tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62807906830815544012024-03-12T15:22:01.480-07:00homeschool diariesAri http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-81742279563355757702013-02-12T14:53:00.001-08:002013-02-12T14:53:21.449-08:00new blog!!hey all, <br />
it's me again! i just wanted to let you know that i have a <a href="http://t-strapsandtulips.blogspot.com/">new blog</a> thats more relevant to my life right now. i hope that all you lovelies will come follow me. thanks for being such supportive followers!<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://t-strapsandtulips.blogspot.com/">t-straps and tulips</a></span> is my new blog, check it out and let me know what you think!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
xoxo </div>
Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-68373085405731509612012-03-11T09:36:00.001-07:002012-03-11T09:37:06.216-07:00one final word {school}I haven't written a blog post in such a long time that I almost forgot how fun it is! <br />
Now, I know what you're thinking '<em>But I thought<span style="background-color: white;"> </span>she wasn't writing on this blog anymore</em>,' and I probably won't after this, but I was just reading some friends' blogs, and I thought to myself, <br />
'<em>Oh, how I miss that!'</em><br />
So, then I decided to take a look at my blog... <em>just to see</em>...and then I saw that my last entry sort of left off on a not very final note...then I remembered how much I liked writing my blog...and then I signed in...<em>just to see</em>...then I saw my dashboard, and I couldn't resist.<br />
I clicked on write new post.<br />
and here I am, writing a new post on my old blog,<br />
a post that no one will read <br />
(because they've long ago given up the hope that I'll ever write another post here),<br />
but a post that will make me feel better about abandoning ship,<br />
a post that will make my blog feel more complete.<br />
<br />
So, let me tell you about school.<br />
<ul><li>There's A LOT of work, and so many big projects!</li>
<li>I love my teachers! They're all really funny, wonderful people who make learning super-enjoyable.</li>
<li>It's a lot of work.</li>
<li>It's a long commute and I spend close to 10 1/2 hours away from home everyday</li>
<li>but it's worth it</li>
<li>but I have to wake up at 5:30 am</li>
<li>so I'm really tired</li>
<li>but it's worth it.</li>
<li>Did I mention there's a lot of work?</li>
</ul>...And so my day's go by. Wake up, go to school, have a snack, do homework. Most of the time, I love it, but there are days when I realize that I no longer have the time to do the things that I love (like blogging). Some days I feel like I'm having a midlife crisis* and that I need change <strong>something</strong> or else I'll go crazy. On those days, I'm brave enough to cut my hair, or get my ears pierced, or throw out all my clothes and start over. <br />
But it's worth it.<br />
I'm always interested in what I'm learning and I like being able to interact with kids. In addition, losing the time to do the things that I like has introduced me to new opportunities. I had to cut out one of my dance classes (I had been taking two 45 min/1 hr dance classes), but found out that I could take half hour private lessons with a teacher who I hadn't previously worked with. So now I'm doing that and learning new techniques...I'll even get a solo in our Spring dance show!<br />
At school, I've joined the newspaper. I write an advice column, and although nobody ever writes in, the staff and I sometimes have fun coming up with situations for me to write about.<br />
<br />
My family is all healthy, and I'm thankful for each and every new experience that is thrown my way.<br />
...so that's what new with my life.<br />
Good-bye, <br />
and thank you so much for reading my blog!<br />
<br />
Post Script: Come to think of it, I kind of like ending on a not-so-final final note...it keeps us guessing. Will I ever write again? Will I never write again? What will I do with this blog? Will anybody ever read it?<br />
So, I guess I'll write a little normal post, something like what I used to write, it can keep us guessing:<br />
<br />
As you know, I love clothing. Especially girly, feminine clothing. So, when one of my teachers whose style is almost exactly like mine, told me about a wonderful vintage inspired online clothing store called <a href="http://shopruche.com/">Ruche</a>, I had to check it out. Not surprisingly, I absolutely adore it! It's a bit pricey, but soooooo worth it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vEd3WAf1su0/T1zPYNDwryI/AAAAAAAAAME/MV8xEwTjrE4/s1600/Ruche+Background+image+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vEd3WAf1su0/T1zPYNDwryI/AAAAAAAAAME/MV8xEwTjrE4/s400/Ruche+Background+image+2.jpg" width="400px" yda="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lsu46aPiMo/T1zPZWm3VmI/AAAAAAAAAMM/adzfxLGmNQw/s1600/Ruche+Background+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lsu46aPiMo/T1zPZWm3VmI/AAAAAAAAAMM/adzfxLGmNQw/s400/Ruche+Background+image.jpg" width="400px" yda="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[This is currently my desktop background]</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aren't they gorgeous? I am officially obsessed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Go check out the website (especially the look-books), and you can be obsessed too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Signing off for now,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">XOXO</div><br />
<br />
All images <a href="http://shopruche.com/wallpapers.html">via</a>.<br />
*<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Please Note: this may just be spring fever. :P</span>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-59411475002955400302011-08-14T13:08:00.000-07:002011-08-14T13:08:36.368-07:00Oh me, oh my, I really do hate making decisions!School is getting closer and closer, and as it draws near I am becoming more and more agitated when I think about my poor blog and what I will be doing with it. <span style="color: #a64d79;">(oh, yeah...my vacation was wonderful, I ate delicious frozen yogurt and overall had a great time.)</span> My first problem (with my blog) is that I feel very attached to it ... and feel like <em>I</em> would have abandonment issues if I started a new blog, and just forgot about this one. (Which I have been thinking of doing, given that I am no longer home-schooling.) You see, my blog just turned one (on the 8th) and I would feel SO bad leaving it that soon after it's first birthday!<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-small;">(if you really couldn't care less about my reasons, just skip to the bullet points then comment and tell me what you think I should do!)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t9MTYpGVvB8/Tkgq1vYuXyI/AAAAAAAAALA/KIimQXm3Qqk/s1600/Happy+birthday+blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" naa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t9MTYpGVvB8/Tkgq1vYuXyI/AAAAAAAAALA/KIimQXm3Qqk/s200/Happy+birthday+blog+1.jpg" width="137px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.cupcakestastenice.com/archives/2395">source</a></span></div><br />
On the other hand, I can't continue to have a blog named "homeschool diaries" when I am in fact no longer home schooled...I've never <em>really</em> liked that name and it just wouldn't make sense to keep that name on my blog when I am <em>not </em>home schooled. <span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">So, I <em>could</em> </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: black;">rename this blog something else and just keep writing</span></li>
<li>keep this blog (though not continue writing) and start another one which I would name differently</li>
</ul>or, I could<br />
<ul><li>do something else (please specify!)</li>
</ul><strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">What do <em>you </em>think I should do? <span style="font-size: large;">Please Comment*</span> and let me know <span style="font-size: large;">what you think</span>!</span></strong><br />
<br />
In other news, I'm FINALLY getting a cell phone...this is actually very exciting for me...and now I'm going to shut up to keep from further embarrassing myself with all this scatter-brained writing! (trust me, I'm not usually like this!)<br />
XOXO<br />
<br />
Oh, one last thing: I want you all to go check out <a href="http://thecupcakedictionary.blogspot.com/2011/08/hullo-dearheart-do-you-want-to-be-my.html">Jocee's post</a> from a few days ago on <a href="http://thecupcakedictionary.blogspot.com/">The Cupcake Dictionary</a>, I really enjoyed reading it, it was very descriptive of how I often feel...thanks Jocee!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>*<span style="font-size: x-small;">preferably comment on this post...not another one (It would also be really helpful if you could tell me <em><u>why</u></em> you think I should do whatever it is that you think I should do) THANKS!</span></strong></span>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-54283707974105760002011-08-07T07:04:00.000-07:002011-08-07T07:18:12.960-07:00Guess what? I'm creative!This post is dedicated to stating the fact that I have a creative blog...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C0sIz_xjfVM/Tj6amCrHbhI/AAAAAAAAAK8/iF6LHlyPOtY/s1600/creativeblogaward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C0sIz_xjfVM/Tj6amCrHbhI/AAAAAAAAAK8/iF6LHlyPOtY/s1600/creativeblogaward.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you <a href="http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/">Deirdra </a> for the award (speaking of creative)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also, I am again leaving my house (and my blog), but this time only for a few days. Later today, my parents are going to drive me to my cousins, and I'm going to stay with her and her family for a few days, then I'll be taking the train back...all by myself! (Super excited for that!) So anyhow, that paragraph was just to tell you that I won't be blogging for a while! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> ~xoxo~</div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-23467353037489022782011-08-02T16:36:00.000-07:002011-08-02T16:36:39.611-07:00Come to the Dark Side...we've got rainboots!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MpF7tBrDGMA/TjiFLdhajSI/AAAAAAAAAKw/E70E2QJH5qI/s1600/IMG_4973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MpF7tBrDGMA/TjiFLdhajSI/AAAAAAAAAKw/E70E2QJH5qI/s400/IMG_4973.JPG" t$="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For my birthday, my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins sent me the Coolest Pair of Rain-Boots Ever! I had seen them in a nearby store, expressed (in front of my Aunt) how much I like them, and promptly forgot about them--the rain boots that is, not the Aunt. So, imagine my delight upon coming home, receiving a birthday package, and opening it to find the Coolest Pair of Rain-Boots Ever! (I was pretty delighted!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AARA-C581hY/TjiE-l_G24I/AAAAAAAAAKo/wqPu-neYEJU/s1600/IMG_4970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AARA-C581hY/TjiE-l_G24I/AAAAAAAAAKo/wqPu-neYEJU/s400/IMG_4970.JPG" t$="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x92zjvZygA8/TjiJVSrKasI/AAAAAAAAAK4/A7WIXKKkhmU/s1600/the+rainboots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217px" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x92zjvZygA8/TjiJVSrKasI/AAAAAAAAAK4/A7WIXKKkhmU/s400/the+rainboots.jpg" t$="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I get mixed reactions on these boots, some people (like Emily Rose, who kindly modeled them for me) thought they were "WHOA-REALLY-AWESOME!!!!!!" (that was almost--but not quite--a direct quote), and others, like my mom, think that they're "really<strong> something</strong>" and that they're "<em>very</em> funky", but a little "<u>scary</u>". I have to say, all of these reactions are quite fitting... ... ... ... ... ... ... so... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">... <strong><span style="color: #4c1130;">Come to the Dark Side</span></strong>...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47;">we've got rain-boots</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4VzuRjhR4s/TjiFQW7CEQI/AAAAAAAAAK0/xfzjtSfsw0I/s1600/IMG_4975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4VzuRjhR4s/TjiFQW7CEQI/AAAAAAAAAK0/xfzjtSfsw0I/s400/IMG_4975.JPG" t$="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div align="center"></div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-75547724318942476572011-08-01T17:47:00.000-07:002011-08-01T17:47:05.056-07:00pictures of the past...<span style="color: #a64d79;">I</span> <span style="color: #a64d79;">decided that as a begining to the end of this blog (I am no longer homeschooling and feel that it would be fitting to start a new blog, one <em>not</em> called <u><strong>homeschool </strong>diaries</u>), I have decided to revisit some favorite photos of the past year... ... ... </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPs41GcLkrM/TegHsXhlRbI/AAAAAAAAAJA/lwhfUjqLe2Q/s1600/IMG_4498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPs41GcLkrM/TegHsXhlRbI/AAAAAAAAAJA/lwhfUjqLe2Q/s640/IMG_4498.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6T6zwWhhh4U/TegKncOGsGI/AAAAAAAAAJY/sMhGwxpL7Vw/s1600/IMG_2687+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6T6zwWhhh4U/TegKncOGsGI/AAAAAAAAAJY/sMhGwxpL7Vw/s640/IMG_2687+%25281%2529.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2pW-bskC3b8/TegLbMNjBrI/AAAAAAAAAJc/JE2NQ2InCOc/s1600/Flying+birds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2pW-bskC3b8/TegLbMNjBrI/AAAAAAAAAJc/JE2NQ2InCOc/s400/Flying+birds.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">top tens of spring </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_mqZfgaDkE/TgTQcsfXEpI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/1-QQRvin7kk/s1600/IMG_4525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_mqZfgaDkE/TgTQcsfXEpI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/1-QQRvin7kk/s400/IMG_4525.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">going away </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CM4W4nah66A/Tef-2hqVbtI/AAAAAAAAAI4/YS2XOOWGhAM/s1600/IMG_3498+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CM4W4nah66A/Tef-2hqVbtI/AAAAAAAAAI4/YS2XOOWGhAM/s640/IMG_3498+%25281%2529.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">some other post</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sQLaMRzH7FE/TZJU4qLEVyI/AAAAAAAAAGc/NiS2GzIGPd0/s1600/IMG_4270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sQLaMRzH7FE/TZJU4qLEVyI/AAAAAAAAAGc/NiS2GzIGPd0/s640/IMG_4270.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">fun with the fuse box!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vVE3mQ8A8ok/TTMKN6UjOEI/AAAAAAAAAE8/_6d6AZQwOJI/s1600/IMG_3692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vVE3mQ8A8ok/TTMKN6UjOEI/AAAAAAAAAE8/_6d6AZQwOJI/s400/IMG_3692.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">winter wonderland!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QG9Cb0NZDoc/TQ-r09_3IjI/AAAAAAAAADs/U5wCZDfBxlc/s1600/IMG_3457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QG9Cb0NZDoc/TQ-r09_3IjI/AAAAAAAAADs/U5wCZDfBxlc/s640/IMG_3457.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">inspiration...how inspirational!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtzNWLuSJ5E/TQ-sSnEQ66I/AAAAAAAAADw/K1Nx3mDdG9o/s1600/IMG_3463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtzNWLuSJ5E/TQ-sSnEQ66I/AAAAAAAAADw/K1Nx3mDdG9o/s640/IMG_3463.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sunny day</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xeLpIIpUnCQ/TQjnGBfllPI/AAAAAAAAAC8/3gvzlKphaWI/s1600/IMG_2750+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xeLpIIpUnCQ/TQjnGBfllPI/AAAAAAAAAC8/3gvzlKphaWI/s640/IMG_2750+%25281%2529.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">mirror mirror on the wall...which of these is real?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uLnEwGdaFoc/TQTweayv96I/AAAAAAAAACs/TO7-O3Dq5mw/s1600/IMG_3283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uLnEwGdaFoc/TQTweayv96I/AAAAAAAAACs/TO7-O3Dq5mw/s640/IMG_3283.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ellis Island</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SC1x-uQ8Z-s/TJYgB0KnoVI/AAAAAAAAABI/78misA3tXg0/s1600/IMG_2819+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SC1x-uQ8Z-s/TJYgB0KnoVI/AAAAAAAAABI/78misA3tXg0/s640/IMG_2819+%25281%2529.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">granola...one of my first and most popular posts!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sigh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, at least on my new blog (which you are all going to follow, right?) I'll have more opportunities to showcase my photography.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">xoxo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">~me~</div><div align="center"></div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-3528739897262263492011-07-25T12:05:00.000-07:002011-07-25T12:12:19.957-07:00hellooo- i'm back!culture shock is a funny thing. One would never expect that one would experience culture shock coming <em>home</em> after <strong>only</strong> one month...but one does. <em>Especially</em> when one has just come home from camp, where one is <em>very</em> secluded from the outside world. ~welcome home! hey look, it's a computer!~<br />
Camp was a really great experience this summer...last summer it was a little bit eh, but this year I really felt that me and the rest of my <em>kvutsah</em> (age group) grew a lot closer. From showering in the <em>bik</em> (the <em>beit kisay</em>-literally house of chairs-otherwise known as the bathrooms/communal shower...don't worry there was a boys' side and a girls' side) to planning the activity that my mom told you about (getting the entire camp safely into "Palestine" in the middle of the night) to having a sleepover with my <em>kvutsah</em> on the basketball court, the last night of camp...I actually felt very at home this summer.<br />
That said-I'm also glad to be back, and to be able to sleep in! I have many more stories to share, but there <em>is</em> a time limit on how long I can blog today, so I'll share them with you another time!<br />
xoxoAri http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-20157899823524455412011-07-18T14:19:00.000-07:002011-07-18T14:19:54.825-07:00Another Nighttime DisturbanceAs a guest writer and mother of this blogger I felt obligated to report more on the world of summer camp from the perspective of the "outsider". We had the opportunity to go to summer camp on visitor's day to find our happy and exhausted daughter filled with glorious stories of learning, fun, bonding and leadership that happens at her camp in the normal course of events. <br />
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It is still true that being awakened in the middle of the night for mishchief and fun is partially why these campers are so exhausted. But in one such case, it was my daughter and her friends who planned the surprise activity to give the younger campers the thrill and sense of finding themselves in an unusual historical drama and then being asked to navigate their way through relying on skills and leaning from prior weeks. Younger campers were awakened in the middle of the night and told that they needed to illegally escape their home country where they were being persecuted to try to make their way to Palestine and freedom during the British blockade of Palestine. This blockade was in place from the 1930's and continued until after WWII. [Towards the end of this operation, many of these people would have been Holocaust survivors living in detention camps in Europe.] Though many campers were caught and "jailed" and had many close brushes with "British soldiers", they were able to escape and make it through to Palestine (the camp parking lot!!!) and could celebrate with delicious brownies and cookies (which my daughter helped bake) in their new safe Haven and home. It did impress upon the campers a sense of fear and "not knowingness" that accompanies so many peoples trying to leave their homes to find a better life in a new country. Whew! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t6_FYReCUJM/TiSer3_hxAI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/JlkNvn2uEJM/s1600/aliyah+bet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t6_FYReCUJM/TiSer3_hxAI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/JlkNvn2uEJM/s1600/aliyah+bet.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Despite such intense experiences, there are lots of fun sports and crafts and singing that accompany the campers through their summer as well as the nurturing of sweet life-long friendships !! I look forward, as I am sure you do, dear readers, to your blogger's return next week!Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-52298895553965118892011-07-12T13:18:00.000-07:002011-07-12T13:18:45.595-07:00Night Activities at CampWell the Mom is not as clever as the Daughter, however, I said I would give this blogging a try. The pace at home, especially since homeschooling has ended and summer has begun, has changed without the Daughter here. Happily, I can report that camp life is busy and filled with new, fun and challenging activities on a daily basis. My daughter, who loves to dance as you followers would know, is enjoying daily yoga and movement with some folk-dancing thrown in for good measure. We get letters home detailing interesting tid-bits but we especially love the ones commencing :<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"... and then they woke us up in the middle of the night to go into the woods and do ..." </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How fun is that?! </span></div><br />
You just don't do that with the same verve at home! Here's an example from the camper herself (in the process you'll learn a little bit of camp Hebrew, good luck!!):<br />
<br />
"I'm so tired today, last night at 11:30 pm we had an <em>ep-ep</em> (a midnight activity with only our age group). We were told to put on long pants and hats, then we walked across the foggy field and into the woods, we were led to a wall that was literally a few boards (loft tall) nailed together with a platform on top. We were told that by using teamwork, we had to get the whole <em>kvutzah</em> (group) over the wall. We ended up sending three of the strongest people in the <em>kvutzah</em> to stand on top of the platform to drag the people up, and a bunch of people at the bottom to boost everyone up and to help spot. It was sooooo hard to get a few of the larger people up, but we were able to get them all (except for 1). The guys at the top, and the people boosting told me that I was the easiest person to get up, bu I was so scared that I was shaking!! Then at midnight everybody started shouting Happy Birthday to me, and it was very embarassing (in a good way). The whole activity was very <em>kvutzah</em>-building...then when we wre done getting everyone up and over the wall...we went to the <em>Chadar Ochel</em> (Dining Hall) where the <em>Madrichim</em> (Counslors) and other campers surprised me ... with cake and song! So, by the time we got back to the <em>tsrif</em> (bunk), it was 1 in the morning and today all of us are so sore and tired that we've complained all day!!"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm_sV2uGya8/ThyqCXtmvFI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/YQwBL9rvE5M/s1600/Trip+to+Northwest+summer+2007+094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm_sV2uGya8/ThyqCXtmvFI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/YQwBL9rvE5M/s320/Trip+to+Northwest+summer+2007+094.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Don't let that last sentence concern you; that means fun was had by all! Happy camping everyone!Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-57277903643230511842011-06-24T11:02:00.000-07:002011-06-24T11:02:45.559-07:00My Mother Will be BloggingWhile I'm away at Summer Camp, my Mom will be doing some guest posts on the blog, so enjoy her company!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">xoxo</div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-63115999605471343512011-06-22T14:01:00.000-07:002011-06-22T14:01:55.539-07:00summer camp {my silence shall last until the end of July}Hello again, I'm writing a quick post to say that I'm leaving for camp on Sunday and won't be coming back for almost exactly a month...so you won't be hearing very much from me until August. <br />
<br />
(To rephrase that: I will not have access to a computer until August, so you won't hear <em>anything</em> from me.)<br />
<br />
I may have time to put up one or two more posts before I leave, but packing is taking up WAY too much of my time. (time? What time?)<br />
<br />
Anyhow thanks for being lovely readers and for your patience until the end of summer...as I said before (when I was <em>not</em> high on Tylenol): <span style="color: #741b47;">I love you all</span>!<br />
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Excuse the mushiness of that statement, I'm in rare form today!Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-8046278352218167142011-06-19T07:16:00.000-07:002011-06-19T07:16:54.087-07:00Happy Father's Day! {and other random stuff}Teeth are feeling a lot better! (I still can't eat hard things, like carrots...but no big loss there, I don't really like carrots anyway!) Thank you Emily for your kind wishes, the ice cream <em>was</em> wonderful!<br />
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I would like to wish a <span style="color: #741b47;">Happy Fathers Day</span> to any fathers who might read my blog, and I'd also like to wish a Happy Father's Day to <span style="color: #a64d79;">everybody else's</span> <span style="color: #a64d79;">fathers</span>, I hope you're spending the day doing something fun and are actually going to read this post tomorrow (the 20th), because (unlike me) you guys are awesome daughters (or sons) and would never even <em>think</em> of going on the computer on Father's Day... <span style="font-size: x-small;">(actually, the computer just <em>happened</em> to be on, and my father was doing some "manly work" somewhere...)</span><br />
Anyhow, Happy Father's Day! <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In other news; Friday was my last day homeschooling, ever! Now I am officially on Summer Break, and next year I won't be homeschooling...I'll be going to "real" high school. (Don't you other Home Schoolers hate when people call public school "real school", as though when you're home schooled you don't actually get an education?) Umm... so my point in saying this was...[scratches head]...oh yeah, that I may have to start a new blog, or at least rename this one (given that I will no longer be homeschooling), what do you think I should do, start a new blog, or rename this one? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7iW_a0Q0KgE/Tf4CDYpxZaI/AAAAAAAAAJw/dT7K0djlXJU/s1600/Homeschooling+packed+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" i$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7iW_a0Q0KgE/Tf4CDYpxZaI/AAAAAAAAAJw/dT7K0djlXJU/s320/Homeschooling+packed+up.jpg" width="315px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wow, that's a really depressing photo, sorry 'bout that!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm not <em>actually</em> packing up all my<span style="background-color: white;"> home school stuff, so don't start worrying about how depressed I am right now...I'm not!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">xoxo</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">~me~</div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-72607185188923946812011-06-16T12:38:00.000-07:002011-06-16T12:38:34.707-07:00the pain of having straight teeth<div style="text-align: center;">braces hurt.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">a lot.</div><br />
On the other hand, at least they give me an excuse to eat ice-cream, however; even gold and purple bands don't feel so special when the person wearing them is in severe pain.<br />
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They're even <em>less</em> special feeling if this person wearing them is totally drugged up on Tylenol! <br />
(which I am not) (at least not yet!)<br />
Anyhow, just to cheer me up out of this painful mood, I decided to share with <em>you</em> what pain I'm in, and I'm really enjoying making my pain sound a lot worse than it actually is... thanks for being today's pain relievers!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> I love you all!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNL1RDCwMqc/TfpbVUlwWGI/AAAAAAAAAJo/YbwdDc2jS8c/s1600/IMG_4769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNL1RDCwMqc/TfpbVUlwWGI/AAAAAAAAAJo/YbwdDc2jS8c/s400/IMG_4769.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">XOXO</div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-40163791414734833262011-06-15T09:23:00.000-07:002011-06-15T09:23:08.004-07:00THe Sweetie Award {yummy!}<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">I would like to thank Emily Rose from <a href="http://mistoftheblossomrain.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;">Mist of the Blossom Rain</span></a> for passing me the sweetie award...how sweet!! (ha, ha) ;D Anyhow, thanks so much, Emily!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHPjCxwGtX0/TfjWzC7nHVI/AAAAAAAAAJk/swwSPXFCL2c/s1600/Sweetie+award%2521.jpg" t8="true" /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">What are your favorite sweet things to eat (or drink)? </span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Ice cream is certainly #1 (ever tried fried ice-cream? yum!) anyhow, various types of chocolate come next along with home-made cakes and chocolate milk, I like gum (which is a definite problem...braces)...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Actually, give my anything sweet and I'll probably eat it (or at least most of it!)</div><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>Have you ever dreamed that Candyland was a real place?</strong></span><br />
No, I'm not <em>that</em> far gone in my sweet obsessions!<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>If there was a flavored brand of bubbles, what flavor would you get?</strong></span><br />
Orange citrus, Cozy Vanilla, or Icy Mint; yum, yum, and triple yum!<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>Have you ever been kicked out of a bakery for smelling something?</strong></span><br />
Not that I can remember...if people get kicked out for smelling things, I'd be more worried in the gum isle at the supermarket, I LOVE to smell gum (through the packet, of course)...it's kind of a weird obsession. Anyhow [cough, cough]<br />
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<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>What is your favorite kind of tea?</strong></span><br />
In the Herbal section, I prefer Mint or Chamomile, in the regular teas I LOVE vanilla or Lady Grey, but when it comes to specialtea drinks (hee hee) I can always go for a chai latte!<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>Strawberry or red velvet?</strong></span><br />
If we're talking cakes, home-made strawberry shortcake is where it's at!<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>Have you ever poured a jar of sprinkles into your mouth?</strong></span><br />
Ummm, only part of the jar...why do you ask?!?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>Admit it: You've eaten icing straight out of a jar, haven't you?</strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My Mom usually makes the icing for cakes, but everybody buys a jar of icing once in a while, so I guess the answer would have to be yes! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">(have you ever tried dipping pretzels into jars of icing and eating them? delish!) </div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><strong>Have you ever drooled while watching a cooking show?</strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">yes, multiple times (though, i prefer not to admit that!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">who hasn't?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Now you lucky ducks get to have "the sweetness passed on!" SO:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">1. Sandra from <a href="http://barefootduchess.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;">The Barefoot Duchess</span></a></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">2. Julia at <a href="http://throughthelookinglassphotography.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;">Through the Looking Glass</span></a></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">3. Camille at <a href="http://theblondstyleblog.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;">Forever Feminine</span></a></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Enjoy, Ladies!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-51384381897177659242011-06-07T12:29:00.000-07:002011-06-07T12:29:18.814-07:00Shavuot {the jewish dairy holiday}Coming up tonight? The Jewish Dairy Holiday, where we stay up all night and eat ice cream while we study. <br />
(Don't most High School students do that anyway?) ; D <br />
But wait-- Shavuot isn't just about eating dairy and studying, it signifies something greater than that! Shavuot is the Jewish holiday that celebrates our receiving the Torah (otherwise known as the old testament). The story goes that Moses went up to Mount Sinai where G-d gave him the 'Ten' Commandments and the Torah, it is said that Moses spent 40 days on the top of that mountain, learning these commandments by heart, and then G-d dictated to Moses the Five Books of Moses (or the words written in Torah scrolls). SO, this is why we celebrate Shavuot, to acknowledge the day when we were given the Torah.<br />
Now, why the dairy? We eat dairy because it is said that 'the Torah nurtures us like a mother's milk nurtures a baby', so to be even <em>more</em> nurtured on the celebratory day, we stay up all night and study Torah (so that the Torah may 'nurture' us) and we also eat lots and lots of dairy (I guess to symbolize that we are being nurtured by the Torah). I feel bad for those Jews who are lactose intolerant!<br />
Anyhow, looking forward to ice-cream until midnight! <br />
To any Jews: <span style="color: #a64d79;">HAPPY SHAVUOT</span>! To all others: I hope you <span style="color: #a64d79;">learned</span> something about <span style="color: #a64d79;">Jewish tradition</span>!Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-32926592300690161082011-06-06T13:43:00.000-07:002011-06-06T13:43:41.464-07:00{this post has no name}Let me tell you, there is absolutely <span style="color: #741b47;">NOTHING</span> better than watching <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Keira-Knightley/dp/B000E1ZBGS/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1307392365&sr=1-1"><u>Pride and Prejudice</u> with Keira Knightly</a> for the one hundreth time, after dinner.<br />
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Then again, theres nothing worse than how tired one feels after staying up till 10:30, just to watch the best movie ever made.<br />
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Given this tiredness, I am quite unable to formulate comprehensive words for this blog post, hence: I might as well shut up while I'm ahead...but seriously, you should <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARWfCBr0ZDM">watch that movie</a>!Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-84964351525248226952011-06-02T15:30:00.000-07:002013-03-10T14:47:37.010-07:00Top Tens of springAs spring comes to a close, I figured, <em>everybody else always posts lists of some of their favorite things, so why not me?</em> Therefore, dear readers, you are about to learn some of my favorite things about spring.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">Top Ten Favorites of Spring</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-small;">(not in any particular order)</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #4c1130;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPs41GcLkrM/TegHsXhlRbI/AAAAAAAAAJA/lwhfUjqLe2Q/s1600/IMG_4498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPs41GcLkrM/TegHsXhlRbI/AAAAAAAAAJA/lwhfUjqLe2Q/s640/IMG_4498.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></a></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">1) The first flowers of the year</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J227AQ7yfjc/TegG8c8JnyI/AAAAAAAAAI8/qYgJplFk4lg/s1600/IMG_4824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J227AQ7yfjc/TegG8c8JnyI/AAAAAAAAAI8/qYgJplFk4lg/s400/IMG_4824.JPG" t8="true" width="300" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">2) The smell after a rainstorm</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-small;">(Unfortunately, people--me included-- don't usually take pictures of others playing in the mud, hence: I have no picture for number 3)</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">3) Putting one's feet in a nice slick mud puddle or in the dirt of a freshly hoed garden bed or the fresh mowed lawn</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5q9-90dzvgg/TegIWZwLTyI/AAAAAAAAAJE/i631io_ZN2w/s1600/IMG_4604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5q9-90dzvgg/TegIWZwLTyI/AAAAAAAAAJE/i631io_ZN2w/s640/IMG_4604.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">4) Having to wash ones feet before bed, due to how dirty one got them while playing outside</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqqQ_KQmGDo/TegJzp_2pQI/AAAAAAAAAJM/0UNULDQlwvs/s1600/IMG_4654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqqQ_KQmGDo/TegJzp_2pQI/AAAAAAAAAJM/0UNULDQlwvs/s640/IMG_4654.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">5) Actually, just playing outside</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9yRDUGyowiQ/TegKGB0_oJI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/UTqHzohTS7E/s1600/Lilacs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9yRDUGyowiQ/TegKGB0_oJI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/UTqHzohTS7E/s640/Lilacs.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">6) Lilacs.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">7) Changing one's wardrobe from long to short sleeves,</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6T6zwWhhh4U/TegKncOGsGI/AAAAAAAAAJY/sMhGwxpL7Vw/s1600/IMG_2687+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6T6zwWhhh4U/TegKncOGsGI/AAAAAAAAAJY/sMhGwxpL7Vw/s400/IMG_2687+%25281%2529.JPG" t8="true" width="300" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">8) Hearing children's laughter, wafting around the neighborhood...laaaaate into the evening,</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2pW-bskC3b8/TegLbMNjBrI/AAAAAAAAAJc/JE2NQ2InCOc/s1600/Flying+birds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2pW-bskC3b8/TegLbMNjBrI/AAAAAAAAAJc/JE2NQ2InCOc/s400/Flying+birds.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">9) Lying in the grass (or on the sidewalk) watching the birds (especially chimney swifts-not pictured, those are geese!),</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">10) Smelling the fresh earth and looking forward to summer!</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black;">What do you like about Spring? What are you looking forward to in the Summer?</span></div>
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Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-62652538944792733712011-06-01T10:10:00.000-07:002011-06-01T10:10:48.193-07:00Done, done, and done!Whew!<br />
<br />
That was really annoying to do, but just because I love you, I changed my blog. That said, I would <strong><em><u>love</u></em></strong> to hear what you think of it, so if you have any suggestions, any *compliments*, or anything else that you'd like to say, feel absolutely free to tell me (as long as criticism is creative and not harmful*)...I'd especially like feedback on the colors and the text font/size. SO please, please, please let me know if you think I Should change anything (because it wasn't <em>that</em> hard to do).<br />
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Thanks I <span style="color: magenta;"><3</span> you amazing people<br />
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XOXO<br />
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*<span style="font-size: x-small;">Creative criticism: I love that color of purple, it reminds my of elephants eating green bananas!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Joking! Creative Criticism: I really like ___<u>noun</u>_____/ How you did____<u>noun___.</u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> However <u>_____noun___</u>is really hard to read/<u>____noun______</u>might look better in __<u>color</u>__</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> you get the idea, criticism should be counter parted by a (sincere) compliment...and no, I'm not fishing for compliments, as long as you say it nicely, say whatever you like [see elephant comment above].</span>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-29048517411207462232011-05-31T14:03:00.000-07:002011-05-31T14:03:54.039-07:00new blog format?<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">For those of you who are slightly sane, please do not take offense at the following post</span>, it seems that I've finally gone crazy!</strong></div>It's kind of depressing, given that I will soon be needing to create a new blog (because I'm no longer homeschooling), that I am only now thinking of giving my blog a tiny bit of a makeover...but, I figured to heck with it! why not?<br />
And just in case the world 'ends' again sometime in the near future, at least when we're all dead I can tell all the other dead people that <em>I</em> was productive, and <em>I</em> made my blog look nice...of course if I hang out with Vctorian people in heaven, they won't know what a blog is, but at least I can feel superior!<br />
<br />
Okaaay, now I really <em>am</em> starting to write like Edgar Allen Poe, <u>I'm talking about dead people!</u> (I hope i don't have a fever...)<br />
Nope no fever, anyhow, as long as we don't all die I the near future (which I certainly hope we don't), you can look forward to a possible change in my blog! Yay!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Sorry about that strange post, it seems that I'm feeling slightly out of sorts today...must be the heat!</div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-20705923264210299152011-05-26T14:46:00.000-07:002011-05-26T14:46:51.378-07:00Reaction Paragraph to "I Write Like"<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;">While on the plane to visit family last week, I wrote a reaction paragraph to my 'I Write Like' experience...It actually came out quite well, so I figured that I'd post it!</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
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When somebody reads my writing, usually, they don't immediately after say, "oh! You write like Edgar Allen Poe!" In fact, people have never told me that I write like Edgar Allen Poe. I don't even want to hear that I write like him. To a happy anti-depression person who hated morbidity, like me, that could even be seen as an insult!<br />
So when the computer analyzed my writing and told me that I wrote like Edgar Allen Poe, my sensible reaction was: "Ummm, WHAT?!?!" Maybe I was overreacting, but I write like Edgar Allen Poe? I don't think so!<br />
But then I began to notice a similarity: we both use a lot of adjectives...however on second though, so does Jane Austen.<br />
Hmmm, Jane Austen, now there's someone who I might enjoy writing like. It's not that I have anything against good ol' Edgar, but--to put it frankly-- he is morbid, I am not!<br />
I briefly wonder what other authors I might write like. After being told that I write like a famous Canadian blogger and the woman who wrote gone with the wind, I'm still not quite satisfied. I think of long gowns at tea, and immediately I have an idea:<br />
<br />
"'It is a fact universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.'<br />
As I opened the novel by Miss Jane Austen, I felt a thrill tremor through my body. How exciting it was to read a novel by one of the greatest female novelists of all time, and even more exhilarating: to memorize each line that Elizabeth Bennet, her sisters, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, and of course Caroline Bingley<br />
This was in fact my sole reason for reading Pride and Prejudice as many times as I had, I could not get enough of dear, prideful Lizzy, or handsome, prejudiced Mr. Darcy, and of course I treasured reading about their intricate and convoluted relationship. <br />
Somehow, I could identify with Elizabeth, who wasn't as beautiful as her eldest sister, but would certainly be considered a beauty. She who judged harshly (though not without reason) but who was also a compassionate, loving, and loyal sister. I envied the relationship between Elizabeth and Jane Bennet and how protective they were required to be towards their youngest sisters, and I felt a connection with all of their family, no matter how foolish and unabashed the two youngest sisters and their mother were.<br />
This is a novel of which I cannot pretend to get enough, and which shall be opened, and treasured, many more times during my life and the course of history"<br />
<br />
I click the analyze button and hold my breath...the image that pops up on the screen 1.5 secounds later? "I write like Jane Austen". My sensible reaction? "YESSS! I've always wanted to write like Jane Austen" [my father walks in the room] "guess what?! I write like Jane Austen!"<br />
He's excited for me, I can tell...not bad being told that you write like one of the best female novelists of all time...it sort of boosts one's self confidence a couple degrees!<br />
Still if I ever publish a historical novel, what are the chances that someone will tell me, "Oh, you write like Jane Austen!"?<br />
After reading that last (morbid/depressing) paragraph, Edgar Allen Poe may be more likely.Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-24630979086719622952011-05-19T14:40:00.001-07:002011-05-19T14:40:54.094-07:00I'm still here {mostly} 2I feel like I'm always apologizing for never writing on my blog...and I must say: its true, I don't often write on my blog, certainly not as much as I would like to...<br />
<br />
So anyhow, I apologize, and instead of telling my excuse I'm just going to say that I <em>do </em>write posts very often when I can, but I am a very busy person, so sometimes I can't.<br />
I'm going to leave it at that.<br />
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I just got back from a lovely trip to see some family and will hopefully have some cool pictures up as soon as I get them onto the computer!Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-48463314252610738122011-05-08T07:09:00.000-07:002011-05-08T07:09:20.038-07:00I Write Like...Through <a href="http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/">another blog</a>, I recently came across a website that analyzes your writing and tells you who you write like...depressingly enough, the first time that I tried this I was told that I write like Edgar Allen Poe:<br />
<!-- Begin I Write Like Badge --><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="background: #f7f7f7; border-bottom: #ddd 2px solid; border-left: #ddd 2px solid; border-right: #ddd 2px solid; border-top: #ddd 2px solid; color: #555555; font: 20px/1.2 Arial,sans-serif; overflow: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 380px;"><img src="http://s.iwl.me/w.png" style="float: right;" width="120px" /><div style="border-bottom: #eee 1px solid; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 20px; text-shadow: #fff 0 1px;">I write like<br />
<a href="http://iwl.me/w/66982063" style="color: #698b22; font-size: 30px; text-decoration: none;">Edgar Allan Poe</a></div><div style="color: #888888; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><em>I Write Like</em> by Mémoires, <a href="http://www.codingrobots.com/memoires/" style="color: #888888;">journal software</a>. <a href="http://iwl.me/" style="background: #ffffe0; color: #333333;"><b>Analyze your writing!</b></a></div></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><!-- End I Write Like Badge --> </div><div align="left" style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Happily, after that first try, I got less morbid results! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><!-- Begin I Write Like Badge --></div><br />
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<div style="background: #f7f7f7; border-bottom: #ddd 2px solid; border-left: #ddd 2px solid; border-right: #ddd 2px solid; border-top: #ddd 2px solid; color: #555555; font: 20px/1.2 Arial,sans-serif; overflow: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 380px;"><img src="http://s.iwl.me/w.png" style="float: right;" width="120px" /><div style="border-bottom: #eee 1px solid; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 20px; text-shadow: #fff 0 1px;">I write like<br />
<a href="http://iwl.me/w/31398c21" style="color: #698b22; font-size: 30px; text-decoration: none;">Cory Doctorow</a></div><div style="color: #888888; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><em>I Write Like</em> by Mémoires, <a href="http://www.codingrobots.com/memoires/" style="color: #888888;">journal software</a>. <a href="http://iwl.me/" style="background: #ffffe0; color: #333333;"><b>Analyze your writing!</b></a></div></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><!-- End I Write Like Badge --></div><div style="text-align: center;"><!-- Begin I Write Like Badge --></div><br />
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<div style="background: #f7f7f7; border-bottom: #ddd 2px solid; border-left: #ddd 2px solid; border-right: #ddd 2px solid; border-top: #ddd 2px solid; color: #555555; font: 20px/1.2 Arial,sans-serif; overflow: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 380px;"><img src="http://s.iwl.me/w.png" style="float: right;" width="120px" /><div style="border-bottom: #eee 1px solid; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 20px; text-shadow: #fff 0 1px;">I write like<br />
<a href="http://iwl.me/w/ce65a7ad" style="color: #698b22; font-size: 30px; text-decoration: none;">Margaret Mitchell</a></div><div style="color: #888888; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><em>I Write Like</em> by Mémoires, <a href="http://www.codingrobots.com/memoires/" style="color: #888888;">journal software</a>. <a href="http://iwl.me/" style="background: #ffffe0; color: #333333;"><b>Analyze your writing!</b></a></div></div><br />
<br />
<!-- End I Write Like Badge --><br />
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...and most happily, I write like my favorite female author of all time: <br />
<!-- Begin I Write Like Badge --><br />
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<div style="background: #f7f7f7; border-bottom: #ddd 2px solid; border-left: #ddd 2px solid; border-right: #ddd 2px solid; border-top: #ddd 2px solid; color: #555555; font: 20px/1.2 Arial,sans-serif; overflow: auto; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 380px;"><img src="http://s.iwl.me/w.png" style="float: right;" width="120px" /><div style="border-bottom: #eee 1px solid; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-top: 20px; text-shadow: #fff 0 1px;">I write like<br />
<a href="http://iwl.me/w/cf96f889" style="color: #698b22; font-size: 30px; text-decoration: none;">Jane Austen</a></div><div style="color: #888888; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><em>I Write Like</em> by Mémoires, <a href="http://www.codingrobots.com/memoires/" style="color: #888888;">journal software</a>. <a href="http://iwl.me/" style="background: #ffffe0; color: #333333;"><b>Analyze your writing!</b></a></div></div><br />
<br />
<!-- End I Write Like Badge --><br />
<br />
And now (to write like L.M. Montgomery might) my heart is exploding with happiness! <br />
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To see who <em>you </em>write like: <a href="http://iwl.me/">click here</a>!Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-81830309586667474382011-05-08T06:23:00.000-07:002011-05-08T06:23:22.062-07:00Blog award!Hey, guess what??? <a href="http://mistoftheblossomrain.blogspot.com/">Emily</a> (from <a href="http://mistoftheblossomrain.blogspot.com/">Mist of the Blossom Rain</a>) is a really nice person...(go check out her blog sometime)! Anyhow, she nominated me for the Magical Blogger award by <a closure_uid_dwg8g5="46" href="http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: #3366cc;">Deirdra Eden-Coppel</span></strong></a><br />
This is my first award and I feel very specail.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bAsEL2Mkxr0/TcaYCmQFvLI/AAAAAAAAAHw/1suHgtf4p_4/s1600/Blog+award%2521%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bAsEL2Mkxr0/TcaYCmQFvLI/AAAAAAAAAHw/1suHgtf4p_4/s1600/Blog+award%2521%2521.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, thanks everyone for reading and following and commenting on my blog...I really appreciate that!</div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-253010664893257712011-05-05T17:51:00.000-07:002011-05-05T17:54:35.474-07:00Animal Photo ContestI just read about this photo contest on my dear friend <a href="http://mistoftheblossomrain.blogspot.com/">Emily's blog</a>...and I thought that I would enter a picture. The contest is being hosted by <a href="http://www.littlesomethings.net/">Little Somethings</a> (who has an amazing blog), and the theme is animals...so: here it goes!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j1DEoHUWLyU/TcNFP7QLcwI/AAAAAAAAAHs/pa2AmRf-Y0A/s1600/Bonnie+in+the+sun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225px" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j1DEoHUWLyU/TcNFP7QLcwI/AAAAAAAAAHs/pa2AmRf-Y0A/s400/Bonnie+in+the+sun.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here is my picture (this is my cat Bonnie, and basically I captured her sweet<em>--and scared--</em>sides very well)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<center><a href="http://www.littlesomethings.net/"><img border="0" src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/happilyevrafter7/photochallenge-button.png" /></a></center>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280790683081554401.post-71595617469995536852011-05-05T15:02:00.000-07:002011-05-05T17:54:02.331-07:00a blur of a weekThe last few weeks have been sort of a blur, with one family emergency (or tragedy) after another. <br />
First, a cousin of my mother's who was only 47 died very suddenly, then a half a week later my step grandfather died. So, we've been traveling a lot to go be with family and I haven't had much time to blog...<br />
I just read that last paragraph and realized that I sounded very much like I was searching for sympathy (which I am most certainly not!), so ignore the sadness and stop feeling bad for me... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ki1NO7KJDE/TcMeB-FEtwI/AAAAAAAAAHo/TUymGV-EZfw/s1600/IMG_3449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ki1NO7KJDE/TcMeB-FEtwI/AAAAAAAAAHo/TUymGV-EZfw/s400/IMG_3449.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[Random but nice photograph]</span></div>Anyhow, I still don't really have much time to blog, but I just wanted to quickly put a post up explaining (and apologizing for) my absence, thank you, my wonderful readers, for putting up with me and my blog!<br />
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<div align="center"></div>Ari http://www.blogger.com/profile/12755786223405380093noreply@blogger.com1