Gather Around, All You Young Folk by Robyn Scott

So do you remember Kony 2012? That video that came out almost a year ago? A lot of people have forgotten about it. The video was released in order to start the movement and to advocate the capture of African war lord, Joseph Kony. Joseph Kony is the head leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and is responsible for the abduction and murder of thousands of people. Most (especially those who dislike the organization promoting the capture and arrest of Joseph Kony, Invisible Children) think that the huge movement of justice and peace was a just a fad, and to be fair, many who supported it saw it as that. However that is not what the founders, and current supporters of IC want. 

The media with Invisible Children and Kony 2012 has burned out quite a bit. The videos that IC has released since Kony 2012 haven’t gotten near the attention. But that doesn’t mean that their fight is over. A lot of people think that since it’s 2013, that the Kony movement was a failure, and we’re just suppose to give it up now. That is hardly the case. 

Since the release of that video last May, the LRA has had two of their five main commanders captured. In addition, LRA killings have decreased 67%. That’s crazy! Invisible Children isn’t stopping here though. 

They are heading up a new project in relation to the takedown of Joseph Kony, and it’s called The Fourth Estate. The Four Estate is a Summit Leadership conference happening this August. This camp isn’t just for IC and their supporters though, and it’s not exclusively to stop Kony. It’s for everyone who has a passion for humanity and justice. 

They’ll be bringing speakers in from some of the most influential organizations out their, such as To Write Love On Her Arms, Do Something, Charity: Water, and so many others. Their goal is to inspire and teach the young minds of America, and encourage them to make a difference. By bringing new ideas to the table in order to advocate peace and justice throughout the world, we’re just getting that much closer to helping thousands if not millions of suffering families. If you’re passionate about bringing healing to the thousands of people struggling with self injury, they’ll have someone at the conference to talk to. If you want to bring awareness of the affects of bullying, homelessness, human rights, and others, there’s someone at the conference to talk to. And if you want to see clean water brought to every country in the world before you die, there are people at that conference who are waiting to talk to you.

There are a lot of great things that the young people (and old people, for that matter) of America can set their minds to. I believe that with the right knowledge, inspiration, and encouragement, we can do something amazing for our future. So gather around, all you young folk, we're going to change the world. 

If you’re interested in The Fourth Estate, or just wanting to know what happened to Kony 2012, here are a couple of videos to help with things. 

Tips, Tricks, and Niftiness by Grace Barbettini

Here's a few miscellaneous nifty tips that you may find enthralling. Or possibly, you might think they're strange.

Enjoy! 

Hole-Punched Gift Card Holder:

 (via: abowlfulloflemons.com)

Use Chalk to Remove Grease Stains:

 (via: lifehacker.com

Chip Bag Fold:

 (via: www.origami-resource-center.com

Stain Remover:

 (via: www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com)

How To Pick the Ripest Avocados:

(via: www.recipebyphoto.com)



Necklace Chain Length Chart:

(via: www.suetables.com)

 DIY - Ice Pack:

(via:www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com)

Picking Up Broken Glass Shards:

(via: www.budgetsavvydiva.com)

Pancake Pops by Emily Cote

Pancakes. On. A. Stick.

Seriously? Come on, who wouldn't want to eat these!? They're adorable! Check out the link below for the recipe. 

http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2012/06/13/pancake-pops/

How to Make an Origami Crane by Mikayla Halsell

Haven't you always wanted to make an origami crane? I definitely have! But I could never figure out how to do it because the instructions were too difficult. Well, click on the link below to get some really simple step-by-step instructions that will show you how to make your own origami crane!

Have fun decorating your room! 

Or just showing off..

http://www.monkey.org/~aidan/origami/crane/crane1.html

Top 15 Things To Do in Class When You're Bored by Mikayla Halsell

       We all know that school is important (and mandatory) and we should listen in class to our teachers (even if they're lecturing for a long time) because regardless of what Hollywood might tell you, you can only be successful if you have a very good education (unless you end up actually going to Hollywood) and continue on to college (despite the fact that most college graduates are having a very difficult time getting jobs).
       But even so, sometimes class can be boring and you zone out and end up staring at a wall. Well, instead of wasting your time, why not actually do something productive? Here are 10 things that you can do to help pass the time in class that are more interesting than watching the minute hand tick ever-so-slowly away.

*Disclaimer* I really do think that you should pay attention in class and not zone out and do random stuff.

1. Draw in your notebook

2. Daydream

3. Make a list of your top 10 favorite things (bands, movies, songs, etc.)

4. Write down you favorite quotes

5. Stare at someone near to you until they notice and look away. You'd be surprised at how entertaining this can be

6. For the last 20 minutes of class, think of a song every minute and play it in your head for that minute. When that minute is over, pick another song and so on.

7. Create your own pick-up lines and test them out later

8. Think of nicknames for everyone in the class

9. Write lyrics of a song on your notebook paper

10. Make a sundial

11. Give yourself a new identity

12. Pick an action that someone does often (tucking hair behind their ear, sniffing, scratching their head, say something stupid, etc.) and put a tally mark on your paper every time they do it

13. Yawn a couple times and see how many people yawn too

14. Play MASH in your notebook with yourself

15. Fold origami



But in all honesty, you should pay attention in class. Take notes, pass your tests, and graduate high school.

Trust Fall by Grace Barbettini

 

Yup. We all have some of those days. Those days where you just feel... off. Where you can't quite get everything done, you don't feel like you have much control of anything, and your head seems to be spinning in a million directions. Recently, I've been struggling with giving everything up to God, because I don't feel like anything happens when I do. But every time I say "okay God, this one's yours." I feel so much more relieved. Now, obviously it's much easier said than done, and like I mentioned previously, I've definitely been struggling with it. And now you're probably wondering, "hey, that's cool and all..but I still don't understand why I'm staring at a photo of a whale." Well, that's because it reminded me of how we need to trust in God in everything that we do, just like how you trust your friend during those highly frightening "trust falls" that you play as a kid.That, and the illustration made me laugh really hard.

So next time you're stressing out about something, take a moment and pause. Ask for God to help you, and then take a deep breath and give it all up to the big guy. Whenever I mentally hand over a tough situation, and tell Him it's in His hands, I don't feel like I need to worry anymore, because He's in control now. He wants us so badly to give all of our problems to Him, yet for some reason we hold on so tightly to them despite how little it actually helps us.

One verse that never fails to help me is 1 Peter 5:7 - "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

So, go ahead.

Trust.

Fall.

The Slippery Slope of Dietary Equality by Caleb Warren

The United States of America is a melting pot country. We’ve always been a nation made up of a myriad of different racial and social groups. There has been dark periods in our history, to be sure, but in recent years the country has become more generally inclusive of all types of alternative lifestyles, but at what cost? Shouldn’t we, as Americans, be protecting the moral code upon which our country was built? Is there a point at which our good-intentioned commitment to equality and open-mindedness actually leads down a road that will make us as bankrupt morally as we are financially?

Vampires, y’all. They walk among us, and sure, I’m all for people having the right to do whatever they want to do, but sucking the blood of good, hard-working Americans is where I draw the line. It’s typical these days to turn on the television and see any number of celebrities preaching at us about “embracing” this oppressed group of monsters, but I can’t help but wonder where we go after we give the vampires equal rights. What’s next for this country?

All killers may not be vampires, but I remain convinced that all vampires are killers. They survive on the sustenance of our blood, hello. How do you think they get it? They live a corrupt, unnatural lifestyle and they hurt other people to do it. If they would just live normally like the rest of us, we wouldn’t have a problem. Be whatever you want to be in your own house, but if you really want to be accepted by society, maybe you should just act like the rest of us. Stop being a vampire, and we can all be happy.

It’s not that I’m a bigoted person, it’s just that being vampiric goes against all the laws of nature and man. Why would you want to be that way? Just eat normal food. Now sure, we all hear stories from lamestream media about how some vampires are good people who get their blood from hospitals, and not by killing people, but do any of us actually buy that nonsense? I hope not. These people need to be driven out. It’s unnatural, is all I’m saying. Just look at the story of the Creation, God gave Adam life, not death. Death came as a result of the Fall, but now we’re supposed to welcome these dead people with open arms simply because they have a condition that keeps them preserved and sentient? No thank you, I’m an American. If you want to be included in spite of your demonic life choices, maybe try Canada.

If we grant rights to vampires, even just to the ones who don’t hurt other people (as if those exist), we run the risk of sending the wrong message. What are we saying to the other, arguably worse types of demons out there? That’s it’s okay if you’re a werewolf? That no matter how zombified you are, it’s cool as long as you’re a nice person? I’m not okay with this lapse in judgment, and neither should you be. This is important. Stop this wretched “dietary equality” business. (If you ask me, we already too equal with people’s chosen diets, letting vegetarians eat out in the open and whatnot, but that’s for another time.)

Vampires, you will never be welcome in this country as long as you keep insisting on having a digestive system that only responds to blood. (Honestly, only blood, really? Who’s closed-minded now?) Keep your alternative tendencies to yourself, and stop asking the rest of the world to be okay with the way you eat. I’m not a bigot, but you should really just leave or go somewhere else where they’re okay with degrading social values.

The Cutest Of The Cute by Robyn Scott

Let's all just take a moment to appreciate how absolutely adorable Jennifer Lawrence is.

Diane and Amy: A Mother-Daughter One-Sided Love Story For The Ages by Robyn Scott

Diane, an overly admiring mother, writes about her seemingly perfect daughter, Amy. 

Amy Had A Great Spring Break! 

Diane here! Hope everyone had a great Spring Break a few weeks ago -I know I did! My Spring Break consisted mostly of me driving Amy around. But like, I totally didn’t mind because she’s perfect and I love her. So instead of telling all my readers more about that minor earthquake last Thursday, I will describe Amy’s Spring Break. 

Monday: Amy didn’t wake up until around 12:00pm, which I really supported, because she works really hard in everything she does, and totally deserves to sleep in. After she ate her gluten-free-everything breakfast (because she’s super sensitive to all that) I suggested that we go get mani-pedis together, like a fun mother-daughter outing. She then informed me that she already had a full day planned with her BFFs, and I completely understood, because I was young once too, and it’s important to have strong friendships. Amy’s wise beyond her years.

Tuesday: Amy-Pie woke up at around 8:00am, and I felt really proud to be the mother of a daughter who was so good with time management. Tuesday, she had informed by prior, was her workout day with Jeff, her boyfriend, who Phil and I just adore. A real upstanding fellow that Jeff.  They met at the park for a run, core exercise, swimming, yoga, zumba, then pilates. She’s so healthy with her lifestyle. (Except like, afterwords all she could do was talk about how awesome she was for working out, and I’m all thanks for making me feel like I never do anything for my well being). 

Wednesday: She let me hang out with her, FINALLY! Talk about exciting, Phil and I had the whole day planned out. First we’d go to the zoo, followed by a bike ride in the country, then a walk in the park, and lastly we’d go for ice-cream. However Amy wasn’t too keen on the plan, and suggested that we just take her shopping instead. To be honest, Phil and mine’s feelings were a little hurt, but when we thought about it, we concluded that Amy putting her own interests first just meant that she’ll be really successful in business and could possibly get a career in politics. And we totally wanted to support that.

Thursday: Amy went hiking with a group of her friends, and Jeff. They got like, REALLY into it all. They took pictures of them scaling down the side of a mountain! Her father and I were just like, WOAH. And the great thing about Amy, is pretty much all of her friends worship her very existence. So like, there were PLENTY of pictures of her, and as a mother it’s really important to make sure she can capture those memories. She’s so amazing.

Friday: Amy woke up in a terrific mood, lucky for us! She spent most of the day watching TV her father and me. She was like, SO sweet and paid us some really genuine compliments throughout the whole day. That evening she told us that she was planning on going to a club downtown with some girlfriends. Phil and I were pretty uneasy about the situation, and we told her she couldn’t go. She then informed us that we we’re being terribly unfair, and that we had no clue what we were saying (which truly, she had a point, because Phil and I rarely know what we mean when we say words). After she told us all this, we decided to let her go. The fact that she was speaking her mind definitely earned her some trust-points. I assume she had a great time out that night, but I don’t know for sure, because she barely mentioned it again.

Saturday: Most of Saturday was full of homework. Amy is a straight A student, and we’re like totally proud of her for that, and she’s probably smarter than both Phil and I. I just wish I could be her for like, a day. That night was just a regular ol’ Amy casual kind of night - she went to a rock concert, but that’s just her life, so no biggie. 

Sunday: Sunday we went to church with the Mayor and her family, they are such hoots! Everyone always comments about the Mayor and Amy’s uncanny resemblance, which I take as a good omen. After that Jeff came over and the two of them did homework while Phil and I caught up on some Downton Abbey.

We were all sad to see the week over, but all good things must come to an end - Amy being the exception, because there’s always something new with her. Overall, it was a successful Spring Break, and I think everyone knows who we have to thank for that.

Useful Study Guide For Test Taking by Robyn Scott

The Ever-So-Dreaded Finals are just around the corner. Studying is hard enough during the school year, what with sports to play, Facebooks to check, Twitters to update, books to read, books to write, haircuts to get, shows to catch up on, songs to be sung, pictures to be painted, and literally anything else we can think of. However the stress is on when finals come around, because there isn't much of a choice but to study.

Here are some helpful study-tips. It's a little soon (seeing as how we have a few weeks), but the sooner the better!

This illustration was provided by Pinterest.