Right now, someone somewhere in the universe is going
swimming because it is too hot to do anything else. I know this person. She
hates swimming almost as much as I do. She told me that there is nothing else
to do because its 94 degrees and when you live on a beach in Brazil and its
summer vacation and its 94 degrees you go swimming. That’s what she said. I
told her I sit in front of the air conditioner and she said hers broke and
that’s when I knew that karma was on my side. My other friend was pretty happy
too because it just snowed in Germany and they don’t have snow days unless the
snow is heavy enough to break the roof. She said it isn’t there yet but
hopefully by next snow the roof will break and they will have their first snow
day in years. They have hot days not snow days because schools there don’t have
air conditioning just like the houses in Brazil. So someone, somewhere on a
beach in Brazil is going swimming with her friends and someone somewhere else
in a small snowy town in Germany is praying for her school’s roof to cave in so
she can have a snow day and practice for the play. Crazy enough they are
jealous of me who has no (realistic) hope of beach or snow and is doing make up
work. They told me that they would do anything to go to America (stress on the
French sounding “rrr”) and I told them that they were crazy to which they
replied with their favorite american phrase that I was “bull shit”. So right
now, three different friends, in three different countries and sometimes three
different languages are having a conversation.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Crossing Time
At this very moment, the last of my peanut butter has gone and my coffee is on its last sip. Evidently, Ive been at this too long, couldn't come up with an interesting enough topic, and now it's time to leave for school. Before I go, I would just quickly like to share that was some intensely satisfying peanut butter. I pity the soul who too, at this very moment, is on their last bite of peanut butter. Fret not, we can grieve together. At this very moment, there is someone out there who hasn't even risen out of bed. Bless their heart. And, there's even someone out there, across the Atlantic, who gets to sleep for five more hours. They can just go away, ok?
My coffee (or as Callie likes to call it, milk with coffee) cup is now drained. At this very moment, I watch as mom is once again in a mad rush to get everything packed up for work. She never can estimate the amount of time it'll take her to get ready in the mornings. Funny how someone could be having that same exact problem right at this very moment. Or maybe even the exact opposite and instead of panicking, they were able to relax on their Monday morning with breakfast and the newspaper. (People still do that, right?)
Time is a strange enigma. At the same time, we're all stuck under the same time constraints and rules, yet, they're so different for all of us. For some, 2nd hour Spanish seems to last forever, while for some 2nd hour Psychology seems to be over in a blink of an eye. While an entire continent is sleeping for 1/3 of their day, there are people, at that very same moment, who are out in the world experiencing new and exciting things and living their life. Sleep, it seems like a waste doesn't it? It never ceases to amaze me how different the world can be even though its basic principles are all the same: Eat, Sleep, Repeat. Every time I go overseas, I feel like I'm cheating the system. In Bulgaria, time being 7 hours behind, the days seem to be longer. I know that's physically impossible but I find it so incredibly exhilirating to know that while I'm out in the world, everyone back in the States is doing nothing, just sleeping. It's all about the sense of fullfillment.
Yet, I never feel the same way here. At this very moment, I am up, I am doing things, I have finished things, and I will do things, all before my family back home has even gotten up out of bed. But I don't feel that same sense of accomplishment. There's nothing special about waking up when you're supposed to, or feeding yourself when you should, or going to school when you have to. That's boring. That happens everyday. The fact of the matter is that, sitting on that plane, and flying across timezones, it's as if one can actually feel time shift by just watching the sunset during takeoff, and the sunrise during landing, all the while being awake through it all and witnessing everything. Not having to waste time, and knowing that the moment you get off that plane, it all starts over again. No time lost. Seeming like you've gained an extra day to live.
**In in no way was I influenced in the writing of this blog by my midnight reading of Slaughter House-Five and Billy Pilgrim being un-stuck in time. Though that sure would be cool, wouldn't it...**
My coffee (or as Callie likes to call it, milk with coffee) cup is now drained. At this very moment, I watch as mom is once again in a mad rush to get everything packed up for work. She never can estimate the amount of time it'll take her to get ready in the mornings. Funny how someone could be having that same exact problem right at this very moment. Or maybe even the exact opposite and instead of panicking, they were able to relax on their Monday morning with breakfast and the newspaper. (People still do that, right?)
Time is a strange enigma. At the same time, we're all stuck under the same time constraints and rules, yet, they're so different for all of us. For some, 2nd hour Spanish seems to last forever, while for some 2nd hour Psychology seems to be over in a blink of an eye. While an entire continent is sleeping for 1/3 of their day, there are people, at that very same moment, who are out in the world experiencing new and exciting things and living their life. Sleep, it seems like a waste doesn't it? It never ceases to amaze me how different the world can be even though its basic principles are all the same: Eat, Sleep, Repeat. Every time I go overseas, I feel like I'm cheating the system. In Bulgaria, time being 7 hours behind, the days seem to be longer. I know that's physically impossible but I find it so incredibly exhilirating to know that while I'm out in the world, everyone back in the States is doing nothing, just sleeping. It's all about the sense of fullfillment.
Yet, I never feel the same way here. At this very moment, I am up, I am doing things, I have finished things, and I will do things, all before my family back home has even gotten up out of bed. But I don't feel that same sense of accomplishment. There's nothing special about waking up when you're supposed to, or feeding yourself when you should, or going to school when you have to. That's boring. That happens everyday. The fact of the matter is that, sitting on that plane, and flying across timezones, it's as if one can actually feel time shift by just watching the sunset during takeoff, and the sunrise during landing, all the while being awake through it all and witnessing everything. Not having to waste time, and knowing that the moment you get off that plane, it all starts over again. No time lost. Seeming like you've gained an extra day to live.
**In in no way was I influenced in the writing of this blog by my midnight reading of Slaughter House-Five and Billy Pilgrim being un-stuck in time. Though that sure would be cool, wouldn't it...**
Sunday, February 24, 2013
At this very moment...
At this very moment, I am re-watching last week's episode of Grey's Anatomy as my little sister FaceTimes her boyfriend next to me. At this very moment, my parents are out at a friend's house and they are telling themselves that they will not be long, when in fact, they will be. At this very moment, my aunt and uncle are taking out their little boy to celebrate his third birthday to Crepes & Waffles and he will order the clown ice cream he always does. At this very moment, my big sister is trying to get my restless nephew to sleep and he is resisting, while my aunt takes care of my great-uncle. At this very moment, my cousin Alex is hanging out with her friends in Argentina. At this very moment, my uncle is putting his one month old baby girl to sleep while his wife gets ready for her meeting with the USA embassy tomorrow morning. At this very moment, I am finishing up this blog post.
How to Catch a Legendary Pokemon
While I was puzzling over what to do, trying to choose between two different topics, I eventually went with this one because it's much more straight forward and I just finished doing it (not that it will apply to most of the people who read this blog, sadly). It's just that this is much easier to explain and is much easier to explain than "How to Get Overly Attached to Fictional Characters" (which is pretty much my life in a nutshell).
Anyway, on with the how to!
First: there are two ways this can start. One, if you know that you are going to be coming across this legendary pokemon before you actually do, then the first step would be to stock up on different types of pokeballs (ultra and great are the ones that I usually do, but try getting certain specialty ones too). It's important to have a lot at any given moment, but especially for legendaries, because they'll likely go quite a few of the ones that you buy. This is a step you'd do either way, but it's much easier to do this before you know that you'll be seeing the legendary pokemon.
Second: Approach the area where you'll meet the legendary pokemon. Try to have a pokemon in the front that is good at weakening the pokemon, rather than one that will one hit KO it. Also important is to save in front of the legendary, because then you will be able to go back to there if something goes wrong with catching the legendary pokemon. Then you can approach and initiate the battle.
Third: Once the battle has started you should try weakening the pokemon so that it has low health (ideally in the red, but if not then the orange could be okay as well). Try affecting it with a status like paralysis or sleep, which will make it even weaker and easier to catch. If, and when you get to this point it would most likely be a good idea to switch to one of your pokemon that either has high defense stats or is strong against the pokemon's type, so that it can withstand the attacks the legendary will make while you try to catch it.
Fourth: This is the excruciating part, as you must keep throwing the balls at the legendary. Likely none will work at first, unless you get really lucky. Just keep trying; the odds are against you but if you persevere then you will eventually catch it. This part is more or less entirely luck, so that's why it can get very frustrating at times. Try not to only use one kind of ball, in order to not create patterns (that may or may not be me being overly cautious though).
Fifth: Rejoice, as if you've made it past the last step it means that the pokeball has stopped shaking and you've heard the ding that signals a caught pokemon. Congratulations!
This may not be the most effective way to catch a legendary, it's just the way that I do it (which is more or less just fumbling into it anyway).
Anyway, on with the how to!
First: there are two ways this can start. One, if you know that you are going to be coming across this legendary pokemon before you actually do, then the first step would be to stock up on different types of pokeballs (ultra and great are the ones that I usually do, but try getting certain specialty ones too). It's important to have a lot at any given moment, but especially for legendaries, because they'll likely go quite a few of the ones that you buy. This is a step you'd do either way, but it's much easier to do this before you know that you'll be seeing the legendary pokemon.
Second: Approach the area where you'll meet the legendary pokemon. Try to have a pokemon in the front that is good at weakening the pokemon, rather than one that will one hit KO it. Also important is to save in front of the legendary, because then you will be able to go back to there if something goes wrong with catching the legendary pokemon. Then you can approach and initiate the battle.
Third: Once the battle has started you should try weakening the pokemon so that it has low health (ideally in the red, but if not then the orange could be okay as well). Try affecting it with a status like paralysis or sleep, which will make it even weaker and easier to catch. If, and when you get to this point it would most likely be a good idea to switch to one of your pokemon that either has high defense stats or is strong against the pokemon's type, so that it can withstand the attacks the legendary will make while you try to catch it.
Fourth: This is the excruciating part, as you must keep throwing the balls at the legendary. Likely none will work at first, unless you get really lucky. Just keep trying; the odds are against you but if you persevere then you will eventually catch it. This part is more or less entirely luck, so that's why it can get very frustrating at times. Try not to only use one kind of ball, in order to not create patterns (that may or may not be me being overly cautious though).
Fifth: Rejoice, as if you've made it past the last step it means that the pokeball has stopped shaking and you've heard the ding that signals a caught pokemon. Congratulations!
This may not be the most effective way to catch a legendary, it's just the way that I do it (which is more or less just fumbling into it anyway).
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
How to make cereal
The best snack around, the bowl of cereal. In order to successful prepare and enjoy a delicious bowl of cereal one must follow the following steps very carefully:
1. Get in car and drive to grocery store
2. Get basket as cart won't be necessary for this endeavor.
3. Go directly to cereal aisle, but as you are walking think of what kind of cereal you are going to want as to not be overwhelmed by the endless choices.
4. Choose your delicious cereal.
5. Quickly walk to the dairy section (usually back right corner), and select your milk. (skim for the adults, 2% for the teenage boys, almond, coconut, or soy for the super healthy, and the choices go on and on)
6. Proceed to checkout counter and pay.
7. Let the cashier keep the change.
8. Drive home slightly above the speed limit while also thinking in your head the exact flavors your mouth is about to discover.
9. Park car.
10. Get bowl and spoon.
11. Pour not too much, and not too little cereal in the bowl.
12. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP!!!!!!!! make sure the milk is right at the level BEFORE the cereal begins to float, as no one wants soggy cereal, but also everyone wants the perfect proportion of milk to cereal in every bite.
13. Let sit for 17 seconds.
14. Take to comfy place.
15. Enjoy.
1. Get in car and drive to grocery store
2. Get basket as cart won't be necessary for this endeavor.
3. Go directly to cereal aisle, but as you are walking think of what kind of cereal you are going to want as to not be overwhelmed by the endless choices.
4. Choose your delicious cereal.
5. Quickly walk to the dairy section (usually back right corner), and select your milk. (skim for the adults, 2% for the teenage boys, almond, coconut, or soy for the super healthy, and the choices go on and on)
6. Proceed to checkout counter and pay.
7. Let the cashier keep the change.
8. Drive home slightly above the speed limit while also thinking in your head the exact flavors your mouth is about to discover.
9. Park car.
10. Get bowl and spoon.
11. Pour not too much, and not too little cereal in the bowl.
12. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP!!!!!!!! make sure the milk is right at the level BEFORE the cereal begins to float, as no one wants soggy cereal, but also everyone wants the perfect proportion of milk to cereal in every bite.
13. Let sit for 17 seconds.
14. Take to comfy place.
15. Enjoy.
Plastics
The most useful advice I've ever gotten has been to dream reasonably. I understand that people tend to live in a world where they are told to dream big, and they can do anything they want with enough hard work, but frankly that isn't true. There are plenty of things that can't happen. I was once told to dream large, but reasonably. There is no point in working hard to achieve something that isn't possible. You just build yourself up for a let down in setting unreachable goals. This has benefitted me in countless cases in my life. Specifically, when planning to become co-founder of Kids for Kids I had set lofty goals for myself, and through this advice I deemed some of those goals/ideas to be unreachable; therefor, saving me time, energy, resources, and dissapointment, and focusing my energy towards more reachable goals. The point of this advice is not to discourage, but to rather set difficult - self actualized goals, and it has served me well thus far in life.
Monday, February 18, 2013
How to lie
To begin you should know that this ability is not acquired overnight and takes years of practice. It is also fair warning that nobody can tell the perfect lie.
Usually, the more elaborate the lie the more suspicious you sound, so first and foremost 1) KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Everyone is better at lying when they have thought of what to say prior to the lie; although it is possible to get away with "on the spot lies," it is rarely a feat accomplished by amateurs.Therefore, 2) THINK OF SOMETHING BEFOREHAND
Having said that planning is the best way to lie, do not over-plan. A lie seems more credible if there are slight pauses and one has to think to formulate the sentence. The best way to go about planning would be to come up with an outline but don't go so far as having a script. 3) HAVE AN OUTLINE, NOT A SCRIPT
The most important step is 4) BE CONFIDENT WHEN TELLING A LIE. This confidence encompasses a number of things. For example, do not blush or turn red, if this is a natural reflex to lying then you might as well start walking the straight and narrow because you have no business lying. Secondly, a more complex reaction to lying is the racing of the heart, sweating, and general anxiety; these are more difficult symptoms to overcome, but a master liar is able to remain calm and stable with ease. Finally, have faith that the person who you are telling the lie to will believe it. If you think they will reject what you say then you will reject what you say and you are more likely to reveal the lie.
Remember, lying is a dangerous business and it is not for the feint of heart. If you are caught in a lie then your options are limited. It is up to you at that point to make a judgement call about what your play should be. Keep in mind the severity of the lie, what the lie has changed, and most of all, who you are lying to.
Usually, the more elaborate the lie the more suspicious you sound, so first and foremost 1) KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Everyone is better at lying when they have thought of what to say prior to the lie; although it is possible to get away with "on the spot lies," it is rarely a feat accomplished by amateurs.Therefore, 2) THINK OF SOMETHING BEFOREHAND
Having said that planning is the best way to lie, do not over-plan. A lie seems more credible if there are slight pauses and one has to think to formulate the sentence. The best way to go about planning would be to come up with an outline but don't go so far as having a script. 3) HAVE AN OUTLINE, NOT A SCRIPT
The most important step is 4) BE CONFIDENT WHEN TELLING A LIE. This confidence encompasses a number of things. For example, do not blush or turn red, if this is a natural reflex to lying then you might as well start walking the straight and narrow because you have no business lying. Secondly, a more complex reaction to lying is the racing of the heart, sweating, and general anxiety; these are more difficult symptoms to overcome, but a master liar is able to remain calm and stable with ease. Finally, have faith that the person who you are telling the lie to will believe it. If you think they will reject what you say then you will reject what you say and you are more likely to reveal the lie.
Remember, lying is a dangerous business and it is not for the feint of heart. If you are caught in a lie then your options are limited. It is up to you at that point to make a judgement call about what your play should be. Keep in mind the severity of the lie, what the lie has changed, and most of all, who you are lying to.
How to..
How to throw a football
1. Hold the football in your dominant hand
2. Position your hand so that only your ring finger and pinky are on the laces
3. Have your ring finger on the lace closest to you, and your pinky on the lace that is third closest to you
4. Bring the ball up to beside your ear, with your hand in a c shape
5. Bring the non dominant hand up to also touch the ball
6. Have the non dominant elbow be a guide for the ball, so have it up and pointing at where you will throw
7. Throw the ball but let it slide of your finger tips so it can have a spiral
8. Be sure to follow through so the ball goes to the target
1. Hold the football in your dominant hand
2. Position your hand so that only your ring finger and pinky are on the laces
3. Have your ring finger on the lace closest to you, and your pinky on the lace that is third closest to you
4. Bring the ball up to beside your ear, with your hand in a c shape
5. Bring the non dominant hand up to also touch the ball
6. Have the non dominant elbow be a guide for the ball, so have it up and pointing at where you will throw
7. Throw the ball but let it slide of your finger tips so it can have a spiral
8. Be sure to follow through so the ball goes to the target
Assignment 20: Right Now
At this very moment, somewhere in the universe...
Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 3rd at 11:59 pm
Sunday, February 17, 2013
How To Always Have "Fun Facts" To Tell
I typically do a song lyric title but I wanted it to be easy for my other peers to tell what my blog was about. But I still have a song! It's one I listen to daily and it instantly came to mind because it's full of "Fun Facts" about the singer, whether they be true or not.
Everything is Alright By: Motion City Soundtrack
I love things that I call "fun facts". Any little random things, for me, can be fun facts. Saying a simple statement that is true is just ehh, average and what people expect but when you end that same simple, true statement with fun fact, it changes the whole dynamic of what you just said.
So:
1) Every time you read a fact that doesn't seem widely known- lock it in memory.
2) The facts can be about anything but animal ones typically go over well.
3) If you are going to do a fun fact about yourself, choose very average things that may be obvious or unknown. Typically ones that seem like bragging just sound like even more bragging.
Ex: Fun Fact, I had tacos for dinner last night.(Not true but I wish it was.)
4) Switch up where you put Fun Fact- either at the beginning or end.
5) Be able to have a source to back up your fact and if it turns out to be wrong, be able to handle the ridicule or mockery.
6) Once you are really good at it you can turn anything into a Fun Fact, even things other people say.
Happy Trails!
Everything is Alright By: Motion City Soundtrack
I love things that I call "fun facts". Any little random things, for me, can be fun facts. Saying a simple statement that is true is just ehh, average and what people expect but when you end that same simple, true statement with fun fact, it changes the whole dynamic of what you just said.
So:
1) Every time you read a fact that doesn't seem widely known- lock it in memory.
2) The facts can be about anything but animal ones typically go over well.
3) If you are going to do a fun fact about yourself, choose very average things that may be obvious or unknown. Typically ones that seem like bragging just sound like even more bragging.
Ex: Fun Fact, I had tacos for dinner last night.(Not true but I wish it was.)
4) Switch up where you put Fun Fact- either at the beginning or end.
5) Be able to have a source to back up your fact and if it turns out to be wrong, be able to handle the ridicule or mockery.
6) Once you are really good at it you can turn anything into a Fun Fact, even things other people say.
Happy Trails!
How to...
...get a scuba certification. I am doing this because this morning i completed my scuba certifification. Step 1: go to a training course. This will be a 4 class course that covers all of the skills you will need to safely dive arpund the world. Step 2: go to do your open water dive certification. this includes 4 open water dives in real conditions so you can make sure that you have mastered all of the skills you learned in the pool training. Step 3: go all over the world and enjoy the new ability ypu have to explore underwater worlds that few people can actually experience.
how to decorate your room
I've been looking for room decorations for about 4 years now. While that might seem like a pretty long time, not all of it was very active. some of it was strictly searching for the right feel of what i wanted.
- figure out what idea you want to radiate through your room. for me, it's calming birds, or trees, or blue/gray. it's soft. for my brother, it's sporadic, random, anti-matching, anything-but-the-same designs. he doesn't want anything to be the same color, either. red lights? no red sheets. find what you want to express, whether it's with your personality in mind, or a feeling you want to get when you enter your room.
- get your parents to agree, if your at home, or get ready to pay for a lot of stuff. if you're like me, you'll be rational about what you get in your room. for example, don't choose dark paint if your parents are planning on a) selling the house soon, b) renting out your room when you move out, or c) telling you no to dark paint. be reasonable about your requests. OR if you are planning on paying for all of your choices, make sure not to spend more $$ than you have.
- collect "art." it doesn't have to be a traditional painting; it could be wall decals or stuff you find on the side of the road but think is actually really cool.
- pick out your bedding. this is what took me so long. i had to find a comforter that was soft enough to sleep with but matched my theme enough to be okay. it also had to be cheap since i was the one paying for this. you'll also need pillows. make sure your pillow fits your sleeping style; some are better suited for back sleepers, while others are softer for belly sleepers. (PSA THIS IS BAD FOR YOUR BACK. IT WILL MAKE IT TOO ARCHED.) then there are also the decorative pillows. it helps if they differ in design and size.
- have enough storage space. make sure you have places for all of your clothes (like in a chest or drawer or closet) and for your technology (dvd player or computer). you want to be able to see your floor.
- DECORATE. put everything in its proper place and then fall on your bed. just do it.
-Callie
ps ok ur done ur welcome xoxo courtney
how to..
how to paint your nails! I may not be the best at it, but i was just thinking about how i needed to paint them. might as well do my blog on it as well. first, pick out a nice color. This seems simpler than it actually is. When picking one out, you need to keep in mind which colors are in season. For example, in the winter darker colors look better. Also be aware of how the color goes with skin tones, things like that. after you've picked out a color, shake the bottle. when it hasnt been used lately, the polish can separate. using swift, even strokes, cover the entire nail with a thin layer of polish. after finishing both hands, go back over with another coat. using multiple thin coats helps the polish dry faster than globbing it all on at once. after thats all finished, paint on a clear coat. it keeps the color on longer and less likely to chip (you can put a clear coat on before the actual color, too, to prevent nail dyeing. but who's got time for that?) after all the painting is done, lets face it, youve got color all over your fingers too. once the polish is completely dry, soak your hands in warm water for a little bit. when you take them out, the polish will peal right off your fingers but stay on the nail. wam, you're done. beautiful nails.
How to...
Shop at the Peddler's Mall...
Okay so you want to go to the best retail place in the city, right? You've got some money and you want to maximize your purchasing power and get completely unique stuff. Of course you will go to the Peddler's Mall... but how exactly does one go about it best?
It's an interesting (and kind of intimidating) experience. The first thing you'll have to do is budget at least three hours for a comprehensive trip. The building looks massive on the inside, but i can promise you it seems so much bigger inside. The whole building is packed in every foot of available space with stuff for sale and the layout is so confusing you are almost guaranteed to get lost during your first trip. That brings me to the second step - move through the store in a consistent pattern. That is the only way to make sure you see everything without getting lost. Circle around the building, weave up and down aisles, do whatever you have to do but be consistent. Make sure you check the upstairs and adjacent buildings. What you see when you walk in is about a third of the entire place, like I said, it is huge.
When it comes to what to bring, I suggest bringing a minimum of 20 dollars. Fifty is better and can get you nearly any medium or small sized thing you are looking for (for example I found a cast iron wood burning stove from the '30s for only forty dollars, and a fully functioning 1940s typewriter for 45 dollars, they have more expensive items like katanas for 60 and some larger/older/rarer items go up to around 125, but there is rarely anything past that. However, there's an antiques section that I've never been in to since everything there is completely out of my price range.) I'd also suggest wearing older clothes you don't mind getting dusty or dirty. The stuff you'll find is old and its beat up. Some of the things you touch will rub off on you. Try to touch things as little as possible and never buy stuffed animals or blankets (or clothes) from there. You have no idea what has happened to these things, and fabrics are a lot harder to clean than wood, plastic, metal, etc. This is especially true with stuffed animals, which hold really gross stuff deep within the stuffing for decades.
Finally, don't torment your friends. You'll find some creepy things (torn up abandoned strollers that are at least 60 years old, mirrors that you'd expect Bloody Mary to pop up in, and hundreds of evil looking dolls.) If your friend gets freaked out leave them alone and don't force them into really freaky stalls filled with satanic looking dolls that are most likely haunted with the spirit of some angry 80 year dead child.
Follow those rules and you'll have the best shopping experience this city has to offer. Happy hunting!
Okay so you want to go to the best retail place in the city, right? You've got some money and you want to maximize your purchasing power and get completely unique stuff. Of course you will go to the Peddler's Mall... but how exactly does one go about it best?
It's an interesting (and kind of intimidating) experience. The first thing you'll have to do is budget at least three hours for a comprehensive trip. The building looks massive on the inside, but i can promise you it seems so much bigger inside. The whole building is packed in every foot of available space with stuff for sale and the layout is so confusing you are almost guaranteed to get lost during your first trip. That brings me to the second step - move through the store in a consistent pattern. That is the only way to make sure you see everything without getting lost. Circle around the building, weave up and down aisles, do whatever you have to do but be consistent. Make sure you check the upstairs and adjacent buildings. What you see when you walk in is about a third of the entire place, like I said, it is huge.
When it comes to what to bring, I suggest bringing a minimum of 20 dollars. Fifty is better and can get you nearly any medium or small sized thing you are looking for (for example I found a cast iron wood burning stove from the '30s for only forty dollars, and a fully functioning 1940s typewriter for 45 dollars, they have more expensive items like katanas for 60 and some larger/older/rarer items go up to around 125, but there is rarely anything past that. However, there's an antiques section that I've never been in to since everything there is completely out of my price range.) I'd also suggest wearing older clothes you don't mind getting dusty or dirty. The stuff you'll find is old and its beat up. Some of the things you touch will rub off on you. Try to touch things as little as possible and never buy stuffed animals or blankets (or clothes) from there. You have no idea what has happened to these things, and fabrics are a lot harder to clean than wood, plastic, metal, etc. This is especially true with stuffed animals, which hold really gross stuff deep within the stuffing for decades.
Finally, don't torment your friends. You'll find some creepy things (torn up abandoned strollers that are at least 60 years old, mirrors that you'd expect Bloody Mary to pop up in, and hundreds of evil looking dolls.) If your friend gets freaked out leave them alone and don't force them into really freaky stalls filled with satanic looking dolls that are most likely haunted with the spirit of some angry 80 year dead child.
Follow those rules and you'll have the best shopping experience this city has to offer. Happy hunting!
How to...
... make a blog post for Mr. Logsdon's class. Okay, I know this is lame, but I can't think of anything that I can do at the moment and I'm a pretty lame person. So, without further ado, here is how to create a weekly(ish), 150 word blog post:
1. Sit down (preferably at a computer).
2. Turn on the computer/open the laptop.
3. Open whatever you use to get to the Internet and make your way to your blog on the blogger website (TIP: I have the link to the blog bookmarked on my computer. It saves some time I guess).
4. Find the prompt for that week and read over it carefully. Usually, the blogs are very straightforward and do not require a lot of research or critical thinking. Ideas about what you are going to write about should be popping into your head as you read the task. If not, read over it a few times and, since you all are interesting and intelligent students, you'll eventually think of something. If you still have no ideas after a few minutes, try to think of something funny and creative that others normally wouldn't think of, or resort to writing about something lame, just like I'm doing right now. Now you have your idea. YAY.
5. Click the "Create New Post" link and your canvas for your literary masterpiece will be displayed for you.
6. Give your blog post a title. It can be anywhere from the name that Mr. Logsdon posted for the assignment to something super witty and creative. I prefer a straightforward title so that I can skim through the page and quickly see which posts I would like to read without having to start each one (no offense to anyone.. I love you all).
7. WRITE WRITE WRITE. You have a minimum of 150 words to express your deepest feelings that the prompt has stirred up inside of you. Be creative. Don't be afraid of what people will think of you, since you pretty much know everyone who would read your blog. Depending on how much you like the topic and how much you want to write, the post could take you anywhere from three to twenty seven minutes (I really don't know, but just don't spend all night writing one post).
8. CHECK YOUR SPELLING. PLEASE.
9. Once you are happy with your post, click the "Publish" button and WHA LA (I'm not sure if that's how you spell that but I'm almost done). Your work is now available for everyone on the blog to see.
I'm sorry if this was kind of sarcastic and snarky. I'm tired.
1. Sit down (preferably at a computer).
2. Turn on the computer/open the laptop.
3. Open whatever you use to get to the Internet and make your way to your blog on the blogger website (TIP: I have the link to the blog bookmarked on my computer. It saves some time I guess).
4. Find the prompt for that week and read over it carefully. Usually, the blogs are very straightforward and do not require a lot of research or critical thinking. Ideas about what you are going to write about should be popping into your head as you read the task. If not, read over it a few times and, since you all are interesting and intelligent students, you'll eventually think of something. If you still have no ideas after a few minutes, try to think of something funny and creative that others normally wouldn't think of, or resort to writing about something lame, just like I'm doing right now. Now you have your idea. YAY.
5. Click the "Create New Post" link and your canvas for your literary masterpiece will be displayed for you.
6. Give your blog post a title. It can be anywhere from the name that Mr. Logsdon posted for the assignment to something super witty and creative. I prefer a straightforward title so that I can skim through the page and quickly see which posts I would like to read without having to start each one (no offense to anyone.. I love you all).
7. WRITE WRITE WRITE. You have a minimum of 150 words to express your deepest feelings that the prompt has stirred up inside of you. Be creative. Don't be afraid of what people will think of you, since you pretty much know everyone who would read your blog. Depending on how much you like the topic and how much you want to write, the post could take you anywhere from three to twenty seven minutes (I really don't know, but just don't spend all night writing one post).
8. CHECK YOUR SPELLING. PLEASE.
9. Once you are happy with your post, click the "Publish" button and WHA LA (I'm not sure if that's how you spell that but I'm almost done). Your work is now available for everyone on the blog to see.
I'm sorry if this was kind of sarcastic and snarky. I'm tired.
Well this is ironic
Pretty much everyone who knows me will tell you I am a tad forgetful. However I would also assert that they also will tell you I know a lot of things. Random prices of information I mean and so I thought I could teach how I do that.
1. Figure out what works for you. I mean as in for me reading and hearing are extremely effective as far as remembering what i learned. However for others writing down things (taking notes) or doing something (expirementing) are more effective. This is really the most important thing to do because if you can't learn the right way you never get good at knowing stuff.
2. Find something you are interested in. I mean I am kind of epicurean and like to know useless stuff so that comes easy. But not everyone want to know things that don't matter to normal life, like the hierarchy of objects in the universe (as in filaments, superclusters, clusters, galaxies, etc.) so finding something you like will help.
3. Try a method of loci. I do this when I read something very detail oriented and it helps a lot. What you do is you think of a subject like a room full of filing cabinets. Each cabinet is a different color so you can remember them easier. In each filing cabinet you have a specific facet of the topic like if me subject was Abe Lincoln one topic would be general info (birth and death dates, ect.) while another might be the Gettysburg address. This helps keep stuff straight in your head and I find it useful on detailed stuff (biology for example).
4. Brute force. The last thing to do is just keep forcing things into your head like read something quiz yourself and if you aren't satisfied with the results do it again.
1. Figure out what works for you. I mean as in for me reading and hearing are extremely effective as far as remembering what i learned. However for others writing down things (taking notes) or doing something (expirementing) are more effective. This is really the most important thing to do because if you can't learn the right way you never get good at knowing stuff.
2. Find something you are interested in. I mean I am kind of epicurean and like to know useless stuff so that comes easy. But not everyone want to know things that don't matter to normal life, like the hierarchy of objects in the universe (as in filaments, superclusters, clusters, galaxies, etc.) so finding something you like will help.
3. Try a method of loci. I do this when I read something very detail oriented and it helps a lot. What you do is you think of a subject like a room full of filing cabinets. Each cabinet is a different color so you can remember them easier. In each filing cabinet you have a specific facet of the topic like if me subject was Abe Lincoln one topic would be general info (birth and death dates, ect.) while another might be the Gettysburg address. This helps keep stuff straight in your head and I find it useful on detailed stuff (biology for example).
4. Brute force. The last thing to do is just keep forcing things into your head like read something quiz yourself and if you aren't satisfied with the results do it again.
How to… Cut an Avocado!
Have you ever tried to bite into an avocado? I’m hoping your
answer is no because avocados have pits that hard and cannot be cut through
easily. So how do you cut an avocado properly?
First, wash your avocado thoroughly, nothing is worse than a
dirty avocado. Now, marvel at the beauty of your avocado (ok, so maybe you can
skip this part).
Next, wash your knife, nothing is worse than a dirty knife
(that’s a lie, a dirty avocado is worse).
Now, hold your avocado and cut it vertically, make sure your
knife hits the pit gently. Slowly turn your avocado so you have scored the
whole fruit.
Put your knife down and hold the halves of your fruit in two
hands. Turn one half away from you and the other towards you. Gently pull the
halves apart.
You now have a cut avocado! What about that pit? Take
a spoon and scoop it out, if your avocado is ripe enough it should come out
cleanly.
How to get a (minimum wage) job
For those of you who don't know, I've been working at Chick-fil-A since freshman year. While it may not be a high-end job, it's the perfect one for teenagers like us who need a little bit of money on the side. For those of you still needing that money on the side but not wanting a full-time job and are having trouble getting it, follow these credentials and you might just get it! (no promises though)
1. Pick the place where you can see yourself working at for at least a year and make sure that they are hiring.
You don't want to settle for any old place. Working somewhere that you can't stand would absolutely suck, and you should at least be able to enjoy yourself a little bit.
2. Retrieve the application. You probably won't get anywhere without this.
3. Fill out the app with as many good things as you can of yourself. But don't try too hard. Companies want employees that stand out, but that don't sound pretentious.
5. Turn in the app.
At this point, you have to be very patient with the establishment. When I applied for my job, I waited almost 4 months for them to reply back to me, but this was because they weren't hiring at the time I applied, and I had honestly forgotten I had applied.
When the company finally replies to you because of your awesomely-filled out application, they are probably going to ask you for an interview. You're now in the final stages of getting your job.
6. Dress nicely for the interview; it's not wise to show up in sweatpants or the clothes you wore to practice.
7. Answer the questions truthfully, yet thoughtfully, and listen intent-fully. And smile. They could ask you about your previous experiences in the field that you are applying for, or ask you random ones, like one thing you could change in the world.
8. After rocking the interview, they might just give you the job on the spot, and then you can go home rejoicing. Or they might say no... In this case, don't take it personally (it's just business), and apply for the next job.
Hopefully these tips help for those of you struggling to get a job. Just remember to be persistent and keep a smile on your face.
1. Pick the place where you can see yourself working at for at least a year and make sure that they are hiring.
You don't want to settle for any old place. Working somewhere that you can't stand would absolutely suck, and you should at least be able to enjoy yourself a little bit.
2. Retrieve the application. You probably won't get anywhere without this.
3. Fill out the app with as many good things as you can of yourself. But don't try too hard. Companies want employees that stand out, but that don't sound pretentious.
5. Turn in the app.
At this point, you have to be very patient with the establishment. When I applied for my job, I waited almost 4 months for them to reply back to me, but this was because they weren't hiring at the time I applied, and I had honestly forgotten I had applied.
When the company finally replies to you because of your awesomely-filled out application, they are probably going to ask you for an interview. You're now in the final stages of getting your job.
6. Dress nicely for the interview; it's not wise to show up in sweatpants or the clothes you wore to practice.
7. Answer the questions truthfully, yet thoughtfully, and listen intent-fully. And smile. They could ask you about your previous experiences in the field that you are applying for, or ask you random ones, like one thing you could change in the world.
8. After rocking the interview, they might just give you the job on the spot, and then you can go home rejoicing. Or they might say no... In this case, don't take it personally (it's just business), and apply for the next job.
Hopefully these tips help for those of you struggling to get a job. Just remember to be persistent and keep a smile on your face.
How to...
Okay, so I'm having trouble thinking of stuff that I can do. Unfortunately, there's not much I can do. However, I seem to be pretty good at learning languages so I'm going to run with that.
When learning a language, the number one way of improving is to speak it as much as you can. Even if later you realize that it didn't make sense or that you were mispronouncing something. Speak it at home, talk to your family in whatever language you're learning, even if they don't understand I have learned that they eventually catch on to what you're saying. Even if you're just talking to yourself. Do it. Whether in the shower, in bed, in front of the mirror. It doesn't matter. Just do it.
Another thing that is of the utmost importance is to integrate it into your life as much as possible. For example, when you sit down to watch your shows, put the subtitles in that language. When you watch a movie, watch in that language with English subtitles. Or you can go even further and find shows from countries that speak that language and watch those instead of Glee or whatever. TV isn't the only way either. You can also jam to foreign music (it really is pretty great) while you do homework, when you're getting ready for school or even when you're going to bed. Find a group or multiple group that you like and listen to them, learn their songs. Listening to music can help you learn expression as well with pronunciation. And it's just fun.
Ta-da.
I realize that you can't like follow these steps and just "BAM" you know a language, but I've found that they certainly help.
When learning a language, the number one way of improving is to speak it as much as you can. Even if later you realize that it didn't make sense or that you were mispronouncing something. Speak it at home, talk to your family in whatever language you're learning, even if they don't understand I have learned that they eventually catch on to what you're saying. Even if you're just talking to yourself. Do it. Whether in the shower, in bed, in front of the mirror. It doesn't matter. Just do it.
Another thing that is of the utmost importance is to integrate it into your life as much as possible. For example, when you sit down to watch your shows, put the subtitles in that language. When you watch a movie, watch in that language with English subtitles. Or you can go even further and find shows from countries that speak that language and watch those instead of Glee or whatever. TV isn't the only way either. You can also jam to foreign music (it really is pretty great) while you do homework, when you're getting ready for school or even when you're going to bed. Find a group or multiple group that you like and listen to them, learn their songs. Listening to music can help you learn expression as well with pronunciation. And it's just fun.
Ta-da.
I realize that you can't like follow these steps and just "BAM" you know a language, but I've found that they certainly help.
How to pack for a short trip
I like to pretend that I am extremely well-traveled and that I know everything about it. I don’t. But two nights ago I had to help my sister pack for her trip to Colorado. (I know, I think its crazy too.) And while I was helping her pack I realized that I’m pretty awesome at it. Particularly at fitting a massive amount of stuff into a carry on.
Step one: Plan out how long you will be gone for. If it
is a normal trip you will need one outfit per day. Take layers. If you are
going to Europe don’t wear things with words on them, they scream that you are
an American and a tourist and no
self-respecting European can stand that. Trust me, I learned the hard way. In
summer bring shorts and pants no matter where you are going and in winter bring
coats, a hat and gloves.
Step two: Plan one or two fancy outfits. It’s a good back
up.
Step three: Decide what shoes are comfortable and not
hideous. Those’ll do. Then bring one pair that is not so comfortable but better
looking. Don’t bring more than three pairs. Just don’t.
Step four: Gather all of your toiletries and always bring
sunscreen if you are in danger of becoming a lobster like me or don’t want to
get skin cancer. Put all of the liquids in a court size bag and put them in
your purse/most accessible thing when you are tripping around security trying
to take off your sweater, watch and shoes at the same time. Put the rest of the
stuff in another bag.
Step five: Gather anything else you have to have. This
actually means have to have and not every book and movie you can find as my
sister believes.
Step six: Lay everything out on your bed or floor or
something. Start with what you won’t need the most and put the most necessary
items on the top. Put your shoes in bags or something and throw and extra bag
in there for dirty laundry. Roll your clothes instead of folding them because
you can fit in more and they get fewer wrinkles.
Step seven: This is what I have the most trouble with.
Leave space for whatever it is that you will most definitely buy while you are
on your trip.
Step eight: Lay everything out. Make sure your
passport/id, tickets and wallet are in your purse or whatever you are carrying.
Don’t forget your phone or keys or any of that important stuff and throw in a
snack that will not be taken from you at security. Lay out your travel clothes
and stuff and put everything in one place. Don’t forget to set your alarm so
all of that was not for nothing.
*Last year when we were getting ready to go to Spain my
teacher gave me a good tip. Pick one color for your trip and plan all of your
outfits based on that color. Its easier that way.
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