Math Help

The dreaded subject I have tried to avoid my whole life: Math. Whether it be algebra, geometry, precalculus, or whatever, I have just absolutely hated every minute of it. I am a very artsy minded person and paint and English lit come MUCH more easily to me. Because of this I have had to have quite a bit of extra help over the years. Here's what I have used to help me get through the evil subject of Math in school.

IXL

This is a great website for practicing what you already know and teaching you as you go. For limited use it's free, but if you want to get the most out of it and really get some work done it does cost about $9.95 a month or $75 a year. It's one of the few math programs I enjoyed (just don't tell my mom that or she'll try to make me use it again). It offers Preschool through 8th grade math as well as Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, and Precalculus.

WolframAlpha

To call this a calculator is an understatement, because it does so much more. When it comes to quickly finding an answer to a problem or question you have there really is no better website. This website has been an absolute lifeline for me when I had 100+ problems to get through and limited. It doesn't teach exactly, but it can give you the information you need to answer a problem.

Khan Academy

No this isn't about the villain from Star Trek! It's a YouTube channel centered around teaching people how to do math. If you learn best from listening or watching someone do a problem this would work best for you. Just look for the video of the specific type of problem you need to learn, and press play.

Good Luck!

Online Dating

I have experimented with online dating a couple times, and to be honest I'm not that impressed. Then again, I'm not very serious about dating right now. I've tried Tinder, OKCupid, Zoosk, and a couple others. I've met a lot of creeps on sites like this, but I've also met some pretty cool people that I'm still friends with today. You can use apps like this to find love, lust, or just friendship. Hopefully this review will help you choose which one is best for you!

Tinder: Great for if you want to hook up. Basically, it's the one night stand app. I'm sure there are people on here genuinely looking for something more serious but it's rare.

OkCupid: If you're looking for a potential date and possibly a relationship, this one would work best. I like the layout, it's easy to use, and it's easy to find someone who matches what you want in a partner. I mean, all dating sites can be used to find hook ups, but this one is better for long term.

Zoosk: I hate this app. Hate it with a fiery passion. It's difficult to use, the options are limited, and the layout is horrible. Also the people who use this app are just....not great candidates. And another thing, it does not have the option for bisexual. This is just annoying. Did I mention I hate it?

Badoo: It was just ok. Nothing special, and very superficial.

I know there are other apps out there that might be better than the ones I reviewed, but these were the ones I spent the most time on. Good luck!

November Favorites

I don't know if you guys get snow where you live, but we've already had some and it is beautiful! It's the only thing that makes these freezing temperatures worth it. I should probably move to California though because when it gets this cold I tend to want to go into hibernation EVERY DAY. Here are some things I loved in November to help get me through the coming cold.

FOOD/DRINK

I got this as a Christmas present from my mother and I use it every day. It's pretty great because I don't freeze my hands off or burn them when I'm holding it. When it's closed it pretty much impossible to spill and that's really good for when you're as clumsy as me. The only thing I don't like about it is that because of it's design, it does usually have A LOT of finger prints on it. This doesn't bother me, but if you like your drink ware to always look spotless then I would suggest getting something else. It cost about $19.95 which is a little pricey, but that's how Starbucks works.

HOUSEHOLD

This wall heater has been an absolute miracle. Since my bedroom is in the basement, it gets very very cold. For awhile I had an oil heater but I am a very light sleeper and those clicking noises drove me nuts. It also took up a lot of room which was bad because I stubbed my toe on that thing at least 50 times. So I bought this wall heater from Home Depot for about $50 and it has been worth every penny. It's currently attached to the wall underneath my desk and my frozen feet are slowly thawing out as I write this. It works best for a small room where you can keep the door closed, and in that way it warms up the whole room. The surface does get quite hot, but that's a good thing because it means it's working. I definitely recommend getting one of these for those cold winter months.

ENTERTAINMENT

I tried watching Arrow in 2012 when it first came out but I just got busy and couldn't seem to get hooked. Then I started watching it again in November because a friend of mine who is obsessed with it finally convinced me to try it again. I must have been crazy before because this show is really good! If you like the whole Superhero Vs. Villain story line than this show is for you. There are two full seasons currently out and the third is halfway done with new episodes every week. It has everything: action, mystery, romance, fight scenes, fun villains, and of course very attractive actors/actresses.

The 100

This TV show is fairly new, having started in March of 2014. I just started watching it about a week ago and OF COURSE I binge-watched the crap out of it so I'm already caught up haha. The story line is set in the future, after humans have so destroyed the earth that they have to live on a spaceship called the Ark. However, their oxygen supply is dwindling and they have to find a way to save themselves. They send down 100 prisoners, children and teens, to see if the Earth is inhabitable. Not only are they able to survive there, but they are not alone. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it at that. It is quite intense as far as violence, but it's not gory exactly. There are also a few sex scenes but they don't actually show anything too graphic. As the show progresses it does get more intense, so I mean I wouldn't watch it with my grandmother or anything. Unless your grandma is super chill and is like, "Bring it on!"

I rate this show: Love It

First Tattoo

Today I did something I've wanted to do for a very long time. I got a tattoo! Through the years what I wanted to get has changed, but I've always known I wanted art on my skin. Since I just turned 18, my best friend Rebecca paid for me to get my first one. We decided that we wanted to get matching ones because we have been through so much together. The design I got was very small and tame compared to most tattoos, but it does have a lot of meaning for me.

It is just a small arrow (probably about 3-4 inches long) with the Greek word for "love" (αγάπη) above the arrow, and the Greek word "wisdom" (σοφία) below it.

My full name is Shannon, which is Irish for Wise River. Originally it was for the Irish Goddess Sionna, which means "possessor of wisdom." Not only that, but I also love Greek mythology, and the goddess I always loved best was Athena. Athena just so happens to be the Greek goddess of wisdom, which I found out after learning my name meaning. So it was a happy coincidence! While Rebecca's name doesn't mean love, she does have a terrible need to give and receive love. Because of that, as well as the fact that she is gorgeous, she most identifies with the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

The actual event itself really only took about 20 minutes. Which is crazy to think about since I'm going to have this until the day I die (unless my arm gets cut off, fingers crossed it doesn't). People always used to tell me, "Oh man that's going to hurt so bad!!" and "You're going to regret that later!" but honestly, neither are true. I'm very happy with how it turned out, and it didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. It was kind of like getting bit by an ant or something.

If you are thinking about getting a tattoo, and not sure if you should, here's your sign! If you want it to have meaning, then sit down and really think about the design you want and sort out all the kinks (like color, placement, size). Or, maybe you just want one that looks cool and you're feeling impulsive.

I went to Under The Needle in Seattle and I was pretty pleased with the experience. If you are like me, and have led a somewhat sheltered life, it can be a little intimidating when you first walk in. But the people there were all very nice and willing to work with me to get my tattoo exactly how I wanted it. So don't be afraid to take as long as you need to work with the artist until you feel like the design is perfect. Their address is 2118 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121. They do accept walk-ins, and take cash or card.

No7 Dual Action Tinted Moisturiser

I am starting to realize that I shop at Target A LOT, haha! Not surprisingly, I bought this product at Target too! I also went to Chipotle and had an amazing burrito, despite the weird couple next to me getting in a fight because he never listens (he forgot to get extra guacamole). I'm getting off topic! ok! So, this tinted moisturiser has been very good for me, because I do tend to keep my makeup more natural and soft looking. It won't be perfect for everyone, but for the look I'm going for it is! It is very sheer, but has pretty good coverage. I also don't need a lot of it for it to look nice, so it'll last me ages. It does have SPF 15, which I don't really care one way or the other about, but I thought I'd mention it in case you guys care about that in your makeup. Since my skin is a bit sensitive, I have to be careful about what I use on it. This tinted moisturiser hasn't left my skin feeling irritated or made it break out,  which makes sense since it is Hypo-allergenic. The only thing I would say is, is that if you do have skin that is quite blemished or you need something that will even out your skin tone, maybe go with something more heavy duty as it is very sheer.

I rate this product: Love It!

e.l.f Makeup Brushes

I got these brushes individually from Target (you can by it as a set on the actual e.l.f website) for a really good price. There were more options available, but I only needed these ones: Total Face Brush, Bronzing Brush, Defining Eye Brush, Blending Eye Brush, and the Foundation Brush. I ended up not using the Foundation brush because the foundation I use (No7 Dual Action Tinted Moisturiser) is so lightweight and easy to apply that I don't really need to use an applicator, I just use my hands. I have really loved all of these brushes for one simple reason: no hairs fall out!! Occasionally, there will be one or two, but that's because I use them SO MUCH, but at least I never have to worry about stupid little hairs all over my face tickling my nose. They are also pretty soft and don't irritate my skin so that's an added bonus. I bought all of these brushes for a total of $5.00, which is a pretty good deal in my opinion. Especially since I am usually pretty broke, haha! I would definitely recommend these brushes to someone looking for low cost, high quality makeup brushes.

I rate this product: Love It!

October Favorites

October has just absolutely flown by, and I can’t believe its November already!! I always get really into whatever holiday is coming up, so naturally I went all out for Halloween. I decorated with orange lights, black curtains, and plastic pumpkins everywhere. I made a Halloween Playlist on Spotify to set the mood while I made spooky recipes and tried (unsuccessfully) not to eat the trick-or-treater’s candy.

ENTERTAINMENT

For this category I picked two things, because I felt like not all people enjoy especially scary things so I picked one that was family friendly and one that was more intense. I picked The Nightmare before Christmas because it’s a Halloween classic and family friendly! It’s a musical movie by Tim Burton and it’s just fun and spooky without being actually scary. My other choice is much more intense. American Horror Story:Freak Show is so far amazing! I don’t usually care for horror movies/shows, but the characters are so well written and the stories so heartbreaking, that I've gotten sucked in. It is quite a bit graphic, so if you don't like that kind of thing I recommend not watching it and sticking to things like Hocus Pocus (another good movie). Both of these are perfect for curling up on the couch with your (or maybe the candy you taxed from your kids, haha) Halloween treats.

WEBSITE

This website, called Pinterest, is my go-to for quotes, fashion, and food ideas. It’s amazing for finding specific things you need or for idea hunting. It’s way too easy to end up spending hours on here, so beware! It has everything from humor, fashion, food, and cute animals. It’s even free! So anybody can use it, which I definitely recommend doing.

FOOD

This Panda Express Sweet Fire Chicken Recipe turned out absolutely AMAZING!!! Even though it took quite a bit of time to make, and was a bit messy as well, it was definitely worth it. I will say that if you are sensitive to spicy foods, it does have the tiniest bit of bite. This would be perfect for if you're having a friend or two over and it also makes delicious left-overs. I probably wont make it again soon because it does take quite a bit of prep (and clean up), but it was worth the effort.