Blogworthy Discoveries.

Frequently, I find new things to obsess over. Sometimes healthy, usually unhealthy. Oh well. Today's two new obsessions are totally healthy and totally blog-worthy. I spent a good chunk of this morning trying to think of ways to boost morale for the girls for their first game today! A frequent issue I have with them especially my varsity girls is how quickly they put themselves down when they're losing or not performing as well as they would like. It's really REALLY hard to bring them back up after they've knocked themselves and their abilities down. Today could go one of two ways: really well or really bad. I'm pushing for really well, but I can't guarantee that, so I wanted to prep them in a fun way. Back when I was a Mini-Town counselor, our discussion group relied on these amazing phrases called affirmations. Ours were two pages of sentences we said out loud always starting and ending with: "everyday in every way, I am getting better and better." It was a real spirit lifter then and I thought what a great way to get the girls in a positive game mode. I found these adorable little notes here and printed out 6 copies and wrote a personalized affirmation for each of the girls, folded it up, stuck a cupcake sticker on it, and put it away. I'm going to give each one of them out on the bus on the way to the game and have them read it, hoping that it sticks with them through the game even when things aren't going their way.

My second obsession is really heart wrenching and intense, but something that shouldn't be ignored. It's dolphin hunting. Yes, I said dolphins, those super smart, adorable, playful mammals are being hunted in remote areas of world specifically in the South Pacific. After watching the documentary, The Cove, I became more aware of this atrocity occurring in this village called Taiji in Japan. Between September and March, a group of about 26 men are rounding up dolphins by throwing off their ecolocation and then bringing them to "the cove" where they stay over night. At sunrise, they are being slaughtered by having their throats slit leaving a sea of blood after being dragged through the waters. Seeing the gutrenching pictures of something I never knew existed I was horrified. I want to do something, I want to help these creatures being killed for their meat that isn't even safe for humans to eat anyway. It's horrifying. I'm planning to hopefully sell cupcakes with dolphin shaped foundant where 50% of sales will be donated to Save Japan Dolphins. I know most of you were never even aware of this, but it's good to become educated. There are many resources online because education about these things is always a good place to start.

I hate to end my post on such a somber note, so I won't. Because of awareness and the movie, The Cove, and now Animal Planet's TV show, Blood Dolphins, there has been at least one village that has stopped the atrocities of dolphin hunting which is such an awesome thing. Even the smallest efforts help in most cases.

I hope you have a good Monday everyone...wow such an awkward ending anyway.
I'll have some happier stuff tomorrow, I PROMISE.

Rules and Goals.

Looking around my new desk, if you didn't know me, I think you'd believe I was like a motivational speaker haha. I have little quotes posted around my desk to keep me going and an article titled, "The Decision to be Remarkable." I've embraced positivity in a whole new light. It really does get me through the day and keep me motivated. Today I've made a quick list of 8 short term goals.

And of course it's flipped. HA.

1. Do my very best at my job everyday!! - I absolutely love working here and I love my new position. I have so much enthusiasm I'm practically exploding.
2. Perfect two more cupcake flavors!! - I would love to use my new two cupcake books to perfect two more recipes to round out my first set of flavors before the grand opening.
3. Finish Sam's apartment presents!!
4. Beautify my Blog!!  - I'm so excited to be taking this HTML Yourself class. EEEP!
5. Pick out a comforter!!
6. Be Remarkable!!  - READ IT! 
7. Break the news to Mom.  - Still haven't told her about the fall...definitely need to stop putting it off.
8. Stop listening to the negativity and buying into it!!!!  - This is HUGE. Like the biggest task on my list probably. As happy as I've become about my choices is about as many negative comments I've gotten which is such a downer. I'm doing this for me. I'm SO happy about it and I need to stop listening to the horribly negative people and their words because they mean nothing to me and my life. It's also going to be a motivation for me because I'm going to prove all of you wrong. Maybe not tomorrow or next week, but in a few months or a year, all of my diligence in doing things my own way will pay off.

I found this quote on 55 Quotes to Inspire Creativity, Innovation, and Action and it's perfect for me.
“It’s not about breaking the rules. It is about abandoning the concept of rules altogether” Paul Lemberg 

Yep, I'm 19. I'm not in college as of this present moment. I'm starting my own business from the kitchen counter up. I would rather spend my nights reading and writing than partying. I have a few close solid friends, not a group of twenty sort of acquaintances. I've never lived by society's rules, so why should I start now? I'll go to college eventually, but it's at my own choice and time. Judge me if you will, but I'm not listening because I'm happy where I am in my life. And that's that. :)

Day 07 → A band/artist that has gotten you through rough days and a hero that has let you down. (letters)
Artist that got me through rough days -  Taylor Swift, you sing the words my heart longs to say. I've danced to you, sang to you, cried to you, and laughed to you. You've shared so many precious memories with me and gotten me through break ups and make ups and break ups again and again. Thank you for helping me to the light at the end of the tunnel.
Hero that let me down - Emily, you were one of the most willing and giving people I knew. You stayed strong through life's hardest moments even when you were alone and hurting, you never let people believe it. You were my shoulder to cry on when I was alone and hurting. We shared so many secrets and laughs and dreams and hopes. You were the sister I never had, but dishonesty and harmful words broke our relationship to a point beyond repair and trust. I wish you all the best, even if those feelings aren't reciprocated.

Have a good Monday, make the week start of with a bang!