Memory Check

Study the picture for 15 seconds, and then answer the questions that follow:

1.      What did you wear yesterday?

2.      What did you eat for lunch last Thursday?

3.      When was the last time you said “Thank you?”

4.      When was the last time you said “I Love You?”

5.      Where did you see your best friend the last three times you saw them?

6.      What were the last words you said to them?

7.      Were those words hateful, or loving?

8.      What were the last words they said to you?

9.      What were the last words you said to either of your parents? 

10.  Where those words angry or loving?

11.   What were the last words they said to you?

12.  Name three things from the picture without peeking.

How did you do?  Maybe we could all afford to be a little more observant, and not just when we are being tested.

Teen Choice Awards 2011 Full List of Winners:

Choice Movie Action - 'Fast Five'

Choice Movie Actor Action - Johnny Depp, 'The Tourist'

Choice Movie Actress Action - Angelina Jolie, 'The Tourist'

Choice Movie Sci-Fi/Fantasy - 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1'

Choice Movie Actor Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Taylor Lautner, 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'

Choice Movie Actor Romantic Comedy - Ashton Kutcher, 'No Strings Attached'

Choice Movie Actress Romantic Comedy - Emma Stone, 'Easy A'

Choice Movie Actress Comedy - Cameron Diaz, 'Bad Teacher'

Choice Movie Actor Drama - Robert Pattinson, 'Water for Elephants'

Choice Movie Villain - Tom Felton, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1'

Choice Movie Liplock - Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1'

Choice Movie Hissy Fit - Ed Helms, 'The Hangover Part II'

Choice Movie Male Scene Stealer - Kellan Lutz, 'The Twilight Saga- Eclipse'

Choice Movie Female Scene Stealer - Ashley Greene, 'The Twilight Saga- Eclipse'

Choice Summer Movie - 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'

Choice Summer Movie Star Male - Daniel Radcliffe, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'

Choice Summer Movie Star Female - Emma Watson, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'

Choice TV Show Drama - 'Gossip Girl'

Choice TV Actress Drama - Blake Lively, 'Gossip Girl'

Choice TV Show Fantasy/Sci-Fi - 'The Vampire Diaries'

Choice TV Actor Fantasy/Sci-Fi - Ian Somerhalder, 'The Vampire Diaries'

Choice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-Fi - Nina Dobrev, 'The Vampire Diaries'

Choice TV Male Scene Stealer - Michael Trevino, 'The Vampire Diaries'

Choice TV Female Scene Stealer - Katerina Graham, 'The Vampire Diaries'

Choice TV Villain - Justin Bieber, 'CSI'

Choice TV Reality Show - 'Jersey Shore'

Choice TV Male Reality/Variety Star - Paul Pauly D Del Vecchio, 'Jersey Shore'

Choice TV Show Comedy - 'Glee'

Choice TV Actor Comedy - Cory Monteith, 'Glee'

Choice TV Actress Comedy - Selena Gomez, 'Wizards of Waverly Place'

Choice TV Breakout Star - Darren Criss, 'Glee'

Choice Music Male Artist - Justin Bieber

Choice Music Female Artist - Taylor Swift

Choice Music Group - Selena Gomez and The Scene

Choice Music Single - 'Who Says', Selena Gomez and The Scene

Choice Music Female Country Artist - Taylor Swift

Choice Music Country Single - 'Mean', Taylor Swift

Choice Music Love Song - 'Love You Like a Love Song', Selena Gomez

Choice Music Breakup Song - 'Back to December', Taylor Swift

Choice Summer Music Star Male - Bruno Mars

Choice Summer Music Star Female - Katy Perry

Choice Summer Song - 'Skyscraper', Demi Lovato

Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon Female - Taylor Swift

Choice Male Hottie - Justin Bieber

Choice Female Hottie - Selena Gomez

Choice Comedian - Ellen DeGeneres

Choice Twit - Justin Bieber

Choice Vampire - Robert Pattinson

Choice Web Star - Rebecca Black

Ultimate Choice Award - Taylor Swift

Off to College Tips

            For many people, going off to college can be daunting.  As if starting a new school is not enough pressure, they are also learning how to live out on their own for the first time in their lives.

            Here are a few tips for the soon-to-be college student, whether they are living at home or movie across the country.

1.      Buy as many of your books online as you can.  College books stores seem warm, inviting, and cozy, but their prices are much higher than you will find if you shop around.  Most colleges have their book lists posted online by the end of July. Amazon will become your closest friend when you see that you are saving $200 a semester on books.  Many of these websites even buy your books back at the end of the semester for more money than your college will offer.  Just double check the publisher and edition before purchasing.

2.      Stay in touch with your friends from home.  That seems like a no brainer, but if you are missing them, chances are that they are missing you too.  But it is also normal if you grow apart from your “friends forever.”  Sometimes it takes growing up, to realize you were growing away from each other.

3.      Change-it-up in the cafeteria.  Do not eat the same thing day in and day out.  Raman can only get you so far.  If you are on a smaller campus that has limited food options, get creative.  Throw some vegetables into your pasta, or try some fruit, nuts, and chicken in your salad.   And if you are close to home, visit once in awhile for a home cooked meal.

4.      Eat breakfast.  Everyone says it; not many people actually do it.  Chances are you are going to be staying up late many nights, (your reasons for doing so is your own prerogative).  You cannot ignore the fact that starting your day with a balanced meal helps you think and focus better.

5.      Call your parents once in awhile.  You don’t have to be the kid that calls home every night exactly at 7 pm, (unless you want to be), but do not be the one that only calls when they are out of money either.  Believe it or not, your parents want to hear from you.  Surprise them by calling first.

6.      Communicate with your roommate.  There is nothing worse than getting a bad roommate, but you can just as easily become one.  If they do something that irritates you, talk it out. 

7.      Stay active.  Most colleges have a gym right on their campus.  Many even offer free membership.  Use it.  Exercising is a great stress reliever, especially during finals.

8.      Get involved.  Take advantage of what your school has to offer.  When you join a club, you meet people you normally would not have.  You also are resume building and getting a break from studying.

9.      Think about your future NOW.  No matter what your advisors tell you, get a jump on planning your college career.  Take the classes that will meet your graduation requirements, or help you in the future.  Sometimes that Beginners Break Dancing just does not have room in your schedule, (unless that is the path you have chosen).

10.  Enjoy every minute of it.  Whether you are at college for two or five years, the time will fly by.  Ask anyone who has gone through college, that there may be a lot to soak in all at once, but you cannot be living in your past or future.  Enjoy the ride while you are on it.

Losing a Friend

     No matter how old you are, losing a friend never gets any easier.  I just lost someone who was so much more than a friend to me.  They loved me unconditionally, something that is rare to find outside of your family.  The beginning is the hardest.  I am still waiting for the emails that she would send me all of the time.  They were the most inspirational and uplifting emails, and would always brighten my day.  If someone means the world to you, make sure that you tell them while you have the chance. 

     You definitely have to go through a period of denial before you can accept that a person is truly gone.  There are a few other stages that are neither fixed nor guaranteed for everyone who experiences the loss of a loved one, but the eventual stage is acceptance of the loss.  It may take a while and a lot of struggling, but hopefully you will get there.

     When you have a great friend, hold on to them.  Don’t let stupid arguments or unimportant issues get in the way of the time you have together.  Forgive and forget.  I know that is something that is so much easier said than done, but it is a skill that needs to be mastered if you are to enjoy life and appreciate the people in it.  If someone is worth loving, you can overlook almost anything.  Meet them all the way and back.  That way when that person is no longer in your life, you will have no regrets.  There will be no, “Oh I SHOULD have.”  “If ONLY I had forgiven them yesterday.”  Seize the day, and live as if today is yesterday, (that way if you had been putting off until tomorrow, today is yesterday’s tomorrow).

     Regret nothing, and be reckless with your love and forgiveness.  There are more important things than to be angry all of the time.  And you’ll be surprised at the friendships you’ll find when you allow yourself to be open to them.

     I hope you ALL find at least one person who was as awesome as the friend I had.

So Long Harry Potter

As many of you may know, something epic happened on July 15, 2011. Harry Potter came to an end. After 14 years in the making, seven books, eight movies, and a billion fans later, the saga has come to a close. No more movies, no more Hogwarts, no more Harry, no more magic.

To get the full experience of a Harry Potter movie, you would have to attend the midnight showing the night before it opened. Since Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, (that is the fifth one in muggle speak), I have been going to the midnight premiers. The experience of seeing the movie first, in a theater packed with fans as enthusiastic as you are, is unparallel to anything else.

If you drove up to any cinema on Thursday July 14^th around 11 p.m., you would have had a tough time finding a parking spot. Upon entering the building, you would have found the lobby packed with avid fans, most of which were dressed as their favorite character or sporting Harry Potter attire. 

As midnight approached we were unleashed into the theaters. When the lights finally dimmed, the tension skyrocketed. As the movie started, the audience cheered with anticipation. The end was beginning.

We laughed, we cried, we had a great time. The first movie in the series came out in 2001, so many of us had literally grown up along with Harry Potter. This marked the end of a chapter in my life; my childhood was officially over as the credits rolled off the screen.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the perfect ending to the series. Whether you have been there from the beginning, or are recently joining the party, I would recommend this movie. It gets an 8 out of 10 on my scale.  It’s rated PG-13, in theaters everywhere.