Here We Go Again

January 5, 2020 24lilyz1 Comment

I’m back. Believe it or not. This is nothing I was expecting until I got bored these last few days of my school break. Can I still write? We’ll see. Does anyone still read this? Probably not, meaning I’ll be okay.

How timely it is for me to bust open this blog right as 2020 starts. I’m very hopeful for this new year. A true cliché it is, but I feel as though I may actually have control over my life this year. If you’re reading this and you’re around pre-highschool years, perhaps you’ll understand so that I don’t sound like a lunatic. Maybe you’ll agree with me, I think that control comes from years of learning and mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, yes, but they learn from those mistakes so that they can take control and not repeat their errors. One of control’s many components is reflection. This leads me to the base of this post.

My reflections on 2019 or also steps I took to now think I have control: Something I did last year that I’m proud of is joining an elective at school. Being that the previous grade was academically terrifying, I thought I’d be nothing without the privilege of two study halls. Hopeful, I joined the S.T.E.A.M elective at my school. I hadn’t had a passion for S.T.E.A.M for three years before that moment, but now I’ve learned and laughed so much that my passion is bigger than ever. I am one of two girls in S.T.E.A.M and to me, this factor made it more important than ever that I prove myself wrong. From this, I am no longer concerned about testing my full potential in things I’m interested in excelling at. A lot of my reflection includes encountering my full potential. After the previous grade’s academic (in one subject) bellyflop, I thought I was incapable of achieving success and doing what my peers could do. I have little explanation to what occurred, but I’m taking so much more control in my academic habits and attitude towards school this year.

How I’m taking more control this year: Cheesy and something only I would care about, I’m finding what makes me passionate. Here’s a sort of list. Stemming from a project I was forced to do, I’ve found a passion to help kids who are struggling from trauma in general, but specifically from school shootings. After denying accusations of not having the most *beautiful* voice on the planet from ages three to ten, I finally started taking voice lessons solely to help myself feel confident in my voice and not hide it at all times. Sure, I’ll still hide my singing voice from you at always, but be patient. Before middle school, I was THE champion reader. I was always two or three grades ahead of mine in grade suggested books, could read a hefty book in a day and a half, and had a whopping three places where I stored my collection. The challenges of middle school seemingly erased these capabilities from my memory, but here I am. I started back reading right before exams due to stress levels and let me tell you, it made me creepily happy. I started reading book after book, often putting it before studying (sorry Mme E, I love French, but thank goodness our school partially lit aflame), which will NEVER happen again. 🙂 2020 has left me with a goal of reading thirty-six books this year that I hope to surpass by around twenty. With the help of an app called Goodreads, I’m tracking the books I read and always searching for the next big hit. I hope to continue discovering new passions and books for years to come.

Thank you for reading this if you did. If I actually asked you to read this, I’m sorry and thank you very much. Cheers to taking control, finding our passions, and a wonderful New Year!

Is Snail Mail is Making a Comeback?

September 15, 2019 24lilyz1 Comment

Here’s the letter I received! Photo taken by me.

It has been ages since I’ve checked in on this blog. As of now, my flag counter is gone, no one reads this, and blogging at my school was over so long ago. Recently, I’ve found interests other than blogging, such as playing the ukulele, attempting to reduce my use of single-use plastics, and pen paling.

This past summer, I decided I’d try finding myself an out of school penpal. My French class tries doing this every year, but last year we never heard back from the school in France. With an open mind and positive attitude, I set forth on my journey to find the perfect penpal for me. What was supposed to be an hour-long process, turned into a three-week war against constant notifications. The first step for me was finding a site to reach my ideal penpal. Four years ago, I decided I wanted a penpal from Brazil (not even sure why) and ended up on this website. That phase disappeared, but the website name did not, causing me to attempt finding my french friend on this site again! The website was awful. Almost everybody was on that site looking for an internet soulmate. Lucky me, after some minimal internet research, I reached the website I knew I was looking for.

Interpals is a safe environment, where you can almost always find the right person for you. The site allows you to answer some fun questions that may help them find other users with interests similar to yours. Excited, I set up an account for myself and prepared to be taken aback by the amazingness of this site. Wrong. It took three weeks for me to find the right person to snail mail. I received messages from people in Zanzibar, Yemen, Germany, and India. No one from France wanted to be my penpal. Major letdown. So, I responded to those interested in my correspondence (politely letting them down) and waited.

After a few days, I got a message from a girl from France who shared common interests with me. Right away we clicked and soon enough exchanged social media so that we could find an easier way to communicate. As great as Interpals is, their email system is a drag because of retyping your code or whatnot. Of course, I didn’t know my french penpal well (obviously), but after some looking at each other’s pages and recognizing a small, strong, bit of trust, we exchanged addresses. Big move, I get it. It sounds a lot worse when writing it than it did in my head.

It took around two weeks for the letter to come. I’d been waiting for it every day with a small spark of hope dying within me each day the mailbox was empty. When the letter came, I knew right away what it was. Of course, maybe the french postage sticker could’ve given it away, but the beautiful brown envelope with rose gold washi tape stuck out like a Nemo in a sea of Dorys. My pen pal Pinterest board dreams were coming true. This letter was beautiful. My penpal put full effort into this letter for me and you could tell. She sent her handwritten letter (on French notebook paper), a beautiful postcard, a small sheet of her questions for me, and a sheet of songs she was listening to recently. My favorite part of her letter was the wax seal on her envelope, which you could tell was all her because of the intricate ‘N’ stamped into the once-hot wax. Getting this letter was truly exciting, especially to think that, in my hands, I was holding something that touched the land of France.

I highly recommend pen paling. It takes effort, intricacy, and patience, but if you are able to put all that in, it’ll be a great experience. I cannot wait to send my letter all the way to France!

The Tale of The Stickered Water Bottle Epidemic

May 29, 2019 24lilyz1 Comment

Ah, at last, I’m facing my last few days of 7th grade. With only four more days of struggle and despair, I’ve decided to rise from the grave of my pretty much dead blog and finally write something.

Every school has its trend. I remember in 2015, t’was the year of the Pokemon cards. Let’s not even talk about how many times I tripped on those ginormous, packed full, binders of cards. The end of the year school trend happens to be stickered waterbottles. I have a large collection of reusable waterbottles, but not once have I considered decorating them with stickers. One day, I went to school and saw the first stickered waterbottle to touch campus. I LOVED it. It was a clear nalgene with a bunch of water themed stickers. Never had I laid sight on something so beautiful. So, I went home for the weekend and purchased one. Amazing! I thought I’d be the coolest kid in the 7th grade. The next day of school, HALF OF THE STUDENTS had stickered water bottles. Nalgenes, Contigos, Hydroflasks. I was crushed. I later returned my waterbottle to the store.

I cannot believe that I let others influence my decision and keep me away from doing something I was interested in. Yet, I would hate to be like everyone else. Each day, I see a new stickered waterbottle. I still regret returning mine. So long, waterbottle, so long.

Designated Child Seats…A New Addition to Public Transportation

February 20, 2019 24lilyzLeave a comment

Picture this:

It is currently 7:30 A.M. You’re 5 years old. Your dad was called into work early and has no one to watch you while he’s gone. So, he has to take you with him to work. Your dad is a user of public transportation. You two hop on the bus and sit in the regular seats right near the back. It’s time to get off, as you’ve arrived at your dad’s office. Dad is on his phone, not paying enough attention to realize that you’ve already hopped off the bus….with someone else! This could have been prevented by one of my handy dandy inventions.

I think buses need Designated Child Seats. Did I come up with these during class? Yes. So, they’re not official. These special seats would be bright yellow, so that you would notice them right away as you enter the bus. They’d be made out of plastic, but comfy plastic. Their location would be right at the front of the bus. Close to the exit and in the driver’s view. The parent or responsible adult watching the child would have a seat next to the child. The seat would also have a little belt to keep the child in the seat. The adult would have to get the child in and out of the seat.

Picture it in action:

You’re an adult with your child using public transportation. You politely tell the driver that you are responsible for this child. Then, they will suggest that you use the child seat, depending on the age of the child. You have the child sit in the seat and you secure the belt. Then, enjoy your trip! After you’ve arrived at your destination, get the child out of the seat, have them exit in front of you, thank the driver, and enjoy the rest of your day!

This is just a fun little idea of mine, that I hope to act upon. Feel free to comment any questions or ideas. See sketch above for what my chairs would look like.

Your 2019 Guide to Girl Scout Cookie Season

January 18, 2019February 18, 2019 24lilyzLeave a comment

It’s that time of year again. One that many look forward to. Cookie season! This is the time when Girl Scouts show off they skills in Relations, Business, and Money Management. For only $4.00 a box, you can get delicious cookies. Don’t be fooled, these cookies may be cheap, but you’ll end up buying so many boxes that they really aren’t that cheap. Let’s get going with my guide to GS cookie season!

Where to Buy: When it’s time to sell cookies, Girl Scouts are everywhere. This means that wherever you go, you’ll probably find the kind you want. You’ll often find Girl Scouts selling cookies at the supermarket. Sometimes, you may find out that people in your workplace know Girl Scouts to but from. You may even have a couple at your school!

Who to Buy From: This year at my school, we have two girls selling cookies. Uh oh. The competition is on. So, who do you buy from? You should buy from the nicer of the two, the one who you think deserves it, and a person you can trust. If this decision is too hard, you could always buy from troops other than at your school.

The Cookies:

Girl Scout S’mores™
Thin Mints®
Caramel deLites®
Peanut Butter Patties®
Shortbread
Peanut Butter Sandwich
Lemonades®
Thanks-A-Lot™
Caramel Chocolate Chip

My favorite is the Lemonades! What’s yours? See ya next time!

Bohemian Rhapsody Review

November 25, 2018November 25, 2018 24lilyz1 Comment

I’ve never been so inspired that I might cry. Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic about the band Queen, primarily focusing on Freddie Mercury. I saw this movie the same day I am writing this post, due to how touching and inspiring the film is. Fun fact: Today is November 24. Freddie Mercury passed away this day 27 years ago. Ok, let us get started with my review.

One, the acting. Wow! All the actors looked exactly like the band members they were portraying. Sister shook. Specifically Rami Malek, Ben Hardy, and Gwilym Lee. Aka, Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, and Brian May. Their acting was on point. I was so moved and I really felt like I was watching the original band on screen. The acting, music, and effects made me feel as though I was there in the 80’s with Queen.

The music. If I weren’t in a theater with maybe 30 something adults, I would be dancing. I was tapping my feet, bopping my head, and lip-syncing along. Queen’s music is unlike another. Iconic. Memorable. Unique.

Freddie. He must have been such a wonderful person to have in one’s life. The way he was portrayed really gave me a sense of how he really was. I would describe Freddie Mercury as someone who was here to do something and was gonna do it. He didn’t care one bit what anyone else thought. He was going to be who he was and no one could change that. He really seemed to carry to the beat of his own drum. He had his ups and downs, but was always focused on being who he knew he was. Yes, Freddie really was a jerk at times, but in the end, that’s how many famous people were back then.

Bohemian Rhapsody should only be seen if you’re a mature 12 year old or 13+. This film is intense, but definitely a must-see. There was plenty of alcohol use and smoking. It also deals a lot with Freddie’s sexuality, which is certainly a heavy subject. There were a few inappropriate parts, but I didn’t find them too terrible. (Wow, I’m like the new Commonsense Media.) You NEED to see this inspiring, touching movie at some point in your life. Thanks for reading. Below are some quotes from the movie I found special.

John Reid: So, tell me. What makes Queen any different from all of the other wannabe rockstars I meet?

Freddie Mercury: Tell you what it is, Mr. Reid. Now we’re four misfits who don’t belong together, we’re playing for the other misfits. They’re the outcasts, right at the back of the room. We’re pretty sure they don’t belong either. We belong to them.

Ray Foster: Mark these words: NO ONE will play Queen.

Jim Beach: Fortune favors the bold.

Freddie Mercury: We can be. We believe in each other… that’s everything. We are going to do great things. It’s an experience – love, tragedy, joy… it’s something that people will feel belongs to them.

Freddie Mercury: I am the lead singer not the leader of the band.

Freddie Mercury: We’re family. We believe in each other. That’s everything.

-Lily

Lily’s 21 by 21 List

November 10, 2018November 10, 2018 24lilyz6 Comments

I’ve made Forbes 30 under 30! Joking. I’ve created Lily’s 21 by 21. The list below contains 21 things I want to have done by the time I am 21.

Be the youngest member of the US Supreme Court
Have had traveled to all the countries in the world
Have won the national Spelling Bee
Purchased 6 million dollar homes across the globe
Meet Leonardo DiCaprio
Have a charity named after me
Be fluent in French
Be very successful in the stock market
Start a multi million dollar company
Still be writing my blog
Write a New York Times Bestseller series for YA
Have my own collection of plates, pots, and pans
Own a restaurant specifically in Asheville
Have my own collection of furniture
Have my own magazine
Be interviewed by Vogue
Be a Georgetown Alumni
Be famous amongst my neighbors for my amazing biscuits
Have a leading role in a successful teen drama
Direct a horror film
Be in Forbes 30 under 30

So, in 9 years I’ll get back to you! Like the post? Comment below your thoughts on what you’d want to do by any age of your choice!

Which Disney Princess Are You?

November 5, 2018November 5, 2018 24lilyz13 Comments

Wow, so now I’m trying to one up Buzzfeed. Fun! For this week’s challenge I’ve decided to create a quiz determining which Disney princess you are! This is determined by A, B, C. Answers below.

What’s your preference of housing?

A. A cottage surrounded by trees

B. A big castle on the top of a cliff

C. A tower in complete isolation

Where do you spend most of your time?

A. Wherever my friends are

B. My library, of course

C. My garden with herbs of all kinds

What’s your favorite season?

A. Spring

B. Winter

C. Summer

Your go-to meal…

A. Apple Crisp

B. Gray Stuff

C. Rosemary

Mostly A’s = Snow White

Mostly B’s = Belle

Mostly C’s = Rapunzel

Thanks so so much, and comment down below who you are! PS. I’m Belle.

What’s the Point of the Olympics?

October 30, 2018October 30, 2018 24lilyz1 Comment

PyeongChang2018- https://www.olympic.org

Competiton, awards, travel. These are three components of the Summer and Winter Olympics. The discussion topic for today’s post is: What’s the Point of the Olympics?. First, a little bit of background to these competitions.

The first Ancient Olympics were held April 6, 1896 in Athens, Greece. Ancient Olympics were first only a 1 day event 684 BC, when they were expanded into 3 days. In 5th century BC, the Ancient Olympics landed a 5 day spot, almost a whole week! The sports held were running, long jump, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, pankration, and various equestrian events.

Olympics are coming up very soon in 2020 and will be held in Tokyo. Keep in mind, we’re talking about the Summer Olympics. We just had the Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang, Korea. Though Tokyo is holding the Summer Olympics, in 2022 Beijing will hold the Winter Olympics. For more info on the Olympics check out their website.

Ok, so what’s the point? Lots of training and effort goes into this event that only happens every 4, 2 years. Why put in so much work? Yeah, ok, because you’re super passionate and that stuff. Good for you. All the Olympics are is a tradition, ex- religious ceremony, and one major competiton.

“The purpose of the modern Olympic Games is to promote peace and unity within the international community through the medium of sports. The founder, Pierre de Coubertin, saw the games as a way to bring political enemies together.”-anonymous user on Quora.

I’ve thought about this being a reason to hold Olympic Games, and I guess someone else has too. I mean, if it weren’t about unity, you could just have your own State Olympics.

What do you think? Is there a solid point to the Olympics?

SBC: My Image Guessing Game

October 22, 2018October 22, 2018 24lilyz4 Comments

Hi friends! I’m super excited to share a new post in celebration of week 3 of SBC. I skipped last weeks challenge, but am so ready to get back into it!

Instead of exactly following this week’s list of options, I’m using one of my old class’s ideas from last year.

How you play:

Look at the images below
Think…what do they mean
Decided? Comment down below and I’ll let you know

Comment down below what you think I’ve said! Hint: It’s a fun fact!

Literally Lily

Literacy, literally.

Author: 24lilyz