BEDA #30 - BEDA, see you next year

Here we are . . . the last day of BEDA. I find it very weird actually. It seems like only a week of April has gone by.

There were times that I wrote down stuff to write here on my blog as soon as I got home, but there were days that I would stay up just to think of something interesting to say, or just something to SAY. I loved this experience. It is a very big challenge. I proved myself that I can blog every day (at least for a month), but not blog interestingly every day. That's the big difference.

The two main things that I'm very thankful for due to this whole month of tapping my fingers away, are the fact that I started writing regularly again, and most of all that I met some great people like Nicola, Kim, Rachel and Dancesinrain (I've only figured out I don't know your name, which is very embarrassing :O).

I hope that I'll keep talking to some of you guys now that BEDA is over. I'll continue to read your blogs and comment them. In case you're interested, here's my Skype name: analorena92 - add me and that way we can talk :) Any awesome Nerdfighter - well, there's no Nerdfighter which isn't awesome - can add me as well :)

Well, I don't really want to do a normal blog, rambling on and on about this, for example:

 

Which I really wanted to talk about since half of me is part of that country. I guess I'll talk about it some other day. But WTF was that guy thinking ?! People died because of that a**hole. What do you think: was it "just" a drunk driver or an attack?

It has been a pleasure, bloggers xxx
If you want to continue reading my blog, voilà: www.alorena1.blogspot.com

- Lo

BEDA #29 - 17 Candles

Hi, guys.

Well, here I am. Freshly turned 17 years old.

I'm not saying this because I want "Happy Birthday" comments (although I wouldn't mind receiving them xD).

I just feel like time is passing by so quickly. It seems only yesterday that I turned 16 or even 15. In one year I'm able to drive, to get a job, to do anything, and it scares me. It excites me, of course, I'm almost becoming an independent person. But it also makes me feel as if your childhood is getting further and further, and I'm never going to get it back. I can only have those nostalgic moments where I remember it all by looking at photographs or by watching movies and tv shows and listening to music that remember me of a more simple, carefree lifestyle.

In one year, I'll hopefully be applying to a University. My dream college is Columbia, but I know I can strike that off my list of possible universities. Actually, I wanted to spend a gap year between graduation and going to college, just traveling with a couple friends and just . . . living for a while with no responsibilities or attachments.

As I wrote yesterday, I'm still not sure as to what I want to study. I'm not sure of a lot of things, actually. I'm just going with it.

Here are some of my wishes for this next year:

1. Have 16/20 at the end of the year (here in Portugal grades are from 0 to 20 in high school) - which can only happen next year;

2. Pick up the guts and leave the internet for a few hours and STUDY FOR TESTS AND EXAMS (which I'm freaking over since they're in June);

3. Have the most awesome Summer, Christmas and New Year's ever;

4. Travel to London and/or to the US or any other place for that matter;

5. Make more Nerdfighter friends;

6. . . . yada yada yada.

After 17 years of being on this Earth, I can say I'm . . . a happy human being :D

See you tomorrow, bloggers xx

- Lo

P.S. - Last day of BEDA tomorrow . . . I'm actually very sad. I'll talk more about it tomorrow.

BEDA #28 - Career path

Hi, there!

"Life isn't all rainbow cocktails and unicorn hamburgers." This was a quote by Maria Sansone on POPTUB. I just thought I'd share it with you.

I've been switching this page to YouTube or something over and over for three hours because I don't know what to write.

Any I need to go to bed or else I'll dream of another text sent by George Clooney.

Oh, I know what I'll talk about.

During the years, I've always changed my mind on what I wanted to be when I grew up. Like any other kid I dreamed about being an astronaut and then a pediatrician, but later discovered that my capacity for science was close to none. Then I moved on to wanting to be an archeologist, but I droped that option as well.

Since about a year and a half ago, I asked myself what I wanted out of life and what I actually wanted to do, to see if I could come to any conclusion. These three things came up:

1. I want to travel.

2. I want to work with people.

3. I want to write.

This resulted in me wanting to be a journalist.

I still do, don't get me wrong. But in the beginning of 2008 I discovered the Nerdfighter community. I'd made a few vlogs, but I didn't actually . . . I wouldn't say I didn't care about them, I just didn't give it much attention. Things are different now, though. I'm constantly filming things and editing stuff - school projects or just for fun, to have things to watch over and over.

But with this discovery that I found with editing video footage, I considered studying cinema. I'm so curious and fascinated to what it takes to build up a whole movie, because it's so much more than just the acting.

I just don't know what to choose now. I don't know if filming and editing is just a hobby, or if writing is just a hobby. I've been writing my whole life, though it's getting serious as the years go by, and so is filming. Friends and family tell me that they like my writing and that they love watching videos and projects I make, but somehow . . . it's not enough. I mean, you need to listen to a professional to tell you those things, someone who understands everything about this. That's why I'm having a hard time to actually make up my mind, because it seems like a hobby, although it would be great if I could turn it into a career.

Just to get feedback from Nerdfighters and total strangers, here's the first two chapters of the novel I'm writing: http://www.scribd.com/doc/14745122/Chapter-12

I hope you read them and leave me some feedback here on MJ :) It could really help me out in a way.

See you tomorrow, bloggers x

- Lo

BEDA #27 - Disoriented Morning Dream and George Clooney

Heeeeello, bloggers.

Something very unusual happened to me this morning.

On Mondays I only start school at 10.20 AM (I usually start at 8.30 AM), so it's nice to just sleep in for one more hour. Anyway, I was dreaming about something (I don't really remember what about, though) and then I heard my cell phone vibrating. I didn't bother to take my arm from the under the warm sheets or even open my eyes. Somehow, despite having heard my cell phone, during my dream I reached over and I read the following text:

From: George Clooney
Meet you at 12.01 PM

True story.

I immediately woke up and I just casually grabbed my cell and it was just a friend of mine saying good morning - I think a part of me was actually thinking it was George Clooney. No. I think part of me really thought it was George Clooney and was going to ask Where are we meeting? I knew lack of sleep would lead to this. I'm just curious as to why 12.01 AM? That seems pretty specific, George.

My friend then apologized for not being George Clooney and I laughed at that :) <3

After that I had to get up because I had to go to the bathroom, but I wanted to go back to bed because I - thought - I still had 10 minutes left to sleep. After ten minutes of just laying there on the bed, I went to take a shower and then it was 9.20 AM and I thought I was late for class because I thought it was actually one hour later, precisely when I have to be at school. Anyway, after thinking about it during two seconds, I realized I still had an hour and I just texted some friends before actually getting dressed. I don't like these kinds of mornings, they disorient me all day long.

Today I came at home at 13.30 PM, did some chores and quickly went to see Desperate Housewives (I'm watching it along with Dr. House, Grey's Anatomy, Dr. Who and Skins from the beginning, because I only saw random episodes on TV and decided I wanted to watch them all from the first episode). I watched six episodes of DH, which don't seem too much right now, but it did when I was watching them.

I'm going to talk about something totally different from now on:

Eight meaningless things that make me happy:

1. Discovering that Google has a new themed logo It drives me crazy. It's all I talk about everytime something pops up. For instance, it was Morse's birthday yesterday and it had "Google" written with Morse code, it was so adorable! I actually went over to see if it was still there, but it isn't *sad face*

2. Realizing that it's much earlier than I though it was I love when this happens. I'm thinking it's so late that I have to go to bed because it's a school night, and I just roll my eyes over to the computer's clock and there it is, two hours earlier than what I thought it was! It just feels that your day got bigger and you can do even more things!

3. Waking up and remembering it's a Saturday This is one of the best treats ever. For a split second you wake up, and you realize it's Saturday and you automatically drop your head on the pillow and start sleeping again. Ahhh, Saturdays <3

4. My mom making me a cup of tea before I go to bed It just feels so good. I'm in front of the computer and there she is, looking at the mug to make sure she doesn't spill anything. It feels nice to drink a cup of tea before going to bed, it relaxes you and it makes you sleep better. It makes me sleep better, at least.

5. Having a jam jar crumb free I just hate finding crumbs on jam jars or on butter containers. It drives me crazy and it disgusts me. I'm very picky with these things. So when I'm eating my fresh toast every morning, I love to just scoop crum free strawberry jam with a crumb free knife. Yumm, delish.

6. Having fresh, clean stationery I love it when at the beginning of each school year I have new stationery. It smells good, it's not filled with scraps and the ink is fully loaded.

7. Read a book while it's raining outside It feels so comfortable. You're reading so peacefully and it's such a comfortable environment (when you're inside, of course).

8. Eating italian ice cream Here in Lisbon we have two italian ice cream stores which I guarantee have the best ice cream you can ever taste in your life. Licking my coconut and mango (my favorites <3) ice cream makes my whole week!

I know there's much more, but I just can't think of anything else right now.

See you tomorrow, bloggers x

- Lo

BEDA #26 - 26 Questions

I've reached that moment of BEDA where I have to find random questions on the Internet and answer them and post them on my blog. Hooray for random.

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

"Bath. Now."

2. What were you doing at midnight last night?

I was right here blogging away.

3. What's a word that you say a lot?

Probably "awesome".

4. What is your current desktop picture?

A doodle from Notebook Doodles saying "Afternoon Tea" with a cup of tea and cupcakes, it's so cute *.*

5. When's your birthday?

April 29th.

6. Which disney character do you like best?

That's a tough one. Probably Hercules.

7. Which TV series that are currently airing do you watch?

Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, LOST, Supernatural and The Hills.

8. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

This spanish entrée which is toasted bread scraped with tomato with ham on top followed by a small amount of olive oil. Ahhhh, Mediterranean cuisine ^.^

9. What's your favorite song at the moment?

All My Loving - The Beatles

10. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?

Twiiiiirl :D

11. What's your dream car?

A yellow VW Beetle and/or a Mini Cooper with the Union Jack on top <33

12. Ever go to camp?

I hate camping. I'm more of a city kinda gal, a lot like Carrie Bradshaw on that matter.

13. What do you want to know about the future?

If the world really is going to end on 2012. I support John Green's opinion: these predictions are soooo 1999.

14. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?

Put on my wooden leg and say "ARRR, MATEY, TAKE OF YE CLOTHES AND LET'S READ LOOKING FOR ALASKA!" I just . . . made that up.

15. What are you wearing right now?

A top that I bought yesterday, pijama pants and socks.

16. What was the last thing you had to drink?

Water :)

17. If you have an iPod, what color is it?

It's black.

18. Have you ever blown up a fish?

What kind of question is that? And how do you blow up an effing fish ?! No, correction. Why would I want to blow up a fish ?!

19. Do you like pancakes?

I LOVE PANCAKES <333

20. Do you believe in magic?

It's out there somewhere :)

21. What was the last book you read?

Paper Towns by John Green.

22. What are you reading right now?

Looking for Alaska by John Green.

23. What are you going to read next?

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (Wow, that's a lot of John Green).

24. What movies are you dying to watch?

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, 17 Again, Hannah Montana: The Movie and Up.

25. What's your favorite Harry Potter character?

Luna Lovegood. There's just something about her.

26. What stereotype would you label yourself as being?

This one's so easy: A NERD, OF COURSE.

There you go.

- Lo x

BEDA #25 - Carnation Revolution

Hey, guys.

Today is the 25th April, which is a national holiday here in Portugal. We celebrate the "Carnation Revolution".

The Carnation Revolution was a left-leaning military coup that started on April 25th, 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, that effectively changed the Portuguese regime from an authoritarian dictatorship to a democracy. Despite repeated appeals from the revolutionaries on the radio inciting the population to stay home, thousands of Portuguese descended on the streets, mixing themselves with the military.

It's known as the Carnation Revolution because it was a very unusual revolution. Although the regime's political police, PIDE, killed four people before surrendering, the revolution was unusual in that the revolutionaries did not use direct violence to achieve their goals. The population, holding red carnations, put them inside the soldiers' rifle pipes. The soldiers traded bullets for flowers, and I just think that's a beautiful and inspiring thing. Therefore, carnations are the symbol of our revolution.

I just wanted to let you know this little fact :)

I'm in my room right now, listening to The Beatles and watching it rain outside while drinking a cup of tea and being very comfy with my pijamas on. I love these kinds of nights.

I bought this top today, I love it so much:

Well, that's all.

See you tomorrow, bloggers xx

- Lo

BEDA #24 - Childhood classics

Hey, guys.

I think everyone has their "childhood classics".

I'm only days away from being 17, that's not the appropriate amount of time to have childhood classics. It depends on what you consider them to be. There are people who now are much older than I am and remember watching movies from the 20s, so imagine their childhood classics!

As I am very young, I consider that my childhood classics are movies I loved and still remember today since before my teenage years.

They are:

- Animated Disney movies, naturally

- George of the Jungle

- Robin Hood: Men in Tights

- Big Daddy

- Down To You

- Home Alone

- Jumanji

- Titanic

- My Girl

- Look Who's Talking (1, 2 and 3)

- One Fine Day

- Police Academy (All of them)

- Practical Magic

- Shakespeare in Love

- Spice World (A classic)

- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1988)

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

- Matilda

- The Man in the Moon

- The Parent Trap

- Weekend at Bernie's

And I'm probably forgetting a few more.

There are also my childhood classic tv series, which are Bewitched, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, S Club 7 series (MAJOOOOOOR), etc etc.

I loved the tv series Three Sisters but I've never been able to find it on the internet :( I loved it so, so much.

What are your childhood classics?

See you tomorrow!

- Lo

BEDA #23 - Susan Boyle

Hello, BEDA population.

I want to talk about Susan Boyle. And right about now, how can you not know who she is?

The first time I'd ever heard of this woman was one week ago on YouTube, when I watched her audition for Britain's Got Talent. I thought she was absolutely amazing. I mean, who wouldn't? She had a really powerful voice.

I do agree with Amanda when she said that every single person in that auditorium was being very cynical. Not that they were "against her" as she put it, but cynical about it. The woman said she was 47 years old and I didn't quite understand the look on Simon's face when she said it. I think it gave us a very big lesson actually, and I love what Susan said in an interview for the Sunday Times:

I know what they were thinking, but why should it matter as long as I can sing? It’s not a beauty contest.

You are absolutely right, Susan.

Now, what I find so . . . overwhelming is how everything just spread out. In a matter of days her audition was viewed bymillions of people, and I do think she's going to win. Not because I want her to - not meaning that she doesn't deserve it or doesn't have a great voice - but because it's the most probable winner in my opinion.

Also in a matter of days, her face was on every type of magazine and newspaper and on TV newscasts - including Portugal. That woman is EVERYWHERE. Wikipedia, celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore talked about her on Twitter, Hugh Jackman and Elaine Paige stated that they want to do a duet with her.

She was invited to be on Oprah and she did a satellite interview on Larry King, etc, etc.

What I found the most . . . amusing - or useless and purely for raising popularity and attention - was the fact that she was offered an indecent proposal: US $1 million to lose her virginity on camera by Kick Ass Pictures. They even set up a website for it! The world's going crazy. The offer stands for one week, and I'm curious about Susan's answer. I don't know what type of woman she is, I don't know if she would actually have the . . . guts and audacity to answer positively. Let's just wait and see.

I'm just completely amazed on how this woman has become such a success in such a small amount of time. I think even Paul Potts didn't receive that much attention, and George Sampson even less, much much less. I wish her all the best and hope she does become a professional singer, because with a voice like that it would be a pity if she weren't.

What do you think of all this media attention? What do you think of the indecent proposal?

See you tomorrow, bloggers.

- Lo

BEDA #22 - Reading

Hey guys.

First of all, I am in LOVE with this ad:

I'm finally reading Looking for Alaska for good. I logged in to all the usual sites - didn't bother to read Tweets - but I just checked what I needed to check and then I just laid on my bed - although I did fall asleep afterwards . . . I'm very tired these last two weeks - and read.

I miss reading, I really do. I used to read so much when I was younger. I used to read during the whole day and read at night, rolled up in my bed. When I'd hear footsteps going up the staircase I'd immediately turn the lights off and pretend I was sound asleep. Then I'd turn on a flashlight and read until I could keep my eyes open, and put my book down very gently so no one could hear me. I still do that, but not as often as I used to. I need more hours in the days, apparently. I have . . . more - much more - than eleven books stacked up on the bookshelf to read and I wanted to read 40 this year, and so far I'm reading the 5th.

I'm great at epically failing.

I feel so surprised and somewhat disappointed when people say "I don't like to read". How can you not like reading? It's one of many ways to turn you into a cultured human being - but some people would ask why would they want to be that. Whatever.

Reading is important. In a way, you learn to express yourself better. You don't need to click an "on" button to read a book, you don't need a mouse, you don't need a keyboard. You just need lots of pages put together, a bit of light and there you have it: a great way to spend your time.

As Ernest Hemingway put it: There is no friend as loyal as a book.

- Lo

BEDA #21 - Daily Internet Routine

Hey guys.

9 more days left. Don't know why I keep doing a countdown of the end of BEDA.

I want to talk about my daily internet routine. What I mean by this is what I do everytime I click on the "on" button of my MacBook.

Safari opens up and Apple.com pops up as my homepage. After that? It's tab after tab after tab. For example:

1. I login to Skype;

2. I substitute Apple.com by Hotmail.com;

3. I click "new tab" and open Gmail.com;

4. I click "new tab" and open Dailybooth.com;

5. I click "new tab" and open Twitter.com;

6. I click "new tab" and open Youtube.com;

7. I finally click "new tab" and type in maureenjohnson.ning.com (this is a new one since this month, obviously).

(I don't go to MSN as much as I used to in about a year, which is a big step for me, haha)

Now . . . I've noticed that this is a CONSTANT routine. Actually, not constant. It's a DAILY routine. I do this . . . every. single. day. Oh, and on Tuesdays I see Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill and The Hills, on Thursdays I see LOST and on Fridays I see Supernatural, but this varies because the all-new episodes sometimes are delayed for one or two weeks. And then I see Desperate Housewives, Dr. Who and Skins (which I'm watching from the beginning).

But . . . every day it's the same.

I wonder if maybe I should do what Alex Day did. Well, not as radically as he did. He deleted Dailybooth, Twitter and Facebook. I don't have a problem with Facebook-ish websites - not anymore - but I do with the other two. I always make sure I put up a new Dailybooth picture every day, because I commited to taking one photo every single day this year, but I'm running out of ideas so it's pretty much starting to bore and annoy me.

I login to Twitter and read every tweet I didn't read while I was sleeping and sometimes I get fed up because I have so much to read. I could just ignore it, but maybe there's something important like a Nerdfighter announcement or any other important thing.

One website I will not give up is YouTube, no way. That's to special and important. Or watching the tv series. And of course, I commited on posting a blog every day this month, so can't cut there either.

I just think it's because of this that I procrastinate a lot. At every moment there's a new tweet, a new video, a new episode, a new picture, a new friend to talk to on Skype while you do everything that you're already doing, etc. It does take a lot of time out of your days. I wanted to read one to five chapters of Looking for Alaska every day, and I'm still on page 34 and I pretty much started two days ago - that SUCKS. I wanted to make five to ten pages of my Scrapbook every day, and since I set this challenge to myself I've only done three pages. I wanted to edit five to ten minutes of Paris footage every day, and since I set the before stated challenge I haven't edited anything.

EPIC. FAIL.

What am I gonna do with myself?

What's your daily internet routine? Do you have problems with it because you don't end up doing what you actually have to do? Let me know!

See you tomorrow, bloggers xx

- Lo

BEDA #20 - Shipping options

Hi guys. 10 more days left . . . BEDA actually looks like it's going by pretty quickly.

I want to talk about a situation which I faced yesterday. I was on fredflare.com after I saw mouth-dropping items on Teen Vogue, such as this:

I want that "80's Cube Clock" so bad, and there are gorgeous things on that website as well. Like these:

Lomography Camera

EFFING HAMBURGER PHONE

A HAMBURGER PHONE ?! Who doesn't want that ?!

I shop online regularly, always on Amazon. But on fredflare.com, there was a catch: no. international. shipping.

F$#%!!!

I hate it when it happens, but they were actually quite helpful, because they gave us international shoppers an option:www.myus.com. Basically, in 24 hours time they give you a real american address and so the shipping would cost way less, plus it would arrive within one to four days. I'm thinking on joining this, since it's pretty cheap and since I've wanted to buy some other things on the Internet which come from America, but don't ship internationally, it's awesome.

Well, I'm off to see more Skins. And Desperate Housewives. And Dr. Who.

I tell ya, I blame TV SERIES for my procrastination.

"I'm going to study Span-- HEY I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT SKINS EPISODES YET!"

Something like that.

I have started working on the Portable Tissue Paper Hat project, it's going great :) And I also decided to make a video for one of my best friends. Her birthday is two weeks away from mine, and I already have some ideas. I think she's gonna love it :)

My blogs have sucked so much this last week. I apologize. See you tomorrow, hopefully with an interesting topic x

- Lo