A place for you to discover the wonders in your everyday life.

Google Website Translator Gadget

Friday, December 31, 2010

A New Year, a New You

In just a matter of hours the 365th day of 2010 will come to an end with a grand welcoming of 2011! Here in America, the welcoming of a new year is celebrated by the dropping of the ball in New York City's Time Square. 
     Every year as I would watch this lit-up ball slowly make its way down for the last few seconds of the year, I would always wonder what this ball symbolized. Clearly, there isn't a universal meaning of this ball but there are many interpretations. In my mind, this ball symbolizes every moment of the year. This is because once that ball falls down, it never comes back up. The time that was spent in 2010 will never be regained; the reason why time should be spent wisely. 
     What do we do in our spare time? Do we spend it wisely? Of course, you can enjoy life, but enjoying it at the right time is very essential. The other part is working hard to be the best you can be. When you achieve the successful outcome of your hard work, that brings moments of enjoyment. 

That is the way to enjoy a balanced, relaxed lifestyle.

    Speaking of successful outcomes, I'd like to announce the winner of my Holiday Contest.....Vaishnavi!

Vaishnavi may have been the only one who entered my contest, but to me, that should be rewarded.
Sooner or later, effort is always rewarded.

On this note, I'd like to conclude my last post of 2010 with a little thank you to all the people who support me, including my readers:

Dear Supporters,

Thank you for your informative advice that has encouraged me even more in life.

Thank you for always being there by my side, through thick and thin. 

Thank you for EVERYTHING.

With Sincerity,
Rishika


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wIUZodn5Qpw/TRW9ssk7pKI/AAAAAAAAAkE/Uj-IwvUIC90/s1600/Happy-New-Year-2011%2Be%2Bcards.jpg



Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Secret of a Snow Globe

          Staring at my serene snow globe in a manner of mystery and wonder, I admired the sleek, silver, flawless form of the reindeer paused in a prancing position. As I turned the globe of snow upside down, tiny, shiny, pieces of glitter gracefully floated like feathers - once again blanketing the surface. Once again I turn it upside down, and once again the glitter falls. The glitter shimmers like the diamond ring of a solar eclipse, so magnificent yet indescribable. If only, I wondered, if only everyone could experience The Secret of a Snow Globe and recognize the value of it, the world would be a better place. That's when I figured out that experiencing this secret is possible, and by anyone. I also realized that the scene of a snow globe can be anything - even though it has the word 'snow' in it.
         It happened on the day I marveled at the chirping robins, blooming flowers, and luscious green grass swaying along with the wind. As I admired these marvelous sights, it occurred to me that this scene was fit to be in a snow globe. Just because the term 'snow' resides in 'snow globe', many people think that all snow globes consist of only one season; winter. The reality is that snow globes come in all the different seasons and even for events such as weddings, holidays, birthdays, and even more!
          That is the reason why cherishing memories and capturing magical moments is important. You can imagine those memories as the ambience of your snow globe and keep it forever - and as those memories remain in your snow globe, the transition of new seasons will bring new memories to make even more snow globes to add to your collection. 


May your collection of snow globes increase everyday.




       



Friday, December 17, 2010

The Scent of Serenity

        The Storm of Serenity leaves a remarkable reward of a radiant rainbow. Many of us feel that the 'gloomy' Serenity Storm causes us to take depression pills. The reality is simply this; there is no such thing as depression. It is just the negative thoughts that overtake the few positive thoughts in our mind and our mind being overactive.
      If you ever remember standing out in the rain, even for a few seconds, do you remember a blissful, indescribable, sweet scent that filled your nose and spilled inside your soul, clearing it of all impurities? Have you ever wondered what that fragrance was? Well readers, that soul-purifying aroma is The Scent of Serenity. How and why is it The Scent of Serenity? Read on and the mystery will reveal itself.
      When your soul is energetic and immersed in inspiration, you feel serene. Your mind is clear of all impurities and that lightweight feeling just can't be described. This is because Mother Nature is purifying the soil; which is also us.

 Soil=Soul


      Every little drop that falls from the clouds up in the sky purifies not only soil that it lands on but even cleanses roads, sidewalks, windows, and other objects by lifting the dirt from them and storing it within themselves. When they evaporate, the tiny droplets drift off, carrying the excess weight of impurities. 

The same thing happens with our souls; we inhale this marvelous scent and it fills our souls. The Magical Potion is only a temporary cleanser. To make our souls pure forever, our thoughts should be pure because thoughts lead to actions, and actions lead to results. The outcome of your results will depend on your thoughts.

http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/Serenity-poster-la.jpg

Up in your nose I go, going where all the impurities flow...
-The Scent of Serenity



Monday, December 13, 2010

Special Blog Post - The Last Book in the Universe

          As part of a book club, we are reading a book by Rodman Philbrick, The Last Book in the Universe. In this book, the world is portrayed in two different sections; the Urb, a dingy, dark, depressing area filled with 'normals'. There is also another part of the Urb where there are family units for families to live together. On the other hand, there is the luxurious Eden with luscious grass occupied by proovs, humans that are genetically improved to be 'perfect'. This separation into two different worlds happened after the Big Shake, an earthquake that literally rocked the world, leaving most of it in mounds of dirt. The main character, Spaz, lives in the Urb when he meets Ryter, an old person who accompanies him on the most dangerous journey of his life. Together, they embark on a journey so malignant yet so exciting; a breathtaking page-turner...
          This book is filled with many features such as excellent vocabulary, intriguing dialogue, and new writing techniques. I recommend this book to any writer who is looking for fresh ideas to incorporate in their writing. This book is definitely a page-turner and unless you have extra time on your hand, I suggest waiting to read this book because when you do, you will find yourself reading whenever you have a chance; on the bus, in the car, in homeroom, and maybe even while you are brushing your teeth. If you are reading this post, you may have read my previous posts, and I'd like for you to keep in mind that my writing does not match that of this book. The reason I became hooked to this book was by the thought of how Ryter and Spaz both remember the past and how together, they change the lives of others, with the help of others.




     

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Beauty Lies in The Eyes of the Beholder - Part II

She lovingly said, “ I already have the most valuable presents in my life - the two little gems I have been gifted with.” I pivoted my feet to face Mom, who understood I had no clue of what she meant. A beaming, radiant smile spread across her face and with compassion in her voice she said, “I mean you and your brother. Both of you are the most beautiful gifts I ever had and ever will have.”  For several moments among all the hustle and bustle of holiday cheer, it seemed as if the whole mall was empty and it was just Mom and I standing side by side, speechless. It felt as if we were in a movie and a shocking secret had just been revealed. Finally, one of us speaks, and it was me. “Mom, I just don’t know what to say. You are caring, generous, loyal, trustworthy, compassionate, and above all, loving. I know that many children will say to their mothers ‘You are the best mom in the whole wide world’, but you do not, under any circumstances, fall under that category. You fall under the category of: ‘You are the most culminating mom that ever was, ever is, and ever will be’. Even that will not describe you, but it’s the best compliment I can give to the most precious gem in my life.” Mom’s benevolent smile signaled I was in for something wonderful. She replied, “Well, the beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder,”
I didn’t really expect her to say anything in return; but those few, powerful words changed the way I interpreted the world. They may have sounded very short and simple, but the meaning of those influential words touched my heart forever.

http://computerpartsgames.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/christmas-gifts-013.jpg

Friday, December 3, 2010

The Holiday Season Invites You to...

     The holiday season brings about many opportunities of giving, loving, and sharing. This festive season, I'd like to bring you the opportunity of sharing; sharing the joy of you being embraced with this wondrous ambiance of picturesque scenery. So, this holiday season invites you to share some of your feelings toward the vivid, vivacious, season of enjoyment. Here are your options:

  1. You may write about the different activities that take place in your household during this time of year. (Ex: Setting up of the Christmas tree, hanging of lights, etc.)
  2. You may also write about how you feel towards the upcoming holidays and the many things you enjoy while you await. (Ex: Feelings of excitement, calmness; enjoying views of decorations, etc.)
  3. Another option is to describe your favorite Christmas carol and why it inspires you or what it inspires you to do (Ex: Frosty the Snowman; inspires to play outside or enjoy calm weather)
  4. Have fun! Just write about anything that relates to the holiday season. Any form of writing will do. (Ex: Poems, short passages/stories, etc.) 

After writing your post, copy/paste the link of your post in the form of a comment. Make sure to include your name, grade, age, and the topic you have written about to qualify. This contest is permitted for students in grades K-12. 


All posts are due by December 22nd. The winner will be announced on December 31st and will be awarded a badge to proudly present on their blog!


Remember, you can write about ANYTHING as long as it relates to the holiday season or December. GOOD LUCK!



http://www.dmj-dancing.co.uk/Good%20luck%20smiley.gif