Life Scouts and Sociology

So, before I forget, I want to inform all of you that I now have a tumblr. I really didn't plan on having a tumblr at any point in time, but yesterday I was on Youtube, watching one of Alex Day's videos. He started this thing called "Life Scouts". Basically, it is a bunch of badges that you can collect when you do something significant that relates to it. Then, you re-blog the badges on your tumblr with a description of what exactly happened. Then, if you want, you can actually order physical versions of the badges online that you can have in real life to show others. Its like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, but there are less rules and qualifications, and you can be any age. I just feel like it will get me to be unafraid to do things. And, when I do things like that, I can have something as a reward for it. Like if they made a rollercoaster badge, I might actually go out and ride a rollercoaster. Anyway, the badges are on tumblr at lifescouts.com. Then, you can buy the actual badges at another website that I cannot remember now. My tumblr, which I may or may not ever get on is lizardbreathwalker.tumblr.com.

I think that I may begin posting my lifescouts badges here also. A new badge comes out every day, so I hope to get one posted soon. I'll probably put it on tumblr, and maybe on the blog. I'm actually kind of excited about this. I think it would be cool if he would let people submit badge ideas. That way there could be a badge for each instrument you play, instead of just the guitar badge. Or there could be a badge for being in a play, and it could have drama masks on it. There could be a badge for being in or making a movie and it could have a camera or a clapboard on it. I might take and have a count of how many badges I have on my Youtube channel or on here or something.

I think I'll probably mention the lifebadges in my 365 nerds video. If you haven't heard already, a group of Nerdfighters are starting this 365 Nerd project where 365 nerds will all post vlogs, on on each day of the year for 2013. I signed up and so did several of my friends. There are still some spots open, just search them on facebook or youtube to get links to the project. My video will be posted on the 29th of July, AKA my birthday. I've already started planning what I will do, but it is still some ways away.

My online sociology class started today, and I am super scared about it. The instructor seems very strict and serious, and on our introductory discussion post, we have to have a picture of ourselves, which seems rather wierd. I'm not sure that I want all of these random college people knowing what I look like... There is also supposed to be a group project and stuff, which I am scared about also, since the only means of communication is over the internet. And, when people do group projects, there are generally a few people who sit there and don't do anything while the others (like me) pick up the slack. Grrrr...

I have been working on several scholarship applications lately, and procrastinating about writing the essays for them, but I sat down and wrote like three of them this morning (100 word essays) and I feel pretty confident that they will work. I will probably get my mom (a reading teacher) to look at them before putting my official stamp of approval on them, but I'm glad that I am almost finished with the applications.

I did film a vlog this weekend as promised, but I appologize for not uploading it. I was lazy and didn't start editing it until last night. I will probably put it up sometime this week or maybe this weekend. I have drama practice almost every day, along with Economics homework and other stuff, so video making is at the bottom of the priorities list.

Well, goodbye for today. I'm going to go try to get on tumblr from the school's computer, which probably won't work.

Love,
Elizabeth W.

Freaking Out!

Okay, so first, I want you to know that I do not do well in stressful or seemingly crisis situations. Whenever something goes wrong and I don't know how to fix it or who to ask about it and especially when it interferes with my daily activities, I FREAK OUT!

I can't really explain why this happens, it has just always been the way that I am. Most likely, I will cry if I don't have someone there to help me figure things out. And I have almost cried today because of such an event.

I got to my class during which I am allowed to work on my dual credit online college course. Then, even though I know the class won't start for another week, I logged on to the website in order to check and make sure that everything was okay. But when I got to the website, it didn't show me being enrolled in any classes.

It had done something like that before, so I figured it was just a glitch and went ot investigate further. However, it showed that I had dropped my sociology class for this semester. I searched through all the web pages to find why but I couldn't figure it out.

So, now I am sitting here with my heart racing, telling myself not to freak out, but that is exactly what I am doing. You probably couldn't tell by looking at me, but its definately happening.

I have thought about going to the counselor to ask her about it. However, I have this innate hatred toward our school counselor because she sucks (and I don't use that work lightly... or ever) at getting things done and is not a very people-oriented person. I feel like all she'll do if I go down to her office is just insult me or call me stupid because she doesn't want to deal with me. Then she'll look something up and say that I can't take the class for some strange reason and give me a crazy other option and I won't have the ability to talk to my mom about it before making a decision and really if I had just talked to the people at the college they would have just said it was a glitch and they would fix it right away.

I'm really also scared that if I don't go down to talk to her that my mom will make me talk to her tomorrow and I'll go all day today and tomorrow worrying about it. Now I feel all sick inside.

I don't know what to do. I'm afraid that whoever I go to will basicallly just say that I'm stupid or I did something wrong and I won't be able to fix it.

And the books that I had to order for the online class have already been bought and shipped and I'm just scared.





I


AM



SCARED........



I have drama practice today from 4 to 6 so I'll just call my mom before practice starts and ask her what I should do. I'm just afraid that if I start talking to someone about it I'll start crying. That generally happens when I try to talk things like this out with somebody. The counselor is dealing with schedule problems anyway with it being the first day back at school. She probably will be hateful and "not have time to deal with" me anyway.

I wrote down the problem on my top slip of paper on my clipboard, that way I won't forget it. I generally do that or write things on my hand/wrist when I need to remember them.

Now I just need something to distract myself.





I started writing a book yesterday. A children's book. I want very much to finish this one.

I did something different though. I started with the pictures instead of the story. The pictures were sketches that I lightly colored with watercolor colored pencils, then took water and went over to smudge the color around.

I haven't done them all yet. Only about four. I have them hanging on a piece of string strung diagonally from wall to wall above my bed. I wanted to use clothes pins to hang them when they were drying, but I only had paperclips. It still looks cool anyway.

My little brother got a comic book making kit for Christmas. It had paper and three binding things and a couple of cover pages. He also decided the other day that he wants to be an author when he grows up. I had to watch him yesterday for most of the day, so we got it out and started writing books. He still gets upset when things aren't perfect or he can't think of anything though, so he took quite a few breaks for cartoon watching.

I have calmed down significantly now. I'm still anxious and nervous and scared, but I can deal with it.

Love,
Elizabeth W.

Christmas Song Playlist

Just so you know, I have an obsession with making playlists. Last night I started making a Christmas one. I have it one my channel on youtube.

Songs included or to be included eventually:

Christmas Together - Jamie Grace

Christmas This Year - Tobymac

Shake It Up - Train

The Baby - Family Force 5

My Favorite Things - Family Force 5

The Christmas Can Can - Straight No Chaser

Who Spiked The Eggnog - Straight No Chaser

Joy To The World - Nick Jonas

Donde Esta Santa - Straight No Chaser

I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas - Gayla Peevey

How Many Kings - Downhere

Christmas In Our Hearts - Downhere

I hope you like the playlist. I will add more songs tonight. Feel free to comment and tell me what Christmas songs you think should be on there.

By the way, The Baby by FF5 is my favorite Christmas song ever, and now its stuck in my head...

Gifts (for the Baby)


Presents (for the Baby)

I'll make it rain (all night on the Baby)

I got some Silver & Gold

Let the legend be told

Don't you know that I'm all about the Baby?


Love,
Elizabeth W.

AAAAAAAAAAAH! CHRISTMAS!

So, recently, in one of my classes, we had a fire drill. They normally don't bother me too much. You're sitting in class, an obnoxiously loud alarm goes off, everyone files out of the classroom and goes outside. Simple. But this time, we had it during one of the few times I have slept in school. There was nothing really important that we were doing in this particular class. We were supposed to be watching a movie, but it was a really boring documentary. All of the other kids in the class were asleep, so I decided to sleep too. The night before, I barely got any sleep. So, I fell asleep on my desk. Then, the fire alarm goes off. Think of the alarm clock from hell going off. Its screaming in your ears and your head hurts and you have to get up, run down the stairs and go outside and you may or may not have forgotten your jacket and its freezing cold out there! That was the absolute worst fire drill I have ever experienced, and the worst way ever to wake up.

Now that that rant is over, heres another. I know that thanksgiving hasn't even passed yet, but its already feeling like Christmas time to me. I heard Christmas music playing when I went to Walmart the other day and I was like "WHAT THE HECK?" but now I keep getting Christmas songs stuck in my head. I made a Christmas wishlist a long time ago, so I am not doing that, I am, however, making a Christmas set list for my brother and I. Basically, it is a list of all of the Christmas songs that we plan to learn and play at every family gathering and post on YouTube pretty soon after Thanksgiving. So far, there are about five or so songs including "Blue Christmas", "Who Spiked the Eggnog", and "All I want for Christmas is you". I have the last one stuck in my head right now. The thing is, I don't know all of the words to any of those songs. AM I CRAZY??? Probably, but thats besides the point. Okay, well, I guess I ahve to say bye for now since I thought of something that I need to do.

Question of the day:

Do YOU write a Christmas wishlist? If so, have you written it already?

Okay, talk to you all later! And merry almost Christmas!

Elizabeth W.

Traditional Vs. Online Schooling

I feel that complete online schooling is unfair. First, you miss the awesome lectures and classroom interaction in the learning experience. Learning from others in that way is helpful. Second, teachers are put out of work. When a single teacher can teach a class of fifty students online, it puts the other two teachers that could have had traditional classes from that group out of a job. Being a teacher is hard enough without worrying about such things as unemployment, and I know, because both of my parents are teachers. Lastly, you miss out on hands-on learning in classes like science, art, and psychology. In general, learning online is fun, but traditional teaching is still a very important style that should not be abandoned any time soon.

Personally, I have nothing against online schooling. I am currently taking a few online classes, and I enjoy the fast pace involved in learning that way. However, I really enjoy the lectures in history class, where you can practically see the historic battles raging in your mind, and the communication I have with the teacher in math class when he shows me exactly how to do a problem. And everyone has a learning style that works best for them, so online learning may work for some but not for others. I believe that both online and traditional schooling should be offered and used by all capable and willing students. That way, everyone will be getting a good education and having a great time while doing so.