Worst 90's Pictures of Celebs by Mikayla Halsell

       The 90's was the decade of my childhood and one of my favorites as well. But unfortunately the 90's wasn't all that grand for these celebrities. Though I love a lot of them *cough* Justin Timberlake *cough*, these pictures are simply horrific and should, in all honestly, stay in the 90's. Thankfully for these celebs though, most have outgrown their outrageous styles.

*the pictures are in no particular order*

1. Brad Pitt. That blank stare is mesmerizing..

2. Celine Dion on her way home from a long day's work at Target. 

3. Daniel Craig and his best Braveheart impression

4. George Clooney and his denim obsessions.. 

5. Gwen Stephanie gettin' her ghetto on.

6. Jessica Simpson in an insane asylum

7. Joesph Gordon-Levitt rocking those braided pig-tails and striped shirt made from a couch. 

8.  Keanu Reeves. I just don't even know.. 

9. Natalie Portman gettin' cray with those pig-tails and pajama-looking outfit

10. Neil Patrick Harris just won first place in a mullet competition. 

11. N'SYNC looking FAB-U-LOUS in those rad shirts.

12. Robert Downey Jr. trending in the 23th Century. 

13. Whoop Goldberg in her costume for Wizard of Oz.

14. Will Smith buzzin' like a bee. 

And now...the crown jewel of them all.........

15. Justin Timberlake being amazing. 

Gluten: The Silent Killer by Caleb Warren

Conventional wisdom tells us that as long as we keep things from over-running our lives, there’s no harm. “Everything in moderation,” says your weird second cousin as she finishes off her eighth alcoholic beverage of the evening at your family reunion. Conventional wisdom says everything in moderation, but who decides what conventional wisdom is? The tyrannical Gluten Lobby, that’s who.

Gluten is by far the most deadly substance on this great planet of ours, despite the fact that people eat tons of it every day and aren’t dying en masse as you’d think they would, eating as much of the poison as they do. Go ahead and criticize me all you want. Point out that it’s a “fad diet” and that I “didn’t have a gluten allergy until after like twelve celebrities did.” I pity you. You’re so dependent on that mutant man-made substance you chow down on three times a day that you can’t see what it’s doing to you. It’s killing you. You are being killed by the artificial ingredients in that bread. Hmm? Oh, this? It’s a diet coke, what of it? Don’t get off-topic.

Did you know that gluten has been kind of sort of linked to jaw problems in elderlies? Or that eating too much of it can cause you to gain weight? I know, it’s shocking stuff. I don’t why you haven’t already put down that bagel. You know who else ate gluten? Hitler. Stop laughing at me. I’ll be the one laughing when we’re 90 and I’m still jogging every morning because of all the gluten I didn’t eat, and you’re sitting at home watching reruns of Modern Family, which by then will be one of those weird 50-year-old shows that only old people watch. But not me. (Because of the gluten thing.)

Fad diets are laughable, I agree, but that’s not what this is. I have an allergy, and so do you. So does everybody. Gluten is unnatural, and I don’t want it anywhere near my food. (I mean, where would you even put it? There’s no room on plate here because of all the blue Jell-O next to my hot-dogs, both of which are totally acceptable, as long as there’s no gluten involved.)

Not convinced? How about some facts: once gluten gets in your body, it starts spontaneously combusting, literally burning up your digestive tract. What’s left of it after that begins doing all sorts of bad stuff like slowing your heart, driving up your cholesterol, shutting down your kidneys, and causing plummeting real estate values. You can avoid all this by going g-free, which is something I say because I’m hip. (Not a fad diet.)

Some more facts: people who don’t eat gluten are up to three times more likely to live to 100, not experience hair loss, and get better parking spaces at the grocery store. Who wouldn’t want all that? Giving up gluten seems like a small price to pay.

And with science and stuff, there’s tons to g-free substitutes for things that you thought you’d have to give up. Want pizza? This crust is made from milk, eggs, and fiber glass. Nary a trace of flour here! Brownies? This recipe says you can just replace the flour with tons more cocoa and sugar. But they’re super healthy, because no gluten. Hamburger buns? Instead, try putting a beef patty in between two very large makeup sponges. You’ll never know the difference!

So with all these reasons to go gluten free, you really have no choice. Put down the gluten-filled cookie, and come try some of our delicious rice cakes (now 5% less reminiscent of crumbling concrete!). You too can be g-free if you want to. And really, who wouldn’t?

God's Masterpiece: Spoken Word by Mikayla Halsell

       Is it hard for you to accept the fact that God is here just for you? Is it difficult for you to fathom that the God of the universe calls each and every one of His children His masterpiece? And that He sees us as holy and clean? I don't know about you, but its crazy hard for me to wrap my mind around that fact that we ARE holy and that we ARE beautiful in God's sight. Because when I examine who I really am on the inside, the part that no one but God and myself can see, I see someone who screws up all the time and sins constantly. And it makes me think that I am just so unworthy and filthy, and am, by no mean, holy. But as a child of God, those things aren't true. Yes, I still screw up and sin, but because of the blood that was shed on the cross by Jesus Christ, I have been washed clean and have been purified by His blood. And now He sees me through the filter of His Son and I'm no longer a filthy sinner in His eyes, but holy and perfect....His masterpiece. That doesn't mean I wont sin, because I most definitely will. But it means that I'm no longer bound by my sin. My identity is in Christ alone and I am defined as His precious child that He treasures above all creation.
       Thats a crazy concept to wrap your mind around, but it's true. It comes straight from His Word. So if you ever have trouble seeing yourself the way God does (which is very often for me), read what His Word says and hold on to the promises in the Bible, which are completely true and God-breathed.
       
       My friend and I made this video in hopes that we could get that message across to anyone who watches it. God gave me every word I wrote, so I cannot take any credit for the writing because I truly believe God gave me those words. He was speaking to me like crazy throughout the whole thing and taught me so much. The artistry credit goes to the one and only Jackie Klier who is amazing and came up with the design herself.

       I hope you enjoy the video and that God speaks to you as much as He spoke to me.

Psalm 139
Ephesians 2:4-10
Isaiah 43:4a
1 John 1:7-9


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTfPeCGNtt8

Application for "Admission" Falls Short by Emily Cote

Two weekends ago, me and one of my friends went to see Admission. We walked into the theater expecting something funny and cute, mixed with a little bit of a heartwarming story line because after all, when you see cast names like Tina Fey and Paul Rudd you expect...well...funny. Right? Well this is what we got.

The film is based on the novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz, adapted to film by Karen Croner and directed by Paul Weitz. It's about a Princeton University admissions officer named Portia Nathan (Tina Fey), who naturally is the one that the kids who visit the school are afraid of, and want to make a good impression on. She's a serious, no-nonsense type of person who has no problem rejecting the majority of the kids who apply. When she's up for a promotion, she tries her hardest to beat out the other woman who's also up for the same position, by trying to find the best group of students for the fall semester and rubbing elbows with the boss (Wallace Shawn), who doesn't realize the two women are actually feuding and hate each others guts.

Portia gets a call from a principle (Paul Rudd) of an alternative (organic, farming, artsy) school in New Hampshire to come check out some of the Juniors who would like to know more about Princeton. She then finds herself in the middle of no where with a bunch of free-spirited kids who don't really care that much about what she has to say. Much like the kids at the school, the principle John, is a single dad, and world traveler who never stays in one place for long, he pretty much goes wherever the wind blows him. Of course Portia thinks this is all some sort of a joke, but John used that as a way to get her there, before telling her that he thinks her son, who Portia put up for adoption when she was still in college, is attending his school. Portia can't think straight after finding this out and then, at the same time starts to think that John isn't as bad as she thought. In fact she might actually like him as more than just friends. All that considered, she still has a lot of work to do to get that promotion at work. Things get mixed up and confusing, and through it all, Portia finds that family is ultimately, the only thing that lasts and it's all very cute and typical.

This movie had a good base for the story line, but fell short in the comedy aspect of it, for me. I think it was one of those films that put the funniest parts in the actual trailer. They didn't execute the story very well, I kept feeling bored and wishing there was more to it. The director could have done so much more with the great group of actors he had, but they were just playing characters with pretty boring personalities. It all felt dry and tired. We left the theater feeling a little disappointed. Not a total flop, but it definitely could have been a lot better, in quite a few ways. I kept thinking, "I feel like I've seen this before." Of course I hadn't, but it was the same as the last romantic "comedy." All that to say, go see it if you want, but probably not something you'll want to see more than once. It was...average.

The Twilight Saga: Noon (Book 5) Review by Mikayla Halsell

As most of you probably know, Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight Saga was one of the most popular reads of 2012. Each book had everyone (or every girl between the ages of 12 and 15) sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting to see who Bella Swan would chose: Jacob, the outdoorsy-type with flawless, tan skin, an almost-too-perfect-to-be-realistic physic, and most importantly, a ware-wolf, or Edward, a porcelain-skinned vampire, who’s beauty, charm, misogyny, and mind are irresistible to other girls. In the fourth book, Bella chooses to become a vampire herself and to marry the man of her dreams. As a vampire, she would be able to spend an eternity with her “other half” now that both she and Edward are immortal.

                Of course, all of that is old news. What you may not know is that Stephanie Meyers just recently came out with her fifth book, Noon. The book doesn’t pick up where the fourth ended, but instead jumps ahead 300 years after their marriage and that little controversy among vampires and ware-wolves that was settled in the last chapter. It turns out Bella and Edward aren’t having that “happily ever after” they had planned on having. Sure, the first couple of hundred years were great, but after their 213^th anniversary, things started going downhill for this vampire couple.

In the beginning of the book, Meyers alludes to an event that happened not long after the birth of Edward and Bella’s daughter, Renesmee. She doesn’t go into much detail about it, but apparently, as a young adult, Renesmee decided that she didn’t want to marry Jacob even though he imprinted on her and she spends most of her time traveling the world, while she is followed by her helplessly in love ex-boyfriend, Jacob. So with Jacob out of the picture, Bella and Edward can just focus on their relationship without interruptions or problems. Or at least that’s what they expected. Little did they know how wrong they were.

One thing that Edward and Bella did not consider when they decided to live together as an immortal, married, vampire couple was just how long eternity is. The fifth book Noon takes the reader on a journey through a day in the life of this unique marriage. Not only are Edward and Bella completely bored with each other, but they are beginning to greatly dislike living with each other. They fight all the time, lie to each other, and sometimes even “vacation” away from each other for days at a time. The life they were dying to have is now a life they are dying to escape from. About half way through the book, Edward and Bella have their 300^th anniversary and celebrate it by making eye-contact and attempting to smile. Not really the love story so many young teenage girls were hoping to hear about.

Aside from the horrible writing, excessive details about things that are irrelevant, a terrible portrayal of morals, bland content, and an astonishing lack of substance, I think this is definitely a must read. Not only will Noon give the teenage-girl audience a little dose of reality, but it will also shatter their dreams of ever having a happy, loving marriage of their own. After all, books 1-4 fed these desperate-for-love girls a false image of the kind of man you actually want to look for to spend the rest of your life with and a false view of a genuine relationship. So by reading Noon, they will realize that that kind of love story will never really happen and is actually extremely unrealistic. Personally, I enjoyed Noon. But if you are one of those naïve teenage girls who absolutely loved the previous books and is expecting more of a love story, I would highly advice reading the fifth book. 

DIY Hobbit Hole by Grace Barbettini

Want a little summer project this year? Why not create your very own Hobbit Hole!

Also known as "Earthbag Domes", these incredibly designed shelters can serve many purposes, one of which is fulfilling any LotR fans' hearts desire.

You may be asking yourself, but what on earth (har har) is an Earthbag? Well, it's a fast and inexpensive way to create a structure that is sturdy and strong by using natural materials. The technique evolved from military bunker designs as well as temporary dike method building. Minimal materials are required for this building process. These such materials are sturdy sacks filled with inorganic material like moist subsoil containing clay, or angular gravel or crushed volcanic rock. To build the Earthbag Dome, one must layer the bags gradually in courses, similar to staggered brick laying patterns.

So, without further ado, here's a little tutorial by Owen Geiger from the site "Instructables" on how to make YOUR OWN Earthbag Dome, or, in other words - Hobbit Hole!

Click for DIY HOBBIT HOLE instructions!

And the best part about all of this? It's Eco-friendly. The process barely uses up any energy at all. BOOM. Go green.

Happy Hobbit-Home-Making!

Info from Wikipedia.org and Instructables.com

Painfully Awkward by Emily Cote

        We all have awkward photos that we've never shown anyone because we had that one year where we always wore ______ (fill in the blank), everyday. Or just an ugly stage. Let's face it, humans can be super awkward, it's painful, but so much so that someday you'll look back and you have to laugh because you think to yourself, "Why would I ever do that?" or "Why did I ever think it was okay to wear that?" So let's just take a minute to appreciate the awkwardness that are these photo's and be thankful our parents were so gracious not to put our embarrassing photo's on Facebook. Or really anywhere for that matter.

                  Matching poodle hair anyone? 

    This pose. Who in the world thought this was okay? I mean really?!

I'm not even sure what to say about this one. Is that a carousel horse?

Forget the person who's having a birthday, she really likes corn on the cob. Oh, Stephanie. 

Yep..take a minute......keep looking. Yeah, those are kittens. 

Okay one more...you're welcome.

       I hope this made you laugh today, and made you thankful for family. The only people that can make you wear hideous things and pose ridiculously for pictures, but you love them anyway. Remember, be careful what you do with your awkward photos because they could end up here! Have a fantastically awkward Tuesday everyone.  

How To Thriller by Grace Barbettini

You're welcome, people.





(photo provided by: Pinterest)

Procrastination By Emily Cote

           This evening my family and I got together to have dinner, chat and dye Easter eggs at my Grandparents house. With all the crazy preparation for Easter and having the day off yesterday, I got lazy and forgot about everything I had to do. Including this blog post. So this is my blog post talking about procrastination and a little thing call Senioritis. Now, if you're not a Senior yet, you may laugh and say, "Oh sure, whatever! You're just lazy!" No. It's a real thing. It's like a disease. If you are a Senior or have been a Senior, you understand.
            I was trying to think of something to write and my grandparents and other family members were trying to help me think of something to write about. But when I said, "I don't really FEEL like writing about anything." They told me that was my problem. They're probably right. Then a turkey buzzard flew by and my Grandmother said, "Someone must be dead." My grandfather decided to "shoot" it with his finger. It didn't die. They suggested things like, a movie review, write about myself ("After all, that's what blog are anyway."), one of my sisters said that I should write a biography about her (that's not happening), or even writing a story about a distant relative that came over on the Mayflower and almost died because he fell overboard (by the way, that's a true story. It's actually pretty interesting..maybe I'll write about it another time). None of these things were sparking my interest. And so here I am, procrastination some more, telling you about how I couldn't find anything to write about. Then my baby cousin came over and drooled on me.
           This is probably boring you to death. Procrastination is a real issue for some people, including myself. It's hard to shake and easy to find a million other things to do besides what you actually should be doing. I've struggled with it for a while and part of it has to do with that fact that I have trouble sitting still for long periods of time, and unfortunately all the things I procrastinate about are the things that involve sitting. Don't get me wrong, I love writing, I really do, but when you're so close to graduation, you just want to be done and you're not as motivated and inspired as you were the year before. So here's the Wikipedia definition of Procrastination.


"In psychology, procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of lower priority, or doing something from which one derives enjoyment, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time. In accordance with Freud, the pleasure principle may be responsible for procrastination; humans do not prefer negative emotions, and handing off a stressful task until a further date is enjoyable. The concept that humans work best under pressure provides additional enjoyment and motivation to postponing a task. Some psychologists cite such behavior as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision. Other psychologists indicate that anxiety is just as likely to get people to start working early as late and the focus should be impulsiveness. That is, anxiety will cause people to delay only if they are impulsive." 


         
          So there it is folks. If you struggle with procrastination, that's what you have. And I just wasted more 
time telling you what the word means and not writing anything. But you can overcome it, you can rise above it and learn something from all of the years of procrastination, you can decide to make a change, right now, TODAY. We can do it together! Or...we could just do it tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow sounds like a better day to stop procrastinating.

Have a happy and blessed Easter, ya'll!!!!!
                                                  ~Gertrude