Grammatical Pet Peeves

To be completely honest, these are not exactly "Pet Peeves," but things that people SHOULD know but don't. The simplest little mistakes that absolutely drive me crazy and make me want to go on rants.

You're/Your
This one should be a given.
You're = You Are.
Your = "Your hair is pretty." Belonging to "you."
Maybe it's just me, but these words even sound different in my head. If someone writes "Your cool," I'm forced to respond with, "My cool what?" What do I own that is cool? My dog? My hat collection?

They're/There/Their
This one should also be a given, but people still get confused.
They're = They Are.
There = "What's that over there?" Referring to a direction.
Their = "The kittens ate their dinner." Belonging to "them."
I don't see these get confused as often as "you're" and "your," but I thought I'd still point it out.

A Lot
Okay, this is actually the reason I'm writing this post to begin with. This morning I saw a post that was both hilarious and upsetting at the same time.

"You make me hate myself alot. -Six word story.

This is technically a seven word story, but they wanted so badly for it to be a six word story that they committed a horrible English crime and turned "a lot" into one word. I actually typed "alot" into google to see if it's just spelled that way in other places, and the first thing that popped up was this hilarious blog post by Hyperbole and a Half. I actually have her book and she is absolutely hilarious, so I highly recommend following her.

Those are just a few of my many Pet Peeves, but I don't think I'd be able to fit all of them into one blog post. Now I am off to catch up on Hyperbole and a Half and possibly write my English paper. I hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend!

Wordy Wednesday: What They Don't Understand

Yes, here I am again, talking about school. Specifically, math. I've always hated math. I dreaded going to math class and doing math homework. Even the word "math" made me uncomfortable. Okay, the word still makes me uncomfortable. But as of yesterday, I don't think I hate it so much anymore. And this week's quote explains why.

"People fear what they don't understand and hate what they can't conquer." 

I was always scared to attempt math because I didn't understand it. I hated it because I always got the wrong answer and I struggled to get it right. I couldn't conquer it. But this time around, I understand it. The professor thoroughly explains everything and I know exactly how she gets from point A to point B. She goes through the example problems in detail and doesn't skip over simple steps because people like me don't always understand why that 3 has suddenly turned into a 1. But now I do understand it! And the moment it clicked in class, my jaw literally dropped and I flopped back into my chair and stared off into space and thought, holy crap, I get it! And it's not just because it's algebra and I've done it before. It's because I've done it before and I'm JUST NOW understanding it after only one lesson. 

I've found this quote to be extremely true, not only regarding my struggles with math, but with plenty of other fears and dislikes I've had. I hate card games because I don't understand them, therefore I can not conquer them. 

Of course, there are a lot of logical fears that stem from bad experiences with certain things. Someone who saw their baby sister fall down a flight of stairs might be scared of stairs for a while (true story). Someone who was bitten by a dog might be scared of dogs. You get the point. So obviously there are cases where people are afraid of things because they understand them TOO well or have been put in a scary situation with them. 

However, historically and politically this quote makes a lot of sense. These concepts also show up a lot in literature and film. 

My main point here is that you should reevaluate the things you hate and fear. Maybe you'll see things from a different light. 

SIDE NOTE: I just want to thank everyone that reads and enjoys my blog. I sincerely appreciate it and it makes me so happy to be told that someone loves reading my random ramblings. Three people in the past week have complimented my blog to me, and it really insipres me to keep it going. When you read my blog posts, I would really appreciate it if you would somehow let me know that you've seen it. Simply clicking the little "like" or "favorite" button wherever you see it posted, or comment on the blog post if you can, just so I can thank you at some point for keeping me inspired to keep writing for you guys. It's not about how many likes, shares, favorites, retweets, repins, etc. that these posts get, it's just about knowing who to thank the most. 

"Lost Cause Revival"

Today I am going to promote a super cool person who runs a super cool business. My incredibly creative, fashionable, unique, and talented friend, Kaylie Miller, recently started her own Etsy shop called Lost Cause Revival. She even got her official business license over the summer, which was super exciting and I'm extremely proud of her. 

Lost Cause Revival is dedicated to making beautiful jewelry out of the unexpected; earrings out of gift cards, necklaces out of washers, rings out of buttons, etc. Kaylie takes things that most people would label as "garbage," or as she puts it, "lost causes," and turns them into wearable pieces of art. 

As it says on her business card above, she also has a blog for the shop where you can read more about it. Not listed on the card are her shop's Instagram:

And Twitter:

I highly suggest subscribing to her on these social media sites and visiting her Etsy shop. Share it with your friends, your family, your neighbors, your whole neighborhood, your coworkers, your teachers, your mayor, and whoever else you want to share it with! And buy something pretty from her while you're at it. 

Kaylie also has her personal Instagram linked in the description on the Lost Cause Revival Instagram, and if you want to see her awesome fashion sense and adorable Disney Bound outfits, check that out too. 

This has been a Promotional Tuesday! 

UPDATE: Forgot to mention she has a Facebook page as well, so go find that if you Facebook!

My First Week of College

I've done it! I have successfully completed my first week of college! Now I'm sure you're wondering how it went. Let's start with the very first day. 

The morning of my first day of college, I went to the high school and gave one of my former teachers a present. Then I went straight to the college campus. When I got into the parking lot I figured I would try to find the closest spot possible. In the process of driving through the isles, a big truck decides to back out just as I'm driving behind him. Let me just say that I already hated trucks. I've always hated trucks and nothing can convince me not to, especially after that occurrence. I did NOT get hit, thank God, because if I had I probably would not be going to college this year out of pure hatred for the parking lots. I circled the building, discovered that the smallest parking lot is the student lot, got mad about that, and finally returned to the student lot and parked in the closest spot I could find. At this point, that was the first spot I saw. At the very end of the building. I knew there were probably a few empty spots closer up, but I just wanted to park because my toes were still shaking from the near-truck experience.

Once I had calmed down, I went into the building. When I got to he student center I was so happy to see that one of my friends was already there. I sat with her and then a couple of my friends showed up. I waited there until I figured it was time to go to my English class. 

When I got to the classroom I looked in the window and it was dark, but then I realized that the teacher was already teaching. I was thirty minutes late to my first class because it started thirty minutes earlier than I thought it did. Luckily the teacher was really nice about it and didn't mind. 

After English, I had 15 minutes until History, so I went straight to the room. I had a snack since the class would go through my normal lunch time and waited. And waited. And waited. The class sat there for quite a while until a lady came in and basically told us to sign a sheet of paper for roll and leave. Our history teacher wasn't there for the first day if class.

So that was my very interesting first day. 

The rest of the week went a whole lot more smoothly. My math teacher seems great and we started the first unit on our second day of class. I absolutely despise my Orientation class because it is a complete waste of 50 minutes of my life. When we finally met our history teacher she turned out to be really funny. The reason she missed the first day was because she had had surgery and was on a lot of pain meds that were making her feel crazy. "The bed was VIBRATING!!!" My English teacher is nice even though she messed up a couple of things during the first lecture which makes me worry a lot... And then Theatre appreciation on Wednesdays... Yeah that's going to be fun. I've already sealed the "teacher's pet" spot. Really though, I was quite intrigued by Craft's philosophical lecture about a pipe, a toilet, and Halle Berry. So I am looking forward to that even though there are people I desperately want to avoid in there. 

Which reminds me, there are way too many kids from my high school there. I heard someone describe going to the community college as "High School Part Two." It's great that I have a few friends from high school there, but then there are the people that I still want to avoid, if not more than I used to. 

On the bright side, I have made a few new friends! One in math, two or three in history, and two guys who sat with me during my lunch break. I even remember all of the names that I asked for (one of them left before I could ask)! 

Homework so far hasn't been too overboard, but today I did feel a bit weighted down with history reading. It feels a bit strange having homework for almost every class, because in high school I would probably only have homework for math and occasionally for English. I don't recall ever having history or science homework except for projects. But now I have to read chapters for history and English and do math homework (which isn't much so far) and journal entries for Orientation and Theatre. It's different, but there's plenty of time to get it all done and it's not like I have to read huge chapters in one night, because I have at least two nights to finish them. 

That's basically how my week has been. I've enjoyed my lunch breaks on Tuesdays and Thursdays and my long breaks on Wednesdays that give me time to write my Wordy Wednesday posts. I feel like I'm going to spend a lot of time in the library on Wednesdays because it is gloriously silent and comfortable. Sadly I can't enjoy the reading room because of the arctic temperature, but that's okay. I know I've posted SO MUCH about college the past couple weeks, but now that it's part of my life I'll move on with it and start blogging about other things again. 

Wordy Wednesday: Think You Can

Hello again! I'm writing this from the very quiet, but extremely cold, reading room in my campus library. I seriously need a pair of gloves.

This week's Wordy Wednesday quote is a quote I've known basically all my life. My mom had it hung up on the refrigerator to motivate us. I feel like it might have had something to do with my hatred of math... 

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford.

This is the essence of a positive mindset. People who believe in themselves are more likely to succeed, while people who doubt themselves are less likely. I tend to get very negative when I don't do well on new things, but my mindset has changed a lot so far this school year. I know it's only the third day of school, but I'm already feeling like the Little Engine That Could. "I think I can! I think I can!" 

I've talked to a few people who seem more apprehensive about their first semester of college, saying they don't know how they'll remember all their assignments or get them all done. Well, getting a planner will help with remembering, and time management is a beautiful thing (that I still need to work on as well). There are simple remedies to all your worries that you will find if you just think a little more positively. If you think that you can, then you will. However, worrying and thinking that you can't will do nothing good for you. 

Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. You're moving, but you're not going anywhere. Your thoughts are running at 100 miles per hour, but you're sitting still, doing nothing productive and not getting nearly as much excercize as that over active brain of yours is. So get out of that rocking chair and step on a treadmill and take a Positive Walk. Instead of sitting there worrying about your first big test in a class, STUDY. Instead of worrying about writing that paper because you hate writing, suck it up and start brainstorming. Your best shot will be better than nothing, and nothing is exactly what's going to happen if you're sitting there thinking you can't. 

Think you can. Even if you know math isn't your best subject, say to yourself "I think I can" and give it your best shot. Even if your best shot doesn't meet your standards, don't give up. Keep trying and staying positive thinking you can. Don't be afraid to ask for help, even if doing so makes you uncomfortable and being tutored makes you cry for some unknown reason (yes, that's me). Go into the tutoring session with a craving for new knowledge, not just for a better grade. 

Okay, I hope this post has been a lot more motivational and inspiring than the last (very unsuccessful) Wordy Wednesday! Tomorrow I'll post about my first week of college. Be prepared for a strange, unconventional first-day story.

My "Dorm" Room

This morning I cleaned up and organized my dorm room!

Honestly I can not even explain how happy I am to be staying in my room. I hate the thought of living in the same room as another person (especially another female) and now I don't have to! I get the same room I've been living in for many many years. Plus, I have it all to myself! How could it get any better? 

It is a little strange seeing everyone posting about moving in while I'm in the same place, but it's not a bad weird. It's not like I feel like I'm missing out on anything. Actually, I'm missing out on exactly what I WANT to miss out on. Being surrounded by people constantly. 

This morning I cleaned up my room and packed my backpack for tomorrow. Sadly I have a huge history book and two English books for tomorrow, so it's quite heavy, but I took out my big 5-subject notebook and hopefully carrying that in my arms will lessen the weight on my shoulders and back. I've always hated backpacks and I've avoided having to carry around textbooks my whole middle school and high school carreer. All you have to do is say to the teacher "I have scoliosis so can I have one book to keep at home and one book to keep in the class room?" and usually they'll be all for it. But in college, they don't have class sets of books. But I'll figure it out. It might even turn out that we won't even need one of the English books.

My next college-related post won't be until Thursday so I can recap how the week went and how my classes are. I might not post anything until Wordy Wednesday. 

A Positive Post About College!

I am not a Negative Nancy anymore. I did something I should have done at the very beginning of this last week. I looked up some more quotes. Quotes always have a way of making me feel better in bad situations. Obviously the Wordy Wednesday quote didn't do much for me, but I ended up finding three quotes that actually made a difference in my outlook on this whole college thing.

"Fear is stupid. So are regrets." -Marilyn Monroe.

This one helped me because I was so scared. Change has always scared me and given me anxiety. I hate not knowing what to expect. But being afraid of something inevitable is stupid! Change is what gives you new experiences. And I know that if I were to not go to college, I would end up regretting it. And that would be stupid too.

"Every year many, many stupid people graduate from college. And if they can do it, so can you." -John Green.

I was always certain that I was not a smart person because I'm terrible at math and science. But after seeing my English score on the ACT it finally hit me that I am smart to at least some degree. I'm not smart in math or science, but I'm smart in English and theatre and common sense. I have good intuition, I'm pretty good at reading emotions, and I have a good sense of direction. So I'm not stupid, and I don't want to end up being a waitress or a model, so I will go to college and become an English major and then an editor and maybe a writer. Because if stupid people can do it, I can too. 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." -Doctor Seuss.

I love Doctor Seuss and when I found this quote it made me somewhat emotional. I can steer myself in any direction I choose. I'm the guy who will decide where to go. And getting over my fears and making myself go to college is the first step to getting where I want to go. I don't want to go the easy route and try to be a model, and I've sworn that the only way I'd become a waitress is if I have literally no other choice. I want to have a career that says "I have a brain and I know how to use it." I want to be someone that very well could have gone the easy route, but decided to work through 4 years of college to steer myself in the direction I chose. 

I wrote all three of those quotes up on my whiteboard for inspiration yesterday. Last night was the first night that I didn't have a breakdown about it, so I'm very happy about that. This morning I woke up and realized that this is my last weekend of summer, and instead of getting upset, I got excited! I'm actually excited now! I'm excited about being excited! 

I went on the campus tour this morning, which was very short because it's one small building, and I learned a lot about the campus and got very excited about the Math Lab (where they help you until you fully understand it!) and this cute little reading room in the library with big windows and plants and comfy chairs. Our tour guide taught us where all of the quietest places are, and what places should be quiet but aren't. She told us not to get the chik-fil-a lunches they sell there because they're expensive and they don't give you much. She led us to the testing room where we might take tests and she told us that we can buy our scantrons in the vending machines! Scantron vending machines? Not something I expected. 

I have about two more days until I have my first class. I'm starting with English, which is awesome yet kind of intimidating at the same time. I'm nervous, but I'm not anxious anymore. Nervous is good in my book! 

It's a Birthday!

Today is my (not so) little sister's sixteenth birthday! It was hard enough to believe that she's already a junior in high school! 

This past Saturday we did most of the birthday celebration. We picked up her 3 favorite sisters and went to Red Robin for dinner. 

"Bad news is we sing off key, good news is this sundae's free!" 

Bethany, Sarah, Maggie, Tessa and I. Why do I feel like we look so much alike in this picture?

Group hug!

After dinner we went back to our house to decorate cupcakes. What Tessa didn't tell us was that the cupcake decorating was going to be a game. Before we started covering our giant cupcakes with icing, she explained the rules. Everyone was to decorate their cupcake, make it as elaborate as possible, and once everyone was done she would leave the room and our mom would come in and pick the best. Now what does the winner get? This was a big surprise for us. Once the best cupcake was chosen, all four of us were to team up to decorate another cupcake which the winner of the decoration contest would use to smoosh on Tessa's face! 

Sarah won with her spiky looking cupcake.

The top two are mine and Sarah's, the bottom three are Bethany's, Maggie's, and Tessa's. 

Talk about "Sweet Sixteen!" 

Today she'll be spending most of her day at school and dance, so I got up super early (like 6:30) to watch her open her present. We'll have her ice cream cake after dance tonight. I hope she has an awesome day and an even better year! 

Bandana Headband DIY

Yesterday I posted a step by step tutorial of how I made my bandana bracelet out of the bandanas my little dog used to wear before she passed away. Today, I made a headband out of one of them! This one does require sewing, so if you're like me and can't sew for your life, turn away now. Unless you're even more like me and have an awesome seamstress sister willing to help you out. 

This is the bandana I decided to use:

I started with a spare black headband and flipped the bandana upside down. Then I dug out some wire that I had in my jewelry making box and formed it to the headband, then cut it and straightened it out. 

The only reason I formed it to the headband was to get an accurate length for the wire. One way I thought to do it originally was to just wrap up the bandana and attach it to the headband, but then I thought it'd be better to wrap it around the headband, which I couldn't figure out how to manage, and that's where the wire came in.

This is where you're going to need a seamstress with a cool sewing machine. I lined the wire up where I wanted it to go on the bandana and handed it over to Tessa.

This is what it looked like once she was finished: 

It is a bit off centered, but it honestly doesn't matter at all. Neither does the color of the thread, since we will be covering it soon. She used a zig-zag stitch very slowly as to not break the needle on the wire. She says that before you start sewing to use the wheel on the side of the machine to be sure that the width of the stitch is wide enough and that it won't hit the wire. Then I had her stitch the ends of the bandana over the ends of the wire like this:

That was just a straight stitch with her sewing machine. Now you see why it doesn't matter that it's off centered!

Next was the fun part; rolling it! I rolled it up really tightly.

I didn't get a picture of it, but I folded the tip of the bandana under.

Now for more sewing!

This is where she did some hand sewing with white thread. It's called a blind stitch, which should be easy to find on Google or the wonderful world of Pinterest.

Finishing it off:

Then we formed it to her head. We did have to bend it a little more for it to be tighter, and since it is made with wire we'll probably have to do that every time, but it's no big deal and it's super cute.

Tada! There's our lovely new headband made from a bandana! This came out so well and I'm really excited about it. Yay for teamwork!

Bandana Bracelet DIY

A little over a year ago, our little pomeranian named Sugar had to be put down because of her many health issues. She was 7 years old and we were very sad to have to let our sweet princess go to dog heaven.

Yep, she was pretty adorable. 

Whenever Sugar went to the groomer, she would always come back with a cute bandana around her neck. We threw away most of them after they got worn out, but a few of them were in pretty good shape. We had about 4 left after she died, and it wasn't until today that I decided to do something with them. I already had the idea to make bracelets, so that's what I did!

I took three of them and decided to braid them together. I lined them up and used a ruler to draw a straight line across them.

Then cut...

Then I tied them together at the top and taped them to my desk.

Then I started braiding...

I braided pretty loosely because I wanted the patterns to still sort of be seen. I estimated about how long I'd need it to be for my wrist and then tied it off. 

At this point I wasn't completely sure how to tie it into the bracelet form, but I ended up taking a scrap piece of fabric and using it to tie the ends together. Then I cut off some of what was left, leaving some hanging off and looking a bit like a bow.

And tada!

I personally like how it looks! And the fabric is somewhat stretchy so I was able to just slip it over my hand and onto my arm. 

Here's Sugar wearing two of the bandanas I used in this project:

She stuck her tongue out a lot.

So now I have a cute little bracelet to keep a memory of her with me. 

Tomorrow I'll post a step-by-step of making a headband out of one of these bandanas with the help of my seamstress sister.