2013 in 12 Pictures

January: January was a great month to kick-start the year. First was my 18th birthday, then the Voices' trip to the National Inaugural Choral Competition in Washington, D.C., where we took home 1st place and Most Outstanding Choir. We went sight-seeing to some of the Smithsonian museums, the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, and the Vietnam War memorial. We had a blast celebrating at the awards banquet and danced until they made us leave. We also had the opportunity to go witness the Inauguration, which was a wonderful experience, although the 2 hour walk to the National Mall and the 4 hour walk back to the bus were RIDICULOUS. It was basically the greatest trip ever, and it counted as my Senior trip. I had a blast with my second family.

February: February was very slow and not super eventful. Joe and I celebrated our 3-year anniversary of our first actual date on Valentine's Day, and there was a lot of applying for scholarships.

March: March was a bit more eventful. I had All-State Weekend, where I got to make beautiful music with a bunch of other choir nerds, and there was this huge pep rally for Candice Glover when she was on American Idol. I tripped and fell while running to get in the middle of the massive Harlem Shake (which is what we are all walking away from in the photo above.)

April: April was, again, fairly uneventful. We had French National Honor Society Inductions and this cute little picnic, and I spent much of my time cramming for AP exams. Also, my very last Spring Show with the Voices, in which we had the perfect set, which included a medley from Les Mis.

May: May was a motherload. Senior Prom, AP exams, finals, college applications, graduation preparations, and more. I adored my prom dress, and I plan on keeping this one forever. 

June: June. Graduation rehearsals. Passing of the Mantle. Senior Night. Graduation itself. Enough said.

July: In July, my internship with EatSleepPlay Beaufort was in full swing. I received an email from the person who hired me on that said that he had gotten very good feedback from some of his friends whose pictures I had taken for the site. A+ for Gabby!

August: In August, my grandparents came down to visit and we spent quite a bit of time at the beach. Ethan went back to school around the middle of the month, so I got to have some pretty nice quiet time at home.

September: September was, once again, fairly uneventful, with just college things needing to be finalized. I did get a chance to go to the annual library secondhand book sale, where I got a stack of great books for only $11!

October: Started my online college, and had an easy transition back into routine. It is really nice to have a flexible schedule. I could sleep in and wake up to relax with a cup of coffee before I simply opened my laptop and got to work. I don't know why more people don't do this, honestly.

November: November 16, Joe and I celebrated 3 amazing years together. Thanksgiving was pretty low-key, but still delicious. 

December: Mom broke her ankle and had to get surgery. Joe's dad passed away the week before Christmas. I went to the memorial service and was amazed by the vast amount of people there. I worried about Christmas and our amazing community came through. December was rough, really rough. But in the end, I think that this year was fairly good. I have no real NYE plans this year, other than watching the ball drop on TV and calling Joe at midnight.

Good-bye, 2013
Let's make it a great one, 2014!!

~♥
Gabby

Our Own Christmas Miracle

Those of you who read my blog regularly know about my mom breaking her ankle at the beginning of December. Because I do not currently have a job and I am still working on getting my license, we basically have no income other than Workman's Comp, which only pays her enough for rent and one other bill (downside to serving, I guess.) I was really worried about Christmas for my little brother. Obviously, we have family that got him a few things, but he still believes in Santa, and if presents weren't under that tree, his Christmas would basically be ruined. I had already given up on receiving anything myself other than a few things from my grandparents; I knew how strapped we were and even my savings had been drained to help keep the water on and food in the pantry. But for my bother, it was a big deal, and I was heartbroken to think of what his face would look like when there were no presents from Santa under the tree. But something truly miraculous happened, something that you hear about but never in a million years think would happen to you.

One of my mom's friends had been bringing my brother to school in the mornings to help us out. At one point, she asked him if he was excited about Christmas, and he responded with, "Yeah... I'm glad I'm on Santa's nice list this year, my mom isn't going to be able to get me any presents because we don't have any money." My mom's friend, who had been in a similar position the year before, immediately began tearing up. She told some of her friends about it and they began to rally together, and she spoke to one of the local boutiques, and THEY put out a Facebook post calling for gifts, and another of my mom's friends had a friend who wanted to adopt a family for Christmas and they chose us. We had NO IDEA until my mom's friends called and said they had presents to drop off. And even then, we had no idea of the scale of things.

My brother and I went from having two or three presents under the tree to having fifteen to twenty each under there. There were even a few things for my mom, one of which was money collected to help us out. I was blown away and in tears as I piled everything beneath our tree (which was also given to us for free.) I am very thankful for everything that was done. And the look on Ethan's face in the morning was so priceless and full of pure joy that I couldn't help but start crying. I had been so worried, and people in our community, friends and strangers alike, had selflessly made this Christmas far beyond what we could have hoped for. If all goes well and we are in a stable financial place next holiday season, mom and I have already talked about giving back to the community or adopting a family ourselves next year.

I was lucky enough to have three whole rounds of Christmas celebrations. The first of which was here with mom and our amazing miracle holiday. My gifts included many beautiful new shirts and dresses, an infinite number of nail polishes (all of which were miraculously different colors and all different from anything in my current collection,) other makeup goodies, chocolates, and a cute memo board (which is already coming in handy.)
Round two was the day after Christmas, when I went over to my dad's house for a couple of hours to see him and my brother and sister. The gift he got me was put on back order, but I asked him not to tell me what it was so that it would be a surprise. My grandparents on his side got me a fisheye lens (see above; I think I'll call him Mr. Fishy,) a 5-tone reflector for photography, and some other camera accessories. And my Aunt Sylvia gave her traditional ornament gift, which is so cozy and cute and it's just something that I look forward to every year. The four of us went for a walk/bike ride and then we watched Despicable Me 2.
Round three was this past Saturday at Joe's house, where I ended up having my official "Christmas Dinner" of the year with some amazing prime rib. His mom got me THE SOFTEST bathrobe in the history of soft bathrobes, which I put on immediately and wore for the rest of the evening. Joe himself got me two new charms for the bracelet he bought me for our 2 year anniversary, a new necklace, and two new shirts. We then watched Despicable Me 2 (I honestly didn't mind watching it again) and then took a 4-hour nap.

I'd like to think that after a bout of bad luck and some icky situations, my family and I had a pretty dang good Christmas. I'd love to hear about all of your Christmases, sound off in the comments!!! Any fun plans over the holidays?

~♥

Gabby

All images are mine, and watermarked images are property of my business, Whispered Wishes Photography. Feel free to use the watermarked photos, but please do not alter the images or remove/crop out the watermark. Thank you very much! ♥

A College Essay: The Evolution of Marriage Equality in America

     Ever since the breaking of the American colonies from Britain to form it's own nation, there have always been differences in opinion on what rights are entitled and to whom. In the writing of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson included the following: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This phrase was, at the time, meant to only include the white male population in these “unalienable rights,” but as the country has developed, it has come to include men and women of all races and classes. Analysis of these rights have aided in gaining suffrage for non-whites and women, ending slavery, and the most recent concentration in civil rights battles, marriage equality. The connotative definition of “marriage” is still evolving in America and will continue to evolve as long as there are citizens being denied their “pursuit of happiness.”

     The first facet of marriage equality to be confronted in America is that of interracial marriages. Dating as far back as 1664, there were laws passed against interracial marriages, some going as far as to say that white women who married black men were to be enslaved. There were even three attempts at a Constitutional amendment to ban interracial marriages (Head). During the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, Asian immigration to the U.S. was a problem to many people. Many states banned marriages between whites and nonwhites, and some federal laws even revoked the citizenship of American women who married Asian men specifically (Sueyoshi). Through a series of Supreme Court cases over the years, state governments finally began accepting and recognizing interracial marriages, although the last state, Alabama, did not legalize them until 2007. Even though interracial marriages are legalized now, studies show that interracial marriages between blacks and majority group members face “higher social sanctions” than other interracial marriages (Yancey).

     Many of the concerns with the legalization of gay and lesbian marriages are rooted in religion. Many opposing parties claim that homosexuality goes against the Bible and threatens the “Holy sanction of marriage.” Arguments against these claims include the fact that there is supposed to be a separation of Church and State, and also that the Bible was written long ago and the world has evolved from the way it was back then. The history of homosexuality is relatively short in the United States, although unions between people of the same sex date back thousands of years. The development of large gay communities in New York, L.A., and San Francisco can be contributed to World War I. After the war, all gay and lesbian military personnel were dishonorably discharged and dropped off in port cities such as these. Since then, there have been countless attempts for gays to obtain marriage licenses, all of which were unsuccessful or later withdrawn (Ford). The first same-sex couple to be legally married in the United States was not married until 2004. Generally, the presence of homosexuality has become a regular part of our culture, with television shows such as Sex and the City, Glee, and Degrassi not only integrating but celebrating gay couples. There are still battles being fought to legalize gay marriage, with only 17 out of 50 states already legalized, but because it is such a hot social topic, there are likely to be more victories for the LGBT community in the near future (Infographic).

     The final topic to observe in analyzing the reach of marriage equality is polygamy, the marriage of multiple partners. Polygamy has been present throughout history, and has been criticized often in modern culture, especially by Christians. Not all countries outlaw polygamous relationships, but in America, it is illegal in all 50 states. Within polygamy, there are 3 different sects. First is polygyny, in which one husband has many wives. Next is polyandry, in which one wife takes on many husbands. Finally, there are group marriages, in which one family unit has multiple husbands and wives (Polygamy.com). Although it is common in the U.S. to frown upon these unions, pop culture is becoming interested in the process and those involved. A popular television show, Sister Wives, follows the lives of a family that practices polygyny, the Browns. Despite the unlawfulness of their family union, the Browns claim that it is legal because only the first marriage is official and the rest are simply commitments. Many who oppose polygamy are seeking to prove that these “commitments” can be identified as common law marriages and prosecute the family. In light of all of this, though, many people have grown to realize that they simply wish to lead their own lives and aren't doing anything to harm others. Much of the “bad name” for polygamy in America comes from the reputation of groups like the FDLS. As is being documented in the upcoming television series Breaking the Faith, the FDLS practices polygyny, some cases of which men will have upwards of 60 wives. These marriages are arranged as soon as the young women are of “marrying age.” The FDLS community is also known for child molestation and sexual assault, with it's former leader being prosecuted and serving time in prison (Wikipedia). Despite these two vastly opposing views on polygamy, it is undoubtable that in the future, there will be pushes to legalize the practice in America.

     There are positives and negatives to all types of relationships; gay, straight, interratial, polygamous, or even “traditional.” The thought of something outside the perceived “norm” simply heightens the negatives more than the positives. All types of relationships have the possibility of abuse or sexual assault, but since we see domestic violence on a fairly regular basis in the news, it highlights the drama if there is the added factor of interraciality, polygamy, or homosexuality in the relationship. Yet as time has passed, interracial marriage is now completely legal in the United States, and gay marriage is on it's way to a national legalization. Eventually more and more cases about polygamy will appear in courts, and it is very possible that in the future, there will finally be a true sense of “marriage equality” in the United States.

Works Cited

• Yancey, George. "Experiencing Racism: Differences In The Experiences Of Whites Married To Blacks And Non-Black Racial Minorities." Journal Of Comparative Family Studies 38.2 (2007): 197-213. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.
• SUEYOSHI, AMY. "Intimate Inequalities: Interracial Affection ∣ And Same-Sex Love In The "Heterosexual" Life Of Yone Noguchi, 1897-1909." Journal Of American Ethnic History 29.4 (2010): 22-44. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.
• Head, Tom. "Interracial Marriage Laws: A Short Timeline History." About.com. N.p.. Web. 23 Nov 2013. <http://civilliberty.about.com/od/raceequalopportunity/tp/Interracial- Marriage-Laws-History-Timeline.htm>.
• Ford, Milt. "A Brief History of Homosexuality in America."Grand Valley State University. N.p., 14 May 2013. Web. 25 Nov 2013. <http://www.gvsu.edu/allies/a-brief-history-of- homosexuality-in-america-30.htm>.
• History Of Gay Marriage In The United States (INFOGRAPHIC). 2013. Infographic. Huffington PostWeb. 25 Nov 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/history-of-gay- marriage_n_3599110.html>.
• "What is Polygamy?." Polygamy.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov 2013. <http://www.polygamy.com/>.
• "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." Wikipedia. N.p.. Web. 25 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalist_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter- Day_Saints>.

When It Rains, It Pours

Is it just me, or do bad things always seem to happen more increasingly as the holiday season draws nearer? Not to mention that things seem so much worse because it IS the holidays. On top of the economy sucking really horribly, having to scramble for gifts for loved ones, and the whole seasonal affective disorder thing, there always seems to be an downpour of really crappy things that happen. And it just so happens that things are hitting extremely close to home this year.

For starters, my mom broke her ankle. Which is just fabulous because now she has to wait on Workman's Comp to get off their butts and send her money to make up for her loss of wages, and even then it won't even be 100% pay (as if we weren't already struggling.) Not only can she not work, but she can't drive and I basically have taken up every single responsibility in the house. It isn't her fault, it's just difficult. She goes in for surgery Wednesday to have a metal plate put in her ankle to stabilize it. But basically the whole thing flushed our holiday savings down the toilet, and I'm worried for my little brother.

And as if that situation weren't stressful enough, Thursday evening, my boyfriend's father passed away in a car accident. It was hard two years ago when he was in another accident. We weren't sure he would make it then, but he did, although his arm was really messed up. He was still recovering. The really messed up thing is that it was in the same spot, which really freaks me out. Joe's working so hard to be strong through this, and I'm doing everything I can, but I can tell he is hurting, even when he hides it. There is a memorial service this Saturday at the beach where we will be spreading his ashes. I feel so upset and guilty because in the three years I have been dating Joe, I never got to meet his dad or even talk to him on the phone. I wanted to, but scheduling and his dad not wanting me to see him until he was better just didn't work out. I wish I had been able to meet him even once.

All I can do at this point is pray that this is the extent of it, because I don't know how much more stress I can handle. I'm already losing a lot of sleep and having trouble eating enough during the day. At least all m finals are over and next semester doesn't begin until January 8. I don't think I could handle college work on top of all of this. I hope everyone else is having a much better holiday season than I am.

Gabby

Life Lately

Working On: Various research papers and essays. For my research paper for English, I am writing about marriage equality as a progression from interracial marriages in the past, the ongoing battle for gay/lesbian marriages in the present, and the possibility of battles for polygamous relationships in the future. For Western Civilizations, I wrote about Vincent Van Gogh. I was glad that both of these classes allowed us to choose our own topics, because I prefer to write about things that I enjoy. I'll probably post both of my essays later on just so you guys can see my writing style a little. Not saying I'm the best or anything, not at all.

Excited About: Finally getting my photography business started! I started up a Facebook page to share some of my best shots, but I already have at least 2 friends that want me to do portraits for them (one of them I'll be doing sometime in December!)  I've gotten so much support from my friends and family about my photography, so hopefully once the ball gets rolling, I'll have tons of business! 

Watching: A lot of talent competitions, like The Voice and X Factor. One of my favorites from each show were eliminated this week (Caroline on TV; Khaya on XF) so I'm really depressed, but there's still quite a bit of good talent on all of the shows. Also, I'm guilty of taking advantage of Hulu and watching a butt-ton of foreign films. OH. And how can I forget the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special?! I absolutely adored it!!

Eating: Healthy things. I'm working on integrating more good-for-you things into my diet and trying to cut the crap. I made salmon and avocado burgers this week, and bought a couple of pomegranates. Also, I have tons of fruit for juicing and plenty of recipes to go off of. On top of that, I'm trying to take the dog for a walk for about half an hour at least 3 days a week. Because I refuse to be a college student gaining her Freshman 15... or 50.

Links I Love:

• You may want to think twice about supporting GoodWill until these issues are resolved.
• Another reason why Pentatonix is amazeballs.
• Also, Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choirs are perfection.
• A new perspective on beauty.
• Is it illegal to have Italian words on menus in Quebec?

~♥

Gabby

Adventures in Online College

Long time, no blog! Ugh, it's been almost a month since I've put any word out into my little corner of the internet, and I feel really awful about that. Everything has just gotten so weird. My sleep schedule is all screwed up because I don't have the strict schedule of high school anymore. Basically, I've been staying up until 2 a.m. and sleeping in until about 11 a.m. On top of that, I started my first semester of online college courses and BAM! Instantly swamped with work. I don't know who it was that told me my first year of college would be a breeze, especially if I was taking classes online. But let. Me. Tell. You. They were wrong. I have more work now with these 4 classes than I ever did with 8 high school classes per year. It's a lot, but it's all very interesting, although my Psychology teacher makes these Powerpoints of notes that are like 80-90 slides long. And I'm so anal about it, so I have to copy ALL the notes into my notebook. In multicolored gel pens. Yes, my notes are very pretty. 

Other than staying at home, doing college work, and the occasional errand-running to the campus, I haven't really done anything major. Or seen many people. Most of my friends have gone away to college, and the ones who are still here studying at TCL have jobs and other wonderful things going on. That's one of the things I do envy in everyone else going off to college. I look at everyone's photos on social media of their dorms and their campus and them all decked out in their college colors at football games. I do feel a little bad about missing out on it, but I know that earning my degree online is what's best for me. Still, maybe I should go down to the TCL bookstore and buy myself a school t-shirt or something. Just so I feel included. Kinda. 

Getting that positive feedback and them 100% grades!

We're stuck in this really awkward weather stage in Beaufort, too. It's like we are caught somewhere between summer and fall. It's cool enough for us to leave the back door open and turn off the A/C (huzzah for low electric bills!) but too warm for sweaters. Unfortunately, my toes disagree with the rest of me, however, so I'm wearing socks basically all day every day. I went ahead and got all of my super "summer-y" clothes out of my closet and into storage, and pulled my winter wardrobe out so that I am prepared. And yet, as a white girl with Instagram in college, I am ashamed to say that I have yet to get a pumpkin spice coffee from ANYWHERE yet. I'm not a major pumpkin fan, but it's an Autumn rite-of-passage. I feel so ashamed.

I will likely be posting some of my essays on here as blog posts, mostly because my professors are really great about giving us free reign to choose topics we want to write about. I'll probably add photos and videos to the blog posts though, just to spice them up and make them more interesting. I'll also try to post MUCH more often, because the fact that I almost left the blog post-less for a month makes me twitchy. 

~♥
Gabby

Life Lately

Excited For: Fall! I'm excited about all the great things that Autumn entails: pumpkin, crispy leaves, sweater weather... mmm! I'm also really excited about my first semester of college starting on the 10th. I still have 1 book that I have to go get, but other than that, I'm basically golden! Also, I ordered an anniversary gift for Joe and it's already here! I cannot wait for November 16th!!!

Worried About: Finding a job. I haven't heard back from any of the places I have applied to, so it has me pretty worried. I am going to need a job so that I can start saving to support myself. I can't be living at home with mom forever, ya know.

Pleased With: My haul from the Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale. All of the books in the picture above cost me a total of $11! They were running a special also, and I could have filled an entire box with books for just as much, but I didn't have time to go back around once I found out about it! I'm a little disappointed, but I will know for next year!

Waiting For: My order from Kintage to come in! Unfortunately, Kintage shut down after about 2 years, but they had a great sale to end their business, so I got a great dress and a pair of earrings for only $17 with free shipping! Since their website shut down, I can't track the order, but I am anxiously waiting by the door! I'm pretty sure this dress is the one I'm going to wear when Joe and I get our pictures done for our anniversary. :)

Links I Love:

• I find this song hilarious, in part because the first time I saw it was at 3 a.m. and so I had that natural sleepy-high thing going on. Don't judge me.

~♥

Gabby

Blogtember: Memories

A memory you would love to relive.

I think a memory that I would love to relive is actually a fairly recent one. My senior prom basically sucked, so Joe and I left early. We put Pandora on and slow danced for like an hour on our own. It was incredibly romantic, and just one of those little memories I don't want to forget.

~♥

Gabby

Blogtember: My Dear

 Write a public love letter to someone in your life. (It doesn't necessarily need to be romantic.)

Dear Joe,

We're about 2 months away now from our 3 year anniversary. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed that I would be so lucky. My first boyfriend, my first kiss, my first relationship, and we've lasted this long with no indication of us ever ending it. You have been my greatest friend, my most loyal companion. I don't know how I was ever blessed enough to meet you and have you become a part of my life. I can't imagine where I would be right now without you. You love me unconditionally, TRULY unconditionally, and that in itself is more than I could ever have asked for. You have seen me at my best and at my worst, and you have comforted me through the toughest time of my life. When my dad was in the hospital after his stroke, you went and visited him on your own without me ever asking, and I didn't expect you to. I love everything about you, from your wonderful heart to the not-so-wonderful things of your past that have shaped you into the man I love. I am so excited to be coming up so soon on this wonderful benchmark in our relationship and equally as excited for all those to come. 

I love you with all my heart,

Gabby

Blogtember: Social Influence

 Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.

Oh, the fine world of social media! With its great power to connect people from around the world in an instant and spread news faster than wildfire, it seems to be only good at surface level. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to connect with people, but when it comes down to it, I have seen many things about social media become not-so-wonderful. There's cyberbullying, and blackmail, and a more public kind of popularity contest.

I admit that I sometimes find myself being overly hard on myself over the fact that not as many of my friends "like" my pictures or statuses as other people get on theirs. I catch myself wondering "Do I not look good here?" or "Why isn't that funny enough?" It causes me to wonder if I even leave an impression at all on people. I am getting less and less concerned with this, but for a while, especially around my freshman year of high school, it was a HUGE deal to me and it made me feel really bad about myself. 

Enter blogging. When I started this blog, I decided not to share it with my friends and family at home for a while. Still to this day, only my boyfriend and my friend Quincy even knows about it. And honestly, that's okay. Because I have been able to put my true opinion out there and fully express myself without the worry of my friends and family being critical. Eventually I will tell everyone about it, but for now, it's just for me. And the great thing is that I have gotten quite a bit of positive feedback from complete strangers. And that feels really good.

~♥

Gabby

Exploring Horoscopes

I have lately been exploring astrology and horoscopes and found that while it seems far-fetched, mine truly seem to describe me perfectly. I thought I'd share some of my signs and meanings. Perhaps they will give my readers an insight to who I am. I'm also including descriptions of each kind of sign.

Sun Sign: Reveals things about a person's outer self

My Sun Sign is Capricorn. 

"Sun in Capricorn has a natural tendency to reach a prominent position in society. This person has a serious attitude towards life, the ability to make plans of extreme complexity, and the aptitude to implement them very methodically and cautiously.

Such people build their lives in much the same way a skilled architect creates a huge building: they are very reliable but can also be very slow.

Sun-in-Capricorn individuals will shine in situations that require taking responsibility, or that have a significant complexity and many moving parts."

Moon Sign: Reveals things about a person's inner self

My Moon Sign is Pisces

"Intuitive, imaginative, compassionate, romantic, easily influenced. Likes emotionally rich situations, enjoys being creative. Hates strict rules and discipline.

Sensitivity, changeability, rich imagination - these are the distinguishing features of the Moon in Pisces individuals. They are so perceptible to others' emotions that can be deeply moved by a situation in which someone else would never notice anything special. They try to avoid strict order or rigid rules and prefer to create around them a kind of "creative chaos", as if protesting against requirement to put things on their places.

Rich imagination of the Moon in Pisces helps these people in creative endeavours, but their negative trait can be a lack of reliability and responsibility. They don't know to where and when they will swim away next time - but at least not to a place where they will be required to do something. If they meet an obstacle, the Moon in Pisces people will find a way around. They will never storm or forcefully demand anything. Quietly and softly moving from one situation to another, they will be looking for a place with a cleaner emotional atmosphere.

To release stress, the Moon in Pisces folks might want to stay alone in some romantic surroundings and to day dream. They are able to meditate naturally, to travel in their imagination to a different reality. It may be good for them to live or at least to spend their vacations near a body of water, best of all a sea or an ocean. Even by simply spending a little time at the sea shore they will immediately feel significant relief.

Unfortunately, many of the Moon in Pisces people are prone to smoking and alcohol as a way to get an emotional relief. This might help for a period, but their body is very sensitive to contamination and consequences of such an unnatural relief can be really detrimental.

The Moon in Pisces parents are kind and full of compassion, they are ready to understand and forgive anyone. They like fairy tales even more than their kids and can read them for hours. They will take an active part in development of creative abilities and imagination of their children. But one thing where they are not helpful is in teaching their children how to deal with the real world, how to be responsible and ordered. They have no idea about this themselves."

Rising Sign: The "us" we put out for others to see, the mask we wear

My Rising Sign is Cancer

You are dreamy, with a psychological nature that is oriented towards nostalgia for things past, towards your mother and your family. Your instinct and your need to protect yourself from the outside world are highly developed. Your inner life is rich, with a vivid and even unlimited imagination, a propensity to avoid all risks and to pursue security. You show your true face only to persons you can trust and you need the well being brought about by the nostalgia for the past.

With this Ascendant, you come across as emotional, sentimental, restful, sensitive, loyal, enduring, protective, vulnerable, generous, romantic, tender, poetic, paternal or maternal, dreamy, indolent, greedy and dedicated. You may also be fearful, unrealistic, evasive, passive, touchy, anxious, dependent, stubborn, lunatic, backward-looking, lazy, burdensome, impenetrable and a homebody.

Celtic Horoscopes

Druid Horoscopes (Trees)

My Druid Sign is the Fir Tree

The Fir Tree, an evergreen, was held in very high esteem by the Druid people. In the dead of winter, when the countryside was dull and grey and blanketed with snow, the Fir was one of those trees that brought color and life to the landscape with its very cold, austere beauty. The Fir is symbolic of friendship, resilience, perceptiveness, longevity, and honesty. Fir people are very sensory-oriented, and are drawn to dim lights and the aroma of perfumes. 

Fir people love antique jewelry and other old things, and they enjoy being part of majestic celebrations. Despite this last attraction, and because they are capricious and not easy to live with; they often experience a strong sense of isolation and can feel lonely even among large groups of people. Those born under this proud and resolute sign do not give up until they achieve their goal. They are not likely to fall under anyone's influence; their discreet nature prohibits them from sharing their opinions and makes them seem rather gloomy at times – especially because they are rarely ever satisfied with what they have.

Fir people can be very demanding and hard to negotiate with. Knowing and understanding their true value, they always try to get the most out of life, and usually they manage to achieve it. 

If a Fir Tree person ever falls in love, the experience shakes his or her world to its core. Their love can be truly unconditional. This sign is also very intellectual. Fir Tree people have very analytical minds that lean toward science, yet they don't always achieve significant success. Sometimes they end up working in some other area that has nothing to do with their interests or education. But whatever they do, they take their work seriously, and they can occasionally reach lofty heights in their work because of their scrupulousness and outstanding work ethic.

When Fir Tree people have to choose between different options, they usually pick the most difficult path. That's because deep down they believe that it is their destiny to create difficult situations for themselves and for others. But whatever happens, Fir Trees are very noble, and one can fully rely on them. They remain optimistic through every endeavor, and never lose their faith. However, Fir Tree people usually neglect small things because they prefer to focus on the big picture instead.

Celtic Animal Horoscope

My Celtic Animal Sign is a Stag:

The stag Celtic animal sign has high ideals and aspirations. If you want to start a new project, get a Stag sign to help you. They will not be deterred from their vision. They are thorough, patient and their persistence insures their triumphs. When others have long given up, Stags buck their way past boundaries. They are proud, and rightfully so - they hold themselves in a regal way. They are naturally noble, like they came from royalty. This is not to say Stags feel entitled. Far from it. They believe in righteous hard work, and their integrity is their trademark.

I personally find all these things highly interesting. I plan on looking more into horoscopes and astrology.

~♥

Gabby

Blogtember: Life Changing

Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

I think the moment when my life took a turn would have to be the day my brother was born. We were living in Oklahoma, and I was about 9 years old. I remember my mom waking me up and we grabbed our little pre-packed suitcase. I don't really remember much else until after he was born. I sat in the waiting room for 45 minutes, and next thing I knew, I was holding this little 6 pound 12 ounce baby boy. I was so excited  to be  holding my brother, but I didn't realize I would end up as a second parent-figure to him alongside my mom. I have changed so much from having a little brother and raising him. It's been a little stressful, but I wouldn't change anything for the world. I love my little brother. 

~♥

Gabby

Blogtember: INFJ

Take this short personality test and respond to your results. (at the end, find the detailed profile of your personality account - click "click to view" under "You" and "self awareness and personal growth." You can even google your type and find more info on it!)

Introverted iNtuiting Feeling Judging

by Marina Margaret Heiss

INFJs are distinguished by both their complexity of character and the unusual range and depth of their talents. Strongly humanitarian in outlook, INFJs tend to be idealists, and because of their J preference for closure and completion, they are generally "doers" as well as dreamers. This rare combination of vision and practicality often results in INFJs taking a disproportionate amount of responsibility in the various causes to which so many of them seem to be drawn.

INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people -- a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates." While instinctively courting the personal and organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them, providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent "givers." As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often misunderstood -- particularly by those who have little experience with this rare type.

Due in part to the unique perspective produced by this alternation between detachment and involvement in the lives of the people around them, INFJs may well have the clearest insights of all the types into the motivations of others, for good and for evil. The most important contributing factor to this uncanny gift, however, are the empathic abilities often found in Fs, which seem to be especially heightened in the INFJ type (possibly by the dominance of the introverted N function).

This empathy can serve as a classic example of the two-edged nature of certain INFJ talents, as it can be strong enough to cause discomfort or pain in negative or stressful situations. More explicit inner conflicts are also not uncommon in INFJs; it is possible to speculate that the causes for some of these may lie in the specific combinations of preferences which define this complex type. For instance, there can sometimes be a "tug-of-war" between NF vision and idealism and the J practicality that urges compromise for the sake of achieving the highest priority goals. And the I and J combination, while perhaps enhancing self-awareness, may make it difficult for INFJs to articulate their deepest and most convoluted feelings.

Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills. Since in addition they often possess a strong personal charisma, INFJs are generally well-suited to the "inspirational" professions such as teaching (especially in higher education) and religious leadership. Psychology and counseling are other obvious choices, but overall, INFJs can be exceptionally difficult to pigeonhole by their career paths. Perhaps the best example of this occurs in the technical fields. Many INFJs perceive themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with the mystique and formality of "hard logic", and in academic terms this may cause a tendency to gravitate towards the liberal arts rather than the sciences. However, the significant minority of INFJs who do pursue studies and careers in the latter areas tend to be as successful as their T counterparts, as it is *iNtuition* -- the dominant function for the INFJ type -- which governs the ability to understand abstract theory and implement it creatively.

In their own way, INFJs are just as much "systems builders" as are INTJs; the difference lies in that most INFJ "systems" are founded on human beings and human values, rather than information and technology. Their systems may for these reasons be conceptually "blurrier" than analogous NT ones, harder to measure in strict numerical terms, and easier to take for granted -- yet it is these same underlying reasons which make the resulting contributions to society so vital and profound.

I read this section on my personality profile from the quiz and it sounds EXACTLY like me. I'm shocked honestly. Go take the quiz, people. It's worth it.

~♥

Gabby

Blogtember: Fear

A story about a time you were very afraid.

When I was in middle school, we lived in a not-so-great neighborhood, known for being lower-income housing, and such the home to some not-so-savory people and scary events. I remember my brother and I were babysat by a woman up the road, and when mom got back from work late at night, she would come get us and we would walk down the road 3 houses to ours. One night, Mom woke me up and we walked home. I was super exhausted, and didn't even think twice about going inside and getting in bed while mom talked to our neighbor for a second. Next thing I know, a police officer is waking me up and telling me to go outside because they had to search my room. Apparently, our back sliding door was open and the blinds were moving like someone was trying to get in or out, and mom called the police. We had been broken into. Although nothing was stolen or broken, it was really terrifying, and I didn't even want to go inside. 

The next couple of days, mom made some calls to ADT and we got a security system installed. (Which apparently mom set off on accident one night and I slept right through it, haha.)

~♥
Gabby

Blogtember: Dream Time Off

If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do?

This one can be relatively short, honestly. It's no secret that I want to travel. I would love to travel all across the country in a car pulling a pop-up camper behind it with Joe. I want to experience all kinds of different things and takes millions of photos and make infinite memories. I want to go to Woodstock and Coachella and Bonnaroo. I want to visit California and see the town I was born in. I want to see Wisconsin, where Joe's mom grew up. I just want to be spontaneous and silly and have the time of my life.

~♥

Gabby

Blogtember: Very Good Advice

Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered.

You know, I never really was a person to ask advice. I didn't have my grandparents around most of the time, so it wasn't like I grew up with "pearls of wisdom" every day. And normally, I kept my problems to myself. I rarely ever went to my mom or dad with y problems. I like to keep my personal business between myself and the people directly involved. So my advice honestly wasn't from a family member, or even a friend or teacher. It was something I saw on Doctor Who just this year when I had my Netflix marathon.

"You don't just give up. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand! You say no! You have the guts to do what's right, even when everyone else just runs away."
-Billie Piper as Rose Tyler

I feel like this has inspired me to stand up for myself and others so much. I have rid my life of one of its biggest negative factors and begun to rebuild my relationship with my dad. I have found myself expressing more vocally my opinions on subjects that I feel strongly about. I feel like this simple quote has really influenced my life in a positive way.

~♥

Gabby

Blogtember: Where I Come From

Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

Yeah, that's me. Circa 2010.

Well, I guess here goes a brief history lesson on little ol' me! I was born on January 4, 1995 in Twentynine Palms, CA, where my dad was stationed with the USMC. My parents are both from New Hampshire and were together since high school. I don't remember anything about California though, because we moved away when I was 1. That's about the same time as when the pretty carrot-top hair I was born with all fell out for another year until it grew back platinum blonde. No joke. I was born with the hair color I'm so desperately trying to achieve now. It kinda makes me hate baby me a little.

Anywho, we moved to Beaufort, SC then. Right where I am now.  There was a lot of moving around later in my life, but I ended up right back here. My parents divorced when I was very young, about 3 or 4 I think. Both of them remarried, and I moved out to Oklahoma City, OK with my mom when I was 9. There, my mom gave birth to my brother, and my stepmom gave birth to my little sister in Ohio. I had always wanted a little brother or sister... I got both within 4 months of eachother! My brother's father was never a part of his life due to personal issues, so I became his second parent. It wasn't a fair thing for a 9-year-old, but it is what it is.

Because of having to raise him alongside my mother as I did, I feel that I became a very motherly person from a young age. Even nowadays, I find myself playing mother hen to my friends sometimes. I know it gets annoying, but it's just because I care and I worry. I opened my range of affection at a young age, and it stayed that way. I can't bear to see someone else cry, even if I don't know them.

I think because my parents were divorced when I was so young, and my mom's second marriage wasn't ideal either, I became very cautious and insightful and choosy. I never felt any real affections for anyone until high school and didn't date anyone until I met Joe in sophomore year. It's not that I didn't have the whole middle school girl "Ooooh, he's really cute!" moments, I just was very watchful. I never invested myself into friendships until I had observed the person for a while. I like to stay back and see a person's mannerisms and the way they talk and handle situations. I feel like I have avoided a LOT of drama in my life, and a lot of heartbreak. Many people think that I'm super shy because of this, but really... I'm just absorbing the people around me. 

I have wondered sometimes if I am introverted or not. I love being around people, but because I am very quiet around new people at first, I find it difficult. I like to know what kinds of things people like before throwing myself into a conversation with them. So for everyone else that I know to be talking with the person before I get a good feel for their personality, what they find offensive and what topics to avoid, etc., I get frustrated and can come off as a bit clingy and whiny with my friends. And it's exhausting. It's not that I like to be the center of attention, because lord knows I can't stand all eyes being on me, it's just that I like to know that I am safe talking to the people that I do. 

My schedule doesn't really allow me to hang out with people much anyway, so when I do, I get excited and exhausted and by the end of it I kinda wanna go home and cry because I basically used up all of my energy for about a week. Being around a lot of people and a lot of personalities gets me extremely emotional. In DC, I shared a room with 3 of my friends in choir and the second night I burst into tears over my bra cups' outline being seen through the fabric of my dress. Not a big deal, but it basically made me not even want to go to the awards banquet. I would have missed out on us winning 1st place and Most Outstanding Choir! Nationally!

I feel that I definitely have room to grow, and I work every day to try and overcome some of the personal issues that I have. But I am also proud of who I am today, because I could be much worse than I am now. I have never drank alcohol and I never want to. I have never smoked and I never want to. I have never done drugs of any kind and I never want to. I could be in a much more unhealthy place. I could be like many people my age and drinking underage and off at "parties" getting high. But I'm not, because I know how to make the right decisions for me. And I am so proud of that. I have a wonderful, loving boyfriend, and a great future ahead of me. I'm proud to say that my past truly has affected me, made me stronger.

~♥

Gabby

Getting Ready For Blogtember

Jenni over at Story of My Life is starting this fun thing called Blogtember, where we follow these fun prompts to blog about. I am sooooooooo excited for these!

Here are the rules:

1. There really aren't any rules. If you miss a day, you can make it up or skip it. The blog police will not come knocking.

2. Jenni will be including a linkup option at the bottom of her post each day, so you are welcome to leave your links there for others to peruse, as well. 

3. You can still post other things every day, too. 

4. Jenni requests that you include the "Blogtember" button (in her post here) either on your sidebar or at the end of your posts, but again, the blog police will not come knocking. 

5. Here are the topics. You can be as creative and awesome or as boring and bland as you like with these. Take 'em and run with it. Use creative post titles. Interpret each "prompt" however you like. There's no wrong way to do it. Have fun.

Tuesday, Sept. 3: Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

Wednesday, September 4: If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do? (bonus points for fun photos from Pinterest, but don't forget to cite the source!)

Thursday, September 5: Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered. 

Friday, September 6: A story about a time you were very afraid.

Monday, September 9: Take this short personality test and respond to your results. (at the end, find the detailed profile of your personality account - click "click to view" under "You" and "self awareness and personal growth." You can even google your type and find more info on it!)

Tuesday, September 10: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

Wednesday, September 11: Share links to your favorite online shops, preferably with a few photos of your favorite items in each shop.

Thursday, September 12: Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.

Friday, September 13: A self portrait

Monday, September 16: Write a public love letter to someone in your life. (It doesn't necessarily need to be romantic.)

Tuesday, September 17: A memory you would love to relive.

Wednesday, September 18: Only photos

Thursday, September 19: Creative writing day: write a (very short) fictional story that starts with this sentence: "To say I was dreading the dinner party would be the understatement of the century."

The story does not necessarily need to have a conclusion - you can leave your readers wishing for more!

Friday, September 20: React to this term: comfort. 

Monday, September 23: A "life lately" post. What you're up to, how you're feeling, how you're doing on your goals, etc. Bonus points for great photos!

Tuesday, September 24: Review a book, place, or product.

Wednesday, September 25: Write about a time you screwed up - a mistake you made. 

Thursday, September 26: Go to a coffee shop. Order a favorite drink. Write about what makes you happy and what makes you sad. Or write about anything you'd like! Bonus points for including a photo from the coffee shop. (I recommend downloadingOmmwriter and bringing headphones along!) *if you can't make it to a coffee shop, at least leave your usual space and write someplace new.

Friday, September 27: An anonymous letter to your Facebook friends. Be as snarky as you'd like. (but don't include people's real names.) 

Monday, September 30: Share a photo of something old. Maybe something that has personal history for you, that was passed down to you, and that has special meaning to you. Tell us about it and why it's special.

~♥

Gabby