Birthday Haul 2017!!!

     DISCLAIMER: I do not mean to brag, boast, or hurt anyone by sharing these presents with you guys.

     Hey, Candies! I had my birthday party recently, and these gifts are from my amazing friends. Can't wait to show you guys, so let's get into it!

My friend got me 27 nail polishes, remover, nail vinyls, and sponges; all nail essentials. Thanks so much!

These cute pencil cases will be very useful!

Eve though I don't blog about fashion, this sequin-flippy shirt and matching leggings are so soft and comfy that I wore it to school!

Lip glosses will be very useful for the performances and recitals I have coming up.

Can't wait to prank my dad this summer!

Very fun; like charades, but better.

This fancy coat is warm and looks great!

I need this in my life; my desk is an absolute mess.

This Coconut Orchid bath set smells so good I almost don't want to use it; I said almost.

These Cardiff skates are very unique since I can wear my favorite pair od shoes inside them. Thanks, Dad!

     I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who celebrated my birthday with me. I had a ton of fun, and every one of you made it so special. YAY! If you can't see the photos, I am terribly sorry. I can't reupload them because I lost the pictures, so oops! again, sorry.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Your's Truly

     Hey Candies! Here are 10 things you didn't know about me!

1. If I could rename my dog I would call him Toto from "The Wizard of Oz".

2. I am bilingual - I speak English and Malayalam.

3. My room is the exact color of Pepto-Bismol.

4. I use Canva to make my blog graphics and it works great - all my fellow bloggers have to try this too!

5. I play the piano and clarinet so I'm biinstrumental - is that a thing?

6. My favorite color is pink.

7. My favorite smells are fresh mint, cilantro, vanilla, or orange juice. I know, weird.

8. "Looking for Alaska" is my favorite book.

9. I am vegetarian but haven't always been.

10. I have a terrible memory.

     Sorry this post was short but hope you enjoyed it anyway. Bye!

Extended Day School - Yay or Nay?

 

     Hey, Candies! A few days ago, in a magazine our teacher gave us, there was an article on extended day school. If you were wondering, the magazine is called "Scope". Basically, extended day school is exactly how it sounds; making the school day longer to spend more time on challenging subjects. Although some schools have already implemented this new curriculum, should we all?
     Some studies show that extended days do improve scores. For example, in Massachusetts, a few public schools have started to lengthen their school days. Besides showing 44% higher test scores in math, students got to spend more time on art, music, and gym. More time spent learning means less time watching random videos and playing video games that have been proven to hinder brain development.
     However, countries in Asia that consistently outperform the U.S. in math and science usually spend less time in school than we do. This means that it is not the quantity of education but the quality that affects test scores. Kids are already stressed by the amount of schoolwork they have, and if students are too tired to pay attention in class, what good would more time at school do them? Plus, if our school days are longer, when will kids learn karate, or play soccer, or blog? There are so many things that individuals are talented at that should be explored, but it is almost impossible to offer all of that at school. Funding would also be an issue. For schools to be able to pay teachers to work overtime, they would need more money, which comes out of our taxes. If it is a private school, tuition rates would go up. Besides, teachers work very hard beyond school hours writing lesson plans and grading papers. Do we need to stress them out even more?
     What do you think; Yay or Nay? Comment down below and make sure to follow this blog to become an official Candy! See you Friday!

Writer, Leaf Group. "The Disadvantages of Longer School Days." The Disadvantages of Longer School Days | Education - Seattle PI. Seattle PI, 29 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 May 2017.

Schachter, Ron. "Extending the School Day." Extending the School Day | Scholastic.com. Scholastic, n.d. Web. 07 May 2017.

Ways to Stay Cool

     Hi Candies! Where I live, this week has been in the high 80s (Fahrenheit). For those of you who speak metric, let's just say it's really hot. Therefore, this post will be about how to stay comfortable, day or night.

1. Use cotton sheets and cotton blankets. Cotton is cooling and natural, so it's the way to go.

2. Stay hydrated. When it is warm, you lose a lot of water to sweat. Plus, being to hot can make you feel stressed or short tempered if you're anything like me. 😓😓😓

3. Eat small portions of cold, easy-to-digest foods. This way, you re not using as much energy to digest your meal. Examples of good foods include cucumbers, watermelons, and similar things.

4. Wear thin, light clothing. Synthetic fibers can sometimes feel heavy, but not always. A good rule of thumb is that if you can see through it, it is a good choice.

5. Make a "Swamp Cooler".  Put a bowl of chilled water in front of a fan and there ya go!

     Hope this helps! Also, it's my birthday tomorrow! Make sure to follow this blog and come back next Friday! Bye!
     Wow. Too many exclamation points.

     Hello Candies!!!

     I was nominated for the Cramm Award by Target Girl from targetgirlonline.blogspot.com. The Cramm Award is a blogging challenge as far as I understand, so no, I won't be receiving a shiny trophy. Nonetheless, I am very honored to be nominated so thank you! This challenge/award was created by Olivia from Your Rose Awaits. The rules are a follows:

1. Mention and link the person who nominated you.

2. Mention the creator of the award.

3. Share three people who inspire your blog.

4. Answer your challenge question.

5. Nominate bloggers and set a challenge question for them!

     Three people who inspire me to blog are my dad, myself, and my friend Bubbles. My dad encouraged me to start a blog, saying it will help me improve writing. To this day he is my harshest critic, and I love him for it. Once apon a time I used to post twice a week, but when my content started getting weak he told me to post only once. I am glad to have someone I can ask for truly honest advice, so thank you. I also motivate myself to blog because it feels good to get my thoughts out there. Finally, Bubbles from A Tween's Chitter Chatter inspires me to no end. She is one of my good friends personally and helps me with design and content, and I am in awe of her skills. You go, girl!

     The challenge question TG set for me is, "If you could have 3 wishes what would they be?

     If I had 3 wishes, they would be:

1. For people to really TAKE ACTION and save our environment. Humans are such procrastinators and hypocrites; oh, let me drive just this once. I will walk tomorrow. Sound familiar? We need to step up and do something NOW; if we wait, there will be nothing left to save.

2. For all the little doggies and kittens of the world to find a home in a loving family. 🐱

3. For people to be nicer. I mean, if people were nicer, so many problems such as corruption could be solved.

     I nominate:

1. Devika from devikalikescats.blogspot.com

2. Maanya from maanyar.blogspot.com

3. Bubbles from atweenschitterchatter.blogspot.com

4. Nabila from hottowncoolgirl.blogspot.com

     Their question is, "Where does you inspiration come from and what is your goal for your blog?"

     BYE CANDIES!!!!! See you next Friday!

     

Should We Put the World in the Hands of Machines?

     A few decades ago, artificial intelligence was the stuff of sci-fi movies. Today, we already see it coming to life with Siri, Alexa, and Google Home. But is it really a good idea to have them around. I am not saying that they will grow their own minds and kill us all, but they could be used negatively.

     I personally think AI is a good idea. If we come up with ways to keep the machines out of bad hands and find renewable sources of energy, they could help so many people in so many ways.

     Tell me what you think in the comments. Make sure to follow and I'll see you next Friday!

                                 

     Bonjour! I have been a little sick these past few days, so I thought of this post. Hopefully it helps you like it helped me. So let's... ACHOO!... 'scuze me... get started!

1. Use a NetiPot. This is a device which helps you rinse out your nose. It helps me with my sinus headaches and the only downside it that it feels and looks a little strange. Teehee. Basically, take BOILED water and a little bit of PURE (not iodized) salt and mix. Then, pour into a NetiPot and tip your head to the side. While breathing through your mouth, pour it through your nostril SLOWLY. It should drain out the other nostril. Switch nostrils halfway through, and blow the excess water out without using your hands. If used only once per day, they have many proven benefits.

2. Use a cough drop before bed. Using a cough drop literally a few minutes or less before bed helps me sleep without the incessant coughing. You know what I mean. As long as you don't have it in your mouth when you sleep, you will be safe.

3. Sleep on your side with your head on a high pillow. This is supposed to stop coughing, according to my mom. I don't know about that since I've never done it any other way, but it doesn't hurt.

4. REST! All I can say is... well... duh! If you are sick, it is better to stay home and take it easy. You won't be able to do your best work, you might get your friends sick, and you will take longer to get better. 

Now, time for some totally unrelated news in the form of an overly dramatic narrative!

   She sat in the darkness, trembling, heart racing and tumbling. The only source of light in the room was a flickering candle. Her mom's cell phone showed a scary image of the local power line, with sparks coming out of it, brilliant flashes of light against the dark night sky.

     It was a feat that she even slept, and a restless sleep it was. But when she woke up, the experience was fading away. It felt like a dream, but it was real.

And seriously, it was. The power went out last week and I realized how dependent we are on electricity. Our fridge was off, as were the lights, TV, and heater. You really have to experience it to believe it, but it was scary how we base our lives around electricity. What if it went out and never came back?

Anyway, follow and comment down below the word "Grapefruit" if you made it to here. BYE!

And did you like my new signature?