So, I was thinking about my bookcase today. And the bookcases at the library. And I determined, after much thought, that all of the said bookcases are filled with books.
Genius, I know.
I also decided that a LOT of these books, I haven't read.
(Yeah, that was a shocker.)
So then I decided that I was going to not only read as many books as possible in May, but I was also going to try to read every single YA book in my library.
This is going to take a lot of effort.
Like my goal to finish every IP in my badgebook, this is also going to take some motivation. So I'm considering putting another page on my blog where I can keep track of which books I've read, how fast I read, how many books are left, and where the reviews are for each one. (I credit this idea to Cat :D by the way. Just so you know. :) She's so awesome I'm copying.) So, I'm just putting this up here because every so often I'm sure I'm going to start moaning and groaning and whining and complaining about how I don't want to do this anymore.
That's when you say "I told you so".
No.
That's when I'm going to need someone to give me a kick in the rear and tell me to suck it up and keep reading.
Just so you know. :)
~Angela
Saturday, April 30, 2011
A Blog You Should Read
Hello!
So, I was looking through the blogs I follow (yeah, finally.... *ashamed*), and I realized that Cat :D's blog is really cool.
Why?
Mostly because I think it's an easy to read blog. The text and the background don't class terribly, the font is easy on the eyes, and she uses awesome words in her posts. :)
Oh, and her posts are short.
So if you're sick of my monster posts, go and check out her blog, because it's pretty awesome. :)
~Angela
So, I was looking through the blogs I follow (yeah, finally.... *ashamed*), and I realized that Cat :D's blog is really cool.
Why?
Mostly because I think it's an easy to read blog. The text and the background don't class terribly, the font is easy on the eyes, and she uses awesome words in her posts. :)
Oh, and her posts are short.
So if you're sick of my monster posts, go and check out her blog, because it's pretty awesome. :)
~Angela
Friday, April 29, 2011
Silver Award- Finished!
Here it is, folks!
The update on my Silver Award... *faints*
Yes, it's done.
One day before the deadline. ;)
I earned the Girl Scouts Silver Leadership Award by:
Earning the Understanding Yourself and Others badge,
the Heritage Hunt badge,
the Eco Action badge,
by earning the "Uniquely Me! The Real Deal" Studio 2B thing,
and by helping to teach Religious Education for (at least) 15 hours.
I also earned the Silver Career Award by:
Finding out about Forensic Science (it's a job I knew nothing about, one very few woman did, AND it required a special degree. Three in one!),
talking to Laura from Starved Rock Hot Glass,
asking my Cousin in college about what classes she's taking and what she wants to be when she gets done,
talking to several self-employed people about what they liked about their jobs, and how they spend their regular days,
and earning the Your Own Business badge.
And I earned the 4Bs by planning and helping with the Nature Center. That was our big project, and it turned out really cool. (Sorry I don't have a link or a picture or anything. It really looked good.)
And... Ta da. I'm done. Thank heavens...
The update on my Silver Award... *faints*
Yes, it's done.
One day before the deadline. ;)
I earned the Girl Scouts Silver Leadership Award by:
Earning the Understanding Yourself and Others badge,
the Heritage Hunt badge,
the Eco Action badge,
by earning the "Uniquely Me! The Real Deal" Studio 2B thing,
and by helping to teach Religious Education for (at least) 15 hours.
I also earned the Silver Career Award by:
Finding out about Forensic Science (it's a job I knew nothing about, one very few woman did, AND it required a special degree. Three in one!),
talking to Laura from Starved Rock Hot Glass,
asking my Cousin in college about what classes she's taking and what she wants to be when she gets done,
talking to several self-employed people about what they liked about their jobs, and how they spend their regular days,
and earning the Your Own Business badge.
And I earned the 4Bs by planning and helping with the Nature Center. That was our big project, and it turned out really cool. (Sorry I don't have a link or a picture or anything. It really looked good.)
And... Ta da. I'm done. Thank heavens...
Eco Action Badge... Finished!
Last one!
Skill Builders:
#1: Try to make your family "greener". (Did.... With marginal success. :P)
#4: trace the contributions of someone who was very concerned with environmental quality. (See Career Exploration 4)
Technology:
#1: Demonstrate to others how an alternative source of energy is tapped. (Did, did not post.)
#2: Find out about testing air, water, and soil quality. (did... I even got a really huge, fat book from the library! ;) )
#5: Find out about how one recyclable resource is recycled, and what is made out of it. (See link)
Service Projects:
#1: Display energy-saving posters in a public place, and have people sign energy saving pledges. (The posters are up at my library, and I had everyone in my lit group sign pledges. :) )
Career exploration:
#4: Write reports on three environmentalists. (see here, here, and here.)
Skill Builders:
#1: Try to make your family "greener". (Did.... With marginal success. :P)
#4: trace the contributions of someone who was very concerned with environmental quality. (See Career Exploration 4)
Technology:
#1: Demonstrate to others how an alternative source of energy is tapped. (Did, did not post.)
#2: Find out about testing air, water, and soil quality. (did... I even got a really huge, fat book from the library! ;) )
#5: Find out about how one recyclable resource is recycled, and what is made out of it. (See link)
Service Projects:
#1: Display energy-saving posters in a public place, and have people sign energy saving pledges. (The posters are up at my library, and I had everyone in my lit group sign pledges. :) )
Career exploration:
#4: Write reports on three environmentalists. (see here, here, and here.)
Your Own Business` Finished!
Here's the third one. :)
Skill Builders:
#1: Analyze advertisements. (Did this at meeting.)
#4: Interview a woman who runs her own business. (I think this was also covered at the meeting.)
#5: Make a hobby into a business. (EDBD Beads, anyone? :) )
Technology:
#1: Interview three self-employed people to find out about the technological advances which have helped them with their business. (I did this, but it isn't on my blog.)
#3: draw a 2D advertisement. (I made business cards for EDBD Beads. )
Service Projects:
#2: Create a project to help parents educate their children to be knowledgeable consumers. (see link)
Career Exploration:
#2: consult a professional about how to prepare for a job interview. (Did at meeting.)
#5: explore the careers of three women who started their own businesses and became multimillionaires. (See here, here, and here.)
Skill Builders:
#1: Analyze advertisements. (Did this at meeting.)
#4: Interview a woman who runs her own business. (I think this was also covered at the meeting.)
#5: Make a hobby into a business. (EDBD Beads, anyone? :) )
Technology:
#1: Interview three self-employed people to find out about the technological advances which have helped them with their business. (I did this, but it isn't on my blog.)
#3: draw a 2D advertisement. (I made business cards for EDBD Beads. )
Service Projects:
#2: Create a project to help parents educate their children to be knowledgeable consumers. (see link)
Career Exploration:
#2: consult a professional about how to prepare for a job interview. (Did at meeting.)
#5: explore the careers of three women who started their own businesses and became multimillionaires. (See here, here, and here.)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Understanding Yourself And Others Badge... Finished!
Second of two finished. ;) and I just realized that I actually did one extra requirement. Headdesk! No wonder this one took me so long!
Skill Builders:
#1: Watch people and observe how they use body language. (See link)
#3: Break social norms. (See link! And then try! xD )
#5: Role-Play the situations they outline in the Interest Project book. I did this at one of the camp outs. :) (BRUCE FTW!!!!!!)
Technology:
#1: Present something that shows awareness about particular issues that affect teens. (Did this at a meeting.)
Service Projects:
#2: Put on a play about peer pressure. (did at the meeting.)
#3: Put together a booklet/pamphlet to help adults understand teens. (Finished today... link to come, possibly. :) )
#4: Observe how you feel when you wear different types of clothing. (I went goth for an entire day. Let's just say... I've completed this. :) )
Career Exploration:
#3: Make a list and observe your roles, and the roles of an adult woman. (See link.)
Skill Builders:
#1: Watch people and observe how they use body language. (See link)
#3: Break social norms. (See link! And then try! xD )
#5: Role-Play the situations they outline in the Interest Project book. I did this at one of the camp outs. :) (BRUCE FTW!!!!!!)
Technology:
#1: Present something that shows awareness about particular issues that affect teens. (Did this at a meeting.)
Service Projects:
#2: Put on a play about peer pressure. (did at the meeting.)
#3: Put together a booklet/pamphlet to help adults understand teens. (Finished today... link to come, possibly. :) )
#4: Observe how you feel when you wear different types of clothing. (I went goth for an entire day. Let's just say... I've completed this. :) )
Career Exploration:
#3: Make a list and observe your roles, and the roles of an adult woman. (See link.)
Monday, April 25, 2011
Heritage Hunt Badge FINISHED
HOORAY! One out of four badges done!
Here is a record of the things I've done:
Skill Builders:
#3: do two activities that girls of a older generation would have done. (See link)
#5: participate in a family tradition (see link)
#6: Search out history about my community. For this, I went to the library, read several things about my town's heritage, and made a timeline. (For personal security reasons, I have not posted this on my blog.)
Technology:
#3: Make comparisons between technology from today, with that of 100 years ago. (I did this conversation with my mother, and I did not put it on my blog [because it wasn't that interesting. ;) ])
Service Projects:
#4: Identify several examples of cultural diversity in your community in the form of literature, and read selections to a group of younger girl scouts. I did this, even though it was tricky (most people in my neighborhood are from Europe...) but I did. :)
Career Exploration:
#1: Write a biography on a woman of the past whom you admire. (see link)
#3: Identify the various careers that are a legacy in your family, and talk to some of the adults who hold these careers, to see why they chose their jobs. (I did do this, but again, it's not on my blog. :) )
Here is a record of the things I've done:
Skill Builders:
#3: do two activities that girls of a older generation would have done. (See link)
#5: participate in a family tradition (see link)
#6: Search out history about my community. For this, I went to the library, read several things about my town's heritage, and made a timeline. (For personal security reasons, I have not posted this on my blog.)
Technology:
#3: Make comparisons between technology from today, with that of 100 years ago. (I did this conversation with my mother, and I did not put it on my blog [because it wasn't that interesting. ;) ])
Service Projects:
#4: Identify several examples of cultural diversity in your community in the form of literature, and read selections to a group of younger girl scouts. I did this, even though it was tricky (most people in my neighborhood are from Europe...) but I did. :)
Career Exploration:
#1: Write a biography on a woman of the past whom you admire. (see link)
#3: Identify the various careers that are a legacy in your family, and talk to some of the adults who hold these careers, to see why they chose their jobs. (I did do this, but again, it's not on my blog. :) )
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Importance of Planning
I am an author.
And therefore, a lot of the non-authors will now be giving me a crazy look and wondering what I'm talking about.
Why?
Because a lot of people think that this is what usually happens to authors:
Author: *sitting at desk* Hm... Yeah! Let's start with "once upon a time!" now... what happens next? Hmm... Maybe there's a witch! Yeah! Okay... So there was a witch. And our main character comes along! We'll call him... Max. And he's really awesome. And blond. Okay. So what should happen now?
And it goes along like that until the end of the book, where they sit back and find out that they've amazingly written a best selling rough draft and they don't have to edit it or re-read it, or plan it or anything, because we authors are magical elven fairies from a different world and we never run out of creativity because we're just that awesome.
Now as far as I'm concerned, you guys can keep on thinking that we're awesome. Because we are. Really, really awesome.
But the planning thing is kind of stupid. I mean, what best selling author doesn't have a notebook full of names, or has a place they jot down story ideas? What author doesn't sit down and write out the plot, and develop their characters? If you're going to write a good book, you're going to have to plan.
Yep.
For a lot of people, this is what they think when they think of planning, and creativity, in the same sentence:
And let's face it.
That makes sense.
Planning is defined as "a specific project or definite purpose"
and Creativity is defined as the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.
Most people don't see how those two can mix.
In fact, a lot of non-authors attempt to write a book, assuming that they know how, because they assume they don't have to plan.
Their books?
Almost always fail.
I won't say they always always fail. Because there's a slew of NaNoWriMoers who don't plan ANYTHING before they start writing, and they get to 50,000 words, as well.
But their books will generally not be as well written or well thought at as one that has been planned out at least a little beforehand.
Think about it. If you plan something out, even if it's just five minutes before you start doing it, chances are you're going to know how you want it to go. In books, this is a good thing. It means you can add subplots, and you can decide how the hero changes, and you can decide what the meaning of the book is and you can do all these amazing, wonderful things, before you even turn on the computer.
Of course, that's not to say that things don't randomly happen in your book.
In my book, Burning Hope, one of the main characters- Gamaliel- Came up really randomly. I didn't even develop him. I didn't know he even existed until Kezia was going into the cart, and BAM, there's another character who I knew was going to be a biggish part of the story.
But I wouldn't ever have gotten Gamaliel if I didn't have the cart.
And I wouldn't have gotten the cart if I didn't plan.
So, while most people see that picture up there and think that's how it is, it's much more like this:
That is to say, creativity is all well and good, but without planning, it's really not going to be anything special.
I ended up planning Burning Hope for about half a year. Reaper took longer, since it takes place in a complete fantasy world. The Three Sailormen And A Rubber Band Boat took about five minutes, thanks to a story I wrote when I was 3.
So, planning really varies in types and lengths. But it's a lot easier to sit down and say, "I'm going to write XYZ" when you have a plan for XYZ in front of you. It's a lot harder to sit down and just say "Let's write a book."
Also in my opinion, planning is useful in every day situations. I mean, I'm not suggesting that you plan out your entire day hour by hour... If you wanted that, you could go to High School. But just planning out, saying "this is what I want to accomplish" is useful. In my opinion.
Sorry for the really long/rambling post today, guys. I was really out of creativity (HA! Another stereotype busted!) and this was an idea I thought up last night when I was exhausted. ;)
Oh, and off the subject... I need more things for the pamphlet, AND if anyone wants to critique The Three Sailormen And A Rubber Band Boat, you can email me at my spam account again. ;) I'm going to try to get that one published, but it's really hard to edit your own work, as I'm sure you guys are all aware. :)
And therefore, a lot of the non-authors will now be giving me a crazy look and wondering what I'm talking about.
Why?
Because a lot of people think that this is what usually happens to authors:
Author: *sitting at desk* Hm... Yeah! Let's start with "once upon a time!" now... what happens next? Hmm... Maybe there's a witch! Yeah! Okay... So there was a witch. And our main character comes along! We'll call him... Max. And he's really awesome. And blond. Okay. So what should happen now?
And it goes along like that until the end of the book, where they sit back and find out that they've amazingly written a best selling rough draft and they don't have to edit it or re-read it, or plan it or anything, because we authors are magical elven fairies from a different world and we never run out of creativity because we're just that awesome.
Now as far as I'm concerned, you guys can keep on thinking that we're awesome. Because we are. Really, really awesome.
But the planning thing is kind of stupid. I mean, what best selling author doesn't have a notebook full of names, or has a place they jot down story ideas? What author doesn't sit down and write out the plot, and develop their characters? If you're going to write a good book, you're going to have to plan.
Yep.
For a lot of people, this is what they think when they think of planning, and creativity, in the same sentence:
And let's face it.
That makes sense.
Planning is defined as "a specific project or definite purpose"
and Creativity is defined as the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.
Most people don't see how those two can mix.
In fact, a lot of non-authors attempt to write a book, assuming that they know how, because they assume they don't have to plan.
Their books?
Almost always fail.
I won't say they always always fail. Because there's a slew of NaNoWriMoers who don't plan ANYTHING before they start writing, and they get to 50,000 words, as well.
But their books will generally not be as well written or well thought at as one that has been planned out at least a little beforehand.
Think about it. If you plan something out, even if it's just five minutes before you start doing it, chances are you're going to know how you want it to go. In books, this is a good thing. It means you can add subplots, and you can decide how the hero changes, and you can decide what the meaning of the book is and you can do all these amazing, wonderful things, before you even turn on the computer.
Of course, that's not to say that things don't randomly happen in your book.
In my book, Burning Hope, one of the main characters- Gamaliel- Came up really randomly. I didn't even develop him. I didn't know he even existed until Kezia was going into the cart, and BAM, there's another character who I knew was going to be a biggish part of the story.
But I wouldn't ever have gotten Gamaliel if I didn't have the cart.
And I wouldn't have gotten the cart if I didn't plan.
So, while most people see that picture up there and think that's how it is, it's much more like this:
That is to say, creativity is all well and good, but without planning, it's really not going to be anything special.
I ended up planning Burning Hope for about half a year. Reaper took longer, since it takes place in a complete fantasy world. The Three Sailormen And A Rubber Band Boat took about five minutes, thanks to a story I wrote when I was 3.
So, planning really varies in types and lengths. But it's a lot easier to sit down and say, "I'm going to write XYZ" when you have a plan for XYZ in front of you. It's a lot harder to sit down and just say "Let's write a book."
Also in my opinion, planning is useful in every day situations. I mean, I'm not suggesting that you plan out your entire day hour by hour... If you wanted that, you could go to High School. But just planning out, saying "this is what I want to accomplish" is useful. In my opinion.
Sorry for the really long/rambling post today, guys. I was really out of creativity (HA! Another stereotype busted!) and this was an idea I thought up last night when I was exhausted. ;)
Oh, and off the subject... I need more things for the pamphlet, AND if anyone wants to critique The Three Sailormen And A Rubber Band Boat, you can email me at my spam account again. ;) I'm going to try to get that one published, but it's really hard to edit your own work, as I'm sure you guys are all aware. :)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Pamphlet Help
So, for my Girl Scout "Understanding Yourself and Others", I need to make a pamphlet to help adults understand teenagers.
...Problem is, I don't have much to put in said pamphlet.
See, I have one narrative/article by my friend Ellen, one poem by Jessica... A comic I clipped out of the paper, one quote, and something I wrote.
This, my friends, is not enough for a pamphlet.
not in my opinion.
So, I'm sort of putting up and entry thing. Contest. We'll call it a contest. Why? Because contests are fun. ;)
Rules:
Thank you!
~Angela
Edit/ You can send it to me at my SPAM email... (Why? Because all of you guys are creepers. Why? Because you're on the internet and therefore your goal in life is to stalk me. Duh. Gotta love internet stereotypes)... Which is hippo_girl.SPAM@yahoo.com
;) Don't you feel loved?
...Problem is, I don't have much to put in said pamphlet.
See, I have one narrative/article by my friend Ellen, one poem by Jessica... A comic I clipped out of the paper, one quote, and something I wrote.
This, my friends, is not enough for a pamphlet.
not in my opinion.
So, I'm sort of putting up and entry thing. Contest. We'll call it a contest. Why? Because contests are fun. ;)
Rules:
- You can only submit things that can be seen. That is to say, no videos, no music... You can submit a photo/picture, article, story, allegory, poem, cartoon, quote, joke, essay... Whatever. As long as it represents what it's like to be a teenager, or as long as it helps adults understand everyone between the ages of 12 and 20... It's good.
- WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS MUST BE UNDER 1000 WORDS. If they are longer, they will not fit and I will not put them in.
- No inappropriate content.
- no plagiarism... If you get a quote or a cartoon from somewhere, site your source.
- Please spell check, and add proper grammar. I have a lot of work to do, and while I WILL read your submission once or twice to make sure that it's more or less correct, I am not known for my grammar, and I might miss something.
- All submissions have to be in by Sunday at midnight. All late submissions will not be taken into consideration.
- No whining.
Thank you!
~Angela
Edit/ You can send it to me at my SPAM email... (Why? Because all of you guys are creepers. Why? Because you're on the internet and therefore your goal in life is to stalk me. Duh. Gotta love internet stereotypes)... Which is hippo_girl.SPAM@yahoo.com
;) Don't you feel loved?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Read This Blog
I know the text can hurt your eyes (white on black... eesh), but you should read Rebecca's Blog... Because it's really really eye-opening. And awesome, and she just makes a lot of sense. She's a very good author, and I think her posts are very well thought out.
And no offense if you aren't Christian. :)
And no offense if you aren't Christian. :)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Another Reason Why I Really Shouldn't Procrastinate.
Like there's not enough already, I have to come up with more. [eyeroll]
Today's "why I really shouldn't procrastinate" reason is because... well... it's tiring.
literally.
Today I was sitting on my bed, doing my math and texting Katie. Blah blah blah. Whatever. Then I hit a spot in my math that I couldn't do, and Katie had to stop texting.
Now, if I had been a sane human being, I would have simply taken the solutions guide, read how to do the problem, figured it out, and kept going.
Did I do this?
Of course not.
That would be too logical.
Instead, declaring that the math textbook was simply wrong, I laid down in bed and went to sleep for half an hour.
Yeah.
I procrastinate.
When I woke up, the odd feeling of being even more tired than before came to me. (This is why I don't take naps, by the way. If I take a nap feeling like I've only had three hours of sleep in a night, I wake up feeling like I've only had three hours of sleep the entire week.).
Still procrastinating doing my math, I ended up wandering upstairs and making myself some toast.
That was when I really started noticing the side effects of my nap (and therefore of my procrastination).
I mean, you have to be tired when you start continually looking for cinnamon sugar in the Tupperware cupboard.
But you really have to be exhausted when, after finding the sugar in the proper cabinet, making your toast, and then eating it... You actually put away the sugar in the Tupperware cabinet. [facepalm]
It all seemed to level out after that, however... I returned to thedungeon basement and finished my math (I got 32 out of 36 questions right... Booyah!), came back upstairs, talked about how I wanted to watch Spy Kids 2 tonight... and then I sat down at the computer to write my blog post. However, I wasn't feeling very inspired, so I just GoodSearched "Blog Post Ideas", and looked at what came up.
I was scrolling down one of the lists when I discovered that the effects of my procrastination really hadn't gone away, and I had just thought they had, because while scrolling down, there was some sentence that went along the lines of "Write about how Blogger makes Blogging more difficult".
I read it as
"Write about how Flogging makings Blogging more difficult."
Hm.
Maybe I've been reading too many pirate books.
Yeah.
That's it.
Today's "why I really shouldn't procrastinate" reason is because... well... it's tiring.
literally.
Today I was sitting on my bed, doing my math and texting Katie. Blah blah blah. Whatever. Then I hit a spot in my math that I couldn't do, and Katie had to stop texting.
Now, if I had been a sane human being, I would have simply taken the solutions guide, read how to do the problem, figured it out, and kept going.
Did I do this?
Of course not.
That would be too logical.
Instead, declaring that the math textbook was simply wrong, I laid down in bed and went to sleep for half an hour.
Yeah.
I procrastinate.
When I woke up, the odd feeling of being even more tired than before came to me. (This is why I don't take naps, by the way. If I take a nap feeling like I've only had three hours of sleep in a night, I wake up feeling like I've only had three hours of sleep the entire week.).
Still procrastinating doing my math, I ended up wandering upstairs and making myself some toast.
That was when I really started noticing the side effects of my nap (and therefore of my procrastination).
I mean, you have to be tired when you start continually looking for cinnamon sugar in the Tupperware cupboard.
But you really have to be exhausted when, after finding the sugar in the proper cabinet, making your toast, and then eating it... You actually put away the sugar in the Tupperware cabinet. [facepalm]
It all seemed to level out after that, however... I returned to the
I was scrolling down one of the lists when I discovered that the effects of my procrastination really hadn't gone away, and I had just thought they had, because while scrolling down, there was some sentence that went along the lines of "Write about how Blogger makes Blogging more difficult".
I read it as
"Write about how Flogging makings Blogging more difficult."
Hm.
Maybe I've been reading too many pirate books.
Yeah.
That's it.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Good Reasons v. Bad Reasons
So, I have in mind several more posts. (I give you right to take away some of my creativity points. I do, in fact, plan out my posts before I even turn on the computer... [hangs head in shame])
But, in those posts, a lot of times I have to reference "good reasons" and "bad reasons".
Which vary from some other people's ideas of good v. bad reasons.
So, in order to make my life a lot simpler (and to save me from having to go through this entire, lengthy, abnormally unneeded, rambling explanation), I'm doing a separate post on the reasons I think are good, versus the reasons I think are... not.
Good Reasons to do something:
But, in those posts, a lot of times I have to reference "good reasons" and "bad reasons".
Which vary from some other people's ideas of good v. bad reasons.
So, in order to make my life a lot simpler (and to save me from having to go through this entire, lengthy, abnormally unneeded, rambling explanation), I'm doing a separate post on the reasons I think are good, versus the reasons I think are... not.
Good Reasons to do something:
- Your family requires you to do it.
- It would improve your person.
- It's essential for your happiness.
- If you do not do whatever it is, you will lose one of your basic rights (food, water, love, shelter)
- If you do not do it, it will cause more people to suffer than if you do.
- It's something that your morals do not prevent you from doing, and you have previously said you would do said something.
- It's enjoyable to you, and does not have negative effects.
- It's essential to the betterment of the world around you.
- You want to. (Without considering the effects it might have.)
- It'll make you money you neither want nor need.
- It's what everyone else is doing.
- It is what is expected from you.
- Revenge.
- It's the easiest thing to do.
Update on my amazingly chaotic disgusting life.
So, last I wrote it was about 10:00.
It is now almost 2, and my life has gotten even more dramatic, if that's even possible.
For one... We got all the poop cleaned up. But that took a while.
I wrote a longish chapter for a collective novel I'm writing with my friend Katie... I wrote more on a different book I'm writing, called Reaper...
And then, while I was watching an update by Peter Jackson on the Hobbit's making, my brother ran up to me ans told me that Carmen had vomited on the floor.
..
there was a LOT of vomit.
And it was orange.
So I was standing there, staring at the throw up and wondering how the heck I'm expected to clean up a huge amount of orange colored vomit, when Carmen walks over and starts eating it. So then I was standing there, watching my dog eat her own vomit, when my mom walked in and asked me what was going on.
I told her that Carmen had vomited, and now was not letting me clean it up because she's magic and can make food.
Of course, this got me no sympathy from my mother, who simply started laughing. Why?Because she is a cruel person. because she had to clean up dog poop this morning.
So, I cleaned it up.
With the dust pan.
And a plastic bag.
It was actually Kenneth who came up with the plastic bag idea. He's so smart...
yeah. That's all I really have to say (my mom got on the computer, then Veela was on the computer for like an hour... and so my creativity sort of disappeared.)
It is now almost 2, and my life has gotten even more dramatic, if that's even possible.
For one... We got all the poop cleaned up. But that took a while.
I wrote a longish chapter for a collective novel I'm writing with my friend Katie... I wrote more on a different book I'm writing, called Reaper...
And then, while I was watching an update by Peter Jackson on the Hobbit's making, my brother ran up to me ans told me that Carmen had vomited on the floor.
..
there was a LOT of vomit.
And it was orange.
So I was standing there, staring at the throw up and wondering how the heck I'm expected to clean up a huge amount of orange colored vomit, when Carmen walks over and starts eating it. So then I was standing there, watching my dog eat her own vomit, when my mom walked in and asked me what was going on.
I told her that Carmen had vomited, and now was not letting me clean it up because she's magic and can make food.
Of course, this got me no sympathy from my mother, who simply started laughing. Why?
So, I cleaned it up.
With the dust pan.
And a plastic bag.
It was actually Kenneth who came up with the plastic bag idea. He's so smart...
yeah. That's all I really have to say (my mom got on the computer, then Veela was on the computer for like an hour... and so my creativity sort of disappeared.)
There's nothing like the smell of dog poop in the morning..
It's only 9:58 AM here, and I've already had an eventful day.
How, you may ask, does a 14 year old girl have an eventful day in the hours between 6:00 and 10:00?
Well.
First of all, wake the teenager up at 6:00 by having her little sister rush into her room, shake her awake, and say,
"Angela! I'm leaving. Goodbye! Oh.. And be careful, because Fritz pooped right outside your door."
Make the girl mumble something incoherant, roll over and fall asleep for another two hours.
At 7:57, make the girl's mother come in and say,
"Good morning, Angela! You should come upstairs and have some breakfast. Oh, and Fritz had an accident outside your room, so be careful where you step."
Make the girl get up, gag at the stench of dog poop, stumble upstairs, and eat breakfast. Then have her mom tell her that, surprise surprise, the poop is ALL OVER the basement. Then make her tell her daughter that she should help her mother clean.
Have the girl and her mother go downstairs armed with sock rags and diapers, a bucket with warm water, a broom, and a box of baking soda. Make them clean for about an hour, trying to get the poop out of carpet, and then sprinkling soda over the wet places.
So, I bet, after that story, you can't possibly figure out what the heck I woke up to this morning! *headdesk*
We have to go back down at 2:00 to get the baking soda up, and then we get to febreeze everything... And hopefully that's it.
Wish us luck.
How, you may ask, does a 14 year old girl have an eventful day in the hours between 6:00 and 10:00?
Well.
First of all, wake the teenager up at 6:00 by having her little sister rush into her room, shake her awake, and say,
"Angela! I'm leaving. Goodbye! Oh.. And be careful, because Fritz pooped right outside your door."
Make the girl mumble something incoherant, roll over and fall asleep for another two hours.
At 7:57, make the girl's mother come in and say,
"Good morning, Angela! You should come upstairs and have some breakfast. Oh, and Fritz had an accident outside your room, so be careful where you step."
Make the girl get up, gag at the stench of dog poop, stumble upstairs, and eat breakfast. Then have her mom tell her that, surprise surprise, the poop is ALL OVER the basement. Then make her tell her daughter that she should help her mother clean.
Have the girl and her mother go downstairs armed with sock rags and diapers, a bucket with warm water, a broom, and a box of baking soda. Make them clean for about an hour, trying to get the poop out of carpet, and then sprinkling soda over the wet places.
So, I bet, after that story, you can't possibly figure out what the heck I woke up to this morning! *headdesk*
We have to go back down at 2:00 to get the baking soda up, and then we get to febreeze everything... And hopefully that's it.
Wish us luck.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Breaking Norms- A Girl Scout Post (and also a fun activity)
For the Understanding Yourself and Others IP, I had to "break social norms". They gave a list of norms which I could break, but I didn't think many of them were very... eh...... let's just say that I know people who break all of those norms several times a day. (Things like, riding an elevator backwards. Standing very close to a friend while talking to them. Etc.) So... I broke social norms my own way.
Today, I went on a walk with Veela, and my brother Kenneth. It's a 3 mile walk, down the road across our street, and back. We hiked down the road (1.5 miles), then turned left, and got into a forest preserve.
In the forest preserve is a park, and I had told Ken that we would go there, if he could make it the entire walk. So we went in, prepared to break the norms.
In the park, there is this very large boulder. It goes up to at least my shoulder, and it's meant for climbing. (I'm not kidding. It's the "climbing boulder".) So, Veela and I climbed up onto the rock. After pondering what to do for several minutes (and texting my friend to see what they thought), we decided to sing VERY LOUDLY, several girl scout songs.
On top of the boulder.
In front of a ton of people.
So, we stood up, and started singing. We sung "The Princess Pat", "Tarzan", and "My Auntie Monica".
So, now I have to answer some questions.
How difficult was it for you to do the activity?
Not that difficult. I mean, there was a certain leap of mentality that I had to go through... From being "People are going to stare. O.O" to... "People are going to stare! AWESOME!"
How did the other people react?
To tell the truth? Most of them didn't even notice. The ones that did (namely, several small children and two mothers), either stared at us in bewilderment, or laughed at us and cheered us on, respectively.
And that, my friends, was my adventure with breaking social norms.
...
...
I think I'll go back there on Tuesday and repeat the experiment.
Today, I went on a walk with Veela, and my brother Kenneth. It's a 3 mile walk, down the road across our street, and back. We hiked down the road (1.5 miles), then turned left, and got into a forest preserve.
In the forest preserve is a park, and I had told Ken that we would go there, if he could make it the entire walk. So we went in, prepared to break the norms.
In the park, there is this very large boulder. It goes up to at least my shoulder, and it's meant for climbing. (I'm not kidding. It's the "climbing boulder".) So, Veela and I climbed up onto the rock. After pondering what to do for several minutes (and texting my friend to see what they thought), we decided to sing VERY LOUDLY, several girl scout songs.
On top of the boulder.
In front of a ton of people.
So, we stood up, and started singing. We sung "The Princess Pat", "Tarzan", and "My Auntie Monica".
So, now I have to answer some questions.
How difficult was it for you to do the activity?
Not that difficult. I mean, there was a certain leap of mentality that I had to go through... From being "People are going to stare. O.O" to... "People are going to stare! AWESOME!"
How did the other people react?
To tell the truth? Most of them didn't even notice. The ones that did (namely, several small children and two mothers), either stared at us in bewilderment, or laughed at us and cheered us on, respectively.
And that, my friends, was my adventure with breaking social norms.
...
...
I think I'll go back there on Tuesday and repeat the experiment.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
The Most Amazing Thing Ever...
So, I think at least a few of you read my Thank You post. Right?
If you haven't, scroll down and read it.
I'll wait for you.
...
...
...
Back? Good. Because this post has to do with that. And it's story.
Last... Thursday? Well, my Thank You day, anyway... I thanked over 50 people.
And the amazing thing was?
It was a chain reaction.
I posted something on the One Year Adventure Novel forum... And within three days, around 12 more people have taken the idea and posted their own thank yous. I know some of the people I know in real life have taken the idea, and even if they haven't thanked anyone on that massive scale, I know that they thanked at least one person.
I just want to point out that these things really work. Those crazy ideas you get in the middle of the night? The times when you think, "Wow. I should really do something nice... No, it won't work,"?
It will work.
Seeing all those Thank You posts on the forum? That made my day.
I wasn't even mentioned in a lot of them.
Seeing all those people so happy because someone thanked them?
That was even better.
I guess there isn't much of a meaning for this post. Just to know that even if you start out with just saying thank you, or appreciating the things in your life, or being nice to someone, or just letting someone know that they mean a lot to you... It might have a bigger affect than you think it will.
I'm just sayin'.
If you haven't, scroll down and read it.
I'll wait for you.
...
...
...
Back? Good. Because this post has to do with that. And it's story.
Last... Thursday? Well, my Thank You day, anyway... I thanked over 50 people.
And the amazing thing was?
It was a chain reaction.
I posted something on the One Year Adventure Novel forum... And within three days, around 12 more people have taken the idea and posted their own thank yous. I know some of the people I know in real life have taken the idea, and even if they haven't thanked anyone on that massive scale, I know that they thanked at least one person.
I just want to point out that these things really work. Those crazy ideas you get in the middle of the night? The times when you think, "Wow. I should really do something nice... No, it won't work,"?
It will work.
Seeing all those Thank You posts on the forum? That made my day.
I wasn't even mentioned in a lot of them.
Seeing all those people so happy because someone thanked them?
That was even better.
I guess there isn't much of a meaning for this post. Just to know that even if you start out with just saying thank you, or appreciating the things in your life, or being nice to someone, or just letting someone know that they mean a lot to you... It might have a bigger affect than you think it will.
I'm just sayin'.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Thank You
Today is my "Thank You" day. It's a very new invention for myself, since I decided just last night that I really don't show as much gratitude to people as I really ought to. It mostly started because of my friend Isaac, who I realized I hadn't talked to for a while. Then I realized that he was a really good friend, and I didn't think I'd ever told him that.
Thus was the birth of Thank You day.
So... Thank You.
Mom: Thank you for putting up with me, and my siblings, day after day. I know it's cliched, but we owe you. Thank you for letting me do basically what I want... Whether it's drawing on my walls, writing a novel, cutting my own hair, or simply doing history instead of science. Thank you.
Vienna: Thank you for being one of the best commenters I have ever had in the history of this blog. Thank you. I'm sorry I haven't been reading your blog lately. I apologize.
Amber: Thank you for being one of the first readers I had of my blog who wasn't a IRL friend. Thank you for letting me into a slightly larger circle of blog readers.
Cat :D : Thank you for commenting on anything... and nearly everything... I post. It really means a lot when I go to check for comments and there's one from you, just sitting there. Thank you.
Linda/Cat: Thank you for putting up with my complaining. Thank you for being an awesome friend, even when I know I haven't been one. Thank you.
Veela/Valerie: Thank you for being one of the absolute best sisters a girl could ever want. Thank you for being just annoying enough I can complain about you, but not too annoying, so I can still roll my eyes at other sibling fights.
Matthew: I know you probably aren't reading this, or ever will, but thank you for being my friend. I hope I can talk/email/see/text you more. Thank you.
SEP: Thank you. You really are quite hyper, and you drive me crazy sometimes, but you're still amazing. Thank you.
GeoQuester: thank you for being my friend on OYAN, as well as here. Thank you for leaving that comment on my homeschooling post. It was very kind of you.
Rachel: I know I really haven't talked to you for a while, but thank you. Remember that animal blog we had? That seems so long ago. Thank you.
To all my other followers: I'm sorry I have to lump all you guys together in this category, but for most of you, I don't know you well enough to say anything remotely meaningful. I apologize. Thank you for being wonderful and following my blog. I hope to talk to you soon, so I can know you well enough to say thank you individually next year.
Thank you.
What Happens to Plastic Milk Jugs
So, you and your family are sitting around the table. In the center is a box of cereal, and a jug of milk. When you and your family use up the milk in the jug, of course you take the plastic container and throw in the recycling bin.
Thus begins the milk jug's journey.
First, waste management and takes your recycling. The milk jug is then taken to a MRF (Materials Recovery Facility, pronounced "murf") , where it is scrushed into a bale with the others of it's type. Each bale can weigh up to 1,200 lbs.
From there, the jug is taken to a reclaimer. There, the bales are broken open, and the plastics are crushed, cleaned, and made into flakes. When all the plastics are made into flakes, they drop them into a flotation tank. Because some plastics are heavier than others, some float and some sink. Milk jugs, which are made of HDPE, float to the top. They are skimmed off, and melted down into spaghetti thin strands. The strands are then chopped into pellets, and shipped off to companies to be used as raw materials.
Milk jugs are not "recycled" per say. In that, I mean that they are not made into new jugs. Once they have been used for milk once, they are not suited to other food materials. Instead, they are made into certain types of shampoo/conditioner/soap bottles, bottles to hold cleaning products, building materials such as boards, pipes, fencing, and gutters. The jugs can be made into picnic tables, and there's even a bridge made of 68,000 milk jugs mixed with fiberglass, that is strong enough to hold a car. It is located in NY.
Resources:
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Milk Jugs
What Is The Process Of Recycling Milk Jugs?
Where Does Your Recycled Bottle Go?
Thus begins the milk jug's journey.
First, waste management and takes your recycling. The milk jug is then taken to a MRF (Materials Recovery Facility, pronounced "murf") , where it is scrushed into a bale with the others of it's type. Each bale can weigh up to 1,200 lbs.
From there, the jug is taken to a reclaimer. There, the bales are broken open, and the plastics are crushed, cleaned, and made into flakes. When all the plastics are made into flakes, they drop them into a flotation tank. Because some plastics are heavier than others, some float and some sink. Milk jugs, which are made of HDPE, float to the top. They are skimmed off, and melted down into spaghetti thin strands. The strands are then chopped into pellets, and shipped off to companies to be used as raw materials.
Milk jugs are not "recycled" per say. In that, I mean that they are not made into new jugs. Once they have been used for milk once, they are not suited to other food materials. Instead, they are made into certain types of shampoo/conditioner/soap bottles, bottles to hold cleaning products, building materials such as boards, pipes, fencing, and gutters. The jugs can be made into picnic tables, and there's even a bridge made of 68,000 milk jugs mixed with fiberglass, that is strong enough to hold a car. It is located in NY.
Resources:
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Milk Jugs
What Is The Process Of Recycling Milk Jugs?
Where Does Your Recycled Bottle Go?
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Mary Kay Ash- A Girl Scout Post
Mary Kay Ash's successful cosmetic business actually started far before she even had an idea for a business. It started when she was a six year old girl, taking care of her ailing grandfather while her mother worked 14 hours a day to support them. For most of her life, if Mary Kay had a problem, she'd ask her mom for advice. Her mom would advise her, then tell her "You can do it.". That spirit was part of the way Mary Kay decided she could start the business she did.
When Mary Kay was studying to become a doctor, she was also selling products on the side. She soon decided she was far better at selling than she was at being a doctor, and switched to selling products full time.
Eventually, she found her way into sales training, but after working there for 25 years, and being passed over for promotion many, many times, she got fed up and quit.
After she quit, Mary Kay started writing a book on business. She soon realized, however, that what she had actually written was a plan for a business. Mary Kay enlisted the help of her 20 year old son, and with the $5,000 she had saved up, started Mary Kay Cosmetics. Within the first year of the business, they earned something around $200,000, but that was not the goal. Mary Kay's goal was to make a place where women could be equal to men, where they could achieve their dreams. She wanted to make a company "with heart".
Mary Kay retired in 1987.
Resources:
Mary Kay Ash Biography
Remembering Mary Kay
When Mary Kay was studying to become a doctor, she was also selling products on the side. She soon decided she was far better at selling than she was at being a doctor, and switched to selling products full time.
Eventually, she found her way into sales training, but after working there for 25 years, and being passed over for promotion many, many times, she got fed up and quit.
After she quit, Mary Kay started writing a book on business. She soon realized, however, that what she had actually written was a plan for a business. Mary Kay enlisted the help of her 20 year old son, and with the $5,000 she had saved up, started Mary Kay Cosmetics. Within the first year of the business, they earned something around $200,000, but that was not the goal. Mary Kay's goal was to make a place where women could be equal to men, where they could achieve their dreams. She wanted to make a company "with heart".
Mary Kay retired in 1987.
Resources:
Mary Kay Ash Biography
Remembering Mary Kay
Martha Stewart- A Girl Scout Post
Martha Stewart started her infamous career in the late 70's, when she and a business partner started a catering business. Stewart became known for her business, due to her creative approach and gourmet foods. A few years after her business took off, Stewart wrote a book, Entertaining, which made the best seller list. She soon published several more books, and started her first magazine, Martha Stewart Living.
It all ended in tears, however, for a little while. Stewart was charged with insider trading, after returning to Wallstreet. She was charged guilty, and went to prison for several months. She finished her sentence in house arrest.
Soon after her sentence ended, Stewart was back, and accepted two offers to do daytime shows. Although one of the shows ultimately ended as a major fail, the other one has been on since 2005, and shows no sign of stopping.
Resources:
Martha Stewart Biography
Martha Stewart.Com: Martha Stewart
It all ended in tears, however, for a little while. Stewart was charged with insider trading, after returning to Wallstreet. She was charged guilty, and went to prison for several months. She finished her sentence in house arrest.
Soon after her sentence ended, Stewart was back, and accepted two offers to do daytime shows. Although one of the shows ultimately ended as a major fail, the other one has been on since 2005, and shows no sign of stopping.
Resources:
Martha Stewart Biography
Martha Stewart.Com: Martha Stewart
Doris Christopher- A Girl Scout Post
Doris Christopher is the founder and chairman of the Pampered Chef business, which sells quality cooking tools. Christopher's urge to form the Pampered Chef started when she observed that more time was spent cooking the meal, than spent around the table with family, enjoying the food. Thanks in part to her experience as an economics teacher, and also as a stay-at-home mom, she had an idea about how what sort of changed would be good to make to the traditional cooking tools.
In 1980, with a $3,000 loan from an insurance company, Christopher started the Pampered Chef from the basement of her Chicago-located home. To make the products more appealing, and easier for potential customers to use, she decided that the easiest way to sell them would to demonstrate them in the homes, instead of just having a store. Thus, Pampered Chef parties were formed.
More than 20 years later, and Pampered Chef has turned into a huge business, worth several million dollars. Christopher still oversees the design of the products, and is active in her business.
Resources:
Grace Matters: Doris Christopher
The Pampered Chef: Our Founder
In 1980, with a $3,000 loan from an insurance company, Christopher started the Pampered Chef from the basement of her Chicago-located home. To make the products more appealing, and easier for potential customers to use, she decided that the easiest way to sell them would to demonstrate them in the homes, instead of just having a store. Thus, Pampered Chef parties were formed.
More than 20 years later, and Pampered Chef has turned into a huge business, worth several million dollars. Christopher still oversees the design of the products, and is active in her business.
Resources:
Grace Matters: Doris Christopher
The Pampered Chef: Our Founder
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
John Muir- Girl Scout Post
In Scotland, April 21, 1838, a boy was born to Daniel Muir and Ann Gilrye. His name was John, and he would become the father of forest preserves.
Muir's father was a very religious man, and by the age of 11, Muir had most of the Old Testament memorized, and all of the New Testament. It was also when he was 11 that he and his family moved to America, to a place near Portage, Wisconsin. Muir's father worked Muir and his family all day, but whenever Muir had time, he'd go and explore the forests around his house.
Muir attended the University of Wisconsin, but left after 3 years to travel. He started working at a carriage shop in Indiana, but after an accident left him temporarily blind in one eye, he left to travel from Indiana to Florida, sketching wildlife as he went. From Florida, he took a boat and traveled to Cuba, Panama, and finally California, where he discovered the Sierra Nevada... His "Range of Light". He worked in, and near, Yosemite Valley for several years... That was when he first developed his theory that the valley had been formed by glaciers.
He wrote, about this time, his first book, Studies in the Sierra, that started his career as a writer. He married about this time, and moved to a different city in California, where he lived with his family. Muir had wanderlust, however, and often traveled to places such as Alaska, Japan, China, and Europe, where he studied wildlife. He and several of his environmental followers formed the Sierra Club, which he was president of.
Muir wrote several articles for a magazine, and one of them was extremely influential in the making of the Yosemite National Park. A year later or so, he wrote another book about National Parks, that caught the attention of president Theodore Roosevelt.
Muir and the Sierra club managed to found several National Parks, but failed to stop the building of a dam in California. Muir died in Los Angeles in 1914.
Resources:
PBS: John Muir
Americans Who Tell The Truth: John Muir
Wisconsin Historical Society: John Muir
Muir's father was a very religious man, and by the age of 11, Muir had most of the Old Testament memorized, and all of the New Testament. It was also when he was 11 that he and his family moved to America, to a place near Portage, Wisconsin. Muir's father worked Muir and his family all day, but whenever Muir had time, he'd go and explore the forests around his house.
Muir attended the University of Wisconsin, but left after 3 years to travel. He started working at a carriage shop in Indiana, but after an accident left him temporarily blind in one eye, he left to travel from Indiana to Florida, sketching wildlife as he went. From Florida, he took a boat and traveled to Cuba, Panama, and finally California, where he discovered the Sierra Nevada... His "Range of Light". He worked in, and near, Yosemite Valley for several years... That was when he first developed his theory that the valley had been formed by glaciers.
He wrote, about this time, his first book, Studies in the Sierra, that started his career as a writer. He married about this time, and moved to a different city in California, where he lived with his family. Muir had wanderlust, however, and often traveled to places such as Alaska, Japan, China, and Europe, where he studied wildlife. He and several of his environmental followers formed the Sierra Club, which he was president of.
Muir wrote several articles for a magazine, and one of them was extremely influential in the making of the Yosemite National Park. A year later or so, he wrote another book about National Parks, that caught the attention of president Theodore Roosevelt.
Muir and the Sierra club managed to found several National Parks, but failed to stop the building of a dam in California. Muir died in Los Angeles in 1914.
Resources:
PBS: John Muir
Americans Who Tell The Truth: John Muir
Wisconsin Historical Society: John Muir
Friday, April 1, 2011
I'm a published author!!!!
Alright. So, I know that I just made my "books of an UNpublished author" blog... but... I'm... eh... published. Now. On ezine.com . It's just an internet magazine, and it's just an article on money saving, not a book, but hey! It's up there! Peeps will read it!
So, it's the same article as I posted on here (except, that was before I corrected "$200" to "$100"), but if you wanna see it in print, you can find it here.
So, it's the same article as I posted on here (except, that was before I corrected "$200" to "$100"), but if you wanna see it in print, you can find it here.
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