Just Checking In

I've been gone for a while! But I am back... Honestly I pay more attention to my Tumblr than this. But this is much more personal. So yes!

I am not dead! Just sayin'.

2012! ♥

Happy New Year everyone! ♥

Apologies for the late post. :/

Here's to a brand new year! (clinks champage glass)

So... I'm not dead

And I'm not quite sure who reads this blog. But hey, I'm not dead!

I went to a football game last night. I must admit that I don't know a thing about football... But I knew enough to know that we lost MISERABLY.

8 - 42

That's what I'm talking about guys!

Anyway, I really just went for the socializing... And the hamburgers. Honestly, the hamburgers are awesome.

Oh and this cute guy that I've been eying was there. So it's all good!

No Love ~ Simple Plan

Sometimes, just like any normal girl, I would get really sappy over a love song... Then I'd get really lonely and wish I was in a relationship or something.

But I have made a promise to myself. That I would NOT distract myself from my education with "relationships". Especially I've aimed my sights pretty high.

College is looming over my head, and I must say that I am already getting pretty stressed about it. I had gone to college fair last Tuesday. I would like to say that it was that experience that suddenly made the future much more lucid. However, the real shock into reality happened when I moved.

Suddenly it was like someone popped the bubble that surrounded me, exposing me to the world.

I used to be really caught up in my own little world. Maybe I still am.

But I've suddenly become aware of the outside... And I think it has jolted me a little too much. The sudden exposure must have taken a huge swing at my mental stability.

I won't go into any more of that, as I'm starting ramble. (Although, I suppose I always end up rambling in my posts.)

Really, just wanted to say that I get emotional over love songs. (Just like any other teenage girl.)

And maybe sometimes I'm just a teensy bit bitter.

Just a Reminder

That you're beautiful.

Never forget that.

Hurricane Irene is coming...

She's almost here...

It's gonna suck without electricty!

And possibly, you know, without a roof.

Or house.

Hope that everyone experiencing Irene (sorry about how innappropriate that sounds) remains safe and sheltered!

I'm Going to be Honest

I am not eager to start up school again.

And no, it is not simply because I have been procrastinating and haven't finished my two summer assignments.

I'm starting on Monday.

Oh.

Joy.

Shameless Advertising

This is a Proboard RP that a friend made... I think it's pretty good!

Join me there, or uh... Be square!

(My characters are Arielle Grace Levesque and Himitsu Sakei.)

~~~~~~~

Gaikoku no Akademi.

This reknowned boarding school, located in Japan, has been around for nearly two centuries. It caters to the children of the rich and knowledgable who come from all over the globe. It has become known worldwide for its many programs taught by the most intelligent teachers the school could hire. Over the years, its programs have become the best and most diverse out of any other school in the world

Fall is coming, and the beginning of a new school year. There are many new students and teachers alike filing into the academy from all over. The year will prove to be a promising one with many intelligent children attending the academy and new, highly experienced professors to teach them.

Welcome to the start of a new school year at Gaikoku no Akademi.

I added some links...

On the "Links" page. So, uh, if you actually read my blog... Go check that out.

Glee Project Winner

First of all, I will admit that I am a Glee Project fanatic. I have been following it this whole summer.

Second of all, I will also admit that I am obsessed with Damian Mcginty.

Now that that's out of the way...

I am freaking out! I'm so happy that Damian won the Glee Project along with Samuel. AND Lindsay and Alex won a little too.

Just seriously. In shock.

Of my last post...

I lied... Don't feel like extensively reviewing. Hahaha. :P

BUT! Here's my simple highlights:

WIZARDING WORLD
1. Too crowded, even for the Harry Potter fanatic. I understand that the wonderful J.K. Rowling wanted an "intimate" setting of Hogsmeade, but that just does not work in a theme park.

2. Ollivanders was NOT worth it. I probably would have appreciated the extremely short, five minute "show" if I hadn't been waiting for hours on end JUST to get in. (In which wonderful Florida weather blessed us with a sudden downpour. Thank goodness my family is so Asian, that we were using umbrellas for shade anyway.) Only ONE child is chosen for the wand choosing, which (you can probably imagine) was extremely disappointing for my younger brother.

3. The Three Broomsticks served a wonderful lunch! Though obviously very pricy (there's no avoiding that at a place like Universal), the butterbeer was wonderful. We bought the wonderful refillable butterbeer mugs, which were also souvineers of course. The atmosphere was absolutely wonderful, and the food more than decent. (I suggest the feast that serves four. It definitely serves more than four, and we made the mistake of ordering that plus more. Also, the cornish pasties and fish & chips.)

4. The Forbidden Castle ride was excellent! Takes you right through the world of Harry Potter on a simulation in which you fly with the lovely trio. The wait for the ride was tolerable, once you got into the Hogwarts castle. (The line ended very far away from the castle.) Inside, you trapse through Dumbledore's office, a hall with the moving pictures, and various other sights. ALSO: Folks in wheelchairs or strollers CAN tour the castle. Once you reach the ride, there is the child swap area, so everyone can take turns for granny duty and the ride.

5. Besides my obvious complaints about the crowding and pricing, the atmosphere of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts were wonderfully authentic. (Though I must say, seeing the snow on top of the roofs in the middle of July was bizarre!) My recommendations: bring an umbrella, plenty of water, sunglasses, sunblock, and possibly a portable fan. And before jumping onto a line, MAKE SURE YOU ARE WILLING TO WAIT.

THE HORROR MAKEUP SHOW

I saw this in Universal Studios: Florida. See this! It's funny and there is air conditioning! However, small children COULD be scared. (These are FX horror make-up, after all!)

RESTAURANTS IN ORLANDO

1. Bahama Breeze: Wonderful service, food, and atmosphere. I recommend the popcorn shrimp and Jamaican grilled chicken.

2. Olive Garden: Good service, food, and the usual Olive Garden atmosphere. You may wait for a while... But a decent branch of the chain.

3. Sushiology: Hooray for fast-food sushi! This place is my hero. Quick, decent sushi. I like!

4. Sweet Tomatoes: Decent chain. Personally, I liked the one that I tried in Arizona more! But that's just me. Soup, salad, pasta, bread... Eat what you want! Quick, easy, and pretty good.

MISC.

1. Terminator Ride: Go watch it! Even if you don't like Terminator (I'm not quite sure who doesn't...?) You'll enjoy this. (Even if you haven't watched the original film.) Enjoyable and combines the magic of 3-D with real life action... Plus air-conditioning both while and after you wait! That's important on a hot day.

2. Jaws Ride: It's on the water, and you may get wet! Don't go on it if you're deathly afraid of sharks (or have little children that may get scared). It could have been longer... But that's just me. The wait is absolute torture though. The line was tediously long, with nothing to look at but each other.

So, that's it. I'm done with that... Sorry, really didn't have the energy to make it that interesting or long or anything. Hope it may be helpful in your future travels though. :)

Hiatus? & Orlando

I've been gone for a while... (We can blame the the summer for that.) But I'm back!

I apologize for the unexplained hiatus. I've just been feeling too lazy for my own good... I've spent a good portion of my summer vacation to eating, sleeping, rereading some old favorites (Harry Potter, anyone?), and reliving childhood memories by wasting my time slaving through Zoo Tycoon (Those stupid saber-toothed tigers just wouldn't stay in their exhibit!)

In other words, a whole lot of nothing, I suppose.

However, for a good week between the non-stop eating and Zoo Tycoon, I went on a wonderful, much-needed vacation to Orlando, FL!

NOTE: Now, as for the key aspects of my Orlando trip, it would be very difficult to squish everything together into this one post. So, I've decided that I'll be splitting up my trip into various posts. I'll review the places I've seen and (especially) the restaurants where I've eaten. Because, after all, it's not a good vacation without good food, right?

Now first of all, may I state that the weather was rather hot and humid. Being an upper-east coast girl, I was not used to it. (My hair frizzed up and straightened out of my carefully-done curls within ten minutes of walking outside.) Luckily, the weather was actually pretty good for Florida! Only one unexpected rain storm and apparently "mild" heat. Oddly enough, while I was gone, the upper-east coast was having worse weather, as a heatwave had rolled in.

Anyway, I stayed in the lovely Waldorf Astoria (which is part of Bonnet Creek Resort). Here is a picture straight from the site:

Isn't it gorgeous? That was my exact thought as we pulled up to it in our rented car

My next thought was, Wow. As soon as we first pulled up to the front of the hotel, a smiling young man in a Waldorf uniform opens the door for us to come out. As soon as the keys are left with the man (valet parking: yes), a pair of uniformed men open the door for us.

And we enter the large lobby, which is exquisitely decorated. Oh yes, there are complimentary drinks in the corner (water with cucumber, or the freshly-made cranberry lemonade). Oh yes, there are a row of windows overlooking the pool, private cabanas, and extraordinary golf course. Oh yes, an lounging area with a bar and (in the mornings) complimentary coffee and tea.

Needless to say, I enjoyed the hotel very much.

REMINDER: "Now, as for the other aspects of my Orlando trip, it would be very difficult to squish everything together into this one post. So, I've decided that I'll be splitting up my trip into various posts. I'll review the places I've seen and (especially) the restaurants where I've eaten. Because, after all, it's not a good vacation without good food, right?"

Rude Teachers & Being a Victim (of Cheating)

Expectations of students are high. Whether you have finished your days in school or are presently attending, I'm sure you agree that teachers expect maturity from students. How often have you heard the phrase "Grow up" thrown at you?

Which is all well and good, provided the speaker of that phrase sets a "mature" example themselves. (After all, no one likes hypocrites.)

As a high school student, it is common knowledge that students are expected to take responsibility for themselves. High school is the point at which students are supposed to become young adults. (I'm speaking in terms of mental maturity... Not physical. Though, uhm, that happens too.) Perhaps I'm just speaking in a biased manner in accordance to the events that happened today (more on that later), but when one sets a certain expectation, it would be hypocritical of them to act against their expectation.

(Perhaps that wasn't very clear.)

Meaning: Just as students are expected to act as "adults", there is indeed also a need for students to be treated as "adults".

That's not to say that we should have students running around with quite as much authority as, say, the President. (Heaven forbid.) Yet, the expectation of maturity does incite action (of the expector) that matches.

A more specific matter concerning this is an issue with a teacher.

Shall I go into depth?

Yesterday, in art class, we were presenting our digital portfolios to the entire class (as part of our final exam). I was feeling quite good about my presentation... Then, horror! A girl (how about we call her "Janet"?) at my table presents her portfolio.

Guess who's conte piece and charcoal piece are slyly thrown in and claimed to be Janet's? ... Yes, mine and this other girl at our table (let's call her Dana). Gasping simultaneously, we look at each other. Yes, it is really happening.

Now, let me add in some background info on these girls. Since I moved in, I had no idea about the "histories" and "rumours" concerning people. Which, frankly, is quite good. I'd like to say that I was rather friendly and nice to Dana and Janet. Dana and Janet were nasty toward each other. Dana being rude, Janet being outright catty. At first I thought that Dana had been bullying Janet, but it turns out that it was actually self-defense. (Lovely, huh?)

Janet was a compulsive liar with a malicious, rumour-spreading personality, and an ability to manipulate a situation into making herself look like the victim. And, being the new girl, apparently I would pay for being sucked into. (Yeah, that's the thanks I got for defending her against Dana.)

And so, Janet had cheated off Dana and me. Taking our artworks as her own. Dana (right after agreeing to go to the teacher about this with me after class), having a horrible temper, blew up on Janet in front of the entire class. I was trying to defuse the situation, as it wouldn't help the situation, would it?

By which point the teacher (Shall we call her Mrs. W? Or Mrs. Witch would be more appropriate... Without involving some very vulgar language.) verbally attacked me and Dana. She snarled at us to "shut the **** up" and "stop trying to do her job".

Was she having a bad day? Or was she just nasty?

After class, I went to Mrs. W alone to notify her of Janet using my project as her own. I was very nice and polite, yet she screamed at me to "calm down" (hypocritical, yes?), belittled me, implied that it was my fault, and said other very nasty, malicious things implying that I was a snotty liar.

I was appalled. That is not how a student should be treated. You see, now we come full circle to the beginning of this post, yes?

Students face severe consequences regarding such behavior toward a teacher, yet it seems not to be the case when a teacher is outwardly cruel toward a student.

Anyhow, let us continue.

So today, I decided that perhaps she was having a stressful day yesterday. Perhaps today emotions would be calmed. I decided to bring in my art piece (with my signature) as proof.

Me: Good morning Mrs. W. Concerning yesterday's event, I thought that lending you my art work as proof would help you.

Mrs. W: Okay you need to calm the hell down about this. I AM THE TEACHER. STOP TRYING TO DO MY JOB. Who do you think you are coming here and showing me this? Look at this- (at which point she shoved a pile of papers in my face) -I can compare your art pieces, and I don't need you telling me what I need to do. It's NONE of your business!

At which point I gave an apology that wasn't at all convincing and walked out on her.

My friend, who had been there watching, was shocked and disgusted.

"I can't believe that a teacher is able to treat a student like that," she hissed.

And unfortunately, teachers are able to. This particular teacher has been doing this to students for the whole year now, and only recently has she turned on me.

I would slightly understand had I provoked her in any way, but the fact is that I hadn't. I wasn't the one who had cheated. Perhaps the teacher's response would have been appropriate had I cheated or allowed the girl Janet to cheat, but I was the one cheated off of.

Perhaps before one demand respect, he should show others respect. Is it right that teachers get away with verbally abusing a student, while a student would get suspended had he done such a thing to a teacher?

Perhaps I'm blowing the whole situation out of proportion.

Fire-Engine Red??

So, I just thought I would stop by to blog about some spicy instant noodles that I just had.

I'm still recovering from it.

The noodles were in a soup that was FIRE-ENGINE RED.

And that was before the red chili powder.

... Yeah.

Hair Growth and Gyaru-Inspired Hair

[Picture unavailable]

So, here is my curly gyaru-style inspired hair that I tried out a few days ago, but haven't gotten around to showing off. At first I was attempting a hime gyaru-type hairstyle, however the basic component of a hime gyaru hairstyle is just the fantastically huge VOLUME. As shown off here by this lovely hime here:

I've been trying to grow my hair out longer after a way-too-short haircut recently (I believe I said one inch, not three...) and that means I have to now follow these haircare guidelines very carefully:

• Limited heated hairstyling~ This means that I've been letting my hair air dry, and I don't curl or use my straightener (to smooth out ends, of course, as I have naturally pin straight hair) my hair every day anymore. If I feel like my hair is a total mess, and I MUST straighten or curl, I use heat protectant.


• No shampooing every day!~ This means that I haven't been using shampoo in my hair every day... Okay, I hear you little sissies out there going "ewww", but it's healthy for your hair. (I actually do wash my hair every day, but not with shampoo. I co-wash my hair. This means using conditioner to wash your hair. If you'd like to learn more about this, look here. I've been using Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk conditioner... I've been trying this for a few days now. Once I've co-washed for a while, I'll post about my experiences with this.)


• Take an omega-3 fish oil pill everyday~ I have been taking these mainly because it was suggested to keep my cholesterol low (it's hereditary), but I also hear that they're good my hair growth...


• Eat things containing gelatin, such as Jell-o or yogurt~ This is the same as the fish oil pills. Gelatin is said to promote hair and nail growth... And anyway, yogurt is good for you. I've been trying my best to include yogurt (or Jell-o, if I have it on hand) in my diet, but it's a little difficult considering my... aversion to yogurt.

Healthy hair is growing hair! Or the other way around...? Whatever. Either way, you know what I mean!

Going back to the photo of me, I was wearing sunglasses mostly because I didn't have any appropriate gyaru make-up on... No need to see my face. :)

Inappropriate Animal Crackers

I'm in high school. I love my animal crackers.

But I found this particular one in my lunch today, and I thought I'd share it.

Have a laugh! :)

Waffles... And other stuff

First of all, I would like to share that I had some delicious waffles and breakfast sausages. In. My. Belly.

Second of all, I have been completely hooked on a few songs!

Here they are, in no particular order:

"I'm Going Crazy" by Se7en


"Don't Cry" by Park Bom


Anyway, moving on from my K-pop craze... I got a new haircut! Which I'm sure is of no interest to anyone besides myself... But I reserve the right to complain about it, seeing as the hairstylist cut THREE inches off, rather than my requested ONE inch.

Okay, ta ta for now, my lovely munchkins!

ABDC Season 6: I.aM.mE.!!!

Have you seen America's Best Dance Crew? Yeah. You should, if you haven't.

Well this season, I'm excited because there's this group that totally KILLS. I.aM.mE. is AWESOME.




As you may or may not know, I LOVE dancing. And right now I've been completely inspired to start my own dance crew... Except, I'd need friends that enjoy dancing too. Hrm. Wish me luck on that! In any case, I'll keep with a one-girl dance crew for now. Here's a dance that I'm learning and putting together so that it'll work with just one dancer:




I've learned most of it already, but it's a matter of finishing it off!

Bodyline Yokoso: Review

So, I've been meaning to do this for a VERY long time. (As in- months.) But anyhow, I will be reviewing on my first purchase from Bodyline Yokoso! For those of you that don't know, Bodyline Yokoso is a Japanese Lolita fashion online shop. (And yes, it ships overseas. I mean... Obviously. I'm in the US. ^^) At any rate, if you don't know what Lolita fashion is, you can look here. (And I'm saying this NOW, Japanese Lolita fashion has NOTHING to do with Lolita, the story about pedophilia.) Anyhow, shall we begin?

***

First-Time Bodyline Yokoso Buyer Review

So, my first (and only, at the moment) purchase from Bodyline was this lovely black skirt that has a few Victorian elements in it. Here is the picture from the site:

Now, Bodyline has a rep among Lolitas for being HORRIBLE and taboo (cheap fabric, lace, badly made, knock-offs of Lolita brandnames, etc), but seeing as I'm not a full Lolita fashion follower... I was curious.

The skirt is cute. I actually get many compliments when I wear it! It sort of reminds me of skirts from Hot Topic, but less cheaply made, and definitely less slutty. (Seriously, some of those HT skirts are more like wide belts... Though they are okayyy with leggings underneath.) At any rate, this skirt is definitely my style... <3

So, the fabric isnot terrible by any means. It is not the best, but it's not bad. It actually reminds me of some fabric that Forever 21 stores sometimes use. I have no complaints about the construction of the skirt either. It is still hanging in one piece in my closet, so... Yes.

The shipping was quicker than I thought it would be, seeing as it was making it's way literally half-way across the world. I received it in a few days, which was certainly exciting. :) I ordered by DHL, which has a fixed rate of $20. Unfortunately, looking back, I should have ordered more items along with the skirt because it was a lot of money for shipping just one purchase.

Now, the original pricing was not terrible. The skirt cost $25, which is fine by me, considering how unique the piece is. (Well, at least no one in this small US town has one!) Besides, I've seen some plain pencil skirts price for WAY more. (Of course, typically these are designer brands... Ridiculously enough, sometimes they aren't even.) However, the DHL fixed rate of $20 added onto the price of the skirt ended with my purchase pricing about $45... Hm, worth it for a Japanese skirt? By me, it was fine (mostly because it was a birthday gift and I'd been eying it for a while), but Bodyline shipped by DHL is MUCH MORE worth it if you buy multiple pieces. (Or you could place a group order with some friends of course.)

Overall, I do like Bodyline very much. I think that the pieces are rather unique- you don't see this stuff at the mall! However, DHL shipping at Bodyline is only worth it if you purchase MULTIPLE items. That said, it may seem overpriced. (Next time I visit Hong Kong, I might actually see similar style items for wayyy cheaper. But only IF and WHEN I go back to Hong Kong, which may be a while. $4000 a ticket? No thanks.)

Within Temptation's, The Unforgiving- SQUEE

I'm soooo excited for the release of Within Temptation's new album. Can it just come out all ready??

I've heard previews of some of the songs on the album, and all I have to say is that I am stunned. Stunned by their change in style, but also stunned by the fact that it's still the epic Within Temptation we know and love. Their new songs sound amazing! (Well, what little I heard of them.

Anyhow, here's the video for the previews. You may want to skip to these times:

2:54 - 3:20 for Sinead
4:00 - 4:12 for The Middle of the Night
4:30 - 4:35 for ???
4:55 - Endish for Shot in the Dark

Of course, the people speak over it all... In Dutch. So I have no idea what they're saying, and it's slightly irritating since I would like to listen to the bits!

But I'll take what I get! I can't wait to actually buy the album!!!

(The Unforgiving by Within Temptation, released March 25, 2011)