|
|
|
|
My Little Boy in India
Tags:
Campaign: Helping Hands Charity Challenge
Added: 8/14/2008 4:15 PM PT
Last Modified: 8/15/2008 12:24 PM PT
|
|
|
|
This is Thanggoujoy Hangmi from India. He's 5 years old (will be 6 in December) and I started sponsoring him in February this year. The picture is blurry but the card says "Get to know your sponsored child" at the top, and then beside his picture is his name, birthday, country and some other details. Below the picture is a few paragraphs on his situation and how my monthly sponsorship will help him.
I was encouraged to sponsor a child at a Casting Crowns concert that I went to. The lead singer, Mark Hall, showed the audience some videos of children living in less than desirable conditions and it touched my heart to see all that sponsoring people have done for these children. The stories I've read of children who grew up on sponsorship and want to become doctors so they can help to wipe out diseases in their countries...It's amazing what our money can do to save their lives and inspire them to change their world. For example, I give $30 a month to sponsor Thanggoujoy and that provides clean water, regular medical check-ups, and training to help his parents improve their quality of life, nd it will allow Thanggoujoy to go to school instead of working to help support his family. So the aim is not to have people living off your money, but to get them to a state of independence.
The charity that I sponsor through is World Vision. They have people in countries all over the world, helping people and providing disaster relief, like with the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China this year. If I won this campaign, the money would totally go towards World Vision. I'd love to sponsor more children in other countries but as a college student with no job at the moment, that's kinda out of the question :) But if you feel inspired to sponsor a child too, you can visit worldvision.org and read the numerous stories of how this organization has helped these children, and get on track to sponsoring one of your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
My crazy spring break
Tags:
Campaign: Spring Break Blow Out
Added: 6/23/2008 4:59 PM PT
Last Modified: 6/23/2008 4:59 PM PT
|
|
|
|
Although it was months ago, I can remember spring break like it was yesterday.
I was sooooo excited. A whole week of sleeping in and watching TV and possibly hanging out with friends. Halfway through the spring semester of college, I was already worn out, and just wanted to relax.
The first day, Sunday, was spent at the beach with a few friends. That started out nice (even though the water was cold) but a few hours into it, my friend accidentally threw a rock that hit me square in the head. I was too busy collecting shells to notice that she was throwing it to her boyfriend, and so by the time she yelled "LOOK OUT!!" it was too late. That has got to be the most painnful thing ever. Of course, I got a lump as big as a golf ball right behind my ear, so we decided to leave. Unfortunately, we parked in a no-parking zone (in order to bring everything back to the car) and so a police officer drove up, ready and willing to give us a ticket. When we explained what happened to me, he insisted that we call the paramedics so they could check me out and give me an icepack. After a while I gave in. Soon enough, a fire truck came driving down the road with sirens blaring. I was soooooo embarrassed.
During the week, I went shopping and on my first date, but my spring break had to end similar to how it started.
On Friday, a friend from school asked me to sleepover and we would go to the movies that night. My family and I are clean by nature, so imagine my surprise when I got to her house and realized that it was a complete mess! I was horrified, but I told myself to stick it out, because I had begged my mother to let me go. As if that wasn't enough, a few hours later, she said to me, "Don't tell anyone, but I had lice. And I just got rid of it."
I could have screamed and ran out right then! I never had lice, and I didn't intend to change that then. However, I couldn't think of a way to get out of the situation without hurting her feelings, so I slept in an armchair, and asked her to take me home early the next morning.
I still can't believe how well I kept my cool that weekend. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my spring break. The stories I came away with certainly made my life a little bit more interesting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Things that make me go hmmm...
Tags: conversationalist
Campaign: Casting Call For Conversationalists
Added: 6/25/2007 4:41 PM PT
Last Modified: 7/17/2007 11:35 AM PT
|
|
|
|
So here's the thing, I don't know which is worse -- FAKE TANNING (Tanning beds specifically):
 
or SKIN BLEACHING :
 
They have got to be the worst things one could do to one's skin. I wish I could post pictures of what 'bleachers' in Jamaica really look like, but I couldn't find any. Guys and Girls alike bleach their skin, in the quest of looking like a 'browning' (colloquial term for someone who is light-skinned, like me, for example). What they really end up looking like is something straight out of your worst nightmares. They get this really blotchy colour (like MJ in the above picture) and they get stretch marks in places you'd never dream of...not to mention the ACNE!
Tanning beds use UVA and UVB rays to create a cosmetic tan. What some people don't know is that they can get skin cancer from this and speed up ageing (wrinkles, saggy skin and brown spots). UVB rays also cause burning. Oh, and the WHO does not endorse the use of UV tanning devices for cosmetic reasons because of several adverse effects on human health. Another thing I found out is that if the surface of the bed isn't cleaned properly, then it can become a vector for pubic lice (aka crabs)
Well, what are your thoughts? I think we should just be happy and accepting of the way God made us. Don't hesitate to leave a question, comment or just a simple review. I'd really appreciate it! And I'm sure it would make for great conversation =)
|
|
|
|
|
|
I Love Lily Allen
Tags:
Campaign: none
Added: 6/25/2007 8:50 PM PT
Last Modified: 6/26/2007 6:36 AM PT
|
|
|
|
If I could meet any singer at all, I'd definitely choose Lily Allen. I'm not quite sure what exactly it is about her that I love. Maybe it's her outgoing personality, her 'way with words', the fact that she's not afraid to say anything, or maybe it's her sense of style. Anyone who can put on a 50s dress and pumps (seemingly everyday) and look GREAT is definitely someone to admire.
Maybe it's not just about the clothes, it's more about the confidence. Maybe I'm in awe of the fact that she's not afraid to be different and say 'screw society!'.
On another note, I've never heard any singer who can use the weirdest music (for example, the beat behind 'Alfie') and make such cool songs. Most singers nowadays are all beat and no lyrics, but she has the lyrics. The lyrics that will make you gasp and think 'I can't believe she said that!' and the ones that let you know she's a natural at this.
I know there has been a ton of controversy surrounding her, but somehow she still manages to have a ton of people that like her. I'd like to find out (from her point of view) how she got to where she is now, all the struggles and setbacks along the way, her attitude towards those setbacks, and her goals for the future.
  
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sweet sixteen.....or not
Tags: high heel monologues
Campaign: High Heel Monologues
Added: 5/14/2007 1:06 PM PT
Last Modified: 6/12/2007 9:07 AM PT
|
|
|
|
Ok so it was my sixteenth birthday and I was DETERMINED to have a party, no matter how small or low-budget it would be. However, there was a catch: I had to plan everything and buy all the stuff that I'd need, with a little help from my friends.
The party was to be on a Saturday, and so I decided to go shopping the day before, Friday. A friend and I met in town and we began the trek throughout town stopping in stores and supermarkets to see if they had what I wanted. I had worn a pair of my mum's wedges because they matched the top I wanted to wear. As you probably already guessed, THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE.Surprisingly, it rained. It was a surprise because this was during our dry season: December. And it not only rained, it poured! However, as I said before, I was determined, so we whipped out the umbrella and continued shopping. When we were done, we had ended up all the way downtown and my feet were slipping around in my shoes, which were soaked. Naturally, my feet hurt like hell. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a taxi to take us back up town! So we walked for almost a MILE, while it was raining cats and dogs, and me in my mum's wedges. When I finally got a taxi and got home, I slipped off the shoes carefully cuz my feet were so sore, and lo and behold, I saw something I'd never seen before in my life: two huge blisters on my pinkies! I'd never seen blisters so big, much less on my toes. And man did they hurt! Like any other curious person, I soaked my feet in water and tried to burst them with a pin, but that didn't help one bit.
I had to wear really comfortable shoes at my party the next day (read: flip-flops). I certainly learnt my lesson, but I love high heels anyway!
The shoes I wore looked something like this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Perfect Pair of Jeans
Tags: Metropark
Campaign: Metropark - Virtual Shopping Trip!
Added: 3/13/2007 5:05 PM PT
Last Modified: 3/23/2007 9:11 PM PT
|
|
|
|
Ok, imagine going through life for 17 years without EVER finding a pair of jeans that FIT. If you can't do that, then you can't imagine my life. I've never had a good pair of jeans. In my early teen years, I had to wear jumper dresses (that totally killed any possibility of my having an idea of what was actually fashionable), and now I wear skirts, dresses and capris. Sometimes skirts don't fit the way they should. You might be wondering why nothing fits. Well apparently I'm too tall and slim. So if it fits at the waist, it's way too short. And if the length is right, then it's too big in the waist. Maybe I haven't found the perfect pair of jeans because of where I live (Jamaica). As a matter of fact, people don't need to wear jeans here, it never gets cold (the coldest weather I've felt is somewhere in the low 70's). But I'll be going to college in the US this fall, and I don't mean Florida, I mean Vermont or Minnesota. Can you imagine St. Paul in the fall without a pair of jeans??
Anyway, I've found the most perfect jeans on the metropark website. I knew once I saw it that this was definitely for me.
Doesn't it look perfect?? I can tell by the way it fits this mannequin's waist that it'll fit mine....
And by the length that it'll be long enough for me!
And the hearts on the back pockects just fit my personality well. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I'm a really loving person who's always smiling.
So here you have a chance to give someone something that you (most likely) already have, and it won't cost you a dime!! All you'll have to do is click 'vote'. That's all! I'll be more appreciative than you could ever imagine...so what are you waiting for?
UPDATE:
Today was jeans day at school (in Jamaica we wear uniforms to school so a jeans day is a big thing). They had a lot of rules for it pertaining to what kind of shirts you could wear and all that and what kind of jeans you could wear. In the end, I couldn't dress up because I don't have a pair of jeans and capris/knickers aren't allowed! It's my second and last jeans day and I couldn't dress up. The first was when i started high school and that was the other extreme (jumper dress) so I've never had a good jeans day. Unfair, right?
|
|
|
|