Stayin' Fit Doin' Little

I know. It's summer. We all want to relax and enjoy the sun, but sitting around the TV or computer all day isn't going to do anything for you but cause you back, shoulder and neck problems in the future (trust me, I know).

Aside from hopping in a swimming pool or walking around your house to get snacks or grab the remote, we need to stay active all year round. Especially now that school's out so you're not running from class to class.

Here are just a few ideas of what you can do while binge watching the latest show on Netflix or catching your favorite streamer on Twitch.

Commercial break or time for your advertisement while on Twitch?
Try and see how many crunches, push-ups or squats you can do during that time. It'll keep your mind sharp never really knowing when you'll have to jump up and do them and will keep your heart rate up.

Don't feel like getting up that quickly?
Lay down on a couch (or the floor!) so you're on your side facing the TV/iPad/laptop/etc. and rest your head on your elbow. Then do some leg lifts. All you have to do is lift your leg towards the ceiling, while keeping it straight, over and over. When you're done with one side, flip yourself so you're still facing the TV and do your other leg. Easy, right? You can even do this while enjoying a snack (sort of defeats the purpose but something is better than nothing!).

This is possibly the easiest exersize but, according to multiple websites, you can lose roughly 40 calories per hours by doing this. Get yourself an exercise ball. Sit on it for an hour. Bam, bye bye 40 calories and say sayonara to the snack you just consumed doing leg lifts.

Say this is all too much. You just want to be lying down watching TV and not moving at all. Easy, just put your feet on the couch and form a capital T by stretching yourself out in front of it (feet still on the couch!) while resting your head on your elbows. You're basically doing a plank and this is also a great exersize that requires little to no energy. Technically, you could even have a nice cold glass of lemonade in front of you with a straw so you can enjoy a cool beverage while you work out.

Summer may be the time to just chill and relax, but it doesn't mean you can't still stay in shape by doing very little!

Book to Movie Review: the Fifth Wave

Before I get any farther into this, I'd like to say, yes I'm late to the party on this one, but I finally saw the Fifth Wave movie, based originally off of the book of the same name by Rick Yancey.

I was actually ridiculously sick with the flu earlier this week and finally decided to try and be somewhat productive while in bed. So I opened up my iPad and rented this on iTunes. I think it was like $4, which was worth it for how sick and miserable I was at the time.

If you have read the book, or the series, you'll know the writing in it is rather choppy. There's no clear direction and I honestly found it pretty messy to read at times making me walk away from the series in the end (I made it about halfway into the second book, the Infinite Sea). I was truly disappointed in the books. I found the concept of aliens wanting to take Earth without damaging it too much super unique and interesting in the world of Young Adult Literature, and I wanted to love it.

So when the movie came out, I was hopeful that it could fix some of the problems I had with the writing style in the books. I was happy to find that it did! That said, after already knowing what happened in the first book, I was a little less into the movie because the only major plot twist was one I already knew. To be honest, though, I think I'd have guessed it even without knowing already.

The acting was done well and the effects were super awesome. My favorite part, of course, was the fact that it all takes place relatively near where I live now and there are little mentions of places and things nearby, like Kent State University and, of course, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base that's just a few hours away.

I appreciated the movie a lot more than I thought I would and I would recommend it to those interested in a sci-fy twist to dystopia. That said, the plot is predictable, I think, but the next one is less so. I hope they continue to make these movies, as I think the movies do a far better job at telling Cassie's story than the books.

Is the McKinley House haunted?

We recently had a super cool event down at the McKinley Birthplace Home where we had the Collective Paranormal Research Society show our members of YAC (Youth Advisory Committee) what they do. What is that you may be asking? They look for evidence of ghostly activity and try and prove that the paranormal does exist.

This particular group is located right in Youngstown, Ohio, and travels around conducting various investigations.

We were lucky enough to have them not only perform a mini investigation with YAC, but they taught us about what they do and how they do it. We learned about devices like EMF detectors and EVP recorders, as well as what they have learned and seen in their travels. It was truly an amazing experience for our teens and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

They closed the evening walking around the home and trying to make contact with anyone who may be present but not exactly living among us. Everyone was surprised when that contact was made. All of the teens attending, as well as the leader of YAC, Miss Kim, announced who they were and asked various questions with the lights out. They had wanted anyone present to light it up any time his or her answer to the question was yes.

The question all the kids are talking about is whether or not the ghost (or ghosts!) likes Miss Kim being around and hosting programs for children and teens at the house. The flashlight, to everyone's surprise, light up brightly with no one remotely close to do it themselves. Our teens also insured that no one on the Research Society had a button that would trigger it on and off. The investigators would ask whoever was present to step away and turn the light back off before asking another question, which it did.

It was a wonderful experience for everyone and now myself and Miss Kim are a bit spooked down at the house, even if the presence there is a friendly one! It seems we have our very own Casper.

If this is the sort of thing you are into, hop onto Facebook and like their page. They are actually going to be live on Facebook this evening  at the Bissman Building, so please do check them out!

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!