I CUT MY HAIR

Short hair seems to be a trend lately. Besides the streets of Hollywood, girls in my school are chopping off their hair as well. I've been planning on cutting my hair for a long time but no I won't try and call myself a "hipster" because the trend has lasted for all of 2014.

The last time I got my hair cut was in August but I barely did anything to it because I wanted to keep my hair long. As almost all of you know I have curly hair; but, my hair had become too weighed down and long to have any curl. The reason I didn't cut my hair for so long was because I wanted to have it long enough it donate. I mean if I had it that long before I wanted it to go to good use.


My hair in August
I had done my hair the same way each time for homecoming so this year I decided to straighten it. This photo was taken in late September.
This shows just how long my hair had gotten
I was able to donate 7 inches of my hair to "Children With Hair Loss". They provide wigs with no cost to the patient. The wigs go to children who have cancer, Alopecia, Trichotillomania, burns, and other disorders/diseases.


Even if your hair isn't long enough to donate you can always give money to help support the cause. CWHL has never charged a patient for a wig which is incredible because many other organizations that make wigs make patients pay for them.

Until next time,
Taylor xx

Top 14 Books of 2014

I read 61 books in 2014, the most I have read in a while. Throughout the year I noted the books that made the biggest impact on me as well as the books that I enjoyed the most.

These books are in no particular order, if anything it's chronologically how I read them.

1. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
    I enjoyed this book because it was my first time in which I read about PTSD and its affects on a family.

2. Pushing the Limits series by Katie McGarry
    Katie McGarry has become my favorite author. All of her books are extremely well written and involve characters that go beyond many stereotypes. I loved the first book so much that it made me carry on with the series, and I fell in love with the characters more each time I read them. I have read 3/4 of the books in the series so far. The themes of her books have some pretty tough topics laced in them just as a forewarning.
3. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick 
    I loved this book so much because it was realistic. The characters had (and acknowledged) their flaws. I also liked that it was a family book. So many times in contemporary novels the parents barely exist or never even appear. It was nice to see a book involving families, even through their issues.The one negative I had to it was it was extremely drawn out and did not need to be as long as it was.  
4. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
    I wanted to be a DJ after reading this book so badly. Again, the protagonist's problems were realistic and therefore made it more enjoyable to read because it was relatable. It's hard to feel accepted especially when you're a loner. I really, really enjoyed this book because it was unique and the situations weren't handled in cliche ways.
5. Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
    One of the most inspiring books that I have read. I have a little bit of wander love and I'm fascinated by travel. This autobiography tells the story of a high school graduate who goes the unconventional route of "after high school" and moves to Uganda and ends up adopting 13 little girls. She is the ultimate role model, even though the people back in the United States may have doubted her, she had faith in God that everything would work out accordingly.
6. Dead Girls Don't Lie by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
    Jaycee and Rachel used to be best friends, but slowly over time Rachel shut Jaycee out. When Rachel goes missing and is found dead, gangs are to blame. However, Jaycee finds a slew of clues that make her believe much worse was going on and makes her doubt who she can trust. This was a truly thrilling book that had me on my feet the entire time.
7. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout 
    This again was a thriller book about best friends, one died and the other has seemingly lost her memory. As she slowly starts to gain her memories back she realizes how mean of a person she was in the past. She's trying to change her ways all the while wanting to try to save the missing girl; however, not remembering could be the only reason her best friend is still out there. I enjoyed this book so, so, SO much. I had no idea whatsoever that the murderer was who it was. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries and thrillers, more so than Dead Girls Don't Lie.
8. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
    This is the second book in the If I Stay duology and I think I liked it better than the first. It was intriguing, heartbreaking, but most of all it showed a coming of age. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil the first book.
    
9. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
    I loved this book so much because I love traveling and dream of the day where I can pick up and just go wherever I want. I'm a rule follower but this book showed me what can happen if you just go with your intuition every once and a while. This book is filled with adventure, romance, and self-discovery. 

10. Stolen by Lucy Christopher
      This is one of the most psychological books I have read despite it being in a very easy to read format, it's also fiction. It's intriguing because it's written in a letter from the victim to her captor, so you pretty much know the ending yet it's still very eery. As the story continues, Gemma, the girl who was kidnapped, starts to develop feelings toward her captor and the reader can see just how much he has brainwashed her into thinking a certain way. This is a very strange book but it's great none the less. If anything it's creepy because you read as she justifies for what her captor did because he always tried to make her feel as if he needed her.
11. Looking for Alaska by John Green
     Another self-discovery story about a boy going to seek a "Great Perhaps", and then getting tangled into a one sided romance with Alaska. Alaska is a complicated character, she wants to escape life while trying to make the most memories she can. This book is incredible because of it's honesty and it really makes the reader evaluate and reflect upon life.
12. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 
      I've heard some of her other books are better but I have only read this one and if this isn't her best that I cannot wait to read "her best". I did see the movie before the book so I knew what was coming but nonetheless I still really enjoyed this book and getting into all of the characters minds.
13. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
      Although it took me awhile to get into it, this story was absolutely stunning. I felt like I developed a relationship with some of the characters and understood their goals and ambitions. I strongly recommend this book.
14. Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan
      I don't read many books from a male protagonist's standpoint, however this book blew me out of the water. Despite it's sheer size, 532 pages, it is an extremely easy read. The story is told in an odd way especially for being a school hostage situation. Crash is deemed a hero for saving thousands of students from David Burnett's ("Burn") wrath. The media is pressing Crash to spill what Burn whispered to Crash as the siege ended. Although it's long, it's a different take on a serious situation.

Well that took a while! I hope you guys checked out the links if you were interested for more information on one of the books. I've had a great reading year and I hope I can keep it up in 2015. Leave me your book recommendations in the comments below so I can check them out.

Until next time,
Taylor xx

Results of my New Years Resolutions

Somewhere amongst February and November people forget their New Years Resolutions and then remember as another new year comes closer. I thought I would recap on what my resolutions were in December 2013 going into the 2014 year.

I'll create an entirely separate post of my resolutions for the new year.

If you want to read the post CLICK HERE

My first resolution was to grow my YouTube channel and blog, which I believe I have done. As of now I have 42 subscribers on YouTube and 7,066 total views on my blog.

My second resolution was to be more confident which, again, I believe I have done. Due to my increase in video making I have become more comfortable in front of the camera and speaking in general.

I did not accomplish my third resolution, to stop biting my nails. I did for around 2 months between September and October but then my nails got too long and started to break. Since when they started to break I have still picked at them and bite them. I'm not as bad as I once was but I didn't completely solve the problem. 

How were your New Years Resolutions?

Until next time,
Taylor xx

YouTube

As of today, December 22, 2014, I have been on YouTube for a year. Who I was when I started my channel and where I am now in my life really has shown me how big of an impact YouTube has had on me.

MY FIRST VIDEO EVER aka Fetus Taylor

YouTube has shaped me as a person in a variety of ways.

Vlogging was/is not the most comfortable thing for me to do. I vlogged my entire trip in Key West back in March, and I'm doing Vlogmas now. I've grown to be much more confident because of vlogging. I repeat the phrase "I'm so awkward" at least five times a day, but I'm at least putting myself out there.

I have uploaded a video every single week from December 22, 2013-December 22, 2014. My work ethic has definitely increased because YouTube is something I enjoy doing. I try to create videos every week that I would want to watch and that I hope my subscribers want to watch. 

That isn't to say that I haven't had my faults. I think it was late October into November when I highly considered quitting YouTube; I didn't think I enjoyed it anymore. However, I promised myself to stick with it until my one year anniversary and I am so glad I did because I have fell back in love with filming videos in December. 

I enjoy filming videos so much because I can create something that is entirely my own. Unlike most YouTubers, I actually like editing my videos. I take it as a challenge to cut down a 14 minute video to 7-8 minutes. 

I want to thank some people. Firstly my parents because they have supported me the entire time, even when I practically film every moment. I also want to thank my friends who also put up with me saying "I should vlog this" and supporting my channel. One of the biggest people I want to thank is someone I have never even met, Zoe Sugg. Zoe's "Just Say Yes" video was the reason that I started my blog and YouTube channel. I would have never grown to be the person I am today without Zoe's push to start something new and just say yes every once and awhile. The last people I want to thank are you guys. I want to thank every single person who has ever clicked on my YouTube channel or blog and has supported me throughout the entire year. You all mean the world to me.

Until next time,
Taylor xx

Smores Bars

Swim season is also the season of pasta parties. We usually have 1-2 pasta parties during the season and everyone brings a dish. You all know that I love baking, therefore I always bring a dessert. The swim girls are obsessed, and when I say obsessed I mean it, with my s'mores bars. They are super easy and quick to make, so if you need a last minute dish go for this.

Ingredients: 
8 c. Golden Grahams
5 c. mini marshmallows
1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/4 c. light corn syrup
5 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
remaining marshmallows

Directions:
1) Pour all of the Golden Grahams into a large bowl. Spray a 13x9 in. pan.

2) In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, corn syrup, and butter. Microwave for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, stirring every minute. Once melted and combined, stir in the vanilla. 


3) Quickly pour marshmallow mixture over the cereal and toss until completely coated. Press the mixture into the sprayed pan.

4) Sprinkle the extra marshmallows on top of the dessert.

Until next time,
Taylor xx

Why Abercrombie Isn't Popular- From A Teenager

As stated on the "Today Show", Abercrombie sales have dropped 12%. To me the problems they have encountered were begging to hit them from the start.

Let's start with this picture.
via www.vogue.co.uk
1) What is this really selling? I can answer it for you, image and sexiness. Is it selling the products, no. By stationing these attractive men outside the store, girls are going to ask for a picture and then continue on shopping elsewhere. I'm not saying put these guys in the stores so girls go in, I'm saying try a different marketing strategy beyond hot guys.


2) The infamous CEO Michael Jeffries. In 2006 he was interviewed by Salon magazine and one of the topics was sex appeal, to which he responded: 
      It’s almost everything. That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that."
He has since retracted his remarks saying they now market to everyone, and have released a plus size range. However, his comments will never disappear. He has offended a lot of people, and even if those people now fit the "plus size" demographic, why would they shop there if they aren't the skinny, cool image, Abercrombie wants to obtain?

3) The pricing. Now I understand pretty much every store has overpriced clothing. However, Abercrombie's "style" is really nonexistent. The products they have could be purchased for way cheaper somewhere else. Also, while searching on their website I looked for what they had available for that plus size group they are now targeting as they say. 
A flannel shirt costs $58, a similar American Eagle flannel costs $39.95. 
 When I clicked on the XL button for "tops" these were the only three shirts that showed up. What a great sense of variety, three shirts with ABERCROMBIE across them, how creative!
via: http://www.abercrombie.com/shop/us/
Now obviously I'm not a marketing expert but there are evident problems that Abercrombie and Fitch are ignoring. If they truly want to be a successful business, they need to make their products desirable, fresh, and new. Not the same old products teenagers have seen since middle school.

Until next time,
Taylor xx

Control

You all probably know what I'm going to say but... newspaper layout week happened and my life was consumed by newspaper. However, that was the last layout week until February so I have time to blog more. Another side note, I decided to do VLOGMAS this year, where I vlog every day up to Christmas. I will leave links down below so please, please, please go check them out because I put a lot of time/effort into vlogging every day. 

But onto the post. Today is just going to be me rambling, no pictures.
And if you want you can queue One Direction's song "No Control", as that is what I'm going to be talking about.

I've been driving since my birthday in July, so almost six months now. If you know me you know that I have a slight driving anxiety issue. Now don't get me wrong I love being able to drive myself to and from swimming, to school, and to church. However, I don't enjoy when someone is riding my butt the entire way to school on a very narrow, curvy road. 

Last week someone rear ended me because they weren't paying attention that me and a line of cars were stopped waiting for the person in the front of the line to turn. She just tapped my car, it's a huge 2002 Ford Explorer, and hit my hitch so there was no damage. However, that all could have been prevented if she would have been paying attention to driving.

When I first got my car

The bigger issue was one I realized as I swam during practice. Driving scares me because I have no control over what the other cars are doing. I could be obeying all of the rules but it only takes one person doing something wrong to ruin someone else's day or even the rest of their life.

I know I can't always be in control, really God is the one who is in control of all things, and I need to learn to stop trying to take control of every situation. I arrive safe and healthy at school every day (accept the one accident), I have the opportunity to attend school, and freely express myself, which a lot of people can't say. 

As much as I love trying to be in control, life is inevitable and struggles will come and go, I just have to work through them and appreciate them.

Until next time,
Taylor xx

VLOGMAS DAY 1/2
VLOGMAS DAY 3
VLOGMAS DAY 4