Neon Trees Concert!!

At Summerfest in July, I went to see one of my favorite bands, Neon Trees. In July, they were a popular alternative band, but now, they're a popular band with everyone, which kind of made me mad. I don't think they should be a mainstream band, but it is what it is. Anyways, I went to see them with my dad and my friend Rose. I was so excited to see them perform! After we got there and listened to the first couple of bands, we were waiting for the next band to get set up, and I saw the bass player walking around randomly. I was freaking out! So my friend and I went to talk to him, and he asked us if we wanted to MEET THE BAND!!! I could not believe it! So we got to go in this VIP area to wait in line with a few other people to meet the band. When it was our turn, I was ecstatic!! Neon Trees, the whole band, was standing right in front of me!! So then we got to talk, one by one, to each of the band members. They were all really nice and friendly. I made a shirt for the concert, and they all complimented me on it, and they also signed my poster and I got a picture with them. Afterwards, we got to hear them perform, and they were amazing! I will never forget that day!:)

                                                   Me and my friend with the band!!!

Playing Guitar Makes me Happy

Playing guitar is one of my favorite past time activities. I've taken guitar lessons for a couple of years now, but I'm teaching myself how to play on my own, now. I have an acoustic guitar and an electric, so I can either play acoustic or plug in my electric guitar to my amp and rock out! I have a whole binder full of songs I'm teaching myself to play. I always feel so accomplished once I've learned a new song. I usually print out the chords to a song, but figure out the strumming pattern by myself. Some songs I've learned are "Vanilla Twilight" by Owl City, "The Kill" by 30 Seconds to Mars, "I Will Follow You into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie, "Dammit" by Blink-182, "My Immortal" by Evanescence, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day, and a lot more. I'm pretty proud of my accomplishments. I recently, for the first time, played some of our worship songs on guitar at youth group, which went pretty well. I love playing guitar in my spare time and I always feel happy while playing it!

Halloween! My Favorite Day of the Year

Halloween is the best time of the year, in my opinion. Christmas is right up there with it, because I can spend time with my family and eat lots of Christmas treats. However, Halloween combines all of my favorite things together into one big day! First of all, I love anything scary. Halloween is the best time to watch a bunch of scary movies and to go through fun haunted houses. I still don't exactly love going through haunted houses yet, but I definitely love being in them! I was a part of the Haunted High at the middle school last year and I loved scaring and startling everyone. I like seeing all of the creepy decorations at people's houses, too. Plus, I love dressing up. Even though I never dress up in anything scary, I try to be creative with my costume. Another big reason I love Halloween is because I love candy!! There's one type of candy that I'm addicted to, though, and it really only comes out around Halloween: Candy corn!!! I absolutely love candy corn and could eat it all day, every day, for the rest of my life. It makes me sad when Halloween passes and all the candy corn is gone. The only kind of candy corn I like is the original candy corn, too. I don't like any of the other gourmet flavors besides the original candy corn. I feel like they're trying to make candy corn into something it's not, and it's wrong! Candy corn is perfect just the way it is!

I Love my Cats!



Sammy and me




Skippy



My friends say that I am a little obsessed with my cats, but I really think they're exaggerating. Sure, I love my cats a lot! They're like my own children. I scold them when they do something wrong, give them love and attention, and, as weird as it sounds, even talk to them sometimes, but then again, who doesn't talk to their pets? I have 3 cats: Skippy, Sammy, and Bailey. Skippy and Sammy are both tabby cats and Bailey is a Siamese. Bailey is such a sweetheart and he is such a pretty cat! He is so lovable, but his meow can get really obnoxious because it's really loud. Skippy is a huge spaz and likes to run around the house randomly, like he's being chased (but he's really not). He sleeps in the sink and drinks from his water bowl by scooping it up in his paws. We have intense face-offs sometimes, too, and I always end up winning because he always believes me when I pretend to be dead. Sammy is a little..bipolar sometimes. Sometimes he is really sweet and lovable, but the next second he starts whacking you with his claws. He's kind of a bully to the other cats, too. Well..actually they're all bullies to each other. Sammy sleeps in my room, so the cats don't go in there anymore, in fear of Sammy. When they get into fights, it gets ugly. None of them have ever gotten serious injuries, though, which is good. I don't care if my friends think I'm obsessed..I just love my cats!!



Bailey



Top 10 Best Albums Ever (In my Opinion)

I absolutely love music!!! It's hard for me to pick my favorite albums ever, but I'm going to do it anyway. So here they are:

10. Habits- Neon Trees

Neon Trees is one of the best bands ever, and they have their own really unique sound. They're a mix between alternative and punk. Their hit song "Animal" has been getting pretty popular lately, but besides that song, my favorite songs on the album are "Sins of my Youth" and "1983." The energy in these songs are so awesome, I can never get tired of Neon Trees!! 

9. Greatest Hits- The Ramones

I love this album because it's a whole compilation of some of the best Ramones songs ever written. The punk feel of this album makes it so great, and I love the Ramones style of music. The songs are very catchy, too. The best songs on this album are "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," "I Wanna Be Sedated," and of course, "Blitzkrieg Bop."

8. Appeal to Reason- Rise Against

Despite how much I like the other Rise Against albums, I would have to pick their album Appeal to Reason for the best. The songs on this album are so powerful and they have a very distinct sound, which I like. My favorite songs on this album are "Re-Education (Through Labor)" and "Savior."

7. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge- My Chemical Romance

As much as I love all of My Chemical Romance's music, I would have to go with their good old, first album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Their lyrics in this album were so clever I loved that whole rebellious vibe. This album was more of there darker/emo days, and it seemed like the albums that followed lost that edge a little more, which was what I liked about the album. My favorite songs on this album are "Helena" and "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)."

6. Ocean Eyes- Owl City

It's difficult to choose between either Ocean Eyes or Maybe I'm Dreaming, but my favorite song by Owl City is "Vanilla Twilight," and that's on the Ocean Eyes album, so I'd have to go with that one. I love Owl City's creative lyrics and fun sound. I could listen to Owl City all day and not get sick of one song. His songs always put me in a good mood!

5. We Stitch These Wounds- Black Veil Brides

Black Veil Brides has some really awesome songs on their album, like "We Stitch These Wounds," "The Mortician's Daughter," and "Sweet Blasphemy." The lyrics are pretty deep and emotional. Plus, the guitar solos are amazing!!

4. American Idiot- Green Day

Green Day is probably one of the best bands ever, and my favorite album of theirs would have to be American Idiot. I think the whole album is awesome, but if I had to pick my favorite songs, it would be "Jesus of Suburbia," "Wake me up when September Ends," and "Holiday." I love how most of the songs are fast and upbeat and really catchy, too.

3. Dying is your Latest Fashion- Escape the Fate

This is the only overall totally awesome album by Escape the Fate (because Craig Mabbit is the lead singer in the other albums, and Ronnie Radke is way better than Craig, as you can see in this album). The whole album rocks and I can honestly say that I can't pick favorites with it because all of the songs are equally good. Ronnie's voice sounds amazing in the songs and the guitar solos are awesome. Their lyrics have a lot of meaning and emotion in them, also, especially in "Not Good Enough for Truth in Cliche," "When I go out, I want to go out on a Chariot of Fire," and "My Apocalypse." The song "Friends and Alibis" is an uplifting song on their album, and also one of my favorites. This is what I mean about picking my favorite songs..they're all so good!!

2. Blink-182: Greatest Hits- Blink-182

I couldn't choose between any of the Blink-182 albums because there are lots of good songs on all of the albums, so I decided to pick a compilation of the best of their songs. I love both of the lead singers' voices because they're so unique and even though some people say that Blink-182 sounds like any other punk band, I think they have their own distinct sound, which I love. Their songs are very catchy and they all sound different. I definitely cannot pick any favorite songs on this album because all of them are good, so listen to it!!

And for number 1.....

1. This is War- 30 Seconds to Mars

I think that 30 Seconds to Mars is definitely one of the best bands ever. They're music always comes with a message and speaks out to people of all ages. They are all about standing together as a community and being free. 30 Seconds to Mars has some pretty powerful lyrics and songs, especially in this album. To hear them perform these songs at concerts is amazing! The best songs on this album (even though this is really hard to pick) are "This is War," "Kings and Queens," and "Closer to the Edge," only because I think they have the most powerful lyrics. 30 Seconds to Mars tries to portray messages to people through their music, and that is why I love this album.

Being a Vegetarian

Even though many people deny it, vegetarianism can be much healthier than eating meat, if you have the right diet. Not only is it healthier, but it's good for the animals' sake and the environment.

Some people think that eating meat is healthier than being a vegetarian, but that's not the case. Vegetarianism can prevent many diseases and illnesses, such as obesity, lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. Becoming a vegetarian also lowers the risk of cancer, as well. However, if you don't get a balanced, nutritious vegetarian diet, then you might not be as healthy as you would eating meat. It depends on the diet. Even reducing your meat consumption can help prevent some of these diseases, though.

Vegetarianism also helps the environment in many ways. Being a vegetarian helps minimize the destruction of forests and wildlife for meat production. Rainforests are very important to our atmosphere. The absorb carbon dioxide in the air, give off oxygen for us, and provide medicines, food, and other supplies. Cutting down forests also destroys animals' habitats. How would you feel if someone came over to your house and started tearing it down, not even caring about the fact that you live there? Another reason becoming a vegetarian is beneficial is because the green house gas emmisions used for meat production gets spewed into the air and pollutes it. About 30% of global warming potential relies on the green house gas emmisions used for meat production.

Not only is vegetarianism good for our health and the environment, but it's good for the animals' sake, as well. Animals are cruelly treated in order to get their meat, especially in factory farms. The ignore the rights of animals by locking them in tight spaces and making them suffer without excercise, fresh air, or a proper nutritious diet.  Not to mention, rapid and unnatural growth results in many health problems for the animals, including deformities or heart weaknesses. Just like humans, animals have feelings, also, so we should treat them how we would want to be treated. With less meat eaters in the world, the less animals have to suffer in factory farms. We as humans look selfish, killing animals inhumanely for our needs only, and not caring about what the animal has to endure. 

Vegetarianism is slowly gaining popularity, and for good reasons. I hope you at least consider becoming a vegetarian, or reducing your meat consumption. Remember: do it for the animals!

I love music!

Everyone loves at least some type of music. Some people might like pop or hip-hop, others may like country, but I am all for the heavy, screaming-type music. This music might be annoying or even freaky to some people, but I'm the exact opposite. I prefer this type of music over any other type. The best bands, in my opinion, are Alesana, Black Veil Brides, 30 Seconds to Mars, Blink-182, Escape the Fate, Green Day, Rise Against, and even though they aren't the same type of music, Owl City. I believe that no one can have too many band t-shirts. I have 4, but I still don't think that's enough. Concerts are also one of my favorite things in the world, but only the stand-up concerts with no seats. Those are the most fun! My favorite concert that I've ever been to was 30 Seconds to Mars last April. The energy and atmosphere at the concert was so awesome! I also got to meet the band, have them sign my t-shirt, and I caught the lead singer's guitar pick. It was probably one of the best nights of my life. Overall, music is a huge part of my life and I don't know what I would do without it!
                                                                        

Screams Create Smiles

Some people like watching action films, others may like comedies, but my go-to movies are definitely horror. Even at about 8 years old, I liked watching scary movies. It was more of a love-hate relationship then. I loved watching them, but really regretted it later when I had to go to bed. There was one certain person from scary movies that was my worst nightmare: Michael Meyers. I couldn't go to sleep at night because I kept thinking that he could be standing in a corner of my room waiting for me to doze off..and then kill me. I loved anything scary, even at that age. Whenever my family would go to a place called Color-Me-Mine, which was where you could paint a bunch of different ceramics, I was always painting things like skull cups and mini-gargoyle statues. Halloween was one of my favorite times of year, and it still is now. I've always been into really weird and creepy things like that. I also loved going through haunted houses. At first, I couldn't stand waiting in line because I was dreading going through the house, but afterward, I was always full of adrenaline and I loved it! The scariest movies that I watched at that age were the Halloween movies, and then my dad kept telling me, "Wait till you watch the Saw movies. You'll love those!" Of course, I wasn't allowed to watch them at that age, but when I was able to, I always told my dad that there was no way I would ever watch those. Guess who happens to love the Saw series now? After watching the first one, I had to keep watching the rest of them. Eventually, I turned into a scary movie-aholic. I'd jump at the chance to see any scary movie, whenever. Sometimes, I even rent scary movies and watch them by myself in my basement. It does get pretty creepy, but that's part of the fun! My favorite scary movies are both of the Paranormal Activity movies. So instead of comedies making me smile, horror movies do the trick for me!