Hello 2011

So, here we are.  A new year year, a new beginning.  So, what changes do you plan on making?

Updating
I know I always say that I I plan on updating more often (and I really do want to), but I am always busy with some project. I have tons of articles that I want to write, but I need to get off my lazy butt and write them for you guys!

Taking care of myself
This is a full body deal!  I mean head-to-toe and from the inside out!  I am going to start eating better (no more fast food!), staying properly hydrated (with lots of freshly made lemon water) and working out.  I want to start doing yoga or pilates every morning, meditate, floss/use mouth wash (I have only been brushing and that isn't good enough!), wearing contacts and make-up, taking my vitamins, waking up earlier, making my hands look like I just got a professional manicure, and dry-brushing my skin.  I have all these things planned out!  I even started some of these before the new year just to get used to it!

Organize
My apartment is a mess and my car isn't much better.  I plan on keeping EVERYTHING super clean!  I will also do a once a month clean of all my bags to make sure that I have everything under control!  I also want to start using my organizer.  I am sick of having tests sneak up on me!  NO MORE!  I also would like this to include being more financially organized.  I have already started by doing a preliminary clean of my car and clearing out my closet.  I also have a few storage containers for under my bed (for all my current craft projects).  I feel that it might also be easier to be organized if I wasn't living in such a small apartment.  My bedroom is also a living room and office.  Too much stuff going on for my liking.

Miscellaneous
Stay in better contact with friends
Put together awesome outfits
Take more pictures (of the outfits?)
Go out more
Finish my craft projects

I also want to send my full support for anybody who has the resolution to quit smoking.  Many of my friends share this resolution and I think it is great that they want to take care of their bodies by doing this!  You have everything to gain by doing this!  GOOD LUCK!

What do you want to do in 2011?  Let me know!

Where have you been?

 Image found on Google

It seems like AGES since my last post (because it has been) and I'm really sorry.  Life sort of got the better of me for a bit, but I am back and ready to go!

-What happened?-

• Spending all free time for about a month with my friend who is now in Afghanistan (keeping in touch with him via Facebook so I know he is okay)
• Grandmothers funeral (I'm okay though)
• Back in contact with a friend from forever ago
• Making Christmas for everybody (Garrett's is the most time consuming, yet I don't want to start another project until I have finished his)
• Group projects for class (an all time pain in the back side)
• Studying for finals (see above)
• Got a new job ( I make pretzels!)

I have some posts that have been drafted up and just need some pictures before they are ready to post.  I  am having a hard time trying to be a full time student and a blogger, so please bear with me until I find a balance.

-Have you been inspired to write something while you were gone?-

Yes I have.  I have been putting together all sorts of new outfits!  Plus, I have a slew of ways to keep warm this winter!  Just wait, this is going to be awesome!

Beautifully Unique to just Mag-Elicious. Why the change?

 Photo found on Google

I know I have been absent these past few weeks (AND I promised more content.  Seems a bit backwards, no?) and for that I apologize.  I keep coming up with AMAZING blog article ideas, but ultimately, have to shoot them down.  Why?  Because these articles are not within the "Beautifully Unique" realm.  I started Beautifully Unique to be a fashion/life style blog (similar to galadarling.com).  I am not her, not do I want to be.  I have spent much of my time trying to be somebody I wasn't and I am not going to go back to that.

Now, I realize that there are other topics I want to cover.  This blog is my voice on the internet.  Why should I limit myself to just a handful of topics?  There are other things in this world that I care about.  People have opinions on every topic (even if their feeling is of indifference).  While Beautifully Unique was a blog, Mag-Elicious is an opinion.

Now I can post on subjects like management or even politics and ethics.  The possibilities are now LIMITLESS just with a simple change.  I feel like I am much more free to post about all kinds of opinions.  I can now use some of my older drafts that I started to write and as I was adding final details/touches, I realized didn't fit my blog.  You have no idea how good this feels (unless you have done it too, in which care, you do know)!

I keep saying this (and I keep saying "I mean it!"), but expect some top notch posts!  There is so much I want to share with you!

How to Stave Off Boredum!

So, everybody gets bored at some point in their life and they never know what to do about it! I am here with a HUGE list of ways to keep bordum at bay!

Sing and Dance: Who DOESN'T love to rock out to their favorite tunes? So many people sing in the shower and dance around when they are with friends. It is a raw expression of you at your finest! Refined or not, it is you, and thus amazing!

Play an Instrument: Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, there is a level of satisfaction at being able to play songs that you like. Grab some new sheet music and your favorite instrument (anything that you enjoy and have on hand works as well) and start jamming!

Make Jewelry: Go to a supply shop if you need to and make a necklace or a pair of earrings. Plan a design and see it through until the end. Not only do you prevent boredum, you get something cute to show off to your friends the next time you are around!

Cook: Nothing fuels the brain like some healthy delicious snacks. Really hungry? Make all your favorite dishes into a huge meal. Don't know what to make? Find recipies that you have the supplies to make (or can make fairly easily) and have at it! You won't be bored or hungry after you make yourself a feast!

Concoct a new recipie: Mix ingrediants in new ways that you haven't thought up of before. Pretend you go to the McGuiver School of Cooking and that anything goes!

Make a Vision Board/Book: Grab some magazines, a pair of scissors, tape and an notebook/bullitin board and cute out what inspires you. Love the way somebody has their make-up? Cut it out and add it! Love the shapes/lines of something? SAME THING! ^_^

Make New Outfits: Rummage through your closet and dresser for pieces that you never paired before. It doesn't have to be an awesome successful outfit, just something new and exciting.

Go Shopping: Have you paired everything you own and still nothing new? Buy yourself a new top or dress. Now, you have something new to pair about! That not your thing? Get yourself some new accessories! Not enough money for that? PINS AND KEYCHAINS TO THE RESCUE! ^_^

Call up an old friend: Chances are they would love to catch up and chat with you! They will feel excited and loved. Bonus: You give them something to talk about to with other people later...maybe even start a small trend of everybody catching up with everybody else!

Make a lunch date: So, you and your friends have a busy schedule and never seem to speak more than a few words in passing? Plan out a few days/weeks in advance to have lunch together. This provides you with a way to leasurely catch up with them while filling your tummy with delicious tastiness!

Take a walk: Walk through town or to a park. It gives you a chance to clear your head of stressful thoughts and could inspire you for a new project! Plus, exercise is an amazing thing and many of us don't get enough of it!

Learn a Craft: Want to learn to embroider? Knit? Crochet? Weave chain mail (yes, chain mail. The same thing that used to be made into shirts and used as armor way back in the day)??? DO IT! Why not? Gather what supplies you need and learn something. It doesn't need to be a master piece. It doesn't even need to be good. Start with something basic and see how much natural talent you have!

Learn a Language: Have you ever wanted to speak a different language? Not only are they really cool, but it can help you differentiate yourself in the job market. Interesting AND help with finding a job? Yes, please!

Take a Nap: Do you feel overloaded and you can't think of what to do? Take a nap and recharge yourself! There is nothing lazy about this and you will wake up feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to tackle any challenge brave enough to challenge you!

Pamper Yourself: Give yourself a manicure or take that bubbe bath you keep promising yourself. You will feel so much more relaxed and able to make better decisions about anything (Like grabbing a glass of water instead of that soda with the teeth rotting goodness)!

Plan a Tattoo: Even if you don't see yourself getting a tattoo, you can still have fun planning one out. Tell your friends about it and inspire them. One tattoo I had planned out since high school was a HUGE dragon. The tail coiled around my left middle finger, up my arm, dance around my back/torso, and coil down to my right elbow. Here, fire licks its way around my arm, hand, and finger. So many people thought this was the coolest tattoo. I don't have the time, money or pain tolerance to get it, but I still really like it.

Get a piercing: Peircings seem less painfu than tattoos, are less expensive, and less permanent if you later deside you don't want it. Add some extra sparkle to your body! Does your job not allow certain piercings? That makes it much more desirable. It can be your little taboo thing that you do!

Day Dream: Let yourself think those silly thoughts you don't let yourself think enough. You need to let your creative child out sometimes so the world can have a better chance to experience you for being you!

Analyze a Dream: Have you ever recalled a dream you had that was terrifying, silly, or just plain bizzaire??? Find out if it means anything. Even if it doesn't, you still had fun with it!

Play video games: Either by yourself, online with people you don't know, or as a social gathering of geeky friends! This can be a great excuse to hang out with a bunch of friends if you choose to play with them. Otherwise, it is a chance to escape into a fantasy world. Do you want to be the hero of a post apocolypic world? What about the one to save the girl? Video games take you anywhere!

Play board games: Yes, it is a bit low tech, but there are some amazing games out there. You just need to look for them. Check out for a list of games and their ratings!

Invent a new Product: Have you ever wanted to talk to your friends without actually speaking? What about a way to teleport you through space? Through time? Draw out the details of it, even if you don't know what you are talking about. It can be a really cool way for your sciency types to spend an hour or so!

Do your make-up differently: Use color combinations you haven't used before. Try new styles that you don't see people wearing! Be creative and have all the fun you want!

Style your hair differently: Grab the hair gel and have at it! If you don't like it, just wash your hair and try again! Find a new look that excites you!

Get a Hair Cut: Visit your stylist with an idea or with bravery (and tell them to have fun) and walk out with a different look. This is a great way to find the “new you”!

Dye your hair: Always wanted to see what you looked like with red hair? How about purple? Be as crazy as you want and find something that really speaks to you!

Buy Colored Contact Lenses: Get yourself new eye colors! Mix and match and have 2 different coored eyes! Have fun AND confuse your friends! I did this for a school picture once (one blule eye and one green eye) and my mom still claims I “ruined” one of the best school pictures I had! It makes me laugh so much each time!

Assign Pictures and Ringtones to your friends: This is a really fun way to customize your phone! You will know who is calling you from before you even get your phone out (for ringtones). It is also a great way to remind yourself of an inside joke(assigning pictures). GO CRAZY!

Buy a new phone case/phone charms: Make your phone stand out! Everybody wil know your phone for forever! Mine has a black/pink Hello Kitty case, 2 Hello Kitty Charms, a Tare Panda charm, AND a butterfly charm! My phone stands out so much in comparison to everybody elses!

Catch up on comics and web comics: Do you like reading Zits? FoxTrot? Pearls Before Swine? XKCD? It is a great way to spend a few hours!

Read/find funny articles: Look for people that have terrible tattoos or weird things going on with their body (I found oen with some woman who had a disgustingly tiny waist). Share them with everybody you know on facebook!

Follow a new blog: So, you know what to expect with all the blogs you currenty follow? Maybe you don't follow any blogs. Finding a new blog to follow can be extremely exciting. So many people have genuis things to say, but it is hard to share this enlightenment if there is nobody to hear it!

Read about other religions: There are so many religions that exsist in the world today and so many people are so stubborn to think that other ways could be a better fit! I like reading into witchcraft and also how 2 religions get along (ex: Shinto and Bhuddism in Japan). This is just so interesting and so many people feel “I am RELIGION X, so that is clearly the answer. I don't care about other religions”. That is such a suffocating mentality and it boggles my mind!

Check out 474 Thing To Do When You Are Bored: There is some crazy things they it suggests. I wouldn't recommend many of these things, but it is at least good for a laugh!

Doodle on your old clothes: So, you have a pair of jeans so tattered and torn that they re beyond wearable? Draw on them! Hang them up and be inspired! Even if the jeans are still good, it is something fun you can do. Are you going away for a while? Have your friends write on them (Bonus points if they write on them while you are wearing them) so you can remember all the fond memories with them!

Create a new nail polish color: Get 2 or more old bottles of nail polish and combine them into a new color. How does it look? Did you get a terrible color you would never wear? What about an amazing new color that all your friends are jealous of? You never know until you try it!

Mix and Match Nail polish: Paint every nail a different color! Alternate between two contrasting colors! Have fun with the colors! Go for brights! Go for darks! Go for what makes you smile at the time!

Plant flowers: Get some seads, soil, and pot to put them all in and see if you have what it takes to grow something! I already tried this. I can't remember to water my plants, so they always die pretty quickly. Can you remember to do this? If you succeed at this, it can make your living space brighter and more fun to be in!

Create Business Cards: Many websites allow you to design your own business cards. Do you want to be known as a professional hugger? Let the world know who and what you are with fun business cards! Allows you to create business cards with a different picture on the back of each! HOW FUN?!?!

Write In Colorful Pens: Everybody expects a pen to write either black or that very specific blue. Many people dread seeing red pen from when we were in school. Find a pen that writes in neon green or teal and start using it for EVERYTHING! Staples sells disposable fountain pens in packs of 3. One of those colors is purple. I use my purple fountain pen as often as I can! What kind of pen would you use?

Take Pictures: It can be of your pet, your friends, or even your stuffed animals! Take pictures of your walls! go outside and take pictures of what you feel like. Is there a cool cloud shape? How about a flock of geese? Maybe that really cool car you see driving around town? Anything goes so go after it!

Clean Your Living Space: Have you been too busy/lazy to clean up after yourself in a while? My table was cluttered with useless junk just a few days ago. Cleaning up and finding homes for everything REALLY makes a difference. I feel like I can breathe for the first time in a while! I am deffinately going to try harder to keep it clean from now on!

Reorganize yourself: Take some time to get things organized in a way that makes scence for you! Color code notes or your clothes. Take time to tear apart everything so that it will make your life easier in the future!

Buy a gift for your friend: Who says you need a reason to do something nice for the ones you care about? Find something a friend would LOVE to have. Do they collect something? Add to their collection! It makes their collecting effors more worth while because they know other people will support it!

Create your own Holiday: Happy MixMatched sock day! Do something fun and make a holiday around it. Plan for it every year! Get your friends involved! Have them get their friends involved and so-on. It can become a REALLLY fun think you and your friends 9and their friends) will come to look forward to!

Take a Vacation from the normal: Wear all your clothes inside out and backwards! Walk backwards! Spray dye your hair a different color for every day of the week. If something seems fun but you can't seem to find when to fit it in, just do it and say it's your mental vacation!

Travel: Even if you are just exploring your surrounding areas more, it is traveing. Check out that mall two towns over that all your frieds talk about! Is it worth the hype? Even if it isn't, you know now!

Wrrite a Love Letter on the Sidewalk: Tell the world how much you love and appriciate it!  Everybody who walks by will see it and you will leave an impression! Don't know what to write? Try just drawing a picture. This is something I found at my school last fall semester!

Headbutt people: Yes, you read that properly. Whoever you choose to headbutt will laugh and everybody around you will question who will be next! It isn't something that everybody does, so it will be a change of pace. Warning: you may get people giving your strange looks.  Enjoy it!

Have a cuddle fest: Curl up on the couch or in your bed with snuggly blankets, a relaxing drink, and indulge yourself in some TV time. You don't even need to have somebody to cuddle with (but if you do, it does make it more fun)!

Partake in a guilty pleasure: Read those trashy romance novels that everybody makes fun of you for! Watch that movie that drives your family and friends nuts! If you like it, do it! Sing to your naked self in the mirror if that pleases you! ANYTHING GOES!

Masturbate: It feels good, so do it! Sex is completely normal to want and if you are alone, masturbation is your only choice. It can help you with body issues to better accept the body you have as well as give you some ideas to try out when your lover comes home!

Write about things you care about: Do you love clothes? How are your feelings on world hunger? Start a blog and voice these opinions! It is never too late to start! Have a direction your would like to take your blog and just write to your hearts content!

Find a new Hangout: Most of this article is written in a coffee shop I have never heard of before. The people who run the place are really cool to talk to and the seating is so comfy! It is a bit of a pain for me to go here, but I will make a point of stopping by there again. They have a TON of art displayed that is available for purchase (which is good news for me because that means they are willing to sell what I make)! If you are ever in the Beaver PA area, stop by the Fountainhead Cafe in Monaca! Warning: the people who run it are not good at counting change (in their favor) so make sure that you count your change after you purchase!  They shorted Garrett $10 when he purchased 2 bottled drinks and refuse to pay us back!

There are plenty of ways to keep you from being bored.  Just get off your bum and find something to do!

What do you do to keep yourself from going mad with boredum?

XOXO
Mag-Elicious

P.S. All of the above images are images I found using Google Image Search.  If this is your image and you want credit for it, please contact me and I will be more than happy to credit you.  If you are not polite about it, I will simply remove the image.

iPhone APP Favorites!

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So I have had my iPhone for about a year and I have come to not be able to live without certain apps. Here are the apps that I find abolutely amazing!

myWireless: This is an easy way to pay my phone bill from ANYWHERE! This is particularly conventient when my mom is getting on my case about not paying my bill.

Video Genious: I have the iPhone 3G (not 3GS) so I was unable to take video for the longest time. I noticed that the more videos/pictures I had, the shorter the videos would be. You can take mini movies of you and your friends then send them to whoever without having to upload them to your computer. Everything is all on one device!

Echohon: Twitter to go? Yes please! It shows all my @mentions separate for everything else (so if somebody I am not following desides to send me something, I still get it). It really is conventient and a way to amuse me!

Facebook: Everybody loves facebook and is always updating something. This app tells you only of friend requests (so the only thing that is actually useful), lets you check up of fan pages (it doesn't let you easily check groups, but it is possible if the group updates frequently), and it is near impossible to play games (THANK YOU!!!) It lets you use facebook the way it was intended to be used.

Yelp: Are you in an unfamiliar area and want to know what is around? Yelp can help! It organizes all the stores and service places them into different catagories to make them easy to find. You can also type in something to find what you are looking for. Example time! Last summer, I went on a cruise and we ended up stopping at Key West for the day. We were looking for a specific shop that sold Key Lime Pie, so we typed in “Pie Guy” (because the one guy has a fake pie in his hand and pretends to through it at all passers by). His shop was the first one that showed up on the list “Kermits Key West Key Lime Pie”. You can also plan out where you want to go by typing in the location into the secondary search bar! Best thing ever!

eBay: I love checking out eBay on the go and checking out the actual website is a bit of a pain. This way lets me log in, search, watch, and purchase items as I please! Sorting is a bit difficult since you can only do one level of sorting, but aside from that, it is pretty freaking sweet!

Amazon.com: Similar to eBay, but amazon!

Kindle: There are all kinds of amazing books available FOR FREE! The Count of Monte Cristo, Dracula, Alices Adventures in Wonderland, and so many more. Free books that are legally ok for you to own (because they are out of their copyright period. A post on that to come)! TAKE THAT MEDIA PIRATES!

IMDB and SoundHound: These are two different apps, but I am lumping these together because they have the same purpose. IMDB is awesome because I never know movies or actors (I was a bit sheltered growing up). SoundHound listens to whatever song is playing (or what song you are singing) and will identify the song, the artist, and what album it is on. It also links you to the lyrics via google search.

Pic 2 Shop: So, this is a nifty little app. It utilizes the camera to identify products (by taking a picture of the barcode) and it will bring up a list of places to purchase the same product and what prices listed for the same product at different stores. This is particularly conventient if you are looking for books or dvds!

Photo Credits: I Can Has Cheeseburger

 ICHC2.0: I LOVE lolcats! This app lets you check out the lastest in lolcats, loldogs, graph jam, FailBlog, and many more. So much laughter at our fingertips!

FML: So many people check out FML on a regular basis that there is an app for it. It shows the FML one at a time and in a random order. It is kind of annoying because it wont switch right away, so you keep pushing the “change FML” and then it changes twice (the first time, after you read the first line of the FML). You also end up reading some of the same FML's rather frequently. It is a good thing that they are almost always funny!

TFLN LITE: Texts From Last Night is also funny. It shows really funny texts messages from the previous night. Most of them relate to drinking/drugs and sex, but there is so much on those topics that everything is new and funny!

WikiHow: I am always looking up new HOW TO guides, so having one available on my phone without going to a separate website is really nice! When you search, it will show the same few multiple times over (in the same order) and it will be not quite what you are looking for...It also has a How To Of The Day and a How To: Survival (that one is kind of funny and I REALLY hope I never really have to use them).

ShopStyle: I can check out products by store or by article of clothing ( sorting by size, price, and color). There are so many things I would LOVE to buy, but I don't have the money to spend on these items (I like a lot of shoes and tops that are over $100 which is kind of a lot considering I am a college student working part time at a fast food llace).

New York Times: It is free and it updates every time you open it. It breaks all the articles down into latest, most popular, and by catagory. It has super interesting articles from fashion to economics! As a plus, the economy is taking a turn for the good!

Do you have an iPhone? What apps do you like?

How To: Picking a Major and Getting your Dream Schedule!

Photo found on Google image search

At this time of year, us college students need to know what classes we will be taking in the Fall semester (and summer for those of us who take classes then).  Here is a guide I put together for how to love what you will be doing (even if you don't know the classes).

Major
♥ What are your strengths and weaknesses?  If you are amazing at something, try and work that into your major.  Conversely, if you are terrible at something, try to avoid it.

♥ What do you love?  If you have a passion, turn that into something workable.  Do you love to draw?  How about making clothes?  There is always a way to do the things you love!

♥ What programs does your school offer?  If a school has a large program, chances are they attract good teachers.  Smaller departments come off as having difficulty finding competent teachers.  If your school has only a few professors teaching a broad array of classes, consider transferring to a new school.  You want professors who know what they are talking about (I had teachers who taught many unrelated subjects and as a result, I know little in either topic).

Classes
♥ What is your personal goal?  I am a Business Management major, but my goal is to open up a craft shop.  I will need to know how to make a name for myself, so I am taking a lot of Marketing classes.


♥ How many extra classes are you taking?  If you are taking a lot of extra classes within the same department, you may want to think about getting a minor.  That way, you get to take all the courses you want, plus you get something to add to your resume!  Bonus?  Yes please!

♥ When do you want to take your classes?  I like having a short break between classes, but I don't mind block classes.  Do you want your classes in the morning, afternoon, or at night?  Night classes are longer and only once a week.  Can you sit through 3 hours of the same person talking about the same thing?

♥ Who do you want to take classes with?  Some professors are clearly better than others.  They understand students needs and are willing to put forth the extra effort to make sure you learn the material.  For this reason, check out RateMyProfessors. Some people will post that a teacher is good because he/she is attractive.  If you weed out those ratings, you are left with mostly accurate information (I just checked out my difficult professor and everybody seems to share the same opinion).  You get opinions of  professors in a variety of courses they teach.  Having good teachers is KEY and I cannot stress that enough!

♥ How does your registration work?  This semester, many students are having difficulty getting into a class because the system is saying that the prerequisites haven't been met.  It is aparently a problem for many students getting into one specific class.  The professor is really cool and understanding (my favorite in the department) and was willing to sign me into the class (even if I DIDN'T take the prerequite course).  If there is a class you want to take, and the registration system will not let you into the course, the people you need to talk to so you can get into the course are more than willing to help out.

► If you are not doing something you love, then don't bother.  Doing something you don't love will just make you miserable!
► Know your work load.  If you can't handle 18 credits, then drop something.  It is no use burning yourself out!
►Take interesting classes.  There are many liberal arts classes you can take that fill various requirements.  If something sounds interesting, take it!  I highly recommend taking language classes!
►If you cannot get into your department because of low grades, then try becoming undeclared!  There is no shame in it and your new advisor will have a general understanding of all departments.

This is what I was able to put together after scheduling this morning.  If there is more to add, please comment about it!

Things I love Thursday

Wow, what a week!  Sorry for not posting one of these last week.  I have been so busy with class and work that I didn't have time to post.  I did give you a few other tidbits to nibble on in the meantime, so that makes up for it...right?  Anyways, here is what I love now!

♥ Me Time: I have been spending a fair bit of time away from my boyfriend (boo work) so I have had to entertain myself.  I have pre-written a post on how to keep boredom away and it will be posted soon!  It has so many suggestions that you won't know where to start!  Once you get over the initial feeling of loneliness, it is quite fun!

♥ New Outfits: Buying new clothes, pairing items in ways never thought of before...WHATEVER!  I just got a new dress, a new pair of shoes, and I fixed up an old pair of shoes (a pair of high heels that was missing the nubby pin thing on the heel...and those were my favorite shoes too)!  Totally pumped for the new outfit possibilities!

♥ My New Apartment: So it is official, I will have a new place as of July.  The paperwork is signed, the deposit is in, and now I get the challenge of planning
the layout of my new place.  It is much smaller (sad) than my current place, and it doesn't have a bath tub (more sad) or oven (REALLY sad), but the rent is much cheaper (happy), much less for utilities (happier), the landlord is really cool and won't charge us to let us back in if we forget our keys (REALLY happy) and I can have a kitty (EXPLOSION OF HAPPY)!  I think the pros deffinately outweigh the cons and the fact that it is smaller forces me to think about what I NEED in my apartment and to find alternate homes for the rest of my stuff.

♥ Clean Apartment: last weekend, my boyfriend and I went on a cleaning spree.  It resulted in throughing out accumulated junk, mopping a mystery stain from my tile (blue and sticky...Gatorade?) and being able to see my table and floors (if it is a flat surface, I WILL put stuff on it...^_^").  I am planning on taking all my winter clothes and some unnecessary things (unused blanket and all my stuffed animals) back home.  This lets me see a puppy too!

♥ My puppy: QT is HUGE!  She is about 60lbs and I think she has a bit of growing left!  Every time I come home, she jumps around and is totally excited and in play mode!  She is so funny to be around (she gives high 5's and hugs)!  I can't wait for summer to come so I can play with her a bit more!

♥ Spring: With spring here, I have more range of what I can wear, so more possibilities of outfits.  Also, I get to see lots of baby animals and pretty flowers this time of year.  I see so many people walking puppies and people taking their dogs to the drive thru (I still think we should have dog treats for them).  Driving to work, I go past a goat farm (I do live in the middle of nowhere) and there are baby goats!

♥ PSP: I love video games and there are some availible exclusively for PSP (PlayStation Portable).  I have wanted one for about 2 years now and never was able to find one.  I found a red PSP (modded) for really cheap and it came in last week!  I have been playing it so much in my free time and it has been amazing (the button assignment is a bit awkward because the system has Japanese button assignment and games don't.  You may think this doesn't make a difference, but when the exicute/confirm command keeps changing, it gets frustrating)

♥ Work: So, I finally have hours at work (one could argue that I have too many hours because I have extremely limited free time).  Having hours means big paychecks.  Big paychecks means shopping, which in turn means new outfit possibilities!  Not only that, but I have been getting time on line (making the food) instead of as cashier.  Going to work and doing the same thing every day gets pretty boring after a while (from a managerial POV, this is bad and you want to prevent this).

♥ Seeing Things as a Manager: I thought that there was nothing to being a manger and that I just had to spend lots of money to say that I am one, but I see things differently now.  I can point out all the managerial flaws at work and think up of suggestions for what can be done instead.  Example: One manager thought of making a star chart that coorinated with if we met out drivethru time.  The idea behind this is "people will work harder if there is a potential reward involved".  This is extrinic motivation (motivation from outside factors) and it only works in a very short term sence (as everybody saw).  I suggested cross training people (mostly as a way to get me cross trained) because if people do different things everyday, there is a level of excitement and people will be more motivated to work.  When the job itself is motivating, it is Intrinsically motivating.  This type of motivation is proven to be much more successful.

♥ Being productive: So, this tag frequently shows up on my lists and here is the reason: I mostly am not productive even though I know how good it feels to be productive.  I don't see finishing assignments or studying for a test as productive.  I see working on my own projects or cleaning as being productive.  I have written so much this week, plus I am undergoing a huge cleaning project so I have the space to indulge in my crafting projects.  THAT is being productive.

♥ Lush: Everything I get from Lush is abso-freaking-lutely amazing.  My skin and hair have never looked this good ever!  I wish I had learned of this company sooner so I could have felt like this sooner.  I feel much better about how I look, even on exceptionally lazy days where I stay in my pajamas.

♥ My nails: My nails have always looked like a wreck.  I mostly washed dishes at work, so the actual nail was splitting/chipping off.  I also had terrible looking cuticles and the skin around the tail was always coming up in little "tags" (I can't really describe it).  Right now, my nails look healthy and pretty (even without nail polish).  I have never seen my nails look this good unless I pay a ton of money for a manicure.  Here is the post I wrote on what I did to get pretty nails

♥  My Birthday:  I turn 22 TOMORROW!  I am pretty pumped by this because birthdays mean parties!  By boyfriend got me a bag full of gifts (all wrapped in pink).  He knows I hate being taunted by having all of that in plain site so, he gave me something from the bag.  He let me have the single cutest headband I have ever seen!  It is hot pink and satin with a big bow on the side!  Just looking at it makes me smile!

♥ Dave and Busters:  My friends birthday is Saturday and he is turning 21, so he is having this huge bash at D&B.  D&B is like Chuck E Cheese for adults (restaurant and arcade) with great food, awesome games and an awesome selection of drinks (I am assuming this because it has been quite a while since my last visit here and I wasn't old enough to get drinks).  Every time I go there, I never want to leave!

♥  Shopping:  On my way to D&B Saturday, I am stopping by home and my mom is taking me birthday  shopping!  New clothes without me paying?  The college student within says "yes"!  I have to abide by my moms rules for clothing (she analysis everything and seriously asks "Would Stacy and Clinton approve?") but I won't be beaten!

♥ High Heels:  I have been wearing heels for the last few days and I seriously forgot how much I love them!  They make me tall (I am 5'3") and I can look everybody else in the eye!  I am not used to that (and neither are my friends) so it usually ends up with everybody around us laughing a ton!

♥ Cooking:  I have never been one to cook, so it is surprising to see "Cook" on this list.  I am not bad at making up breakfasty foods though.  Since I have had a ton of time recently, I have had to fend for myself in the kitchen.  I have a TON of eggs (I buy the 3-dozen pack from Sam's club), so this is what I ended up with.  It is simple, but everybody I tell this too starts to drool (seriously, people actually were drooling as I told them what went in it).

♥ Crepes:  This is going back to my birthday tomorrow, but my boyfriend said he was going to make me crepes.  Nutella + berries (especially raspberries) + other crepe stuffs = pure yumminess!  Garrett is amazing in the kitchen and takes any dish I already like and seriously makes it so much better.  I WISH I had that kind of talent!

♥ Reciepts:  My boyfriend kept all the receipts with the bags, so I was able to find out  what I got for my birthday before I opened my gifts!  He was so upset (fake upset) that I knew what everything was, then got sad because we were watching something together and I wasn't playing the game he got me.  He is SO FREAKING CUTE!  Also, I now know what I got without having to open the gifts (I hate seeing that I have presents, so I try and find out what I got as a gift before I am supposed to have recieved it!

Is there anything special that you love right now?  Why not share it?


♥Mag-Elicious♥

Convention Highlights!

So, A&G was amazing!  I figured it would be because my friends who run it have great taste!  Here are some of the things I thought were amazing!

Jason and Jenn Taylor: These amazing people run the convention.  They got some awesome guests this year and they provide a different atmosphere to conventions by actually participating in events.  During the rave, I saw Jason shirtless, covered in black-light paint, drinking something (clearly alcoholic) and stumbling around a bit.  It was really cute and funny!

DMAshura: DM Ashura is one of the people to provide music to hit rhythm games such as Dance Dance Revolution and BeatMania (more popular in Japan than America, but still so much fun to play).  I don't really know what songs he has done, so that makes me not a fan-girl.  He was a really cool guy who spent a little bit of time in Japan.  At dinner the one night (at Wendy's), we were talking about ketchup in Japanese (and how tastey we thought it was).  Later that night, he heard me sing a little bit (after loosing a bit of my voice from being sick) and I am pretty sure he suggested that I provide vocals for him music (SQEEEEE)!!!

Artist Alley: There were some amazing artists that showed up this year.  The table next to us made vinyl cut-outs (they had a big fancy cutter machine too) and had some really cute pictures.  Another table had steel cut-outs.  They had some really cute pictures too (they had one of Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop and I was the first person to correctly identify him).  One girl was making the cutest hats while another table of 4 girls sold some awesome jewelry.  One other table sold the sprites like we did, but we had completely different inventory, so it was cool.  The funny thing about that table is that the one guy running it is a friend of my boyfriend from back home (we are from around pittsburgh and the convention was in Cincinatti).

The Con-goers: What convention would not be complete without the fans who go to the conventions?  These people are really cool and fun to talk to.  I particularly enjoyed the many people who asked who I was dressed up as (I wasn't dressed as any character, just myself).  One girl was dressed up as Nanami from Suikoden 2.  I was the first person in 2 years to correctly name her character (and for that, I got cookies)!!!

The Concert: I had some technical problems getting set up, but I only sung 3 short songs so time wasn't too much of an issue.  I had somebody ask me if I would be willing to do a duet, if I would take requests, and if it was a panel (some of the panels were taking place on the stage, so it was understandable).  The songs I sang (in order) were:
The Real Folk Blues (Cowboy Bebop closing theme)
Cruel Angel Thesis (Neon Genesis Evangelion opening theme)
Moonlight Densetsu (Sailormoon opening theme)

For the last song, I had a group of people cheering once they figured out what the song was (after about 2 seconds).  It was really fun, and I didn't care that my throat was in pain!  At the end of the concert, this little girl, no more than 12 years old, approaches the stage and gives me a Hershey Kiss!!!  I would have felt bad taking it, but one of the artist tables (which was actually people advertising for another convention) was giving out a bunch of Kisses.  It was so cute and fun.  I also had a professional photographer ask if it was ok that he took my picture for his website!  AWESOME!!!  I am still waiting on those pictures to post, but I should have them soon.

New Ideas:  Ideas for cosplays and ideas for new items to sell.  The cosplay thing I am going to keep a secret, but I think I will sell my stuff under "Delightful Designs" and each item will fall into a different "Delight".  It sounds kind of dorky, but cute and I am super pumped!

I have more Con-related posts on the way, so sit tight!

^_^

How to Stay Inspired When Classes are Bringing you Down

Classes, often times, are nothing more than a way to pass the time on your way to a degree.  I am starting an experiment and I would like you to help me along so we can see if it works or not.

So here is the experiment: Take your binder (or notebook if you prefer) and find a picture that relates to your class (cute animals or pretty flowers for biology, geodes for geology, girls/boys in lab coats with test tubes for chemistry, rollar coasters for physics...you get the idea).

Print out these pictures (in color if possible) and put them in the clear front pocket of your binder (if you are using a notebook or a binder that lacks the transparent front cover, you can always take a plastic sheet protector and tape it onto your notebook/binder or put it as the first page in your binder).

The pictures should relate to the class so you stay interested.  If in a few weeks, you are bored with the picture, change it out.  The sheet protectors are a way to help keep the pictures looking nice while your binder/notebook takes abuse from your bookbag.
(And who better than Jude Law?)
Here is what I have so far for my classes
Geology and Lab (pretty self explanitory)
Business Law (And who better than Jude Law?)
Human Resource Management (such a funny episode)
Information Systems Management (I like desktop backgrounds, so I figure I use that as a picture for this glass)

Welcome 2010! (sorry for how late this is)

Ok, so I am horribly late in posting this and for that, I apologize. My life was recently turned upside down and I think I am getting everything back on track. Many people are already loosing steam from new years resolutions, so many those people will find this a little pick-me-up!

Let's start short term:
Get organized.  I have never really been all that organized in my life.  I am always scrounging around last minute to get things together.  I purchased an organizer (blue zebra strip Keroppi organizer.  It is SO CUTE!) and I will be able to keep track of assignments.  I am also going to my apartment (currently at my parents house) and cleaning up a lot of stuff.  My boyfriend is moving out soon, so I need to clear things out.


Eat Better.  So, everybody has a different definition of what that could mean.  For me, it means no eating fast foods and no eating a lot of carbs.  No pretzels, chips, crackers, or drinking.  I will reward myself with these kinds of treats with working out and loosing weight.  I need to start cooking for myself (typically my boyfriend did all the cooking), so I need to not rely on ready-made food (high in carbs and sodium)

Work Out.  So, you might have noticed the trend of really predictable resolutions.  I want to be able to get back on my work-out regime.  I noticed results almost immediately.  However, I get really light-headed by a lot of it.  I am going to try taking work-out classes and see what I like.  I also need to get a hold of my badminton stuff (I know a fair bit of people who play) and get back into that.

Sewing project a month.  I got a nice new sewing machine for christmas and I really want to use it.  There are a ton of reasons to not do something (no money or time) but those are mostly just excuses.  I already have a few projects planned out (and I got fabric to start one) and I am super excited about getting started.


Reconnecting with Friends.  Since moving off campus, I no longer have a meal plan.  Going to dinner with my friends at the dining halls was how I mostly stayed connected with everybody.  I want to be able to hang out with everybody I was unable to hang out with.  I might even try and save them from campus food!  Who knows?  I want to make it a point to hang out with people at least once a week.

Learn New Craft Techniques.  I love beading and crocheting, but after a time, everything just feels the same.  I want to make it more interesting.  Not only will that increase what I can do, but it will keep me sane!  Doing the same things over again cannot be healthy.


Read More.  This is kind of vague, but the only things I read are assignments...things I need to grind through.  I want to read at least one fun (non-class) book a month.  To get a head-start on this, I have gift cards to Barnes and Nobles.

Pass the JLPT 4 Exam.  Japanese Language Proficiency Test is a standardized test.  Everything else about it is self explanatory aside from the number.  The level 4 exam is the easiest of the tests.  In Japan, they have a Kyu system (commonly seen to rank people in Go) where the higher the number, the lower the rank.  Think of it in terms of medals and it makes sense (level 1 is like 1st place, etc.).  I am studying to take and pass this exam so I have some way to differentiate myself from everybody else graduating with a BS in Business Management.  I have about a year until the next exam is held in the country, so I should be fine.

Learn HTML.  I am terrible at coding anything.  I always try and it messes up.  That makes it take even longer to put anything together.  I want to be able to post pictures without tags from hosting sites...The ad tags tend to be large and obnoxiuos.  I would love just regular pictures with not tags.

Done with short term.  Lets move onto long term:

Launch My Business.  I want to open up a combination cafe/bar/craft shop.  Garretts little sister wants to open those kinds of shops too.  I was thinking a partnership with her to get things started.  I also have a name on Etsy and My aunt is starting an e-business (http://www.simplychiccollections.com/ check for updates) and she said she would sell my stuff on consignment.  It seems like I have a ton of options and I am loving it!