my family recently moved to atlanta. it's definitely been an interesting experience so far.
we've been experiencing a lot of things that have sort of tested our patience and sanity during our
first few weeks here. though the area we live in is beautiful and full of unique hang out spots, we
haven't had internet or a washer and dryer for about two weeks now. (i'm actually sitting in my
neighborhood starbucks and using their wifi to write this at the moment).
due to some mix ups at our apartment's front office, we've been temporarily deprived of things that
most people would call necessities. my immediate urge was to be ungrateful and unhappy about the
whole ordeal. amazingly though, my family has been able to have made some really fun memories
because of our little inconveniences. since we haven't had wifi, we've been visiting a lot of local
cafes around the area. all of the cafes around here are super cute! there are european inspired cafes
and even european/korean fusion cafes!
not having internet has also helped me to spend more time reading and drawing.
i will admit that not having wifi has helped to realize that i was spending a bit too much time on it
before. though it's been pretty inconvenient not having wifi whenever and wherever i want, i'm glad
to have been able to find and support local businesses around my area. this may sound pretty silly to
some, but i've been learning from these experiences over the past few days that sometimes a curse
can be a tremendous blessing! it sounds cliche, but this has really resonated with me.
right now, i'm in between work and school. i recently dropped out of online college because i was
unhappy with what i'd chosen to study. it just wasn't me. along with that, i've been out of work and in
the process of hopefully getting transferred to a publix near me. i've felt a little bit of panic about not
making money and about not working toward getting a degree like most of my friends are doing.
overall though, i've been able to reassure myself that no matter what happens, life continues.
opportunities always come and go. this has turned into a mini rant but i hope you know that there's
someone who relates with you in whatever in-between stage you're in right now!
life's worst curses can also be it's sweetest blessings.
- sarah :)
In honor of Thanksgiving, I've decided to list 10 things I'm grateful for and why I'm grateful for them. Before I start, can you believe it's almost Thanksgiving? Well, by the time this is posted, Thanksgiving will have been long gone. Right now though, it's only a couple of days away! I can't wait! Let's get startedwith this list, shall we?
1. God
I am grateful for God, because he is always watching over me. He guides me through every step in life and is there for me no matter what. Lately I've found that God is my dearest friend, comforter, and mentor.2. Work
A lot of the time, I dread going to work. It's not easy, and I guess it isn't meant to be. Hard-earned money doesn't come from me sitting around all day XD. Through work I've been able to pay for my tuition without loans! I also get to buy a lot of useless junk to fill my room with (heh heh).
3. School
I can't believe I'm saying this, but yes. I've found that education is worth a lot! Kudos to my friends who are talented and creative and are able to pave a path for themselves through life. I am definitely not one of those people. I need school to help me develop skills that I can't find on my own. For that, I am extremely, extremely grateful.
4. Internet (mostly)
Without the Internet, I wouldn't be able to rant at you guys XD!! Sometimes, the Internet can be extremely strange ( like when I'm browsing through Pinterest and random pictures of Jello-ed salad pop up. I am still traumatized by that). Besides that, we are able to travel the world and learn new things whenever we want! That's amazing, isn't it?!
5. Books
Ah. Books. Do I even have to explain? Books have provided me with knowledge, life lessons, and great entertainment! I think I'll always love books.
6. Cartoons
Okay, I've recently been watching a lot of cartoons on Netflix. One amazing one is Hilda. 11/10 recommend that one guys. It's adorable!! I love re-watching cartoons that I used to watch when I was younger. (Like Garfield, Total Drama, Spongebob, etc.) I think right now cartoons appeal to my desire to draw cute things. I get inspiration from them haha.
7. Free days
I love having free days where I don't need to do anything. I usually clean my room, do some school work, watch Netflix (lol), or just chill on those days. In my opinion, everyone needs a day or so to reset.
8. Friends
I've made some good Internet friends over the years, and I'm so grateful for them! Though I am terrible at keeping up with my friends blogs, I always love to keep up with them on Instagram and what not. Thanks for being cool, Internet buds! Slightly off topic, but another great thing about work is that I've been able to make some good friends there as well. I love you guys! (If any of you are reading this anyways, lol).
9. Nature
Okay, I'm not going to lie. I rarely go outside. When I'm home, I love to gaze out my window just about 24/7. There's always a beautiful tree or bird to see out there.
10. Photography
I'm not the best photographer, but I love taking a photo of the occasional sunset or tree. I love being able to have a physical copy of the memories in my life.
(BONUS) 11. Family!
I couldn't end this without showing my fam some appreciation. Without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today. Thank you to my family for keeping me on my feet and for making sure my head isn't in the clouds! You are all amazing and I love you, always. (Also, thank you mom for the delicious food. I really should start cooking a little more regularly XD).
. . . . . .
As always, I kept it short and sweet. I feel like I need to work on having more verbosity, hmm. (I always manage to get off topic in my foot notes, ugh XD).Anyways, those are a few things I've been grateful for lately. What are some things you've been grateful for? Let me know! Oh, and happy (late) Thanksgiving friends!
Peace out guys,
- Sarah
Hey friends!
Wow...it's been soo long since I've posted on here! Where do I start?
How about I explain why I haven't been on here in a while. Starting early spring of this year, I was super busy finishing all of my high school classes and I graduated in May! That was definitely an experience. It's sort of bittersweet closing that chapter of my life. One good thing is that we never stop learning in life. I started a job in late July of this year. I work as a bagger at my local grocery store and recently I became a cashier. It can be super fun and also stressful at moments if I'm going to be honest.
Like I mentioned earlier, we never stop learning in life. Some of us are just stupid enough to make the choice to add on more learning than is probably necessary (like me XD). I started my online college classes in October. For now, my major is going to be pharmacy. My classes are math intensive which my brain doesn't enjoy at all. I've found that it hasn't been too bad as I've continued to go along with my courses though.
So, enough about the past. Let's talk about now! With all of these added responsibilities, I've learned to appreciate a schedule and just productivity in general. I miss making content on here and really hope I can contribute something on here that will you all smile. I really love photography and hope that I can make time in my schedule to take more pictures. I still love books, movies, music, Netflix, and everything I did before. Isn't it great to find out that no matter what situations you're placed into, you can stay the same? That's another topic for another day, but for now, you can count on me to be Sarah. I'm just as weird and quirky as I was before!
Peace out,
- Sarah.
I watched as the sun set slowly over the city. Platen looked so miniscule and insignificant from my
perch on the old hill that overlooked the old shopping mall I'd been to about a million times. I startled when I heard a rustling in the bushes behind me. Only one other person knew about
this secret spot, Alex. "Hey" I said softly, keeping my eyes on the setting sun. "Sup" he replied
quietly, taking a seat on the ground next to me.
"I went to your house. You weren't there so I figured you came up here," he stated. "You guessed
right." I smiled at him. He grinned back. There was a paper bag in his hands. I knew it was some type of food. "Watcha got there?" I asked curiously. "Fries," he said with a devilish grin. "Want some?" he asked, as if he didn't know the answer to that question. "Duh," I replied with a smirk. "Hand 'em over mister." I held out my hand expectantly. "Magic word?"
I glared at him. "Please," I moaned in reply. He laughed and held the bag out. I grabbed a couple of
fries and munched on them. "Savage," he remarked, nibbling on a fry of his own. I stuck my tongue
out at him and continued to eat. We ate in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the sunset. I glanced
over at him, taking in his face.
I'd seen those features just about everyday. Recently, I'd begun seeing them in a new light. His amber eyes gazed steadily forward, taking in the splash of brilliant colors that surrounded us.
I wanted to reach out and smooth his narrowed brows. His lips were pressed thin and his jaw was
clenched. It drove me insane trying to figure out what he was thinking so hard about. His chin was
perched in his hands, arms resting on his knees. Why was he so good looking?
I cleared my throat. "Why was so serious?" I asked. He blinked and looked at me. "Hm?" he asked,
brow raised. I chuckled softly. "I said, why so serious?" He smiled a half smile. "Oh, it's nothing," he
replied a little too quickly. "Mhm hm, sure," I said flatly. He laughed. "Can't I have a private thought
now and then?" I pouted. "No. Friends don't keep secrets from each other."
He looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching them nervously. I thought he wouldn't reply, but
he suddenly turned to face me. "Autumn?" he said quietly. Ugh, why was it so hard to keep myself from reaching out and touching his face? "Yeah?" I said, keeping my gaze down as I fiddled with a
leaf. He grabbed my fidgeting fingers. "I've got something to tell you."
I looked up at him; his face a mere few inches from mine. "What?" I replied, trying not to look
down at his lips. "I...love you," he said. Did he just blush? My heart raced a bit. "I do too," I said
plainly, deciding that he was just being friendly. I knew he only saw me as a friend. He didn't break
his gaze.
"No, I really like you...more than a friend," he whispered softly. I blushed, flustered a bit. "I..I do
too," I said, smiling awkwardly and blushing bright red. We gazed at each other for a moment before
he leaned in. He placed his hand behind my head and pulled me toward him gently. Our lips touched
and it felt like fireworks were going off as we kissed.
I pulled away for air. Our foreheads touched and I could feel his gentle breath on my face. "You're a
good kisser," I said with a smile. He chuckled. "Not too bad yourself," he replied. He didn't move away or release his grasp for a while. I was perfectly fine being so close to him. It just felt...right.
He pulled his hand back and poked my nose playfully. I grinned and caressed his brow gently. He
relaxed it. Ah, much better. I grabbed his right hand and traced the veins along his forearm with my
finger. "I've liked you since the day we met," he admitted, breaking the silence. I looked into his
eyes, shocked. "No way," I said, shaking my head. "Yes way," he said with a smile, his eyes crinkling
at the edges. Why was he so cute?
I smiled, remembering the day we'd met. I was at McDonalds with my mom. The server had
forgotten to give me my fries and I'd gotten so upset. Hey, fries were a big deal to 5 year olds. Alex
had been there with his mom as well and saw me crying. He ran to my table and sat next to me, just
to share his fries. It was funny to think, after all these years, that our relationship had started over
fries. "Now what are you thinking about?" he asked, wrapping an arm around me. "Oh, nothing," I
said with a smile.
. . . . .
this is the product of a day spent eating fries and watching/reading cheesy romance stories. hope y'all enjoyed. do you like fries? they're my favorite (if that isn't obvious by now haha). how've you guys been? i'd love to chat with you in the comments.
stay cool, my dudes
- sarah :)
i sit up and immediately shiver,
its so cold, so dead this morning.
'winter, you cruel beast',
i mutter to myself,
as i rub my arms up and down,
in an effort to warm myself.
there's no use in opening the blinds,
the bitter cold would just seep in,
without an ounce of mercy.
i pull myself out of my warm, protective blanket,
the cold surrounds me,
nipping at my bare toes.
i quickly slip into my house shoes,
warmth slowly wrapping itself around my cold feet.
i dress as quickly as possible,
groaning as the cold attacks my thin, pajama-clad body.
winter, the mysterious one.
beautiful, yet lethal.
'but no, it would never fool me,' i thought.
i run downstairs,
warm tea my only desire.
i pour hot water in the kettle,
and wait for it to boil.
bored, i step away from the kitchen,
and toward the back door,
to peer through the blinds.
my eyes widen as i gaze outside.
white. its all i can see.
white. everything is covered in it.
the trees sway in the slight breeze,
snow falling from their branches,
only to be covered up again by more snow.
the rising sun shines gently,
gently upon my lawn.
the snow glistens, shining like jewels in the sunlight.
i sigh, fog covering the window.
'winter, you...you beautiful disaster,'
suddenly, the wind howls eerily,
my kettle joins into its strange song,
shrieking along with the wind.
i shiver, the melody giving me chills.
soon, the kettle's shrieks die down,
and i walk over to get my tea ready.
the wind continues to howl its eery tune.
as i get my tea cup and bag ready,
steam floats up toward my face.
i pour the hot water into my cup.
the sharp smell of peppermint hits my nose,
as the tea continues to steep.
i am mesmerized by the sound of the wind,
and head back to the open blinds, cup in hand.
the snow dances with the wind's every move.
my eyes follow it.
i sip my tea and continue to watch,
watch the performance out my window.
to my surprise,
two people appear.
clad in snow, from head to toe.
they dance,
a strange dance, a wild one.
i watch, absorbed in the duo's movements.
they sway back and forth,
twisting around each other violently.
back and forth, back and forth.
i look down, my tea is done.
when i look up again, the sun has fully risen,
and the wind begins to die down.
the dancers begin to disappear,
and i feel sad.
i whisper,
'winter, maybe you're not so bad after all.'
. . . . .
since its winter, i thought it would be appropriate to write a short story about it. it went down to 19 degrees where i live! i'm still getting over that occurrence honestly. though i wrote about snow, we didn't get any in my neck of the woods sadly. how about you guys? did you guys get any snow where you live?was it gorgeous and beautiful and amazing? if so, i'm so jealous.
send some to me bro!
shalom,
- Sarah
i stare at the screen,
fingers hanging over the keys,
itching to type.
my mind is burning,
trying to think of what to write.
i sit still,
hoping something will come to me.
minutes go by,
i lose hope.
what can i write?
at the time i need my mind the most,
it builds up a wall.
a wall against my desire,
my desire to write.
it seems that,
i'm at a loss for words.
hey guys! happy 2018! i hope y'all had a wonderful winter break and holiday season. i'm sorry i've been so inactive these days. for the past few months, i've felt so uninspired when it comes to posting and just writing generally. this poem felt very fit to describe my predicament. haha, well i hope y'all have been feeling a bit more productive than me. how was your holiday? excited for the new year? leave a comment, i love to hear from y'all <3
-shalom, Sarah
With NaNo rapidly approaching, I thought that it would be fun to do my NaNo novel intro!
My novel's title is Taylor Knight and tells the story of a young, female bounty hunter by the name of well, Taylor Knight (pretty original, huh?). Well, let's meet the characters, shall we?
So here are my main babies. Please be nice to them y'all, they're still going through the last stages of character puberty/development (lol). Can we just be painfully honest you guys, it is just the hardest thing to name a character! I struggled so much when it came to naming my characters before. Thankfully this year, I figured out a simple, foolproof way to name them. All you have to do is determine their personalities and their "styles" so that you can figure out what name will suit them best. If you have an idea of what your character might look like in your head, chances are, Pinterest or the inter webs has a pic of a human bean that looks very similar. (I 100% recommend Pinterest for character aesthetic boards, wip boards, and all that good stuff.)
That's it honestly! Hopefully this mini tutorial-ish thingy helped you? If you'd like a more in-depth chat about that, tell me in the comments. Well then, I'll stop ranting, go ahead and introduce yourselves to the kiddos. They won't bite, hopefully :).
( P.S. I forgot to write Meet The MAIN Characters, silly me)
Taylor: 22 year old bounty hunter. Angsty and likes to wear lots of leather.
Jean: Taylor's boss (and basically dad). He assigns Taylor to hunts and
keeps her updated on her targets every movement.
(really just checking that she's safe, like any other dad would).
Kalin: 25 years old. Also a bounty hunter, who happens to be Taylor's
new partner for her next hunt. (Whom she dislikes, but likes, but....bleh,
its just complicated, ok?)
So, there are my pawns characters. Their styles and their personalities will probably stay the same. But, they are still in development, so they might utterly change after this story? I guess that's just the writer's life, right? *inserts cricket sounds*
So, how in the heck did I get inspiration for this story? *sighs* That is a long story my friend (which I will share with you now). If y'all know me, you know I love sci-fi (trekkie for life).
Star Trek, and (some aspects of) Star Wars are the inspo of this book. When it comes to weapons, they're a mix of Star Trek-type weapons (phaser/laser rifles & pistols), Japanese weapons (you didn't mention that Sarah....), and Star Wars weapons. As for tech, most of the inspo comes from Pinterest pins.
My novels' aesthetic consists of space battles, bloody wounds, leather, dark places, painful small talk, and addiction problems. These might seem like shocking things for a teenage, Yeshua-believing girl to be writing. I don't mean to be controversial to anybody, but things like this happen to people in real life. I mean, obviously cutting out the sci-fi-fi element, things like this happen to people. The difference between my story and others "like this one" ? I don't leave my characters in a hopeless, hellish state. Yes, people go through depression, addiction, and pain, but it never has to last. Only one person can change that and He is God. My novel may not even mention God's name, does that mean His power isn't real or evident? No! I hope that through this story, individuals who have gone through similar situations as Taylor and my other characters will be able to feel that Someone's watching over them and loves them. Maybe my story will lead them to God's love and His truth. That is my hope with for this novel and all other future stories that I may write. Honestly, as a writer, my goal is to reach all people, not just the typical believer in Yeshua. Wow..... this got deep. I'm sorry if I ruined the vibe of this post, but that's whats been on my heart. I hope y'all understand.
1. What's the timeline?
*The story is definitely set in the future. I'm settling for maybe the 24th century? Think laser rifles, glowing katanas, flying cars, and other stuff that people consider a bit beyond our modern times.
**wow, that sounds pretty confident Sarah xD
2. What's the actual setting Sarah?
Well, Taylor spends most of her time in her space ship Big Betty, (which actually happens to not be as big as it sounds, ...oh the irony). The ship isn't super small, but it isn't super huge either. It's interior is completely white and only has basic furniture and necessities inside. Taylor isn't one to be flashy with her decorating. There are other places she visits often, like the prison planet Traxen (to hand over wanted criminals to the authorities). Taylor has never been inside of the prison, she always lands outside of the prison entrance so that Rocko and his men can come and take the prisoners from her ship. On to Earth, well this one's a secret that you'll have to find out by reading the actual novel.
Well, thats it for my novel intro y'all. I hope you enjoyed it. It was kind of messily put together, but that's life honestly? I think this year's NaNo is going to be a good one, lets keep each other motivated! I hope to keep you all updated on my NaNo journey. Maybe some vlogs? Anyways, are you guys doing NaNo? Have any special writing tips that you could share? (please do, I need some help, haha xD) Comment all the things below, I love hearing from y'all!
shalom,
Sarah <3
Hey there friends! Umm, it's October? Can someone please explain to me how that happened?
Honestly feeling pretty jealous of you all who are already getting fall leaves and cold weather. The coldest weather I've experienced so far in southern Georgia has been around 72 degrees *cries and crawls under blanket to sniff fall-scented candles in peace*.
. . . . .
1. My Disdain For Pumpkin Flavored/Scented Things
It's true. I just never developed a taste for (some) pumpkin flavored and (all) scented stuff when I was little. To this day, I wrinkle my nose whenever my mom makes me sniff a pumpkin scented candle at Bath & Body Works. Psst, if you ever want to buy me a candle, I love any variation of a chai scented candle (as long as there's NO pumpkin nastiness mixed in. Just throwing that out there *smiles mischievously*). Let's see, besides candles.......Oh! I can't stand pumpkin flavored lattes from Starbucks, just blek! I can eat pumpkin pie, but lattes, especially with coffee in them, I can't drink it. I'm sorry. (Please don't unfriend me for this XD)
2. Blog Goals For The Month
Ok, so the last topic wasn't very serious. This one is! As for posting, I hope to publish more posts this month than I did last month (doesn't every blogger want this though???). I would like to do an ootd (outfit of the day) post or a post of some of my favorite fall outfits. We'll see if this humid Georgia weather permits :((((((. I'm going to be doing NaNo next month, so maybe some character interviews and other fun, bookish related things???? I noticed that last month I set some high goals for myself that I wasn't able to fulfill (like that collab post, I'll explain that later). This month I will try to keep my goals simple and within reason so I don't leave you guys hanging again.
. . . . .
3. NaNoWriMo
I am going to attempt NaNo this year. The name of my novel will be Taylor Knight. It's a sci-fi story about a young, female bounty hunter named Taylor Knight (big surprise lol :). I can't reveal much besides that for now, there will definitely be more posts on the novel in the future though! I don't think I'll be able to do 50,000 words, I will probably end up making a smaller goal for myself. Now, don't get me wrong, I'd love to spend the majority of my month writing, but I am also in my senior year and I have a LOT of school to do. So, I'll have to keep my word count goal reasonable and according to my schedule.
. . . . .
4. Why I Haven't Posted That Blog Collab Yet...
Yes. I know what you're thinking. Sarah, where's that collab you promised us???? Well, I can explain. So, towards the end-ish of September, I had contacted another blogger and we started working on a character "interview" post. Sadly, (like many students) we both got suuuuuuupppppeeeeerrrrrr busy with schoolwork and weren't able to continue it. With her and I both so busy, it kinda drifted away. So sadly, that's why you didn't get that post in September. I'm going to try and see if our schedules will be able to work again sometime this year, and you just might get that post by the end of the year :)
What about you? Have you made some goals for October? Any secret pet peeves about autumn? Are you going to do NaNoWriMo this year? Let me know in the comments below! I love to hear from y'all!
shalom, Sarah <3
finally uploaded that youtube video for you guys! hope you enjoy :)
Guys, I'm sorry I haven't been posting on here. I'm here to tell you what has caused me to stop. Ready? I struggle with being confident As much as I'd like to, I just can't blame it on my introverted personality. Having a lack of confidence is a decision I have made on my own entirely, and I'm here to say that I'm tired of it. Sick and tired of it. When I started blogging, I fantasized about being a well-spoken blogger (and YouTuber) who would be loved by everyone who came across my content. I mean, there's nothing wrong with wanting appreciation from people, but with those intentions, (which are really just selfish) I know I won't get anywhere. I've realized over the past year that you attract a good-numbered "following" by being confident in yourself and making content unique to you.
Sometimes I find myself opening up Blogger to type up a post and then I suddenly get bombarded with thoughts that fill me with dread, thoughts of worrying about what other people will think of me and what they'll say about what I wrote. Or on Instagram and my socials, I find myself shying away from leaving comments on people's posts because I get nervous with the thought of striking up a conversation with them. One funny thing I've noticed about having a lack of confidence is that you crave HAVING confidence. I find myself getting envious of girls around me who fearlessly say what they want to say and post pictures without makeup on or with a bold outfit. I've come to the point now where I'm just tired of imagining what it would be like to be confident, I'm ready to start being confident now. I know that confidence doesn't come with the snap of a finger, it takes some time and effort before you become fully confident in yourself. But, I'm not going to let doubtful thoughts keep me from being happy about who I am, better yet, proud of myself for being unique and not the same as everyone else.
Onto the challenge, well, it's exactly what it says it is. It's a challenge to boost your confidence. I challenge myself (and you!) to be more confident. How? Try doing that one thing you've always been scared of doing because you were worried about what others would think. Ever wanted to cover a song on YouTube? Do it! What's stopping you? Or, talk to that one person at school or even your neighbor? Go on and say hello. What's the worst that could happen? They'll become your friend or even say hi back? Struggling with confidence is a decision we make! We need to choose to be confident and happy with ourselves. Try doing three things (before the end of September) that you've always been scared of doing and tell me about it later in the comments. As for me, I have three specific challenges for myself that I will type below so you guys can hold me accountable:
1. A YouTube video (song cover, vlog, etc.)
2. A live chat on my Instagram
(its @denimandtea if you want to join in on the live, also I'd love if you guys could comment any questions about stuff you'd like to know about me, as I plan on doing a q&a for the live)
3. Collaborate with other bloggers
(If you're a blogger and would like to collaborate with me, head over to mycontact page and shoot me an email, I'd be more than happy to check out what you'd like to collab on )
So, I've made my challenge. What about you? Will you take a part in this challenge? Even if you don't think you can do three, try just one thing and see how you feel. We can do this guys! Confidence is a decision we must make for ourselves, and change happens when we allow room for it! So, to make this challenge more legitimate, I'll be creating a hashtag that you guys can use on your various socials so I can check out the ways that you're exercising confidence.
Here it is: #TheConfidenceChallengeByDT
I hope you guys take a part in my challenge, I promise you'll feel better after breaking out of your shell a bit and letting your true self shine through.
. . . . . . . . .
Do you struggle with having confidence? Or if you've already overcome that, how did you gain confidence? Are you exercising confidence right now? What are some ways that you've used to grow confidence? Tell me about it in the comments below, I love to hear from you guys!
Is it just me or does the "magical" feeling of summer kind of wear off after a few weeks?
For me, being unproductive for even a few days just leaves me feeling bleh. Have you been looking for ways to be productive that don't require 'too' much work? Well, you're in the right place. Today, I'll be showing you some things that I've been doing this summer that have helped me to be productive.
1. Learn A New Language
You're probably thinking, "Sarah, NO one has time to learn a new language, it takes too much work!"
Want to know a little secret? There really isn't much work in learning a new language! To learn a new language all you need is a listening ear, a phone or computer, and motivation. That's it! Don't let your fear or doubt about learning a new language hinder you from experiencing something that will pose as a great benefit to you!
Before you start learning how to speak a language, focus on learning that language's alphabet. Don't stress yourself out by watching YouTube videos of people speaking fluently in French, Korean, Spanish, etc. If you search up for example, 'Korean alphabet' on Google, it'll probably bring up an image of the whole Korean alphabet. Save that image to your computer and start writing down the letters down over and over till you start recognizing the letters. It doesn't even have to take that much time, you can spend a few minutes each day writing down the letters until you've got it down. Your progress depends on you, choose what works for you!
After you've got the alphabet down, you can start working on learning how to read those letters! A great resource for pronunciation of alphabets of various languages is languagepod101.com . They even have videos that teach you about customs, holidays, and terms native to the countries that those languages originate from! But, don't overwhelm yourself when you're just starting to learn. First, watch the pronunciation videos and then gradually watch the higher level videos.
Another great interactive resource for language learning is duolingo.com ! They have a website and app that turns language learning into a game (an enjoyable game, of course). They have a large variety of languages on there, so definitely check out their website!
For more advanced language learners, you can find YouTubers who speak the language you want to learn fluently. By watching people who are immersed in the culture and life of the countries that speak the language you want to learn, you will pick up that language a lot more quickly. Hopefully, this inspires you to learn a new language this summer!
2. Blogging/YouTubing
YouTubeing and blogging are great ways to channel your creativity and be productive this summer! A lot of people write about how both outlets are difficult to take care of and are take lots of work to maintain. Honestly, they aren't (to a certain extent). To do either of those things, all you have to do is sign up for an account and start uploading content. Many people have different ways of YouTubing and blogging, but you don't need to do what other people do! Do you! If you like knitting, blog or vlog about knitting. Passionate about candy? Blog or vlog about candy! There are no rules to blogging and vlogging about what you like.
(If you'd like to see a post or video about how I blog and/or vlog, let me know in the comments below! )
3. Learning A New Instrument
I'm learning to play the ukulele right now, and it has been an awesome experience so far. There are so many free resources out there for learning instruments, (if you're learning to play a classical instrument, I highly recommend you considering having a professional teach you) especially guitar, ukulele, piano and etc. If you're thinking about learning a new instrument, I recommend that you start out with something easy first. The ukulele is great for beginning music artists. A great (free!) learning resource for ukulele is The Ukulele Teacher. He has a YouTube channel that's full of great videos for learning the ukulele! Of course, there are many other instruments besides the ukulele, explore and find what you like!
4. Exercise
Exercise isn't always about lifting super heavy weights and running a lot of miles a day, it can be simple and fun if you make an effort to find a routine that works for you. Personally, I love going on Pinterest and searching for routines centered on certain muscle groups; such as the abs, legs, arms and back. Most of the routines I find don't even require dumbbells or equipment. YouTube has some great exercise videos for beginners that I like to use sometimes. I highly recommend Blogilates. Her workouts are great and are mostly under 15 minutes. There are also lots of great free apps for exercising too! If you're into portion controlling and calorie counting, there are LOTS of free apps that are great for logging down your calories for the day. I personally don't do calorie counting, I just try to eat healthy and in moderation as often as I can. There are many types of ways to get your exercise in each day, find what challenges and benefits you! Your body is different from your friends and those around you, make sure you listen to and take good care of it!
5.Podcasts, Audiobooks, & Life
Improvement Books
As a teen, I find myself always focusing my reading on fiction (sci-fi to be exact *coughs guiltily* ). Though recreational reading is great from time to time, it shouldn't be the only type of reading we do. Lately, I've been discovering some great podcasts and biographies! One great podcast is The Lavendaire Lifestyle, it's all about life improvement and redesigning your life the way you want it to be. The podcast branches from a YouTube channel called Lavendaire that I also recommend checking out! The thing that's pretty awesome about podcasts and audiobooks is that you can listen to them anywhere no matter what you're doing! You can listen to it while taking a bath, doing chores or school, or doing basically whatever! If you have a summer reading list from school, you can knock out a few of those books by listening to them! A few great resources for audiobooks are your local library or Audiobooks.com.
Thats a wrap! What about you? Have you been finding ways to be productive this summer? Have you tried any of the above ideas already? How's your summer been going? Comment below! I love to hear from y'all!
Wow, June went by so quickly and it's July already!? Gosh, I'm still trying to catch up with this busy year that seems to be flying at high speed. Here are some products/shows/music/etc I used that really helped me to keep my cool last month!
The first product in this category will be this Trader's Joe's Mango Body Butter.
Oh my goodness. This stuff right here is AHMAZING!!! When I first used it, I was so surprised by how thick the lotion was! A little definitely goes a long way and the scent is soooo nice.
I noticed a considerable difference in my skin after putting it on for a few days in a row. I definitely recommend this product 10/10!
(Link to purchase: https://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/3055 )
My next favorite beauty item is this chapstick.
One of my family members gave this to me and it
so awesome! It's pretty much scentless, but it is so smooth when it goes on your lip. Personally, I strongly dislike scented and flavored lip products. This
chapstick is perfect for people like me who just want a high quality, plain chapstick. You will notice a
difference almost immediately after using this chapstick. The brand is Cowshed and I believe you
can order this chapstick on their website.
(Here's the link to purchase: https://www.cowshed.com/lippy-cow-natural-lip-balm-12-ml.html#.WVsNdpa_6o0.mailto )
Last in this category is this bb cream cushion foundation.
Though I got this a while ago, I still really love it and it
has lasted for such a long time! The coverage is great for everyday makeup and applying it is so easy with the given applicator sponge. It literally only takes me a few minutes for me to put this on.
This product is
great for people with busy schedules who don't have a lot of time to get ready in the morning!
(Here's a link to where you can buy it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GJ9G216/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5QWwzbZFRBCM5 )
Ok, so Trader Joe's takes the stage again. My mom
bought this amazing protein powder for us to share
that just tastes so great after working out. It's not too sweet or overly bitter from the cocoa powder and it's great for adding to shakes as well.
( link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXVUYVE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RYWwzbN2A8Z18)
The only stuff I've really been watching consistently are K-dramas (Korean dramas). As mentioned before
,I'm learning Korean right now and music along with these shows have helped me tremendously in learning modern Korean language and lifestyle. Here's a list of my fave shows (that I have just finished, sadly):
(THE FOLLOWING SHOW TITLE IMAGES DO NOT BELONG TO ME)
( Reply 1988)
(Strong Woman Do Bong Soon)
(Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo)
(My Father Is Strange)
• • • • •
Ok, the next thing isn't really a show. It's a tv service called Viki. (The follwoing image does not belong to me).
The app is free on the App Store ( I believe they also have an Android app as well) and you can watch all the latest Korean shows for free! There is a subscription option, but I haven't purchased it. You can watch a LOT of stuff without the subscription. In fact, I watched all the shows mentioned above through this app (without the subscription). Don't worry, it's not a sham app and many people around the world watch all types of Asian dramas through this service. Also, all the shows are captioned in many different languages (including English) so you won't have to sit on the couch and scratch your head trying to understand what the characters are saying.
R a n d o m
The first in this list are You Tubers I've found that are absolutely amazing!
I've found myself being more attracted to watching YouTubers who focus on productivity and life improvement rather than those who make frivolous videos that don't really benefit me in any way.
Here's a list of my current favorites:
ways to study: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVZ0eAO-nQgY-00ZYruJbg
studyign: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7TV5acMx_3Mzsdbts93liA
krist yu: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4SV3mvnHRNJJqv5abvZzfg
whitney bae (an American young adult living in Seoul, South Korea! ): https://www.youtube.com/user/whitneyiskorean
stellaire (jordon clark): https://www.youtube.com/user/xoStellaire
• • • • •
J u l y G o a l s
- Make a Day In The Life vlog on my You Tube channel.
- Find a blog design that I really like. I'm a bit disappointed in how the blog looks right now. (I might change my blog platform to Wix or Weebly, not sure yet. The blog design options are a lot more extensive on those two platforms).
- Try writing for NaNoWriMo.
- Start reading more books! I might set a number of books I have to read each month. Maybe at least three?
- Start being more active on my social medias. Gonna start "living" on Instagram soon, definitely gonna try to tweet more often.
Phew, what a LONG post. I hope you all enjoyed it! Hopefully you'll be able to try/watch/listen to some of the favorites I mentioned. As for me, I will try to fulfill those goals for July as best as I can. Until next time, shalom to you!
-Sarah
