Sunday, November 13, 2011

As autumn is in transition to winter...

I have successfully turned in two college applications, and I have another to do in the next couple of days. I decided to apply Early Action to Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. (Don't worry, it's non-binding... But even if it wasn't I would still want to go there!)

Anyways, I've been gone for a while, and I apologize. I thought life was going to slow down senior year of high school, but that definitely isn't how it works.

So, to catch you up on everything you've missed, I've started singing with a women's choir at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Again. I just couldn't stay away too long ;]

I've also been working my butt off with my school's musical-- School House Rock Live-- anyone remember the cartoons? Songs like Conjunction Junction, I'm Just A Bill, or Circulation? There are at least twenty-one songs in the entire show, so I'm sure you know at least one. We're running the show this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (Nov. 17, 18, and 19). We're also doing a matinee for a couple local elementary schools on Wednesday.

Now that you're all caught up... I made an earring holder for one of my friends for her birthday. So here it is!

This is what it would look like on a wall:


And this is the little note I wrote for her on the back, and you can kind of see how I put it together from this shot.


Hope you enjoy! I'll write soon this time, I swear.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Summer of 2011

Hello everyone!

I am so sorry that I've been gone for about fourth months--I sooooo busy! I hope that you're summer is going as fantastically as mine is. When I'm busy playing soccer, I'm constantly reading, hanging out with my friends... Basically, I'm being a teenager.

So, about the second week of July my family took a vacation to Washington D.C. and Boston, Mass. I loved both cities, although I think I preferred Boston. I love all the American pride that they've got going on up there.

Washington D.C. at Night

Pretty cool, huh?

While we weren't sight-seeing and feeding my older brother every, oh, two hours, we we're looking at some colleges! Which is really exciting since I'm heading into my senior year and I'm starting the application process.

Washington D.C. Capital's Dome

I fell in love with Northeastern University. I didn't especially love them campus-- I struggle with intercity campuses because it's hard to tell where they begin and where they end-- but I loved the program that they have in their school of media. They have this co-op program for ALL degrees, which is awesome and you should definitely look into it. They also have this program called "Music Industry", which is basically a publishing degree except for the music world, and it is really impressive. I think Northeastern is one of three--or something to that affect- schools that have the music industry program.

So for all you musicians, that's a great idea!

Boston from the harbor

Speaking of music, I recently took up piano again. Okay, recently being a very operative word. I actually took it up about the end on June. I didn't realize how much I actually missed piano, and being fairly adept in a musical instrument besides my voice. Once I master piano (or at least get moderately good) I will move on to guitar. Because my parents got my a guitar about four years ago, and I definitely never started lessons on it.


As you all know I'm a very veracious reader. And I've been reading. Reading for enjoyment, reading for school... Reading basically because I am privileged enough to have the ability. For school I have to read:
Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong

The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Sadly, I'm about three weeks out from school and only one book finished. Basically, I'm screwed.

I've also read the Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer... HIGHLY recommended. So good. Also, a cheap find for my Kindle on Amazon was the Grey Eyes novels. They're like a dollar, and if you don't have a Kindle, you can still read them on your computer. They're very interesting, although similar to some others I have read.

Here's some more books that I recommend:
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Illusions by Aprilynne Pike (part of the Wings series; one of the characters--Tamani-- is basically my ideal future boyfriend.)
Matched by Allie Condie (Dystopian novel= as awesome as The Hunger Games)
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (cute protagonist, first book in the series. Second one came out about a week ago but I haven't read it yet.)
Passion by Lauren Kate (part of the Fallen series, which is excellent!)
Sirensong: a Faeriewalker Novel by Jenna Black (Third book in SUCH a good series. I really like these books. And lately I've been obsessed with faeries, so if you know anymore faerie novels let me know!)
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (she's a fantastic writer, these are faerie novels too.)
Entice by Carrie Jones (this novel is about pixies... the characters and the mythology are fun)
Awakened by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast (part of the House of Night Series... I adore these books. The narrator is so much fun, and a typical teenager. The mother-daughter duo really hit the nail on the head with this one. The mythology is new and exciting- like nothing else I've read. **Must-read, because it's WAAAAAAY better than the Twilight Series, or any other YA vampire novels.)

Well, I hope that keeps you all sated for a while, can't promise I'll be back soon, but I'll do my best. I have a craft project that I'm thinking about doing, so long as my mother gives me permission-- but you'll see it soon enough!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

"Date a girl who reads..."

My lovely, amazing brother decided to share a link with me today that he found on stumble upon. So, the credit goes all to him, but I get to do the sharing! Enjoy and leave your comments here!


http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1h4nfq/themonicabird.com/post/3273155431/date-a-girl-who-reads-date-a-girl-who-spends-her

Thursday, February 3, 2011

"Which hand should I hold the baton in?"

This is just about the cutest thing I've ever seen! Thanks to my brother for sharing it with me...

I hope you all enjoy!

SO CUTE

Which hand should I hold the baton in?

Sunday, January 23, 2011

A Week of Lacking...

I apologize profoundly for my lack of presence here. I unfortunately do not have anything planned for posting, so you all have to deal with my apologies and ramblings... :]

I've been busier than ever, but hopefully things will slow down now that the semester is over for me... (YAY!) I'm officially half way through my junior year of high school. It's all going so fast in this amazing rush.

Today, I suppose can be a day of shared feelings. Let me name a few:
- Stressed
- Relief
- Regret

Well, that's a few :] . But, I also have been feeling amazingly happy. I attended a concert on Friday with two of my best gals; the bands were Fol Chen and Darwin Deez. It was basically in a shack (at Kilby Court, if any of you are familiar with the Salt Lake area...), but it was fantastic nonetheless.



And of course there's boy trouble- when isn't there? And it's silly, because it really shouldn't be trouble at all. With all my limited, yet vast experience, I should know to steer clear by now. But... there's just something.

Have you ever had a chance with someone and you blew it- because you were scared? I have, with more than one person. I am definitely willing that I have let people go that I wish were still in my life. And I have people that I could have had more than just a friendship with, but I always threw out the excuse that I was scared, or that it wasn't going to work out, or that it couldn't work.

But the thing is is that if things are really meant to work out, then they will. If you aren't mean to end up with that person then you won't, I truly and full-heartedly believe that. Because it really is worth it to find out if you want that person; it is worth risking your heart to find out, rather than sitting around for minutes, hours, months, years and then later finding you really want them.

Because by the time you realize you want them, they don't want you anymore. They're in love with someone else, living and moving on with someone else. Which you can't blame them for, because that's what they are supposed to do. When someone tells you that they don't love you you move on, it's a natural, expected process. So I can blame him, right?

So, often I believe that when I talk, laugh, and joke about old times with him that it means nothing more than a same sense of companionship, that I am nothing more than his friend. And I'm sure that's exactly how it feels to him. Like nothing has happened.

I just wish that to me, it doesn't feel like something.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Book Review: Deadly Little Games

By Laurie Faria Stolarz
Published by Disney Hyperion
Released December 21, 2010
Rating (1-5): 3.5

Camelia and Ben have discovered a powerful bond: They both possess the power of psychometry, the ability to sense things through touch. For Ben, the gift is a frightening liability. When he sense a strong threat or betrayal, he risks losing control and hurting people. Camelia' gift is more mysterious. When she works with clay, her hands sculpt messages her mind doesn't yet comprehend. Before either teen has a chance to fully grasp these abilities, an unresolved family tragedy resurfaces in Camelia's life, irrevocably changing everything she cares about...

I will admit that I was disappointed in this book. I've read Stolarz's other series, Blue is For Nightmares, and fell in love with them. So, I decided back in October of 2009, to pick up Stolarz's new series, Deadly Little Secret. DLS was then followed by Deadly Little Lies, which was then followed by Deadly Little Games.

I really liked the first book, and would definitely recommend it as a read. The second novel, started to get a little tedious, but with the introduction of a new character/love interest, Adam, it was a little more enjoyable. However, this last book I felt was extremely tedious. The first two books kept you on your toes, keeping you constantly guessing about what danger Camelia was in and who was stalking her. But the third book lacked the intensity and mystery of the first two, leaving me hanging out to dry.

However, while I had to prod myself to keep reading the novel, the writing it excellent. It's just needed a little more attention to the detail and a better developed story line.

All in all, the series is something I would recommend, but it would not be the first I would suggest.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

How To Make Scented Olive Oil Body Softener

Hey all, so this week's craft was a personal feel-good craft. I decided to make myself some body lotion, I just tried it and it works miracles!

Necessities:
- 1 cup of unscented lotion.
+the unscented part if really important because the scented lotion smells weird with the olive oil.
- 1/4 cup of virgin olive oil (extra virgin works the same)
- Container for your lotion (plastic, glass, lotion bottle, etc.)
- Essential oil (can be found a places like Whole Foods, Wild Oats, etc.)
+not necessary for the lotion, since the olive oil is the moisturizing and softening product. Although, I'm glad I did an essential oil because the olive oil smells a little odd by itself.

First, you start out with your (unscented) lotion, peppermint or rose oil (if you'd like) and olive oil. You put it all in a bowl, or in whatever bottle you'll use for it, stir/shake it up and- ta-da! You're finished.



Simple? Yes. Totally worth the fifteen to twenty minutes it takes to make it? DUH!

I used peppermint oil in mine, and I love it! Smells so yummy. I hope to try rose oil the next time I make it.

Here are some cool properties of the essential oils I suggested. Keep in mind that you can you any oil that smells good to you!

Peppermint oil properties:
-relives pain, without numbing sensation
-antiseptic
-reduces fever or swelling
-prevents muscle spasming

Rose oil properties:
-represses muscles spams
-antiviral (although, I highly recommend you eat the lotion, even if it does smell good :])
-an aphrodisiac (And who doesn't like those!)
-antiseptic

Enjoy, please share your thoughts or how this craft worked out if you try it!