August, Day 31 - Doctor Who, Boys, and Fire

   I totally bought Doctor Who Monopoly yesterday! I also bought something else. Here are the two things I bought yesterday:

Isn't it awesome? I love it! I have such an urge to check the time with it every few minutes. I feel like such a dork... My goodness. So now I'm just sitting here listening to Cody Simpson, wishing I could play the Monopoly with someone. Oh, hey! When I bought the Monopoly at Chapters yesterday, I met a guy. ;) I walked up to the cashier casually as he called me over. He saw my Monopoly and he was totally a Whovian! We talked about Doctor Who for like 5 minutes and then I had to go so that other people in line could pay for their stuff. The best part about that was that he was cute! I doubt I'll see him again because I don't go to the city very often.
   After that I realize how much I miss being in a relationship. It kind of sucks being single but at the same time I'm really enjoying the freedom. I also really can't imagine a guy falling for me. I'm kind of weird. Even weird guys think I'm too weird. I DON'T GET IT! I like weird guys, personally. The silly thing is that normal guys go for normal girls, weird guys go for normal girls, and even nerdy guys go for normal girls. What about those weird girls, like myself?! Am I destined to be single for life? It sure feels like it. Maybe I should just forget about guys and completely pursue all my semi-passions.
    I say semi-passion because I have never really felt completely passionate about something. I am kind of envious of those people who have that one thing they are completely passionate about and they spend their life pursuing it with their whole being. Then there is me... I have a billion hobbies and likes. I just don't know what to do with myself...
   I totally didn't do a song cover. I'm sorry. I have a good excuse though! I'm a volunteer firefighter and we had a fire call yesterday and I got waaaayy too much smoke and I nearly collapsed. I probably should have put on an SCBA the minute I got on scene. So I spent all last night being nauseous and tired. That is my fabulous excuse. I also really feel like no one will like any of my covers. I'm so insecure about it... I have such a hesitation for trying things like that. I realize my insignificance every, single day. Maybe I should just stop suffering depression. It's really depressing, haha. I don't know.

   Love, Mary xoxo

August, Day 29 - Dr. Who, Before You Exit, and Failed Goals

I must say, I didn't complete my science goal. It's a total bummer, I know. I think I have pretty good excuses for it though! Not that excuses are really impressive... So first excuse: Our cat ran away or gotten eaten by the lovely owls that reside in our lovely village so we are left to feed her kittens by an eye dropper ever two hours. I have been sent to kitty duty for a few days. Second excuse: My birthday! I spent the day before my birthday hanging out with one of my friends and then she came over for a sleepover. In the morning, we started making my cake. In the afternoon we biked 40km. Yes, 40 whole kilometers. LIKE SERIOUSLY 40 WHOLE STINKING KILOMETERS!! It was amazing. I had set for myself the goal of biking 40km by the end of summer and I totally did it! It was amazing! During the last stretch I really had to battle my mind because I was so sore and tired that I came so close to just calling my sister to just come and pick me up. But I did it! Ah! Now I have decided that I want to bike to this city that is an hour's drive from my house. It will probably take all day to accomplish it. It's about 90km, I think. I'm not actually quite sure and I don't feel like looking it up.
   Anyways, third excuse: Wait... Do I even have a third excuse? I don't remember... Shoot. I was so sure I had a huge bunch load of reasons. Maybe I'm just a lame bum. Oh wait! I was catching up on my Dr. Who. I started watching it this year and I'm just about finished the third season. I can't express truly how much I love that show and David Tennant. I guess that is probably the lamest excuse in the world of excuses. *In whiny voice* I was watching Dr. Who! *sigh* My nerdy is showing. I apologize. Oh wait, maybe I don't because I SAW DR. WHO MONOPOLY!! It was in Chapters. $40. I must get it. I might purchase it tomorrow if I go to the city.
   I have a new favorite band other than Hunter Hayes now. It's Before You Exit. My friend, Dawn, showed them to me and I'm kind of obsessing. I kept telling myself that I wouldn't obsess over them and the next thing you know it they're the background on my computer. So embarrassing. Maybe I should have left that detail out. I hope they come out with more music really soon. I keep listening to them on repeat all day. I'm worried that I'm falling in love with boys that I will never meet. It's pitiful. I should really be more realistic. I'll never be able to meet them. *sigh*
   I keep thinking of doing those YouTube covers soon. Should I do it? What if I get famous? That would be horrible! I don't know if I could stand a bunch of silly people obsessing over me. :P I also have a wee bit of a cold so I can't sing... Well I can, but it might not sound that good. That would also mean that I would have to fit in another activity to my schedule. Maybe I could have a music-y evenings. I am supposed to practice piano in the evening but I never get around to it. Music evenings might be a good idea for me besides my hand sewing... To sing or not to sing! That is the question! Do you think I should go for it? Let me know in the comments!
   Well that's all I can think about writing tonight. I will either post tomorrow or I will be practicing a song for a YouTube cover. Good night!
   Love, Mary xoxo

New School Bling - Apps I'm Loving Fall 2013

I am always on the lookout for new apps. I just love apps and maybe one day I'll make my own. So here is my compiled list of apps that I found and love for back to school.

Grades 2 - Free

Grades 2 is perfect for me because I home school and it saves time to have all my grades on my iPod. Also when you can type in what grade average that you want to maintain with each subject and it will tell you what test score you need to get in order to get that grade average. It will definitely be on my iPod for a long time.

 Dictionary.com Dictionary and Thesaurus - Free

This is pretty self explanatory. Like seriously, how are you supposed to get through school without a dictionary? I like this one because it has such a simple format and you can upgrade it for $0.99 to add a rhyming dictionary. I can already see it now! This will make me more famous than Dr. Seuss!! Ha ha...ha.... Okay, maybe not.

BooksApp 2 - Free

This app is used to catalog all the books you own. It will even sort them by author, genre, and title. It's like the private version of Goodreads. 

A+ FlashCards Pro - Free

This is for those times when you are on the go and have no way of making manual flashcards and the best part about it is that you'll never lose your flashcards.

Do! Spring - Free

I spent a really long time searching for the perfect to-do list. I wanted it cute and simple but I couldn't find any that compares to Do! Spring. It's just so pretty and it makes me want to finish the things on my list. It also features sound effects so it sounds like you have scratched it off with a pencil. Very satisfying!

Learn French - Mindsnacks 

-  First lesson free and then $4.99 for all 50 lessons

Mindsnacks is great with languages. I'm personally learning French and it really encourages daily learning and practice and who could say no to learning a language by playing games?

It also comes in Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, and Japanese.

Songza - Free

Now if you are using a computer, you could just use the website but if you are nowhere near a computer, the app is perfect! Some of my favorite playlists are American Primitivism, Electronic Study: Ambient, and Superhero Soundtracks. 

So that is my list of my current favorites. Do you have any apps that you would recommend? I would love to hear about them!

August, Day 25

   From the get go I should probably mention that I didn't complete my goal of finish module 15 in chemistry by Friday. Recently our cat ran away or got eaten by an owl and her five kittens have been left to our care so I have to feed them like every two hours with an eye dropper. They're only 4 weeks old and soooo cute. It's a bit of a pain though. So I have been busy these past few days playing mommy cat.
   I have really been getting excited for winter. As soon as December comes, I get to buy myself Adobe Photoshop! I am so excited for it. I wish I had a better job and then I could get it sooner. After I get it, though, I know I'm going to want a new camera so that I can take pro pictures and edit them. So my older sister, who is also a graphics enthusiast, said she will buy a good camera and we could share our goodies. We will take pictures with her camera and edit them with my Photoshop. Eeeks! It excites me so much! The opportunities that will come with that is just so high! Maybe I should calm down about this.
   I really miss autumn a lot. When the leaves turn orange, it is the most inspiring time for me, especially for writing because the story that I'm writing takes place in autumn. It's not a really good story but I enjoy writing it. I have been spending a lot of time adding autumn pictures on We Heart It. I love that website because the pictures always have that vintage looking tinge to them. Oh and I have added a new page to the blog. If you look at the top of the page, there will be a link that says "Contact Me." On that page it has links to my social networks, including We Heart It!
   Oh, speaking of my story, I am currently doing a 100 for 100 challenge. It is hosted by the Go Teen Writers blog. You have to write 100 words for your current novel that you're working on for 100 days. It's really good for keeping myself consistent with writing. Do you write? Do you have any goals for yourself in writing?
   Sometimes I feel like no one will ever read the things that I write on here. Do you ever get the feeling of insignificance? I really hate it. I sometimes wish that bad feelings would just go away but I realize that without the bad feelings, how could we enjoy the good feelings?
   Now to work on writing my Back-to-School-Apps post.
   Love, Mary xoxo

August, Day 13 - Exercise, Singing and Back to School

   I have come to the conclusion that I should probably lose weight. Well, maybe not lose weight per se but at least get healthier. Because of my love for baking I tend to eat unhealthy a lot of times. Don't get me wrong, I'm not really fat. I just think I could healthily improve my size 6/8 self. I also have this little part of me that misses being a size 3 and 103 pounds (Which is still healthy for my short size!).
   So what are some good ideas for this new venture?

1. Walk Carter (My fluffy pooch)
2. Limit how much I slather mayonnaise on everything...
3. Have at least 2 servings on vegetables (Which might be hard because I'm not particularly fond of them.
4. Do 10 burpees every day (Because they exhaust the stink right out of me)
5. Experiment with healthy recipes to make it more exciting
6. Bike ride anywhere I need to go in town or just for fun
7. Go back to weight lifting
8. Drink green tea
9. Drink more water
10. Eat a serving of fruit a day (I don't think jam counts...)
11. Stretch twice a day
12.  Add less sugar and cream to my coffee
13. If I crave chocolate, eat a little bit of dark chocolate instead
14. Eat some walnuts or almonds more often

I found this article about 52 little healthy changes. I might have to do some of them.

http://www.ivillage.com/52-little-changes-big-weight-loss-results/4-b-394731#394786

   I have really been wanting to do music covers on youtube. I keep on thinking about it lots and I just never get around to it... Maybe I should set a goal! Hmmm... Well maybe not. My schedule is already too full to just put in a mandatory due date for my performance ventures. I'm thinking about doing the song If I Die Young by The Band Perry. I really like that song and I think I could do it well. Maybe, just maybe... I think I will print out the chords and lyrics to it and see if it comes about in my life. Should I play my guitar or ukulele for it? Decisions, decisions...

   Okay, I know this is going to sound silly. I got my student photo ID card today! Why am I excited over that? Well, because I've been homeschooled for most of my life and it wasn't really required for everyone to have a photo ID card, only the paper one without a picture. The photo one is also laminated all nice. I was talking with one of my good friends who is under the same home school board as I am and she was telling me about how she got a discount on Photoshop because she had a student ID card and I was flabbergasted because I didn't know that you could get the photo ones under my school board. Crazy business, eh? So the plan is that I shall be getting Photoshop and possibly the Elements program too because I've sparked an interest in video production.

    The card also excites me more because it is 19 days until the first of September!!! Then I shall officially be starting school! I have already been doing my school work but the first of September is the start of that school schedule I have constructed and showed you in a previous post. I think a week before the start of September, I will tell you what I got in preparation for school, including all the apps I use and such. I'm kind of an app-aholic.

    Now, back to my summer school work!

   Love, Mary xoxo

August, Day 11 - Progress and Plans

   I am a funny person. I plan, a lot. I make so many plans that I have a hard time keeping up with them all.It's kind of annoying. Today I will follow suit and make more plans! Why? Because I always have to have a focus in life. Without my plans I end up sitting around wondering why my life is so boring and miserable. It's depressing really. I am happy to say that I did read a lot while camping. I got back from camping on Friday and so I'm trying to adjust to my clean self and not smelling dreadfully like smoke and body odor! It is wonderful to be clean again!! That is one of the reasons I used to hate camping so much, I couldn't stand being stinky and gross. I have now learned to be comfortable in my natural odor... I know what you're thinking. Ew, right? Well if it makes you feel better about me, no one could smell me because of the constant smell of campfire. It's a natural deodorant... or at least it was while camping. :P
    So for the progress of my reading, I finished the book I was working on, Hitler's British Slaves by Sean Longden. It was a very interesting book to say the least. The writer was very good at keeping my attention throughout the whole book. After I finished that book, I started reading Dancing Under the Red Star by Karl Tobien. I have finished half of it and I might read some more today. It is a very interesting book so far. I love historical books! Oh and both of those books are during the time of World War II.
   I also want to start on my art project for Art 10. I'm on the 3rd lesson and I have nine more after that. It shouldn't be too hard, I think. I love art. Maybe I should get around to finishing the other two paintings that I started... I started them both a month ago and I haven't really made any progress on them... hmmm... I should also write some letters. I was going to write a whole bunch of letters to my friends but I never got around to it. You know what I would really love?! A signet seal! I could have a seal on all my letters that I write. It would be just so neat. Maybe I'll buy one after I get my antique pink typewriter. They sell pink typewriters on Etsy and I'm quite determined to get one eventually in my lifetime.

(source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/156161570/pink-smith-corona-silent-super-vintage?ref=sr_gallery_19&ga_search_query=pink+typewriter&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all)

Like seriously! Isn't that just cute?? I'm in love. It's perfection.

   Maybe I should do some chemistry and Algebra too. Man, I need to make a list of things I should do today. Here it goes.

• Write Letters
• Art 10 project
• Algebra 2
• Chemistry
• Read more of book
• Personal Finance 
• Private Law
• Do nails
• Clean room

   Okay then, I have my work to do today. I best be on my way to them, I think. Maybe while I'm at it, I should work on my grammar. I apologize to all you people who are really strict with grammar. I'm sure you have found a billion mistakes. Not to fear! I shall improve! Eventually... When I am not busy.

Good bye then!

   Love, Mary xoxo

This Month Is... (August, Day 1)

For the whole month of August I will venture into a whole new world of the 21st century unknown to my very generation, a world where there are adventures, heartache, exhaustion and fun! I declare that this month is to be the official housewife training month! Or at least for myself anyhoo.

   I will spend my month of August cultivating the skills of the olden days of when my grandparents were children. All the while I will wear only skirts or dresses and no pants or shorts. I will be the adventure of my lifetime, a time travelling excursion! Weeeeeoooooo! And for the first day! I will be making a lovely batch of blueberry jam with my Mum. I really hope it turns out... 

   Here are the lonely, dusty jars we will put our prizewinning jam in:

Now to start the blueberry crushing.

Here is the fruit of my labor!

Two beautiful jars of blueberry jam. 

I really expected it to make like 8 jars of jam but I guess 7cups of jam doesn't fill 7 two cup jar. Haha.

Honestly, his is probably the best jam I have ever tasted. Like, ever.

   Tomorrow, I think I will sew an apron. 
   Love, Mary