into her new hobby to keep herself occupied.

Now back in present-day, Julie Powell decides to start an online blog about her experiences in 365 days, covering every recipe from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She records her daily troubles, tantrums, and joys of cooking in her cramped, unaccommodating kitchen until it drives her and her marriage into the ditch. Eric had always been a great support and encouraged Julie when she thought she could not write, but they eventually began to argue when her blog started to run her life and consume all her time during the day.

In the movie time frame, Julie Powell is weeping over the fact she could not make the perfect lobster dish, while Julia Child is having a tough time keeping interested and is very scrupulous about her involvement in her new hobby. While at cooking school, Child meets two women who ask her to publish their French cooking book (Mastering the Art of French Cooking), and agrees. Child becomes their editor, coming up with plan after plan until the recipe for publishing success is just right.

Julie receives numerous phone calls and letters from editors, publishers, and T.V. shows asking her to perform interviews and even write her own book, but one particular phone call stood out from the rest. A male editor calls Powell to tell her that he spoke with Julia Child and claimed Child had said she disliked Powell’s blog and thought it was an “offensive” or “unnecessary” way to take upon such a serious subject. This concept is never really elaborated upon, nor made clear in the movie, as Julie and Julia never meet.

At the zenith of the movie, a good-hearted scene of Julie and Eric Powell visiting the Smithsonian Institution to see Julia Child’s kitchen exhibit is shown, as Julie places a stick of butter near Julia’s portrait (Julia’s trademark was: “You can never have enough butter.”) The scene fades into the actual kitchen of Julia and Paul Child, identical to the one at the exhibit, as Julia opens a package and it reveals the first printed copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julia lets out a shriek of happiness as the scene is finished and paused, fading into the credits.

While the movie was a comedy-driven, romantic two hours, I really disliked the fact that Julia Child and Julie Powell never meet. Julia Child is portrayed as a happy, lively woman that lives in the moment, yet she dislikes Julie Powell’s blog. This does not make much sense, considering Julie has never said one offensive word, nor made fun of Julia Child’s cooking. Families watching this flick will sure find a kick out of the storyline and let out a loud chuckle, even if the end is left unresolved.

Little ol' me mingled with the stars last night! Kidding. However, I feel very blessed to be able to call the Hollywood-bound, pop singer/songwriter, Derik Nelson, a friend of mine.

After supporting Derik's music since he was about 16 years of age and buying every album he ever produced, I suppose my loyalty as a fan paid off! I got invited to his gigantic, lavish house as one of 50 some guests (including a close friend of mine--we argued over who loved Derik more) to see him, his sister Riana, and brother Dalten perform for their family and friends. They are such talented, beautiful individuals.

Please visit Derik and Riana's websites and check out their kick-butt music!!

(picture from Google)

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.

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.