Glade Expressions Review

<img src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/gladeExpressions.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=9365102339&Campaign=5855213675&Uid=210106&token=11abaf1ea81aa9b772a01f08ba56e9a0" alt=""/>

I am a Bzz Agent and I receive products, coupons and samples in exchange for my review/opinion. Today I am reviewing Glade Expressions Spray and Scented Oil Diffuser. For both products, I chose the Pineapple and Mangosteen scent which gave my office and bathroom a lovely tropical smell. Here is their Facebook Glade as well as their Expressions Website.

The mist in Pineapple and Mangosteen works great for a blast of a lovely smell. I've been using it in my home office and it works really well to wake yourself up when energy is low. It's very easy to use as well as replace with a different scent. For this room I might stick with Pineapple or try the Fuji Apple variety.

The other scents available are: Cotton & Italian Mandarin, Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice and lastly, Lavender & Juniper Berry.

The oil diffuser doesn't seem to last as long but it still gave an awakening smell to my bathroom. I think when its time to refill it, I'll get the Cotton one for this room so it smells fresh and clean. I loved the wood details of this one, but the other 3 scents come in a white design which looks nice as well. It was also pretty easy to install: just push down the cartridge till it snaps into place.

Remember to "like" Glade here and check out their website here.
- Samra

Unreal Candy Review

<img src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/unrealCandy.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=6106959830&Campaign=1567983861&Uid=210106&token=717e974b1dfb88027d1481ddc4d2a348" alt=""/>

I am a Bzz Agent and I receive products, coupons and samples in exchange for my review/opinion. Today I am reviewing Unreal Candy which is really good because its made without High fructose Corn Syrup and other crap. Their thing is to Unjunk products so that they are more delicious and filled with stuff you know how to pronounce. Find them on fb Unreal Candy Facebook and on their website Unreal: Candy Unjunked .

I got these coupons to begin with as well as my free one and went off to Walgreens where id seen them before and called them "Pacman Candy". i never really looked at them because i assumed they were like other candies that had stuff that would make me sick. Ive stated this before but just for a reminder, I am allergic to Corn and soy products. While Unreal has a small about of Soy Lecithin(spelling?) in it, the percentage is so tiny i don't get sick afterwards :)

I went with my boyfriend Carl who is 28 and his nephew Mikey who is 18 and was over for the night. I used my free coupon on Unreal's version of M&Ms, Carl got the Milky Way equal and Mikey got the Snickers variety.

All in all they were delicious and i figured over the span of this campaign id try some more flavors because i love chocolate. I love the colors because they look like real colors instead of too bright and fake.

I also tried the M&M peanut ones. yum!

Sadly just a few days ago, Walgreens put all the Unreal candy into the clearance section saying that they weren't selling very well. I got some of the big bags and stocked up a bit but i need to find a new place to find them!

I really love this candy so i hope that they don't stop selling it! it makes for a great snack during schoolwork and writing up BzzBlogs.

If you want to find places to buy Unreal or just support their great idea, please find them here and here
Thanks for reading!
-Samra

Friends of Fresh&Easy Review

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This is my post/review about the Fresh&Easy campaign for BzzAgent, which i am a member of and get compensation for. Freah&Easy is really a great store with more natural foods and a great Friends program that gives you offers and coupons throughout the week. You can sign up here F&E Friends and be sure to "like" them on Fresh&Easy Facebook.

Our shopping trip started at the entrance of course:

I adore them for putting sanitizing wipes near the entrance:

These refrigerator doors explain how F&E is saving money and energy:

The best section ever is the clearance area:

Deals on delicious milk:

One of the strange exotic foods F&E carries is Spotted Dick. It may look funny but I've heard its delicious:

The foreign candy area. Most of these are made with Sugar and not High Fructose Corn Syrup which means it is safe for me!:

My favorite are the Aero bars from England. They are airy and melt in your mouth. I like to stick them in the freezer until I want to eat them for a cool treat:

This sign is so true:

Self Checkout only here at F&E:

Our cart (We didnt need very much today):

Aw a Thank you from Fresh and Easy!:

Once again, you can become a Friend on their website here and "like" them here.
-Samra

Last Review for BIC Soliel Savvy

I am a Bzz Agent and I receive products, coupons and samples in exchange for my review/opinion. Today, I am reviewing the BIC Soliel Savvy razor :) I usually used the BIC Soliel before, but now I'll be switching to the Savvy version. 

Top: BIC Soliel
Bottom: BIC Soliel Savvy

Just comparing it to the other one, you can see that its better made. I like the white grips along the side so that I don't slip and cut myself. Also, by having the razor itself be reusable instead of the whole thing, BIC is reducing the amount of waste on this planet. The shave I receive from this makes my legs smoother as well. Go BIC! BIC Soliel FB

Savvy Shave indeed

Finally got to use my BIC razor which i received because i am a BZZAgent! I am so happy i got an awesome shave out of it. My legs are so smooth! i wont be posting that here because my legs are pasty which the razor cant change lol. I couldnt figure out how to change the razor head at first and was frustrated but then when i did figure it out i felt silly. The BIC worked great in the shower in combo with my Suave body wash. I am giving out my $3 off coupons if anyone needs one! Be sure to like them on fb: BIC Soleil FB

BZZKit came... Savvy? :)

i got my BzzKit for Bic Soleil Savvy razors today! im super excited to try. sadly i shaved my legs today so ive gotta wait 2-3 days before i can try them out lol. I've got coupons to give if anyone would like to try them out!
here's their fb: BIC Soleil Savvy
and here is picture of my new sexy razor!

BZZAgent Campaign: Bic Soliel Savvy

I'll be getting to try these awesome looking razors soon from Bzz. I already love the brand so im looking forward to trying their new inventions! Explore and "like" their fb page BIC Soleil
I'll keep everyone updated as i get my trial product and coupons :)

 Carl and i are living below the line this week to raise money and see how people in poverty live. we are limited to 1.50/day and together thats $15 for the entire week.

 This is our usual breakfast. 1 egg, toast and a 4oz glass of milk. For lunch its been apple and cucumber slices with plain yogurt with either a dash or sugar or a spoonful of agave. For dinner we have mixed it up. first was a soup of cucumber, cabbage, garlic, onions and rice. Last night was a patty made of cooked rice, pinto beans, onions and garlic.

This was our grand total list. We shopped in the city next door Mesa, AZ instead of here in Gilbert because they don't have tax on food. If you are interested in following my blog or donating to the cause/foundation please check out my link:
Samra's Live Below The Line Blog

Swagbucks

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/QueenieNirvana
refer link!
i love this site

Smarterer BzzAgent Campaign 2

<img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/smarterer.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=1691886995&Campaign=0348978528&Uid=210106&token=ab0318ee0adbd1b88a789f91733d8936" alt=""/>
(http:/www.smarterer.com)

Day 32: The Finale! (sort of)

Day 32 – Mar. 8^th,2012

            Well today us my last official day of this. I have decided I will try to continue this as much as possible throughout the rest of the semester though not daily. I enjoy writing this stuff down and venting my ideas. Today I had more psychology reading on early adulthood development including social and emotional. I read how creativity can be disrupted if one has children, divorces or has an unsupportive partner. This explains why I lost my creative streak in OK and now that I am here and with Carl it’s flowing like crazy. This is very good for school projects as well as my own artistic endeavors. I love to write letters to friends, draw my trees, doodle in my new journal and get all around creative. I am enjoying reading again as well as researching interesting topics. According to many people including my mother, I look and sound happier lately. I suppose it’s because I’m working towards something meaningful in my life and I have the support of many friends, family and especially Carl. I love him! (How mooshy! lol) I think over these last 32 days I have learned to expand upon what I say and write so others understand it. It also will make my writing better for classes where I need to expand on my own thoughts and not just summarize, paraphrase or quote someone else’s ideas. I got my tax refund today so that’s good for money. I’ll get a summer job somewhere at the end of April after classes are over for more money. I should apply at the library or something like that. Lastly cats are fluffy and I want dessert. J Adios!

Day 31: WreCk tHiS BloG!

Day 31 – Mar. 7^th, 2012

                        Dude the above says day 31^ that’s crazy. So today I finished all of my English reading and began my Psychology reading on early adulthood which is about age 18 to 40… hey wait that’s me! So that will be quite interesting to see what development I’ll be going through or already have done. All my classes have about a month left in them except for English which extends until April 21^st. so far I’m looking good with my grades so I hope I keep this up. I’ll have a Career Report due for the final in my Strategies for College Success course, a Research Essay and Publication in English, a 40-question Final in Psychology and a 50-questions final in Algebra. Whoosh! In the end I’ll be much closer to a degree than I was previously so that makes me a happy camper. I finished my book Death: At Death’s Door by Jill Thompson in one day. It’s a manga based off of the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman starring his sister Death. It was wonderfully draw and I liked the interaction between Death and her sister Despair and Delirium. I am also farther along in the book Gerald’s Game by Stephen King which is super creepy and a stray dog has just come in to find Jessie cuffed to the bed and Gerald on the floor. I also got a few books from the Rio Library as well as the Maricopa County Library on my graphic novel research. I also found a DVD on Alan Moore who wrote Watchmen and V for Vendetta which looks very interesting for my research. I’m very excited to do this research project as whatever my career in the future may be, I could utilize comics in some way be it a teacher, librarian or therapist. Lastly, cocoa roast dark chocolate almonds by Emerald are my new addiction and they don’t have any soy/corn syrup! I highly recommend them as they are more dusted with chocolate rather than drenched. I started playing with my Wreck This Journal today and wrote on its sides. Pictures will be on my Facebook similar to Miss Lindsay Story’s so folks can see the fun as well. I leave you tonight with a very true quote about friendship:

 “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”

 –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Smarterer BzzAgent Campaign

<img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/smarterer.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=1691886995&Campaign=0348978528&Uid=210106&token=ab0318ee0adbd1b88a789f91733d8936" alt=""/>
(www.smarterer.com)

fun little quiz site i got into because im a Buzzagent

Day 30... i need to not forget these things.

Day 30 – Mar. 6^th, 2012

            I completely forgot last night. I’m so lame lol. Anyways we didn’t do a whole bunch yesterday. I started my career assessment review in college success course and that was cool. We went over some possible majors I fit other than Psychology like English, art history and Sociology. It also showed even more job options for me as well. Today in English I am reading up on the academic discipline and will start my proposal on my project for English on the graphic novels. I got 2 of my requested books about them from the library at Chandler-Gilbert CC and I’m very excited about them. The one has a whole chapter of essays about how librarians feel about comics and their rise from being basically shit. I find this interesting since one of the career options I have was to be a librarian so I may have to use this in the future if I was comics to be in a library I were to run. I got the movie Return to Oz from Amazon today and the other day I received Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas so I really would like to watch those soon whenever I have some free time. I also received Women of Marvel Vol. 1 and Wreck This Journal which was recommended to me by my friend Lindsay Story. She has been posted her entries on Facebook when she does one and it looks absolutely fun! The book encourages you to get creative, destructive and crazy within it pages! There are specific ones that tell you to wash it, ruin it and basically have a creativity explosion. I can tell it’ll be a fun little experiment. Today is my dad’s 57^th birthday and he had to work which is no fun. I sent him a card but I forgot to send it till today but I’m sure he will like it. Mom’s birthday is coming and I have a good idea of what to send her. Jeana, Carl and I also had Hawaiian BBQ for lunch today. My entrée was shrimp with white fish and a crab Rangoon. Carl got Spam sushi grossness lol. Very chill day indeed. I finally finished Ultimate Xmen Vol. 1 which I’ve been reading off and on since around the beginning of October 2010 when I still lived in Oklahoma. I just kept forgetting about and I’m sad because it was really good. In the Ultimate Marvel universe everything is a bit more streamlined and character backstories are altered slightly. Over all very good and entertaining read. I started Gerald’s Game by Stephen King again. It another book I started in OK but never finished. I’m already farther than I was out there. I like to read a print-only book and a comic at the same time for some reason. I’m not sure what my next one will be, I still have a lot of options I haven’t caught up on yet. Anyways I have a headache so have a good night folks!

Day 28: I am the Walrus...

Day 28 – Mar. 4^th, 2012

                        Well I skipped last night because I was up till about 315 am finishing my annotated bibliography for English class concerning my research project. Yesterday was finishing my reading on research and bibliographies. We also went to Savers where I found some old Sandman comics which are pretty awesome. We got sweet tea while we were out and it was yummy. Jeana, Carl and I went to Fascinations as well to look around. They are a couples-friendly kind of sex shop and they have a good selection of everything one could be looking for in the sexy department. I found a purple and black corset which I bought for rather cheap and wore it to the Renaissance fair today. We came home later and I finished my English research. I found a great many articles on graphic novels in therapy, education, its history and some criticisms. I had to find seven sources and I found quite a lot of material to turn into a great research project for the rest of this semester. One of the articles explains how over one summer, two teachers helped failing deaf students get excited about reading and learning through graphic novels. I think this article is an excellent example of the growing genre and how incorrect people are when they say graphic novels are not “real” books. Carl and I ended up with about 3 hours of sleep last night which sucks because we got up around 7 am to get ready for the fair. We got all dolled up; I was a gothic pirate, Carl was a pirate and Jeanette was a gypsy-pirate. We got there a bit after it opened at 10 am and saw some Scottish bagpipers first. We saw a lot of good shows and looked through all of the lovely shops. I got a pair of earrings that are coffin-shaped with a skull on the outside and they open to reveal a skeleton. I also got two little statues which was a skull with tribal symbols on it and a blue fair sitting on a blue gem. The fair is TARDIS blue and looks like the woman who played her in the episode “The Doctor’s Wife” on the newer Doctor Who. We all tried fair food but some of it wasn’t expected. I had a Monte Cristo which was basically a sandwich deep-fried. I’ve never had it like that! When I've had it before, at a place like Denny’s or what not it was just slightly fried but this was a heart-attack. I couldn’t even finish and I think it made my stomach hurt later. Jeana and I also had alcohol; she had a Mudslide and I had a Daiquiri which made us both very nice. I was very bold and tried the Jacob’s ladder thing even though I fell off, but it was silly fun. Lastly we got our turkey legs which one cannot possible leave any renaissance fair without munching on. We got them to go to eat later for dinner. Today was a rather good day even though I’m exhausted now. I found out the one in Irwindale, CA (www.renfair.com) that I used to go to is having their fiftieth year of the fair from April 7^th to May 20^th. I hope we can get out to California and go to that one because the events look amazing and the celebration will be crazy. I am close to the 32^nd day of this blog and while it would technically end, I think I will continue but on an “as important stuff happens” basis instead of every single day… or maybe every day until the end of the semester. What do you guys think? Also why does all the pam email I get ask me if I want to enlarge my penis? I don’t even have one, let along need to enlarge it! Well have a good night, loves!

Day 26: I still don't like making up these titles.

Day 26 – Mar. 2^nd, 2012

                        Today was long yet fun. I did my practice midterm for Algebra this morning and got 87%. Then I went to Rio to take the physical Midterm and got an 85% which really isn’t bad. It only took about 45 minutes. Carl and I went to Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe which id seen but hadn’t gone into yet. It smelled of lovely incense and had a great selection of books with a little bit of everything. I would like to go back and get a few little gifts I saw and check out Hoodlums next door. It’s a music and movie local store that looks very cool as well. We also got Jamba Juice and I got a Cold buster which I love because it really tastes great and wakes me up. When we got home everyone was hungry so Carl, Jeana, Carl Sr. and I went out to IHOP. I tried the new Lorax meal that’s with the Dr. Seuss movie. It had green eggs (spinach) and ham, hash browns and a blueberry-pancake-waffle cone thing. Delicious and yet fattening. We also had hot cocoa which was very sugary. We also visited Carl’s older brother Keith’s house to get some pirate gear for our adventure on Sunday at the Renaissance Faire. I finished my Psychology lesson on adolescence and completed the quiz and the essay on some cognitive changes in teenagers’ minds. Last I was having weird dreams about people dying; they were really vivid and intense. David Reynolds was hit by a semi along Shawnee Rd near Bacone in Oklahoma, my dad was crushed on a construction site by a falling girder near Huntington Beach in California, and Nikki Tsarnas was murdered and missing her legs by the music room at Anaheim High School, which is where we went to school in California. Then for some reason my brother Frank, adopted brother Jory and myself were driving my old Lincoln to get groceries because Mom was upset about dad dying. So we drove to an Albertsons in Santa Fe Springs. We got a cart of apples, eggs and tortillas. That’s when I woke up... What the heck is up with that? I looked it up and the closest Albertsons is off of Firestone Blvd 30 minutes away and there is one literally a block from my mom’s house less than 5 minutes away. My mind just must be over working or stressed. Ok kiddos nighty night!

Day 25 March MaDnE55!

Day 25 – Mar.1^st, 2012

                       Wow it’s already March! I’ve got a lot of birthdays this month to remember: Dad’s is the 6^th, cousin Jessie is the 7^th, cousin Erik is 12^th, Sara Johnson is 13^th, St. Patrick’s Day is the 17^th, the Tucson Lion’s Convention is 16^th-18^th, Baby Brian’s 1^st birthday is the 19^th, Mikey is the 20^th, and Mom is the 21^st. So much is going on, I feel as though I’m forgetting something/someone. Jeana, Carl, and I (and maybe Miranda) are going to the Renaissance Faire this weekend so that will be exciting. Carl and I met for the 2^nd time there last year. We’ve known each other over a year now. Today I did more Psychology reading about adolescence and then I made a study guide for my Math Midterm tomorrow. Studying for all that algebra seemed to take forever and hurts my brain. I’ll take the pre-test online in the morning on Rio-Learn. Around 2:30pm, I’ll head over to the school to take the exam at the Rio Testing Center. Maybe afterwards I’ll go by the AZ Mills mall where I worked at Lane Bryant, just took look around but I don’t know yet as I have more English/Psych reading to do. I think listening to Weird Al, Bloodhound Gang, Voltaire and Mindless Self Indulgence while you are studying something pretty serious makes it more fun by the way. G’Night!

Day 24 Leapin' Lizards

Day 24 – Feb.29^th, 2012

                       I’ve been feeling terrible all day. My stomach keeps hurting with pressure and I feel really sleepy as well as having a throbbing ache. Today I did some Psychology about Adolescent Development which was cool. I’ll get more into it tomorrow. I think I’ll be able to look back at the younger version of myself and be like “oh that’s why I did that or acted that way”. Today is Leap Day which comes every four years. I thought it was cute that Google had cartoon frogs for their sign up and that so many places had deals/sales. I got Women of Marvel Volume 1 today which completes my set of the Women of Marvel series that Marvel put out for 2010. I’m very happy about that. I began reading Sandman #1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman today. It’s really good so far and brilliantly colored. We had eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy for dinner and that didn’t make my stomach hurt. Earlier, Carl made a fruit smoothie for me from Emergen-C, apples, juices and ice, which also made me ache less. I really don’t like feeling so crappy at all as it makes it so difficult to concentrate. Now time to relax.

Day 23: Social-ENFJ Type

Day 23 – Feb.28^th, 2012

                        I had a nice day today. I did some English homework and read about searching the web about research questions and using the Rio Salado library. We reviewed how to judge the accuracy and authority of a website as well as the differences between the ending part of the URL .edu, .org, .com, and .gov mean. I have to write an annotated bibliography on seven online sources for one of my research questions. I am leaning toward the graphic novels one as it is so relevant to my interests at the moment. I’m definitely keeping the other two in mind though as I see them as being good future topics for classes further down the road in my education. I finished reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 8 in less than an hour earlier. It was really good and really sad as well. I like that the writer/creator can do so many things now without fear of a budget due to effects. I also got my Career Test back from my College Success course and it was 25 pages long! It includes the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It was very revealing as well as specific in what I should lean towards as well as what kinds of things I would excel in. According to the SII, the top ten occupations listed for my type (Social) were: (1. Special Education Teacher, (2. Speech Pathologist, (3. Foreign Language Teacher, (4. Librarian, (5. Social Worker, (6. Translator, (7. College Instructor, (8. Occupational Therapist, (9. Psychologist, and (10. Technical Writer. All of this sounds pretty amazing but there is a slight problem with #3 and #6 as I only know English. I suppose if I did know another language, I would be great at helping others learn it as well as explaining what it means. According to the MBTI, I am an ENFJ type which means the following: Extraversion: Getting energy from and attuning to the external environment, iNtuition: Focusing on the big picture and future possibilities, Feeling: Making decisions based on person-centered values, and Judging: Being organized and decisive. Finally, my top Career Fields are: Psychology & Counseling, Teaching, Health Care, and Educational Administration. It even went so far as to suggest what things I could do in my leisure times that I might enjoy due to my personality type, such as volunteering at a counseling/crisis center; staffing a suicide prevention hotline; helping out in a special education classroom; reading self-help books; or taking classes in psychology/counseling. I find this stuff very interesting and it leads me more down the path to the correct career choice for me and hopefully a brighter future! Jeana, Carl and I also went to Coldstone tonight which is my favorite ice cream place. I got “Gotta Have It” size of black cherry and strawberry ice cream with white chocolate and regular chocolate chips as well as pineapple mixed inside. It was very delicious and a good way to top off the night. J

Day 22 EveryDay I'm Shufflin'

Day 22 – Feb.27^th, 2012

                        Today was nice because Carl and I slept in. It’s really nice to do that sometimes and wake up naturally, not to an alarm. I got to eat some turkey for breakfast which was from the Ren Fair so delicious. I got a late start but got done earlier than I normally do anyway. Today was my College success course day. I found out my Holland type is Social which mean I communicate with people well and try to help them solve their problems. I also took two different career tests and I’ll get the results in three to four days. I hope it all looks good. There was also a website where you could make your own mission statement (http://www.nightingale.com/mission_select.aspx). I made my own as an optional assignment: My purpose is to express my creativity, curiosity and dependability by thinking of original solutions to solve my problems, by learning all I can about a topic at hand and by keeping promises to myself and others; to obtain a "B" or better in all of my classes, get a summer job doing something related to Psychology, and get to know my brother Frank better as well as obtain at least $1,500.00 by 2/27/2013. You can make your own too because it has easy to follow steps. I ended up not going to the Lion’s meeting tonight because I was really feeling up to it, but I will definitely attend next time. We have a conference in Tucson during the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day so that will be cool. All right everyone have a good night!

Day 21: A Lazy Sunday

Day 21 – Feb. 26^th, 2012

                        Oh Sunday you were truly a time of rest for me this time around. I really just read or watched movies or did my surveys. It was really nice to have down time! Jeana is not feeling well because she messed up her hip so she’s on medications. Carl, Jeana and I were watching Ink Masters and made us want to get more tattoos. Then it was Auction Hunters which is kind of neat even though the guys kind of have these douchebag moments of cockiness. During this time I was on-and-off reading the Skyrim Guide we have to see things I may have missed. Following that, was the movie Real Steel with Hugh Jackman. Carl kept calling it “Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots” and while it was like that game a bit, it was actually a pretty good movie. We all had dinner at Five Guys and I had a grilled cheese with bacon, mushrooms and onions added. It was so good and filling. I haven’t really wanted hamburger meat lately due to reading Fast Food Nation. I won’t gross anyone out but let’s just say I might steer clear of it for a while. Dylan Dog: Dead of Night was the next movie we watched. It is based on an Italian comic book of the same name and it was very supernatural as well as funny. Dylan is a Private Investigator for the undead in New Orleans. His sidekick is now a zombie named Marcus. It was a very cool story but I would like to see more of it and possibly read his books. We got Dairy Queen for dessert and I had a Hawaiian Blizzard. It comes with vanilla ice cream, bananas, coconut and pineapple in it. I love ice cream! Well that’s about it for tonight. I like lazy days sometimes J

Day 20: Midterms Part 1 and Carl(s)

Day 20 – Feb. 25^th, 2012

                       Hello kiddies. Today I did my College Success Midterm and my final Journal summary. I talked about the strategies I’d learned since the beginning of the class and how I would use them to keep myself on course to my dreams and goals. The midterm paper took the longest and ended up being about 6 pages so I hope the teacher likes it. I thoroughly explained how I have been doing my 32-dya commitment, using how I learn to apply it to other situations, posting up my personal affirmation as well as my personal rules for success. My English research questions came back with 100% on it. She really liked all of them and even told me about a class that Rio offers specifically for graphic novels. I have to decide which topic to choose though I’m really rather fond of the graphic novel subject. Carl and everyone went to the Renaissance Faire today but he brought me back so cool things. He got me some gorgeous kitty/silver earrings and two Goblets that say AZ Ren Fest 2011 because that was the 2^nd time we ever met was last year there. It was so fun and he’s super sweet to remember these things. We tried the Big Carl at Carl’s Jr today and it was pretty filling and cheesy. There is a lot of Carl going on in this entry! We are watching Rum Diary right now and the story is interesting but I think Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has a faster pace to it but the comedic parts are similar. Good night folks!

Day 19: Sweet tea 3.14 = Sweety pie

Day 19 – Feb. 24^th, 2012

                        I didn’t do all that much today. I was just super tired on and off but I got more medicine so that’s a good thing. We had Jack in the Box for breakfast because it sounded delightful. I did reading for English 102 and made up my three research questions in detail for the assignment. I really like the one about the graphic novels being used positively. Here are my questions: 1.) How can graphic novels be applied positively in an academic setting and why are some educators against their use? 2.) How has the representation of women in the Sci-fi genre changed positively over the decades and how can this be a good influence in women’s lives? 3.) Why does a celebrity’s death affect us so much, even though we don’t know them personally? Are some of these deaths more meaningful to society than others? Do different types of deaths influence us differently like suicide, drugs or old age? Hopefully I can form an interesting essay project from one of these and my instructor will like it. If there are any opinions from my friends on these topics, please let me know! Carl made a delicious chicken soup tonight with potatoes and carrots but without the actual chicken meat. So yummy! Also, while I hate Mc Donalds, I love their sweet tea and with it being only a dollar, it’s a cheap addiction. Tonight I leave you with this:

"Life isn't a mountain that has a summit. Nor a game that has a final score.
Life is an endless unfolding, and if we wish it to be, an endless process of self-discovery,
an endless and unpredictable dialogue between our own potentialities and the life situations in which we find ourselves."

-John W. Gardner

Day 18... Lance is my favorite non-human.

Day 18 – Feb. 23^rd, 2012

                        I had a really bad asthma attack last night. I almost had to go to the ER but I go it under control. I’ve been sick for a couple of days but sometimes it gets worse. Well Carl realized the bathroom was leaking last night and fixed it, but the chemicals and cleaning stuff he had to use was overwhelming for my lungs. I cry when I can’t breathe because I get all pissed off at my lungs so that sucked. The leak had gotten into our bedroom and Jack the orange cat had peed in there too so Carl had to carpet clean as well so we couldn’t sleep in our room. I slept in the guest twin bed out of it all night coughing and hacking. Poor Carl had to sleep on the couch and was up and down all night. No fun at all. Today I’ve mostly studied for my Psychology Midterm. I got an 80% which isn’t bad but I could’ve done better. I think I got confused on a few things because I was sick. I still have an A in the class anyways. Carl made green eggs and ham for breakfast today which was awfully sweet and silly. I liked it a lot. Sam, I am! I’ve also decided that Lance our black cat with a white belly is my favorite non-human. He’s so cute and fluffy as well as makes a great cuddle-kitty. I need to take more medicine so good night, my friends.

Day 17... Samra the Explorerer

Day 17 – Feb.22^nd, 2012

                        Today was a fun day of some English homework, lots of shopping and exploring around the area. First of all, Jeana, Carl and I went to Name Brand Exchange which is a used clothing store. One location is close but we went there a few days ago so we went to the one in Mesa. I found some cute and cheap low-heeled black shoes, a cute head band with zipper teeth on it and some random pretty postcards to send to pen pals. Jeana got a gray dress that looks cute on her. Then we went to Buffalo Exchange in Tempe but couldn’t find anything good. Also their prices have gone up quite a lot which sucks! Then we went into Ash Comics and we nerded out. I ordered Tales of Wonderland 3 to catch up on my dark Alice series by Zenoscope. Then we decided to eat at Fibber McGee’s in Chandler, which is an Irish pub with authentic food and lots of Guinness. We got there just in time for Happy Hour. We had mussels and different flavors of flatbreads. We also had some delicious Ace Pear cider which tastes much better to me than most beers. Lastly we checked out the place next to it called World Food and got baklava and some foreign snacks that have REAL sugar and not high fructose corn syrup in them. We got home and I did some English on research questions for the semester project. I’m trying to decide what I should research. I need to come up with at least three and NOT to use something cliché like abortion or death penalty. I’d prefer it to have to do with my major which is Psychology or my minor Women’s Studies. I was possibly thinking of research how graphic novels have more positive representations than most people assume. Normally people think they are so full of fluff and crap when many of these stories are very in depth and can actually teach something. Examples of those kinds of graphic novels would definitely be “Watchmen” and “V for Vendetta” and possibly less obvious ones that cause emotions to stir such as “Spiderman: Reign” and “House of M”. I would need to think of 2 other questions about different topics by Saturday night. One I had thought of earlier in the class was, how women are represented in strong roles it seems only in the Sci-fi genre. Are strong women are the stuff of fantasy? Another topic I’ve thought of is how a celebrity’s death affects their fans. Does it depend on the death such as suicide versus drugs versus old age? This project lasts for the rest of the semester so I really need to consider this when I choose the topic. That’s all folks!

Day 16... Smartypants likes to eat Smarties

Day 16 – Feb. 21^st, 2012

                        ‘Ello! So I’m still kind of sick but the medicine is working so that’s good. I have to take a nap lately which slows down my homework time but it makes me feels much better. I did more of College Success and had to draw a symbol for the “inner ideal future” me. It’s really pretty so at some point I’ll put it on my Deviant Art site and maybe Facebook but that’s not really for creativity. I re-took a self-assessment quiz that I had taken at the beginning of the class and my scores are much better than before. “Believing in Themselves” is still low but it was a 40 before and now it’s a 62 which is super good. Low scores aren’t necessarily bad as much as need improvement to stay on the correct path to your goals and dreams. My highest scores (both with a 79) were “Discover Self-Motivation” and “Gain Self-Awareness”. I also have been looking up more scholarships on fastweb.com because I’d like to find more even though I have FAFSA; it couldn’t hurt to have back up especially when I get to the University levels. I am at Rio Salado in Tempe and mostly online now, but I could do some person-to-person classes at Mesa Community college or Gilbert-Chandler, both of which are close to my house. Later, I’d like to go to ASU or if Carl and I end up in CA for some reason go to CSUF. Next week I have to go do my Math Midterm over at Rio in person because that’s the way they do the math big exams. I suppose it’s so they KNOW you aren’t cheating. As long as I study I should be okay. I leave you with another random quote. J

"Fear less, hope more,
eat less, chew more,
whine less, breathe more,
talk less, say more,
hate less, love more,
and all good things will be yours."
-Swedish Proverb

Day 15... Sickness, sick, sickypoo... sleepy

Day 15 – Feb. 20^th, 2012

                       Well I am sick again. It feels like I’m always sick during February. Last year I had this nasty stuffy, coughing pain also. Maybe it’s just this winter-to-spring business. I have a cold virus and I have to take Coricidin, a nasal spray and plenty of good ol’ Vitamin C. I’m freaking tired and had to take a nap on that wonderful bed of ours ;-) I could hardly get any homework done though because my eyes weren’t focusing. It’s time for Midterms this week for two of my classes and the other two are next week. So far I have 3 A’s and a B+ which makes me happy. I've just got to pay more attention to some details in English 102 to get that grade looking a little better. Today was homework for my College Success course. We covered some things about Emotional Intelligence and how you should not make any decisions when you are feeling strong emotions, happy, mad or sad. I talked to my mom for a bit too which is always nice. I am still reading “Fast Food Nation”; it’s very interesting and educational about the history of the fast food industry. Some of it I already knew from growing up in Anaheim near Carl’s Jr, but some of it I didn’t know, especially because I’ve never worked for fast food due to my many allergies and being grossed out in general. I am going to go watch Skyrim, read and rest up. Goodnight Moon!

Day 13... and 12... quiet you!

Day 13 – Feb. 19^th, 2012

                        So I skipped a night again. I stayed up till 3 am doing my Rhetorical analysis essay on an article written about gay teen suicide being a myth. I was so very tired so I crashed out! Carl’s new bed was delivered yesterday and it was wonderful and felt like a cloud. I slept in and totally did not want to move from it at all. I did psychology yesterday on Middle Childhood and got a 95% on the quiz so that’s cool. Midterms are coming up so fast! I got an 85% on the Rhetorical Analysis by the way because I forgot to put in some correct citations and didn’t have very good closing sentences in my paragraphs. I think it was just overly crammed in my head with a bunch of work so I wasn’t thinking as clearly as I should have. Also the last paragraph in the article about enraged me! It was written by the Traditional Values Coalition and basically talked about how gay teens committing suicide wasn’t really very common and that we should be more worried about homosexuals in our schools molesting children. Argh! I know not everyone I am friends with is okay with gay folk but really? Come on people! All the people I have EVER known to be raped or molested wasn’t from a gay person, it was from a relative or someone who was supposed to be someone who loved them and betrayed that trust. I guess writing about something that makes me furious is a good thing because it lets the ideas flow a bit better. Today I woke up late because I was so comfy in our new bed. I read my new Game Informer but wasn’t very interested in this months’ issue, though there was a cool article about two guys doing a speed-run of Skyrim in 2 hours 16 minutes and 30 seconds, which is insane! They only did Main quest missions but still I can hardly imagine this game being trimmed down to that time because of how vast it is in addition to the long loading screens. We went to Sam’s Club and got Pink Moscato wine from the brand Shutter Home, went to Name Brand Exchange and I got a black ball bar for my industrial piercing and Jeanette got some cute dresses. Then we went to Target and Carl and I each got things to organize our shows with, which is always good for a clutter-free environment. We ate at Five Guys Burgers and Fries and it is delicious! It reminds me of In-n-Out a lot but with slightly different menu options. I’ve got to go get blood work done in the morning to check up on my thyroid which will be fun ::sarcasm:: so I’ll leave you guys with a quote from one of the songs on repeat for me lately.

“Every street I ever walked, every home I ever had is lost.
Every flower I ever held, every spring I ever had has died.
Every man I ever knew, every woman I ever had is gone.
Everything I ever touched, everything I ever had has died.”           “Like Tears in Rain” by Covenant

Day(X). Substitute 12 for X and solve.

Day 12 – Feb. 17^th, 2012

                        Today was Carl’s birthday! He is 28 and he got lots of loving from me and is family today. His sister Jeanette and his dad Carl got him a new king-sized memory foam bed that I helped pick out and I bought a nice black and red plaid sheet set for it. Jeana also got him a wind-up red Dalek and the 10^th Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver which she placed on the TARDIS blue cake we ordered from Coldstone Creamery. It was really good but all of our mouths turned blue! The inside was red velvet Cake with Cake Batter ice cream with sprinkles and peanut butter cups on top. I also got him mini Lego Cybermen and a few comic books which he enjoys. He made meatloaf tonight that was very good as well. I had another long day of algebra but in the end I got a 100% on the Chapter 3 test so that’s amazing. I then started on Psychology and we are covering middle childhood which is about ages 6 to 12 and how their development grows. Then tomorrow I have my English essay to finish with a lovely break on Sunday to possibly play Skyrim or read. I’ve been in the mood for really rock-punk music lately. Right now I’m playing Ramones, earlier it was the Misfits and I keep replaying “Geek Stink Breath” by Greenday. Perhaps they are Junior High flashbacks? I never know how to end these things correctly, so here’s an awesome quote to think about and reflect upon:

"I reject your reality and substitute my own." -Adam Savage, Mythbusters.

Day 11... why is it eleven and not onety-one?

Day 11 – Feb.16^th, 2012

                        It was an uneventful day really but I am excited because its Carl’s 28^th birthday tomorrow. I choose my English essay which will be on the gay teen suicide being common or a myth. It will make for quiet an interesting read indeed especially because the article calling it a myth enraged me so by throwing in statements about how “homosexuals shouldn’t be allowed near schools”. ARGH! Then I began my algebra homework for chapter 3: Graphs of Linear Equations and Inequalities in Two Variables. I’m going to take the test on it tomorrow and start my Psychology reading and do my English essay on Saturday. Seems like an overwhelming week in the homework area for some reason. I think it just got behind but if I catch up I’ll be ok. I got a nice Valentine’s Day card from my mommy today and she got a teddy bear I sent her as well. She sends me coupons too which is really helpful because she knows what I like lol. I really want to see VNV Nation (3/17/2012 in Mesa) and Mindless Self Indulgence (4/1/2012 in Tempe) here this year I hope that I have the money. It would be super cool and I’ve never been to a show with Carl. We ordered Chinese food for dinner and I got sweet & sour chicken which was delicious. My back is killing me tonight so I need to go grab some Excedrin and chill out. Nighty!

Day 10... Mad Libs Always turns out so wrong

Day 10 – Feb.15^th, 2012

                       Today was long but got some homework and such done. I finished my College Success homework on my Learning Style. I am a Feeling Learner with a close second to being a Thinking Learner. Feeling basically means I enjoy connecting to what I’m learning about, seeing how it relates to my life and how it can be used. Thinking means that I also like the facts, seeing things done step-by-step and presented to me in a logical fashion. I also was to make rules for success in college and my life. They are: 1.) I show up. 2.) I do my very best work. 3.) I participate actively. 4.) I dive deep. 5.) I arrive on time. 6.) I keep promises to myself and others. 7.) I work before I play. 8.) I stay positive 9.) I show kindness to everyone. 10.) I encourage myself and others. I think #8 may be the most challenging because I do tend to be down on myself and let the negativity sneak in. I will try to combat it! I was also doing my English 102 homework and I am doing a rhetorical analysis essay. I will need to take an article about a subject and show the strengths and weaknesses of its argument and not necessarily take sides on the subject. We will have 2 opposing articles to compare the weak points in both. The subjects I’m looking into are: U.S. military should/should not ban Wicca; Birth control results in fewer/more abortions; Gay teen suicide is common/is a myth; Homosexuality can/cannot be cured; The Pill is harmful/is not harmful for your health; and finally, Schools should/should not allow students to access information on gay and lesbian issues. I’m going to sleep on it tonight to decide. We also had Fisherman’s Stew for dinner, courtesy of Jeana. We had it with the kids who are the nephews and nieces: Brian, Aeron and Kayla. They are 15, 13 and 11 respectively. It was a nice break from homework and we played Mad Libs, which always turns into a giggle fest especially with kids of their age. They live right behind us so it’s nice to get to do stuff with them before they start to be bitter, rude, apathetic, egotistical adults like the rest of us lol. Now it’s off to read some more of Fast Food Nation before sleepytime. J

Nein(9) means "No" in German

Day 9 – Feb.14^th, 2012

 
                       Another late night! Last night I was up late doing my own taxes on TaxACT.com which was fairly simple so I should be receiving my refund within 1-2 weeks. Today was quite busy as well. I shopped for more presents for Carl for V&B Day. I went to many a Walgreens to find a working Reese’s Lion which is cute because Carl is a Lion and likes Reese’s cups. I also got a family sized bag of the candy for him, Lover’s dice, sweethearts and Star Wars Actions figures from the Cantina Showdown in Star Wars Episode 6: A New Hope. It’s the scene where Obi-Wan cuts off that guys arm. Carl got a kick out of it because he likes going around saying “He doesn’t like you… I DON’T like you!” :-P He made me a gorgeous Alice-type necklace, got me chocolate, a Moo-ing cow marker, a cow booze jug, and a witches warts jar. He also got me a purple tee-shirt that shows a melted yellow Popsicle and a melting green Popsicle and the sun; the green pop is saying “You monster!” lol! We went out to dinner with his dad Carl Sr. and his lady friend Charlene to the restaurant out at Fort McDowell where Jeana works and who paid for the event. It was a very high-class restaurant and the food was delicious and served in tiny portions. I feel the best part was the desserts which were bread pudding, lava cake with powdered sugar, strawberries/ blueberries/ raspberries and whipped cream, and cream brulee. Then we ventured into the casino for a bit and played around in there. They had an Alice in Wonderland machine which was pretty and a very cool Batman Dark Knight one as well. A very good time was had by all. Today was also Arizona’s 100^th Birthday! Adios, amigos!