Random Joint of the Day !!!
Lovee this fricken song <3
Lovee this fricken song <3
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Teenage Modeling: Sashay Down the Runway
So you've always had a love for fashion and have spent years perfecting your runway walk. You know the names of every Top Model and can critique their modeling techniques with the skill of a 60-year-old modeling veteran. Has it always been your dream to travel the world, seeing your face on every billboard, runway, and fashion magazine? If you want to do teenage modeling, you can make it happen!
How are you supposed to get discovered for teenage modeling when you go to school every day, work a part-time job, and play three different sports?! Well, you don't have to go to model-crazy New York City to get discovered. Check out the phone book or the Internet and find a local agency. You need, need, NEED to have a representative from an agency to get into teenage modeling. It will be next to impossible to get a modeling agency to take you seriously without an agent. It will be twice as hard to even get your foot in the door without an appointment! Casting directors are way too busy to speak to each and every girl who sends them pictures. You'll have a better chance if you have an agent representing you.
If there aren't any teenage modeling agencies in your town, have someone in your family take pictures of you. Then send them to the nearest agency! No one starts on a NYC runway. You'll most likely have to earn your stripes doing time at a local agency. Don't get discouraged—good things happen to the girls who work their butts off in teenage modeling!
Be very cautious of scammers. There are photographers and frauds who will try to take advantage of you. When you're doing your research, ask your parents to help you. Your mom or dad will most likely know the right questions to ask to be sure you're not being taken advantage of.
When you speak to the professionals, they'll probably ask how old you are. Youth is key for the teenage modeling business, but remember, if you're under 18 years old, ask your parents for their help and permission. They'll be great at sticking up for you and guiding you in the right direction.
If you have any child modeling experience, that's great! If the pics embarrass you, get over that real quick! Teenage modeling agencies will love that you have experience.
Don't worry about expensive prints. Since you're young, teenage modeling agencies will love any natural pictures of you that you have. They want to see that you're comfortable in front of the camera and have a great, fun-loving personality!
Get to know the people in the teenage modeling industry. If people see that you're a hard worker, nice, and full of smiles, they'll be sure to spread your name.
Now, I'm NOT telling you to drop everything and spend your days trying to become the next Top Model. Stay in school!!! Teenage modeling should be something you pursue in the summers, during school vacations, or the weekends. Your education will take you anywhere in life and people you meet in the modeling industry will understand and respect the responsibility you take with your schoolwork.
Teenage modeling is probably the hardest industry to get into. If it's something you really want to do, you'll have to give your all. If you have the stuff to make it, hard work and determination will be your key. Remember, you have to be able to take rejection and walk with your head high.
And, when you're famous, don't forget about us little people who helped you get there!
Dad Meeting Boyfriend
Introducing your boyfriend to your father for the first time is a major step. It means that your relationship is not fly-by-night, and it's worth overcoming the cringe-worthy scenarios you're undoubtedly imagining. To make sure this encounter will be successful, you have to understand your father's concerns and prepare yourself emotionally for what can become, for better or worse, one of your lifetime memories!
If your father is a first generation Latino, chances are he expects you to live at home until you get married. He probably finds divorce unacceptable. He was raised to believe that relatives are more important than friends and worries that you are not as attached to traditional values as he would wish. So how can you communicate to him how much it means to you that he likes your guy? Definitely not by sneaking behind your father's back. The answer lies in listening carefully to what your dad says.
Before bringing your boyfriend home, make sure you tell your dad you love him for wanting the best for you and that this guy makes you feel happy and cared for. Ask him to be grateful that you are with someone who treats you so well. If he is uncomfortable with your choice based on racism, classism, or religious biases, he's probably concerned with how the rest of the family will react, and if you will be labeled. Tell him quietly you do not share his views and can't live your life according to opinions you don't consider valid. Try to make it clear you are in a relationship, not the middle of a debate about social justice.
If he objects on other grounds, try to stay calm while you consider whether any of his concerns are reasonable. If he finds fault with your boyfriend's reputation, listen to what he's heard, who he's heard it from, and when he heard it. If what he tells you is brand-new to you, you will have to ask a few questions and honestly look at the answers you are given. Is the source unreliable? If he finds fault with your boyfriend's behavior, is he out of line or does he have a point? Be prepared to point out if he is being nitpicky or blinded by his love for you.
If he is disturbed by changes in your behavior that he blames on your boyfriend, he just might be having trouble with the fact that you are in love and growing up. But if he is in any way justified in his complaints, remember love rarely changes us in ways that are dangerous or self-destructive. Using respectful language and behavior in your everyday interactions is important. Acting respectfully demonstrates maturity, and your dad is more likely to see you as capable of making important decisions if he sees you caring about how he feels. Always be truthful even if he doesn't like the truth, never sneak around and never give up trying to understand where he's coming from.
Handwriting Analysis: What His Signature Reveals About Him
Want to learn more about that cute guy in your chemistry class? The answers to why he acts the way he does may be right at his fingertips! For hundreds of years graphologists, those who practice handwriting analysis, have insisted you can tell lots about a person's likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, even their moods and moral character, by the way they sign their name. What does your handwriting reveal about you? What can we learn about others from handwriting analysis?
Handwriting Analysis Questions—What is graphology?
Graphology doesn't get much respect among academics in the United States, but much of the rest of the world finds it a reliable aid in figuring out people's personalities and motivations. The way we write actually reflects what's going on inside our heads rather than simply our hand coordination. Graphology doesn't study just how people make their letters, it concentrates on where the writing is located on a page, how smooth or jagged the lines are, and how legible it is. Psychologists, including Freud, thought of handwriting as a window to the conscious and unconscious mind. Trained professionals in the handwriting analysis field insist they can tell how smart, how honest, how stable, and how drug free a person is, just by looking at handwriting analysis.
Handwriting Analysis Questions—How is a signature different from the rest of what we write?
When you write paragraphs and sentences, you are communicating feelings and ideas. When you sign your name, you're revealing your public identity on a page. In other words, handwriting analysis reveals your true personality. Your signature reveals how you want the world to see you. If you are not the same person in public as you are in private, your signature will show a difference. If your guy signs his name much larger than the rest of what he's written, his public self image must be larger than his real self image. He might be compensating for feeling small inside by making his name extra big and cocky.
Handwriting Analysis Questions—What does it mean if your handwriting slants one way or the other?
A very obvious slant to the left might be an indication the writer is reflective, plays it safe, and thinks carefully before making a decision. Depending on how pronounced the slant is to the right, the words dynamic, impulsive, outgoing, and friendly come to mind.
Handwriting Analysis Questions—Isn't some of this just common sense?
Yes. You don't need an advanced degree to figure out a neat signature comes from a neat person, a tense person will press down harder on the page, and a person who is feeling more up will write in that direction. Tiny letters might mean too little self-confidence, while an illegible signature may mean you're feeling insignificant and trying to hide who you are. Writing that is full of mistakes or slanted in all directions is probably penned by someone anxious, frustrated or maybe even drug impaired.
Handwriting Analysis Questions—What does the size of your handwriting mean?
Graphologists believe that large handwriting comes from a person with energy, confidence, and a full schedule. Average-sized writing signifies a busy, well-balanced person who is also comfortable spending time alone. Small writing comes from a good head for details, an organization maven who is especially strong in math and science.
Handwriting Analysis Questions—Can you produce handwriting without using your hands?
Try this experiment. Hold a pen in your mouth and sign your name on a piece of paper. If you were forced to learn to write this way, after enough practice you would eventually produce the same "handwriting" you have now. Studies show that people who have lost the use of their hands eventually produce the same unique handwriting they had when they could use their hands. This proves that it's not really our hands that decide which way our pens go across the paper, it's our brains.
How To Turn Down A Guy
Okay, so you can tell he likes you. Maybe he looks at you a lot, or says, "Hi," all the time. Or maybe he's even come right out and said, "I like you" or asked you on a date. That's all great if you like him back, but what if you don't? Here are some suggestions for how to turn down a guy.
How to turn down a guy: Be honest
Coming right out and saying, "I like you as a friend," can prevent a lot of miscommunication and embarrassment. You might think it's easier for him if you lie and say you have a boyfriend, or give some other excuse. But eventually, he might find out and be even more hurt.
How to turn down a guy: Don't start ignoring him
Ignoring him won't make his crush go away and is no way of how to turn down a guy. If you're not really friends and there's no reason for you to talk to him, then you can be brief with him. Don't return his stares with smiles and don't start conversations with him. These things will only give him the wrong idea.
If you are friends and he tells you how he feels, you two need to have a talk. If you still want to be friends with him, make sure to tell him that, too. Put yourself in his shoes. If you liked him and he wasn't interested in you in "that" way, you'd want him to tell you that instead of ignoring you or acting like a jerk.
How to turn down a guy: Don't lead him on
Sure, you might be flattered that someone likes you, even if you don't like him back, but don't lead him on so that you feel better about yourself. This can only lead to bad feelings and is unfair to him.
How to turn down a guy: What to do if his actions make you feel uncomfortable/he's become obsessive
If you feel like he's starting to stalk you—that is, following you around or calling you a lot when you've made it clear that you're not interested—talk to your parents or to a school counselor about it. You shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable or unsafe because of someone else's feelings toward you. And you should not feel at all responsible or guilty if he's become obsessed. Talking to a counselor about how to turn a guy down can help you understand this and can also help you figure out what actions will stop him from bothering you.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Telling a little white lie or taking something without permission seems like a small thing. Lying and stealing aren't good things, but they won't hurt you, right? Wrong. Eating until you make yourself sick is uncomfortable, but it's not really that big a deal, right? Wrong again.
These are all examples of self-destructive behaviors, and they can hurt you and a lot of other people in a lot of ways. Self-destructive behavior can affect your body and your mind. It can also affect your family and friends. And things that seem minor now could affect the rest of your life if they are left unchecked.
Why do you do self-destructive things?
Feelings and emotions are very powerful. You can feel stressed and powerless when you're hit by emotions full force—your boyfriend dumps you, your parents are getting a divorce, you failed a class, or you're lonely.
Self-destructive behavior can make you feel like you're in control when the rest of your life seems out of control. It can also distract you from what you're feeling by focusing your attention and emotions on something else.
Do I have self-destructive behavior?
Stealing
Taking something that doesn't belong to you is always wrong, whether it's from a store, a friend, or your family.
You may think that the store will never miss it or that it's money that your parents should have given you anyway. Maybe a friend dared you to do it, or you got a thrill by not being caught.
With today's security technology, there's a very good chance that you will eventually get caught. Getting caught is really embarrassing and the chances of getting off with just a warning aren't very good. As you get older, this self-destructive behavior can include a big fine or jail.
Even if you're never caught, there still will be a price to pay. Is it worth it to steal a sweater that you can never wear because you can't explain where you got it? What about the person or business that you stole from? Your self-destructive behavior is a violation of their well-being and may cause them added emotional and/or financial stress. There will always be a price to pay.
Lying
Everyone tells little white lies from time to time. You may do it to spare your friend's feelings about her unflattering new outfit. A small lie can seem harmless. But what about lying to your parents to stay out of trouble? What about lying to impress your friends? When lying starts, trouble usually begins. And things can get really complicated once you start trying to keep track of what you said and to whom.
Getting caught in a lie is the fastest way to lose people's trust. And those same people that you fought so hard to influence with your lies, may never look at you the same way again. Is this self-destructive behavior worth it?
Stuffing Yourself
You tell yourself that you just like chocolate chip cookies or ice cream, and there's nothing wrong with that—millions of people like these things.
The problem is when you eat the entire bag of cookies and the whole quart of ice cream to keep from dealing with what's happening in your life. This is self-destructive behavior. You literally stuff down your feelings with food. Compulsive eaters know that they can count on food—it won't let them down.
Overeating can seriously affect your health. There's the risk of diabetes and heart disease even in young people. Some overeaters purge (by throwing up, for example), leading to other medical problems.
Overeating also can lead to weight gain, which can affect self image and lead to more bad feelings which can lead to more eating. Self-destructive behavior can quickly become a dangerous and unhealthy cycle.
Self-Mutilation
Self-mutilation can include cutting into your skin with razors, knives, or paperclips; or obsessively picking at your face or pulling your hair.
People injure themselves on purpose for various reasons. Sometimes it's a self-destructive behavior to punish yourself or it substitutes pain on the outside for the pain you feel inside. Other times it's a way of venting anger or communicating to the world that something is wrong without using words (a cry for help).
Injuring yourself is very dangerous physically and mentally. Cutting your skin exposes you to the risk of serious infections and permanent scarring. Punishing yourself means that mentally you can't handle what's going on in your life, and you need help to deal with it.
Smoking
There is no reason to smoke.
Smoking is not cool and doesn't make you more attractive. In fact, it does just the opposite; it causes yellow teeth, yellow fingernails, bad breath, and wrinkles.
Smoking is one of the worst things that you can do to your body. It's an addiction that's hard to stop, and it can have serious short- and long-term health risks, like cancer.
Justifying Your Actions
You may tell yourself that you don't have a problem, that you deserve a treat, or that you can stop what you're doing at any time. Telling yourself these things will keep you from getting help and this is self-destructive behavior.
Be honest with yourself. Are you very overweight? Have your friends told you have a problem? Are you really unhappy and don't know how to stop? You know the answers.
Getting help for your problems may seem scary. But continuing your self-destructive behavior is scarier. It's frightening to be out of control.
By learning to deal with your problems instead of doing something bad, you'll feel better about yourself, stay out of trouble, and improve your health.
Where to Get Help
You shouldn't feel ashamed if you have a problem or engage in self-destructive behavior. You should be proud of yourself for realizing that you need help and asking for it.
Talk to your parents, a school counselor, or other trusted adult. You probably won't get in trouble if you tell them you have a problem and need help. (You may get into trouble if you get caught).
An adult will be able to help you decide if this is something that you can stop on your own with their help or if you're going to need professional help.
The sooner you get help, the sooner you'll start to feel good again.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Self-confidence comes from within...
Learn how to think (and say) something nice about yourself
"Every time the teacher calls on me in class, even when I know the answer, I freeze up," says Amy. "My voice is pathetic, and I hate how wimpy I sound. Once I start, I go on too long, giving everyone ample opportunity to catch the huge crater on my forehead."
"I was sitting with about ten other kids waiting to see the owner of a day camp about a job as a counselor," remembers Vicki. "My heart was beating so loud, my palms were so sweaty, that I felt like a freak. This was a job I knew I could do. I have four younger brothers and sisters. I love little kids. But it took all my control not to run right out of there."
"I could understand feeling that nauseous and nervous if I was trying out for the lead in the play, or I was asking out the cutest boy in school, but all I was doing was raising my hand and offering a way to raise money for some new gym equipment," sighs Julie. "I just sat there, letting Miss Know-It- All get credit for an idea that wasn't anywhere near as good as mine. I hated myself for a week."
Leaders have self-confidence. So do great athletes. And probably the friends you admire the most. "It" is self-confidence, the ability to know and accept your strengths and limitations without depending on the opinions of those around you. If you think you're alone in envying those with a "Look out world, here I am," attitude, take heart. We fear lots of stuff: snakes, crime, natural disasters, and being unprepared when our period comes. But it's been documented that the two greatest fears we have are meeting strangers and standing up to speak in front of a group. And to do this, you need self-confidence, which is easier said than done.
For too many of us it's easier to run a marathon than say something nice about ourselves. It's some crazy notion that only stuck up, full of themselves people can find something positive to say. Think of the confident people you know. Isn't it their self confidence, as much as their ideas and ability, thatreassures you they know what they're doing? For those times the limelight is near and you feel you need a lifeline, try:
- Visualizing yourself as you wish you would be. How would you act if you weren't shy? What would you say if you felt confident? Picture yourself talking with self-confidence and then follow that behavior.
- Writing down everything you're anxious about beforehand...I'll make a fool out of myself, people will think less of me, I'll fail...then afterward, see if any of your worries came to pass. Chances are you'll see all your angst was a waste of energy and improve your self confidence.
- Chanting these mantras or at least posting them around your room: SUCCESS IS 99% FAILURE. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN, YOU CAN. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, and the all-important 10 most powerful two-letter words, IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME.
- Taking a deep breath and asking for a moment to focus. Then do your best to avoid looking around to see who is looking at you.
- Avoiding caffeine, carbohydrates, and sugar before your big moment. Protein will help keep your energy at an even level.
- Remembering all the great people who regained faith in themselves after being told they didn't have what it takes to succeed.
Self Confidence Idols
- Einstein was four years old before he could speak.
- Isaac Newton did so poorly in school, his teachers considered him "Unpromising."
- Beethoven's music teacher rated him "hopeless."
- Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
- Walt Disney was fired for "a lack of imagination."
- Winston Churchill failed sixth grade because he didn't complete the tests required for promotion.
- Abraham Lincoln failed in business twice; was defeated eight times for public office, and had a nervous breakdown before becoming our greatest president.
WAITING
Sometimes it seems like everyone is doing it…especially if you’re not. But less than half of teens in high school (only 42% of girls and 43% of boys) have had sex. That means that more than half of all high school students are virgins. And the younger someone is, the more likely they’re a virgin. For example, less than one-third of teenagers age 17 and younger have had sex, while 60% of 18- and 19- year-olds have.
It’s okay not to have sex. In fact, not having sex is a great idea, especially if you want to avoid pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Of course there are all kinds of birth control methods that—when used carefully, correctly, and consistently—can protect you against pregnancy and decrease the risk of STIs. But not having sex is the only 100% proven method for avoiding pregnancy and STIs.
And while birth control can help protect your body, it can’t protect your feelings—and feelings are a big part of what can change when you have sex with someone. That’s one of the reasons that the majority of teens who have had sex say they wish they had waited longer…and we don’t just mean that they waited for marriage—just that they waited longer to get to know their partner or to be sure that they were ready to have sex in the first place.
Even though movies and TV and gossip at school can make it seems like everyone is having sex (or wants to), that’s not exactly true. In a recent survey of guys ages 15-18:
- 75% said they’d rather "wait to lose their virginity with someone they love," compared to 24% who said they would prefer to "lose their virginity as soon as possible."
- 66% said they would rather "have a girlfriend but NOT have sex" while just 34% said they would prefer "having sex but not have a girlfriend."
- 68% said they "could be happy in a serious relationship that doesn’t include sex."
And that’s not all. Even though girls often say they feel pressure from guys to go farther or do more than they want to, 85% of guys ages 15-18 say they have "more respect for girls who stop a hook-up if they aren’t ready or comfortable." And 80% of teen guys say they think there is "way too much pressure from society to have sex."
Sex can be complicated and confusing. That’s one of the reasons why three-quarters of teens—both guys and girls—say it’s not embarrassing to admit that they’re virgins. After all, good relationships are built on trust, communication, commitment, and spending time together enjoying things other than sex.
There are lots of reasons not to have sex besides not wanting to get pregnant or get someone else pregnant (although that’s a pretty good reason, too). Here are some of the most common reasons teens give for waiting:
- I’m waiting for the right guy or girl.
- I've got better things to do with my time.
- It’s against my religious beliefs.
- I think sex is something special that should be saved until you are married.
- I’m worried about my reputation. I don’t want everybody to think I’m a slut.
- I don’t want to catch an STI.
- I want to make sure I’m in a lasting relationship first.
- I just don’t feel like I’m ready yet.
All of these are perfectly good reasons to wait. What are yours?
Monday, February 20, 2012
Friend Etiquette
Did you ever see your friend in a cute new outfit and wish it were yours? Of course, we all have. So why not borrow it from her, you think. You're BEST friends, so she won't mind. Besides, you've been a good friend to her. You were her shoulder to cry on after her last breakup. So you do borrow it: the off-the-shoulder shirt with the embroidered neckline from Abercrombie and Fitch and the Tommy Hilfiger jeans, and wear it to a big party on Friday night. They're serving this red punch that's SO good. You grab a glass but are careful not to spill any. But then as you're maneuvering your way to the bathroom—SPLAT! Some guy knocks right into you! "Sorry!" he says. Sorry is right. You rush to the bathroom and blot a HUGE red stain spreading all over the front of your shirt with cold water, but it won't come out. Later, your friend sees you and is horrified. You apologize profusely and she seems to calm down, but you know she's bummed that her shirt is ruined.
Borrowing clothes or money from friends can be a normal part of any friendship. For many, it even enhances a feeling of closeness. The arrangement works fine if you return what you borrowed in good condition within a reasonable time span, or if you pay your friend back promptly. But if you give back her necklace with the sterling silver clasp broken or take months to return her $50, or you borrow 15 of her CDs to make a mix and then keep them for weeks, then there's definitely trouble ahead. If I can just find the time to tape those songs, THEN you'll return it, you think. But a month goes by and you still have them. She finally asks you for her CDs and you make a ton of excuses. But she doesn't want your excuses; she just wants her music back so she can listen to it.
Stop for a second, and think of the last thing you borrowed, and the condition it was in when you returned it. How many times have you asked your friend if you could wear those brown suede boots of hers you covet? Do you borrow things too often? Are you disrespectful when you do? It's hard to admit, but if you have the courage to do so, read on to figure out friend ettiquette on how to curb a habit that might damage a friendship:
Friend Etiquette Tip
DON'T ever borrow something that's brand-new. Don't even ask. Your friend might feel bad if she has to say no. Think about it: there's too much risk of damaging or breaking it, and then you'd feel HORRIBLE. Even if you're careful, you can't always prevent something from getting ruined.
Friend Etiquette Tip
DON'T borrow something more than twice. If you use it too much, you'll wear it out!! (It might be time to get your own. If you can't afford it, save up your money.)
Friend Etiquette Tip
DON'T keep quiet if you can't currently afford to pay your friend the money you owe her. If you don't speak up, she might think you're never going to pay her back at all. Maybe you can work some sort of payment plan where you pay back a little at a time.
Friend Etiquette Tip
DO return something in the condition you got it. If you wear your friend's shirt, wash it or dry-clean it. If something breaks, repair it or replace it. If it's irreplaceable, then offer the money it would cost to buy a new one.
Friend Etiquette Tip
DO ask permission about how long you'd like to keep something. Be clear on when you'll be able to pay back the cash. If you wear her sweater and would like to keep it for a few days and wear it again, ask if that's okay. Then there will be no misunderstandings.
Friend Etiquette Tip
DO thank your friends for letting you use their stuff. Never take them for granted! Sharing with friends can be a bonding experience. It'll give you the warm fuzzies to know she trusts you and cares enough about you to let you use her stuff. So take a second to remember her generosity when she lends you something and don't betray that trust!
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