Graduation...Nope. Nooooope.

Has time passed by this quickly? Is it already nearly the end of the school year?

It just feels like yesterday when I first walked into my new elementary school, scared out of my wits, to finish the last three months of first grade. If yesterday felt like the first time I walked into my new, first grade class, a few hours ago must've been the time I first stepped onto the grounds of my middle school!

No, now we have a few weeks left. Even then, that time will be dwindling down to days, to hours, to minutes, and to seconds.

...Words fail. They fail to truly extract and express the feelings I hold within me. They fail to convey the sadness I have. The anticipation for a new chapter. The apprehension for another journey.

They fail to communicate the abundant amount of thanks I have for the people who guided me and the peers who graced their presence into my life.

I remember the nervousness of going into a new environment. I remember the hope I had in creating friendships and the dread I felt of a different outcome, but I didn't have to be worried.

I want to thank all of my teachers. From elementary to middle school, I can never thank you enough for the amount of guidance you pushed on to me. I can never thank you enough for being there whenever I had trouble. I can never thank you enough for just being there for me in general and nurturing me to become the person I am now.

I want to thank the staff. I want to recognize the nurses who fixed me up whenever I got hurt. I want to thank the technicians who always fixed the technology that help us learn and grow. I want to give credit to the custodians who always cleaned up the messes we made. I give gratitude to the lunch ladies for dealing with our "hangry" behavior in the lunch line. I want to thank the secretaries, principals, and the superintendent that help run this place smoothly. Most of all, I would like to give thanks to the PTA for putting so much effort into making the years here memorable.

As for my friends...I don't want to say goodbye. The connections I've made here are the reason why I love this place so much. I don't want to untie the knot that holds us all together into this one big family. It's sad to see you guys go, but the connections I've made here will forever stay a memory in my heart.

Good or bad experiences, they will stay. Funny or solemn memories, I will keep. Old or new connections, I will treasure.

The time I've spent here will forever hold a place in my soul. As I await to open the next chapter of my life, I will spend the time in between reminiscing on these precious moments.

May You Find This Relatable in Some Way or Form

So...what to do...what to do...

I was rather down in the dumps lately. Everything's been passing by so quickly, and sometimes I just need to stop. Sometimes I need to take a little break to unwind myself and have some fun. 

So, what else could I do then surf the wonders of the internet?! (My options were very limited. XD) I was just typing random stuff and looking for anything interesting. Then, I decided to look for something that would make me laugh because goodness knows that laughter helps get you at ease.

Memes. Videos. Jokes. Everything.

Were they effective? I'll leave you guessing. XP

Here are some of the ones I found the most interesting!

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Courtesy to Pinterest

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Courtesy to Jokideo

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Courtesy to Google Play

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They may or may not seem funny to you. I find them funny because they're relatable. ^_^

Hesitant Ending to Another New Beginning

Courtesy to Pinterest

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Wow. Time sure flies fast, huh? It's cliche, I know, but it just feels like a few minutes ago that I've written my first blog post. In reality, it's been, what, several months?

To be honest, I really don't want this year to end. I'm really scared to start this new chapter of my life.

New milestones to cross.

New problems to fix.

New obstacles to overcome.

New interests to experience.

Everything is so daunting.

I just want to curl up and clutch every single memory I've made the past few years. I don't want to leave it all behind. Even in memory, it's never the same. Everything is moving so quickly that it's so hard to keep up with it. I just want to sit down and soak in every experience and connection that I have before it all fades away.

I'm not naive. I think of it often, and I know that the connections I've made would most likely diminish in time if they're not strong enough. It's just sad to see such relations crumble once I take this new step towards another new beginning.

Just like the quote said, I have to accept it. It's better that I do now, then mope around about how my life is getting harder. It's better that I take these experiences with me and learn from them. It's better that I should smile down on these memories whenever I reminisce this part of my life.

This is the foundation that I will build upon to create the tower of exciting memories I'm going to make over time.

Well. Uh. How Do I Start This...

Conversations. Am I right? Aren't they one of the most complicated things ever?

Err...you know the feeling when you want to start a conversation with someone, but you don't know what to say?

Oh! How about when you're already in a conversation with someone, but you don't know how to keep it going?

Maybe you know the one where you're having a conversation with someone, but you don't know how to end it. Instead, it just tapers off into awkward silence.

The one where you try to talk in a conversation but no one notices you or they ignore you is also an interesting one.

Oh, and my favorite! The time when you're having a conversation with multiple people when you're actually not because you don't even know how to talk in the conversation, and you just stay quiet.

Conversations. Am I right?

Well, I've been having that problem for the pass week or two. Maybe longer. Maybe my whole life. Everyone has that problem, I know, but I just get so sick and tired of it. You want to say something, but you can't. You want to voice your opinion, but your mouth won't let you say it.

Instead, you sit passively as you listen to others while saying the comments you wanted to say in your head.

Instead, you just imagine saying the words you wanted to say to the people and try to imagine the reactions they would have.

Even when you try to voice your opinion, it doesn't come out the way you want it, or the people/person your having a conversation with react differently then what you hoped they would react.

Then you wonder why if it was a good idea to even say what you wanted to say.

Yeah. Not complicated at all.

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(I couldn't find a good meme to fully express my feelings, so insert your own meme here.)
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Who Would've Thought I Got my Name Like That...

This week is a free write. We get to post about anything we want. Originally, this was an official post before, but I put it back in edit. I was looking forward for another opportunity to share this post again, but I never quite found the right time to put it back up. Well, until now. I found this story quite interesting to tell, and I hope you find it amusing as well. ^_^

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Well. This is embarrassing. It's a rather funny story, actually. Maybe a little sad...

Okay, so it went like this.

My parents were still debating on what my first name should be. Of course, they had an agreement that my second name would be based off my dad's.

Then, it happened.

They watched a commercial.

In the commercial, it showed a beautiful woman. She was depicted to be...I don't know. What I do know is that something about her made my mom really like her. She must've had great qualities...

When she heard the name of the woman, she knew instantly that she should call me after her. This beautiful random woman on t.v.

 Originally, they were supposed to name me after my great-grandmother because I was born on the same day as her. Well, supposedly. I was supposed to be born on my uncle's birthday, but I ended up being a day overdue. So, they didn't consider my great-grandmother's name until the actual day I was born.

I don't hate my name. I quite like it, actually. It makes me, well, me. I'm just wondering why, you know. Great-grandma over here who I share a birthday with versus beautiful random woman on t.v.

At least I have an interesting story to share. XD

Oh, don't worry about great-grandma. I got to choose my Spanish name for my Spanish class, and I based it around her.

Welp. That's how I got my name. From a beautiful random woman in a commercial. :P

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Credits to Sizzle

ERROR! ERROR! CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!

Guess what I just found out today? Well, I found out that it's scientifically proven that if you look at cute images or videos, your performance and concentration levels increase and improve. It also is scientifically proven that it raises your happiness levels. ^_^

We all know how stressful life can be sometimes. Things from tests to family problems can raise your anxiety and stress levels. Nobody likes that.

Hey, I got your back! Here's an assortment of images and gifs of cuteness that will help you get through whatever problem you're facing. :D

Without further ado, here's a cuteness overload!

Courtesy goes to BOOMSBeat

Aww. It's okay little bunny rabbit. The cushioning on the ground will help your fall!

Courtesy to jca-adm from Just Cute Animals

Look at that adorable face~! XD

Courtesy to Alec from PBH2

 Such a cute yawn, right?

Courtesy to animals.ekstrax.com

Why, hello there. Are you playing Peak-A-Boo?

Here's a dose of cuteness for your day!

Who Else is a Better Influence Than Her?

I don't have a lot of experience when it comes to the death of a close family member or friend. They're either distantly related or very close, but never close enough to create a big impact on me.

In some ways I'm glad for that. I don't want to experience the hurt and pain you carry when someone close to you passes on. Other times, I'm regretful because it feels like I've missed out on a great opportunity in getting to know the people who could have been someone very close and dear to me.

With that said, I find it quite hard to write a tribute about a special person who has passed on when I don't have that special kind of person. Although, what I can do right now is write a special tribute to someone who is alive. I may not have a very special influence that has passed on, but what I do have is a very special influence helping me right here, right now.

That special influence is my mom. (...Sorry, Dad. You're a big influence too, but I already wrote a blog post about you.)

There's not enough words to express how much I care for her and how grateful I am for every minute she spends taking care of me. She's been through so many things, and she puts in so much effort into helping us get a better life. She's so very thoughtful and considerate, and she's the best role model and influence for me.

My mom is a very hard-working woman. She's one of the main pillars and supports that keep our family together. She would work very long shifts at her workplace in order to help us live and get through with our lives. I don't understand how she does it. If I was in her place, I would already be so worn out, and my perseverance would have died a long time ago. Not my mom, though.

She would always keep that smile on her face. She's always so warm and caring to us at home even if we were being quite loud and annoying. Instead, she would stare at us with a small smile and ask about how our day was going.

She would always put our happiness before hers. All the things we need before hers. All the things we want before hers. There was one time when we went shopping, and we were looking around for things we needed. Then, we spotted some things we really wanted to get. We tried to stay quiet about it, but our mom probably saw through our act (Mother's intuition can be scary O-O). The thing is, what we wanted was rather expensive. She just stared at us with that understanding look and asked if we wanted it. We denied professedly, but she gave us the same look of understanding. She ended up getting it for us. All the money she could have used for something else more useful was used for something we wanted on a whim.

My mom is one of the emotional pillars that support my mental structure. Every time I ever broke down or was having a raging fit, she's always there to calm me down and soothe me. I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have her. I think I'd just be an emotional storm if she isn't here with me.

Even if I'm always grateful for her here, I don't always show it. Especially now since I'm going through the showing-that-you-love-your-parents-is-embarrassing phase. I don't know how she handles it. Whenever I snap at her or show some attitude, she's always brushing it off like it was nothing. She's pretty tough, if you ask me.

My mom is the best influence I could have in my life. She's caring, understanding, considerate of others, and a whole bunch of other awesome adjectives that would take too long to say all of them.

I don't say it often, but I mean it when I say, "I love my mom."

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Courtesy to AwesomeQuotestEva

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Isn't That an Interesting Group of People

If I could spend an afternoon with three famous people, dead or alive, I would like to meet...Eleanor Roosevelt, Conan O'Brien, and Walt Disney. Reasons? I'll tell you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

She is an amazing person! To be honest, if you had asked me this question a few months ago, I wouldn't have even thought about her. It wasn't until recently, when I started reading her biography, that I started thinking of her as a very influential person. She was the First Lady for Pete's sake, and she was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times! That's amazing! She broke out of her shell and became a person who you could trust and listen. She's a force to be reckoned with.

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Courtesy of Mushpa and Mensa

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Conan O'Brien

I'm going to die laughing if I get the chance to meet him. He's a comedian, just so you know. His dry humor really gets me into laughing fits. However, that's not the only reason why I liked him. In the past, he wasn't very well received by the public. He's dealt with so much criticism, hardship, and harshness. To be honest, sometimes I felt like he was going to give up at some moments. Even with those circumstances, he persevered, and it eventually paid off. After enduring such pain, it paid off. Now, he's a comedian who's showered in a lot of love from his fans.

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Courtesy to Pinterest

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Walt Disney

Who wouldn't want to meet Walt Disney? He created one of the most influential entertainment industries in the world! Disney! He has so much imagination and creativity if he created such amazing theme parks. Even when he was turned down and criticized because of his 'lack of creativity'. He didn't let that get to him, and he tried his best to get his dreams and ambitions to come true. If he sees the evolution of Disney now, he would be proud.

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Courtesy to WeNeedFun

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I guess we can go to the movie theaters and watch the new "Beauty and the Beast" movie. I would like to hear Mrs. Roosevelt's opinion on the movie. I'm sure she would have a lot of interesting things to say. Conan would most likely joke  a little during the movie but would make a lot of more jokes and comments on it after the movie. As for Walt Disney...I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that his movie has been adapted into a live-action film.

WOAH! That's Not a Real Person?!?!

I love field trips. Who doesn't? It's the time when you get to leave school for at least a couple hours and have some fun while learning a few things along the way. That's exactly what I did during my Springfield field trip.

I was quite excited for the field trip since we were practically gone for the whole day! ^_^ Plus, I was with all of my friends for the whole trip, so it made it even more fun. We were visiting a lot of awesome places during our trip.

We got to see Abraham Lincoln's home, his tomb, the Illinois State Capital, quite a few veteran memorials, and the Abraham Lincoln National Museum! They were all amazing to see! However, what occurred in the Abraham Lincoln National Museum is probably one of the most memorable moments of the trip.

The name of the place practically states what consists in the museum. It's all and everything Abraham Lincoln. All the way from when he was a tiny, little baby to his death after being assassinated. It was interesting to see all the different artifacts as well as the...wax statues. Sorry! Wax statues kind of creep me out.

Although, what caught my eye the most was the movies we could watch when we were there.

There was one telling a story about Lincoln's life, but it wasn't some boring documentary. Let's just say there quite a few surprises and a lot of special effects that made it quite exciting to watch.

The second one, however...I found it much more interesting to watch. It was rather mellow, but there was a mystery surrounding the movie. There was a certain feeling in the room that made you feel like something was going to happen that you wouldn't expect. It was rather disconcerting but exhilarating at the same time.

What happened there was...woah. I was dumbfounded! I never knew that technology advanced that much to create something that magical and realistic. I couldn't even tell. I thought they were a real person, but seeing them disappear in front of my eyes like that blew my mind! Now, I don't want to spoil too much for you, so I won't give out too much detail.

For sure, that was one of my most favorite moments during the trip. I can't wait to go back and see Springfield again.

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Courtesy to Meme Generator for the Picture/Meme!

Da(17x) BATMAN~!

*WARNING! THIS POST MIGHT CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS!*

Guess who just watched The Lego Batman Movie a second time~?!?! (Psst. Hint. It's me.)

The Lego Batman Movie is about Batman dealing with his struggles of being a loner throughout his life. After fighting with the Joker in an epic battle, big changes occur that force him to reevaluate the way he's living. As he struggles with sticking to his usual aloof, lone vigilante behavior, he's done a few regrettable things that push the people around him away. Throughout the movie, you see him trying to save Gotham from the hands of the Joker while struggling with his fear of snake clowns having a family again when he unintentionally adopts a kid and bring him into his way of life.

Lego Batman is witty and its comedy is superb. Not to mention, the references in the movie are bound to bring some laughter from the crowd. *cough*SuicideSquad*cough* The animation is gorgeous and it seems to bring the nostalgia out of people with its combination of childhood influences (Lego and Batman).  The balance of the action and comedy is almost flawless, and, if it feels like its dragging on, there are quite a few jokes punctuated in it to make it bearable.

With its goofy and lovable characters along with a pretty decent plot line, this movie is quite worth the watch. I'd give it an 8.5/10.

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Kudos to Know Your Meme for the picture/meme!

Never Gonna Give Up Jamming to the '80s~!

Well, you see, my dad has been a huge influence to me music wise. Well, not it playing instruments or singing but in song selection. This, for the most part, includes the '80s.

That's right! The '80s is my jam! It doesn't matter what genre it is. As long as I find it good, I'll listen to it. I can't just fan freak out over just one genre, song, group, or person.

He also played songs from the '70s and '90s. Some even in the 2000s, but, for the majority, it's the '80s. Although, that whole spectrum of music I'm quite familiar with.

I mean, off the top of my head, I can name you five to eight songs from the '80s and three to five songs each from the '70s, '90s, and 2000s. However, some songs are more prominent than others. Like these songs. They're probably the ones I remember the most.

1. Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
2. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
3. Beat it - Michael Jackson
4. Every Breath You Take - The Police
5. Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
6. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cindy Lauper
7. When Doves Cry - Prince 
8. Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley (Rickroll XD)

Argh! I want to name more, but I'm afraid that I'd go on rambling about the '80s. No matter how much I try, the '80s will forever be ingrained in my musical mind. Wah! Maybe I'll expand more on my knowledge on music. After all, I did say that my musical taste varies to a lot of different genres.

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How Hard Can it be to Lead a Country?

Hmm...which president do I admire the most? How about honest Abe? Maybe George Washington, the first President of the United States? Although, Franklin D. Roosevelt is also a good one. Oh! How about our 44th president, Barack Obama?

I admire a lot of them. I mean, I have at least some respect for anyone who lead our country. That's a pretty hard job to manage. I can feel myself grow older when I think of the thought. Yeah, I know that some didn't do very well in leading their country, and all of them fumbled at some point in time during their presidency. Although, they did step up to the plate to take on the challenge. That, for which, I can greatly admire.

The one that I find the most admirable though...I don't know. I have a lot of favorites. I guess that I'll randomly choose one with a generator.

That person is...!!!

Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The generator made a fine choice.

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Of course, the achievement I most greatly admired that he did was probably pulling us out of the Great Depression or helping us through WWII (even though he died near the end). He pulled us out of that economic disaster with his leadership.

How about his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt?!?! That woman is amazing! If I wasn't supposed to be writing about the Presidents I would have surely wrote about her instead.

Not to mention, he was rather supportive about certain things like Women's Rights or the right to vote.

However, some opinions he kept to himself due to how complicated politics can be and what not. Not everyone was ready to hear such idealistic ideas at that time. Even then, he still led the country with all he had.

I mean, he was the first president with a significant physical disability (Polio or Guillain-Barre Syndrome, I'm not quite sure)! He pushed through a lot of problems and suffering to get where he was.

That even includes leading the U.S. to victory in WWII. If being president during the Great Depression was hard, imagine being president during WWII! That must have been a living nightmare. However, he must've done a rather significant job since he was elected for four terms. Well, close to four. He died in office before the war ended during his fourth term.

Imagine how tired and stressed he was in leading a country through almost four terms which involved significant events like the Great Depression or WWII?!?! I don't know how he does it.

I mean, he still had quite a few fumbles during his presidency *cough* pulling out the New Deals too early, bad deal between him and Stalin near the end of the war *cough*, but, overall, he did very well.

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If I Could, Then I Would

The thing that I really want to get is very very expensive. It's not for me but for my parents.

You see, the majority of my family lives in a different country. So it's very hard to stay in contact with them as frequently as we would like. Considering that my parent's siblings and their own parents live that far away, it's safe to say that they miss them quite a lot.

That's why I want to get them plane tickets that allows them to see the rest of the family. Time is passing by, and we're not getting any younger. Especially my grandparents.

The holidays is when you spend your time with your family and the people you care about. Well, you can't do that when nearly 90% of your family lives in a different country. That's where these tickets come into play. My parents did so many things and sacrificed a majority of other stuff for my siblings and I. That includes the time they can spend with the rest of the family. This is the least I can do for them. I may not have the money now, but someday I will.

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The Sound of My Name

My name is only a shortened version of what the original was.

Noble. That's what it means in English.

Thirst. That's what it means in Hindi.

Although, I am not of noble ranking nor am I in thirst. I am not even the saint that they associate me with.

I am me. That name is me, but it is not me. What makes that name me are the people that say that name to me making that name my name. Mine. My own. It is associated to me. Only to me. Like a call. Each distinct, but directed with the same purpose.

My friends say my name with an ease. Present but not present. Common but not common. Sometimes with a persistence, and other times with exasperation. It is spoken softly but the pronunciation gives it a marble-mouthed sound. Not that clear, but clear enough to be heard and understood. They say it with a steadfast tone. Always strong.

My teachers say it with a push. A move forward to a direction that I can take to be the best I can become. Always nudging with a persistence, but not too much that I fall. It is nurturing but strict. Sometimes they shorten it, but not often. In the end, it always holds the same underlying mission. The same intention of helping strength.

 At home, I am called by a different name. Not too different to make it something else entirely, but unique enough to be proven something distinct from the rest. It's like a songbird. It's shrill with a slight trill on the first syllable. It is said with an accent. Slightly melodic but annoying at other times. They are filled with many indications. Emotions. Some are negative. Insistence. Exasperation. Anger. Some are positive. Affection. Cheerfulness. Gratitude.

My siblings call me something else entirely. It is derived from the meaning of "elder sister" in my native tongue. Not by my name they call me. In replacement, elder sister.  Sometimes they say it with scorn or an indifference. Other times with an affection. Most times with an annoying twinge that makes me want to break my already stretched patience.

In the end, it's me. My name is me. Always there but not there. None the less, I wouldn't have it any other way.

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I Found This Online, and I Don't Know Whether to Laugh or Feel Bad

Helping Others is What I Like to Do

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If I had the chance to choose any job at school, then I would be a school counselor. I have always liked to help people. From academic problems to emotional problems, I do what I can to help the person.

It bothers me when I see people losing their way or are unsure on certain things. If I'm given the chance then I'll try to guide them on the best path they can take. I like nurturing people and watching them grow and get better. Something about that just makes my day.

If anyone feels troubled or down then I'm willing to be there to help them solve their problems. Everyone needs a person there if they're facing a problem that they feel unsure of how to overcome. That's a school counselor's job. It's their job to be there for the students when they face troubling situations they need help on. It's their job to help students develop to be the best they can be.
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I feel like I would work in a middle school or maybe in a high school. To me, that's where most problems arise. That's when major changes happen, and people need guidance more than ever at that time. It's hard to choose which specific grade. I mean, don't school counselor's help everyone?

If I really had to choose, I would pick the beginning grade when you start middle school, eighth grade, freshman year, and senior year. I feel like that's the time when your the most vulnerable and susceptible to problematic situations.

Even then, I still would like to help anyone from any grade if their struggling with something. Everyone needs someone there to help them and to be their compass. I want to be that person.
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Special Trip Post! Part VIII What the-! These Shells are Alive!!!

To be honest, I just wanted to jump right back in the water when we got to the other side. Although, I stifled that urge in order to take some pictures.

You know what happened next right? I jumped into the water!

...not.

I waded into the water instead. I had to be careful. There were coral pieces and shells littered around the area. Although, once I went a safe distance away, I dived into the water. The water was warm. It almost felt welcoming. The only thing that bothered me was the stench.

I don't know how to describe it. It smelled like...something was rotting. Maybe it was fish poop! Wait. On second thought, the whole ocean is practically the bathroom for the animals. That thought almost made me want to get out of the water.

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Half-Truth (I'd Still Swim in the Water)

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Decidedly, I ignored it in favor of talking with my sister. We were trying to find shells, and I asked to see if she found any. She did! It was a shell, but it was in a cone-shaped spiral.

I took the shell out of her hand, and we went our separate ways to find new shells. After a while, I found more cone-shaped spiraled shells. They were rather cool to look at, so I decided to observe them and see if there were any differences.

All of a sudden, it happened.

With wide eyes, I saw something starting to wiggle out of the shell. With a slight poke of its head, its weird antennae-antler thingies started probing the surroundings. Slowly, it started coming out. It was a sea snail!

When it felt brave enough, the snail started moving! I watched with a face of disgusted (but not that disgusted) fascination as the snail slowly traversed my hand. Slowly, more of the snails started coming out of their shells. One by one, they started moving. I even saw a tiny snail climb on top of one of the bigger ones!

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Not the Right Snail, but Close Enough!

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I took a breath through my nose in fascination...and recoiled at the stench of the snails! Whoo wee! That was not pleasant! Come to think of it, they smelled exactly like the odor that I was thinking about earlier!

All of a sudden, a realization struck through my brain. Quickly, I started looking for signs of the snails as I held the ones in my hand with a careful but tight grip. 

As I walked nearer to a wall of rock, I saw it. On the wall were hundreds of snails firmly affixed to the side where the wall met water. They peppered the side, and some of them were above the water level! Maybe that was due to the high tide.

I stared at the snail-littered wall for a few moments, and I decided to put the snails back where I found them. I hope they'll be okay. Although...I heard that these types of snails are the ones that can be eaten. I hope that they were kidding...

Shout Out to the World That I'm Grateful for...

How many times have you taken things for granted in your life? How many times have I taken things for granted in my life? Can you count all of them? What? Me? Well, I can't. So many times I took things for granted. Too many times I didn't speak the words I wanted to say. Either from gratitude to a simple apology of not acknowledging what an important position they had in my life.

Well, not anymore.
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1. First and foremost, I'm thankful for my parents. I'm thankful that they brought me into a world of endless opportunities. I'm grateful that they're always so kind and considerate. I'm thankful that they aren't as strict as some other parents. Even if they were strict about things, it's only because they're always thinking about my well-being as well as my sibling's.  
2. I'm grateful for my siblings no matter how annoying or obnoxious they are. They're the ones that always keep me grounded. They're the ones I turn to when things get rough. I appreciate it when they knock me down a peg or two. It helps remind myself that I shouldn't take things for granted. For that, I'll forever do my best to have their back just like they have mine.
3. I'm grateful for my friends. I'm thankful that I always have a shoulder to cry on or a hug of comfort whenever I feel down. I'm thankful that I have people to call whenever I'm in trouble. I have people to come to that understand me and relate to me. I'm grateful that we can fiercely defend each other if any one of us gets hurt. I'm grateful that I have people there to stand by my side. For that, I will forever be in debt to the kindness they've shown me.
4. I'm thankful for my relatives. Even if we're a couple minutes away or a thousand miles, they always support me through thick and thin. Even the ones I don't know very well. They always wish me good luck and encourage me to follow my aspirations and my dreams. I can't seem to put it into words how eternally touched and appreciative I am for all things they've done for me.
5. I'm thankful for my teachers and the people that guided me through life. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am now. I wouldn't be me. They helped nurture me to the potential that I'm now growing into. There's still a long way to go, but , every time I take a step forward, it's because of their guidance that I'm going this far.
6. I'm thankful for music. Music is indescribable. It's my anchor that keeps me floating away in a sea of hatred and self-loathing. Music expresses the emotions I pent-up inside, and it calms me whenever I feel stressed or frustrated. Without music, I don't think I'll be able to live the life I live today with all the joy and happiness.
7. I'm thankful for the hateful words I've heard over the duration of my life. Without those words, I wouldn't be able to push myself to be the best I can be. Without these insults, I wouldn't be able to improve myself. I'd be stuck in a place where I'm good, but not as great as I should be. Those words helped me explore my potential, I'm grateful every time I think of them and how they pushed me to work better and be stronger. For all the hate I've heard in my life, thank you.
8. I'm thankful for books. Without books, my creativity wouldn't even be half its size as it is now. Books enlarged my knowledge of the world, and it helps create the best ideas when the time calls for it. Each and every story I've ever read contributed to every idea I've ever thought or came up with. For sure, I'll be grateful for them.
9. I'm thankful for my home. No, not the actual house (not that I'm not grateful for my house...) but my home. Home provides a sense of comfort. It provides a sense of safety. Home is the place where I feel most comfortable. I don't have to worry about being judged. Home provides the love I need, and I don't ever want to take it for granted again. 

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I wish you guys a happy Thanksgiving, and I hope that you're a little more appreciative of the things you have in life!

Shout Out to My Blog Buddy! :D

Argh! I am so, so sorry! I had this as a draft for so long, but I kept forgetting to post it. D: Well, not anymore!
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I'm just here to give a shout out to my blog buddy! You should check their blog! It's really cool! :D

http://brimadys03.blogspot.com/

Special Trip Post! Part VII First my Nose, Now my Feet!?!?!

It was not the shade of white I expected it to be. When I think of white, I think about snow. You know how light snow is...mostly. The "white" sand was just a shade of gray with flecks of dark yellow here and there.

Although, I can't lie. It was still rather pretty.

What I also didn't expect was how rocky and painful it was for my feet.

Obviously, I took off my flip flops in fear of them floating away from me again. What a mistake that was.

The ocean floor was littered with dried coral, rocks, and shells! My poor feet didn't expect it, so you can say that my reaction was quite comical to a few people.
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This Was the Closest Thing I Could Find

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It wasn't even over! Once I scurried away from the water and headed to the sand, the dread in my stomach was starting to sink in. Guess what? It was the same thing as the ocean floor! The only difference was that it was scorching hot! Luckily, I put on my flip flops to prevent the sand from further injuring my already aching feet.

My family had the same reaction as I did, but we didn't let it deter us. We heard from our guide that just over the dune in front of us was a rather beautiful reef with an abundant amount of fish. The sand dune was rather steep but the guide was right. It really was beautiful.

We carefully walked down the side to have a better view of the place. I was close enough to the water that it was lapping at my feet. Peering down, I could see little glints and glitters of movement. They were fish. Colorful, tropical fish. They were rather small; barely longer than my index finger. They were fascinating to watch, nonetheless.
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*Shivers*

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I stared, fixated, at them for a couple of minutes until my mom's squeal broke my thought barrier. As I moved my head to the side to look at her, I distinctly saw her jump away from her spot near the sea and stare at a certain area where a congregation of rocks was.

When she broke out of her daze, she exclaimed that she was pinched by a crab! Of course, I shivered at that. That's one of my irrational fears. Like, come on! What if a crab or lobster just suddenly pinches your foot as you innocently walked through the water. It's a horrifying thought.

After taking a slight breather, we decided to head back on the other side to take some pictures. Still, the horrifying image of a crab pinching my feet lingered in my thoughts. I was just happy that it wasn't me this time.
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Hey, guys! As you know, Thanksgiving is a week from today. I'm here to tell you that I won't be updating on Thanksgiving Day. Instead, I want to spend that time with my family. To make up for it, I'll make sure to update my blog a little more (Goodness knows I need to...) and make an extra awesome post about my trip! Until next time!

The Loving Memory of Food! Crunch & Hershey's Krackel

I felt stressed quite a few times in my life. I mean, who hasn't? From panicking about tests to worrying about personal problems, I need something to sooth my nerves. In that case, it would be eating chocolate. Sorry, Blog Buddy, but chocolate is my baby.

Although, the two chocolates that top all the others are Crunch and Hershey's Krackel. It's just...something about them makes me happy. It had a sweet flavor with a slightly bitter after taste. Although, it wasn't as bitter as dark chocolate (I do not like dark chocolate). There was, of course, some crunch in there due to the crisped rice. The chocolate even soothes my nerves to the point where I can think clearly again.
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Meme Break!

My Babies

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There was one time where I was working on a project, and I was stressed because it was due the next day. In order to soothe my nerves I took a whole bag of Crunch bars, including a handful of Krackel bars, and started stuffing my face with chocolate. I know, I know. It's not good for you! That's not healthy! I didn't care at the time. All I wanted was to get the project done and get that A! Luckily, I pushed through it with the help of the chocolate.

I know it's bad, but trust me. I try my hardest to eat a minimal amount. Except for that one time when I ate a whole bag of that stuff. That was not a fun time. No, Siree. Nope.