Still Going Strong -- Kind of

Hi all, I ran 19 minutes this morning since I didn't run yesterday... It was dark and cold outside at 7AM, but I ended up awake anyways! How are you guys doing? Still going strong? I think this challenge already ended for me, but my goal now is to run every weekend since school is again in the way of things. I will try and make time to go running. Keep up any good work!

Update -- 1mileaday

Hi guys. So, how is the challenge going? Are you all running 15 minutes or 1 mile a day? I must say, I have been slackin'. I am only running on weekends, and getting as much walking as I can on other days because the work load this year is heavier than I thought it would be. Well, this is an update and I hope we can all work hard, and especially MAKE TIME to run/walk everyday!

Challenge: A mile a day

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello all, I sincerely apologize for the lack of posts these weeks. I have been caught up with a lot of prepping for school. The new school year is about to begin on September 2. I wanted to do something that would keep me exercising daily, and help me maintain my goal to shape up this year. Recently, I have been waking up at 7:30 am and running around the neighborhood for 10-15 minutes and then 100 jumping jacks and stretching when I get home. The idea just popped into my mind as I was reading my Drivers Guide, that we shall do another challenge! How did the 21 day challenge go for you guys? Well, to be honest, on the second day I couldn’t contain my anger at my sister when she did something I cannot recall right now. I gave up on the challenge, just because I messed up on day 2, which I now realize it is fine! We are human anyways! Just start over. Now, my goal is for us to all try this 1-mile-a-day challenge—and actually do it this every day for 31 days! Basically, you must jog (ANY pace is fine) or walk 1 mile a day. Typically, 1 mile is a 10 minute run for the average person, and it could burn loads of fat in the long run, tone down your body, strengthen your health, better your focus, and increase your endorphins (happiness!) —just think, 31 miles! What do you think? I try to do update posts every few days or so to keep us on track and keep going. Let’s do it!

SEKRET by Lindsay Smith

SEKRET by Lindsay Smith

When I go to the library, I can almost never find a novel that I think would satisfy my emaciated brain. Browsing through the books at the library two days ago for an hour, I finally found a respectably interesting cover and a summary I did not know I probably craved so much before. (I trust my choice of also judging a book by its cover) The color scheme of the book’s cover was dark copper red, with aged paper background. Bringing it home that night was probably a major mistake because by the next day I finished all 345 pages of it. It was that good! The most delectable aspect of Sekret is the descriptions of the emotions and the settings, although the interwoven storyline was also savory. Let me give you the synopsis!

In 1960s Soviet Russia, seventeen-year-old Yulia who was struggling to keep her mother and brother alive is captured by the KGB to work on a team of teen psychic spies. Her attitude resembles that of Katniss’ from the Hunger Games: defiant, defendant, and strong headed. Not only does she struggle with who to trust, but is also caught between Sergei and Valentin, also two psychic spies with totally different personality and dreams. On top of that she has to run away from a notorious brain-scrubber—that just might turn out to be someone she loves dearly!

This book strangely relates a lot to The Hunger Games, except this time in the past. First, both Katniss from the Hunger Games, and Yulia both have a mother and a sibling they had to take care of. Both goes to the black market to trade. Both are in a love triangle. Both are captured and put through a challenge, revolving around life and death. Both does something game-changing. Although there are similarities, differences exists. Smith really writes the story fluidly, considering this is her first novel! and in a language that would not be like the sibling of the Hunger Games. It is totally different in a way that you will have to find out.

Since book is brand new, and I absolutely cannot wait for a second book (which I believe there will be, based on the major cliff-hanger)!

21 Day Challenge to Become a Better Human:

Hello guys!           

                                               

What is one thing that you want to accomplish desperately by the end of summer? Right after I took my last final the day school let out, I wanted to do nothing over the break but to relax and stop my—this is really sad—balding and deteriorating eye sight (from school-stress-- you know). Alas, hardly a week after I laid idly on the carpet (and sofa. And chair…) I decided to challenge myself, this time not for school purposes, but for my own development. To be honest, doing nothing feels so gross. I cannot find another word to suit that feeling. The more I lounged on the potato sofa, the more I felt like I was never going to get back up. Have you guys ever had that feeling before? Okay. So, I came up with some 9 challenges I thought would be beneficial to all of us. Here they are, listed in no particular order. I chose 21 days, because that is how many times you must do something before it becomes your habit! Ready to do this with me?

1.       Give back to nature (i.e.: Turn off the lights when you are not using it, unplug everything before bed, do you admit to not flushing the toilet after one use? Limit media time to 1 hour each day, walk around in the garden in the morning)

2.       Connection to people: (i.e.: Compliment people and let them know how much you appreciate them, use kind words only)

3.       Meditate (or spend time stretching or admire yourself in the mirror)

4.       Make the best use of your time every day (Please do get off the couch and do something. Just by forcing yourself to get up and actually doing what you want to be done makes you feel really eggs lent)

5.       Be happy (Do something that makes you feel…gooooooooood)

6.       Exercise (Go for a 30-60 minute walk every day, preferably before breakfast, or after dinner. Move around often if you cannot make time for exercise)

7.       Learn one new thing every day (non-textbook)

8.       Sleep at 10, wake up early (You will feel like a master)

9.       Drink a lot of water (You will fart a lot, which is actually eggs lent too)

Let’s see how this fares!

How to study!

How to study! (Wait—what?):

I have a problem. Since I am still a student in high school, I cannot say I cannot avoid studying. This seems a bit odd in my part. Although nobody should ever dislike studying, sometimes it is hard for me to actually find the point or see whether or not it makes me a better human. I am weird aren’t I! I find that I cannot ever effectively study! The reason, which I am beginning to realize, is that I do not enjoy what I do, and that it has no other purpose than to help me receive a good grade. Of course, there are other things to learn about in life, not just what is in the textbook. I wanted to find out what exactly can help me study well. Here I compiled a list of tips (some from somewhere I cannot recall) to help us effectively study:

•       Humility: Studying without a sense of humility is like pouring water over a stone, there’s no penetration. This means that we should not allow ourselves to be self-satisfied when we study. We learn more with a humble attitude, while satisfaction makes it difficult to hold onto anything.

•       Alertness: If you are not alert, you won’t be able to absorb the material in your textbooks. Then you won’t be able to apply it.

•       Perception: Lack of perception results in empty rationalizing. It has no practical use.

•       Application: When we study seriously, we must allow what we learn to affect us. We mull it over and reflect on it. By actually putting it into practice, we can truly obtain the benefits of studying.

Okay everybody that is all for today! Have a wonderful summer day, and whether you need these tips or not, please let me know what you think of them!