Influenster

If you've ever wanted to sign up for a service that sends you FREE stuff, then Influenster is the service for you. Once you sign up with Influenster, you take surveys to receive badges that are relevant to your life. In other words, if you are a total techie, then you could take the surveys to earn the Gadgeteer badge. If you were born to be a traveler, you could unlock the Jetsetter badge. Then, once you've received all of your badges, you'll get offers for things called VoxBoxes. A VoxBox is a box full of a handful of different items from different brands (within the realm of a certain area, like beauty), that you then try out, test, and review in a survey on Influenster a few months later. Not only are you getting free items, but you can share your opinion with others and let them know whether or not something is worth trying out. I totally recommend that  everyone sign up for this, because it's a cool program that gives you the opportunity to review products (for free) that are relevant to your lifestyle.

I'M BACK!!!

Whoa! What in the world is this?! Is this a post?! From Sydney?! Omg! Yes it is!

Let's see, since the last time I posted I have probably turned eighteen, graduated high school and now I'm at good old University of South Dakota. I've been busy busy busy. But, the great news is that I have started writing again. Yay! It's just a little bit here and there, but I'm so happy that I've gotten back into it because I've really missed it.

Let's see... I really can't think of much else to add to this. I may or may not have just decided to post this because Bailey told me to. :) Have a great day!!

Oh, PS: We missed Mandy's birthday a couple weeks ago.. So.. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY MANDY!!! :D

VICTORY TOUR 2013: LIFE IN THE DISTRICTS

Victory Tour is a Hunger Games convention taking place in North Carolina in the summer of 2013, created by fans for fans. Events that will be happening at the convention include: Opening Ceremonies, a Hunger Games musical, Fashion Show/Costume Contest, a Reaping, The Tribute Games and Training Center, a movie night, and the Harvest Festival closing ceremonies. There will also be the Career Lounge, a place where those who have purchased Career level registration (Rockstar) will be able to relax between events. Those who have purchased Career registration will also be getting several more perks, to be announced at a later date.

A Kickstarter has been launched to help raise funds for this marvelous event. You can help out by donating money to help get some of your favorite Hunger Games actors there. The more you donate, the better this convention will be for the fans! To learn more about Victory Tour, head to http://victorytour2013.com

Fire is catching in 2013. Make sure you are a part of the movement, and May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor.

Senior Year: Slightly Overrated (In My Opinion)

So it has been a few weeks since I have started my senior year of high school. College has started back up, we've had assignments due, things are really kicking up. But one thing I've noticed: there's nothing that's oh so spectacular about senior year. Sure, there are some perks, like my teachers letting us out of class up to an hour early because they don't have anything else planned for that day. But overall, I don't think my senior year has started off any different than any of my other years. But I am almost 100% positive that that will change!

Everyone I've ever talked to (okay maybe not everyone, but you get my point) has said that senior year was the best year of high school. So I take that partly as my reasoning for why it'll get better. The other part is going to be me and my friends trying lots of new things, probably getting into a little bit of trouble, and most importantly, having fun and making memories! So although things like finishing my college applications, applying for scholarships and grants, graduation, and leaving the place that for 18 years I've come to know as my home (even though I despise it here!) seem daunting, I know that with some help and support from my gurrrls and my friends, I can get through anything!

P.S. I am really going to try and keep posting things about my vacation, I just got really busy! Much love, XOXO

My Author: David Foster Wallace

Procrastination is NEVER the answer

So although I always tell myself that I won't procrastinate anymore, I never take my own advice. I know, life would probably be a lot easier if I actually did things as they were assigned, but I just don't. I am a procrastinator, it is my nature to put things off until the last minute. So what have I put off this time? My summer reading assignment. My assignment was to read the assigned books (Madame Bovary and Their Eyes Were Watching God), and then complete a reading journal (consisting of character dissections, quotes and their relevance, etc.), to be turned in on the first day of school. Well about three weeks ago, I started reading Madame Bovary, and at the point of writing this blog, I have finally finished reading it. I have not started the reading journal for it. School starts Monday. I have 5 days, count em, FIVE, to read Their Eyes Were Watching God and do my reading journals for both books.

Although this might have some people worried (my mom, especially!), I am not even remotely worried. I know that I will have plenty of time to complete my assignment to the best of my ability. Even with all of the other things I have to do that all seem to be happening this weekend. So although I am putting things off until the end, I am not leaving myself without enough time to complete all that is required of me. So I suppose the moral to this story is that, although procrastination is a terrible habit, if you're going to do it, leave yourself enough time to complete everything to the best of your abilities.

My goal for this school year is to be more organized. I've purchased TWO calendars (one for my wall and one to keep in my purse at all times) and I am going to be more aware of due dates and things like that. This senior year is sure to be stressful with college applications and such, but with just a little organization, I'm sure that I can avoid some unwanted worries.

My advice? Don;t make more commitments than you can keep. Don't spread yourself thin trying to do as much as is inhumanly possible. Take on what you can handle while still doing your best. Because if it's not worth doing your best on, it isn't worth doing at all.

My author: Chuck Palahniuk

Sorry for being MIA

I really wish that I could have been posting for the last 3+ weeks. I really do. I love blogging, I love my gurrrls, and I love being able to share a bit of my life with anyone who happens to read this blog. But I think I have a valid reason for not being able to post... I was having a once in a lifetime experience in Europe! Yes, it was rainy. Yes, I was busy all day every day, and got little to no sleep. But I had a BLAST!

It started out on July 2nd. I boarded a flight on British Airways from LAX to Heathrow Airport in London. Although it was a 10 hour flight, it seemed to fly by (pun intended) because it was a really nice plane. Everyone had their own television screen and could choose what they wanted to do with it. There was TV, movies, music, and games. I watched 5 movies on the flight when I should have been sleeping, but I enjoyed myself. Then, once we finally landed (on the morning of July 3rd), I was very excited. We got our bags, met our guide for the trip, got onto our coach, etc. We started driving into London, which seemed to take forever. Then we made it to Hampton Court Palace, which was gorgeous! I wonder why someone honestly needs all of that space, but whatever floats your boat, King Henry VIII... After that we went back to the hotel and got to rest.

The next day we had a guide take us around the city of London. She was very knowledgeable and showed us a lot of things. I really enjoyed her tour because she pointed out a lot of things that were put into the Harry Potter films, like the Millennium Bridge (in Half-Blood Prince) and the Australia House, which served as the inside of Gringotts bank in Philosopher's Stone. Then we got to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. No spotting of Her Majesty though, because she was off doing things for her Diamond Jubilee. After that, we got to go to the Tower of London and see things such as the Crown Jewels (really ugly, if you ask me) and King Henry VIII's suit of armor, with a codpiece that you couldn't help but think that there had to be some exaggeration going on there! Afterwards, we got a little time to shop in the West End, and then we headed off to go see Wicked! This was my 2nd time seeing Wicked, and although I enjoyed it more my first time on Broadway, I still loved it just as much!

Then July 5th came, and it was our last day in England, which made me incredibly sad. We got to go on the London Eye, which offers some pretty amazing views of London. Then we did a little souvenir shopping, and  I got myself an Oxford University jacket, which is now my favorite jacket in the world! After that we got to meet a former Member of Parliament, who was incredibly kind, and had a great sense of humor. After that, we went to Covent Garden, which is a shopping center with souvenir type shops as well as with "normal stores" like Sunglass Hut and Build-A-Bear. We got a few hours there, so it was a nice leisurely time to shop. Then we headed to Portsmouth, England, where we had dinner and then boarded our ferry that took us to France overnight. It was almost like a cruise ship, but not nearly as nice, and the rooms were EVEN SMALLER! But it was an effective way of getting us across the English Channel.

I'll post my stories about France tomorrow or something... don't wan't to overload you guys and bore you, or anything like that!

My author: Cory Doctorow

Well...

Well I got married. It's been three weeks that I have had to put an R between the M and the S and also as my last initial. It has been a beautiful whirlwind.

Well no one posts here anymore and that makes me sad. What happened to my other gurrrls? Is anyone writing any more? Anyone reading? Anyone breathing? I'm still reading A Game of Thrones and have also started Seal Team Six which is totally out of my comfort zone but actually pretty entertaining.

Well it is still Summer and hot as a firecracker. Too hot for firecrackers actually...

Well I didn't have much to say but someone needed to post.

Well...

Author: Stephen King