School Girls' Blog

Moved to...

2009-01-18T11:22:00.004+01:00

From now on, you can visit my merged blog (School Maiden+Rosier, my personal one) here:

Rosier@Winter.Rain.Com

The lovely Steph hosts me, and I’m really thankful for her, because I was a troublesome hostee to start with. Somehow wordpress didn’t work (I’m still not sure what I screwed up), and she had to reinstall it again. Now, I’m really, really careful with everything. Anywho, she was really kind, and that made me feel better about my fail at WP!

Oh, yeah, and I use a different name, too. Just for the record.

This Blog is Rated...

2009-01-08T21:51:00.004+01:00

Interesting, huh? Even your 4-year old little sister can read School Maiden! Cheers.

Anywho. This was one long hiatus, wasn't it? But I did have my reasons. Apart from moving, of course. For example... family drama. Yay for that! It will be a good topic to write about once I feel like writing real posts, again.

I'm sorry for not commenting much on your blogs, lately, but knowing what kind of shock I went through, I guess neither of you would judge me. (I even started my new, personal blog. Not like I don't have one, but I want to close that chapter!)

Busy, busy...

2008-12-18T20:04:00.005+01:00

I haven't been too active lately. I just need to work out some things in real life. Everything is quite messed up, my grades have been awkward lately, and I have got some other issues, as well.

Right now I should be writing a poem to a classmate of mine (whom I need to buy a present, because of "Class Xmas"... you know, when you pull out someone's name and you have to buy that person a lovely gift. My mother offered me to do the shopping, and she bought a) an adorable plushie keychain b) a dvd (anyone knows the movie "American Dreamz?" I don't. c) a box of chocolate and d) an English-German language learning software. Quite good, I guess?) and learning for Grammar.

But, because I'm so lame, I decided to do everything apart from these two "jobs" today. After I came home, I wrapped the presents (erm, chocolate?) of my friends, did the dishes, my German homework, catched up on some blogs, and I'm about to do some graphical work for my brother.

I suck?

(Oh, and by the way! Tomorrow's daily horoscope: "You're slogging through something that seems to be a lot harder than it should be." Oh, thanks. Helped a lot. But it's still true.)

Our Xmas Wishlist!

2008-12-12T17:33:00.001+01:00

What would (almost) EVERY School Girl want? I wonder... but here are my ideas.

1. Edward Cullen. - Seriously, look at him! Who wouldn't want her own Ed-clone for Christmas? (In case you are one of the not-so many people who wouldn't want to have him... can I have yours, too?) He is handsome, passionate, intelligent and he says ", you are my life now"! And, as my current messenger avatar says: Edward Cullen - Raising the standards for future boyfriends.

2. iPhone. - It's fashionable, intelligent, and up-to-date. Besides, did you know that iPhone is more popular with females than with males? Oh, and of course: phone comes with cute accessories!

3. Magazine subscriptions. - Best present ever, if someone doesn't know what to buy for you. Subscriptions are always good.

4. Carina. - It might be small... but who cares, seriously? I want my Carina, for sure! (By the way, Vikki's new layout features Carina - oh, my cuteness!)
It's effing adorable. And rare. And I want one.

5. Gossip Girl DVD Set. - I bet that lots of girls (and boys) are in love with the series, and even if you don't know the story, or basically anything about it, you should give it a shot.

6. Perfume. - I have a wierd crush on perfumes (which happen to be awesome presents). Don't you?

7. Closet update. - Most girls are in love with clothes. And there can never be "enough" pieces in our closets. Fashion dictates, and we follow it, if it suits us (and our tastes). But who has got that much money? So, pretty please. Get us some clothes. (But ask us first, because I have got enough knitted jumpers, Granny-style, already. Kthxbye.)

8. PBteen Get-Ready Set. - "A get-ready station on wheels. A tilting mirror with regular and magnified reflection sits atop a two-level removable caddy. Sturdy steel trays and a plastic bin provide extra storage. Takes up minimal space. Metal frame with satin-nickel finish." Umm, seriously. Who wouldn't want to have one?

Note: Presents are not in order - except for Edward Cullen, of course.
Note No. 2: Didn't want to be that greedy, so I decided to stick with only 8 presents. Hehe. I doubt that we can compare the value of Carina and an iPhone, though.

Girl Meets Blog # 1

2008-12-10T19:28:00.008+01:00

I guess I'm starting to have way too many monthly features (I wonder if it's bad or good, actually), so I'll say that they will be more like... a little help for me, when I don't know what to write. I won't consider them a "must". Just for the record.

You got it right - a new feature is coming up (and not only for my very own entertainment, because of my addiction to MFs). I will "review" (=post a little something) about a blog I read, every month and you may get to love them, too. I'm currently subscribed to 11 blogs and am still fighting with myself whether to add another 3. And when I say 11, then it's 11 without graphic sites' blogs. Seems like reading and writing blogs is my lame addiction. Oh, well.

Aaaand December's blog iiiis.... *drumroll*

My Super Hopeless Romance

Why? Because I'm hopelessly addicted to it. Cordy tells us about her feelings and guy problems (oh, I can relate to them...) in an interesting, sometimes funny, sometimes sad way.

To describe it with her own words...

"I'm Cordy. I'm in love with my best friend. This blog is part of my very feeble, sad little attempt to get over him and get on with my life - at least that was the original plan.

This blog is mostly just about me being pathetic and wallowing in my feelings. It's the only place I can really talk about it, since I like to try to hide the truth of my completely idiotic, neverending crush-that-will-not-die from my real life friends whenever possible. I do think about other things, and have other thoughts, and even non-boy related goals and an actual job and an IQ, but here on my blog it's pretty much all boys, all the time."

Note that it's fiction! (I didn't realize it until I saw it on the sidebar. Can't tell how disappointed I was, it seemed way too real!)

Tell me whether you liked it or not. :)

Have No Clue About Avoiding Becoming Bad

2008-12-09T18:17:00.006+01:00

When I typed "how to avoid becoming bad" in Google, "how to avoid becoming a victim of bad plastic surgery" popped up. But that's not exactly what I meant... And I couldn't find a single article about my problem. So I'll have to figure this one out by myself.

After moving I was absolutely tired and I didn't care about anything anymore. I learnt only about an hour or two every day, did some chores and that's it. Why bother caring about life if no one cares about me? Erm, yeah, doesn't make much sense, but maybe some of you might understand.

My grades are awkward and no one understands what has happened to that cute, hard-working girl I was. Neither do I, to be honest. But! I'll write some tips for myself and everyone else.

How To Avoid Becoming (a) Bad (Person)! ...When You Are Having a Troublesome Time in Your Life.

1. Go out for a walk everyday or lay down for about half an hour. Try not to think about anything that has been bothering you lately, so --> relax.

2. Talk with friends about your problems. Even if you can't solve them, it's good to know that they are supporting you.

3. Write, draw, sing - express yourself. Consider this a therapy!

4. Listen to calming music. Avoid rock, punk, and such... (no offense, I LOVE rock and punk, but listening to them doesn't seem to be a good idea lately!)

5. Try learning as much as you can, even if you want to give up on everything, already. "Why the heck do I need to learn things like these?" is not an acceptable thought. Learning is your job. End. Of. Story.

That's it. Hope it works not only for me.

SG Loves Music

2008-12-06T11:37:00.005+01:00

Oh, I haven't seen sunshine in weeks! And now, here it is. Sunshine > Rain and Snow. Absolutely. Anyway this boosts my creativity. Which results in another monthly feature: SG Loves Music. I'll show you ten songs you every month, which you might like, as well, because they are oh-so awesome. Rock, hip-hop, disco, pop, doesn't matter. My taste in music is quite complicated, I listen to almost everything. (I like music, not genres, as they say.)

1. I Caught Myself - Paramore: After ~~downloading buying~~ Twilight soundtrack, I fell in love with this song immidiately. I really love that it's not depressing, but still has a certain ~~sad~~ ~~happy~~ complicated feeling to it.

2. Suna no Oshiro - Kanon Wakeshima: I don't know whether I should consider this J-rock, gothic, electrical, classical or something else. The song is currently the ending theme of Vampire Knight Guilty anime.

3. Hero - Charlotte Perrelli: This song caught my attention while listening to it on the radio. I just like it, and not only, because I like disco. It's quite lively.

4. Let's See How Far We've Come - Mathbox Twenty: I love the lyrics! Matchbox Twenty seriously rocks. The song is kind of funny and sad at the same time. Amazing. How could they even put these two feelings in one song?

5. River Flows In You - Yiruma: I'm sure you've heard the rumour about Yiruma's song becoming Bella's Lullaby. But it turned out to be Carter Burwell's (who most likely doesn't know what a lullaby is *cough*). Yiruma's fans were relieved that he didn't get involved with the whole Twilight hysteria, but on the other hand, lots of people dislike Carter's "lullaby". (I think you can guess what I personally think about the whole issue.)

6. All-American Girl - Carrie Underwood: Cheerful song, gotta love it. Simple as that. It makes me smile everytime I listen to it.

7. Same Mistake - James Blunt: Have you seen the movie "P.S. I Love You"? I did, and I loved it. This song is from its soundtrack. James Blunt's voice is beautiful (even if it's not that "manly"). Caution! Song makes you (want to) cry.

8. Collapsed - Aly & Aj: Aly & Aj have always been one of my favourite bands/singers. I love all of their songs, so I had a hard time choosing which one to feature this month. I eventually decided to stick with this, because "Collapsed" was the first song I've heard from them. And I fell in love with it...

9. Liar - Vanilla Ninja: Girl band, again. But this time the genre is rock. Song is made of pure awesomeness.

10. Blind - Lifehouse: First song I heard from them (that's what I chose this song, same reason at Song No. 8), and I had this "omfg" feeling. Because Lifehouse's lyrics are just a-ma-zing!! All of them. Seriously. If you like this song, check some other ones, too. (For example, "Hanging By A Moment", "We'll Never Know" or "Take Me Away".)

Wierd Question Number Three - Blogging

2008-12-03T19:43:00.006+01:00

Right now I'm practically unable to concentrate on anything other than my troubled thoughts, so I'll use another monthly feature to write something apart from RR's Journey in The World of Moving. Today's question will be...

Well, first step. Think about any blog. Now.
And, here comes the question!

If you were the author of that certain blog, do you think you would enjoy your life and would you change anything about yourself or the blog?

Yeah, wierd. But take a look at the name of this feature, hehe. That's the main idea.

Top 5 Websites of December

2008-12-01T18:44:00.004+01:00

Woohoo! My favourite monthly feature. I like to share my favourite sites, for an odd reason. But seriously... who doesn't? This month's top sites will be related to Christmas and relaxing. So, here we go!

Gifts.com - Love, love, love. This website helpes me so much when it comes to choosing presents for my beloved ones for Christmas! Even if you don't have much money, and want to make something handmade, you can get great ideas here! And the personality tests are absolutely awesome. And true.

DivineCaroline: I still didn't figure out this site, because I found it today. A collection of articles, blogs, forums and reviews? Maybe. But you can find even more than that here. Games, tips, stories, and many more. Not only good for killing time!

All Things Christmas: "On this page you will find holiday treasures such as printable cards, lyrics to your favorite Christmas carols, songs in MIDI format, unique craft ideas, decorating and tips for christmas shopping and hostess gifts. We have a lot of holiday stories, delicious recipes, links to other holiday web sites, and more, including our Christmas for kids-section, which offers fun, games, riddles, printables,and other goodies just for kids." What else would we need?

Wrong Cards: Because we need to do something evil every once in a while... like sending "wrong" cards to our friends and family. Or just simply laugh a bit, and cheer them up with these.

ICanHasCheezBurger: Kittiehs! And bad grammar. Which we need sometimes. Just like a good bath. Anyway, I'm sure you will love this site. It cheers me up everytime I take a look at the new (and older) pictures. This is one of my all-time favourite sites!

I Can Has A Break?

2008-12-01T16:56:00.007+01:00

Ugh. Moving is still not completely done, because there are still oh so many boxes left and I still didn't find 90% of my clothes, which leads to a small problem: what the hell am I going to wear tomorrow and after that...? I do plan to go shopping, because I'm in need of new clothes (which girl isn't?), but I don't have any time! I can't even go to my favourite Japanese shop to buy some anime posters to "dress up" my room, at least a bit. Impossible.

I have to stay at home (after school, of course), learn and unpack. Pain in the B. And I have to write an English project today about environment and learn for my Geography test. Dear School... can I have another day off, please? I want to catch up with the blogs I love. And go shopping. And sleep! PLEASE?!

The house is pretty. My room is pretty, but the air is a bit wierd... can't explain. I'm just not used to this place. I got lost 3 times when coming home. That's why I hate changing my route to school... and going on different buses. I can't even go out and explore the area, yet, because of being busy. Aaaah.

So, right now I'm listening to Twilight OST (love), and trying to convince myself to start learning and stop procrastinating. Hard things to do.

And, to make things more... colourful, I'll make some photos of my room once I'm done with everything. Or I'll try to be a bit more creative, to make RRR's way more interesting.
I might even make a small chain of posts called "RR's Journey in the World of Moving" or something like that.

Erm, you might have noticed that I wasn't able to "complete" all the monthly features last month. And I feel awkward, but I don't think that I could've posted much, anyway. Busy month. Busy me. But I'll try to give my best this time! Cheers.

November's Chick Flick - Twilight Hysteria

2008-11-28T21:35:00.013+01:00

I wrote about more movies in October, but right now I'm tired and have got some packing to do, so I'll keep it sweet and short. I went to watch Twilight today, and what shall I say... I was quite disappointed. There were some really lovely scenes, but overall it was not what I was expecting. (Partly my fault, I had too high expectations, I guess.)

Twilight: TWILIGHT is an action-packed, modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn't expect much of anything to change.

Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a boy unlike any she's ever met. Edward is a vampire, but he doesn't have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood. Intelligent and witty, Edward sees straight into Bella's soul. Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance. To Edward, Bella is what he has waited 90 years for, a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy.

But what will Edward & Bella do when a clan of new vampires, James (Cam Gigandet), Laurent (Edi Gathegi) and Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre), come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life? --© Summit

My opinion: "This movie is definitely a victim of its own expectations", a quotation that I read here sums up what I want to say. Even though my day (week, month) has been awkward, reminding myself that I get to have 2 hours Edward-time will make up for everything. But I didn't count with the dumb fangirls, who kept giggling and chatting next to me (damn annoying) and I didn't really care about the fact that its budget was quite low, either. My logic was pretty easy: book was good, movie will be good. End. Of. Story.

It didn't work. They left out so many important scenes and changed other ones, that probably someone who hasn't read the book can't keep up with the fast development.
(However, this doesn't mean that I'm not going to watch it every week until it comes out on DVD.)
I guess it would have been better if it would've been a 3-hours-long movie. You can't just skip some hundred pages from the book, duh! Every sentence is important.

What I liked about the movie:
- Charlie!!
- Kristen's acting made up for (the not so many) faults of Rob
- Victoria and James
- The kissing scene (Who didn't love that...?)
- Edward's look after he saved Bella and realized what he has done
- Alice and Jasper together - uber cute!
- Kitchen scene at The Cullens (Rofl, cooking Italian food! "Is she even Italian?" - "Of course, she's Italian, her name is Bella..." And when Emett waves at her with that knife or what-the-hell-that-was!! EPIC WIN!)
- Jacob
- Baseball... Cullen-style!
- Edward's personal joke with the graduation caps

What I disliked about the movie:
- Fast development
- Bella's mother (for some reason I don't feel that she was the right actress)
- Cullens' story left out
- Jessica (She wasn't THIS irritating in the book, was she?)
- Lots of important scenes left out
- The scenes after Bella sees Edward's skin sparkling... where's the lovey-dovey part? You didn't think that that small looking-at-each-other-for-a-while-scene when they are at the meadow is enough, did you? Wtb original lines from the book.
- Not enough Edward and Bella scenes
- Sparkles were slightly wierd
- Bella's Lullaby (Yiruma's River Flows in You is waay better.)

Probably many of you already know that Summit Entertainment has announced that "that the studio is officially moving ahead with a sequel to “Twilight”, to be based on the second novel in the series by Stephanie Meyer, “New Moon”."

If you don't...

"Los Angeles, CA November 22, 2008 — Summit Entertainment announced today that the studio is officially moving forward with the production of NEW MOON, the second installment of its filmed franchise TWILIGHT, the action-packed, modern day vampire love story. The movie will be based on the second novel in author Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series titled, New Moon. The first movie in the TWILIGHT franchise, the self-titled TWILIGHT, arrived in theaters this weekend to sold-out showings.

Stephenie Meyer stated, “I don’t think any other author has had a more positive experience with the makers of her movie adaptation than I have had with Summit Entertainment. I’m thrilled to have the chance to work with them again on NEW MOON."

I'll try to keep my expectations low this time. Even if it will be a hard thing to do.

So School These Days is Easy...?

2008-11-28T11:28:00.005+01:00

Think again. School and the word "easy" has nothing to do with each other in my dictionary, for sure. Why? Well, I wake up at 6 a.m., follow my morning routine, and end up sitting in a desk and wandering from class to class for sometimes 9 or 10 hours. Then, I have after-school activities, like ECDL class (lots of exams, cheers) and medicinal P.E. (which is only good for catching up with friends there). Finally, I get home around 5 p.m. (if I'm lucky), and do my homework for, at least 2-3 hours. Learning (additional 2 hours) not included. Easy much?

And now let's take a look at a 30-something's point of view.

"And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got it! I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!" Uhm, okay. But you know, I happen to go to the library quite often, because you can't find EVERYTHING on the internet. We use books, too. If you happen to do the same, get a dictionary and look up the word "stereotype".

"There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ'd usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up!" So, you are saying that we are spoiled, because we don't have to steal nowadays? Ooookay. And by the way: When we don't know the name of a song, or the artist, or basically anything of it, but we've heard it somewhere, we have to pay attention to the radio, as well. Just so you know.

"When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!" I still have no idea who it is, when someone calls me. Because the number is normally hidden. Beat this, duh.

"Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15 channels and there was no on screen menu and no remote control! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on!" I don't watch TV, to be honest. I ~~download~~ buy the episodes of my favourite series, because neither of the channels I have is airing them! Even if it's cable television. So, you can earase this nonsense, too. Cable tv doesn't help, at all.

"You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled... You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!" And you wouldn't last for five seconds in the future 2020. Luckily, we would. Because we are some spoiled brats, who, even though have got is oh-so effing easy, know what LIFE is. Working all day. I bet you didn't have to study all day when you were this young... because you definitely had some spare time to steal music from shops.

Regards,
"Kids", who would have lasted for five mintes in 1980... seriously.

Note: Well, it's true that it might be easier at some point. And harder, as well. Technics don't only ease our lives, but makes it harder, too.

Random Rima Ranting # 2

2008-11-27T19:24:00.005+01:00

I bet all of you are sick of RRR's (way too many nowadays), but everything is soooo messed up!
My best friend, Tia texted me today to tell me she's had a surgery and is in hospital now. I knew that this was coming, but not so soon! When she told me there were problems with her leg and her back, I did understand every word of what she said, but I was (am...) having so many problems that I wasn't ready for this. And I'm worried. I feel like a hypocrite.
And she won't get to go home for, at least two weeks. Until then, I'll keep texting her with cheerful bullsh!t, even if I feel down, like today. Aaaand I'll call her tomorrow morning, right after I wake up. Only thing(s) I can do right now (since she lives oh-so far away from my place).

Problem Number Two: Today all the feelings that have been piling up within me wanted to burst out and I simply couldn't hold my tears back. During class. I suck. Nobody understood what the heck is wrong with me, and I HAD to go out the the bathroom to arrange everything within myself and put up a brave front again. Which absolutely didn't work, because everytime someone asked what's wrong I tore up. I was upset. Luckily (?), the teacher wanted to speak with me after class (she probably thought that I was sad about the awkward grade I got for my recitation), but I told her that moving is killing me and I couldn't learn much lately, and I'm sorry for my behaviour. She was kind of... shocked. I guess no-one ever saw me cry. I'm good at hiding my feelings. But she understood me, and tried to comfort me, which was uber kind of her, especially, because she can act like an evil witch sometimes.

Then, everyone (=girls in my group) started bombing me with questions. And I had no intentions of telling them why I cried, so I left them disappointed. Because seriously... if they can't ask "how are you" like once a month, why would I have to tell them what has been going on with me nowadays, which made me feel awkward? "We want to help you" - "You can't". If you didn't care about my existence so far, why would I have to tell you anything...

So, they soon forgot that I was actually crying today and went back to acting like I didn't exist, at all. That's why I dislike them quite much. Hypocrites, hyopcrites... But I did tell my friends (who are in the other group - oh, god, why didn't I just say that I can't speak English, at all, and then we would be in the same one?), who agreed with me. And that sure did make me feel better.

The guys were kind of wierd. There are 5 of them in my group, and V (remember skating?) acted like nothing happened. But when Carter came up, barfing and trying to annoy the girls around me (oh, C, you don't know how glad I was about that), V told him he was an @ss for acting like this. He also opened a window, saying "fresh air helps a lot [at times like these]". So, he did care about me. (And by the way! Yesterday I was at the hairdresser's and I got my hair blow-dried after dying the roots of my hair today, which I haven't done during this school year. Today, when we met at our lockers, V looked at me, and before going inside the classroom, he looked at me and asked "...you straightened your hair today?" with a cute look. I replied yes, and he nodded, in an "it looks good on you"-way. For some reason, I felt touched and happy.)

Carter took notes for me, while I was away at the bathroom, and he was pretty worried. Kindness. Something I really appreciate.

And finally, David decided to sit next to me at IT. He normally sits at another computer, so I was pretty suprised. My look was probably asking "Is your computer wrong or what?", because he asked immidiately whether it was okay for him to sit next to me. Uh, whatever. I guess your girlfriend, who hates me for no specific reason, other than that our haircolour is the same (and she probably knows that last year you were into me, but I'm dense, and I would never go out with you), is going to kill both you and me. He tried to cheer me up. And it worked.

I guess it would be egoistic to assume that either of them likes me? Even if a part of me is trying to convince me about the opposite. Carter is really trying hard to get closer to me each day, and is acting rather charming nowadays, while V (who happens to have a girlfriend) is getting really protective and looks slightly jealous when C is around me too much. No way, right?

Wierd Question Number Two - Weakness

2008-11-26T19:59:00.002+01:00

Today, during P.E. lesson I realized something wierd. It's not a big deal if a girl is weak, because some guys are actually attracted to clumsy ones (think about Edward Cullen!). But it's definitely different with boys - I don't think weakness is something that can be tolerated when it comes to males. It's just... awkward. I can't name any friend of mine who would fancy weak guys. Neither can I.

This month's question: If you were a guy, would you be able to deal with weakness or would you rather do a lot of body-building to become stronger?

I guess I would rather do the body-building. I would have to protect my beloved one, duh! And myself. (But as a girl... I'm fine with being a klutz.)

Off topic: I'm taking this Friday off, because I just can't pack up everything AND learn AND balance my personal life at the same time. I still plan to go and watch Twilight, but only after I'm done with the packing... I guess.

Snow and Moving

2008-11-24T19:47:00.005+01:00

This will be my weekly personal post to update about... everything going on right now with me. I'm not sure whether my sentences will make any sense, because I'm seriously tired. I guess I'm way too often drained. Basically all of my personal posts are about me telling everyone how much my life sucks. I'm a whining biatch and I can't blame PMS today. But! I can blame two other things.

1.) Snow. I hate snow. It looks pretty at first, but then it turns into mud (or simply to water) and it will annoy me to hell. And that's exactly why I was in horror when I realized that it was snowing on Sunday. Thus, I skipped my dance class again, because I was way too depressed to move out. And finished all my assignments instead. Yes, I fail.
But again. I always wish for snow during Xmas. And wish it would just disappear right away after that.

2.) Moving. You don't have an idea how much we've moved, already. Let's see... the number is over 10, for sure. And it freaks me out. When I told my friends their first question was "Again?". You see, not only me, but my whole family fails.

I HATE packing. I hardly have any freetime starting from today (well, it's not like I had much before, either, but still...) and when my step-dad told me to start packing, I replied with "learning > moving and packing". He obviously went mad. And I obviously didn't care. I always stressed that I will not be able to do this kind of "housework" during school, and that's why we should move during a break. My family obviously didn't care about my bitching. And so, I obviously don't care about theirs.

For some days I didn't even turn on Zero, my laptop. Which didn't really happen since I got him. (Yes, he is a male. In my mind, at least. And yes, he got his name from the anime called "Vampire Knight".) I actually don't really know what I was doing.... re-reading Twilight, probably. And writing essays. School = no life here.

Onto better news!

I fell from the stairs today. At school. Well, it's not "better", for sure, but thus, I had a reason to skip medicinal P.E. Heh! Sprained my leg, hurts like hell, and the people around me were wondering whether I was still alive, but turned out I was, so they moved on. Luckily.

And here's the difference between a friend of mine (let's call her Debra) and my mother's reaction.

Mum: You are home early today.
Me: Yeah, I fell from the stairs at school, so I decided to skip medicinal P.E.
Mum: WHAT?!
Me: Don't worry, I only fell about 5 steps.
Mum: WHAT?!
Me: You know, I got used to it, already. I'm a klutz.

Me: I fell from the stairs today.
Debra: *laughs* Sounds like you.
Me: It sure does! But at least I have a reason to skip P.E.
Debra: Hell yeah.

See? I guess that's why my mother is always worried when I'm going somewhere alone, or she doesn't know where I am. Because I always get into trouble. The only trouble that seems to avoid me is Edward. Gah.

Anywho. I will not go on a hiatus or any kind of break, because we should have internet at our new house, too by this weekend. And that's what makes me feel slightly better. Call me addicted. But I use the web mainly only for blogging and learning (and checking my favourite sites). But I want to stress learning.

And! I'm going to see Twilight this Friday. I texted another friend of mine, Ivy asking whether she'll join me or not. We go to med. P.E. together, and last week I told her how addicted to Twilight I am, and that I must see the movie next week (so, this week). She didn't promise to come with me, but she definitely did sound like she would be up for it. However, I still didn't get her reply. Weird much? Whatever. I'll see her in some days, anyway.

...and then I'll be able to write November's Chick Flicks. Yay! (Because, seriously, Twilight MUST be included.)

PMS = Our Reason To Act Bitchy

2008-11-20T20:19:00.003+01:00

Is PMS* just an excuse for us to cover up our bitchy behaviour? Lots of people think it is. But seriously... why would we want to feel down and moody? Do we WANT to have cramps? Nah. Men who say that we play the PMS card too often should be turned into a woman for 2 years to deal with this little "excuse", then give birth to a child, and look after it for some months. They would definitely not complain about us behaving like this every once in a while.

The other reason might be that we are under way more pressure than men. We must look beautiful, be clever, caring, a good housewife (in the future... but we do have to learn cooking, do the dishes and other housework to "practice" for our future lives...) and be good at work/school, too. Isn't that too much already?

Dear Eve,
Personally, we hate you for eating that certain something (which might not be an apple at all) from the tree, back then. Why, oh why couldn't you restrain yourself from doing that? You are the reason for cramps and pain at childbirth.
Screw you.
Hugs,
PMS-ing Girls

And now... some help to fight this evil enemy.

Consume at least 1200 mg Calcium a day. Saves you from cramps. All hail the researches.
Take Vitamin E and B6. All hail researches again.
Eat lots of low-fat food, vegetables fruit and cereal.
The magic word: Magnesium. Reduces breast tenderness and your craving for sugar.

Want to laugh a bit? Check out this site, which tells guys when their wives/sisters/daughters/etc. have PMS. "Simply enter the date of your woman's last cycle and PMSBuddy will send you an e-mail reminding you of your impending doom. You can receive as little or as much notice as you'd like -- anything from one day (if you just want to stay a little late at the office) to five (if you need a little more time to fake your death)...

The site also recommends steps you can take to mitigate the damage (and bolster its corporate partnerships) –- like buying flowers from 1-800-Flowers or chocolate from Godiva. Neither of which will do any good at all, by the way." Hilarious! Too bad it's not a joke. Anyway, have fun!

*Premenstrual Syndrome, or PMS, as it is more commonly known is a disorder that affects millions of women monthly. With more than 150 symptoms, it can sometimes be a chore to get a correct diagnosis.- Women's Health Issues

Two Things About Being a School Girl

2008-11-18T16:24:00.004+01:00

I want to write about something... interesting, positive today. I've always wanted to have a writing style which can keep people interested, but still cheer them up every once in a while. I guess I still have to learn. Oh, well!

I bet you all know what The Daily Meme is. (I figured it out a bit too late, so I'm pretty new to it.) Anyway, a meme is: "In the context of web logs / 'blogs / blogging and other kinds of personal web sites it's some kind of list of questions that you saw somewhere else and you decided to answer the questions. Then someone else sees them and does them and so on and so on."

So, here's an interesting one! It's called "Two Things". What the heck might that be, you ask? "You know, the Two Things. For every subject, there are really only two things you really need to know. Everything else is the application of those two things, or just not important." Love the idea. This lovely blog started the whole thing, just for the record.

I wonder what the Two Things are regarding our work, being a school girl? It depends on the person, probably. But I'll to think about something useful.

1.) Be yourself. Being on drugs, going to parties and getting drunk just to please your friends, acting like a bitchy witch are definitely in nowadays, but you don't always need to follow the "fashion" trends, do you?
2.) If someone asks your who your hero is, your reply should be Mulan. Because she can turn into a guy, get a guy, and turn back into a girl. (I wonder where have I read this before?)

Plus one from Yahoo: "Only have imaginary friends & don't be surprised if even they let you down." Hah. Clever.

So, what would you say about your "job"? If you write about being a school girl (and so will others), I'll write another post regarding this topic, and quote your ideas (+link back), if you allow me to do so. ;) Feel free to do this meme as your daily blog. Have fun!

"I'm Not Going To Get Married!"

2008-11-17T20:10:00.005+01:00

...is what I often say nowadays. Because, seriously, over 50% of marriages end in divorce nowadays. And why would I need to prove my love by signing a paper, which might cause lots of problems when it comes to divorce? Nah, marriage is not my style. I have way too many con reasons. For example, I get bored of people easily. Namely, from boyfriends. Sounds bitchy? It's still true. If someone can't keep me interested, can't show anything new, I don't feel sorry to dump them. There's no point in hiding the truth, as they say. So, why do my parents believe, that me, a girl, who hadn't had a boyfriend for more than 6 months (which is absolutely her record, others could only "last" until some weeks, if they were lucky) could EVER get married? A bond that would last for a lifetime? Might work for others. But not for me.

Probably any guy (or girl?) might hate me reading this. And I'm sorry if that's the case. Don't keep reading if you are one of them, please.

"Marriage isn't what you think it is. It's a license you give the government that allows greedy opportunistic lawyers to steal everything you own. Here in America there are a lot of people making a lot of money splitting up relationships hunting for people like you to suck you dry."
Do you agree with this? I don't know. It sounds a bit too harsh, even if a part of me is nodding all the way.

I hate that getting married is an expectation from my family. ~~Or am I only complaining about this because of PMS? I doubt that.~~ "You will change your mind!" What if I won't? "You MUST change your mind!" You hear the difference, right?

"We all grow up with tales of girls and guys dating, marrying, and settling down. We watch all the sitcoms about how wives act and how husbands act. We have all these stereotypes in our head about the woman being used as a slave and nagging all the time. We have stereotypes about guys belching, sitting on the couch and scratching our privates. We also build up these fantasies about a wife being a perfect cook that never looks at another guy - and the husband earning the money, coming home and bringing his lovely wife flowers."

I don't want to marry just to please others. This is my life. Why would they have a reason to ruin it? Shouldn't they just accept the way I live? It's not bad for my health, or anything...

"They don't live in your house (hopefully!) or live your day to day life. Only you know what is best for you. They are free to marry who they want. They don't have the right to then force YOU to make life-changing decisions because THEY think it would be fun.

If they want to order people around or play match-maker, they should buy a copy of the Sims and make little computer-people get married. In your world, you are in charge and you should ONLY consider marrying if it is 100% right for you. You are the one who has to live with the consequences."

You don't need to agree. Just think over this whole... question. And share your ideas/arguments! I wonder if I'm the only one who is so much against this tradition.
Anyway, I guess I will write a pro-post about marriage, as well. I don't want to be too negative.

Credit: RomanceClass.Com

Shugo Chara! Something Worth To Watch.

2008-11-17T16:51:00.003+01:00

You might already know that I'm addicted to animes. A bit. Shugo Chara is my favourite right now (besides some other ones), because the whole story is really unique and creative. The idea of it is simply... beautiful. It tells everyone to become what they want to be and never let go of their dreams. Everyone should watch it. Seriously!

"Amu Hinamori is a student at Seiyo Elementary, where she has a reputation for being "cool and spicy"; however, her real personality is that of an extremely shy and easily intimidated girl.

One night Amu makes a wish that she would have the courage to be reborn as her "would-be" self. The next morning Amu finds three brightly colored eggs—red, blue, and green—in her bed. Each egg eventually hatches into a Guardian Character: Ran, Miki, and Su. Guardian Characters are angel-like beings that aid a person into becoming their "would-be" selves and fulfill the person's dreams.

The Guardian Characters accomplish this by giving encouragement and advice, but they can also temporarily change a person's personality and abilities. With the Guardian Characters, Amu's life becomes much more complex as she now struggles to deal with her new personalities and the Seiyo Elementary Guardians—a student council group where each member has their own Guardian Character—who recruits Amu to search for and seal the X eggs and X Characters, corrupted forms of people's dreams." - MyAnimeList.net

Give this anime a try. You may love it, you may hate it, you may become obsessed with it. Even if you are sceptical. Every episode starts with a voice saying "all kids hold and egg in their heart", which may either make you freak out or think it makes sense. Anyway, I don't think that even one episode of this anime is a waste of time.

Top 5 Websites of November

2008-11-16T18:12:00.006+01:00

I have a hard time dealing with my writer's block, but I realized that the monthly features might help me out. Hopefully. So, I decided to stick with Top 5 Websites today. I'm kind of tired, I had to skip dance class to write an essay about Herodotus and Thukydides. It was tiresome... but I want to get an A in History badly, so I decided to give my best, and worked 2 and a half hours on it. Duh.

Well, then. Let's get started!

Twilighters Anonymus - I became "slightly" addicted with the book(s). (Actually, I can't wait to watch the movie, I have the soundtrack already [and I'm absolutely disappointed with Bella's lullaby, I wanted Yiruma's "River Flows in You"...], my wallpaper features Edward, I spend hours on fansites, etc.) You can find EVERYTHING about Twilight on this site. Lots of pictures, information, videos, a Twilipedia, and the news blog is updated way too often. I can't keep up with the posts. So, if you are a fan, like myself, I encourage you to visit this great site.

Reverse Harem Garden - I'm not sure whether you are familiar with animes or not, but this site features reverse harem animes and mangas, which means, that there is a main girl character surrounded by handsome males. Oh, I'm a fan of those. And I'm sure most girls feel the same way. Maybe you should check at least one of them out?

Aethereality.net: "Here we offer chockful of premade layouts, and about almost everything else needed to enhance your site or simply to hone your design skill." Tells everything. You can find lots of useful graphics and downloads here, which might help you a lot.

StarPlay - "StarPlay is music education software that lets you practice by performing with professional musicians, bands and renowned orchestras... StarPlay listens to your performance and helps you perfect the piece with instant feedback as you play. With StarPlay you practice with real musicians, playing real music using your own instrument!"

Gossip Girl Insider - Yet another fansite, but this time it's a Gossip Girl one. If you don't know the series, check it out. You'll love it. If you do, do the same. You'll love the site. Updated frequently, thousands of pictures, quotes, and everything you might need.

Plus one!
Messenger Plus! Live - "Do you have MSN?" If your answer is yes, you might find some helpful scripts, sounds, skins, and help here.

From now on, I'm going to try and beat my writer's block. I want to write about Twilight, Shugo Chara, and The Veronicas sooo much. And these are only some of my plans...

Lollipops, Shugo Chara and Three Days Grace

2008-11-12T18:33:00.003+01:00

I haven't written a single word since a week. I suck. I suck. I suck. And my life sucks! But I'm having my being-depressed-for-a-month-time, because of all the pressure, which is put on my weak shoulders, and which absolutely can't take a) moving b) my brother's upcoming prom (why am I the one to stress over this? Because I don't know what present to get him!) and c) learning, learning, learning. I forgot d) my mother complaining about my fashion style. "Ugh, sorry? I wear these clothes, not you. I didn't even ask you to buy them, I wanted to tell you recently that I'm about to apply for a job...." (Yeah, I'm slow. I called lots of agencies to check which of them have the highest payment for the worst job ever.)

So, basically, I'm drained. And I having a hard time dealing with my writer's block. Especially, because I want to write about so many things! But they just won't come out the right way... or any way. Instead, I keep watching Shugo Chara, listening to Three Days Grace (a band which won't cheer you up, for sure, but I still love them), and eating candies. Which I am absolutely not in lack of, because my school holds a prom-like thing to the freshmen every year, and we get to torture them in our on ways. I told my "Little Elf" to tell an unknown guy that she has been in love with him since she entered the school and would do anything for him. Cruel? Nah. I went easy on her. (Everyone in my class got a freshmen, because we were freshmen ourselves a year ago... and that's how it goes. Next year they will get to torture their elves.)

The whole class had to make a bag of candy and other sweets for us, so... my teeth hurt. Like hell. And there are still so many lollipops here...

On the other hand, I bought a cute coat, a lovely pair of boots and Twilight (!!) today. Awesome. My day sucked, otherwise. (I have many issues to deal with right now. That's why I'm incapable of giving advice nowadays. Sorry.)

And when I came home, totally pleased with myself, my mother started shouting at me telling me that the coat is too short and I'll get a cold (that will not be the cause of my cold, it's most likely to be one of my classmates sitting next to me....), and the soles of the boots are too thin. I. Am. So. Effing. Fed. Up.

I wanted to tell her how happy I am that I survived this shitty day, and that I finally got Twilight, although the girl at the bookstore told me that they wouldn't have it until some months! I only went inside the shop to look for something for my brother. And I accidentally saw it. My jaws dropped. I was in heaven. I came home. I'm in hell right now.

One Minute Writer: Something You Should Really Check Out

2008-11-05T18:15:00.004+01:00

I haven't posted in 5 days. This is such a sad thing (for me). I kind of feel ashamed, because I always make some time to write, no matter how hectic school (and life) is. This is a great practice for me, and thanks to this blog I'm still somewhat near of my all-time biggest dream, becoming a writer. (During the years this was the only all-time biggest dream that didn't change, but it still doesn't mean that I want to spend my time writing books, which may never get published).
So, yeah... I'm the worst kind of blogger. And I have one more issue...

Lucky you and lucky me, I'm addicted to quite many personal and not-so personal blogs. My newest favourite is One Minute Writer. This lovely site helps lots of people to create a daily journal in a way that they only need to write for a minute every day. The whole idea is just so A-W-E-S-O-M-E. So, go and check it out, it might inspire or help you, too!

Today's Writing Prompt: Stranger
Write about the something nice a stranger did for you.

Well, this happened to me about two days ago. I was on the bus, and some lame kids were pretending to be cool by saying gross things, being loud, listening to their crappy music, and annoying everyone to hell. Unfortunately (?) ALL of my emotions show on my face. If I think "you are such an idiot", everyone can read it from it. If I think "the world is coming to an end, I guess", it shows, too. Sometimes it's quite troublesome.

Anyway, I didn't realize that a man (around age 25) has been looking at my face for quite a long time, thus, he knew what I was thinking (I hope he didn't know that I wanted to throw heavy rocks at those kids, duh!).

After a while, he went to them and told to shut up, because no one is interested in their bullsh*t. I was sooo surprised, wondering if he did this for himself, for everyone, or just me (arrogant, aren't I?). Then, he went back to the place he was standing before, looked at me, and smiled. I whispered "thank you", and smiled back at him. He was watching me until I got off the bus.
It was a bit freaky, but lovely at the same time.

Jack's Story

2008-10-31T23:09:00.004+01:00

About a year ago my English teacher told me the history of Jack O'Lanterns, and I absolutely LOVED the story. It was freaky, yet interesting... and at some point believable. I'm not sure whether I could tell you the same "tale" as enjoyable as I read (you know, my teacher brought us textes, actually), so I searched on the internet for the exact same one. Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

The Mystery of the Halloween Jack O'Lantern

Each Halloween, Americans run to commercial pumpkin patches and purchase odd-shaped, orange vegetables they carve out and make into happy or demonic faces. They place candles inside and perch the lit faces on windowsills.

The pumpkin has come to symbolize the holiday as much as ghouls, goblins, ghosts, and witches. But how many people know how the Jack O'Lantern has come to be associated with Halloween, and why the pumpkin has come to be used?

The answer seems to lie in an Irish folktale that goes something like this:

A long time ago, there lived an unfortunate soul, a stingy blacksmith named Jack, known far and wide for his quick temper and his constant state of drunkenness. One All Hallows Eve, after Jack had imbibed too much at his favorite pub and his life had begun to slip away, the Devil appeared.

"It's time," the Devil said to Jack.

"Time for what?" Jack slurred, his tongue soaked through with alcohol.

"You're done for, and I've come for your soul."

"I'll give you my soul," Jack replied, "but you've got to let me have one more drink before I die."

The Devil agreed. Jack said he was short of money, so the Devil offered to turn himself into a sixpence in order to pay the bartender and speed up his mission. Jack immediately seized the opportunity, grabbed the coin, and pocketed it in his purse. Because Jack had a silver cross in his purse, the Devil could not change himself back. Now imprisoned, the Devil screamed at Jack to set him free. Jack said he would, but only if the Devil promised not to bother him again for a whole year. The Devil agreed.

During the next year, Jack tried to mend his ways. For a time, he was a good husband to his wife and a good father to his children. He attended church, he gave to charities, eventually though, Jack slipped back into his wanton ways.

The next All Hallows Eve, as Jack was heading home from the pub, the Devil appeared once again.

"It's time," the Devil said, standing in a jaunty pose along the side of the road.

This time, Jack did not need to ask, "Time for what?" He knew. Not too eager to die, and thinking quickly on his feet, Jack pointed to an apple tree standing nearby and said, "I'll go with you, but first, could you get me an apple out of that tree over there?" Jack even offered to give the Devil a hand and hoist him up.

The Devil, not having learned from his previous encounter with Jack, and thinking he had nothing to lose, agreed. He jumped on Jack's shoulders, climbed into the tree, plucked an apple, and threw it down. Jack caught the apple and whipped a knife out of his pocket, but instead of cutting the apple into bite-size pieces, he carved a cross into the tree trunk. Trapped once again, the Devil howled like a jackal to be released, which Jack agreed to do, but only if the Devil agreed never to bother him again. The Devil agreed and Jack released him.

A year later, Jack's evil ways finally caught up with him and he died. When he tried to get into Heaven, he was told he could not enter. So he tried to get into Hell, but the Devil, still smarting from the way Jack had humiliated him in the past, refused to let Jack pass into Hell.

"I cannot get into Heaven," Jack said. "I cannot get into Hell. Where can I go then?"

"You can go back where you came from," the Devil bellowed.

With that, Jack sunk down to the ground. "The way back is cold, and windy," he whimpered. "How shall I find my way? Can you at least provide me with some light?"

The Devil, being the kind creature that he was, threw Jack a piece of brightly burning coal straight from the fires of Hell. "That should help you find your way in the dark of limbo," he said. To keep the piece of coal from blowing out in the wind, Jack put it into a turnip that he had been eating and was now hollowed out. Ever since that day, it has been Jack's fate to wander in darkness with his lantern until Judgment Day.

And so, that is how the Jack of the lantern (Jack O'Lantern) became the symbol of a damned soul wandering the earth on All Hallows Eve.

One might ask, if Jack used a turnip, how does the pumpkin fit into the holiday story?

Credit goes to: Mystery Net.com

October's Chick Flicks

2008-10-28T11:00:00.008+01:00

Well, I decided to write a post about the latest (and not so latest) chick flicks, after all. And what does this mean? Yup. Another monthly feature. (I'm really into these nowadays!) Just to make things more interesting. And to help me out when I don't know what to blog about.

Just for the record. I may review movies which were not "released" in that certain month I wrote the post. Got it? For example, I can write about 10 Things I Hate About You in November, even though it's quite an "old" one.

The House Bunny: "House Bunny centers on a Playboy bunny (Faris) who gets kicked out of the Playboy Mansion and becomes the house mother to the lamest sorority on campus.

McPhee plays a pregnant hippy, while Stone is president of the sorority. Willis plays an insecure young woman who wears a backbrace even though she could have had it removed years ago. Dennings portrays a pierced women's studies feminist, and Goodman plays the sister who keeps switching majors and should have graduated years ago. Wright is a conniving young woman from the popular sorority."

My opinion: This movie is definitely a great chick flick! I loved it, the plot is wierd, but funny, and even though the message can be either "screw learning, be a b!tch" or "be yourself - just sexier", I think it was worth the watch. Anna Faris is good at playing the dumb blonde (just think about Scary Movie).

High School Musical 3; Senior Year: "Disney’s “High School Musical” phenomenon leaps onto the big screen in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year", in which America’s favorite high school students (Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman) hit senior year. Amidst a basketball championship, prom and a big spring musical featuring all of the Wildcats, Troy and Gabriella vow to make every moment last as their lifelong college dreams put the future of their relationship in question. A crew of sophomore Wildcats (Matt Prokop, Justin Martin and Jemma McKenzie-Brown) joins in the fun as the film’s incredible new music and exciting dance numbers take maximum advantage of the big screen."

My opinion: I'm not that big of a HSM-fan, and I didn't have high expectations, either, therefore I wasn't disappointed. The plot and the music seems to be pretty much the same (for me), and I wasn't really touched by the movie. Anyway, it might be worth watching it... at home, probably. But again, this is my opinion, so don't take it to heart! Good news for the fans is that there will most likely be a 4th movie, too.

My Best Friend's Girl: "Smart, beautiful and headstrong, Alexis is the girl of Dustin's dreams. But after only five weeks of dating, the love-struck Dustin is coming on so strong that Alexis is forced to slow things down - permanently. Devastated and desperate to get her back, Dustin turns to his best friend, Tank, the rebound specialist. A master at seducing - and offending - women, Tank gets hired by freshly dumped guys to take their ex-girlfriends out on the worst date of their lives - an experience so horrible it sends them running gratefully back to their beaus."

My opinion: This movie was a bit too long for my tastes. I mean, it's so dramatic, and there are way too many problems, which make it tiresome after a while. I watched it with some friends, and they didn't really like it, either. The jokes are good, but the plot is kind of ordinary. It is a romantic comedy, but without those lovely flowers and kisses.

A Walk To Remember: "Landon Carter (Shane West) and his friends are the coolest kids in Beaufort, North Carolina. They wear the right clothes, drive the right cars, and get into just enough trouble to be rebellious. Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore) is the opposite--there doesn't seem to be anything cool about her. The preacher's daughter, plain Jamie wears big boxy dresses and the same sweater every day. She endures the scorn of Landon and his friends with a smile, always looking for the best in people. When a prank planned by Landon and his friend goes terribly wrong, the principal sentences him to tutoring on the weekends and working on the school play, activities in which Jamie is involved. As the two begin spending time together, Landon finds himself intrigued by this guileless girl who sees beauty in everything and exhibits unwavering faith in people and in the world. When circumstances beyond Landon and Jamie's control threaten their love, he stays by her side and does everything he can to make her dreams come true. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks, the film also stars Peter Coyote and Daryl Hannah."

My opinion: I. Love. This. Movie. It teaches a lot about love and trust, and every girl should watch it (at least once). The characters are unique, and the whole plot is quite realistic. Be sure to have some tissues with you if you intend to see it. A Walk To Remember is simply amazing.

Random Rima Ranting

2008-10-25T19:16:00.006+02:00

Guess who is going to read Twilight soon (first week of November, hopefully)? And who is going to watch the movie as soon as it comes out (soooooon)? Yepp, me. Luckyyy! The books are not yet published in my country (yeah, I live under a rock, but it's comfty), so I thought that seeing the movie would be absolutely... hopeless.

But I watched The House Bunny today, and when we were coming out of the cinema, I saw one of those huge posters advertising an upcoming movie, and it was Twilight's! I was so happy. My sisters probably thought that I'm an idiot, because I was screaming "Oh, oh! That's Twilight! It's going to be great!". They were like "Ugh, fine, just let's go", since they don't know a thing about it. Neither do I, but that's not the point. Everyone is so amazed by the book (and the movie, even though it's not out, yet, as far as I know), so I'm definitely interested in it! I haven't been much of a Harry Potter fan (I've seen the movies, but that's all), but Twilight seems much more... suited for my tastes?

So, when we arrived home, I checked some bookstore's sites, and luckily I can order it from an online bookstore after 5th of November! (Already registered myself, but still need to convince one of my relatives to buy it for me, since I'm broke.) I also checked whether they have other books from Stephenie Meyer, and yepp. I could even order Twilight in English language, but that's pretty expensive.

Sorry, I just had to rant here. We can consider this my weekly (?) random post, which is actually about nothing. But me.

On to other news, I'm going to watch High School Musical 3 on Monday (cinema, again!). I'm kind of interested in it, as well, since I've seen the first and the second movie, already. I might even write a post about the latest chick flicks later? Who knows.

Oh! And there's a little surprise coming, too. I've been working quite much on it! (And I'm so pleased with myself, since I've had so many things to do recently, but I still managed to find some time to work on it.)

Top 5 Websites of October

2008-10-24T11:28:00.011+02:00

There are times when we just sit in front of the computer, doing nothing, and feeling rather... awful. Knowing that you don't have anything to do right now, and you want to surf on the web, because there are oh-so many great, interesting websites out there, but you just don't know where to start...

Yet another monthly feature is the answer for this... question? Sounds like a commercial. Whatever. I will post 5 site names (with a small review of them) to keep you from being bored.

My Virtual Model - Who wouldn't want to know how she looks in various dresses, trousers, tops, and other stuff? In addition, you can also see if they fit you (and each other). The site lets you create a model with your height, weight, and make it look the same as you. Awesomeness.

Fail Blog - Is there anyone who doesn't know Fail Blog? If yes, you don't know what you've been missing in your life. To describe it with one word: funny. It is updated frequently, and you can watch some hilarious videos and pictures.

Gluttony 101 (Gaia) - Gluttony 101 is actually a forum created by Gaians, but you don't need to be a member yourself to view the posts. You can find some easy recipes here, and they are divided into 8 categories: Breakfast, Meat, Poultry, Fish, Vegetarian, Ramen, Beverages, and Dessert.

DatingFun.com - "No matter what you are looking for, when it comes to dating, we have you covered! We are your complete dating resource from pick-up to break-up..." A helpful site for all those who are (or not) in love with someone and need some tips.

Free Rice - You donate rice to help end hunger AND you get to learn new things! It's pretty entertaining, and it will make you feel so much better. How cool is that? Besides, there are various subjects, like languages, math, geography, art and chemistry!

And a random article just for today. Online divorcee jailed after killing virtual hubby. ("A 43-year-old Japanese woman whose sudden divorce in a virtual game world made her so angry that she killed her online husband's digital persona has been arrested on suspicion of hacking, police said Thursday.") It's worth reading! Have fun!

Becoming a Model

2008-10-23T11:35:00.008+02:00

This post is dedicated to Mimi in the first place, so let's all cheer for her to be able to reach her dream!
Lots of teenagers want to become a model, but only a few of them understand that they need to work hard, be lucky, wary, strong, and confident, because it's an extremely competitive business, where people can get broken easily.

Advice #1: Be in good health. Do at least one kind of sport, like jogging (improves stamina), or fitness. You can get your own fitness coach and tell him your dreamjob, and how you want your body to look like. Never go on a diet, though. It's just not worth it.

Advice #2: Decide what kind of model you want to be, depending on your bodytype (catwalk model, underwear model, hairmodel, etc.).

Advice #3: Consider joining the drama club and dance class. The skills you gain there might be useful in the future.

Advice #4: Get some photos done. Show off your skills, and give your best. Make more headshot and body shots (and some copies of them). Agencies will appreciate them, and if they see that you are serious about choosing this job, they might decide on you. Professional photography is expensive, but sometimes it's better to stick with it.

Advice #5: Look up some modeling agencies, but again, be careful! Check their sites, gather information about them. Sometimes there are places in malls where you can sign up for a "test" modeling. It basically goes like this: they call you back, you arrive on time to the appointment, they interview you. Then, you go home, and they will most likely call you again, but this time they will take some photos of you (with professional make-up) for a certain amount of money. Thus, your portfolio is created, and you have made the first step towards becoming a model. Easy, huh?

Advice #6: If you are asked to sign a contract, be sure to read every single word of it. Seriously. Take your time going through it.

Advice #7: Even if you get rejected, keep your head up. Remember, modeling is a tough business. Keep looking until you get a (part-time?) job.

So, these were my tips. But if they are not enough, here are eHow.com's! Just to mention some of them:

Weed out ripoffs such as an agency that hits you with fees before you get work. Many fashion photographers will tell you which agencies take advantage of models. Check with the Better Business Bureau or the office of your state attorney general (see Resources). Watch out for agencies that charge high registration fees, photographers who say you need an expensive portfolio and anyone who pushes sex or nudity.

Enter a model search if it's sponsored by a well-known agency. Fees vary and you don't want to pay a fortune to enter, but model searches can put you in contact with the right people.

Go to a modeling convention. These can be expensive to attend, but you'll learn a lot about the field and introduce yourself to several agencies at once.

Go to modeling school. Some people doubt whether it's worth the money, but you can gain experience.

Register with a Web site such as Model Scouts (see Resources). Model scouts will see your profile and contact you, if they're interested.

Hope these helped you. Anyway, keep in mind that modeling isn't a life-long job, so always have a B plan (like: "After modeling, I'll try to become a fashion editor in a magazine!"). Good luck!

Improve Your Self Confidence

2008-10-22T18:09:00.007+02:00

I have written about a similar topic a while ago, but I don't think that one post will just do it. I want you to become more condifent in yourself, because that's one of the most important things you'll need in life. It's also a 'skill' which you might learn at school, or basically anywhere.

Things to do:

1.) Write done what you want to achieve, what your goals are. Always think about a way to reach them. For example, if you want to dance, look up some dance courses and classes, and add their names and telephone numbers next to it.

2.) Did you know that we all talk to ourselves? Even if we don't realize it. If you have done something "bad", and you became ashamed, we always scold ourselves (unless we have a really positive attitude, which is pretty rare nowadays). Now, silence that voice inside you. Tell it to shut up, and make it fade away. After some time, it will lose its influence on you, and that's another step towards becoming more confident!

3.) Practice good posture! Important, important, important. Take yoga lessons, if needed. (They are pretty awesome, I've done that when I was younger.)

4.) Always look tidy. You should be satisfied with yourself, too, when you look at the mirror. Do you think you need a new haircut? Some make-up? Then do it!

5.) Accept compliments! Never refuse them, that's a bad habit. Instead, smile and say "thank you!". You and the person in question, too will feel better this way.

~ End of Lesson One of "Improve Your Self Confidence". More to come later. ~

Book Review: Where Rainbows End

2008-10-21T17:21:00.013+02:00

Tomorrow is my last day before my autumn break! Yay! However... I will need to learn a lot and finish my assignments. Duh. But let's not think about that for now! I might as well go to the hospital to have my arm x-rayed if the pain doesn't go away by tomorrow. My classmate had a surgery about a week ago, because she had arthritis (=inflammation of a joint, causing pain, stiffness, swelling, and redness). But probably I'm just overreacting it, so no worries.

Anywho. I used to post a lot on my personal blog (which I don't update too often nowadays, because if I have something on mind, I just simply write my rantings here), and I remember reading Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. I plan to post at least one book review a month from now on, because there are seriously many books which are purely awesome, and need some adversiting. (Also, my hand and fingers hurt like hell, so I can't write much.)

So, this is what I wrote about the book some months ago!

"I'm done with the book. 'Where rainbows end' was awesome! I was like "wow", when I finished it (about 2 minutes ago - I have been reading it since this morning, when I got up). I just don't know how should I feel about it. It was funny, sad, happy, heart-warming and... amazing! It also leaves me guessing if it's a true story.

I've read the last 130 pages this morning, without taking a break. It's kind of wierd how Alex's and Rosie's circumstances always change, so they can never really tell how they feel about each other... Like fate is against them. I wonder if my life will change the way Rosie's did? She was full of plans, and didn't want to miss her chance when it came to reaching dreams, still, fate was always in her way. Will this happen to me, too? Will I not be able to reach my goals even after learning and fighting for so many years?

I don't want a child. Rosie didn't want one, too, still, she got pregnant at the age of 18. I know what my dream job is, and so did Rosie, still, because of her child, she couldn't get it. It's like... domino effect.

Seriously, I should stop thinking so much. But I must point out that I have too much free time nowadays, so I don't have anything to do except this.

"From naughty children to rebellious teenagers, Rosie and Alex have stuck by each other through thick and thin. But just as as they're discovering the joys of teenage nights on the town and dating disasters, they're separated. Alex's family move from Dublin to America - and Alex goes with them. For good.

Rosie's lost without him. But on the eve of her departure to join Alex in Boston, Rosie gets news that will change her life forever - and keep her at home in Ireland.

their magical connection sees them through the ups and downs of each others lives, but neither of them knows whether their friendship can survive the years and miles - or new relationships. And at the back of Rosie's mind is whether they were meant to be more than just good friends all along. Misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck have kept them apart, but when presented with the ultimate opportunity, will they gamble everything for true love? "

What do I think about the book after some months have passed? I still think it's GREAT! I love it. It will become one of my all-time favourites, for sure. Even my mother read it (although she didn't like it as much as I did, but her reasons were the following: "I think I know why it annoyed me a bit. This books tells us how much Rosie has suffered, and it makes me remember the time of my life when I was in a situation like that. When everything was about to crash around me.") So, make a visit to the library or go to the nearby bookshop is you have some free time, and want something to read.

Humour Keeps Me Alive. How About You?

2008-10-20T19:11:00.009+02:00

Do you know those hospital clowns? I was always sooo scared of them. I guess the whole thing started when I watched a horror movie about toys becoming alive, grabbing knives, and killing people. But no worries, I don't intend to rant about my childish fears! (Not yet.) So, I guess the clows there help a lot for ill people. They distract their attention from their illnesses, and bring some happiness and hope to their troubled lives. I think that's awesome. Anyway, I bet many of you know that laughter is good for your health!

How exactly? "Humor and laughter can cause a domino effect of joy and amusement, as well as set off a number of positive physical effects. Humor and laughter strengthen our immune systems and help us recover from illness, as well as bring joy into our lives."

Laughter activates the chemistry of the will to live and increases our capacity to fight disease. Laughing relaxes the body and reduces problems associated with high blood pressure, strokes, arthritis, and ulcers. Some research suggests that laughter may also reduce the risk of heart disease. Historically, research has shown that distressing emotions (depression, anger, anxiety, and stress) are all related to heart disease. A study done at the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that a good sense of humor and the ability to laugh at stressful situations helps mitigate the damaging physical effects of distressing emotions." - HelpGuide

Humour keeps me alive during these tiresome weekdays, when I'm fanatically looking forward to my autumn break, hoping that I can get some rest and regain my strength. Luckily my classmates have got a good sense of humour, and there is a guy, who is always cheerful (unless he's being called to the principal's office) and tells us jokes every day. I think these kind of people are seriously needed in the world. We should look up to them.

There are some funny conversations we have during class (this one was during German lesson).
Teacher: So, would you want to wear a uniform?
Guy in Class: Well, maybe. We should make a T-shirt, with the letters "DNG", so Deutsches Nationalitäten Gefängnis (Gefängnis means Prison), instead of Gymnasium.
Teacher: Why? Is this school like a prison?
*Big silence, everyone looking out the windows*
Guy in Class: Well... can we go out?
Teacher: *wondering what to say, while everyone is laughing* Well, during breaks, you can.
Guy in Class: That's how it goes in prison, as well, right?
Girl in Class: And the food is the same, too...
Teacher: ...that's right.

This may not sound so great written down, but whatever. I think you get it.
(In case you wondered if I'm from Germany, I'm not. I just go to a German bilingual school, where I learn 60% of the subjects in German. Yup.)

Dou you know what are the mental benefits of laughter? (I didn't know there were so many!)

Humor enhances our ability to affiliate or connect with others.
Humor helps us replace distressing emotions with pleasurable feelings. You cannot feel angry, depressed, anxious, guilty, or resentful and experience humor at the same time.
Lacking humor will cause one's thought processes to stagnate leading to increased distress.
Humor changes behavior – when we experience humor we talk more, make more eye contact with others, touch others, etc.
Humor increases energy, and with increased energy we may perform activities that we might otherwise avoid.
Finally, humor is good for mental health because it makes us feel good!

And finally, some ways to lighten up, in case you take yourself too seriously.

View your life in context. Even world leaders realize they have limited ability to affect others’ lives. While we might think taking the weight of the world on our shoulders is admirable, in the long run it’s unrealistic, unproductive, unhealthy and even egotistical.
Be less serious. Realize that while your ambitions may be noble, being overly serious about them weighs you down and lessens your chances for achieving them.
Deal with your stress. Stress is a major impediment to humor and laughter.
Dress less seriously.
Keep a toy on your desk or in your car.
Laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take ourselves less seriously is talk about times when we took ourselves too seriously.
Pay attention to children and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing.

Let's all thank HelpGuide once again.

Balancing Life is Not That Easy...

2008-10-19T10:49:00.003+02:00

...for many school girls. We have so many things to do and 24 hours a day is just not enough. Going to the hairdresser, hanging out with friends, writing homework, doing chores, extracurricular activities, all these can put pressure on our tender shoulders. Here are today's tips to help you out in this question:

1. Get organized by using a planner. Write down everything (birthdays, special events, assignments, etc.), and be sure to have it with you every day.

2. Help out at home, and don't complain when you need to do a chore. Your parents will rely on and respect you more.

3. Try to get good grades at school. Your future depends on this time of your life, so don't be lazy if you want to achieve your goals.

4. Spend time with your friends and love, but remember that weekends are the best time to do activities together. On weekdays, don't 'force' yourself to hang out for hours if you have to learn much for the next day. I'm sure that they will understand it, if they are your real friends.

5. Always look neat, and care about your appearance. It's important, because people will notice you more.

6. If you have got a part-time job, try to work on weekends (on weekdays you have enough going on, right?), or decide which day is the best for you to do your job. ( I'm trying to get a job right now, and since I can't work on weekends, I decided to work on Fridays - that's the only day when I don't have any after-school activities, and I don't need to learn for the next day).

7. Relax and get enough sleep! I'm sure you don't want to end up as a wreck. Some people say that 6 hours of sleep in enough, and some say that 10 hours is needed. I vote for 8.

Be a Good Sister

2008-10-18T22:03:00.003+02:00

I think that having a good relationship between your siblings is really important. Siblings can understand you the most (for example, when you had an argument with your parents), and give helpful advice, as well. You can share basically anything with them, even things, which you wouldn't talk about with your parents. But you should also give something in return. You should be a good sister. Wonder how to do that?

First of all, ALWAYS remember your sibling's birthday. It's a must. I bet you would feel quite sad, too, if your brother/sister would forget yours. Buy or make your sibling a nice present (it doesn't have to be expensive, duh!). I bought a Spongebob clock to my brother when he was 17. He loved it, and still treasures it. For his 16th birthday I gave him a pillowcase with a picture of him and me printed on it. Be creative!

Don't lose touch with your sibling! Be sure to listen to their problems, and try to help them out. Talk with them whenever you can, and try not to argue too much. If I have a busy day (which I happen to have often), I still go to my bro's room at night, when I'm done with learning, and ask him how things are going. Even if he is chatting with his friends, he always tells me the important things, and asks my opinion about it. He often comes to me to ask if the clothes he is wearing look good on him, and what tips would I give. I think it's awesome.

I didn't have this good relationship some years ago. We got along, trusted each other, but didn't share every little piece of our lives. Now it's different.
I decided to become a better sister when I was about 11. I wanted to become The Good Sister. For everyone's sake.

When your sibling's friends come over, make popcorn for them, or give them a packet of crips, etc. (In a bowl - be exacting!) You can also make fruit salad, lots of people love that.
Rate of effectiveness: 5/5
Comments: Your siblings and his/her friends will remember you, for sure. They will know that your brother/sister has got That Cute Sister Who is Always So Kind. Pretty worth it.

Don't compete with your sibling. Waste of energy, and your relationship won't get better, either. Also, NEVER lie to them. (I guess we can make white lies an exception.)

If you have got a younger sister or brother, help them out with homework. Explain it to them clearly, but don't tell them the answers to the questions. They have to solve them theirselves.

Try to make lots of activities with them! Go to concerts/cinema together, play sports, things like these. (I go to the cinema every second week with my sisters, and I tell you, it's effective. We make lots of memories, even if it's about sitting in a dark room watching a movie while eating popcorn.)

All in all, becoming your sibling's friend is the key. But you must treasure this kind of friendship, and never ever let it go.

Coding and Graphics - New Blogskin

2008-10-18T18:37:00.007+02:00

New layout/blogskin! Cheers. I don't like this much as the other one I made (basically with the same image, and background, but I couldn't figure out the coding, so I decided to drop that "project"), but... whatever. I guess it's still quite good considering the fact that even altering blogger codes is freaking hard for me, and that putting this together took some hours. Well, not the graphics part. I used an older blend of mine as the header, and the background was made by me, too! Aren't I awesome?

Anywho. When I came home from ~~school~~ ice-skating, my feet were sooo dead. Since it's Saturday, and we had school for a really pathetic reason (which I won't explain to you all, because it's effing boring), aaand there are many Formula 1 fans in our class, aaaand luckily we have televisions in many classrooms, I think you can guess what we watched during breaks. Some friends of mine asked if I wanted to go ice-skating after school, but I was not sure, at all, because I SUCK at skating. Really. I'm hopeless. Once I get the hold of the movements, I forget how they were the next time I go to the ice rink.

This time it was waaay better. I mean, everyone tried to help me, by holding my hands, encouraging me, and telling me that I'm absolutely not bad. It made me feel so good. Even those men/guys, who are basically kind of "security guards on ice" came to me often, and taught me! It was kind of scary and kind at the same time. Anyway, I enjoyed myself! There were some funny conversations between me and V, a guy from my class.

Me: I'm scared!
V: What are you scared of?
Me: Erm.. falling? Making an idiot out of myself?
V: So what if you fall? It doesn't hurt. So what if you make an idiot out of yourself? You are already doing it.
Me: Well, thanks. *almost falls, grabs V's arm strongly*
V: You know, if you grab my arm like that, I'll fall, too.
Me: So what if you fall? It doesn't hurt! Isn't that so?
V: Thanks for reminding me...

Or.

*Me snaps to the wall of the rink*
V: Are you alive?
Me: *no answer*
V: You are like my cat. If she needs something, she goes "Meow!". If she wants to 'complain' about something she goes "Meow!". But if she gets into water, she goes... "Meooooooooooooooooow!"
Me: It's not my fault in the first place, that the guard guy took me to the middle of the rink, which is like an enormous sea for me.
V: *looks at me*
Me: Meow?

All in all, I'm glad that I went! Ice-skating rocks. (Too bad that I fail at it, but, oh well!)

Edit: As I mentioned, the blend was done like... a year (?) ago, so I don't know exactly which sites to credit for the brushes and pictures. If you think I have used yours, please write an e-mail/comment, and I will put your name and site in the Credits section.

Future Career - Lesson Two

2008-10-15T20:52:00.004+02:00

Today's lesson will be short and compendious, because I'm seriously drained, I have to go to school for 10 days without a weekend (!!) until I get my well-deserved break, I wrote about 8 tests only this week (*counts* which was about 3 days so far?), and all in all, everything is killing me nowadays, including the "Getting A Part-Time Job" Project I don't know much about finding an internship, but I think that it is really important, so I want you to give some tips based on my little knowledge. (Just for the record, when I want to write about a topic I don't know well, I always read many articles about it on the internet, and try to sum up everything in my own words, which is not that easy, escpecially at night, after I have been spending hours learning Geography).

So, I will make an exception for today, and just simply paste some useful information and credit the sites. I'll also add my ideas, don't worry. (And later, if I get the job, I might provide you with my very own pieces of advice!)

"Internships are a great way to gain real world experience while you’re still in school. Most internships are unpaid in monetary terms, but most, if not all, offer course credits. Besides the credits, having an internship can be a huge payoff in the long run. Not only will you have practical experience in your chosen field, but your prospective employer will see that you are focused, serious, and determined about your career path; a winning combination in anyone’s book." - LoveToKnow

"Start by building up some type of work or volunteer experience that does not require a resume. For example, get involved volunteering at a homeless shelter or as part of a school activity. Or look for one of the many jobs that don't require a written resume, such as babysitting, camp counselor, retail sales, and some types of restaurant work or administrative assistance. Why is this important? Because to apply for a professional internship or job, you need a resume, and your resume should include a work or volunteer experience section. Also, remember that just by holding down a job--even one that seems totally unrelated to your future career goals--you are showing future employers that you have enough responsibility to show up on time every day, not get in fights, etc.

Write a resume, including your educational background (if any), your work and volunteer activities, interests, etc. When writing about your experience, keep your points concise but be sure to quantify them. Make sure to emphasize any skills that might be related to the job or internship you want in the future. Most importantly, make sure you can be reached easily by phone or email. Make sure your voicemail message and email address are professional, and check them often. If you live with roommates or family, alert them that you are job hunting and your messages are of utmost importance-- or just put your cell phone number on your resume.

Search for internship or job opportunities. Good sources are various websites, networking with your friends, family, acquaintances, etc., professional associations and organizations in your chosen profession etc. If you attend a college, your school may have a career center with job or internship listings just for the students of your school--don't overlook such resources. People in other situations, such as mid-career professionals wanting to switch careers, may want to focus on the networking route more specifically. Some nonprofit organizations can also help people with special situations, such as people who are unemployed, who have disabilities, or homemakers returning to the (paid) workforce." - WikiHow

Be persistent, even if you get rejected more than once. So what? Problems are made to ~~solve~~ defeat them. While you are waiting for them to call you back, be sure to practice your interview with your friends or relatives, and build your self-confidence!

When they call you, arrive on time for the interview, and if you get the job which you applied for, think about whether you really want it (think about the following: Do you have enough time in your hands? Or energy? Will you be able to do your best?), and if you are not sure, ask the employer for some more time to decide.

Getting A Simple Job

2008-10-11T20:41:00.004+02:00

Right now, I'm searching for a simple job, which I can do at weekends. During weekdays, I have to learn, so... let's skip those days, if possible. My mother is seriously against it, but I just need money for new clothes (about 60% of my clothes are outworn already!), for dance class, hair dresser, and so on... and I can't blame my mother for being a teacher and not getting high payment. Not to mention the fact, that we are moving soon, and we just bought some new furnitures, which, we all know, cost much.

"Dan was really mad at me, because I couldn't give him much pocket money."

"I see." But actually, I'm in need of it, too, but I just couldn't ask for more.

"You know, this whole moving, paying the bills, buying the furnitures, and everything... the prices are going up fast, you know!"

"I know. But I'll need to sign up for dance class tomorrow, and I need to pay for it, too..."

"I remember. That will be another problem in the future... maybe I'll need to deduct it from your pocket money."

"Don't worry, I'm looking for a part-time job right now. I can give out leaflets at weekends, and that might be some help."

"What are you talking about? You need to learn. And anyway, there's no way I would allow you to spend hours alone around wierd and dangerous people!"

"I don't need your approval. I'm over 16. Get over it."

This is pretty much how it went. Awkward. But I'm not like Dan, my brother. When I need something, I always find a way to get it, and normally, I do everything on my own. I remember the first time, when I decided to highlight my hair. I was always telling my mother that one day, I'll do it, but she just didn't take me serious. So, when I went home with a new hairstyle, she was REALLY surprised. But she didn't get mad. Instead, she was smiling.

So, I already registered myself to a student employment system, and I'm going to call them on Monday. Please cheer for me! I want to get a/the job. Even if it's a miserable one.

My step-dad asked me if I was serious about the whole thing, and told me that he can give me money, if that's what I need, but I shouldn't tell my mother, or she'll get upset. No thanks, I want to do this relying on myself. I'm a school girl, who is on her way to growing up.

Thoughts, Ideas and Updates

2008-10-10T22:13:00.012+02:00

I don't want to go to sleep, yet, it's only 10:13 p.m.! And I also wanted to check the site of an exhibition called "Bodies". The main idea of it is this: "Bodies… The Exhibition showcases meticulously dissected real human body specimens that are preserved through an innovative process and respectfully presented, giving visitors the opportunity to view the beauty and complexity of their own organs and systems."

Sounds either interesting or gross for everyone. But I want to see it! Unfortunately, my classmates would never come with me to check out human bodies, because they would most likely throw up. Well, yeah... I wouldn't go there eating a slice of pizza, either, but who cares? I want to see how my body works. Or... something like that.

Also, I plan to make a "Visits" section, where I will link the sites I often (?) comment on. I guess the blog must take some steps forward. But! Babysteps, babysteps. I'm not a fan of networking and commenting because I have to. Thus, I visit sites which seem to be nice and creative, read their blogs/posts, and comment if I feel like I have something to tell. Or just want to leave a sign that I was there, and I appreciate their work, because it amazes me.

I don't make any sense, do I? That's what you get if you are not from a country where they speak English, but still try to create a blog where you write in this language, because you are a fan of it, want to improve yourself, and help as many girls as possible. I'm a freak, yes. I guess I'm going to spend my mid-term break with a) trying to figure out how to make my very own layout for the blog b) read dictionaries and study useful expressions in English. I always get the feeling that grammatically I fail.

Edit: I guess there will be three or two lessons about choosing your future career. Not sure, yet. Oh, and also! I might write a summary about the posts I've written at the end of each month, and review which were the most popular (based on feedback, ~~which is pretty hard, because the blog is not so popular yet~~), so I can see which topics should I focus on more.

Future Career - Lesson One

2008-10-09T22:14:00.004+02:00

When I was younger I wanted to be a zoologist and work for National Geographic as a journalist besides that. (I was serious about this. It seemed to be an approachable plan. Even though I didn't care much about Biology.) Then, I wanted to become a writer. I still want to write a book in my life, so that's something I really want to reach, no matter what. I didn't want to be a model or an actress, because I knew that I just didn't have the skills and required characteristics for those. (Wow, I was a pretty sharp kid, wasn't I?)

Finding your dream career can be quite difficult, but... I'm here to help. (: Or give you some ideas on the topic.

First of all, do you have any special talents, which you could use in your future job? (For example, if you are cheerful and a people-person, then you would make a good teacher! Probably.) Think about the activities you enjoy and the subjects you like at school, and make a list of possible jobs, which may suit you.

If you already know what you want to do, read information about it and ask people who have got that certain job. What are the negative and positive sides of it? Ask those people to give you tips and share some tricks/their experiences about it.

You can also go to a guidance counselor. To be honest, I've never talked with one. Yet.

"You and your guidance counselor can sit down and discuss your school career thus far. He or she will have access to your records and will be able to give you an objective opinion on your future plans. Be sure to:

Come armed with a lot of questions.

Don’t be shy and speak up if you disagree.

Ask for the counselor’s opinion and really listen to their answer.

Don’t get discourage if you hear something you don’t like. Many, many people have been told by a guidance counselor to go down one career path, only to end up on a completely different career path.

All final decisions are up to you. This is very important and bears remembering." - LovesToKnow

Join clubs, take extra classes. Personally, I have one called 'ECDL'. Don't know what the heck that is? "The ECDL certification training is designed for novices and will get you to a high computer literacy standard. It is the fastest growing IT user qualification in over 125 countries." So it might be pretty useful in the future! I'm glad I decided to take it. So don't be lazy to spend some more time learning!

Wierd Question Number One - Dating

2008-10-08T18:28:00.005+02:00

From now on, I plan to post a wierd, random question about basically anything that's on my mind every once in a while. So, about every two weeks, or maybe it will be a monthly "feature" to make things a bit more interesting.

Here's the first one: Would you go out with yourself if you would belong to the other gender (but your 'current' self would exist, as well)?

Personally, I wouldn't. I would argue too much with myself, and "we" would eventually get bored of each other. But we could be great friends. You know, the other me would be like a gay friend. (I'm not schizophrenic, just for the record).

So, these are my main reasons. But what are yours, if you chose the same answer as me? Do you think you miss something important as a lover? (*Raises hand* I do. I just can't stay with the same person for more than 6 months. Which doesn't mean I'm a slut, but things still get complicated thanks to this... erm, characteristic of mine.) Do you think you would/could change this for the sake of love? Or do you have other reasons?

Well, this turned out to be a rather short post, but whatever. At least I did write something today! (Because honestly, I'd love to post everyday, but that's absolutely impossible for me, since my life is getting pretty busy - because of my doings. But I just can't leave things as they are, leading a robotic lifestyle, so doing the same things everyday makes me sick!)

Want To Relax After a Long Day?

2008-10-06T18:18:00.004+02:00

Have you ever felt that you are absolutely drained and don't have any energy left? Well, I certainly have. (And way too often.) Anyway, if you haven't - good for you. I envy you, seriously. But if you've got the same answer as me, then here are some pretty ordinary, yet helpful tips on how to relax after a tiresome day.

1. Make a bubble bath! Bath bombs and bathing salts can be a great way to gain some energy. And besides, it's also good for your body - softens skin! (And who doesn't want soft skin?)

2. Listen to calm, relaxing music. Not hard rock or something like that. (Although I'm a big fan of hard rock, just for the record.) You should make a playlist/collection of classical music, like Vivaldi, Beethoven, Chopin, etc. But if you don't like these, you can also listen to movies' soundtracks (like Lord of The Ring, Narnia), which are kind of slow. Enya is also one of my favourites, when it comes to relaxing.

4. Eat food. You gain energy from eating. Makes sense, right? But! "Sugar and caffeine are your enemies, as they both cause severe ups and downs, upsetting your body's ability to regulate energy. Instead of sugary, carbohydrate loaded snacks (like cookies or granola bars), eat fresh fruits and whole grain breads or crackers (sugar-free). Make sure you get plenty of low-calorie protein, like that found in chicken, fish, whole grains, beans, dark leafy vegetables, or low-fat dairy."

5. Do yoga. It's really healthy! If you don't know where to start, visit a course.

6. Imagine that you are somewhere else. Fantasize about anything you want!

7. Find a quiet place, where you can relax - for example your room. But you can also go out and walk or swim, these help a lot, too.

8. Do activites that relax you. So, basically, your hobbies. Draw, play on an instrument, sew, etc.

And now, let's move on to my daily (?) ranting. I'm starting to get the feeling that people are actually reading the blog, already. When I got my first comment, I was really surprised. Which is ridiculous, I know. But I'm happy! So thanks, everyone.

Self Defense and Pepper Spray

2008-10-03T19:42:00.004+02:00

I remember my father telling that he would get me a pepper spray for self defense, if I wanted. I replied, "Wow, that's a great idea, but I'll see how I'll do without that for a while, ok? If I'm in need of it, I'll definitely make you buy one for me, so no worries." Even though I'm quite afraid to go out at night, because a) I'm afraid of darkness b) there are lots of evil people out there.

By the way, I didn't know that pepper sprays look so sexy. I thought that they were more... wierd. They seem to be similar to a giant lipstick or a big bottle of perfume. Uber cool.

Anyway. I'm not really good at giving advice about using these small (?) weapons of usefulness, so I'll just paste some information about them. Maybe I can convince you to carry these, so if you get in an awkward situation, you will be able to protect others and yourselves.

"Pepper spray, a non-lethal and easy to use self-defense method, works well as protection against thieves, drunks and other miscreants. It causes tearing, irritation and temporarily blinds the victim when sprayed in the eyes. The natural, chili-derived ingredients in pepper spray make it a comfortable self-defense choice for many people, who shy away from the harsh chemical compounds in other self-defense sprays." (Note: Actually, salt works the same way, so if you don't want to buy one, just be sure to have some salt with you - for example from fastfood restaurants!)

How To Use Pepper Spray:

Step 1
Carry your pepper spray in a convenient place, like your pants or jacket pocket. Don't store it in a purse compartment or any place where you need to waste precious seconds trying to find it so you can use it.

Step 2
Scream "Stop" or another word or phrase to distract the perpetrator. This enables you to start spraying without his knowledge.

Step 3
Bend your knees slightly and balance your body evenly on both feet when you use the pepper spray. Raise the canister at least 6 inches in front of your body and aim at the assailant's face.

Step 4
Target the assailant at close range so none of the pepper spray will hit thin air or material objects. Fire only when you are ready.

Step 5
Aim the pepper spray at the assailant's face or directly in their eyes. Keep your focus on the victim's head and keep the stream flowing steadily.

Step 6
Fan your canister as you use the spray. Release the spray in a side-to-side motion while still aiming at the face and eye area for increased chance of incapacitating the assailant.

Step 7
Spray the victim with a second burst, then move away. Keep your eyes on the threat and spray again if necessary. Remember that pepper spray takes a few seconds to work, so don't release a second shot too quickly.

Big hug goes for: eHow.com

Blondes vs. Brunettes

2008-10-01T17:32:00.010+02:00

Did you know that blonde hair and blue eyes are both caused by mutations? I first read this in National Geographic. Yeah, besides Joy and Glamour, I do read some scientific magazines. Although I'm blonde. And blondes are stupid, right? Well, I learn 14 hours a day and read National Geographic. I guess I'm not a complete idiot, after all?

I'm so sick of stereotypes. Like brunettes are clever, redheads are hot, and blondes are just hopeless. Especially those, who dyed their hair this colour. My hair is naturally kind of brownish, but I decided to change it last year, because I knew that blonde would suit me, too, since I had this hair colour until I was 10.

I think personality is what matters, after all, because even if you change the colour of your hair, your inner-self will stay the same. It doesn't give you a certain personality or attitude, but you might gain some self-confidence thanks to it. So don't judge a book by it's cover, SGs!

Always keep this in mind: "I am not my hair, I am the soul that lives within." - India Arie

Rima is Retarded Sleepy.

2008-09-30T19:42:00.004+02:00

I'm having on of those days, when you are absolutely drained. And I'm not even sure if my sentences will make sense, but oh, well. When I'm absolutely incapable of learning, but still want to do my best, I always ask myself, why do I even care this much about the whole thing. It's not like the world's going to end, if I get a C in Chemistry. So I decided to take some rest now. Or a simple break, if that's better.

I'm blog-addicted. And not only with writing blogs, but there are some wonderful, witty blogs out there which I'm obsessed with, and I feel low if they don't update in a while. ~~Yesterday~~ Today was heaven from this point of view, because it seems like everyone defeats their writer's block (or hangover) on Mondays, but I didn't understand a thing from the posts! I read the sentences, but didn't know what's going on. I'm out of energy... (that's why I'm posting this simple bullsh*t here, now)

So, I went to FailBlog.Org. I don't need to read there anything, right? That's cool. But Zero, my laptop failed to load the pictures. Aaahhh. Thanks, Z. ;|

Then I started to think about sleeping. How much sleep do we really need, anyway? My English teacher said 6. My German teacher said 10. I say, it depends on us. And not on our teachers, who don't know the answer themselves.

I'll end this seriously retarded post by Wendy Boswell's thoughts about the question. We pretty much have the same ideas about it.

"Basically, it all depends on us finding our unique sleep mojo. For instance, I function really well on around 9 hours, but I have three kids. Enough said. Then again, I know some ~~weirdos~~ people who do just fine on around five hours of sleep, which just sounds like torture to me. How about you - what is your prime sleep number? Thoughts in the comments."

Positive Attitude Rocks

2008-09-28T11:35:00.003+02:00

"Things will work out somehow" is what I often say nowadays. It gives me a spark of hope, and that's what I'm really in need of. Anyway, I used to be sooo pessimistic. Seriously. I couldn't see the bright side of things, and it made my life harder. But recently I started to realize that I will end up as a wreck this way, and started to make new goals. For example, start dancing. And guess what. My dance class starts in October. So I guess I can put a tick here.

Then, I decided to go to a music school, because I'm in love with listening and playing music. My favourite instrument is the flute. However, I was a bit late with the entry exams, so I'm on waiting list right now. But that's still better than nothing.

My mother hates spending too much money on clothes, and she thinks that the clothes I normally buy for myself are way too expensive (they are seriously not..). So I'll collect my old, outgrew pieces of clothing, take them to a secondhand shop, sell them, and buy new ones from the money I get there.

First, I was really negative about medicinal P.E. I thought that it was just another thing to make my life even harder. Then I met the teacher, who is uber kind, and decided to attend classes twice a week, so I can prove that I'm trying my best. And I'm positive about it now. Because I know that it will help me quite much, and I'm doing it for myself.

All in all, I guess positive attitude is worth it. Who the hell would like the make their own lifes harder by being negative all the way? Nonsense, I say. So SGs, always look at the bright side of things. Even if it sounds too corny.

Want To Look More Girly?

2008-09-27T18:11:00.006+02:00

Maybe some of you have been a tomboy all your life, but want to change this now, and need some help, or maybe you just feel like you need to do/look something different. Either way, this post is dedicated to those who want to look more girly from now on.

Remember to wash your face every day and night. This way, you'll get less spots, and we all know that spots are a bother. Brush your teeth often, and use gum or mints to avoid bad breath.

Start wearing make-up. You don't need to put on too much (in fact, I don't find it attractive, at all - less is better), just foundation, concealer, blush, lipgloss, mascara and eyeliner. Eyeliner is just an additional something, it gives your eyes nice contours.

Do sports. Aerobic or dancing both help you keep in shape, and you will become more healthy and self-confident!

Wash your hair often, but not every day. Luckily my hair doesn't get greasy even if I don't wash it for 4 or 5 days. But I suggest you to do it every other day (or something like that).

Wear deodorant! It's a must. Being stinky is not part of being girly, for sure. You can also add a small amount of perfume to smell even better.

Have a good posture - it makes you look confident. You can take extra medicinal P.E. classes to improve it.

Wear clothes that fit together. "When selecting clothes, good colors to start with are grey, blues, lavender, and pink tones. However, make sure the color suits you. Blondes look good in black and red, while redheads look good in green, and brunettes look especially good in shades of pink. You can choose what shade will work for you!"
Extra tip: NEVER mix patterns! And don't show too much skin. You want to look pretty, not cheap.

Accessories make you look "girlier", but don't wear too many at a time.
Also, get a new haircut, and try new hairstyles, too, like curling or straightening your hair.
Extra tip: Highlights look great in your hair!

Don't swear, be kind, and smile often. (:

Methods of Learning

2008-09-25T18:28:00.005+02:00

"Do you know how to learn?" When I first heard this question I didn't know if the teacher was playing tricks on us. But she was serious. And some students answered with a "no". I always thought that knowing how to learn is a requirement to attend school, but I eventually realized that learning how to study is why we go to school, too.

Always take notes in class, and remember that you will have to learn from them later, so don't just write some nonsense stuff which you accidentally heard while daydreaming. If you want to learn effectively, read the book, as well (if you have one) at home and memorize.

If you don't understand something, ask the teacher or your classmates to explain it to you, and practice at home. Sometimes you get to understand that certain thing while practicing (happens to me often), so it's pretty useful.

Keep a shedule. If you keep waiting until the last minute or just simply forget a key date, it will be your fault. Don't spend the night before a test partying - it's not worth it. You won't be able to concentrate next day.

Study for 20-40 minutes, and take a break after it. Then, start studying again and keep repeating this. You can listen to music while studying, if it makes you feel better, but it shouldn't draw your attention. Most of the students prefer music over silence when it comes to learning, so try it out. (Classical music can help a lot.)

I've also found a helpful blog about learning. Seems to be quite great:
How To Learn

Update On How Things Are Going

2008-09-24T19:43:00.003+02:00

I'm pretty confused, because there are various topics I can write about. I mean, topics which are connected with being a School Girl, of course. Some days ago I wanted to write about dating, but I ended up creating a post about flirting, instead (you know, let's start with the basics). I also wanted to write about methods of learning, but I was soo drowned with everything, that I actually forgot it. Then, I realized that there isn't a single post about beauty - only fashion. And that's lame.

Normally, when I get home I'm pretty tired, then start learning, and end up dead. So blogging is often out of question, because I can't get my thoughts together. I start writing something, and realize that it doesn't make sense, at all, which makes me feel like a zombie.

I can blog more at weekends, except when there is something reaaally big going on. Like an anime convention. For example, the one this weekend. Yeah, I'm an otaku ~ anime- and manga-addicted person. Don't hate me for it. Oh yeah, I'll definitely write about this topic, as well.

This was a little update on how things our going. And my monthly whining post. By the way, I hope everyone likes the new skin. I'm in love with it. I hope the creator won't kill me for altering some codes. (~~Yeah, I'm quite good with coding, too.~~ I suck at coding, but I can change minor stuff.)

Flirtig is The Key!

2008-09-24T15:56:00.004+02:00

Some days passed without blogging because my life is way too exciting nowadays. Which means, that I have many things to (go to school, try to get in another school - besides the one I'm attending -, decide which sports to take, and become a better person, blogger and designer). Makes everything much harder. Wish I'd be a person with sloth attitude, but unfortunately I'm not.

So, back to blogging about reasonable stuff. (Although I'm sure that I can count my readers on one hand. But it makes me feel relieved that I can help them, at least. Or something like that.) I decided to write some posts about love in the future. That's an important part os SG's lifes, too, after all. So I'll start with flirting. Useful thing.

Be confident! Guys love girls, who are not that shy, and confidence makes you look and feel good at the same time. Anyway, always be yourself. If you act like another person, he will eventually find it out, and that won't make things easier for you. Besides, I'm sure you want to find a guy who loves you for yourself.

Touch him often, for example when talking. You can be playful, too, but don't get annoying by doing the same things over and over again.

Get to know him (better). Talk about anything that comes to your mind - family, pets, hobbies, plans, dreams, favourite things, interests, etc. This helps you open your eyes if he isn't the person you thought he was, or make you feel more interested in him. I guess it's a win-win situation.

A new look can help a lot. Go to the hairdresser, or just start wearing make-up. This will grab his attention, and you can start giving him the signs. Look him more in the eyes, and smile often. Make him laugh, and feel comfortable around you. Compliments are a must - these may make him realize that you are into him.

Finally, find the right time to ask him out (or make him ask you out!), when no one is around. If he rejects you, don't get depressed. Start hunting again, and practice, practice, practice! If he is glad to go out with you, be happy, and do your thing!

Babysitting?

2008-09-21T08:58:00.008+02:00

Getting pocket money from parents is awesome, but you shouldn't rely on them too much. If you want to buy something badly, why not abandon waiting for the beginning of the next month and get a job instead?

Babysitting is a pretty girly job, because of various reasons. I'm not going to list them, for sure.
Anyway, there are some rules for getting this job. I didn't write these tips (for the record), but thought it may be helpful for you all.

Make sure you have experience in babysitting, or you can get a reference from someone who thinks you will do well. Your experience can even just by having watched your little brother or sister.

Know the going rate. Determine how much you want to be paid, how many children you can handle, and what time can you babysit until.

Ask your relatives, friends, or parents' co-workers if they know anyone who needs a babysitter.

Advertise. Nobody's going to come to you if you don't advertise! Go around your neighbourhood and look for people who are outside with children. Tell them that you can help babysit if they need help. Don't use fliers with your personal information.

Arrange to meet the people who need a babysitter. You will need to find out: how many children will you need to take care of, what will be your pay, emergency numbers and other safety concerns. Also, be certain to find out how you will get there and how you will get back home.

Ask them if you will need to bring your own food.

Ask them to refer you to others. After you have done a job, you can ask their parents if they can tell others about you. That way a lot of people would know that you can help!

Arrive a few minutes early at the first day, so the parents can tell any additional information, and meet the kids.
Make a list of stuff to bring with you (pencils, games, etc.). Report to the parents about the happenings at the end of each day.
Also, be nice and clean up the mess you and/or the children have made.

Daily Routine of School Girls

2008-09-20T11:28:00.005+02:00

I didn't really know what should my next post be about, so I decided to think about the things I do at school, how I manage balancing school, friends, family, and hobbies, and what problems occur during my daily routine. I realized that knowing actually what a good daily routine is, is a great benefit. At first, I didn't even have one, which fit my lifestyle, but later I managed to organize a pretty smart one.

So, if you don't have yours yet, or you are often late to school, I suggest you take a look at mine (and decide if you can to cope with it)?

1. I do my homework an hour after I get home, because everyone needs some break after they have been learning for 9 hours (or more). I start with either the easiest or the hardest, depending on my mood, but doing the hardest ones is always better. Later you'll be more tired and won't understand a thing from it.

2. Make lunch for yourself (if your parents don't do it for you), and place it in the fridge. You won't have to spend time with it in the morning, thus, you'll save a lot of time.

3. I place every book and notebook into my school bag which I will need the next day. I always check everything twice, because I tend to be absentminded - or just too tired.

4. I put my bag next to my door, so I can grab it easily when I'm in a hurry (or not).

5. Have dinner, and shower? You know, these things are important, too.

6. Get at least 8 hours of sleep. It helps a lot.

7. I set my alarm clock, so I won't be late. I guess, you can also ask your parents to wake you up - it feels better. Can't explain.

8. Have breakfast. I already wrote in one of the posts that this is the first meal of the day and it gives you energy, so it's a must.

9. Wash your face, brush your teeth, do your hair, put on make-up (put on the "harder" stuff first, which you can't really do on the bus, for example eyeshadow or eyeliner - lipgloss can wait). Use deodorant, too. If you straighten or curl you hair with iron, put your lunchbox into your bag while it warms up.

Additional tips:

- This routine takes at least 30 minutes. Keep that in mind.
- I often listen to music, while I get dressed. It's really refeshing.
- Carry chewing gum with you. Pretty useful.
- Bring drink with you, too, and drink often. "Keeping your body hydrated is important."

Overcome Shyness

2008-09-19T17:04:00.004+02:00

Are you nervous around new people? Does shyness make your life harder? (It sure does mine.) Do you want to slap it in the face? Well, then. Here are today's helpful tips.

Remember that shyness is a human emotion. Everyone has got a shy side - even if they deny it. In order to become more confident, why don't you abandon your boring (or not boring) life and join after-school activities? Start something new. You know, like playing an intstrument, trying out yourself in a new sport... things like that. If you are absolutely fed up with your life, think about the fragment that's missing.

You are yourself, and nobody can replace you. Too corny? Anyway, this is true. Accept yourself as you are, and be thankful for what you have. Oh, I'm in such a slushy mood right now, aren't I? I'm sure that you have got something you are reeeally good at. Be proud of yourself and improve even more, if you can. Use your talents and discover the hidden ones.

Laugh and smile often. People will see you as more friendly, and this helps a lot. This way you will be able to make freinds more easily, and those are people you really need to defeat your shyness!

Speak clearly. Sometimes it can be pretty hard (I jabber, so I can relate to situations like this). But try your best.

Try to figure out what makes you shy. If you are afraid to talk in front of audiences, practice holding performances/presentations at home. If you are shy around people you admire and whom you would like to become friends with, find the topic you are most comfortable with and say the first thoughts that come to your head.

Shyness is not a flaw, being shy is fine, too. It's up to you if you want to change on that or not. Besides, if everyone would be outgoing, wouldn't the world be too crowded?

Keeping Safe Online

2008-09-18T19:43:00.002+02:00

Being safe on the internet is a really important matter, and I'm not trying to act like your parents right now. It is just true. So take a deep breath now and start reading The Rules of Online SGs.

1. Don't give out your full name, address, or telephone number to anyone you don't know in real. I only gave my number to one person I've met through the internet, and after knowing each other for two years. We have become best friends since then, so this can turn out quite good, too, but you should always remember those scary, yet true stories about girls (or boys), who ended up with an awful experience thanks to their own recklessness.

2. Get a good anti-virus program. It's a must. They are lots of free programs available online, so why not use them?

3. If you decide to meet someone in person (from online), always choose a public place, like a mall. Always think about a B Plan if (s)he is not the one you thought (s)he was (like getting an important call from a friend who needs you asap).

4. Never open e-mail attachments from strangers. I bet you don't want to get some lovely viruses on your computer.

5. Never give out your bank account or credit card information. Only if you are shopping from a trustworthy company, with positive feedback.

6. Try to create a complicated password with numbers in them. Think about a song name, your favourite colour, brand, or anything you might remember easily, but others might never guess it (unless they know you well).

7. Remember that people can lie as much as they like online. Don't believe everything.

Sites like MySpace or Facebook can be dangerous, as well. Be careful there, and avoid fishy people.

Become More Healthy (For Your Own Good)

2008-09-18T16:20:00.003+02:00

I've recently realized what a couch potato I am. Okay, I go to marathons, but I'm definitely not fit. I used to swim a lot, but I stopped when we moved. And now I'm a big fan of floorball, but I don't feel good enough to join a team (unfortunately there aren't any floorball extra lessons at my school). So, I decided to become more healthy! Yup. How exactly? I'm going to do aerobics, have dance class every week, swim, and start running as soon as the weather changes. But are sports the only way to keep fit and healthy?

Not really. There are many other ways, too. For example, drink a lot of water. Seriously, a LOT. Keeping your body hydrated is important.

Try to avoid junk food, and befriend fruits and vegetables. (I know, junk food is sometimes unavoidable. It's just tasty. You don't need to erase it from your life, just be more careful with it, okay?)

Eat breakfast every day. It is the most important meal of the day, because your body gains the first 'dose' of energy from it. And without energy, you are as good as nothing.

For rainy days activities like dance dance revolution, aerobics, ice skating or swimming (indoor pools for the win) are recommended. By the way, you can count shopping as a healthy activity, as well. After all, running around the mall is like running laps.

Hope this helped a bit. Get a personal trainer if you are seriously lost and don't know where to start (not even after reading my helpful, creative and interesting post).

Martha Stewart Show - The Blog Party!

2008-09-18T15:38:00.008+02:00

This is a bit random. I'm not going to give tips on doing this and that in this post (maybe in another one I'll write today), but instead I'll babble about yesterday's Martha Stewart Show. "We have devoted our entire show to blogging, the subject of blogging, and the method of blogging, and we couldn't have a blogging show without bloggers..." So everyone had to be blogging throught the show. How cool is that?

Erm, anyway, I wasn't there. Because I'm not living in New York, in fact, at the time the show was going, I was most likely.... well, either learning or sleeping. Or trying to figure out how to improve my oh-so-lame vocabulary. I don't read many blogs (four or five, I guess), but most of their editors were at the show, and I could get a good view (description, whatever) on how things were going. I was slightly jealous. I want one of that cute calendar from Cute Overload, too! Not to mention that interesting book based on the blog of A Year of Mornings.

Finally, here is a video of the show's first 9-10 minutes. I enjoyed it, for sure. There is also another one about Perez being in the show, but you can find that for yourselves, if you are interested. I'm not a fan of celebrity gossip.

Helping Out At Home

2008-09-17T16:49:00.006+02:00

This in an important part of a healthy family lifestyle, and even though it is sometimes a bother, you shouldn' ignore it. Washing the dishes, sweeping and vacuuming only take about 10 minutes and your parents will appreciate them, for sure. These will also prepare you for parenting and work, so you are not doing this (only) for others.

When they ask you to do something, don't start a fight. Think about it this way: it can't be helped. If you are negative, nothing will change. So why not put a smile on your face and do your work?

If you don't know where to start, here are some ideas.

1. Take out the trash. It only takes about 2 minutes and it's a really big help to your parents.

2. Help your siblings. If they are younger than you, help them get dressed and stuff like that.

3. Help out with shopping.

4. Make your bed each morning. This will show your parents that you can be responsible, as well. Makes you look more organized.

5. When there is a visitor at your place (relative, sibling's friend, etc.) offer to make them a drink and give them snacks.

Do some chores everyday, and you will soon see how much easier it is to get along with everyone in your family. I bet you won't get tired by helping out for some minutes, so don't be lazy, girls!

Being An Only Child?

2008-09-16T18:38:00.005+02:00

Are you an only child? If yes, do you like being one or would you rather have a brother or a sister? If you already have one (two, three...), are you happy to have them by your side?

Personally, I have got one older brother and two younger step-sisters. But I only see my sisters every second weekend. Yes, it's complicated. I think I would not be able to stay sane if I wouldn't have my brother, and I'm also relieved that I have someone to talk about "girly" stuff, too. I bet our holidays would be sooo boring if we wouldn't have such a wierd family with lots of different people. I remember being pitied by classmates in elementary school, because of having step-sisters. At first, it was hard to accept them and I'm sure that they felt the same way, too. But I've known them for about 10 years now, and they are a part of my world, so I don't need any commiseration. :/

If you are an only child, don't you feel lonely at times? Or do you think you are better off alone? I wonder what kind of person would I be if I'd have to live without my brother and sisters. Wierd. But interesting! Enjoying the attention of your parents, having even more friends (it's a fact that only children have more - I've made a small research). Some of them don't have to do so many jobs around the house, and another good point is that... you get to eat all the popcorn/chips/whatever in the packet!

However, there is no one else to blame if something goes wrong and there is too much pressure, as well. And here comes that part again with being alone at weekends and holidays.

"Parents of only children have more time to focus on the general aspects of child development and learning issues and can give their child that individual attention that makes such a difference. Studies have proven that only children often do better in life for the same reasons that first-borns do. First-borns have their parents’ individual attention for those important first few years and therefore benefit from greater stimulation. As a result, first-borns are often higher achievers in later life."

I don't think that there is a "better" situation when it comes to being or not being an only child. We have to deal with life in our ways, anyway, no matter how many people are around us. And both of them come with so many advantages and disadvantages. Troublesome.

Secondhand Shops For The Win!

2008-09-16T15:51:00.004+02:00

Some think that secondhand shops are out of fashion (or they were not in, at all, to start with), but I think they are pretty wrong. You can get high-quality, original clothes for almost no money, or sell the ones which you will most likely never wear again. Now, who wouldn't want to shop at a place like this?

You should find one in your area (in bigger cities they are often more of them), and decide what are you looking for. Do you have something in mind or are you just looking for new clothes in general?

If you find something that catches your eye, try it on. Keep doing this until you are totally bored of the whole thing, and come back another day. If you feel like you should buy (for example) That T-shirt, but some changes need to be done on it, go to a tailor.

Also, don't forget to check the accessories, too. There are some treasures there, like belts, jewelery, shoes or hats. Even these are often quite inexpensive, and you should always remind yourself that from the money that you would spend on designer clothes you can get way more stuff here, for the same amount of money. Worth it, right?

Even if your inner-self keeps telling you how gross it is to buy someone else's clothes, give it a try. But before buying a piece of clothing always take a good look at it - are there any holes? Why did its owner want to get rid of it, anyway? If everything is fine, go ahead and buy it.

Fortune Telling and Horoscopes

2008-09-15T18:36:00.005+02:00

Me: So, what exactly is fortune telling?
Wikipedia: Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting the future, usually of an individual, through mystical or supernatural means and often for commercial gain. It often conflates with the religious practice known as divination.

Well, thanks. So, we can count this as a hobby, right? Actually I do. Sometimes it helps a lot. Seriously. I predicted that we were going to move to a new house. And that my step-father will get ill, if we don't do anything. So he got a bit stressed because of my forecast and went to see the doctor. After that, I did fortune telling once again, and no illness cards came again. Hehe, wierd. Maybe just luck, maybe not. I'm not going to be the one to decide that.

Anyway, I bet that lots of girls like the kinds of fortune telling! When I was in elementary school, I was slightly addicted with reading my daily horoscope. Even now I check it every once in a while, but I don't think it will do miracles. However, sometimes it's a good laugh. I normally read my and my sister's horoscopes aloud at night, and there is always so much love involed in mine. "You shouldn't hurt your partner today, or things may get rather rough". Fine with me. I'm single. ;P

I guess that's why they made singles and couples horoscopes. Creative, I say. Nowadays the only place where I read them is CosmoGirl. I don't know who writes the horoscopes there, but the person is definitely talented. Well, mine often comes true and says clever things.

Be aware of the fact that most of these fortune tellings are fake. These people tell you what you want to here at most times, and it's rather unusual to meet someone who has got reliable abilities.

'Girly' Games

2008-09-14T13:14:00.003+02:00

School Girls have so many things to do. Learn, be there for friends, get on with family, join after-school activities (not a must, just a recommended thing to do), and sometimes get a job, as well. We really need to take a break at times and playing games is a way to relax and entertain ourselves.

So here is My Favourite List of 'Girly' Games. Which might turn out to be not so girly, after all.

Number One: Sacred. It's a hack'n'slash/roleplaying game, which can make you addicted quite easily. You don't have to think too much while playing it (good point, huh?), and you can choose between some nice characters (my favourite is the vampire lady :3). Only problem with it is the fact that it doesn't run on Vista. But! If you get a patch for it, it actually does. I figured it out lately.

Number Two: Black & White. In this game you play as a god and you get a cute pet (tamagotchi feeling here). You have to gain the worship of villages through doing godlike things, like miracles. It's not an easy game, and not even easy to play. Your creature can be either lovely (=people will like him) or evil (=people will be scared of him), and you can make him fight other god's pets. Strategy game.

Number Three: Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. You can make your own amusement park, and manage it. I normally play this in sandbox mode, so I get limitless money and thus, I can build anything I want. Never tried the scenarios, to be honest. You can hire entertainers, guards, repairmen and cleaners to keep the park in a good quality. I don't play this game often, only when I have the mood for it, but then it keeps me hooked. I suggest it for every girl out there.

Number Four: Sims (2). Who wouldn't love controlling lives of other people? The game has got great sound effects and lovely graphics, which is needed for the whole feeling - controlling your sims lifestyles and behaviour. You can create a whole family or just a single person - depends on your taste. You must keep your sims happy, and help them solve their problems, as well. The game is pretty complex.

Number Five: World of Warcraft. The most addictive game I can mention. I used to play it, too, for a while, and I actually liked it. I guess the best thing in it is playing with other gamers from different countries, making friends, and partying with them. The reason why I stopped it was that I didn't have time to keep pace with everyone about this whole leveling thing. Too much pressure from a game. So remember to live your life while playing this, ok?

Your Religion

2008-09-14T11:24:00.005+02:00

This is a touchy subject for most people, because lots of them don't share the same religion. Which leads to arguments, pointing out why they are wrong with their beliefs, etc. However, (I guess) most of them share the idea of accepting others as they are. I think this is the most important part of the teachings yet people ignore this sentence way too often.

I'm not going to tell what each religion is about and stuff like that, because if you are interested in one (or more) of them, you will look it up for yourselves anyway, right? Instead, I plan to give some advice on how to get yourselves accepted along with your religion.

It happens quite often that parents don't accept that you've changed, and so has your way of thinking. Try to convince them by telling them how important this is for you, and if they seriously love you, there is always room for change. No matter what kind it is.

If someone starts to talk about religion and you are not comfortable with this topic, try to redirect the conversation, or excuse yourself by taking a bathroom break. Remember that you have your beliefs, and other have theirs, so always accept them, if you want to be accepted, too.

If one of your friends has got a different religion than yours, remember that you should never hurt someone's feeling just because they are different from others in something. Be open to everything, and always be yourself, no matter what people think.

Back-to-School Shopping

2008-09-14T11:23:00.001+02:00

Well, better late than never, as they say. If you still haven't done your back-to-school shopping, I'll show you my favourite pieces of clothing, or at least some universal ones.

This lovely dress is perfect for those not-so-cold September days. Which normally turn out to be pretty hot. I think it's also great for going out with friends (picnics ftw), or just hanging around at home with something comfortable on.

This piece is actually quite wearable even during winter. We might call this The Universal Top/T-shirt/Whatever of School Girls' (Blog). Let's give it an award. Stylish and lovely.

Well, jeans are pretty useful, too. I would be surprised if anyone told me that they didn't have a single pair of them at home.
Straight cut, flare cut, boot cut, skinny jean - it doesn't matter. But they are a must.

Black Hoodies are my favourite. Did you know that black virtually slims out everonye, so it makes you look more skinnier? Also, black goes with all colours.

If you pick shoes with pastel colours, you can basically
wear them with anything. I don't suggest high heels at school (although I see lots of girls wearing these at schools), because it gives the wrong impression, and it can be quite uncomfortable sometimes.

A more girly piece for going out (or even for school). I think Japanese would use the word "kawaii" (cute) for these.

Winter is coming, so you should be prepared to face the cold weather. A jacket is another must especially now. If you get one like this (which is not too long), you can also wear it basically anytime, as an accessory, too.

Moving.

2008-09-13T12:50:00.000+02:00

It can be either an exciting or a tiresome thing to do - it depends on how you see it. If you're thinking positive, you will most like look forward to meeting the new neighbours, deciding on which room you'll choose, and how will you furnish it. But if you're rather negative (or not), the first thing that comes to mind is the fact that moving is actually a quite hard thing to do. So here are some tips to make everything go smoothly.

First of all, inform your friends about moving. They might help you out (with packing, for example) and you can share your problems/ideas about the whole thing.

Packing is the worst part of moving (for me). I always realize that 50% of my stuff are redundant things, which I'll never use (I have a great pile of magazines in a chest, and most likely will never read them again), and this makes me feel a bit guilty, but relieved that I don't have that much things to pack as I thought, after all.

Anyway, make sure to label the boxes according to what you put in them, so when it's time for unpacking you will know what is inside of it. Make a box for hardware tools, so they won't get damaged, as well. And finally, put the things you will really need (for me these are: mp4 player, purse, identity card, keys, mobile phone, etc.) in a bag, so they will be near you and thus, they (hopefully) won't get lost.

If you are moving during school year, make sure to pack your books, notebooks, backpack in a certain box you will find easily (smaller sized one).

More tips:

- Use the packing tape to seal the boxes.
- Use smaller, same-sized boxes. Reason: easier to move.
- Reserve a moving truck as soon as you know the date of moving.
- Be sure to have enough boxes!!

Make sure that the lights and heaters are working in your new house to avoid troublesome situations. And try to enjoy living in a new environment.

Girls' Addictions

2008-09-13T10:22:00.000+02:00

Did you know that "teenage girls are trying marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes at higher rates than boys"? When I read this, I was slightly shocked. So I started reading other articles on the topic, so I could write a post of high standard.

"Drug and alcohol addiction doesn’t discriminate – it affects men, women, teens, adults, and people of all races and backgrounds. Teenagers, and particularly teenage girls, are especially vulnerable to the physical and psychological effects of substance abuse as their brains and bodies are continually developing. At an age when most kids are breaking away from their parents, exploring their career interests, and establishing lifelong bonds with friends and partners, teens who are addicted to drugs or alcohol face an entirely different challenge just to get back to normal adolescent life." - 4therapy.com

The main reason for this is pressure, in my opinion. School, work, boyfriends, family, friends might be too much sometimes and this puts girls under stress. Girls try to gain more self-confidence and power (through alcohol or drugs) to face their unique issues.

And in addition to that, women tend to develop serious illnesses like cancer or mental disorders faster than men do. Alcohol only helps these diseases to break out.

All in all, keep holding on SGs! Don't hide your problems, share your feelings with your friends (or family), and don't overwork yourselves! And finally, take the good with the bad. No one is happy all the time, right?

How To Survive High School

2008-09-12T18:42:00.000+02:00

1. Study. This might sound like an "oh-so-ordinary" tip. Well, it is, indeed, but you should really think about it. Teachers will like you more, and good grades will look better in your report book, right? Do your homework, ask someone if you need help or don't understand something - you might also make new friends like this. Remember to make notes during lessons (instead of spacing out), and try to look interested, at least. Moreover, don't speak (too much) in class.

2. Join after-school activities. You will meet new people and you won't feel left out. Also, you might find out that you have got some hidden strenghts, and those might come in handy later, too!

3. Stay positive and try to fit in. If you are always whining about the upcoming test, others will start avoiding you. Smile a lot, be friendly, and help others when you can. You have got things you're good at, use them!

4. Don't forget who you are. Even if you have tons of homework, take your time and go out with friends. You musn't forget them, either. And if you're too tired, you can't focus at school. Don't lose yourself in the big craziness.

5. Get help if you're being bullied. Don't let others hurt you either physically or mentally. Ask your friends, parents or teachers for help, and stand up for yourself!

6. Befriend the upperclassmen. They know which classes are advised to take, which teachers are good/bad/wierd, and also the unwritten rules of the school and its students.

7. Be open to everything and everyone. Don't let others label you, and remember that you don't have to belong to only one clique!

8. Even if you're shy, be sure to sit in the middle of class. Others will notice you more, and the teachers won't think that you are sitting in the back, because you don't want to work. Try to make friends with some outgoing people, too. I'm sure you have got an extroverted personality, besides the introverted one! ;)

Title Says it All.

2008-09-12T15:34:00.001+02:00

I figured out that maybe a blog for every School Girl out there might be helpful or at least it could become a place to spend time. Something like that. I'm a school girl myself, as well, so I'm quite familiar with this topic, and every once in a while I need to write down my thoughts, experiences, and everything connected with these things. (I wanted to be a writer when I was younger. ;o Later a journalist. I wouldn't be able to live without writing, for sure.)

I guess I'll use this first post to babble about myself. I most likely won't tell my age - it's not interesting anyway. The blog is for every girl student, anyway, age doesn't matter. It's like a big Sisterhood. ;)

I lived in another country for 3 years, and that's where I learnt to speak English. I got into an international school, when I couldn't speak a word, but luckily small children learn easily, and my mother is an English teacher, so she helped me a lot, too. I always felt like I belonged to that place and coming back to my own country changed me quite much. I was pretty extroverted back then, but now I tend to be more introverted, because of various things. For example, the fact that people's slant of life is absolutely different here, than in Slovenia, where I used to live.

I recently realized how much I miss my friends from that school. Luckily, we've been keeping in touch with my bff since we parted, but I don't know what happened to others.
That's why I decided to take steps and contacted a girl learning at that school right now. She might give me the e-mail addresses of my teachers, which is a good point to start with. I hope for the best.