Kicking Allergies in the Butt

If you've ever had to deal with allergies, you know they're awful. You wake up and you're stuffy, have a scratchy throat and are probably coughing up a storm. I have gone through an entire jumbo extra large family package of cough drops already the last two months because my allergies have been a mess.

The news reports all say this is going to be the worst year for allergies yet. The pollen levels are going to be out of control.

But how can we deal with these? Allergy medicine is, of course, an easy way out but it can make some people super drowsy. I know, for me, even if it's "non-drowsy," I feel like it's nap o'clock after the meds kick in. Well, I recently learned that the ingredients are what cause drowsiness. When you're at the store, look for an anti-histamine (offbrands work just the same as Benadryl and the more pricey versions) that DOESN'T contain chlorpheniramine, clemastine, and diphenhydramine. Those are what cause the drowsiness and will certainly make you sleepier than any other ingredients.

Remember, if you do go the medication route, start taking it immediately, you need to take it every single day or it won't work. That's a pain in the rear, I know. I always take it before I go to bed. I generally keep a bottle of water next to my bed, so I put the bottle of pills there, too, and just take it right before sleeping. Otherwise, I will totally forget. (And yes, try and find the 24 hour pills--that's why I can take it at night.)

Keep your windows shut--at least in your bedroom and the rooms you frequent! The pollen will make its way inside and will cause you more grief than it's worth. If your parents say no air conditioner, we must use the windows for cool air, try and stay away from the windows. My best recommendation: take your shoes off when you come inside--they bring in all sorts of allergins. Then, and I know this isn't fun but it works I swear, vacuum your house! Or, again, at least the rooms you frequent. You'll make your family happy and save yourself some tissues.

Have to go outside? Wear a mask! They make super cute masks on Amazon that are also really cheap--you can get a cute set of 6 for under $10.

I know, people may look at you like a weirdo but these are super normal in a lot of other countries and they also help prevent illness, as your mouth and nose are protected from any germs as well. I love face masks.

The most important factor is to keep up with pollen counts. It's annoying and tedious but if you know the pollen count is going to be super high, stay indoors as much as you can, or you will have a massive headache and won't be able to stop sneezing until the pollen is all out of your system.

We will get through this awful allergy season together! Just remember that, eventually, winter will come back and the snow will destroy the allergens. As awful as snow can be, I honestly prefer that to feeling like I'm going to die from my allergies, even using all of these tips.

Battling Bullying

Bullies are apart of every day lives--some times you may not even notice it happening around you. Bullying can be as intense as someone throwing someone into a locker, or as subtle as someone constantly giving you the stink eye for no reason. And it's not something you have to put up with, nor is it something you can ignore. Stepping up to the plate when you see bullying can help the person being attacked more than you will ever know.

What is bullying?
It can be a multitude of events or circumstances. You may hear someone insinuating that another person doesn't smell clean in the locker room at gym, or you may see a group of people constantly trying to make another feel like an outcast. No one should have to feel that way. Bullies are people who want others to feel inferior to them--think Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter or Regina George from Mean Girls. Regina is the queen of talking negatively behind someone's back, and that's bullying as much as calling someone a mudblood, for you Harry Potter fans reading.

Studies have shown that bullies are usually kids who need to pick on others to feel better about themselves. I'm not saying you have to feel bad for someone bullying you, but there is definitely a bit of compassion needed for him or her. And, if you are being bullied, you certainly do not need to sit and take it, even if it doesn't bother you all that much.

But how does one prevent such an unstoppable force as a bully? Simple: confidence and positivity. No one wants to pick on someone who will be unaffected by it. I know you're probably thinking, "There's no way I can walk around school confidently. It's just not me." Okay. No problem. If someone tries to attack you verbally, start walking away. You can turn and smile to them, "Have a good day!" My mother always says "Kill 'em with kindness!" And she's absolutely right. It works almost every time.

"Okay, but what if the bully is physically attacking me or someone else?" If you're witnessing the attack, find a teacher, teacher's aide--any adult that works in the school immediately. It can be a secretary or even the lunch lady. Don't try and fight back because you could get hurt and get the person being attacked hurt even more. It's best to be safe and just try and get help immediately. Bullies don't want to feel embarrassed and getting an adult to call them out on their behavior and send them to the principal's office for a suspension or something along those lines will always work. If you can't get help and you're stuck alone, then you can fight back. I find a good punch to the nose always works! (I'm joking--but I do know from experience being a goalie in soccer than getting hit in the nose freaking hurts!)

Most importantly, remember that you are important. You matter. If your parents or whoever you are living with are ignoring your cries for help against a bully, find someone who will care. Find a teacher or, again, even a secretary. I know guidance counselors aren't always the most welcoming, but they will be helpful, they will listen and they will believe you. It doesn't matter how old you are--your life matters and you should be able to live a life free of bullying and free of feeling attacked at school. You have the power to take control and help yourself and even help others.

Book Review: The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman

Hi guys and welcome to my first book review, so bear with me! :)

I was pretty pumped when I saw we had a new book series sitting in Teen and couldn't wait to check it out. Unfortunately, the first book had already been checked out, but, right before I left on my vacation, both the first and second books were in. I knew that was my moment to shine. Time to get reading.

This book series takes place all over the United States, but frequently stops by familiar cities, including Akron, where the main character is from.

In short, the story all circles around the idea of "unwinding," which is like donating a kidney but it can be done with every single part of a person. Creepy, right? In the time period this series takes place, parents are allowed to sign an "Unwind Order" while a child is between the age of 13 and 17. If that child is able to escape before being unwound, he/she has to go into hiding until his/her 18th birthday, when he/she can no longer be unwound. Later in the series, this law drops from 18 to 17, allowing more children the chance to live a life free of an unwinding.

The main characters, Connor, Risa and Lev, are all set to be unwound. Connor's parents signed his unwinding order, Risa was set to be unwound by the state home where she was a ward and Lev was chosen to be tithed, which is a nice way to say his parents gave him life so he could be specifically unwound and given back to God. Unlike most unwinds, tithes are happy to be chosen and want to be unwound.

Essentially, Connor escapes custody, he causes a bunch of accidents, including ones for the vehicles carrying Risa and Lev. Connor, thinking Lev is another unwound needing saving, pulls Lev out of his car, while Risa breaks out of the bus carrying her. From this point on, they live as fugitives running from their fate to be unwound. Lev eventually decides to not be unwound and all three take a stand against unwinding.

The series has so many twists and turns that it's simply impossible to put these books down. I actually had to double check that I read all four because they went so quickly I was certain I had missed one in the process. Shusterman, the author, has a really wonderful writing style, giving just enough detail while keeping important details concealed until later in the books. Matter of fact, one of my friends started to read these after I had finished the first one and she asked me what "clappers" were. They were mentioned in Unwind (book #1), but not even truly explained for a while, keeping the reader guessing.

I cannot recommend this series more--especially if you're into a good chase with some mystery. Maybe it's just me, but the whole concept of unwinding is something that could actually happen, which also made this a bit of a horror series.

If you're looking to try a series that is like watching the Empire Strikes Back, definitely start reading the Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman.

Miniature Food?!

This has been a sort of "underground" trend in fun for the last two or three years, but, in the last 6 months or so, this trend has moved on to be everywhere.

What is miniature food? Are people just cutting recipes in 1/20th and making tiny muffins like you can get at the grocery store?
Miniature food is mini edible food, yes, but it's made using special kits that use a combination of powder mixes and water, as well as a microwave in some. Pretty simple, right?

The cool part is that there are so many different varieties--from a hamburger and fries to sushi made out of gummy candy. Of course, the down side is that a lot of these kits are only in Japanese, as that's where they originated.

Kracie's Popin' Cookin' is probably the most popular set of kits out there and they can be easily bought on Amazon (Ebay as well, but I'm always afraid of knock-off/fakes that won't work as well). I know, I know, the instructions are impossible because you're not fluent in Japanese. That's perfectly fine! There's like a billion YouTube videos teaching you how to do each kit, as well as tutorials people have typed up on blogs and other websites. Personally, I prefer using videos so I can make sure mine looks exactly like the one created by the person I'm watching.

 

The English version of this wasn't created all that long ago from what I could find, but that brand is called Yummy Nummies. If we're being honest here, the name is sort of lame and the commercials look like this is only meant for young kids, but definitely not. I personally think these are fun for anyone who wants to make a silly snack with friends. I made the Popin' Cookin' ice cream kit with one of my best friends and, though it didn't take long to make, we had a lot of fun putting them together.

These kits are super cheap and run from $5-10, depending on where you get them, and are perfect for sleepovers and movie nights with friends. They make adorable little snacks and, while there might not be much of them to eat, they are all tasty.

Be warned: the hamburger and fries really taste like a hamburger and fries, and the pizza tastes like pizza. But the sushi? Definitely tastes like grape, melon and "soda" flavor (soda is a flavor in Japan that's impossible to explain unless you've had it).

If you have tried these kits or are interested in them, also check out the Neru Neru Ne! They usually only have 3 steps to make and are more fun than delicious!

Pokemon Sun and Moon

Helloooo! Today, we have an exciting entry because a new set of Pokemon games was announced.

Maybe I'm a bit of a dork to love Pokemon as much as I do after many years of playing them, but I'm still super pumped.

The two that were announced are Pokemon Sun and Moon and they are set to release late this year.

Nintendo was kind to all of us Pokemon fans for this epic moment and provided us with a trailer on YouTube that you can watch below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmzDL1l3Fag

It doesn't give us much of a preview of Sun and Moon, but it does take us back to the beginning showing players how this gaming series has developed and grown over the years, starting back on the original Gameboy to the 3DS.

This is the 20th anniversary of the Pokemon series/the release of Pokemon Red and Blue (Blue was my favorite, by the way), and a great way to celebrate such a big anniversary.

As Nintendo likes to do, we have not been given much on the new set of games. We know there will be a new bird Pokemon, as well as Magearna (who is adorable, if you ask me), who was announced in a magazine talking about the Pokemon movie set to release this year.

One of the few secrets the video did reveal, however, was the possibility of vehicles. We don't actually know if these will be means of transportation players can use or not, but the art work is pretty awesome and I'm looking forward to knowing why they put so much effort into these. (Please let me drive an ambulance filled with my team of Pokemon, Nintendo!!!)

Finally, by utilizing the Pokemon Bank app on our 3DS's, we can officially transfer Pokemon over from our DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ONLY Red, Blue and Yellow games. I think at this point, I've given up ever being able to get my team from my original Blue and Yellow games to new games. But, at least Platinum allowed me to get all sorts of early gen Pokemon (including legendaries), so I can't complain too much.

If you're a Pokemon fan yourself, which is your favorite game in the series? I have to say I enjoyed Platinum the most, simply because you could, essentially, catch them all. I enjoyed the wide variety of generations you could get and I loved the fact that I could get basically every legendary Pokemon ever. Whoo!

Who's excited for Sun and Moon!?

Living in Dystopia

If you're a reader and you read a lot of YA (young adult), you know dystopias are where it's at. It all sort of began with Harry Potter and has now expanded to the Hunger Games, the Maze Runner, Divergent and many other worlds that have yet to be moved onto the silver screen.

I read a lot of dystopian YA. I'm not going to lie--lately, I've been reading almost exclusively anything dystopian. I don't know why it's so intriguing to read about worlds similar to ours but completely different, but I'm obsessed and I know many other people are as well.

While the mainstream series are, for the most part, enjoyable, I thought I'd take a minute to recommend some lesser known dystopian series that are equally as fantastic. These are in no particular order, aside from the order of which I thought of them.

1. The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman

I haven't actually completed this series yet, but I felt it needed to be listed because, first off, the main characters in the first book are from Ohio, and, second, the concept is super unique. The whole idea is that children can be sold off by their parents to be "unwound" or, essentially, taken apart piece by piece and given to someone like a transplant donor. The children don't get to make the decision for themselves, and this is all about kids (teens, really) trying desperately to escape their future of being unwound.

2. The Giver (The Quartet Series) by Lois Lowry

I know, this is considered to be more for "kids," but, as someone who loves YA with a passion, I would recommend this 10/10 for anyone who loves YA. This has a sort of unique concept, in that the world is trying to life on the safe side not even allowing people to see color any more. Life is entirely regulated, like many other dystopian books. You are not raised by your birth parents. You are raised by parents assigned to be the best set of folks for your success. If you're extremely lucky, you are eventually given a good job suited to who you are as a person and you do not get to say no. The government makes all of those decisions for you so you don't have to. The first three books are relatively short but the final book should really fall under the YA category. These are some of my favorites.

3. The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

I recommend this to anyone ever. I don't care who you are, this deserves a lot more glory than it's received. The best part? Sequels are still coming out! I feel like a lot of series have finished now, but this is still relatively new.

The idea is that the prince (or later, princess) that will eventually become king/queen needs help finding a partner so, much like other series, people are able to apply for this position. This does take a sort of Hunger Games feel in that the girls narrowed down to compete are essentially contestants in a competition. There is a competition feel but, in my opinion, this has more of a romance feel to it. The two main characters are easily in my top ten YA characters--they're likable, quirky and have an air of normalcy to them, so anyone can relate. That, for me, is the best part. There is a good amount of suspense throughout with the competition, which keeps the plot moving, and none of this stops in the other novels. Granted, I am a fast reader, but I read the first part of the series (the Selection, the Elite and the One) in just a couple days. I love this series a lot.

4. The Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano

Holy crap this book! How did I never hear of it before randomly finding it on the shelves of this library?! The premise is interesting and one of my favorites: boys die at 20, girls die at 18. You can live a little bit (maybe a month or so) past that time, but never all that long, even with the best medical help in the world. Women are being bought by rich men that were born before the age curses for their sons who do have the illness to become wives. It's not in a creepy way--just in a "be my best friend before we both die" sort of way, and the world has become desolate. Picture a world that looks entirely like a run down amusement park or like the wastelands shown in the Walking Dead, but with random amazingly brilliant mansions filled with delicious foods, holograms and where Hawaii is merely a fairy tale.

This series all centers on a girl who is kidnapped from her brother and sold to the son of a rich man to be one of his three wives. It's she and her other two wives' job to try and give him a child before they both die, as well as live out the rest of their years happily ever after. You can imagine she doesn't enjoy being kidnapped and tries to get back to her twin brother. There's excellent characters, a beautiful love story, plot twists that left me completely shocked all surrounded by the mystic and magical world she's living in. There isn't actual magic, but there are certainly futuristic items and concepts that would probably be considered magical in the world we live in.

5. The Dissonance Series by Erika O'Rourke

I'm going to be totally honest--I only read the first book and I have absolutely no idea how to properly explain this and why it's so amazing. Del is the main character and she's a Walker. No, not a zombie from Walking Dead. She walks between worlds--it's a trait certain families have where one can simply find a crack where a decision was made, go through and see a world where a different decision would have been made (an echo). She falls in love with a boy in one of these worlds that she knows in her world, but a different version of that boy. This is the story of how she continues to find that boy in every world, how she falls in love with him and how she fights desperately to keep both him (the him in her world--and the other worlds, too) and her world alive and in harmony with all the other echoes of the world.

If that isn't enough information for you, I recommend looking the series up yourself. I find it's so unique I'm not quite sure how to put it into words, but I've really enjoyed it thus far. I love O'Rourke's writing style and her characters are pretty interesting as well.

Have you read any of these? Or any others that are often forgotten? If so, comment below and let me know! I'm always looking for a new dystopia to fall in love with!

Get Your Coloring On

School is stressful. Relationships are stressful. Basically, life is stressful. Video games can help unwind some times and, personally, I love a good dystopian book or movie for relaxing, but there's a craze that's exploded this year that's just as good: coloring. Coloring between the lines is no longer for elementary kids--it's moved its way all the way up through teenagers to adulthood. Not gonna lie, some of these coloring books and sheets are super intense.

It's no longer about coloring Pooh to be gold with a red shirt, or making Pete the Cat blue with yellow eyes. These coloring pages are about completely forgetting real life while you sit down and color these small details in however your heart feels at that current moment. These allow you to mindless go through and be creative with pens, markers, pencils or even crayons.

The coolest part about this? You can print off pages online for free. There are so many resources and people designing these for anyone to use. The rest is all up to your imagination. Well and, frankly, even if you don't have an imagination to speak of, it's therapeutic to just mindlessly color in the empty spaces.

I personally enjoy these for times where I feel really anxious about something--especially travel. I'm getting ready to go on a trip now as I type this, and these have been perfect for letting go and escaping the world for 10 minutes.

I know a lot of you have finished your exams for the first half of the year. While I'm not too sure how strict teachers are today, when I was in school, we were allowed to bring work to do after we finished each test. For me personally, coloring something as intense as this would've been a good way to clear my head for the next test.

I'm not sure which brilliant human came up with the idea to make such intricate coloring pages, but they deserve 5 gold stars. Coloring and art has always been something I've enjoyed, but I can't draw decently at all, so coloring is really all I have.

Have you hopped on board this hype train? If so, what do you enjoy coloring with most? Pens? Pencils? Markers? I definitely prefer colored pencils, but I think markers and pens can create some awesome almost stained glass-like art.