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Fashion changes, but style endures.

Hi Lovely!

This weekend I spent quality time with Fletch, which was wonderful. While out with Fletch I visited a cafe I haven’t been to in months. I used to frequent the establishment when I worked at my last job and haven’t been back since I left. While there the owner asked why I was so dressed up. I replied with, “this is how I dress”. This little interaction got me thinking about style. I don’t dress like a lot of my friends in my immediate vicinity. That’s not a bad thing. I love the way I dress. My cute dresses make me happy. My pins lighten my spirit. My adorable accessories bring me joy. So who cares if I don’t dress like everyone else?

Continue reading

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

Hi Lovely!

This weekend one of my favorite Disney movies was released as a live-action film. As you probably know I’m talking about Beauty and the Beast. Belle was one of the first Disney princesses whom I connected with. She was intelligent, focused on more than just finding her one true love. She was different and I liked that.

Of course I then began thinking about enjoying things made for kids. You probably know this by now but I’m a firm believer in holding onto that kid inside of you. I love toys, animated movies, and most other things that are made for children. I learned from my mom the importance of always holding onto your child-like wonder with the world. Enjoy toys and games. Laugh as often as you can. Be kind and help others. I don’t know what it is about growing up but I feel like as we age we’re taught to only look out for ourselves. We ask how something or someone will help us. How will our lives be improved? While kids just want to have fun and be happy.

So yeah. I’m holding onto that little kid inside that used to wear a handmade cowboy hat. I’m holding onto the Littlest-Pet-Shop-collecting, jelly-shoe-wearing kid that used to love playing in the mud and matching color with color.

How about you?

Live in the present

Hi Lovely!

I really struggled with what to write for this post. I stared at my computer screen, trying to find the words to say whatever it was I needed to say. Ultimately nothing came out and I went to bed.

Lately I’ve found myself in a slump, you could say. The past month has just been kind of rough. I find myself having more off days than good and having a harder time finding joy in the little things. I think it’s a combination of things. Last month was my birthday, it was the one year anniversary of my mom passing away (she passed away days after my birthday in 2016), now it’s my Mom’s birthday. I know it’s alright to be sad, it’s natural, but I know that my mom wouldn’t want me to be a gloomy mess all the time.

Right now I feel like I’m only dwelling on the past instead of enjoying the present. While I of course want to and will continue to remember all of the wonderful times I shared with my mom, I don’t want to be sad when I reflect on those moments. I want to look back with happiness in my heart and then enjoy what’s going on currently.

As I said, it’s been a rough month but that’s alright. I’m going to put more effort into recognizing the little moments of beauty everyday. I want to show my friends and family that I care. Being sad is normal but I don’t want it to be the only thing I am.

That’s where I am right now. Life is business as usual and I’m doing all I can to stay positive and happy. What’s new with you?

Life Doesn’t Give Us Purpose.

Hi Lovely!

I spent my weekend at Emerald City Comicon with Fletch. We walked around, did some shopping, and got to see a ton of awesome people. The weekend had me reflecting on my purpose. See, at comicon I saw a ton of people selling their art and following, what seems to be, their passion. I’m nearly 30 and I still don’t really know what it is I’m supposed to be doing.

Then again, maybe I don’t need to find purpose in a job.

I’m doing a pretty good job at having a life while also working. I blog, I make time for friends and family, and I make sure to make time for me. I do my best to make others feel loved, appreciated, encouraged, and supported. All of that brings me great joy. What I need to do is learn to be happy with where I am in life but also work consistently towards figuring out what else I’d like to do with my time.

I’m happy with where I am in life right now but I know how important it is to continue to grow. I’d like to do more for others, maybe volunteer. Who knows what the future will bring me. Regardless of what comes my way I know that I will always find joy in the little joys of life and always strive to make this world a better place.

Appreciating my sweetie

Hi Lovely!

This weekend I turned 28 and spent most of my weekend with Fletch. It was absolutely wonderful. He was so incredibly sweet. We started our Saturday with opening my birthday presents. It was a pretty great way to start, if I do say so myself. Fletch is so thoughtful and always finds the best gifts. We spent the rest of the day together doing whatever I wanted.

I want to give a little shout-out to my amazing partner, Fletch, because he went above and beyond this weekend. This was a difficult time. It was my first birthday without my mom. My last memory of my mom is from my birthday last year. My Dad Facetimed me from my mom’s hospital room. He stood by her as she lay there, propped up in her hospital bed as they sang Happy Birthday to me. She passed away days later. So, my birthday not only reminds me of my last memory of her but also that the anniversary of her passing is coming up. You can imagine that must be difficult.

The day was hard, I spent most of the day in good spirits, all due to the work of Fletch. He kept me busy, took me to do whatever I wanted, and treated me like a queen. I have no idea how I got so lucky to have him in my life. He is not only my partner but my best friend. Fletch is an amazing individual who always puts others before himself. Right now, as I write this, he is in his office working. He’ll stay up late finishing up things because he spent the whole weekend doing whatever I wanted.

I love that man so much.


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Tools of the Trade

There are many tools I use to create my furniture. If you’re planning on doing the same you will need to find the right tools for the job. You can often find basic tools free in any old reclamation yard however you’re most probably going to have to buy any power tools.

wood tools

  1. chisels
  2. mallet
  3. hammer
  4. hand saw
  5. router
  6. circular saw
  7. jigsaw
  8. rasps
  9. sander
  10. work bench
  11. tape measure
  12. pencil
  13. clamps
  14. screws
  15. screwdrivers

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Hi, my name is Kettle

This picture of a woolly mammoth has nothing to do with this post. It's a fine looking woolly mammoth, though, don't you think? I did see an elephant at the zoo on the weekend, and elephants are quite similar to woolly mammoths, so there you go.

...and I have a problem (in addition to my propensity for posting entirely unrelated pictures).

I am addicted to courses.

I, for shame, am a course junkie. I feel more alive receiving an enrolment pack than I would wrestling a cow. I have spent more money on HECS and enrolment fees than I've earned in my lifetime. And, for shame, one undergraduate year I even rang the uni bookshop to find out exactly which day the shipment of handbooks for the next year's courses was due to arrive, then rushed in and bought one that very day (as if they'd sell out).

Why all this course craziness? To provide meaning and structure and stave off the herdy gerdy of modern life, of course. Oh, and to fund whole conglomerates of resource centres through donations to photocopy machines and to keep Australia Post afloat through correspondence study. Good on me.

Like a dealer with a little baggie my new job is tempting me with all sorts of courses too: compliance courses and continuous improvement courses and database systems courses, all neatly listed in my very own training plan (or Key Performance Indicator Skills Enhancement Plan).

And wouldn't you know a friend of mine owns a registered training organisation! Forget hunting down a mechanic, a lawyer and a cabinetmaker for your circle of friends; give me a registered training organisation owner any day (of course I've just enrolled in one of his most delightful courses and have spent a very pleasant week reading all about occupational health and safety, *sigh*).

I couldn't be happier in my semester-based world.

On reflection I can see the precise moment when I crossed the line, but ooh ooh look! Advanced Spreadsheeting! Where do I sign?

sparsely kate said...

Hahah, oh I can so relate to the anticipation of a course selection guide and an enrolement pack. I agree with you - the possibilities are exciting and endless. I've been at uni for 9 years, count them, 9 years and I have changed degrees four times and campus's three times and don't get me started on the altering my majors and minors.

I'm glad I am in good company. Books awaaayyyyyy!

squib said...

Hang on, that's a woolly mammoth? Where's the woolliness then?

Speadsheeting sounds hideous

Kettle said...

Ah Mel, hurrah a fellow handbook nutbar! We should form a society, drink wine, thumb through our handbooks and sigh contentedly and collectively together. Nine years is a fine uni career; good on you.

Sorry Squib, woolly mammoth in full woolliness now uploaded. That's the last time I trust the interwebs! If only I'd read the full image caption: "Above: Drawing of a wooly mammoth. Below, for comparison, a drawing of a contemporary elephant." So the contemporary elephant made it into my Google images search results, uh-hm. Thank God I'm not a vet. Imagine!

the projectivist said...

if i had money to burn, i'd be enrolled in all manner of courses - photography, pottery, sculpture, knitting, sketching, foreign languages, cooking, sewing, craftystuffingeneral, furniture-making, car maintenance.

i'd meet like-minded people and probably the man of my dreams. but i'm too poor. too poor to afford the frippery of it all, and the man of my dreams is there chatting to some woman called Audrey, and meeting her for drinks afterward in some swanky little wine bar where he tells her about that little place he has in Byron Bay.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

I do like a good mammoth.

I even like saying "mammoth".

Kettle said...

Ah Ms P, it sounds like our post-lotto-winning scenarios are the same, although I didn't have knitting on my list so thanks for the suggestion. Can I suggest shoe-making for yours?

I've always been suspicious of people named 'Audrey', as well as swanky wine bars. I think that's a bullet dodged on the gentleman front, just quietly.

And Ramon! What a fine word is 'mammoth'. Ah, how it rolls off the tongue, a most pleasing collection of m's with a happy smattering of vowels for interest. Also, wouldn't you like a set of those tusks? Sure make the work day easier.


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Saturday, June 21, 2008

Score: McClellan 14, Bush Administration 935! VICTORY!!

But Victory Never Tasted So Bitter!

There was a study made by Center for Public Integrity and its affiliated group, the Fund for Independence in Journalism. According to the study, Bush and seven top officials -- including Vice President Dick Cheney, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice -- made 935 false statements about Iraq during those two years.

The study was based on a searchable database compiled of primary sources, such as official government transcripts and speeches, and secondary sources -- mainly quotes from major media organizations.

The study says Bush made 232 false statements about Iraq and former leader Saddam Hussein's possessing weapons of mass destruction, and 28 false statements about Iraq's links to al Qaeda.

Here are the exact 14 statements made by McClellan:

  • November 12, 2002: And—but I would also reiterate what I said earlier, that we do not need any more proof that Saddam Hussein possesses and is willing to use chemical and biological weapons.
  • November 13, 2002: We have made that clear, that Iraq does possess chemical and biological weapons. And what we are doing is to—what we are working to do right now with the international community, speaking with one voice, is to disarm Saddam Hussein of those weapons of mass destruction. We know that he possesses chemical and biological weapons. And we know that he seeks to acquire nuclear weapons.
  • November 14, 2002: And it spells clearly out in the resolution what the regime in Iraq needs to do to disarm.
  • February 10, 2003: And this is a—if Saddam Hussein is not making a drastic change in course in showing that he is going to disarm. . .
  • February 10, 2003: There is a short period of time left for Saddam Hussein to disarm before the United Nations Security Council must come together and show its relevance by enforcing 1441.
  • April 16, 2003: One of the reasons—one of the primary reasons that we had to take action in Iraq was because of that danger that is posed by a regime like Saddam Hussein's that possesses weapons of mass destruction and has supported terrorists in the past. And now we've gone after terrorist camps in Iraq, we arrested this—captured this terrorist yesterday. And that is a reminder of the danger that can be posed when you marry a regime with weapons of mass destruction with terrorists.
  • July 16, 2003: Well, the case against Saddam Hussein and his regime was solid and compelling. There was never any discussion about whether or not Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction or weapons of mass destruction program until recently. That's only recently come into play. The debate was about how to confront these weapons of mass destruction. It was about how to confront a regime that was willing to use these weapons of mass destruction.
  • July 16, 2003: I differ. I think we're beginning to learn the truth and we've seen some of the evidence of Saddam Hussein's desire to seek nuclear weapons, going back quite a while. We've seen some of the evidence of his weapons of mass destruction program through two mobile biological weapon labs that have been discovered.
  • July 16, 2003: Absolutely not. The president has been very straightforward about this from the beginning. He laid out a very compelling case, a very clear case. It was based on solid evidence and it was based on a number of factors. It was based on Saddam Hussein's past history of not only having chemical and biological weapons, but being willing to use those chemical and biological weapons. It was based on UNSCOM's [United Nations Special Commission] report from 1999, it's [sic] final report to the United Nations Security Council, saying he has large stockpiles of unaccounted for biological and chemical weapons. It was based on his support for terrorists and his support for—and his harboring of terrorists. So there are a number of compelling parts of this evidence that led to us confronting this threat. And the last thing the president wanted to do was go to war. But Saddam Hussein, for 12 years, was defying the international community, he was defying the United Nations and 17 resolutions. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441, that final resolution made it very clear, this is a final opportunity to comply, final opportunity to disarm.
  • July 17, 2003: We're talking about one piece of information about Iraq reconstituting its nuclear weapons program. There were a number of other factors that justified that statement, and we stand by it. And that overall reconstitution of its nuclear weapons program was one part of a much larger body of evidence of the threat that we needed to confront, and that was posed by Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein talked openly about his nuclear Mujahideen, the nuclear holy warriors, his scientists that he kept in close contact with about reconstituting his nuclear weapons program.
  • July 18, 2003: I think that when you look at the information that was released, it shows further how clear and compelling this case was regarding the threat that we faced in Iraq, and that we ended in Iraq. Saddam Hussein is gone and his regime is no longer a threat of using these weapons of mass destruction.
  • July 22, 2003: He was an individual that possessed chemical and biological weapons, and sought to reconstitute his nuclear weapons program. He was an individual that had used chemical weapons on his own people in the past. So Iraq was a very unique situation, and it was a part—it was part of our broader effort to win the war on terrorism.
  • July 23, 2003: I think we made it very clear that we are confident that we will uncover the full extent of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction program.
  • July 25, 2003: We're confident that we will uncover the full extent of the weapons of mass destruction programs.
Now let's look at everyone else's score:

Colin Powell: 254
Donald Rumsfeld: 109
Dick Cheney: 18
Condoleeza Rice: 56
George Bush: 232

Way to go Colin! Way to go George!
Sorry, Scott - Your score puts you in dead last!
(politically speaking, of course)

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Day 27- The Biggie

Today’s Quote: “One of the greatest gifts you can give your husband is your own wholeness.” –Stormie Omartian

When God speaks about the marriage relationship between a man and woman, he calls us to be a three fold cord. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

The man,
the woman,
and God.

If we take out the God Chord, the relationship will be weak.

We’ve already looked at (and experienced) some of the major weaknesses of those two chord relationships. Relationships without God at the center.

But exactly how do we bring God into the center of our relationship to be that third, backbone, chord?

And how can we prepare now for that to be the reality of our relationship when we are married?

It all starts with going to Him, rather than things or other people, to have our deepest needs met.

Especially our need for love.

This is what I believe it to be the absolute BIGGEST issue that God intends for women to settle before we can enter into a Godly relationship.

Where and how we acquire that love that all of our hearts desire.

Because let’s face it, we women are inwardly very high maintenance and we have a very real need to be loved.

We need love like we need food; frequently, abundantly, and shown to us in unique ways.

We live off it!

We talked a few days ago about our infatuation with our image and what guys think of us. How they see us. But I want to dare us to be honest about the fact that it’s even deeper than that.

A lot of us have thrown our obsession and our need for love onto the shoulders of a man. And they don’t like it.

Men do not want to be responsible for feeding our voracious appetites for love. It makes them feel suffocated and for good reason.  They don’t want to be responsible for our well-being, and they shouldn’t have to be.

A lot of us are so needy in this area, that we ourselves can hardly stand it.

We get so thrown off, so uneasy over just one conversation, if we feel like the guy is giving us the cold shoulder, or is not quite as infatuated with us that day as he normally is.

We start to panic!

A lot of us will start a fight, just to try to draw him back into us.

A lot of us get to the point where our old tricks aren’t seeming to work anymore, so we have to come up with new tricks.

How quickly a relationship can turn seriously dark and disturbing that way.

Trying to get our incessant love needs met by human means will always turn ugly.

We become sneakier about how we trap him, and he finds sneakier ways to get out of our trap.

Is this the hard truth for anybody but me?

It’s what many people so lightheartedly refers to as “the game.” But those of us who’s hearts have been tangled up in “the game,” know that there is nothing light about it.

Thank you Jesus that you are not into games, and that you offer us a way out of all of this!

I feel like today could be that turning point for so many of you.

Did you know that God wants to meet your need for love in a way that is above and beyond what any man could ever do for you?

Let me try to bring this to life with an illustrative story that I once read:

Imagine that you have a magical kitchen in your home. In that magical kitchen, you can have any food you want from any place in the world in any quantity. You never worry about what to eat; whatever you wish for, you can have at your table. You are very generous with your food; you give your food unconditionally to others, not because you want something in return from them. Whoever comes to your home, you feed just for the pleasure of sharing your food, and your house is always full of people who come to eat the food from the magical kitchen.
            Then one day someone knocks at your door, and it’s a person with a pizza. You open the door, and the person looks at you and says, “Hey, do you see this pizza? I’ll give you this pizza if you let me control your life, if you just do whatever I want you to do. You are never going to starve because I can bring you pizza everyday. You just have to be good to me.”
            Can you imagine your reaction? In your kitchen you can have the same pizza- even better. Yet this person comes to you and offers you food, if you just do whatever he wants you to do. You are going to laugh and say, “No, thank you! I don’t need your food; I have plenty of food. You can come into my house and eat whatever you want, and you don’t have to do anything. Don’t believe I’m going to do whatever you want me to do. No one will manipulate me with food.”
            Now imagine exactly the opposite. Several weeks have gone by, and you haven’t eaten. You are starving, and you have no money in your pocket to buy food. The person comes with the pizza and says, “Hey, there’s food here. You can have this food if you just do what I want you to do.” You can smell the food, and you are starving. You decide to accept the food and do whatever the person asks of you. You eat some food, and he says, “If you want more, you can have more, but you have to keep doing what I want you to do.”
            You have food today, but tomorrow you may not have food, so you agree to do whatever you can for food. You become a slave because of food, because you need food, because you don’t have it. Then after a certain time you have doubts. You say, “What am I going to do without my pizza? I cannot live without my pizza. What if my partner decides to give the pizza to someone else- my pizza?”
            Now imagine that instead of food we are talking about love. You have an abundance of love in your heart. You have love not just for yourself, but for the whole world. …You share your love without condition; you don’t love if. You are a millionaire in love, and someone knocks on your door and says, “Hey, I have love for you here. You can have my love, if you just do whatever I want you to do.”
            When you are full of love, what is going to be you reaction? You will laugh and say, “Thank you, but I don’t need your love. I have the same love here in my heart, even bigger and better, and I share my love without condition.”
            But what is going to happen if you are starving for love, if you don’t have that love in your heart, and someone comes and says, “You want a little love? You can have my love if you just do what I want you to do.” If you are starving for love, and you taste that love, you are going to do whatever you can for that love. You can even be so needy that you give your whole soul just for a little attention. - Don Miguel Ruiz
Wow, ladies!

Now the funny thing about this parable is that is does not come from a Christ-centered book, although it is a very good illustration.

And as far as I can tell the author seems to be speaking of more of an inner kind of “love for yourself” filling your heart, rather than the love of Christ.

But I would beg to reason that it is much more appropriate looking at it from a God-Love kind of way. I’m just not one to believe that we ourselves can just conjure up this kind of love from deep inside of us. At least I never figured that one out.

But what I do know to be true, and what I have experienced for myself is that God can fill us with that kind of love.

Such an overflowing love that is filling, satisfying, and perfect.

And from there we can make decisions with a clear head and a full heart- not out of our need for love.

Girls, we don’t need to be ashamed of that need- we just need to redirect it!

We need to go to the right place to have it met!

Again, God made us with a need of which He is the source.

We need love.

(1John 4:8)

And that God-sized need in your heart can only be filled by….God!

But most of you have been going to the wrong source, a very inadequate source, for that need to be met.

That is why most girls will jump right into a new relationship still in a tailspin from the last one- because that need is so strong!

But we’re still starving! It’s not enough.

Jesus, is enough, girls. He is more than enough to give you what you need.

If we are ever going to find true wholeness. If we are going to have a truly healthy relationship-  God must be the provider of our deepest needs.

Things like
and happiness.

This kind of relationship is of an entirely different nature.

And as someone who at one point was SO reliant on my boyfriend for my love-needs to be met, that difference is one of God’s biggest glories in my life.

I truly cannot even explain to you what I feel every time I am reminded of my old unrested state of constantly relying on another person for love.

I think that most of us who live under that kind of pressure cannot even put our finger on the heaviness of what it is, until it has been released.

Like me. I never actually got that that’s where those feelings of pressure and uneasiness were coming from. From counting on someone else to carry a weight that was too heavy for any person to carry.

I’m grateful for how God’s changed me, to say the least.

But also just heartbroken when I’m talking to a girl who is in that same awful place I was. My heart literally aches for her over the memory of it.

Girls, we weren’t built for it.

We weren’t built to chase a man around trying to keep him fascinated and absorbed in us. And all of the disgusting feelings and behaviors that go along with that.

God wants to give you a magic kitchen!!! Why are you chasing down the pizza man!?!

God can change all that.

Trust me, if he did it for me he can do it for anybody.

Nowadays, whenever I am in a pit over something and I seek out my husband to pull me out, I’m always reminded that even his most valiant efforts are only going to bring me a temporary fix.

So I seek out the true and perfect lover of my soul, my Jesus. The only one who can, and wants to, carry the weight of my world.

And when I do this, it not only satiates me and puts me on a healthy path to resolution, it speaks to my husband that I am a strong, valuable and free woman that is not counting on him to hold me up.

And do you know what that does for a man’s heart? Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.

Girls, I’m not talking about a game here; I’m talking about something that runs all the way through your life from top to bottom. Keeping your man in awe of you is just a side effect;)

It is a relationship, and a dependency for all that you need, on Jesus.

Over the next few days we are going to be getting into some more relationship advice.

But I want to say that what you just read about is the key.

That dependency and reliance on Jesus just does it

For me, it was the catalyst for shifting from unhealthy to healthy love. Where everything else good began relationship wise, because I was then set free to love from a place that was wholesome.

And it is the best relationship advice that I have for you.

But my advice or anyone else’s advice is just not the thing.

God is the thing.

And the reason that I am reminding you of this right now is because the next two days are going to cover some different kinds of marriage advice. And even though I feel very lead to say these things, life has rubbed off on me just like it has everyone else- and I definitely have my own opinions, bias’s and cynicisms about things. (In case you haven’t already noticed).

God knows I’m trying! But I struggle just like everyone else struggles.

So please pray for an extra dose of discernment to separate your own walk with Christ from my advice over these next two days.

We’ll call them “Audry Days”. Because they are how I prefer to be.

The one thing that I am sure about is seeking out Jesus first, and Him providing all you need thereafter.

It’s like my Dad always says: “Nobody knows your needs better than the one who created them.”

And nobody is capable of loving you like Jesus. So let Him!!!

Today’s Dare: Today’s dare is somewhat similar to the “bandaid dare” in Phase one.

Today I want you to find two different-color pieces of string, or yarn, or whatever you can get your hands on, and make a little makeshift bracelet with the two pieces wound together. These two pieces of string represent you and God, the initial two pieces of what will eventually become a three-fold-cord. (oooo maybe you could even do something symbolic on your wedding day of adding in the third string!! Sorry, my mind is wandering).

I want you to wear this for the remainder of Phase 2(only 4 more days) as a representation and a reminder that the love between you and God, is the beginning and the foundation of your future love story.

And let Him just LOVE you!

It’s okay to even ask Him to show you that He loves you!!

In fact, from now on during the “filling up” part of your POFU, I want you to spend some time just asking God to pour down His love on you. That you could just feel even a taste of how much He loves you.


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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Teens React to HISHE

Hi everybody. So I was on YouTube (looking for something to post, of course, like before... and probably before that too...) and I found this video of Teens React. Most of you, or all of you, know what the Teens React videos are, and there is also Kids React and Elders React. I guess I chose this video because it was talking about reacting to HISHE, and I like HISHE videos. HISHE videos show a bunch of movies of how they should have ended. That's what HISHE stands for, How It Should Have Ended. Most of them are hilarious, although they kind of do make fun of the movies. So this video shows teens reacting to three HISHE videos, which are How Lord of the Rings Should Have Ended, Harry Potter, and Hunger Games. There is this part when one girl confuses Dumbledore and Voldemort, so you may become very disappointed.
So I posted the Teens React video and I also posted another video they're reacting to because it didn't show the whole videos on the Teens React video, but I only posted the Harry Potter one because I couldn't upload the Lord of the Rings and Hunger Games

-Ivetticus G.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the galaxy are really cool to see. I think that it is going to be one of the best Marvel Universe movies. They are Thanos, Ronan, Peter Quill (sometime he like people to tell him Starlord), Gamora, Taneleer Tivan, Nebula, Rocket, and Groot. They are the new Guardians of the Galaxy. Their movie is coming August 1, 2014 in the United States of America. I think there isn't yet a date for the movie to come here, to Guatemala. I think it is really cool how Marvel Universe is bring to life all the comics of Marvel. I think that there are more movies coming up to like X-men: Days of the Future Past, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, and the Amazing Spider Man. All these movie are going to be awesome. If you like Marvel Universe you have to see all these movies because all of the have something to do with one another. I think that Marvel Universe is awesome and really cool. They have made a lot of incredible movies to watch at home, or  in the cinema, as a family. I want to go and see Guardians of the Galaxy as well as the other movie of Marvel Universe. Remamber that all the movies have to do with one another. Don't forget! Watch them all, they are awesome.

-Michelle Garcia

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Galaxy 11

This is a video of the revolution of Samsung products using a different story. In this video you'll see some of the most famous soccer players some of them include: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Falcao, Rooney, Moses, Donovan, Gotze, El Shaarawy, Chung-Yong, Wu Lei, Oscar, etc. They are chosen for a special mission but first they have to train. They are taken to G11 training facility where they are tested in their abilities to see if they are prepared for this challenge save Earth. They are separated in different groups so that they can try every challenge. at the beginning Messi and company were trying the first challenge that was to destroy the shooting soccer ball canons. The second challenge the soccer players that were chosen were CR7, Falcao, Rooney and Oscar. They were chosen to be a team against a team of robots who levitate. The third challenge is between Donovan and Moses trying to get the ball before the other. But the ball is controlled by the aliens. The ball takes the Galaxy S5 that is the energy source of the training facility and all the players data. but the manager from the training facility calls Iker Casillas to stop the ball and recover the Galaxy S5. He stops the ball the ball has a bomb then they started passing each other Iker, to Rooney, To CR7, and finally Messi.

-By Juan Pablo Romero

Monday, May 19, 2014

I was watching a lot of videos from The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and I came up with a lot of videos called Ew! This is a video of Ew! with Zac Efron, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Rogen. I laughed so much with this video because Zac, Jimmy and Seth were all dressing like girls, and had voices of girly girls. When I saw first Zac Efron dressed as a girl, I thought she was a actual girl until I noticed it was Zac. The other video is Ew! with Jimmy Fallon and Michael Strahan. Both videos are hilarious, I love them because they make me laugh every time I watch them. It is just very funny. Jimmy Fallon is always that funny in every video I have seen of him. Ew is just some short videos and they are always very funny. Love them. Comment which video did you like most! :)
-Gabriela Paredes

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Lip Sync Battles

So was thinking long and hard about what I should write about for this week post, and really I had no brilliant ideas. I was about to give up when suddenly it struck me. I remembered that someone mentioned that they liked to see the lip sync battles in The Tonight Show hosted by Jimmy Fallon, and that is the reason for why I am writing about it. Below are some of the battles that have come out on the show. I promise that they are fun to watch, so give it a try. Every time I watch them, I always say that they are hilarious but I don´t have the confidence to stand in front of everybody to do that. Do you? Would you be brave enough to stand in front of everyone and lip sync? I think this is a very interesting question, and am curious to see what you guys have to say.

By Nicole Gabriel

Friday, May 16, 2014

R2D2's Message

I tend to post things about movies I haven't watched. You might know, from the title, that this post is something about Star Wars, the famous movie series about the future. I have never watched a single Star Wars related movie or show. I don't really know much about the series but I know that there is a robot called R2D2. This is a video about R2D2 sending a secret message to an old dude and a younger dude (I don't know who they are).
R2D2 is a robot with white and blue parts usually called R2 instead of his full name. According to Wikipedia, he is referred in the Star Wars novel series as a "thermocapsulary dehousing assister." He also has another robot friend called C-3PO, a golden, weird robot. According to classmates, R2D2 also hacks into enemy ships. I suppose he is the technology dude that helps the Jedis do all the computery stuff like projecting stuff.
I think that's it for R2D2. Sorry if I didn't put the correct information but I didn't watch the movies. Is the Star Wars series worth the time watching? Should I watch them? Do you like Rick Astley? I don't know but tell me by answering in the comments.

By: Tae Hong Ahn

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Do You Want To Be My Husband?

Have you guys ever heard of the song "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" If you have, the melody might be familiar to you. This is a video of a parody of the song and I thought it was really funny. I thought it was really unique and cool that they have changed the song this way. What do you guys think of this video? Do you think their way of changing the song was unique or a bad idea?

by. Ji Eun Lee

Poetry, Poetry and More Poetry

As everyone knows, the Poetry Slam is tomorrow. Everywhere you look people are practicing and memorizing their poems or diligently working at decorations. Some people like poems and some people don't. Some people have no problem standing up in front of everyone and reciting a poem while others and scared to death.
Still, that doesn't mean we can't make the best of it. Just remember, everyone is going to be up there just like you. Just take a deep breath and enjoy yourself. Enjoy sharing your poem and enjoy other people's poems. It's okay to be nervous, just don't let it consume you. This year, you won't be getting up on stage. It will be a lot more personal and comfortable.
A lot of work has gone into this Slam so appreciate it! Many students have tirelessly worked at creating and putting up the decorations. Take the time to pay someone a compliment!
Don't dread the Slam. Not only is it a form of entertainment, you'll learn special life skills such as public speaking. And don't forget we're getting out of class...
So, take a deep breath, smile and have fun. Plus, we're getting food. Who could have a problem with that?
What's your favorite or least favorite thing about the Poetry Slam? Are you looking forward to it or dreading it?

by Lily Ghiz

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Irtra Petapa

On Thursday, May 8th, as most of you know, the eighth grade went to Irtra Petapa. We went to learn about acceleration, velocity, speed, distance, time, average acceleration, average speed, and other scientific things that related to the roller coasters. Thanks to some help from Ms. Vary, other students' help, and our persuasiveness, we were able to convince Mr. Sanders that we should go to Irtra Petapa because we don't really ever go on field trips. He was then able to convince Mr. Justice and Mr. Jorge that going to Irtra would be safe, and we'd behave, and how beneficial it would be to our learning. We left on a Thursday, and had lots of fun. We probably could have had more fun if there weren't all those schools there and the super long lines (we only got to go on 3 rides, when we had to go on about 6 rides) but we had a great time. Some people were freaking out a little bit on the Rascacielos where you sit and go up very high and get dropped. We screamed a little bit, and freaked out, and laughed, and talked a lot, and complained about how they left us there for a long time then dropped us out of no where. But we had an awesome time, with Ms. Vary and Mr. White.
Now enjoy this picture of us at Irtra with popsicles.

-Ivetticus G.

Funny and Cute Animals!!!

Have you always laugh of animals. Hear I am bringing you more videos to laugh at. They are hilarious. They are really funny, adorable and, weird. There are a lot of dogs that made weird things on the video, I couldn't stop laughing. There is a part were a dog appears trying to get something from the plate and he falls. It is funny, but sometimes you feel sorry of the animals. I bet they are okay and if they aren't they can go with veterinarian. They are going to be fine. They are funny and really cute parts in the videos. They are made by Tiger Productions. He videos are really funny to watch. I don't know were he gets all this videos. How can he find what videos to make. I just know that they are really funny to watch. If you want to see more look him up and subscribe to his account. Please watch them all because they are worth it. If you like laughing a lot, watch this videos. They are hilarious to see. I hope you like them!

P.S. If you don't like them, you are crazy. They are really funny and cute.

-Michelle Garcia

Friday, May 9, 2014

Let it Doe

          It has been a long time since the Disney Movie, "Frozen," was popular. Even the songs in the movie were popular, such as, "Let It Go," and "Do You Want to Build a Snowman." I've never watched this movie, but what impressed me about this movie, was that even old boys, who normally don't like Disney princess movies, liked it. However, I'm not going to talk about the movie in this post. A while ago, I found this majestic song while browsing through the web. It is called, "Let it Doe," a parody of the song I said before, "Let it Go," obviously. I don't really know who is the singer but her voice is really impressive. I don't want to spoil it so I'll just say that it's the best song ever.

                After you have watched the video, do you agree with me that this song is the best? Or do you think I'm mean? Answer in the comments if you feel like it.

By: Tae Hong Ahn

What if Frozen was a Horror Movie?

Have you ever seen Frozen? I have not seen Frozen before, but I heard that it really was a nice and very touching movie. But what if this touching and sweet movie was a horror movie? At first when I saw the title of the video, I thought it would be really bad and there will be no way that Frozen can turn into a horror movie. But after watching the video, I thought it really wasn't that bad so I wanted to share with you guys. What do you think of this video? Do you think it make sense in a way?

by. Ji Eun

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

"Look Up"

I know that several people have seen this video, if not more. It has been circling around social networks so it's hard to not have seen it. In this video, a man explains how the world is as we know it in terms of technology. This video was eye-opening. It was interesting to watch as the man explained how much we use and rely on technology and how much we are missing. He shows what might have happened if you only looked up.
How many times have we decided to not go outside or go out with our families because we wanted to sit in front of the computer? How many relationships or conversations have we missed out on? We make choices everyday and sometimes choosing technology might not be the best one.
I personally believe that it is good to cut down on our use of technology. Still, technology is a good thing to have and utilize. I believe we should all find our middle ground so that we can still enjoy technology but we can also enjoy life going on around us. You never know what you might have missed by only paying attention to the tablet in front of your eyes. Can you think of a time when you wished that you would have shut down the computer or put away the phone and just enjoyed life?

by Lily Ghiz

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Evolution of Dance

So I was trying to find an interesting topic to write about, and while watching a dancing video, I remembered the evolution of dances videos. I first watched these videos with my family a couple of months ago and even though I have watched them before, I still find them funny. In these three videos you will see Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, Will Smith, and Michelle Obama performing different kinds of dancing styles. As you will see, the purpose of these videos is to show the different dancing styles used throughout the ages. You will see the evolution of hip-hop, mom dancing, and dancing in general. There are more videos about the evolution of dancing, but these are my favorites. If I had to choose between these three videos my favorite one, then I think I would choose the one with Jimmy Fallon and Will Smith. If you have watched them before, it is worth watching it again and if you have never watched it, you should watch it. Did you like the videos? Do you think they show some kind of truth behind them? Have you done any of these steps? What step was your favorite? Which video was your favorite?

By Nicole Gabriel

Monday, May 5, 2014

Joe Jonas Dancing Single Ladies!!!!

I remember when I first watch it!! It is really funny to watch. My sisters show it to me. I didn't get it at first, but after a while I get it. I saw it like 3 or 5 years ago. This happened in a Jonas Brothers concert when their fans ask him to do it and he promised them he was going to do it. Kevin and Nick are so good brothers for make Joe do this. As you can see he is wearing high heels and he can't even jump. This also shows that wearing high heels is hard even for boys. He isn't singing the same song as you can see when they zoom in to him.If it would have been for them this video wouldn't even exist. I showed it to all of people and they said it was hilarious. There are more funny videos the made. So if you are a Jonas Brother fan this is for you guys. I hope you guys are Jonas Brother fans because they have really good music. This is for you guys because you want to see funny things not boring things. Right? I hope you like it.

-Michelle Garcia

Friday, May 2, 2014

Why Are Olympic Records Always Broken?

I was on YouTube and my dear classmate Laura Farias from 8th grade had pointed out this channel, AsapScience, and there happened to be one of those videos there once I entered YouTube. That's just how much luck I have! (Cause I am pretty great and life loves me.) Since I usually see videos like these, that must mean that these videos are good and interesting to post. So I thought I would put one too (and also because I had no idea of what to post). This video is called Why Are Olympic Records Always Broken? So, it explains how, like said in the title, why and how Olympic records are always being broken. It just explains stuff how they reduce friction making some of the events easier, or stuff how there is more population in the world now so there is more possibility for records being broken.
So, watch the video because it's interesting and I didn't post this for no reason so... Yeah. And you should comment, too. I guess... if you want.... :D
Ivette G.

Tiny Burritos for a Tiny Hamster

While I was looking for an interesting video from Youtube, I found this really cool video. It's about feeding a small hamster small burritos. I thought it was really cool how the man thought about feeding a hamster some burritos. Also the process of making the burritos is amazing and really cool. I wondered how the man could make these tiny burritos. What do you think of feeding a tiny hamster tiny burritos? Do you think it's interesting and cool or it's a bad idea?

By. Ji Eun Lee

Noah is a movie that came out recently in April and it is a movie about a biblical story, Noah's Ark. The actors are Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and many more. I haven't watched the movie, but I've heard many different comments and opinions about it. There were some people who said it was bad because it was nothing related to the bible according to them and there were others who liked it because of no special reason. I think people who believe in Christianity don't/won't like it because it's different from Noah's Ark, but I think others would think it's just a decent movie. However, since I haven't watched the movie, I don't know. What do you think about the movie?

By: Tae Hong 9th


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Friday, July 18, 2014

Today's Lesson in Recognizing Racism

"A 51-year-old Florida man charged with attempted first-degree murder, among other offenses, refused the help of a public defender on seemingly racial grounds during his first court appearance, WKMG-TV reported on Thursday."

“I said not guilty,” Thomas Thorpe told a judge in Orange County Court. “I pleaded not guilty and I don’t want this negro (sic) standing next to me. I don’t want a negro (sic) standing next to me.”--Arturo Garcia

Hmm, I've gained new insight as to the persistence of the racial divide in this country. Apparently there are people who have difficulty determining when racism is in play. Note how this story is careful to state that the defendant refused assistance from the public defender on "seemingly" racial grounds. Watch the clip from the news; the newscasters also are not sure if Mr. Thorpe was being a racist by announcing that he didn't want a Negro standing next to him.

Perhaps any effort to move to a post racial society should begin with basic instruction in how to recognize racism. Please don't be hurt by this, but the majority of black people will be exempt from these classes as we find it to be an instant indicator of racism when someone announces that he doesn't want a Negro to stand next to him. Especially when that Negro may be all that stands between him and spending the rest of his life in prison. Let's face it; we have superior recognizing racism radar.

By the way, the judge is concerned about Mr. Thorpe's mental fitness and has ordered that he be evaluated as to whether he is mentally fit to stand trial. Thorpe is an idiot, as racists typically are, but it's a stretch to think that spouting racism is an indicator that one is mentally ill and incapable of participating in one's own defense. If expressing racism is a sign of mental illness, we really need to get busy building a lot of new mental health facilities to house the number of unfortunate racists in these United States.

However, the larger issue regarding the ability to recognize racism is a major breakthrough in advancing to Utopia--a post racial society. This uncertainty as to when racism is present explains so much!

I have often heard many white people accuse black people of playing the race card. It's because they didn't see that there was any racism involved in an incident such as the murder of some unarmed black youth by an armed white adult male who claims that he was in fear of his life, until black people pointed it out! Of course they think we made it up because they were unable to see it for themselves!

The problem isn't racism; it's blindness.

Think that I'm wrong? Some white people are quick to assert that they don't see race! That's why they are not racists; they just have Race Blindness Syndrome (RBS). Let's hope that it's curable.

I wonder if anyone has told Mr. Thorpe that he may have to live in a prison cell with a Negro?


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Jefferson County woman sentenced for bank fraud

Jeanie Marie Smith Henges

A 38-year-old Beaumont woman has been sentenced to federal prison for bank fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales.

Jeanie Marie Smith Henges pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2012 to seven counts of bank fraud and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison Sept. 5 by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

According to information presented in court, in March 2011, April 2011, April 2010, May 2010, March 2010, February 2010, and November 2008, Henges devised a scheme to fraudulently obtained funds from the following federally insured financial institutions:  Anahuac National Bank, Eastex Federal Credit Union (FCU), Community Bank, MidSouth Bank, Education First FCU, Mobile Oil FCU and Wachovia Bank.  Henges executed the scheme by presenting one or more fraudulent checks for deposit.  According to the seven-count Information, the intended losses amount to approximately $72,419, and the actual losses amount to approximately $32,445.

Henges was also fined $4,000.  A hearing has been set for Sep. 21, 2013 to determine restitution.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall L. Fluke.


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The Extraordinary Berry
Health Benefits of Blackberries and Raspberries Fruit

There are many good reasons to eat raspberries and blackberries.

They are high in Vitamin C, which prevents scurvy, reduces risk of stroke, and helps prevent cancer initiation. They are good
sources of Folate, which is an especially important nutrient for pregnant women, since it helps prevent neural tube (spinal
column) defects. It may also help prevent heart disease. They are cholesterol free and virtually fat free. They are sources of
dietary fiber that lowers cholesterol and may help prevent colon cancer and heart disease. They are low in calories. All these
make bramble fruit a good addition to your diet.

But that's not all. Raspberries and blackberries have been shown to contain healthful substances which research shows may
slow down the aging process, boost immunity, and protect against chronic disease, including heart disease and cancer.

An increasing number of studies link various foods--especially berries and other intensely colored fruits and vegetables such
as strawberries, blueberries, and carrots--with improved health and disease prevention. Some of the healthful, bioactive
substances in these foods appear to be the pigments that give them their bright colors. Others are flavor compounds, such as
those that give an astringent taste to the seeds.

For example, anthocyanin, which gives berries their red color, is an antioxidant that scavenges free radicals, which may cause
aging of cells. Researchers are currently linking anthocyanin activity to improving vision, controlling diabetes, improving
circulation, preventing cancer and heart disease, and retarding the effects of aging, particularly loss of memory and motor
skills. Ellagic acid, a phenolic compound found in berries, has exhibited anti-carcinogenic effects against a wide range of
carcinogens in several tissues. And ellagic acid has been shown, in studies with rats and mice, to contribute to significant
inhibition of colon, esophageal, liver,lung, tongue, and skin cancers.

Why not just take a nutritional supplement?
When it comes to nutrition, no one has been able to outsmart Mother Nature. Research shows that it is a combination of
phytochemicals working together with the berry's fiber, vitamins, and minerals which make it so effective. For example, the
combination of anthocyanins, Vitamin C, and ellagic acid can act together, contributing to berries' high ORAC (Oxygen
Radical Absorbance Capacity) value, a measure of antioxidant effectiveness. Antioxidants are shown to work best when
combined; the presence of fiber, and other plant compounds enhance the health benefit. Scientists have also found that
raspberries blackberries may have cancer-fighting properties, but cannot attribute them to only one component.  For these
reasons, a nutraceutical source --a food with health properties-- is a more viable antioxidant option than a dietary supplement.
And a lot tastier!

Some honey — much of which is imported from Asia — has been found to contain
toxins like lead and other heavy metals, as well as drugs like chloramphenicol.
There might be something funny in your honey.

Food-safety experts have found that much of the honey sold in the United States
isn't actually honey, but a concoction of corn or rice syrup, malt sweeteners or
"jiggery" (cheap, unrefined sugar), plus a small amount of genuine honey,
according to Wired UK.

Worse, some honey — much of which is imported from Asia — has been found to
contain toxins like lead and other heavy metals, as well as drugs like
chloramphenicol, an antibiotic, according to a Department of Justice news release.

And because cheap honey from China was being dumped on the U.S. market at
artificially low prices, Chinese honey is now subject to additional import duties. So
Chinese exporters simply ship their honey to Thailand or other countries, where it
is relabeled to hide its origins, according to

This international "honey-laundering" scandal has now resulted in a Justice
Department indictment of two U.S. companies and the charging of five people with
selling mislabeled honey that also contained chloramphenicol.

Honey Solutions of Baytown, Texas, and Groeb Farms of Onsted, Mich., have
agreed to pay millions of dollars in fines and implement corporate compliance
measures following a lengthy Justice Department investigation. [The Science of
Food: 10 Odd Facts]

"This is a huge deal for the industry. This is the first admission by a U.S. packer,"
of knowingly importing mislabeled honey, Eric Wenger, chairman of True Source
Honey, told NPR. True Source Honey is an industry consortium with an auditing
system to guarantee the actual origin of honey.

Honey isn't the only food product subject to impurities and mislabeling. Olive oil is
often cut with cheaper oils and sold at premium prices, a practice that's expected
to expand as a shortage of the oil (caused by a 2012 drought in southern
Europe) hits global markets.

A possible solution to the honey-provenance quandary has come from an unlikely
source: astronomy. A laser isotope ratio-meter was developed to search for
methane gas on Mars, according to Wired UK. But that same technology can be
used to analyze the smoke given off by heated honey, olive oil or other food to
find its unique carbon "fingerprint" and determine its origin.

A sample of honey, for example, can be matched to the flowers of a specific
geographic region through the laser analysis.

"You will know, in the case of olive oil, if it genuinely comes from Sicily or if it is a
counterfeited fake," Damien Weidmann, laser spectroscopy expert at Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory in Harwell, England, told Wired UK.

Honey is an ideal application for the laser isotope ratio-meter because "it's an
expensive product to buy, but you can create a counterfeit product that looks
very similar using sugar instead of bees," David Bell, director of Protium
(manufacturer of the isotope ratio-meter), told Wired UK.


text:
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
Chad Bird has served as a pastor and assistant professor of OT Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He is also the author of Christ Alone and The Infant Priest, and writes regularly for and
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Giving Away A Divorce On Valentine’s Day

This Valentine’s Day, give roses, give chocolates, give hugs and kisses. But more importantly, give voice to the truths about what love and marriage are.

The Tragic Death Of The Funeral

The bereaved need and deserve something better than so-called Celebrations of Life. They deserve a funeral that speaks frankly and honestly about death.


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Monday, March 29, 2010

teepee dreams

how awesome is this dream fort teepee?

its another rainy monday here and i'm currently swamped with thesis proposal rewriting and editing madness. this weather makes me wish i could curl up with a juicy piece of fiction, and read and cat nap all afternoon. in a perfect world, i'd have a lovely teepee like this in the living room and countless hours to kill.

happy monday, my dears. i hope you're staying dry and have some time for a little cozy snuggling with a book this week. xo.

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