The death of cursive

I can barely write in cursive and have serious issues reading it. And I am not alone. According to a New York Times Article released today, most schools are cutting out most of the cursive curriculum and focusing on more practical skills such as word processing and print letters.

After a quick google search on the topic, I found several other people talking about this. Interestingly, a lot of people are not too happy about this. They seem to think that we are losing something valuable as a society. Before the 1900s, cursive was how all people wrote.  Print writing was introduced to help increase student's literacy of printed materials.   Therefore, reading old journals and letters as well as important documents, such as The Declaration of Independence, is only possible if one can read cursive. Take a look at this letter from 1894. Can you read it? I for one barely can read parts of it and cannot read some parts at all. I have to sound out the words.



My Grandma (see earlier post) still sends me cards in the mail. The sad thing is, I can't always read what she is saying. I sometimes have to get someone like my mom to help me understand certain words. Its like a different language for me.

I for one am glad that no one expects me to be able to write in cursive. My cursive is atrocious and I feel like the expectation for me to write well in it is frivolous. Furthermore, I can type much much faster. And I still can't type faster than I think. When I write by hand, so much stuff gets lost due to the tedious nature of the task.  I get hand cramps and the whole thing is not fun.

The only thing that I am sad about is the fact that I can't read old documents. My solution: someone needs to type them up for me :)  Which in most cases they have (Shakespeare, Declaration of Independence, ect).   However, the more it falls out of vogue, the less it shall be used and the less I shall need this skill.

Trend: Womens Oxford Shoes

Last week while browsing shoes I found these super cute oxford flats at Nordstrom, the "Bronx Heat of the Night Flat" ($69)

They are absolutely adorable. The toe area is leather and has this slightly distressed feeling, making them appear vintage. I've been wearing them with black jeans and my double breasted jacket I got in Madrid (Ill post a picture sometime when I find my camera). They also make my feet look tiny.

The online reviews say that they run a bit small but I actually found that they ran big on me.  I think that this is because of my high arched feet.  I usually can't wear ballet flats or any shoes open on the top of the foot because my feet need to be strapped in. The laces on these go far enough back that it is not a problem.

Vogue agrees with me. Read this article declaring women's oxfords as a trend of the season.

From Vogue.com

Here is their advice on how to wear them:

"1. “Putting flat lace-ups with a wide-leg trouser or jean is a very dated way to wear them,” says Jane Herman, Fashion Writer. “Instead, try a cropped pant.”

2. “This should not be a Wall Street look,” states Filipa Fino, Senior Accessories Editor. “Let the men wear them with suits. Women should wear them with feminine pieces.”

3. “Don’t match the colors of your shoe to your outfit,” suggests Izzie Burch, Fashion Assistant. “These are playful—do the unexpected.”

4. “Avoid socks!” says  Jill Demling, Entertainment Editor. “That’s my only rule!”"

You can find these shoes just about anywhere, including

1. Nordstroms (where I got mine. Below are some examples of other shoes they sell. They have a large collection, avaliable in stores or at Nordstrom Oxfords

Bronx Aiden Oxford 59.95

Paola Ferri '1549' Oxford  72.95

1.  Forever 21. Currently this is the only pair I could find

Oxford Lace-up, $22.80

2. Urban Outfitters: They had several options, but these were the most affordable

Canvas Oxford, $49

Do you have any womens oxfords? Would you buy them????

Meet My Grandma

She is by far one of the coolest people I know. And this is not simply because she is my grandma.  She really is amazing. What makes her so cool?

What nearly 80 year old grandmas do you know who still

• Downhill skill
• Rock climb
• Play tennis several days a week
• Play board games with college students
• Uses facebook. daily
• Organize giant family gatherings, complete with activities, rewards, and matching t shirts for all

But what I love about her goes so much beyond these small things

• My grandma is friends with all
• The only person who I know that talks more than me
• Always positive
• Always fun
• A giver
• A friend

The coolest thing, I know she is going to read this because she is that cool

I love you!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Precious Children

Luke 9:2 "and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick"

This is the mission statement of Predisan, a Georgia based Christian organization, serving the health care needs of rural Olancho, Honduras

I spent 10 days over spring break last month on a nutrition trip in Honduras. My class from OHSU went with our nutrition professor. This was her third trip to Honduras. The local organization sponsoring us was Medical Teams International (formerly known as Northwest Medical Teams) and Presidan was the partner organization actually running the show in Honduras. I was excited for this trip for several reasons

1. I love traveling, particularly to Latin American countries

2. I got to incoroporate nutrition with my Spanish skills and gain experience i n that arena. 

3. I was excited to traveling with a Christian organization where people were  kingdom focused. 

Many people have asked me what we actually did on the trip. Here is a brief overview:

1. We visited several rural health clinics. At each clinic, women and chiildren from the surrounding village gathered to listen to our talks. We gave nutrition presentations on prenatal nutrition, nutrition during pregnancy, nutrition while breastfeeding, infant nutrition, and early childhood nutrition. The focus of our presentations were on prevention, signs, and symptoms of deficiencies. Key nutrients of interest were Vitamin A, Folic Acid, and Iron

Here is a picture of me giving one of these talks.

2. We also spent a lot of time playing nutrition games with kids and playing with the kids in general. Here are some photos of us teaching the kids

Here are some photos of us just playing with the kids:

Here is a cute video of me with a kid

What did I learn on this trip?

My Spanish certainty improved. I realized that this is a critical part of who I am and something that I want to use throughout my career and life.  I was reminded about the poverty that exists in our world and how the love of Jesus is the only thing that sustains. I had an amazing time and I cant wait to go one other trips like this in the future!

Pattern Clashing/ Double Pretty

Apparently pattern clashing is in this season in fashion.  This would be surprising, except my friend  Danielle, who was in China for a few years, tells me that this was all rage in China well over a year ago. She dubbed it "double pretty". You think two patterns are pretty? Well if you put them together its DOUBLE pretty. (right..). She tested out this by paring the two most clashing items in her wardrobe. Sure enough, compliments flowed.

Here is an image I found at streetpeeper.com of a girl sporting this trend in China

Here is my sad attempt at double pretty.  I actually think the clashing florals is pretty cute

H&M verifies this trend on their website . Here are some of their double pretty fashion ideas:

H&M offers some advice on matching non matching patterns click here for original article

"1. Standout patterns

Ease yourself into clashing patterns by going with a mainly black-and-white palette and choosing patterns of roughly the same size. Add an accent color or two and you’re ready to stand above the rest.

2. Motif madness
If you want to layer print over print over print, a cohesive color scheme is key. For the most adventurous, try doubling up on maxi skirts for extra volume and have one of them peeking out.

3. Tribal mix
When mixing up patterns, think about going for a theme – like tribal – and match your accessories accordingly. The overall feeling is quirky, but speaks loudly of someone with inimitable style.

4. Print prowess
When you’re not in the mood for a total pattern mash-up, you can still look wildly stylish in a head-to-toe animal print. And consider something beyond leopard print – cheetahs, zebras and giraffes are just as good. "

Further investigation shows that the double pretty has hit the runways, such as in these images (taken from this site)

What do you all think about this? Do you think it will take off? Would you do it?

Eye Makeup

I have huge bags under my eyes. I have always had them and people like to comment on them. Last week my mom and I went to the mall and when we were buying makeup, I asked if I could try to coverup for eye bags. I ended up buying Clinque's Airbursh Concealer

I think it works. Here is a demo I made of it. (These photos are not super high quality)

My Eye Before Any Makeup

Adding concelaer

Using finger to blend

Eye after dabbing, before makeup (note smudge on upper eyelid)

Final Eye, With Liner

Even tho the before and after looks pretty similar in the picture, it really looks different in real life

Put a bird on it and call it art

Ipad

I love my iPad. In fact I am typing on it right now. I am a late adopter of apple products. I tried a different mp3 player until I gave into the iPad. I own Mac books or anything like that. I do not have an iPhone (tho I want one now after seeing the awesomeness of my iPad). So it's kind of funny how much i love m iPad.
My dad gave me his old iPad as an early Christmas present. This was great because a lot of his apps were already loaded on it and we could share an apple account for when we loaded new ones. This also resulted in my music collection being.. A bit funny. Think shania twain, mariah, ect.
Why do I love my iPad so much? There is just so much one can do on it.
It Functions very much like a laptop and better in some ways. I can accesss my email, browse the web, go on facebook, update my blog, play games, download power points and other documents, listen to music like itunes and pandora, read boks including my bible, as well as lots of other stuff. The iPad has the advantage of being much quicker to start that a regular desktop. You just turn it on. No pesky start up time. It is much more portable than a desk top. It's lighter and does not overheat. One thing that it is worse at is generating documents. Typing a word document or making a PowerPoint are not very easy. A desktop coouter is better in this regard.

The ipad has a ton of applications that are both fun and functional. Here is a list of some of my favorite applications

Games
1. Words With Friends. Free. This is a fun scrabble like application. Its awesome because you can play it with friends on their iPhones, iPads, and androids. The games typically last for days as you need to wait for our opponent to make their next turn. I log onto this several times per day to update my moves. You can have several games going at the same time. If you want to play me my username is lilydafidol.

2. Coin dozer. This is a really stupid addictive game. Remember those arcade coin games where the bar pushes the coins off the edge when you add more? Its that game. I play it for hours.

3. Wackamonsta. Another simple addictive game that involves throwing balls at similar colored balls to destroy the sets. I actually have one the world high score in this game, so maybe it's not that popular (or I'm just amazing ;) )

4. Bonus poker. I like this ap because it reminds me of playing poker on the machines at the casino without losing real money. Which is nice. This also addictive.

5. Doodle jump. A fun game that involves tilting ipad to go up a jumping course.

6. Blue block. Addictive puzzle game that's free.

Functional aps
1. Friendly facebook. Great facebook ap that beats safari in it's functionality,particularly since facebook chat works on it.

2. Olive Tree NIV bible. Nice bible app that has a reading plan that automatically takes me to where I need to read each time I turn it on. Can highlight and make subject tags on verses, as well as write notes. Other versions are free (such as KJV), but I paid 10$ for NIV

3. Kindle. Why buy a kindle when you can get it on your iPad. I prefer real books, but this is nice if you want something to read without carrying tons of stuff, like if you go on vacation.

4. Netflix. Awesome for streaming movies and tv if you have an account. I watched Salt last night on this on my iPad last night.

5. Skype. Great for long distance phone calls. Too bad my iPad has no camera. I used this when i w in Honduras to call home.

6. Pandora. Amazing, as most of us know. Tailors radio listening choices to your preferences and favorite bands and genres.

Aps I've trying out andhavnt determined if i like yet
1. Nw pro. A comprehensive dietitian ap.
2. Terra. An Internet browser.
3. Quicki. An interactive movie like wiki app.
4. Oriented. A fitness tracking ap.

How about you guys? Do you have favorite aps on your iPhone or iPhone or any suggestions for things I can try? Any questions about the iPad?

Napping

Since this is my own personal Blog, I figure that I can write about whatever the heck I feel like. I am writing this for my personal enjoyment, not to impress or make friends.
I took a long nap today and woke up with that horrible groggy feeling. Now it's super late, but I'm not tired. My sleep schedule is so messed up. I think part of the reason that it's like this is that I have an over abundance of free time. I need to use this time more productively than I have been. Here is a short list of what I should be doing
1. Clean my room, it's a huge mess. I need to clean out my desk,clean my bathroom, put away clothes, and deal with the area under my bed
2. Work on my thesis. I need to finish up my focus group analysis. I need to resort my data cleaning and redo the analysis. I need to begin my report write up
3. Read my bible and pray
4. Continue to work out
5. Continue to garden

Here is a list of what I have been doing but need to stop
1. Watch tons of tv
2. Sleep during day
3. Shop

I just get so weary it's hard. Maybe the true key to my success is a normal sleep schedule? I will try that idea out and see what happens

Workout

A week ago my friend Amy convinced me to join 24 hr fitness, the gym where she works. We have been working out several days a week together. Amy likes to do strength training, something I havnt done seriously since high school weight training class. The class I took with the football team. Therefore, Amy is my guide in this adventure. Perhaps this shall be a great thing- I can get stronger, burn tons of calories (weight training allegedly burns more than cardio), and get nice and toned for summer.

Last week we hit the gym, one day focusing on arms and the other focusing on legs. This past weekend I could barely walk stairs and stand up, due to my burning hamstrings.

Today we took it to the next level. Amy had gone to this crazy body burning class at 24 the week before and invited me to come with her. When we arrived, I was confronted with a room mostly full of youngish women, ready to tone up. This turned into the most intense workout of my life. For an hour straight we did repetition after repetition of lifts, squats, lungs, push ups, ect. I think we used almost every muscle in the body. I am afraid of how I will feel tommorow.

We decided to not go back to this class until next Friday, to give us some time to heal. I might go to Zumba on wednesday, however, which could be a whole another experience!

Fashion Trends

I try to stay on top of fashion trends, with the help of the ever handy Forever 21. However, there are always a few trends Im hesistant to pick up initially.

1. Skinny Jeans: I always thought that I was too large to pull off this look. Whenever I tried them on, I could barely even fit so I gave up. Recently, I found a bunch of skinny jeans that actually fit me and look nice, such as these beauties from American Eagle, only thirty dollars!

2. Boots: I also was hesitant to buy boots. It took me a long time to even find books that fit me. After maybe a year of searching, I finally found some lovely boots. I dont have a picture of them, but they are similar to these

More to come...

Scavenger Hunt

I am starting off this blog at 4 am, the night after easter. What a busy day.. I went home this past weekend to visit my family and spend Easter with them. However, I wanted to go to the Bridge (my young adult group at Solid Rock Church) before going home so I stayed in town until saturday morning.

Friday after church I went downtown with two of my friends, Amelia and Elizabeth, to participate in a riveting game of scavenger hunt. The last time I did the scavenger hunt was in Corvallis on the blind date event that Zach and Michelle arranged.

Our Portland hunt was a bit different. For one, it was just three girls in our group wandering around drunk people zone at midnight on a Friday. This resulted in lots of Cat Calls and random comments from guys, such as "which one of you sluts is the easiest?" The irony is that we were not wearing anything even remotely "slutty" and were trying to mind our own business. I would be lying if I said that I did not secretely get a little pleasure from being told I was beautiful, even if the giver of the compliment was a drunk college student.

Highlights of the hunt included 1. finding a "hipster", who had already been approached by another group 2. Finding a guy with a silly hat who had already been approached by another group. We were unable to complete the voodoo donuts task because the store was closed for remodel! Poor design guys... Here are a few pics of the night

This is the "photo with a statue", aka as man in Pioneer Square

Photo of team upside down

Chopstick sword fight. We got the chopsticks from PF Changs

Photo with a hipster