Judge A Book By Its Cover

I was in a used bookstore today looking for a treasure (you can always find a great book for a great deal) and today I found a winner. I am a big fan of sketchbooks that have been published such as "The Palm Beach Sketchbook" by Bill Olendorf and Agnes Ash.

So I was looking in The "Europe" section and I came across a book spine that caught my eye (as you can see it would by the pictures).

"Sara Midda's South of France" is a great sketchbook that was a journal carried by Midda filled with notations and pictures, from everything like palm trees to different foods to a collection of shoes.

Here is the text from the inside flap:

From Sara Midda, whose first book evoked all the pleasures of an English garden, comes a wondrous sketchbook of a year's sojourn in the South of France. This is a very personal journal, crammed with images, notions and discoveries of the day-to-day. In tones of sea and morning sky, stucco and brick, olive leaf and apricot, rose and geranium, exquisite watercolors capture the landscape, the life, the shimmering air of a region beloved by all who have fallen under its spell.
Sara Midda's South of France is a place of ripening lemons and worn espadrilles, ochre walls and olive groves, and everything born of the sun. It lies between the Mediterranean and the Maritime Alps, and most of all in the artist's eye and passion."

So sometime go to a used bookshop, and if it looks pretty, judge a book by it's cover.

Happily, and Sincerely,
D

Polyvores!

I was looking around on Polyvore today attempting to make some sets, (but it didn't work out) but these were my top three favorites:

A Boston Theme :)


A Boston Red Sox Fan... by ♥♥OlenKa♥

Sleepwear


Aubree Woods: Casey's Sleepover! by COUTURExDOLl[taking requests]

A Winter Day


winter day by Natasha11


In other News
-Shopping went well with J, she got a really nice necklace, wallet, and bracelet. I got a cute navy hoodie, jeans, a polo, a madras wristlet, and some other stuff
-My family is coming over from New York tomorrows (I can't wait to see them)

Sincerely,
D

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I hope everybody had a good Christmas. I hope everyone who has been having a bad week is feeling better.

Anyways,

J is coming over tonight, she's sleeping over tonight, then tomorrow we're going to wake up at about four and go shopping at the "After Christmas sales". She got Guitar Hero Aerosmith today which is really good because now she can stop setting all the records on my game and kicking my butt, on MY game (although I can totally kick her butt on Mario Kart ha ha ha)

I have a question...

Should I have a special Gossip Girl Section on my blog?

I also have a link (thank you Nautical By Nature) to Blair's, Serena's and Jenny's closets'

Blair:

http://www.bluefly.com/Designer-Blair/_/N-axje/list.fly

Jenny:

http://www.bluefly.com/Designer-Jenny/_/N-axjg/list.fly

Serena:

http://www.bluefly.com/Designer-Serena/_/N-axjc/list.fly

So what's the verdict, Gossip Girl Section, or not let me know (whether it be by the poll or by commenting)

Merry Christmas,

D

iPhone Nano

I was on wired.com, and thought this was pretty interesting.

apparently Apple is going to launch the iPhone Nano in January.(picture http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/12/wiredcoms-wishl.html )

It sounds pretty good to me. The design looks pretty cool, I love how there is an iPod on the front. However I wonder why the front of the phone isn't a touch screen also...

Maybe that would be too much touch screen. Anyways I thought that was interesting. Was anybody else expecting this (I know I wasn't)

In Other News:

-Florida was great, I traded for some really cool pins at Downtown Disney (I'll post some pictures)
-Christmas is almost here (Yay, excitement!)
-I (finally) finished Breaking Dawn (I know I'm a little late but I finished)

Very excited (and always sincerely),
D

Goodbye Snow Hello Sun :)

If you live in a cold, snowy, dreary area you can understand why I am so excited about leaving the cold. But then again who doesn't like Florida (and no Homework). GOODBYE EARMUFFS HELLO SHORTS!

In Other News:

-Swimming is still going well (so much I might not need the shoulder surgery

-Now that I am free from photography class where I could only us film, I love digital photography more than ever (and I am inspired to get a picture like the one on the right)

-I am on a mission- I don't know what for, but I feel like I am on a mission.

-Because I will be gone :) I might not be able to post for 5 days :(

-I officially think that I am physically unable to do NaBloPoMo but who knows, I could make it a New Year's Resolution

Ciao,

D

A girl can dream, (and hope that she will survive the SSATs)

Here I am again fantasizing about my favorite Tory Burch Tote, I know pointless (It's never going to happen lol) but I might as well post a picture :)

Anyways,

The SSATs (Secondary School Application Tests) are January 10. I have been freaking out whatnot with exams, projects, etc. You see normally I wouldn't care because the first round of SSATs are just practice, but the school I am applying to wants to see my practice SSATs (and I am a really bad test-taker)

Sorry about the hyperventilating

On a brighter note:

I finished my "Firemouse Project"

(a project where a mouse trap is set at least a meter away from a lit birthday candle and in five or more steps you must find a way to make the mousetrap set off other things to make the candle go out)

So I am very happy about that (sorry about the hyperness too)

Sincerely,

D

Cha Ching!! not to brag or anything but....

OKAY I HAVE BIG NEWS!

After 4 months of physical therapy, two years of pain and 304 (or something like that) days of waiting I had my first swim meet in a whole year

My friend A was there to support me which made me happy

(and made me have have motivation to impress her lol)

I not only impressed her, but (please do not think that I am bragging, just excited) I got first :)

In other news:

-My morning cereal now has Michael Phelps on the front

-My friend J (Julia not Jackie) got a blog

the link is http://goingtogocrazy.blogspot.com/

Sincerely,

D

PS thnk you to http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200808/r280415_1189575.jpg for the picture

Break is coming to an end, it just started to snow, and there are "shadows in the water"

Goodbye Fall
Goodbye colorful leaves
Goodbye turkeys
Goodbye Cousins over for Thanksgiving
Goodbye School Break

Hello Winter
Hello snow
Hello holiday decorations
Hello Poetry unit at school
Hello New Gossip Girl Episode Tomorrow

Have You ever heard the saying "When one door closes, another one opens". I just feel like that really matters today I don't exactly know why though. Perhaps it is the lack of leaves and day after day of dreary rain, perhaps I am excited for our poetry unit at school starting Tuesaday. Whatever it is it just feels like walking on the horizon.

Because of this I picked out a really nice poem I found looking through a book today.

It is called "Shadows in the Water" by Thomas Traherne
I am only going to post the second, and third stanza, you can find the rest of the poem at http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15839

Thus did I by the water's brink
Another world beneath me think;
And while the lofty spacious skies
Reversèd there, abused mine eyes,
I fancied other feet
Came mine to touch or meet;
As by some puddle I did play
Another world within it lay.

Beneath the water people drowned,
Yet with another heaven crowned,
In spacious regions seemed to go
As freely moving to and fro:
In bright and open space
I saw their very face;
Eyes, hands, and feet they had like mine;
Another sun did with them shine.

Sincerely,
D

PS

Thank you http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2295/2531730393_3ed7953ac6.jpg for the picture

LisaNova Meets Katy Perry

Sincerely,
D

How many days? Two maybe

The Clique Movie is coming out in 3 or 2 days, I guess it depends on how you count. But I assume that all of the clique fans are excited x10. So I decided two post the trailer on. Go awn, check them out. Oh, and if you are a Clique fan don't be a LBR, go check out the Clique Movie Site at http://thecliquemovie.com/

Sincerely,
D

Upholding Standards

The job of a reader is hard. The reader chooses what they want to read. Consciously or not the reader decides if what they are reading is worthwhile. No matter if it is a rant about politics, an insiders look at the private sale at Neimans, or even a Shakespearean poem, the reader has a hard job.

Because of this the writer has to uphold standards for readers. On some of my posts I have been noticing a lack of quality. Most of these times I have been worried about quantity for posting everyday. I apologize for this, and hope I will be writing some better posts!

OH,
By the way,
For those of you that know me, I am thinking about getting side bangs, I accidentally messed up my hair today, and it looked like I had side bangs, they looked pretty cute.
So let me know!

Sincerely,
D

Fever

I am not pleased to say that I have a fever, and I have a terrible headache, which isn't really helping with the whole two blog posts a day thing. In fact, this counts as yesterday's post, so I will have to write three more posts today. Anyways, I finally got to see the most recent episode of gossip girl and I loved it, so much drama as usual.

In Other News

-Photography ends in about a week, right after I exposed and ruined a whole roll of film

Sincerely,

D

Halloween is Tommorow

Sorry about the Polyvores but I thought that this one was really cool! Also it got me in the Halloween Spirit


A Halloween Wedding.... by Jasna2

A Silver and Green Outfit

I am really In the mood to wear silver...


Silver by for_the_love_of_couture

AIDtoCHILDREN

Hello,

I got a comment on my Freerice post informing me about another great word charity site. The site is called AID to CHILDREN. Every question you get right, 25 cents is donated to help feed children. On this site, they say that 25 cents is enough to feed a child, if that is so, In five minutes I raised enough money to feed about 3o children. Imagine how many children could be fed if just 20 people did this every day for five minutes. You could end up feeding so many more people and like Gandhi says "Consciously or unconsciously, every one of us does render some service or other. If we cultivate the habit of doing this service deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and will make, not only our own happiness, but that of the world at large."

Sincerely,

D

Australia

Let's face the facts koalas are adorabe, and kangaroos are awesome. Snorkeling in the great barrier reef doesn't sound too bad, and learning to surf in Australia would be awesome. Does this sound like an amazing summer? It does to me, which is exactly why I am so excited! Over the summer I will (hopefully) be participating in a People to People trip to Australia. I will let you know haow it all works out. Two years ago I went on a trip to Europe and I had the time of my life. I even got to try snails and frogs legs (sounds gross, but seriously yummy).

Ta Ta For Now!

Sincerely,

D

Thank you to http://www.destination360.com/australia-south-pacific/australia/images/s/australia-great-barrier-reef.jpg for the picture

J's first guest post!

Today is going by faster than I thought! Except for the fact tomorrow is Monday. The-first-day-back-and-everyone-looks-like-they're-the-living-dead-day. (Well, it’s sometimes true!) And, if your teacher doesn't get their coffee before school starts, you’re going to be dead before the morning even ends. But, hopefully everything will be ok.

Other than school, I might know what I am going to be for Halloween! I either might be an angel, or a devil. Or maybe even an angel with devil horns or vice-versa. Sadly boredom has taken the best of me about every weekend. Although to fix the boredom I signed up for nature drawing classes that are on Monday's from 2:30-3:30. And I am really excited. (Well, its one of the only activities left at school) Hopefully everything works out well.

Sincerely,
J

Writer's Block

OK, so NaBloPo didn't work out so well, but hey, next month is a whole new month :). So I have been trying to write a story based on the painting "The Daughters Of Edward Darley Boit". You look at the painting and you think, "oh please that would be super easy to write a story about". Well maybe for those who writing comes to naturally. (FYI this isn't me, I'm more of a poet myself). But I was surprised, the story is quite a challenge.

In other News

-The pet turkeys are doing fine, but very hungry despite the fact we feed them

-Photography class is going good, we had our first show (my pictures were nothing compared to the other pictures, but one was okay if I do say so myself)

-J will still guest post on this blog

Sincerely,

D

P.S. GOSSIP GIRL IS ON AGAIN TOMORROW, I WILL POST MY GOSSIP GIRL WIDGET AGAIN SO YOU CAN WATCH THE PREVIEWS

P.P.S. I have a request from my friend O that I start posting Gossip Girl Clips on the blog

Thank You to http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/John_Singer_Sargent_001.jpg for the picture

Freerice.com

I am officially able to say that I have donataed over 1000 grains of rice tonight. I know not a lot but the more I play this the more addicting it is. If you are not farmiliar with freerice, let me explain. Free Rice( http://freerice.com/index.php ) is a website where you not only brush up on your vocab or spanish (or french or german) but every time you get a question right, you have donated 20 grains of rice. It only takes two or three minutes (if you go to level one) to donate 1000 grains of rice to help world hunger. Yesterday 160,825,260 grains of rice were donated. So what are you waiting for go donate some rice at http://freerice.com/index.php

Sincerely,

D

thanks to http://shadesofmeaning.com/may08/freerice.gif for the picture

J's New Blog!!

J has a new blog! I will hold for your applause. It is called a little bit of J's life. Now don't worry J will still post on this blog. Who knows she might become a weekly guest blogger! You can find a link to J's blog on my blogroll (on the right sidebar)

Happy New Blog J!!

Sincerely
D

Fall Colors and Pet Turkeys

The trees are finally starting to change color, and my how beautiful they look, shades of deep yellows, oranges, and reds. It's also getting chillier, good for boots, coats (and my personal favorite earmuffs (prefferably chashmere ones). Fall is a beautiful time of year. When you think of Fall, you might think of turkeys, we happen to have 20 of them (in two groups one big turkeys one small turkeys that come every day). We started feeding them bird seed, and e enjoy their daily viits.


In Other News:

-I tore her tendon in her arm skating, (we hope you feel better J)
-Halloween is coming and I'm hosting a party


Sincerely,
J

Photography Class

I don't know if I mentioned, but lately I have been taking a photography class. I am not exactly the best person there (more like the worst), but what do you expect from me.
Me + Photography = Disaster! We have a show coming this weekend and we have to have about 3 acceptable 8x10 prints, I have one.

In other News-

-Our driveway is being sealed, I have to drag my stuff up the hill every day, can you say annoying

- I now have pet (wild) turkeys, they come every morning, I have started feeding them, they look really hungry

Sincerely,
D

Obsessions

As I usually do when I'm bored, I was shopping around on the Internet. I went to the Bergdorf Goodman site looked around, and what do you know, Juicy Couture Monopoly. Okay, I know Juicy Couture is big but how obnoxious is Juicy Couture Monopoly? Which is entirely why I want it. Okay so you guessed it i LOVE Juicy Couture, and practically collect it, but hey, we all have an obsession, it might be everything pink, baseball cards, Japanese Soda Bottles, Or Movie tickets, mine just happens to be Juicy Couture. So when I see something like this game in my obsession, I jump for joy (while everybody else cringes). Just wanted to fill you in (and I kind of have to post because of NaBloPoMo). So Toodles!

Sincerely,
J

Blog Surfing

Hello,

Tonight after I got home, I decided to go Blog Surfing. I must have searched over 250 blogs in about 30 minutes. Anyways, I went on my favorite blogs and decided to look at their blogrolls On Clever Girl Goes Blog (http://clevergirlgoesblog.blogspot.com/) I found some great blogs that i now have posted on my Blogroll

Sincerily, D

Thanks to http://www.cloudninehome.com/gallery/Surf%20Board%20Pink(2).jpg for the picture!

MRI

Hello,

Sorry I haven't written for a while. Anyways, I just came home from a MRI for my shoulder and I am waiting for the results. As usual (I've had an MRI before) I was trying not to dance during the music. This time though, I had three mosquito bites on my head... that didn't work out so well, but I got through it, and I am hoping that 6 months of therapy have healed my shoulder, so wish me luck :)

Sincerely,

D

Thanks to http://directmedicalimaging.net/images/mri2_pnmk.jpg for the picture

90210 on the CW

When I first saw Gossip Girl, it was instantly my favorite, but Gossip Girl better watch out because 90210 is even better. Everybody who loves the social drama of Gossip Girl will love 90210! I haven't seen Privileged yet, so that could end up being my new favorite show...

Sincerely,

D

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl is on Monday Nights at 8:00 pm (or 7:00 pm depending on your time zone)

The House Bunny

"Ooh La La, Thats French Right" Why Yes Shelly it is. If you havn't figured it out yet, my favorite movie right now is the House Bunny. So I don't have much to say except, go see the movie, or at least the previews. :)

Sincerely, J

A Different Plan

I just signed up for a triathlon ( a small one), and I realized that I needed to get in better shape to acheive my goal of placing. So I did some research, made a training plan, got in my Heat Gear, and went outside to start my training.

It did NOT go as planned. I got out there ran for about three minutes, and was wiped. So I decided I should start with biking.... Five minutes of biking up a hill, and I'm sweating like crazy, and deciding that I need a new plan.

So I went inside concluded that I wasn't as inshape as I thought I was. So I did some more research and made a plan for my first four days of training, a plan for my newly discovered couch- potato self.

So I'll see how it goes and I'll let you know

Sincerely,
J

Thanks To http://www.llanellitriathlon.org.uk/images/LTC_08.jpg for the Picture

An Exciting "Safari"

Yesterday I came back from a trip to Florida, still laughing about an encounter I had with a lion, some cheetahs, and a couple of raging three thousand pound Rhinos. On a what seemed to be normal ride on the Kilimanjaro Safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom, I was not expecting a Fight. There were delays as there sometimes are, but I just assumed that it was some really slow bird or elephant crossing the road. So, I just waited patiently while our Tour Guide Droned on about an antelope or something, until we started moving again. The Safari was quite typical, until we came across some rhinos, we thought were just playing around. Until the "Playing Rhinos" Started running around the reserve, tripping, and dragging one another by the horns, getting other rhinos involved, and getting every animal there to watch the show. These other animals never wake up either. I have been on the Safari at least 46 times and not once had I seen the male lion awake and roaring, the cheetahs awake and prowling and every other animal watching one thing... It was great! Also, the rhinos started running alongside our vehicle.

It was a great show, so I was eager to go again, and luckily I had fast pass (a pass that you get for an attraction you want to go to, and you get though the line quicker). So I headed off to go again.

Well, the fight was over, the cheetahs were gone and the lions were sleeping. Though I did see one of the rhinos that was being dragged, resting in some hot mud looking absolutely beaten up. It was sad, but hey, I guess that's Nature.

Sincerely,

D

Jonas Brothers "A Little Bit Longer" Album- Out Today

Calling all Jonas Brothers Fans!

The New Jonas Brothers Album "A Little Bit Longer" has been released (although I'm sure all of the true Jonas Brothers Fans already knew that). The CD (with DVU format) includes 60 printable photos, video content, and more.

The tracks include:

BB Good

Burnin' Up

Shelf

One Man Show

Lovebug

Tonight

Can't Have You

Video Girl

Pushin' Me Away

Sorry

Got Me Going Crazy

A Little Bit Longer

Sincerely,

J

Wii Fit

I just got my Wii Fit Today. It was actually quite amazing. I'm about ready to quit all of my gym memberships, because it's such a great trainer in the comfort of my own home.

I had heard many great reviews about the Wii Fit, but I didn't quite believe that it could be a personal trainer, yoga instructor, weight- loss coach, and more all in one, for the price of a one- year gym membership. I am hoping that all of the features that I now love, keep up my new expectations. Well, I guess I just have to keep playing to find out!

Sincerely, D

Jonas Brothers Concert

Wow, where to start. Well, J, another friend and I were going to a Jonas Brothers Concert recently, and quite honestly I thought we would never get there. The trip over was going fine, traffic was okay, and everything just sort of worked. This was until the car broke down, twice.

Anyways, a friend picked us up, and dropped us off at the concert. I knew that one of my friends was going to be there, but I had no idea that she was actually going to MEET them.

Well, the concert was still amazing, there was no life lesson or anything, it was just plain awesome. My favorite part was when Nick did about 5 back handsprings in a row!

Sincerely,

D

Join the Official Jonas Brothers Fan Club at http://jonasbrothersfanclub.com/

"No Diving"

"Are you guys supposed to be doing that?" A curious onlooker asked with a reproachful look.

"Can't you read lady, the sign says NO DIVING, we're jumping," and with that, the guy did exactly that".

On a recent trip my family and I came across a crowd of excited teenagers, on the edge of the bridge bracing to jump. We decided to pause and watch the show. A friend walked by and snickered remembering the times when he was their age and jumping off the bridge himself.

Slowly one by one mustered up the courage to jump off, and the more they did, the more people came, for the free entertainment. After a while some girls came up to the edge of the bridge and stood there for ten minutes, contemplating whether to go or not. After they decided to go it was very timid, but fun to watch.

I had a much better time that going around sightseeing, and overall I would have to say that the community activities, were more fun than anything else. So I would encourage anybody looking for fun to check out your local activities. You will get a better chance to meet more people in your community. Try an art class (I only just found out that my own town has an art program), or volunteer. It really makes you appreciate your community, and is a great way to spend that precious free time of yours.

Sincerely,

D

The Very Public and Unflattering Picture

We've all had it, that all too public and very unflattering picture posted somewhere. When you're least expecting it, the person with the eye for capturing the most terrible pictures, snaps away. Days later (or weeks as the case may be) the picture is there in the limelight for everyone to see, forever.

Recently this picture of me showed up. I was displeased to see a very unpleasing picture of myself in a recent photo stream. At first I was very upset and walked around venting. But after a few minutes I decided that in a few months people would start

forgetting about it. Even though I know I'll still be reminded about it, that I should not

waste perfectly good time that I could spend having fun. Anyways......

Sincerely,

J

Thanks to www.cubiclecartoon.com/images/cubes/cubicle_cartoon_20_2.jpg for the pictures

Cheap Annoyances and Solutions

I found myself punching out the 3-D glasses in the current TV Guide for the Best of Both Worlds video. Of course, I was hopeful that my glasses from the movie theater would work, because they were obviously much better quality. Just incase though, these were my back up pair. of course we all know hundreds of thousands of these were made, so what is the probibility that thaey were going to be great quality.

So the night of the movie I invited my friend (D) over and and we both had our movie glasses, and TV Guide glasses, praying that the Theater ones would work. Well you know how it goes, we tried on the Theater glasses, of course no different from regular vision. So, we put on our TV Guide glasses despite the fact that they were completely broken. We held them up to our faces for about five minutes, at which point we had given up.

But after about two minutes of disappointment, we decided to make a solution. We took the middle pieces of our glasses, held them up to the good glasses, put them both on together, and voila! We used our problem (broken paper glasses) and combined them with the good pair and we had glasses that stayed on and worked just as good as in the theater.

So the next time your watching a 3D movie at hove with your paper 3D glasses, grab a pair of plastic sunglasses and combine the two. Enjoy!

Sincerely

J