Valentines Day (And All That Jazz)

So as we all know, yesterday was Valentine's Day (or as the legion of bitter people refer to it, Single's Awareness Day,) and all things considered, it went pretty well, for me anyway. (I hope it went well for you, too, anonymous blog reader.) Anyway, I spent the day with my friends, walking around downtown where we window-shopped, drank fancy coffee (iced lattés,) and discussed all the boys we hate. We didn't have school because, for the second time in my life, the accumulation of snow is waist-level and therefore "inclement." Sucks for the school system, but fantastic for students who would rather not graph functions and analyze rhetoric devices for Valentine's Day. Even though none of my friends have boyfriends, we still managed to make sure Valentine's Day was filled with (amicable) love. Because, let's be real here. At the end of the day, all we have is our friends, and I'm perfectly ok with that. **Insert some cliché friendship quote here.**

Save Your Youth For Later : High School Junior Edition

As (high school) midterms loom closer and closer, more and more of my peers are starting to lose it. Not in the literal, mental-breakdown kind of way, but in the "I have so much anxiety I might just explode" kind of way. As juniors, we have to make sure everything we do is impressive, if we ever hope to get into our dream colleges.It's a tough act to handle, because on top of juggling actual school work (which, admittedly, gets pretty overwhelming sometimes,) we also have to maintain leadership positions, actively volunteer within our community, and participate in at least one sport or club, if not more, (and in most cases, mine included, it's definitely more). Midterms are stressful because they factor in to your semester grades, and if you bomb them, you're in trouble. At such a young age we are expected to make sure our futures are solidified by excelling at everything, and as worth it as it is to get into college and finally begin the journey to the career of our choice, it's actually kind of sad to think of all the experiences we're missing out on while we're focusing so hard on making our resumes competitive. How many of us actually enjoy ALL of the extracurricular activities we participate in? Nearly everyone I know is a member of at least one club or is doing a particular sport solely based on how good it will look on college applications. That's more time given that we don't necessarily have, committed to something we aren't even passionate about.  The closer and closer I get to college, the more I almost resent it, because the idea of college has dictated my entire life ever since I was about 11 years old. That's 6 whole years and counting of my childhood, spent stressing out about college. There has to be a rule against that, somewhere, hopefully.  My parents observe the mental state of me and my peers and the exhaustion and anxiety we put ourselves through, and wonder what changed between their generation and ours, because they were never like this. I can only imagine what my children will be forced to endure in order to succeed. It's a scary thought, that's for sure.

**I am the original author of this post, but it will also be posted on Huffington Post Teen. 

A Catch-All of Things I Haven't Said ;)

So, remember a few posts ago I said there was going to be lots to come in terms of content on this blog? Well, obviously, I've been slacking, so to make up for it, here is a mass post of all the things I've been meaning to tell you all about. :) P.S. - For once, all the pictures featured in this post belong to me, and are not Internet-generated. Props for utilizing a camera!

First of all, let's throw it waaayyy back to early November, when I went to a Paramore concert with my sister and cousin, because that was one of the most magical nights of my life, hands down. It was just us, no parents in sight (that belonged to us, anyway,) which was a first for us, because we are lame, sheltered American children. But anyway, we got there like an hour or so early because we were afraid of lines and ticket complications and whatnot. But once we got there, we were so buzzed with energy and excitement. That's the thing about concerts - the anticipation of it is almost as good as the actual show. Once the show actually started, though, I was in a complete state of bliss. Hellogoodbye and Metric opened for Paramore, and they were hardcore awesome, if I do say so myself. Paramore, however, was phenomenal. Every single person in the crowd was up on their feet, dancing and singing along. I'm proud to say that I sang along, at the top of my lungs, to every single song, even the ones I wasn't completely familiar with. At one point, they were singing one song and went straight into "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac right in the middle, and then went back to their original song. It was kind of totally awesome. Essentially, what you should get from this is that I am totally in love with Paramore in all their laser-light-show glory, and if you go to one concert for the rest of your life, it should be a Paramore show, especially because Hayley is really good at engaging the crowd, in a way that makes it seem like she's your best friend talking to you in the middle of a huge amphitheater. Gotta love it!

Final bows at the Paramore show. They showered the floor crowd with green and yellow balloons from the ceiling and it was awesome. 

Secondly, let's talk about Thanksgiving. I hope you all had a great day that day, even though it was like a month and a half ago. I sure did, even though it was at my house and holidays at my house are the best kind of stressful, but stressful nonetheless. We started our day trying to catch a little bit of the Macy's parade on TV (which I love with all my heart, I can't explain it but I do,) before getting ready to go serve dinner at a local church for people who, for whatever reason, couldn't have a meal at home. It was our second year doing that, and every year, I love it, because I feel like, of all days, what better day to go out of your way to help people? Anyway, once we got back home, my extended family started to arrive, and that's when the fun began. It was kind of awkward at first, because we all hadn't seen each other for a while, but after a while, we all started talking and goofing around, and it was, for lack of a better word, heartwarming. All of us are pretty grown-up now, in regards to the cousins, so we're past our awkward stages and can actually have conversations, which is awesome. Cousins in general are awesome, am I right? Anyway, that was probably one of the best Thanksgivings I've ever had and again, I hope everyone reading this had just as much of a fantastic day as I did. 

P.S. - I took this pic, so I'm not in it, but here's my family, just to give you an indication of the environment in which I was raised. ;) 

Alright, moving on. :) The next thing I wanted to discuss was my trip to New York City for my birthday. We went about a week after Thanksgiving,  on December 6-7th. We began the day by getting up at ungodly hours, (we being me, my mom, and my best friend/neighbor). We left for the airport around 7:30 AM. Once we got there, we were in a state of excited delirium. It was rainy when we took off, but blindingly sunny above the clouds, which was surreal. Once we got to NYC, we checked into our hotel, which was right around the corner from Times Square, sufficiently fancy, and perfectly New York-ish. We then headed straight for the streets for a good ol' round of sightseeing. That first day, we visited the Times Square American Eagle, M&M World, the world's largest Forever 21, the Disney Store with a princess castle inside, and had lunch at Planet Hollywood, (which was magical and awesome inside and I loved it so much). After we tired ourselves out, we went back to the hotel to rest for a little while and get ready for the evening. Because the trip was my birthday present, we were going to have a birthday dinner and see a Broadway show. We walked from our hotel to Restaurant Row (the apparent name of a strip of fabulous restaurants,) where we had a superfancyandgrownup Italian dinner at a cute little restaurant called Latanze. After dinner, we walked around the city a little to work off the food, and ended up at Rockefeller Plaza, where we of course took pictures in front of the enormous Christmas tree. After that we took a cab to the theater to see Cinderella on Broadway. Even though our seats were way in the back and you kind of had to focus in on the stage to see, it was epic, and I don't use that word often or lightly. It was truly spectacular and the entire production was magical, from the cast, to the costumes, to the effects (which blew my mind completely). After a whirlwind day like that, we went back to the hotel and fell asleep in anticipation of the next day. The next morning, we woke up and got dressed quickly so we could get breakfast as fast as possible so as to not miss out on one single minute of the city. We ended up spending the day walking the entire length of 5th Avenue, seeing/witnessing Rockefeller Center, Macy's, The Empire State Building, Tiffany's, Harry Winston, NBC Studios, Trump Tower, Sephora, The American Girl Store, Papyrus, FAO Schwartz, the very edge of Central Park, the Apple Store, and of course, the New York City Public Library, among other things that I can't remember off the top of my head. At around 5-ish, we went back to our hotel to collect our bags and make our way to the airport to go home. I'm so lucky and blessed to have had this opportunity, because it's literally been my dream since forever to sight-see around New York City. The one thing I realized about the city, however, is that as magical as it is, it is more magical on TV. We all agreed at the end of the trip that while we loved it, we are definitely not cut out for a New York City lifestyle. I don't mean to sound ungrateful at all, because I am totally grateful. I now know, though, that even though I used to want to live in New York City, I don't think I'm cut out for it, as sad as it is. I would go back for vacation in a heartbeat, though. Most definitely. Especially because they apparently have Gossip Girl tours. ;) 

Times Square baby! <3

After the excitement of New York, and my birthday (which was on the 10th,) the next thing to get hyped about was Christmas! I love Christmas, not just because of the presents (although, let's not kid ourselves, we all love the presents,) but also because of the time I get to spend with my family, the universally-acknowledged Christmas breakfast of cinnamon rolls and bacon, swimming around in a sea of wrapping paper, getting dolled up in a new Christmas outfit. It literally makes me want to sprawl out on the floor and smile up at the ceiling whilst belting "Jingle Bell Rock" just thinking about it. This past Christmas was the best Christmas I can remember. We went to my mom's brother's apartment for dinner, and because it was an apartment and there wasn't a whole lot of room to spread out, all of us kind of had to be around each other and engage in conversation, which, again, was way better than it used to be. I also made everyone a DVD as a gift, because I'm good at them and I'm also really broke. It was just a slideshow of pictures of the family put to music, but we ended up watching it and everyone loved it and I kind of felt really awesome because I was so happy that they liked it. Anyway, after we cleaned up from dinner, it was about 6 or 7 by then, and everyone started to head out, so we did as well. But because we go hard and party hard, we went to another family Christmas party, this time at my dad's brother's house, and it was also a ton of fun. We just hung out and ate chocolate cake, but I love being around my family, and I think I was still high off of the previous family party so nothing could bring me down. I hope you all had a fabulously awesome love-filled holiday, no matter what you celebrate. 2013 was definitely the year of successful holidays, for sure. Hopefully 2014 brings the same luck. :)

I'm finally in this picture! I'm the one in the middle with the white polka-dot shirt. :)

Lastly, I want conclude this post with a list of all the songs I've been listening to of late, that I absolutely adore and wish to share with you because you can't complain like people in real life do when I say such things. :) Here ya go.

• "Classic" by MKTO (I absolutely adore this song and I could listen to it on repeat for days.)
• The entire Midnight Memories album by One Direction, but "Little White Lies," "Does He Know?," "Better Than Words," "Strong," and "Alive," in particular.
• "From This Valley" by The Civil Wars (I included this in my Christmas video for my family, and they loved it.)
• "Same Old Same Old" by The Civil Wars (basically anything by The Civil Wars is worth listening to and loving, but this one in particular is especially wonderful.)
• "Chocolate" by The 1975 (Love love love love love. Enough said.)
• "Girls" by The 1975 (This song is so good and so catchy, and I love the cover by R5.)
• "Oh My Goodness" by Olly Murs (Every time this song comes on Pandora, I jam out hardcore and dance around like nobody's business, so of course, I bought it.)
• "L-O-V-E" by Nat "King" Cole (This song is a classic. It WILL be played at my wedding one day.)
• "Look What They've Done to My Song" cover by Miley Cyrus (This is an old song by a person that I am not familiar with, but Miley covered it a while ago on YouTube and I illegally downloaded it and listen to it often because I love it so much.)
• "Wishing I Was 23" by R5 (This band is my guilty pleasure, because they're not technically a Disney band, but they're featured on Radio Disney, so they kind of are, but I don't care because I think they're really good and this song is catchy as heck and I bought their entire album with no shame, ok? Ok.)
• "Everybody's Got Somebody But Me (feat. Jason Mraz)" by Hunter Hayes (I like this song a lot because I can relate to it on a painfully accurate level. It's also catchy and I like Hunter Hayes's voice with Jason Mraz's voice. They make pretty sounds come out of their mouths and I love it. This mashup video featuring Jason Mraz, Hunter Hayes, and a bunch of YouTubers is also phenomenal.) 
• Also, the Live Lounge sessions on the Youtube channel for BBC Radio1 is addictive and so awesome and you should check it out.

The End of an Era

I know I should probably be updating you on what's going on in my life, and my New Year's resolutions and whatnot but I have a very pressing issue I need to discuss. I literally just finished watching the final episode of Gossip Girl and all the little behind the scenes things on the DVD, and I feel so empty. Like, honestly, empty, a carved out shell of a person. I haven’t felt this way since the last Harry Potter movie. I didn’t think I was this attached to the show. I guess I thought it would never end, and when it did I had the biggest urge to burst into tears (I didn’t, but I could’ve.) I won’t give anything away, but this show is so much better than it’s perceived by people who don’t watch it. It will suck you in and you’ll fall in love with the characters and then you’ll hate them and then you’ll love them again and you’ll feel like they’re your friends and family. It came so far and I wish it never had to end. I hope they’ll do a reunion in the (near) future. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I'm sorry for my lack of posting, I'll try to get back into it soon. I just had to express this feeling of post-series depression somehow, just to alleviate it a bit. Thanks. :) 

Stuff to Come

Hey people! Just wanted to take a quick second to tell you that I've got a few cool things planned for future posts, and that I haven't forgotten about you! We are quickly approaching the holiday season, and, at least for me, that means life gets pretty crazy. Which in turn means that I have a bunch of new stuff to blog about! I don't want to get into too many details, to build the excitement of course, but let's just say you should probably stick around. ;) 

P.S. - Happy (Almost) Thanksgiving to those of you that celebrate it! 

Life - The Good, Bad, and Ugly Parts

Do you know what is simultaneously confusing and stressful? Life. As blunt as that is, it's true, and relevant. As a high school student, and an upperclassman, it's about time for me to start thinking seriously about what I want to do with the rest of my life, which in turn will lead me to deciding which college I want to go to. This is the conundrum of my generation, I'm telling you. Not only is it nearly impossible to narrow down what I actually like to do, it's downright  unfair to ask me to decide how to make that into a career. It also doesn't help that I live in an area where people don't prioritize happiness, because they're too focused on competing with each other for who has the better house, the better car, more money, the more high-end job, etc. When I was younger, I wanted to be chef. Then I realized I don't have the patience to even make toast, so that was out of the question. Then I wanted to be an author, until I came to the painful realization that unless you're J.K. Rowling or J.R.R. Tolkien, writing books isn't a very plentiful career choice. (That's another thing that bugs me - why can't I do the things that I love despite the fact that I won't make a terrible amount of money?) Anyway, after I nixed two career choices that actually made me happy, I started to think realistically. I did a little self-evaluation, and realized that I'm good at arguing, I'm a pretty good problem-solver, and I really want to help people. So, naturally, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. Not only did it fit my personality almost perfectly, it would make good money, and eventually, lawyers become politicians who become president, which is always fun. But after about a year or two of being dead-set on becoming a lawyer, I thought about the amount of hours and never-ending work that went into becoming and working as a lawyer, and I was terrified of it all. And now, recently, I decided that film-making was my passion, and that was what I was going to do. I've been researching majors and schools that offer film studies and communications programs, and I joined the film club at my school for the sole purpose of exposing myself to the craft outside of making slideshows on my computer. But lo and behold, I've changed my mind again, today. I was laying on my bed and thinking about how my mother has told me before that I'm usually good at all the things I try, but if it doesn't come easy to me, I don't do it. Basically, I'm afraid of working hard for something, because I'm not used to having to do so. This isn't to brag or anything, but it's true, things usually come easy for me. It's also true that I don't usually have to try hard at much of anything. This is a problem. If I'm passionate about something, I need to work for it. Sometimes, it's going to be easy, and I'll welcome the ease. But I can't shy away from or quit things that are hard. So I've decided that maybe becoming a lawyer isn't so bad. It's literally the perfect career choice for me, and I can always minor in film studies. Then, once I've saved up enough money, I can take a hiatus from law and maybe make a movie or two. I can't do the things I want before doing the things I have to do, because life doesn't work that way. Even when I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker, I never totally gave up on the idea of becoming a lawyer, which goes to show that it's still a passion of mine. I think right now, I'm on an adolescent path of self-discovery, and it's okay to change my mind a million times. But at the same time, this is my future I'm debating, and I need to start getting serious.

Songs That Never Get Old

I don't have a whole lot of time but it's been on my mind lately to create a list of songs that never get old, no matter how many times you listen to them. After careful contemplation, here are a few on my personal list. 

"Jack and Diane" by John Mellencamp

"Boomerang" by The Summer Set

"Radioactive" by Marina and the Diamonds

"Poison and Wine" by The Civil Wars

"I Will Never Stop" by *NSYNC

Of course, as I think of more, I'll post more to let you know. But if you haven't listened to these songs yet, I require of you to stop what you're doing and listen to them. You will only regret the fact that they will inevitably get stuck in your head. ;)

Clubs on Clubs on Clubs

This year, I've decided to get more involved within my high school than I have in recent years, because I'm an upperclassmen, and I think it's about time I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I want to try things that I would normally shy away from, because why the hell not? There's nobody telling me I can't but myself, so I'm just gonna shut myself up and do the things I want to do. For example, I'm gonna play football for my school's Homecoming Powder Puff game. It's something that never would've even crossed my mind until this year. To be totally honest, I'm absolutely terrified, especially because the majority of the girls that are doing it are friends with each other, but not necessarily friends with me. I have three other friends of mine that are doing it with me, so that's comforting, but I'm also worried that I'll make a fool of myself. But at the end of the day, I'm just going to regret not doing it if I convince myself to back out. It's a memory in the making, and I know that the triumph of overcoming my social anxiety will be worth a few minutes of terrifying exposure out on the field. This school year is going to be the year of trying really hard to be the best possible version of myself. (That was my New Year's Resolution for 2013, but I'm just going to reiterate it and make it the New School Year Resolution for 2013-2014.) I can only benefit from that mentality.

Speaking of clubs and activities, I'm planning on taking part in A LOT of them, which will make for some pretty interesting, diverse posts in the future. ;) Here's a brief list of  said current and/or potential clubs/activities.

• Film Club
• French Club
• French National Honor Society
• FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)
• Fitness and Adventure Club
• Tri-M (Music Honor Society) (of which I am treasurer, thankyouverymuch.) 
• Powder Puff 2013
• Interact Club
• NHS (National Honor Society) 

I don't know how I'm going to find the time to fit all this in plus fencing that I do outside of school, a rigorous honors/AP schedule, and trying to maintain a semblance of a social life. But having a license opens up, literally, a world of opportunities. :) Here's to sleepless weeks of making memories! 

An Open Letter to My Sister the Freshman

Dear Little Sis,

So, you are now officially a freshman in high school. As the older, cooler, more experienced sister, I feel obligated to give you some advice, as much as you say you don't want to hear it. ;) Feel free to thank me later.

First of all, no matter what anyone tells you, bring a jacket, at least a light one. Our school is notorious for being indecisive when it comes to A.C. and heating. One room could be ninety degrees and the room next to it could be -30. (That's an exaggeration, but it doesn't feel like it when you're shivering and sweating through it.)

Also, ask questions. It's not dumb or stupid, so don't feel like you're above it. You'll be the one laughing when you don't have to sit through test retakes at 8 o'clock in the morning because you asked 37 questions BEFORE the test. ;)

On another note, I know you're worried about memorizing the layout of the school, and I could try explaining it in words but I think we both know how that's going to turn out so I'm just going to save my breath and say you will get used to it by the end of the first month, don't worry. 

As a high schooler in a school that thoughtfully employs teachers that seem to have just gotten out of college, it is totally okay to have a crush on a teacher and - gasp - think one or two of them are hot. What's not okay is to act on it in any way other than gossiping about it with your friends. That's when you start getting into illegal territory. If you think I'm crazy, just wait. I give it a week before you start liking that science teacher of yours.

Lockers are only useful if you want them to be. I know a ton of people that didn't use their lockers once, and instead carried around as little amount of stuff as possible but still had everything they needed. I don't know how they did it, because I used my locker religiously between every single class, so you're going to have to figure that one out on your own.

Don't forget, there's a whole other school of kids that are joining you this year, (that's why there's freakin' 700 of you,) so branch out and expand your group of friends. A great way to do this (other than basketball, cough cough,) is through clubs. There are clubs that look good on college applications, and there are clubs that are actually fun. I suggest a mixture of both. (German club is kind of stupid though, just so you know.)

Finally, listen to the song "Brave" by Sara Bareilles. Listen, and pay attention. That's my final piece of advice for you. Good luck, dork. <3

Love, Your Big Sis

P.S. - I'm always available, if you can find me, for help if you need it. So are all of my friends.

P.P.S. - NEVER be the first one in the cafeteria. If you have to hide out in the stall of a bathroom for an extra five minutes, do it. Never be the one sitting at a table alone.

Revlon Lip Butter HEAVEN!

Revlon Lip Butters in
Wild Watermelon #063 (left)
& Sorbet #053

Today, I made one of my proudest beauty investments of all time. I was shopping with my mom and I was picking up a few essentials for back to school, (i.e.- the 902-page September issue of Vogue, a HUGE bottle of hairspray, Tresemmé Heat Protectant spray, Revlon Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Finale #095, and the-subject-of-this-post-to-be-identified-shortly,) and I came across a product I've been meaning to try out for a long time. Revlon Lip Butters have always appealed to me aesthetically, meaning: the packaging was really, really pretty. (Whoever designed that deserves a hearty high five and an extra twenty dollars, just saying.) But anyway, my longing for them was only solidified when I saw a vlog by YouTuber Zoella280390, in which she's talking about buying nearly all of the available colors of the Lip Butters while in Florida this past March for the Playlist Live convention. I usually trust her opinion when it comes to all things beauty/fashion related, and this was no different. If Zoe likes them, surely I would too! So, as soon as I got to the Revlon section, I picked out the brightest colors I could find, Wild Watermelon #063 and Sorbet #053, and bought them without a second thought. I generally enjoy lip products, and find myself buying products in pretty colors, though ones I would never wear to school. These up the ante though, in terms of wear-ability. I tried them on as soon as I got home, and I was amazed, I was shocked, I was in love. The Revlon Lip Butters are exquisite! They glide on smoothly like Chapstick, yet are just as colorful as any lipstick. They aren't as heavily pigmented, though, so it makes for a look that's softer and more relaxed than that of a lipstick. I absolutely adore both of the colors I bought, and I feel just as tempted as Zoe to go back and buy them in every color, even if I will never wear grape or mocha colored lip products! I am so excited to wear these to school. I feel like they are easier to pull off than even the Revlon Lip Stains or Clinique Chubby Sticks. They also feel very moisturizing and lotion-y, if that makes sense. I think they have some sort of shea butter or cocoa butter in them, (hence the name,) because the texture is smooth and they have that slight scent to them. Wild Watermelon #063 is a bright, vibrant watermelon-shade of red that looks great for summer and will transition excellently into fall. Sorbet #053 is my favorite of the two; it's the girliest shade of pink that will look great with black clothing or other brights. Despite it being hot pink, it's super versatile, especially given the texture of the product. I literally cannot wait to have an occasion to wear these, (one of the only good things about going back to school next week!)

OMG WTF BTS!!!

For many of us, especially those of us in my generation, it's THAT time of year again. The time to start buying no. 2 pencils and spiral notebooks, the time to start getting up at unholy hours and socialize with people we don't like, the time to go back to school. When I was little, I loved this time of year. I still do, but for different reasons. When I was younger, the school year was the only time I was able to consistently see my friends for any length of time. It was just easier to hang out at school than try to arrange a play-date, (mind you, this was before the social networking, cellular age). Now, I like going back to school, not necessarily because it's the only time to see my friends, (because it's not, I can drive now, thankyouverymuch,) but because the social aspect of fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I love going to football games on Friday nights and looking forward to homecoming week and the homecoming dance, and even the academics are easier to manage in the fall. That's what I'm looking forward to.

Despite the fact that I've had to do summer assignments for honors classes the past 3 years, summer hasn't been that bad, though. We've gone to beaches and taken day trips and spent time with family and friends. But every year, halfway through August, I start to get bored of the meaningless days that bleed one into the next. Sure, there are anomalies here and there where I actually find the motivation to make my day count, but most of the time I end up wasting the day, and while this depresses me to think about, I find no reason to change it if there's nothing better to do. (I procrastinated those summer assignments until the very end of summer, so those don't count as something to do.) This year, though, I got a job. I mentioned it in a previous post, but this past week was my last day there. I ended up working 102 hours at $12.50 per hour, totaling out to a lump sum of $1,275. I'm proud of myself for earning this much money, but I am beyond relieved that I'm done working that job. I'm not denying that it made good money and I was lucky to find it, but the futility and pointlessness of my job was incredibly discouraging, never mind the fact that I worked from 9 AM to about 5 PM every day on average. I'm still a student, so I'm not used to working like that, and I missed hanging out with my friends and doing nothing. I guess you can't have it both ways, but that job is another reason why I can't wait to get back to school. I'm ready for some normalcy, a schedule, and having my social life back. I miss the days where I looked forward to every aspect of "Back to School," but right now I'm just grateful to be getting back to the life I know and am used to. Even if it means a crap-ton of homework and "self-righteous pawns in a losing game," (as Hayley Williams so eloquently put it in the song "Grow Up." )

My Mother and Her Aversion to Concerts

Alright, well, let me start off this post by saying that I will NOT be going to the Backstreet Boys concert I mentioned in an earlier post. The reason being my mother was supposed to be the one to take my sister and I, as she doesn't want me driving to the venue alone, and she decided TODAY that she didn't want to go. From the way she kept delaying getting the tickets, I had a feeling that she didn't really want to go from the start, but I kept reminding her to get the tickets anyway, even offering to pay for them. The only thing she would  have to do is drive us, and my dad offered to drop us off and pick us up if we wanted, so she wouldn't even have to do that. And yet, she still bailed. She really disappointed me in this way because we made plans to go to this concert a month ago, and she was excited to go. Or so I thought. I wish she had just told me upfront that she didn't want to go instead of leading me on for weeks and dropping the bomb at the last minute. And the worst part is that this isn't the first time she's flaked on me like this. We were supposed to go to a concert for my birthday, and never did. I know I sound like a spoiled kid who throws a fit whenever she doesn't get what she wants, but I promise you, it's not that. We made plans to go to a concert, (as we have many times before,) and nearly every time those plans fall through. I know my mom doesn't always like live music, especially if it goes late because she likes to go to bed early, but she knows it's important to me, and she gave me her word. Not being able to go to the concert is disappointing, but it's even more upsetting that my mom lead me on like this. I still love her, of course, but she disappointed me tonight.

As an Honorary Member of the Breakfast Club

One of my favorite movies of all time is The Breakfast Club. As I've mentioned before in my post about Ferris Beuller, John Hughes is one of my career idols, and his movies never fail to impress me. In accordance to The Breakfast Club, there is so much subtle cleverness contained within that one movie, I pick up on something new every time I watch it, and because of that, I want to share my findings and opinions with you.

First, I found a connection to the name "The Breakfast Club" and the actual plot line. Near the beginning of the movie, John Bender (played by Judd Nelson) is talking to Claire and Andrew (played by Molly Ringwald and Emilio Estevez, respectively,) about clubs and the difference between social clubs and academic clubs. It's basically a metaphor for high schoolers' struggle to find their place. Then, at the end, during the voice-over of the final letter to Mr. Vernon, Anthony Michael Hall's character, Brian, describes their random assembly of awkward new friends as "The Breakfast Club." I take this to mean, in a very literal sense, they are now a club of people with something in common, having spent the morning (the time for "breakfast,") and afternoon together. They didn't know each other, at least not in the way that counts, before that Saturday morning, and now they were friends because they shared an unspoken bond with each other. Within that short time, they found their place.

Second, I recognized the connection between the five teens. Andrew, the athlete, "can't think for himself," and therefore deems it easier to just do what people expect of him than to act like his own person. It's his defense mechanism because he's afraid people won't like the real him. Claire, the princess, admittedly "hates going along with everything her friends say" and is also therefore not her own person. But again, she's also afraid of branching out because then she wouldn't be popular and accepted, and she's scared of that, because clearly the only attention she gets is from her peers, seeing as her parents apparently couldn't care less about her. Brian, the brain, is so driven to get perfect grades because he has such high expectations for himself and he knows his parents do, as well. He took wood shop for the easy A, to keep his GPA up. When he realized that it was actually not as easy as he thought, and got an F on a project, he couldn't handle it. He doesn't know what to think of himself when he fails, and doesn't know how to keep going from that point. He's so driven by the expectations of himself and other people that he can't learn from his mistakes and failures because he thinks he shouldn't have made those mistakes or failed in the first place. In a way, he's not in control of his own life. Allison, the basket case, would rather people assume she's a weirdo than have them judge her as a real person. She, as well, uses a facade to protect herself against the judgement of her peers. And finally, Bender, the criminal, acts up and gets in trouble because after a certain point, people started expecting that from him. He comes from a troubled home, and is always being punished for things that aren't his fault, so in a sad sort of way, he's used to being in trouble. He uses this label to protect himself, because he would rather have people think he's scary, a criminal, or troubled, than have them know that he's actually upset and insecure. He reminds me in a way of Heath Ledger's character, Patrick Verona, in the movie "10 Things I Hate About You," (another favorite of mine). They both put up a front because it's easier than explaining themselves to others who wouldn't understand. In my opinion, the reason why the Breakfast Club works is because underneath all the stereotypes and labels, they all have a common insecurity with themselves and their lives, and once they open up to each other about these thoughts and fears, they bond on a level most teens can't even comprehend. If more teens opened up to each other about their insecurities and worries, I think it would make us realize that we have more in common than we usually like to admit. If we could just recognize this, it would help us better understand and eventually help each other.

Another thing I realized while watching this movie for the umpteenth time was Mr. Vernon's attitude towards John Bender. It really got to me once I understood it. Mr. Vernon treats Bender like a low-life scum that's just going to end up in jail. He doesn't once try to understand Bender or his situation at home, nor does he seem to care to even try. He would rather label him and be done with the punishment than try and help him. I think this is another reason that Bender really believes he is a criminal and won't achieve anything in life. His peers tell him it wouldn't matter if he disappeared tomorrow because no one would notice or care. His parents treat him like utter shit (excuse my language,) and even his teachers have given up on him. It explains why he's so angry and defensive and full of angst. Anyone would be, if they were constantly being ripped on the way Bender was. In a way, he's a victim of stereotyping, and as a result, a victim of bullying as well. Once you understand why Bender is the way he is, it's hard not to feel bad for him.

Overall, this movie is one of my favorites because every time I watch it, I pick up on something new. There's always a new aspect of the movie to fall in love with. I adore the characters and the story line, and the fact that it all takes place in one single day. It's so simple at first glance, but so complex once you take a deeper look. It's absolute cinematic genius. John Hughes, in my opinion, was a revolutionary, and I can only hope my aspiring film career produces such projects that really stick with people, and make them feel. I want my future movies to be just as timeless as his.

P.S.- The Breakfast Club and 2 otherJohn Hughes movies, Pretty in Pink, and Ferris Beuller's Day Off, are on Netflix instant. I highly suggest you watch all of them if you haven't already.

I Should've Gotten Over Them and Yet...

Right this very second, I'm listening to the new Backstreet Boys album, "In A World Like This" to prepare myself for their concert next week. Admittedly, I have NOT grown out of my boy band phase, and I can't tell you if I ever will. There is just something about the dynamic of a band of boys, even if that something is simply me with an excess amount of hormones. That being said, the new BSB album is actually really good. It still has, in essence, the classic feel of their old albums, but they're all older, with more mature voices and the influence of a 10 year hiatus. They've adjusted to the changing times, but they're still singing about the same kind of things they sang about back in the day, i.e. - Girls, Love, and That Sort of Thing. That doesn't mean the appeal has lessened one bit. ;)Plus, if anything it's amusing hearing five 30-something men singing the same type of songs they did when they were teens, yet... We all know we still love them. Some of my favorite songs so far are "In A World Like This," "Breathe," "Madeleine," and "Trust Me." I appreciate this album because while they still sound like the typical boy band with the synchronized harmonies, I like the fact that they tried out different sounds with each song. "Feels Like Home" starts out with a country vibe, and "Madeleine" sounds very Jack Johnson-meets-John Mayer. Overall, I give it a 9.3 out of 10.

On another note, I also recently acquired two other boy band CDs - Emblem3's "Nothing to Lose" and *NSYNC's "Greatest Hits." Emblem3 are considered rap on iTunes, but they sound more like if Bob Marley and Blink-182 had a baby and it was raised by One Direction on the beaches of California. In other words, it's kind of awesome. And *NSYNC's "Greatest Hits" speaks for itself if you lived in the general public within the past two decades. No commentary necessary. ;)

  

Updates, Updates, Updates!

So within the past few hours, I've pretty much stalked Zoe Sugg, better known by her YouTube name as Zoella. It's pretty much because of her and my other favorite YouTubers that I'm making this crazy attempt at blogging and vlogging. I really want my voice to be heard, and as I stated in my FIRST EVER YOUTUBE VIDEO, I feel like the internet in general is a good place to put myself out there. I read through Zoe's FAQs, and she really inspired me when she mentioned that you should blog for yourself before you start blogging for others, because if you're passionate about it, others will pick up on your enthusiasm. So, I guess this is just my vow to always post things I believe in, whether it be a "My Brother Did My Makeup" video, (which I plan to do!) or a post about Katy Perry's contribution to modern feminism, (which I also plan to do). I just wanted to take the time to say that I'm going to take this blogging/vlogging experience seriously. I'm willing to open up my life a little bit to the outside world, if for no other reason than because I think it'll be fun. I want this to be my gateway to the world, because I'm part of a generation in which my new best friend could be a girl from Singapore that I met through YouTube. It's possible. And that's why I'm so excited to get started. :)

P.S. I made an account for this blog on the website Bloglovin'. Just in case anyone wants to check that out, it's pretty cool, actually. :)

Ignore this, it's for Bloglovin' :)

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/10195177/?claim=5ffn9xevcvj">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

HEAR YE HEAR YE!!!!

QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT: My first YouTube video is almost live. Give me about an hour of editing and uploading time, and I'll release another post with the details. So excited!

The Woes of a Working Girl

Seeing as it's the summer, and I'm a teenager, what better way to spend my time than by getting a job! **she said sarcastically.** Initially, I was kind of into it, especially at the prospect of being paid. But unfortunately, I started working two different jobs working for each of my parents. And each job was a temp job, basically shuffling, filing, and destapling papers. I'm pretty much finished with all there is to do at my mom's office, but there is a CRAP TON of papers to take staples out of at my dad's office. It's a job that pays well, but I can't help resenting it, because it's long hours filled with monotonous, static scenery, and no one my own age, (obviously, because I'm the only teen stupid enough to take not one, but TWO office jobs for a summer job.) This post isn't much more than a rant, of sorts, but I just had to get that out there. Maybe tomorrow or sometime this week I'll post something actually worth reading. ;) 

P.S. - Don't think I didn't at least TRY to get another job; I applied to Banana Republic, like, a month ago tomorrow, and they haven't gotten back to me. My friend works there, and he told me they take three to four weeks to reply to applicants, but I have a very strong feeling that I won't be getting that job. :(

YouTube Generation

Clearly, YouTube has become the new TV. And I'm not complaining. It's great to see people of all ages get their content out into the world without the necessary platform of celebrity that TV and movie stars need. And after so many hours spent in front of the computer screen, I've decided to make my own channel. I haven't gotten all the details sorted out yet, but I'll definitely keep you posted on the progress. ;) 

Products I Swear By

Recently, I received a CK One eyeshadow palette as a gift, and I absolutely adored it. It also got me thinking about all the other products that I love, and how much I would love to share that adoration with others. ;) Hence, this article. (I'll try to provide a link for all the products I mention.) (You're welcome.) :)

Eye Products
Eye makeup, and other "eye" products, are among the most-used products within my ever-growing collection of makeup and skincare products.

• For mascara, I change it up nearly every time I buy a new tube, but so far, I'm really liking Neutrogena's Healthy Lengths mascara in Black #02.  The mascara itself isn't flaky, nor does it clump. It looks and feels very natural on the lashes, which I like. It doesn't provide as much flare as another favorite of mine, CoverGirl LashBlast Volume mascara in Very Black, but for some reason Neutrogena's line just feels less chemical. 
• Eyeliner is a staple in my makeup routine. If I wear absolutely no other makeup, I will still wear eyeliner. Blame the Egyptian in me. ;) I'm a big fan of Revlon ColorStay eyeliner in Black, because it's a creamy, wind-up pencil type of eyeliner, which is the only kind of eyeliner I use. I don't particularly like pencil/kohl eyeliner, because I suck at sharpening them, but I have to say, I really like Almay Intense i-color Defining Liner in Charcoal. Because it's a dark greyish color with tiny sparkles, I would put on the Revlon liner, and then smudge the Almay liner underneath, and it gave a very cool smoky effect, which I loved. 
• Like I said, I recently received a Calvin Klein eyeshadow palette as a gift, and I have to reiterate, I adore it. It's the CK One Color Powder Eyeshadow Quad in Boho #700. It's more along the neutral side, but with pizazz. It has a sparkly gold quad, a shimmery mocha quad, a matte taupe quad, and a highlighting beige quad. The powder itself goes on smoothly, the colors are easy to dress up or dress down, and you can just tell you'll be addicted to it soon enough. And I didn't even wear eyeshadow before I tried this! 
• And now for eye makeup removal! My favorite thing to use when taking off my makeup is Neutrogena's Makeup Removing Towlettes. I only use wipes to take off my makeup, so I want them to do a good job. I've tried many different lines of makeup wipes to compare them to Neutrogena, just to see if someone else can make something better, and I can say with conviction that nothing else quite measures up. 

Lip Products

Lip products are by far some of the most fun products to shop for. There's nothing like a brand new lip balm or fresh lipstick. I will make up scenarios as to when I'll wear a new lip product, just to convince myself that it's worth the buy. ;)

• I adore Clinique Chubby Sticks, but they are just so darn expensive for such a little lip balm. Thank God the whole lip crayon craze caught on, and drug store brands have come up with great alternatives. One in particular that I think I like better than Clinique is Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain, especially in the color Adore #055. The balm has a minty flavor and a stain like quality, meaning my lips are still colored even when the balm has sunk into my skin. Je l'adore!
• One of the best chapstick/lip balms I've ever used was Nivea's A Kiss of Smoothness Hydrating Lip Care. It feels so smooth on application and leaves my lips feeling so soft, especially if I've just exfoliated them. 

Skin Care
I am kind of obsessed with skin care products, like lotions, cleansers, and moisturizers. Even if I have a full bottle of lotion or a never-before-used cleanser, if I find something that looks better, it takes a lot of self control not to purchase it. ;)

• I've always loved St. Ives Body Lotion because it feels great on my skin, it smells amazing, and the brand doesn't test on animals, which is important to me. But I have to say, Vaseline Body Lotion leaves my skin feeling softer and smoother, for longer. I especially love it in the winter when I shave my legs, lather on the Vaseline lotion, and put on pants. When I get home at the end of the day and change, my legs feel angelically soft. Gotta love it! Plus, the chamomile scented lotion is super refreshing.
• As for facial moisturizer, I use and love Aveeno's Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer. I use it after every shower, and it leaves my face soft and smooth and feeling healthy. It also last forever, because you only need a dime-sized dollop for your entire face and neck. 
• I change facial washes every time I buy a new cleanser, but the current cleanser that I really enjoy is Clean & Clear's Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub. I prefer scrubs as opposed to regular cleansers because I like the exfoliating action and I feel like it does more for my skin that just a regular creamy cleanser. This scrub in particular is great because it has a cooling sensation, which feels awesome. My only problem is that sometimes the little exfoliating beads don't rinse off of my face completely, so I have to wipe them off with a towel after I get out of the shower. 

Fragrance
Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved perfumes. I love the pretty bottles, the way a certain scent is associated with a specific event or period in time, and how glamorous it looks and feels to spritz on a signature scent.

• One of my all-time favorite scents is Burberry Brit. I wore it all year my freshmen year of high school, and I adore it. It's got this musky undertone to an otherwise sugary scent that is just fantastic, and I am so sad that I ran out. I definitely plan to buy more, soon. 
• Another scent I love is Coach Poppy. I smelled a sample of it once in Teen Vogue, and I've been in love with it ever since. It's fruity and sweet and young and it makes me so happy. :) 
• One of the other scents I like, I like because I associate it with my mother. It's Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue. It's one of her favorite scents, and whenever I smell it, I think of her, which is comforting. :) 
• On a side note, I'm not generally a big celebrity-fragrance fan, but I don't mind Taylor Swift's scent, Wonderstruck. I also kind of want to try out One Direction's new fragrance, Our Moment, as ridiculous as the bottle looks. ;P

Hair Products
Being a girl of the curly-haired variety, I've tried many a hair product in my day. My hair isn't textured, so I guess by some definitions, I have wavy hair, but in actuality it's just soft curly hair. Which is fine by me, because then I can straighten it pretty well, or keep it curly and it looks pretty either way. Not to toot my own horn or anything. ;P

• As for salon-brand products, I really like Moroccan Oil's Curl Defining Mousse. It's very light, because it's a foam, and it smells great. It leaves my curls feeling soft and touchable, but defined and bouncy, too. 
• For drugstore-brand curl products, I adore Pantene's No Crunch Curl Whip. It literally looks like I'm putting scented whip cream in my hair, but it works fantastically. It's a little creamier than Moroccan Oil, so I try not to put too much in, but it makes my hair feel super soft and bouncy. Plus, it's about $17 cheaper than Moroccan Oil, which you can only get at salons. I can get Pantene at any drug store or grocery store. ;) 
• When I'm in the mood to straighten my hair, I make sure to use good-quality, heat protecting products in my hair before I style it. After I brush out my dry hair and spray on a few spritzes of water and heat protectant, I apply Pantene's Anti-Frizz Straightening Creme for curly hair. It moisturizes my hair and keeps my hair feeling smooth and clean after I finish straightening it. 
• After I straighten my hair, I like to apply Redken Glass 01 Smoothing Serum. Just a tiny amount goes a long way, and it makes my hair crazy shiny. Love!
• Every girl needs a good hairspray, and my personal weapon of choice is Herbal Essences' Body Envy Volumizing Hairspray in Sunset Citrus fragrance. It doesn't smell chemical at all, and it keeps my hair in place without making it stiff. Max Hold works wonders! :)  

Nails

As stated in a previous post, I absolutely adore nail art, and I find painting my nails to be very therapeutic. Because of that, I've tried a lot of different nail polishes and stickers and treatments, some of which I like and some I don't.

• Generally, I love the Essie brand of nail polish, and there are a few colors that I adore. I recently bought the most adorable lavender-meets-cornflower-blue color, called Bikini So Teeny, that looks so precious on my nails. It's so light, it has the same effect as white nail polish when paired with tan skin, but it still has that blueish hue. Gorgeous. :) 
• This past year, I've gotten really into metallic polishes, and my personal favorite is Revlon's Gold Coin #925. It's the perfect shade of gold, not too yellowish, not too silver. I love to use it as an accent nail color, because it pairs beautifully with nearly all my other colors. 
• I think I have an affinity for blue polishes, because I'm constantly drawn to them and have about 7 bottles of different shades of blue. One of my favorites was a gift from a friend two Christmases ago, You're S-Teal the One from Nicole by O.P.I. It's a teal-ish shade of blue with purple undertones. I love it plain, but I also love to pair it with sparkly topcoats.
• Speaking of sparkly topcoats, my all-time favorite sparkly topcoat that I've found so far is Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in Copper Penny #100. There was no way I could NOT buy this beautiful copper polish. I don't actually think it's supposed to be a topcoat, but it looks good anyway!

For more beauty recommendations and tips, YouTube is always a great resource. My personal favorite beauty and style gurus are Zoella280390, Tanya Burr, and MissGlamorazzi. Zoe and Tanya are British and wonderfully adorable, with awesome makeup and style tips to boot. MissGlamorazzi, otherwise known as Ingrid Nilson, is so cute! She's American, and her videos are so girly and fun, just like her. I love all three of them, especially because I get a lot of beauty and fashion ideas from them. :)