The World From the View of Two Teenage Girls

Feminism

2015-05-11T14:00:00.000-05:00

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Brief History

It is likely that women have been fighting for equal rights for as long as we have been on Earth. In the United States, women have been fighting for the right to be citizens since around 1820. (History.com Staff) During this period, feminists were mainly fighting for the ability to own property, work, and vote. ("History of Feminism Theory & Feminist Thought.") They were fighting for nearly one hundred years before white women were granted voting rights. Women of color had to wait longer, for this same right to be granted. The voting rights bill was passed in 1965 and the Voting Rights Act was signed into law the same year. These gave African-Americans the right to vote and got rid of the literacy tests that were keeping them from being able to register. (History.com Staff) During this period, feminists were mainly fighting for the ability to own property, work, and vote.

Source

From about 1960 to 1990, the feminist movement was mostly focused on ending social discrimination against women and increasing their opportunities economically. ("History of Feminism Theory & Feminist Thought.") In 1987, one of the largest feminist movements was created. Founded by Peg Yorkin, Eleanor Smeal, Katherine Spillar, Toni Carabillo, and Judith Meuli, the Feminist Majority Foundation is a foundation that worked and continues to work to increase equality for females. ("History of the Feminist Majority Foundation: 1989.") This is incredibly important because it was one of the first and continues to be one of the largest feminist movements ever founded.

Issues Today

Now, the feminist movement is focused on gaining reproductive rights for women, as well as equal rights for LGBTQIA people. Overall, the movement is currently focused on completely eradicating both sexism and racism. ("History of Feminism Theory & Feminist Thought.") While the movement is called "Feminism", it is not about women being better than everyone else. Feminism has and always will be about gaining equal rights for everyone.

Inequality in the Workforce

Both immigrants and women had to fight just for the right to join the workforce. Gaining the right to work and get paid for doing so was not the end of their fight. Women and minorities continue to fight for equality in the workforce.

The wage gap is real, and it is a real issue. In 2013, on average, women were paid 78% of what men were paid. (AAUW.) Why is that? If women are doing the exact same job as men, why are they not paid the same? Does currency have a higher value if it is earned by women? This wage gap is experienced by people in practically every job available. Not only that, it is also worse for women of color (Hispanic women's salaries are about 54% of that of a white man's) and the wage gap increases with age. (AAUW.)

The Fight for Reproductive Rights

Sometimes it seems like politicians are always trying to tell women what they can and cannot do with their bodies. One large example of this is the debate regarding abortions. Many people argue that abortions go against their religion, so no one should be able to get one. This makes about as much sense as someone on a diet telling another person not to eat unhealthy food.

Pro-Choice versus Pro-Life is a very large feminist issue because it involves politicians making rules about someone else's body. If someone really supports the feminist theory/ movement they are going to be Pro-Choice. This does not mean that they support abortions or would ever get an abortion themselves, but they feel that women should have the opportunity to decide if an abortion is right for them.

LGBTQPIA Involvement

The feminism movement supports equality for everyone of all sexualities. Unfortunately, it seems people who do not identify as heterosexual are left out of this movement. There are still thirteen states in which it is not legal for two people of the same sex to get married and this is a feminist issue. ("Freedom to Marry.")

Global Issues

Often, people (women specifically) say they do not need feminism because they have never been segregated against. While they themselves might not have faced segregation, there are many people within their community who do, and millions all over the world who do need feminism.

Saudi Arabia

Generally speaking, the Middle East is pretty bad regarding gender inequality. Out of the many countries in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is the worst. (AbuKhalil, As’ad.) It is pretty well known that in Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to do many things. They cannot even drive cars.

Africa

Africa is a very large continent with many countries and more cultures than one could count. Overall, gender inequality is almost always present and takes many different forms. In Africa, rape is incredibly common and women (and children) are often forced into (often unsafe) labor with very little pay.

United States

In the United States, someone is sexually assaulted every 107 seconds. ("Statistics.") Unfortunately, this is on the low end for many countries and often times rape is the punchline to a joke here in America. Women and minorities do face a wage gap in the United States as well, as stated before. On top of that, there are still many states where LGBT* people do not have the same rights. Despite all of this, the United States is a country that is one of the best as far as gender equality.

Source

The majority of women in the United States do not face as harsh segregation as women in other countries, however, that does not mean sexism does not exist in the United States. Many women do not think they need feminism because their struggles are not as severe. While they may feel they do not need feminism, it is still incredibly important to support it for the women who do. Feminism is not about blaming men for all problems women face.

These are just a few countries/ continents that experience gender inequality. The need for feminism is global and always has been. Although one person might not experience the same sexism as another, it is still incredibly important for everyone to fight for it.

AAUW. "The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (Spring 2015)." AAUW: Empowering Women Since 1881. AAUW, 2015. Web. 04 May 2015.

AbuKhalil, As’ad. "Women in the Middle East." Foreign Policy In Focus. Foreign Policy In Focus, 11 Oct. 2005. Web. 05 May 2015.

"Freedom to Marry." Freedom to Marry. Freedom to Marry, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 05 May 2015.

History.com Staff. "The Fight for Women’s Suffrage." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 04 May 2015.

History.com Staff. "Voting Rights Act." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 04 May 2015.

"History of Feminism Theory & Feminist Thought." Intellectual Take Out. Intellectual Take Out, n.d. Web. 04 May 2015.

"History of the Feminist Majority Foundation: 1989." The Feminist Majority Foundation: 1989. Feminist Majority Foundation, n.d. Web. 04 May 2015.

"Statistics." RAINN. National Sexual Assault Hotline, n.d. Web. 11 May 2015.

April Giveaway

2015-04-01T00:30:00.000-05:00

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I can't believe it's April already! This year has gone by so fast. Today we have a little giveaway for you.

We found all this stuff on the ground at the park, and as a thank you, we thought we'd share!

Just comment below and let us know what you did in March!

The prizes:

1 (one) Marc Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc Jacobs Cyan Winter 2015 Glove

A vintage piece of cement, an acorn, a pre-slobbered tennis ball

-Cassi & Katie

3 Dresses That are Definitely Black & Blue

2015-02-27T15:01:00.001-06:00

3 Dresses That are Definitely Black & Blue by dance2499 featuring a black leather shopper

Lace detail dress
$78 - romanoriginals.co.uk

Roland Mouret dress
stylebop.com

Vintage blue dress
rosewe.com

Jeffrey Campbell leather booties
$130 - yoox.com

Black heel pumps
$54 - prettylittlething.com

Fendi black leather shopper
barneys.com

Travel: Chicago

2015-02-13T16:30:00.001-06:00

Recently I was in Chicago to audition for a summer dance intensive. Despite living rather close to Chicago, I tend to avoid it due to the hassle of driving and parking. Not to mention the high cost of parking for a short trip.

I'm used to Milwaukee, so the difference in architecture is always interesting. Since the Chicago fire wiped out most of the city's buildings, all the architecture is relatively new compared to Milwaukee.

Driving in Chicago wasn't as bad as anticipated, luckily it wasn't rush hour. As a new driver, the first thing I noticed was needing to drive more aggressively if you ever want to get anywhere and you have to be extremely alert. Pedestrians and bikers just randomly wind up in the street and sometimes the stoplights are barely visible, hidden within the supports for the El.

The roads in Chicago are definitely very different from Milwaukee as well. Along with hidden streetlights, roads in Chicago often become one-way streets so you can’t always turn where you want to and often have to jog a few blocks over.

I'm absolutely in love with big cities, and Chicago is no exception. Every time I go, I'm still mesmerized by what seems like endless buildings. It felt like I was spending more time looking up than in front of me.

You can see just from the skyscrapers that Chicago buildings are a lot newer. They look so much more modern overall, especially with many buildings that look like they’re all windows. Milwaukee buildings are almost all concrete, so while the designs are very intricate, they’re not as stupefying from a distance.

I just adore the marquee lights and the overall iconic look of the signs. We have plenty where I live, but they’re not well-kept and thus are falling apart. They’re one of the most aged-looking parts of Chicago.

This trip, I finally made it to Millennium Park. I've wanted to see the Bean for what feels like forever. It looked so perfect it was almost as if it was photoshopped in front of a Chicago skyline. Underneath, it’s barely like a mirror. Looking up at yourself it seems like you’re miles away and all sound echoes which makes it extremely difficult to hold a conversation when everyone else is trying to as well.

The bean really just screams modern. Constructed between 2004 and 2006 it’s something that would have never been built before the Chicago fire due to its complex design.

While at Millennium Park, we I got to see these interesting statues. They were all only heads- no bodies- and there wasn’t any information on them that I could find. The lack of information made them that much more ominous and interesting.

These also are extremely modern in their nature as well as style of art. They’re definitely not something that would’ve been created pre-fire.

And of course you can't miss the river at night. If there were just one thing you could see/ do in Chicago I would suggest this. It was magical with the lights reflecting and the beautiful buildings in the background.

-Cassi

Mani Monday: Gradient Heart

2015-02-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

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Valentine's Day is this weekend already! 2015 is going by unbelievably quickly already, but it's great.

I actually haven't painted my nails much recently (not at all in 2015) I thought it was time for a Valentine's mani. Of course you guys get to learn how to do it too!

This is actually super easy, as long as you can do a gradient!

Start with a white base. My favorite is Sinful Colors Snow Me White. Two coats is usually needed.

Next, you'll cut a heart shape out of tape. Stick the tape on your hand a few times to keep it from being too sticky, then place it on the nail, making sure the heart is where you want it and that there aren't any air holes.

Then, go ahead and do your gradient over that. I did a three color gradient using a light pink, medium pink, and a red, but anything you like will do.

Add a top coat and you're done!

-Cassi

DIY: You're a Sweetart Valentines!

2015-02-05T05:30:00.000-06:00

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I decided to do a follow up on our last post about Homemade valentines day cards. In the last post I told you which project I would be doing. Just in case you didn't read the last post this tutorial will be on how to make sweetart Valentine's Day cards. The cards will say you're a sweetart.

You will need to buy supplies from somewhere like Target or Walmart. I brought my supplies from Target, and it only cost around three dollars with tax. The first thing you'll need is a bag of sweet tarts candy. They come in many varieties of pack sizes, so you will need to choose the one that will best fit the amount you will need for your project. You also need a sharpie, tape, and the option of other Valentines. You may also want to get something to transport them in if your bringing them to school or work.

The first thing you should do is open the bag and dump them into a pile. If you do this then after you complete one, you can put it in a separate pile and it is easier to keep track of which ones are done. After you do this you're going to want to get all of your other supplies out. Once you do this you are ready to begin the process of making your homemade valentines.

Now, take your bag of Sweet tarts and right above the word sweetheart, write you are a, and then it will be right above sweetart. It will read out you are a sweet tart. Next, you're going to want to take and cut a piece of tape. If you have another valentine you're going to want to tape it to your Valentine that you just made. If you don't have another valentine just write who it's from and you have the option of writing who it is to as well.

You're almost done. All you have to do is continue this until all of your valentines are done. Then, put your completed valentines in a bag and wait until Valentine's Day to see the bright smiling faces reading your homemade valentines. Happy Valentine's Day!

-Katie

DIY Thursday: Cute Valentines

2015-01-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

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Valentine's Day is almost here. If you go to the stores they want like $5 for 20 cards. I know I'm exaggerating a bit but wouldn't you rather just making your own for more like three dollars? I know I would. That's what I'm doing this year- here's a few ideas on how you can do it too.

For the first idea, all you need is sweetheart candy class pack, a sharpie, and some creativity. This is the idea I chose for my Valentines. All you do is write "You're a" in sharpie above the word sweetheart and walla!: you're done. It's probably the easiest idea out of all of them and it only takes about five minutes to complete 32 of them.

For the second idea all you need is heart shaped marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate, a sharpie, and cute bags to put them in. On the bag put "You melt my heart". This idea takes a little bit longer but is very cute for young ages. I thought about doing this one but did not want to worry about allergies in my class. This idea is also a little bit more expensive around $10 or maybe even a little more.

For the last idea all you need is Starburst, bags to put them in, and a sharpie. All you need to do is put the Starbursts in the bags and then right on the bags "Hope your Valentine's Day is bursting with happiness". This is probably in the middle of the two money-wise.

I hope you didn't enjoyed these Valentines ideas- I know I did. They are all pretty easy for young children to help make, are cute ideas that don't cost too much money, and mean even more because you made them from the heart. I hope you'd like one of these ideas and one of them can save you money this Valentine's Day. Thanks a lot for reading this, and I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

❤️Katie

Recent Reads

2015-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

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With a goal of reading 75 books this year, I've got a lot of reading to do! Luckily it's one of my favorite pass-times.

I started to get into Morgan Matson's books with Since You've Been Gone. I'd seen it A LOT on Tumblr, but up until recently I'd really avoided YA Romance as best as I could. I'm so glad I've begun reading it, though. Let's go chronologically through her books though, yes?

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've always really fancied the idea of a cross-country road trip with friends, and I think that's probably why I loved this book so much. Amy Curry's father has recently died. Her mom is living on the East Coast, and she is still in California finishing up school! Now that school is over, her mom wants her to bring the car to the East Coast. One problem: she hasn't driven since her father died.

Enter Roger. He and Amy were friends when they were younger, but they haven't talked in well over a decade. He's going to the East Coast anyway, so he'll just drive Amy and the car over. Driving across the country with a practical stranger. . . nothing awkward about that.

Along the way Amy and Roger steer pretty far off Amy's mom's planned route and learn a lot about each other.

Sounds like a completely cliche YA romance novel featuring a road trip. Which, in a way it kind of is. But, I felt there was so much more depth to it than that. The plot had a good pace, always advancing and never too slow. I felt Matson's writing was excellent as well. Amy sounded like a teenager. Recently, most of the novel's I've read with a teenage narrator sound 12, instead of 17. This wasn't the case at all.

I absolutely loved this and would definitely appreciate a short novella about Amy and Roger after the book.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was another rather cliche YA Romance.

The story itself wasn't amazing honestly. Definite tear-jerker, but that was anticipated. Her writing style is definitely amazing though, so that and the Amy & Roger cameo is why I've given it 4 stars.

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was incredibly predictable. However, it was just a fun read.

One day Sloane just disappears. Emily and Sloane are practically attached at the hip so she is incredibly worried when she still hasn't heard from Sloane. Then a letter shows up with a list of things to do. Emily would have never thought to do most of these and is convinced she just might not. But, without Sloane Emily starts to get lonely and thinks doing all of the things on the list will bring her back.

I enjoyed it overall, and I think it's nice to have some predictable, just fun reads in between books that make you really think.

I received this next book from a Tumblr giveaway, along with Love Letters to the Dead and I'll Give You the Sun.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Best book I've read so far this year. (Not that I've many to compare it to yet.)

After reading reviews and such I expected a plot twist (I mean it's called We Were Liars). But I just kind of accepted the first one, no big deal. Then there was the second one that changed everything. Yeah. Excellent.

I feel like all of these characters had quite a lot of depth. Probably the best written characters I've experienced in a while. Though all the liars are around 17, they talk like they're about 12 which makes a lot more sense later on.

I really really really liked this style of writing. The random prose was excellent, as well as the small fairy tale re-tellings.

If you get the opportunity to do so, I would absolutely suggest reading this book. So, so good.

Would you ever be interested in participating in a "book club" of sorts? The books would generally be non-fiction, female empowering.

The Health Benefits of Green Tea

2015-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

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Rather recently, (not that recently in the grand scheme of our life) we discovered our love of tea. I think we both kind of avoided it since we weren't huge coffee fans.

We even made this strange YouTube video with the process of making tea when we first started liking it. . . almost 2 years ago.

Not only is tea great it also has some major health benefits (and energy benefits if you go for caffeinated tea). Of course, there are lots of different kinds of tea, which means they have their own features. We're going to start with green.

Cheerios can step aside! Studies show green tea is able to lower cholesterol and prevent many heart related issues. Just don't load it up with too much sugar!

Ever find yourself walking into a room just to forget why? Well green tea can help. A Swiss study showed that people who drank green tea had greater activity in the working-memory area of their brain.

Though there is no evidence yet that green tea kills cancer cells, it is known to help healthy cells in all different stages.

After a long day working, it's nice to unwind. But, coffee just gets you wound up and then you can't sleep! Drinking tea helps you relax, because of a natural chemical called theanine. However, make sure you are just heating your water to the temperature you want it- no need to get it boiling. Boiling the water for brewing tea will get rid of theanine's effect.

In the winter, it seems like everyone is sick. Sure you can spray Lysol on everything, BUT THERE'S A BETTER WAY I SWEAR. Catechins, found in green tea have been known to have a major positive effect on your immune system. Of course adding lemon gets you some extra vitamin C for that immune system as well. That way you can stay healthy all through flu season!

It's a known fact that literally no one likes getting breakouts. No one. The antibacterial properties of green tea are known to fight off acne and the anti-inflammatory properties reduce swelling and redness.

Green tea, am I right?

-Cassi

Sources: x x

On Interviewing Our Great Grandmother

2015-01-21T12:03:00.003-06:00

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We remember always having to do those annoying projects for school where you have to interview your family, but the questions were never any good. So, we decided to interview our great grandmother, but this time ask our own questions.

C & K: What is your full name?

Jacqueline Marie Farella-err wrong answer- Gibson

C & K: What is your earliest memory?

Oh lord! Climbing up the stairs of my grandmother's house. This was in Chicago

C & K: What is your favorite memory with Cassandra and Kaitlyn?

When Kaitlyn was a baby. She was really cute. And she pinched Cassese. He was 1 and she was 2. Wait no. She was 1 and he was 2. Sitting side by side and she pinched him and he screamed!

And Cassandra. I remember that there was 2 babies. Angie was born first. Cassandra looked like a baby doll and Angie was the momma doll. They were the cutest babies! I never had an ugly baby.

C & K: Tell us about your ancestors.

Which one do you want to know about? Your great great grandfather Don Pape Cassese? Great-great-great? He was very tall. Good looking That's who CJ is named after. It was always a last name, never a first. Such a beautiful name.

C & K: What did you enjoy most about having the bakery?

Oh that it closed! There was a lot of beautiful memories because the kids were all there. [What was your least favorite memory?] I wish I could've been home more with my daughter who couldn't be there with her allergy.

C & K: If you could visit anywhere, where would it be? Why?

I would rather be just where I'm at because my children are all here.

C & K: If you could share only one piece of advice with girls our age what would it be?

Oh no drugs. Definitely. Sex, that's okay. Well, not for them. Don't ever be afraid of sex. Sex is not the worst thing. Drugs are the worst thing. Once you get to 18 and start drinking, [The drinking age is 21. . .] Oh yeah, 21. Well, you don't want to over drink.

We had so much fun interviewing our grandmother with our own questions. We're just happy to be able to learn so much from her.

-Cassi and Katie

Recent Reads

2015-01-20T10:11:00.001-06:00

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Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I feel a bit torn about this book, but I really really did like it overall.

This book is comprised of letters, written by Laurel, a high school freshman, writes to her different idols. All of whom are dead.

I read Love Letters to the Dead back in December. I found the writing similar to Ketchup Clouds. However, I think this novel did a much better job of actually using the letters and working them into the story as well. It was evident that writing these letters really did help Laurel.

On the subject of her sister’s death, I was honestly expecting a larger reveal. (Another similarity to Ketchup Clouds) Laurel blames herself for her sister’s death, when there really wasn’t anyway she could’ve prevented it. I think this is huge, because in real life, people go through the same thing. I’m sure so many families who had a loved one die in 9/11, or anything really, always think it was their fault, “If I only I hadn’t let them go into work that day.” It’s still not their fault, but they feel like they had some way to prevent it, but there was no way of knowing what outcome that would lead to.

I also feel the delicacy at which the lesbian relationship is handled is incredibly important. It isn’t made out to be a big deal- Laurel doesn’t really think anything of it. I feel like most authors just put queer characters in their book as a punch line or for the sake of diversity, often without even flat out saying they’re not straight. This didn’t feel like either. There weren’t just hints of their sexuality; it was all there, laid out in plain sight. Often times, it also seems like books with queer characters spend the whole time trying to learn to accept themselves. Although, it is important to discuss the problems that sometimes arise when a teen comes out, in terms of being accepted, this wasn’t the only thing discussed about their relationship. There was a lot of focus on the fact that the girls needed to love and accept themselves before they could come out in the open as together and I think that was extremely important, however there was more depth to their relationship than that.

At times, I feel like Laurel talked and acted a lot younger than she really is. However, I feel at the same time that is how a teenager who lost an older sibling would act. This is especially true, since her mother walked out and she can’t talk to her bible crazy aunt about stuff. While it can be a bit annoying at times, I feel this was an accurate portrayal.

I really did like this book and I’m glad I was able to read it at my age. I will definitely be suggesting it to most of my friends.

The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Lexicon of Life Hacks for the Modern Lady Geek by Sam Maggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*Goodreads sent me this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

It starts off talking about different kinds of fandoms (ie. Potterheads, SuperWhoLock) and their shows/movies/books. This section obviously didn’t cover them all, but it covered most of the main ones. I felt this section was fairly accurate on the ones I knew about.

Maggs then goes through relevant lingo and I was surprised at how much I already knew. I felt the definitions were accurate as well as helpful. However, I did feel they were a bit random. I'm not sure all of them are relevant (I've never heard them) and there were some not covered people might not know.

She went into great detail on conventions. Maggs talked about a variety of cons and the fans that would want to go. There was also a lot on what to expect out of a convention- not getting to see EVERYONE, not getting a lot of sleep, etc. I think her section on what to bring was the most helpful, but that's just me. I’ve never been to a con, but the information seemed useful and I would definitely use her advice if I planned on going to one. Later, the book went over cosplay and such.

The last chapter is about feminism. It’s pretty short, but I do feel it’s an important chapter and that it does a good job of talking about feminism and its importance. I didn't expect it at all, but I'm very glad it was included. I don't think it is out of place at all especially since it is the FanGIRL's Guide to the Galaxy. Especially in a male dominated community there are a lot of problems that arise for women and I think this addresses them well.

Overall, I thought this book was really cute, and I'm already loaning it to friends.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Best book I've read so far this year. (Not that I've many to compare it to yet.

After reading reviews and such I expected a plot twist (I mean it's called We Were Liars). But I just kind of accepted the first one, no big deal. Then there was the second one that changed everything. Yeah. Excellent.

I feel like all of these characters had quite a lot of depth. Probably the best written characters I've experienced in a while. Though all the liars are around 17, they talk like they're about 12 which makes a lot more sense later on.

There really isn't much else to say other than that I absolutely loved it.

Cassandra's Books Read in 2015

Cassandra's favorite books »

Blog Lessons Learned (Post 400)

2015-01-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

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Not only did we recently finish another year of blogging, we've also had 399 posts leading up to this. We've learned a lot about blogging in the past year. We had some really great months, and some horrible months. We had some sponsorships go extremely well, and some fail miserably. Overall, I think we're both happy to have the learning opportunity and I think that's what our blog has always been about.

But of course, if we've already gone through the process of these failures, we'll share them with you. Sure, you might have a different experience, but this is just how it worked for us.

Quality over Quantity

I'm sure you've heard this before, but it's definitely applicable to blogging. Last January we posted around 40 times. Mind you, there are only 31 days in January. We were making separate posts for our link up and would often make a normal post and a Polyvore post on the same day. Our posts were pretty low quality in general, and I doubt anyone wanted to see them on their feed so often!

We suggest writing better posts, it might mean you have to take more time on it, but readers will enjoy it more thus making them more likely to return. You may only get to post a few times a week with that method, but it's worth it. As long as the content is high quality and relevant.

Life Happens

Just because you plan out a month's worth of posts, doesn't mean they're going to write and publish themselves. We would make such detailed plans for each month, but wind up getting busy. We didn't block off any time for blogging and then would up not having it! Once we missed a few posts it was easy to essentially give up for the month and stop posting. This is the worst thing to do! Now we missed a whole month of posts and likely lost a bunch of followers.

Take advantage of the scheduling feature blogger offers. We also find that just having some posts ready to go saved in drafts is nice when you were planning on writing one day, but couldn't. That will give us more cushion, and making blogging less stressful. With this, we'll be mindful about our time, and be sure to set some aside for blogging each week/

Promote, Promote, Promote

We saw a huge difference in traffic, just by tweeting about our posts more than just once. We realized that not everyone will see it the first time, so it helps to share multiple times. Sharing content created by friends of yours, or even just bloggers you admire also helps. Your followers will likely enjoy their content, if they enjoy yours. Plus it helps out other bloggers, and that's always nice!

We would suggest tweeting about all your posts. We use If-This-Then-That for the first post, and then we tweet about the post again throughout the week! When we read a post we like, we're also sure to share it then too.

Use Great Photos

Going back through old posts always makes us cringe. Surprisingly, it's not because of our dorky writing. It's mostly because of the photos. AGH! They were so bad! We've seen so much more interest in our posts once we fixed our photos. The first thing people see when they go to your blog will be photos and it takes a split second for readers to decide whether to stay or not. Often, when I'm going through my Bloglovin' feed, I only look at the photo. So if someone's photo sucks, I won't even look at the post!

We would definitely suggest using a nicer camera for photos, as opposed to an iPhone. It's also good to go through and edit the photo, even just adding text is good and makes the photo look so much nicer. Photos also work great as a sort of title for posts, so you can pretty much just type the title of the photo. (For SEO purposes try not to have your photo placed before any text!)

Have a Clear Voice

Going back through our old posts feels very strange. Sometimes we sound like teenagers. Occasionally we sound like adults. Then there's times where we sound like a business CEO. Weird huh? We're both teenagers, not adults and definitely not in charge of a major company.

When people come to our blog, it's weird for them to find us using different voices- the same way if you just walked up to your friend and talked in a different accent each day. It's confusing and readers don't get to know you! Make sure your posts sound like you- it's actually easier, anyway!

Even though there is a lot we could have done better, we aren't upset about what we did do. We've learned a lot through this and we're happy to continue to find better ways to do things. Can't wait to see where the next 400 posts bring us (hint: we've got quite the project planned for this summer!).

-Cassi & Katie

Snail Mail in a Digital Age

2015-01-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

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We absolutely love writing and sending letters. It feels so much more personal than a text, and it’s exciting to go to the mail box and find a surprise inside. It’s so exciting to open a letter and see that someone took the time out of their day to write to you. Texting and emailing is so easy and fast, when you write a letter you have to stop what you’re doing.

Read the rest of the post over at Rite While U Can.

Top 5 Cons of Wearing Glasses

2015-01-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

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We've both had glasses for quite a long time. If you have glasses, you know the feeling of realizing you should be able to see the leaves on trees, among the other struggles of wearing glasses. So you can probably relate to at least some of these.

1. Drastic temperature changes leave you blind.

When you walk into your warm house from being out in the cold your lenses get crazy foggy. Happens with hot drinks too. You'll probably wait to see if it will return to normal, but of course it won't so you'll be forced to wipe them off. ugh

2. The rain. And snow.

When walking in the snow or rain, your glasses get covered, even if you're under an umbrella the whole time. Lens size windshield wipers would be nice. . .

3. Driving at night.

Glare. Glare everywhere. Then there's driving at night in the rain and you might as well be at a freaking laser show jeez.

4. Laying down.

Sometimes laying down is the best way to watching TV. But glasses cause this to be difficult and often painful. However, if you take your glasses off you won't be able to see the show. Then, if you accidentally fall asleep with your glasses on, they're going to be quite out of shape.

5. Taking pictures.

Even professionals can't always avoid getting the glare glasses cause with flash. Be prepared to attempt to tilt your head at every angle possible to avoid it?

Do you struggle with any of these?

10 Things You Never Hear Dancers Say

2015-01-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

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1. Wow! I'm really excited to sew new pointe shoes this weekend.

2. It's not awkward to go back to wearing a leotard and tights after break at all.

3. Gosh I hope the rehearsal director makes us wear our pointe shoes the entire 4 hour rehearsal.

4. Stage make-up looks great on me and I think I might start wearing it normally.

5. I've never lost a single bobby pin.

6. Hairspray? Oh, I don't bother with it.

7. I hope we only do fouettes on the left today.

8. Nah, I really don't care what kind of costume I get.

9. Yeah, I had like 3 almonds for dinner.

10. Mark it? I'd rather do it full out.

Book Review: When by Victoria Laurie

2015-01-06T03:30:00.000-06:00

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When by Victoria Laurie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A co-worker of mine at the library (can I call her a co-worker if I'm only a volunteer??) gave me a few ARCs before break and I recently got around to reading this one. I'd been putting it off mostly because of the cover. It just looked really strange.

I am so glad I got around to reading it. It's about Maddie Fynn, a high school-er who sees people's death dates. It's something she was born with and it just comes with everyone's appearance. Of course, she doesn't know what the strange numbers mean until her father dies on the date she depicts floating above his head. This leads to a lot of stress between Maddie and her mother, both feeling it was their fault he's dead, and that they could've saved him.

However, it gets worse. Maddie's mom is an alcoholic and thus can't hold a steady job. This leaves the money-making to Maddie so she does readings for people who pay her. When a costumer's son dies on the exact date she predicted, she winds up in a world of trouble. Police begin to think she's a subject and soon brings her best friend in on it too. Maddie has to come up with a way to prove that she and her best friend are innocent. At the same time trying to keep up with the bills she can no longer afford, and her drunk mother getting worse.

I struggled with this at the beginning, I really did. While the plot wasn't advancing quickly, there was a lot of information introduced all at once. The plot quickly got to a good pace, one easy to keep up with.

I think the only things that bothered me about this was Maddie and the fact that the introduction of every new character came with their death date. Maddie did not act like she was 16. The first time I found out they were old enough to drive, I was honestly extremely confused. The way she acted along with her constant whining reminded me of a 13 year-old. I think it's fair, however. Seeing as she grew up with a single parent who was drunk most of the time, it kind of explains it. Learning the date with the introduction of every new character drove me crazy. I honestly don't care, seeing as very few of them were relevant to the plot and I got used to just skipping over them anyway so I wasn't really paying attention to the years anyways.

Overall, I most definitely enjoyed this novel and would absolutely suggest it to anyone in middle school through high school.

View all my reviews

Katie's 2015 New Years' Resolution

2015-01-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

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I have never really had or kept a new years resolution. I thought since I'm on the fence about becoming vegetarian, maybe I should make it my new years resolution.

So, I thought what better new years resolution than being a vegetarian for a month? For me, there wasn't one. Now, I realize that starting to have a New Years resolution this year might be a new years resolution itself.

My plan to stay meat free for a month is to think of it as a break from meat and not that I'm not supposed to have it. I'll also keep my favorite healthy, meat-free snacks in the house, so I'm not tempted to eat any meat.

I think it's good to have a new years resolution, so maybe you'll think about it as well. I feel that it helps you boost your self-confidence, know that you're keeping a promise you had with yourself. I hope you all have a wonderful new year!

~Katie

Cassi's 2015 New Years' Resolutions

2015-01-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

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I make goals at the beginning of every month and usually post them here. It's so much more encouraging because if I don't accomplish my goals I have to admit it here. With that in mind, I'll be giving a resolution update with my goals post.

I've also noticed how easy it is to make a bunch of goals and then do nothing to accomplish them. So, along with each goal and resolution, I'll be creating a mini "plan of action" so I can achieve it.

On to my resolutions. . .

1. Get rid of the negative- end toxic relations and don't do things I don't enjoy or associate with people I don't like.

I'll stop doing stuff because I think it will impress people or make them like me and I'll continue to do things I enjoy, even if it isn't "cool". Then I'll surround myself with people whose company I enjoy.

2. Write more letters- I really enjoy sending and receiving mail, especially when it isn't college packets.

I'll keep writing to my current pen pals and hopefully find more. I won't write with an expectation to get something back. I will also start sending out thank you notes for Christmas presents, birthday presents, and just small things people do for me.

3. Keep up with this blog- I love blogging, but lately I've been putting it last.

I will keep a bunch of posts scheduled so I don't have to worry if I don't have time one day. This will also help with my motivation because once I miss a day I tend to just give up for the month which is a bad attitude to have about it. I will still make sure I value quality over quantity.

4. Improve at dance- I'd love to be in all the highest levels by the time I'm a senior.

I won't miss classes for no reason and when I'm at class I'll focus and work my ass off. After class, I will write down any corrections I received and make sure I think about them before my next class so I won't have to get a correction multiple times.

That's all. Four isn't too bad, right? Now we'll see how well I do.

Happy New Year!

Cassandra

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2014 in Pictures

2015-01-01T10:04:00.000-06:00

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January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Book Review: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

2014-11-24T10:29:00.003-06:00

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All Fall Down by Ally Carter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

All Fall Down is the first novel in Ally Carter's new series Embassy Row. It comes out January 27th.

All Fall Down focuses on Grace, a 16 year-old Army brat who always finds trouble. When she was 13, her mother died. Everyone insists it was an accident, but Grace knows what she saw. When she returns to Embassy Row after 3 years, she is overwhelmed with memories of the past. At the ball Grace see a man she know to be her mother's killer and decides to have her friends help her track down the man, since no adults will help.

This novel really wasn't at all what I was expecting. I tend to enjoy novels with unreliable narrators. (One of my favorites being Ketchup Clouds) However, this one was kind of weird. I really didn't like Grace and I think that kept me from liking the story more.

It was also very strange to me how obsessed Grace still was over her mother's death. It had been 3 years, I'm not expecting her to have forgotten about it, but in the novel it's as if no time has passed. I would think she would have started to calm down and understand some of it. When she's at the US Embassy, it bothers me greatly that she hasn't THROWN OUT HER MOTHER'S TOOTH BRUSH. It's been 3 years. What is she going to do with it?

At some points, the novel was really confusing. The setting wasn't always completely described and sometimes events just occurred without any explanation whatsoever. Generally what was happening could be figured out by inferring, though.

Grace didn't really act 16 and her acquaintances all acted younger than they were described as well. I think it would have been better if they were described as younger, even if nothing else was changed.

Overall, I did enjoy the novel and did not expect the ending. This would definitely be better for more in the 12-13 age range, though.

-Cassi

View all my reviews

5 Reasons You Should Have Another Piece of Pie

2014-11-18T09:26:00.000-06:00

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Pumpkin pie is probably the second thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word Thanksgiving. It is the best part of Thanksgiving dinner, though, am I right?

Tragically, some people limit themselves to one piece. I can't even imagine what this must be like. Sure, it's dessert, but it's also extremely good for you!

So, in honor of the upcoming holiday, here are some of the health benefits of pumpkin.

+ Pumpkin is loaded with carotenoids, including beta carotene, which our body converts to vitamin A.

+ Carrots aren't the only orange food that helps your eyes. Pumpkins also contain lutein and zeaxanthin which are good for your eyes!

+ Pumpkin is rich in Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.

+ 1 cup of pumpkin contains only 49 calories- around 2.5% of your recommended daily intake!

+ 1 cup of pumpkin also has only 2 mg of sodium and <1 g each of saturated fat, polyunsaturate fat, and monounsaturated fat.

I'm sure even pumpkin pie can get boring after eating it for a while, but there are many other ways to incorporate pumpkin into your diet. Some of my favorite recipes include

+Pumpkin Apple Bread

+Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

+Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili

So, enjoy your leftovers, sometimes they're healthier than you think.

-Cassi

Sources x x x

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, nor do I claim to be. For more information regarding the nutrition of certain type of foods please talk to your doctor.

Celebrity Representation in the Media

2014-11-15T12:53:00.001-06:00

Children and teenagers are extremely impressionable. Celebrities are always shown in the news, magazines, and in other media. Their work acting, singing, and modeling tends to be the main focus of this media. However, these are often not the only activities celebrities do. The media has the opportunity to filter the content adolescents see. Maybe they should be showing more of the humanitarian side of celebrities instead of the glamorized one.

Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) was a widely known actress of her time and is now a household name. Between 1948 and 1989 she starred in nearly thirty films. Though she's mainly remembered as a film icon, she did so much more with her life than act in movies. Maybe the media has been focusing on the wrong thing.

Source

Hepburn dreamed of becoming a prima ballerina when she was a child. The war made her dream physically impossible, but not before she was able to raise money for the Dutch Resistance by secretly dancing for groups of people. She also gave ballet lessons to refugee girls in her grandfather's house.

Source

In her later years, Audrey Hepburn served as a UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador. For five years, starting in 1988, Hepburn traveled to more than twenty countries. According to Madeline Eisner, who was on a mission with her, "She insisted on seeing the worst of the worst." On her mission in Somalia, Audrey witnessed countless innocent children struggling for survival. According to Audrey, "Every child has the right to health, to tenderness, to life." Most of the children she met did not have any of these, though. These gruesome truths were reported to world leaders, governments, and international media. The time Hepburn spent with UNICEF inspired many to reach out and work to improve the lives of children all over the world.

Audrey Hepburn won around eighty awards throughout her lifetime as well as posthumously. The number of awards given for being a humanitarian only total around twenty. Her work for UNICEF caused far more of an impact on the world than her acting, but she was not as recognized for it.

Source

What does this say for celebrities today? Many will be idolized for acting in films, modeling in magazines, or singing on the radio. While people who spend countless hours of their time helping others go unrecognized. Children and teenagers are very impressionable and people in the media have the largest opportunity to leave that impression. Seeing Audrey Hepburn star in Breakfast at Tiffany's may inspire a child to take up acting. However, seeing Hepburn idolized in the news for being a UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador may inspire the same child to make a difference in their world. Which would you rather see today's youth doing?

Cardillo, Margaret, and Julia Denos. Just Being Audrey. New York: Balzer Bray, 2011. Print.

Giles, David C., and John Maltby. "The role of media figures in adolescent development: Relations between autonomy, attachment, and interest in celebrities." Personality and individual differences 36.4 (2004): 813-822.

"Life & Career." Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2014. <http://www.audreyhepburn.com/>.

Spoto, Donald. Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn. New York: Harmony, 2006. Print.

Book Review: Atlantia by Ally Condie

2014-11-10T08:23:00.001-06:00

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Atlantia by Ally Condie

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Wow. I was just really disappointed with this book. The Matched trilogy has never been one of my favorites, but it was at least decent.

Rio, a siren, lives in a society where the people are separated, Above and Below. Children get to choose if they want to stay Below or go Above at a ceremony. Rio knows all here life leading up to the ceremony that she NEEDS to go above. However, when her mother dies of a mysterious and unknown cause, Rio's sister, Bay, begs her to stay Below and keep her company. When the ceremony comes, Rio holds her end of the deal and chooses Below, while Bay chooses Above, something no one expected. Rio now has to go Above and figure out why Bay made the decision she did, though getting there proves to be tougher than she expects.

I think the concept here was excellent and Condie built an amazing dystopian society. However, the end was far too rushed. I'm still not really sure how they solved everything- it all happened in about three pages. I think the book definitely could have been longer in order to finish the plot.

Then there's Rio and True's relationship. Why? I just don't understand. I feel there was absolutely zero need to bring them from platonic to romantic. The parts where the relationship is emphasized were just boring and provided no plot development. Plus, if Rio was interested in being in a romantic relationship with True, you would think she would have talked about it at some point, but she doesn't. I think True and Rio had an excellent platonic relationship that was most definitely fine as it was.

I think the hardcover version of this book is absolutely gorgeous, though. The inside has a pretty black/ silver paper and all the teal is beautiful. I would want to own it if I didn't dislike the actual content so much.

Cassi

November Goals

2014-11-03T08:42:00.000-06:00

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November is a month that seems to be full of huge goals. National Novel Writing Month, No-Shave November, No-Spend November, etc. I just don't understand it. November is probably one of the busiest months of the year for me, with Thanksgiving and getting ready for Winter holidays I don't have time to commit to such a large goal. So, I'm going to keep my goals small and obtainable for this month.

+Hit 2,000 views for the month. With not posting much in the past few months, our views have been pretty low. I'm hoping that we'll get back on track this month.

+Post at least 15 times. This goes with my first goal. I've not had a bunch of time to post, but it helps if I schedule posts in advance, so that's what I'll be doing.

+Drink more water. This is honestly just a constant goal for me. I find that I never drink enough water and I think it has been leading to all the headaches I've been getting recently.

+Stop starting so many books and finish them already. I swear to you I'm in the middle of just about 20 books. It's ridiculous.

That's it. Not too outrageous, right?

-Cassi

October 2014 Recap

2014-11-02T12:37:00.002-06:00

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-Cassi