5 Fandom Friday: Things I've Bought But Have't Read/Watched/Played Yet

                                        

I should have used these things a while ago.

5 Fandom Friday is a meme (I guess) or a tagged post that you every Friday answering certain prompts that have already been agreed upon. I love this idea because it lets me show a bit of my geeky/fandom side that I usually reserve for the pits of tumblr. But it is nothing to be ashamed of and I will display it with pride. I run a studyblr for pete's sake! Any who, the prompt for this week was things that I've bought but haven't really touched yet. This was a bit difficult as I normally buy things and put them immediately to use. But I searched around my apartment and surprisingly I found some things!

• The FitBit
• Used DS ( I know, I know)
• Teen Magazines 
• My Drunk Kitchen by Hannah Hart ( I can feel your surprise from here)
• The Da Vinci Files 

Out of everything of this list, I am most upset about not using the FitBit and the DS as much as I should. I've had the FitBit since Thursday and I've only used it around 50ish times. There is also an app that comes along with the fitbit to track the calories you have burnt, taken in, and charts to track your fitness process. This is a good reminder to use this constantly.

Patrick represents the level of fitness I need to be on.

The DS is still relatively new. I bought it used from Game Stop for less than fifty bucks. I don't have any games, so leave me any recommendations! 

I love magazine and fashion, I feel a bit too old to be reading TeenVogue, so I might just switch over to Vogue soon. Due to going away to college I missed a few issues, so I need to get to reading them soon. I also need to catch up to Women's Health magazine.

Elise is my youth laughing as she runs away from me. Natasha is me as my grumpy old self lol.

And yes, we all know that I love Hannah Hart. If I could go and get married to her I would. But I refuse to be ashamed for not reading her book. I just don't want to be disappointed. I have such high expectations. She also signed this book so no one is going to be able to actually borrow it (I have another copy for that), but is so pretty and I should get to reading it soon. Are you guys interested in a review?

Hannah will slay me no matter what.

And finally, to show some more of my nerdy side. The Da Vinci Files is a multi-disk documentary series that I got when I was really into Art History. I just need some time on Saturday and a nice movie buddy to accompany me on my Da Vinci journey. 

  

So hopefully I did this prompt justice, if not please don't send any angry mobs to my apartment. Not only will I not let them in, but it is cold out (in the negatives) and I don't want anyone to get frost bite! Hope you guys have a wonderful weekend and feel free to tell me things you haven't used recently :).

Cielo

Blogmas Day 5- Christmas Tag

The Christmas Tag

Hello my beauties, its been a while since I have done a tag, and since I am blogging every day sometimes, it takes me a while to come up with something I want to blog about. I wasn't tagged, but I don't think it matters, so here is the tag. I tagged some lovely people in the bottom below and you should check them out!

Here's the 10 questions and answers.

1. What is your favourite thing about Christmas?

My favorite thing about Christmas is the mood it puts everyone in. Everyone is so excited for the season and wants to be nice to each and welcome others into their lives. Even if it is temporarily. 

2. What is your favourite makeup look for the festive season?

I I love to use warm colors. I tend to stay away from pinks and purples as I feel as if they give me the look of having a black eyes. But I do use a lot of silver and gold. Anything that says its Christmas. 

3. Real or fake tree?

While having one fake tree will be so much cheaper,  I love the smell of a real tree. Real tree forever and ever.

4. Giving or receiving presents?

Giving. Receiving is always nice, but nothing changes the smile off of someones face when you get them something that brings a smile to their face.

5. Do you open your presents in the morning or evening?

Christmas eve at midnight. Every year, I think it is a hispanic thing. 

6. Handmade or bought Christmas cards?

Handmade, the effort you put for someone is the best thing you could ever do for them. But store bought cards are cool as well. As long as the effort is still there in the writing!  

7. What is your favourite Christmas film?

I love the Polar Express and ELF. Those movies are the best ones and I will never get tired of them. They remind me of my childhood and those are definitely movies I will pass down to my children.  

8. What is your favourite Christmas food?

My dad's recipe for Ecuadorian rice pudding taste so yummy. I also love the turkey we make for Christmas, we use different spices from Thanksgiving and I just prefer the one on Christmas eve. 

9. Favourite Christmas gift?

My future gift of going to disney word for new year. I have wanted to go there for years, and now as an adult I get to go and even meet up with some friends.

10. What tops your tree?

A star or an angel it depends on what we find.

Those are my answers, I am tagging the following two people, The Girl in Moonlight, and beautybyholliana. Let me know if you do it guys, and also I tag the rest of my readers. What gets you in the Christmas spirit? Let me know in the comments below! 

xoxo

Cielo
Day 4 Day 6

Blogmas Day 3 - Top 5 Christmas Songs

On the road trip back up to my college a week ago, we only got 3 stations. 1 Christmas station and 2 country stations. With a car full of city girls there was no way that we were going to sit 6 hours plus traffic of country music. With not speaker in sight for our phones, we settled for the old time Christmas music. While my besties never want to hear a Christmas song again this season, the following 5 songs are songs that I will never get tired of. Let's start the count down!

5. Mary, Did you know? -Pentatonix

I have been listening to Pentatonix since day one, I've loved all of their music. There is also something about their music being acapella that makes this song so much more spiritual and relaxing to listen to. Generally, I listen to music while reading or doing work, but this song is really one that I just sit and relax to.

4. Everyday is Christmas -Straight no Chaser

Like I said before,  acapella music get me every time. I think that this song featuring Colbie Callie is perfect, since it is an all man acapella group. Their style joins together in a magical way, and I love how they emphasize that you don't need all that magical Christmas feelings to be in a good relationship/company.

3. El Burrito de Belen-Hugo Blanco

The typical danceable spanish song at Christmas. Just a song talking about the donkeys that carried Mary and Jesus. Really just a song from my childhood. A little different than you guys might be use to but it will always be one of my favorites!

2. The Little Drummer Boy -Any version really.

From strumming this song on my ukelele to covering it every year in choir. I can't go wrong with this song. I also love the Spanish versions. This song is literally magic to me!

1.  Believe - Polar Express

This song makes me so emotional every time I hear it. It brings tears to my eyes, I don't know why. They aren't necessarily tears of sadness or joy. They just sort of happen and I can never control it. They just make me reflect on my childhood and remind me of my father. I can listen to this song any time during the year and it has the same affect. It is also from my favorite movie the Polar Express so that may have something to do with it. 

What are your favorite songs of the season?  Let me know in the comments below, and maybe help me discover something new!

xoxo
Cielito

P.S. I'm attempting to blog every day until Christmas.
Day 1 Day 2

18 Things About Being 18

Last Month I turned 19, and hopefully I have learned at least one good thing per year. So here are 18 things I learned and wish I knew before being 19.

Midlife Crisis Captured through life.

1. Just because you have a problem doesn't mean that it is the end of the world. Life will go on. And while it is totally fine to stay in bed once in a while and wallow in your pity, you shouldn't use it as an excuse to never move around.
2. But seriously. Get up, and go outside. Tumblr and blogger will be there when you get back. And even if you can't get your mind offline, use tumblr outside. The fresh air will do you good.
3. While your parents know what is best for you, they aren't living your life. Making your parents proud is a good thing however draw the line when they start to live through you. Sometimes you need to learn for yourself. 
4. Friends will come and go. Don't try to tie down the people you want in your life. Sometimes, people are only there to teach a lesson for a small point and time and they the will move on. Yes it will hurt. But you can grow from it.
5. Stay up late. Not everything revolves around school. It is okay to skip school or homework one in a while to do something cool. Not only will it be something to tell the grandkids but a different experience can really enrich your life.  
6. But at the same time, get some sleep. Not only will you be in a better mood, but you will also be able to soak in all the experiences that life has to offer better. 
7. You don't always have to go out. Building a fort and watching netflix is just as good as going out and partying with your friends. 
8. Find yourself. Life isn't linear, sexuality isn't always straight. You don't have to go straight to college after high school. There are programs and other options for you. Take up anything you can.
9. Don't go to a college because your s/o is there. Trust me, it might not even last. Go to a college that fits you not them.                    

                            
 10. Value your family. You will hate them. You will love them. But in the end, the probably want what is best for you. Your time with them isn't forever.
11. Never go to sleep angry at someone. Just don't. It isn't good for anyone involved. When you can work it out, so you can leave on a better note.
12. Yes, you do want that side order of fries. Enjoy the yummy things.
13. Its okay to show emotions. Crying can be cleansing. Laughter is the best medicine. You don't need to bottle things up.
14. No, you don't need those designer jeans.
15. People may underestimate how mature you are. Your problems are valid no matter how much they try to belittle it.

16. Try anything twice. The first time you try something, it will probably end up badly because you won't know what you are doing. The second time you try something you will have more an idea of what you have to do and can experience things they way it is suppose to be experienced.
17. Don't upload photos or videos with the intent of hurting someone. Not only does that reflect badly on you. But you will never really know how other people have felt from your actions.
18. Always take time to sit down and reflect on your experiences. Life is equally short as it is long. At the end of the day, as long as you are happy with your life that is all that matters.

xoxo

Cielo

One Lovely Blog Award

Even though I haven't really been active on the site this month, it is super awesome to know one of my readers remembered and wanted to recognize me for my blogging. It literally makes me heart grow a little bigger and really made my night. So thank you Shayla, you are the cutest. Make sure you guys check out her lovely blog.

Rules:

1. You must display the award logo at the top of the post!
2. You must thank the person who nominated you and leave a link to their blog in your post!
3. You must add this set of rules to your post so that your nominees will know what to do!
4. You must add 7 facts about yourself into the post
5. You must nominate 15 other blogs and leave links to each of them in your post!
6. You must let the people who you have nominated know that they've been nominated!
7. You must follow back the person who nominated you on GFC (I don't use this) and Bloglovin

7 Facts About Me

• I have a writing blog that I might link up with this one soon. I want to write a children's book and a fantasy book before I die (and have it published).
• I play rugby for the Hellbender Team. I am also the Vice President.
• I was born in N.Y.C. but also partially raised in Ecuador. I probably would have been fully raised in Ecuador if my mom had anything to say about it.
• I am the host of 2 radios shows. Hora Latin and W0rd$ w/ Fr!3nd$
• I love writing poetry, I am going to upload some to YouTube soon for the hell of it.
• I would love to Skype my other fellow bloggers on here. I already do with some girls from Tumblr its fun.
• While I love all things beauty and fashion, I prefer to show my love for it through other people rather than myself.

My nominees are down below. These are people that I constantly check up on and follow. I love them!

1. adventuresfromthebookshelf
2. beautylove7694
3. beautybyholliana
4. briannaly
5. imsociallyawkward
6. petitefashionmonster
7. preciousamaka
8. sarawallflower
9. taraclare
10. thegirlinthemoonlight
11. camstalks.blogspot.com
12. unfitrugger
13. subparweed
14. rovge.tumblr.com
15. asxpussy

Building The Confidence

In my sociology class we learned about in-groups and out-groups. In-groups are any group of people that share the same interest and approve of each others actions. Out-groups are any people who the in-group likes to reject, make fun of or who they just don't approve. There are deeper explanations that I could go into but for right now but I won't as it isn't necessary. The more time passes the more I realize that media is becoming an impossible in-group to join. You see it everywhere. In magazines, on Youtube, Tumblr. Anywhere that can be manipulated by the media will be. And the more we try to fight it the less it seems that our messages are being heard.
                               

 The people we see on our magazine don't even look like themselves! Photoshop, though really cool is altering our beliefs on beauty. Beauty isn't something that you can even fit in a box. There are so many more layers than what you look like that determine your beauty. That definition changes by culture and location. It is sad to see that Americanized version of beauty is bleeding into some many other cultures, and in some places girls are bleaching their skin to fit into these molds.

To me, molds are meant to be broken. Nothing should be a cookie cutter version of another. Everyone is inately different. You will never met someone like you in the world because everything fluctuates. There will never be another 19 year old Cielo, typing this blogpost in the library of her college at 2:30 pm instead of being in her Organic Chemistry class in the year 2014.

I wish there was more diversity in my social media feeds. I want people of different races, sexual orientations, sexes, social classes, sizes and religions on my Youtube subscription list. I want beauty gurus and fashion blogs from other countries to gain more recognition for the work. And most of all I want the originality that can only come from these differences to shine through. Being biracial I can say that having different points of views, and beliefs is a wonderful experience. Being able to pick and chose what you do and why is empowering. Having these types of resources are important and I hope that more young girls step up to plate and shine.
xoxo

Cielo

"We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion."

iiSuperWomanii- Lady of the week

"There is no shame in falling down. But there is pride in getting back up." -Lily Singh

     It's not a secret that I love anything YouTube and the community around it. If I have a bad day, my favorite thing to do if I don't have the energy to write is to sit down and watch a funny or thoughtful video to pass the time. YouTube is perfect for me. Having small tiny vlogs to watch can really make me smile and I don't have to deal with the suspenseful cliff hangers that my favorite shows love to leave me with. And one of my favorite Youtubers to watch is Lily Singh.

 
     She was born on September 26 1988 in Ontario Canada, and has probably been making people smile since day 1. She is such an inspiration to me, I am honestly surprised that she doesn't get the same hype that other Youtuber's get. In my opinion she deserves that hype and more because she is creating waves of positivity  and laughter without bringing other people down. And that type of positivity is desperately needed at this point in time with all the negative things happening in the world.

     You can literally see the effort she puts into every video. She comes up with characters and sketches that instead of becoming a distraction, propel the video forward and just makes me laugh and giggle even more. I dare to say that her characters are just as loved as she is.

Even when she reviews videos, or events, Superwoman doesn't poke fun at other people. Most people wouldn't have the will power to do that, because poking fun of other people is the easiest thing someone can do. Yet she sets that asides and makes positive jokes and reviews the awesome things that occur. Focusing on the positive and not the negative is such an awesome trait.

She's brave- I mean she stuck her head in the toilet to beat other guys in a dare video. She has an awesome sense of style. She is dedicated to making other people happy. And she doesn't look at others at competitions just as companions. If you watch her vlogs you will see her going out and supporting other Youtuber's, even if they aren't her best friends because team internet needs all the help and love it can get. 

iiSuperwomanii is a breath of fresh air, and I am so happy I found her way back when. She has a mindset that I aspire to gain when I am older and I hope I could sit down and have a conversation with her one day. 

Scroll Down to see a list of my favorite videos from her! Who are your inspirations? Let me know in the comments below! 

-SpanishTime-SpanishTime-SpanishTime-SpanishTime-SpanishTime-SpanishTime-SpanishTime-

“No hay vergüenza en caerse. Pero hay orgullo en pararse otra vez. “-Lily Singh

     No es un secreto que me encanta todo lo que tenga que ver con YouTube y la comunidad que ha creado. Si tengo un día malo, mi cosa favorita que hacer si no tengo la energía para escribir es sentarme y ver un vídeo chistoso para pasar el tiempo y alegra mi vida. YouTube es perfecto para mí. Viendo videos realmente puede hacerme sonreír.  Y lo mejor es que no tengo que molestarme con el suspenso que mis programas favoritos le encanta dejarme con. Una de la personalidades de YouTube que me encanta ver es Lily Singh .

     Ella nació el 26 de septiembre de 1988 en Ontario, Canadá, y probablemente ha hecho personas sonreír desde el primer día de vida. Ella es una inspiración, me sorprende sinceramente que ella no consigue la misma atención que otras personalidades. En mi opinión se merece esa atención y más porque ella está creando olas de positividad y risa. Y eso se necesita desesperadamente en estos momentos negativos  que están sucediendo en el mundo.

Literalmente sé puede ver el esfuerzo que pone ella en cada vídeo. Ella se inventa personajes y sketches en sus vídeos que  hacen reír a la gente aún más . Me atrevo a decir que sus personajes son tan amados como ella.

     Ella es valiente- ella puso la cabeza en el inodoro para vencer a otros chicos en un video de atreven. Ella tiene un sentido increíble del estilo. Ella se dedica a hacer felices a todos los demás. Y ella no mira a los demás como competencia  sólo como compañeros. Si usted mira sus vlogs verá que ella sale y apoya a los  otros YouTubers , inclusivamente aunque no son sus mejores amigos. Porque “el equipo de internet” necesita toda la ayuda y el amor que puede conseguir.

iiSuperwomanii es un soplo de aire fresco, y estoy muy feliz de haber encontrado su videos hace tiempo. Ella tiene una forma de pensar que yo aspiro a ganar cuando sea mayor y espero en el futuro poder sentarme y tener una conversación con ella.

¿Y que son tu inspiraciones? Déjame saber en los comentarios.

Estos son mis videos favoritos de ella- Here are some of my favorite videos:  

1. 5 MINUTES OF EPIC MOTIVATION
2. How Girls Get Ready..
3. #Leh
4. 300 T-shirt Rap
5. How My Parents See Things

Have a Wonderful day guys :) And don't forget to leave me some feedback :)

One love, Superwoman Cielowoman(?), that is a wrap and zup! 

SHMUR! 

Drugs and Hidden Chick Flicks?

As part of my sister's birthday celebrations, we headed out for a movie day. I tend not to go to the movies that often in New York because it does get a bit pricey. Compared to the cost of going in my college town ($5 to $15), my wallet is never really happy with me when I go in Manhattan.

Seeing Rated R movies are a bit awkward for me when I am going with my family. I am constantly worried about a random sex scene appearing and having to act disgusted and confused about sex, because in their minds I am too young (at 18) to "fully understand what sex is." Thankfully there was only one major sex scene between animals. And while it was weird, it wasn't something that I couldn't handle. Though, it seemed a bit unnecessary and just made the audience cringe. 

This sci-fi/action movie starred the beautiful Scarlett Johansson with Morgan Freeman making an appearance. It made my inner nerd jump for joy. The plot of this movie revolved around drugs and their affects on the human body. It was extremely graphic with lots of shoot outs, manhandling and blood. If you have a weaker stomach I wouldn't suggest it. What I loved about this movie was how Morgan Freeman (Professor Norman) was the bridge between the audience and Scarlett Johansson (Lucy). Without him, we would not be able to understand how Lucy is handling these newly activated portions of her brain. The movie was really engaging and kept me at the edge of my seat, though some of the decisions of the villains seemed unrealistic. But that is movie magic for you. 

You really have to pay attention to the movie as it plays, because if you misunderstand or stop paying attention the movie stops making sense. When you leave the theater you really feel like you understand how the brain works on the fictional drug. While the ending was a tad bit disappointing, I feel that you really need to be older to think about the deep questions posed about life, our evolution and how we are affecting the earth. 

If sci-fi/action movies aren't for you, the movie is great to see just for the CGI editing of animals and nature and Lucy's body. I would recommend seeing this movie, however go to those half-priced showings because I wouldn't pay $15 to see it again. 

7/10

Let me start off by saying that any movie starring Dwayne Johnson will immediately grab my attention. Going into the movie I thought it was going to be straight up, kill, kill, fight, blood. I am man, hear me ROAR. But I walked away happily surprised. 

Hercules is a flawed hero, it is explained early on that he really isn't the son of Zeus. The characters realize that there is a line between reality and mythology, which in fact was a breath of fresh air. Hercules does not fight alone, he travels with comrades. They are mercenaries and sell their skills to the highest bidder around. There is plenty of character development for all unlike most action movies that just concentrate on the fight scenes.

Johnson play Hercules as a family man, almost to the point that my sister and I shoved this movie under the chick flick category. He is haunted by the death of his family and it is clear that all he really wants to do is provide and care for those he holds dear. Even though Hercules is killing many men, Johnson does not make him look sadistic.     

The movie moves rather quickly, sometimes too quickly for my taste. But it does have its perks. There isn't time to get bored and you always want to know what is coming next.  

9/10

Let me know if you've seen either movie and your thoughts below :)

Cielo

Leibster Award

Hola mi gente! I was nominated to do this post by the wonderful Kristie today. This is awesome because I have never done anything like this before! This should be fun. I love tags like this because then not only do you get to learn more about the person behind the blog, but you get to discover new blogs to follow! Make sure that once your done reading you go and check out her great blog HERE! Thank you once again for nominating me, and I hope we can be great blogger friends in the future! From seeing other bloggers do this, the Liebster Award is about giving blogs with under or around 200 followers a chance to be noticed and nominated. 


RULES1. Thank the blogger who nominated you2. Answer the set of questions they set for you (11 questions)3. Nominate 11 bloggers (and let them know)

So the answers that Kristie left for me.

During high school I had really low self esteem, for various reasons. But let me tell you it was so low it was probably with all the gross sewage that NYC has. It was horrible, it led me to self sabotage and just harm. It was affecting my friendships and life. I knew I didn't want to go into college hating myself and everything around me. It was a weird time. But I knew that if I wanted to be happier I would need to gain some confidence and respect for myself. I also knew I wanted to record my progress into loving myself some more so I could look back whenever I was down, I guess I wanted to become my own inspiration. I talk a little more about it over here on YouTube.  If you want to check it out, if not its totally cool. But yeah, building the confidence, is literally about me. Building ye confidence until I erase all that hate that I created around me. Was that too personal... eeekkkk sorry guys.

2. What is your favorite book?
At the moment I don't think that I have one. I have always loved the Harry Potter series, it was a wonderful way to escape all my worries as a child But if I had to chose one for now it would be Enders Game by Orson Scott Card. It lets the little nerd in me squeal with joy. I've been thinking of starting a little bloggers book club. I miss reading and haven't been doing it much since I start college. Let me know what you think, and also give me book reccs in the comments!

3. What are your 3 most favorite nail polishes?
The cheap and long lasting kind? Haha, seriously as much as I love OPI and ESSE I am a broke student who can't afford it. So sorry if my choices aren't posh enough for you but, 1. Trippin' on the Boardwalk 34299 which is a gorgeous lavender color by Wet n Wild in their megalast line. 2. Electric Blue Blasted by Sephora/OPI. 3. Whose Lips Are These 33681 which is a dark red by Wet n Wild.

4. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
And I'm going to cheat and put a healthy and a non-healthy choice because I can!
Healthy: MANGOS! The gift from the gods!
Unhealthy: Pad Thai. I was going to chose pizza but at least Pad Thai can come in variations and as much as I love cheese in everything, it can't be that good for me. Right?

5. What is your holy grail skincare product? 
I literally just started using this, I haven't even brought a full size of the product. I just have a ton of tiny samples. But I have been loving African Paradise by Lush. Not only is it not tested on animals, but it gives my skin so much moisture and smells amazing. It is a body conditioner, meaning that you rub it on your skin wait a while and wash it off. And let me tell you I don't need to use lotion at all that day. It's amazing.

Day 1: Magically go to Vidcon until I can stalk and meet Hannah Hart, Mamire Hart and Grace Helbig. Thank them for being awesome people, and hopefully collab with them within the spam of 24 hours. 
Day 2: Track down J.K. Rowling, and just hug it out man, maybe find some British Youtubers and say hi. Also blog... a lot. Like schedule a bunch of posts with my last words of wisdom that you supposedly get when you are dying. 
Day 3: Play one last rugby game with my Hellbenders, volunteer to give back one last time. And just chill and skype with my parents and tell them I love them and all that jazz. 

7. What is your favorite drugstore make up brand and high end make up brand?
Maybelline, and Tarte/ Urban Decay.

8. All time favorite movie?
THE POLAR EXPRESS!!! I DON'T CARE IF IT ISN'T CHRISTMAS TIME!!! The ending credit music always makes me sentimental and makes me want to cry. I'm  a sap I know.

9. What are you wearing at the moment?
No judgement I'm at home and don't plan on leaving any time soon. An anklet, my sister's grey dancers sweat pants and my green rugby tournament shirt. Very fashionable I know. (insert flipping hair here).

10. What is your favorite app.
The podcast app. What can I say I'm a nerd and love listening to them. Also snapchat, that is my rugby nickname after all.

That is all for questions. Now to figure out who to tag...hmmmm

So of these are people I have been following for months and are already establish, some of them are blogs that I see a lot of potential for and might need a hand to get more followers. Check it out.

I tag: Holliana, Juliet, Millsie, Taiya, Avi, Michelle, Camillia, Sophie, Shayla, Olivia,  http://thegirlinthemoonlight.blogspot.co.uk/

Questions for the Nominees:
1) If you could replace any character in a book and live out their life, who would it be?
2) Favorite Lipstick?
3) Best show to binge on?
4) Your proudest moment?
5) What do you think success is?
6) Why do you blog?
7) Do you or have you ever done YouTube videos?
8) Best concert you have ever been to?
9) Who is your biggest inspiration?
10) Which Youtuber/Actor would you want to be best friends with?
11) What food would you never eat?

If you guys do this, leave the link in your comments? Also you don't have to be tagged to do this tag. You can lie and say I did haha. Thanks for reading loves!

<3 Cielo

Alterations, Body Acceptance...cause there is always more to talk about.

Today I'm concerned... and when I am concerned I don't sleep. If I truly wanted to be productive I would sit my butt down and write all the essays that are due before Sunday. But I can't because I have something on my chest that will literally try and kill me if I don't get it out in some shape or form.

I have many best friends. I feel like my levels of friendships with each them are extremely different and that is okay. They are the family that I have chosen for myself and I love them to death. One of my best friends is someone who I consider my soulmate bff. If I were a man, we both agree that we would have married a long time ago. She has supported me more than anyone else has in my life, and knows things that no one else will ever know. I think she is a beautiful and awesome person, yet today she called me and told me she was planning on getting a nose job. A NOSE JOB AT 18! AND HER MOTHER AGREED! Her mother even said that she is glad that my bff mentioned it because she thought she should have done it a while back.

I'm all for body acceptance and doing what you need to do to feel beautiful as long as it isn't harmful to you or others around you. Sometimes I think of having one myself, before I realize that it probably won't change the way I feel about myself. My sister even wants to get a boob job in the future. But this just blows my mind. Her decision came out of nowhere. When I look at her I see a beautiful young lady who is obviously going to be very successful in the future. I don't see the imperfections that she sees in herself. I don't see how her nose could be a limitation in her professional, personal, and romantic life. I can't say I support her 100% in this decision, because things in surgery don't always come out the way it should or promises to be. I guess I'm afraid that she will be even unhappier with the end results and there are only so many alterations to do on ones face.  It is just difficult. I know that having her nose done will not alter the girl I have come to know and love, it just sucks that society has affected her in a way were she feels that this is necessary.  

Overall, there isn't much I can do except support her in the best way possible while she goes through this procedure. And pray that she is happy and even more confident with the result. But I hope that whoever is reading this will never go through such self hatred of their face and body to put themselves through an elective surgery of this type. I am sure that you are all beautiful, valuable and unique in your own ways. 

How do you guys feel about plastic surgery? Would you get anything done and why? Also, what are your ways to love and accept your bodies? Let me know in the comments. This is a safe space :D 

<3 Cielo

P.S. Dear Future Cielo, since this is being written at 3am...reread before you post haha.

Crumbs Comes To A Close :(

I am a big fan of community, tradition and growth. So if a store opens in the Upper West Side of Manhattan I will be there. If I like it I will go back as often as I can and spread the word.

It's nice to see things grow. Thus, when Crumbs opened up near me I was super excited! Super sized cupcakes was huge layers of icing, totally worth the money. Especially since their cupcakes were decorated in the most adorable way!  

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 Still Crumbs was more of treat. The occasional thing. I guess many people felt the same because Crumbs hasn't been doing so well. In fact it closed down all of its stores a few days ago. Apparently only giving its employes 10 hours notice before they were out of a job.

That seems really unfair to me. Crumbs must have seen its downfall coming for awhile now. It closed some underperforming stores in  2013 and even some this year. I guess the cupcake business is more competitive than it seems. I just wish that Crumbs would have had more consideration for its workers. I can only hope they all find new jobs soon.

But for now, since I won't be able to run to Crumbs for the occasional cupcake I'll have to settle for making them myself. At least I can make them somewhat healthy that way.

<3 Cielo

P.S. Let me know what you guys think in the comments :)

The Concert Experience: #SayMaxTour

Generally, I do not go to many concerts. I tend to not listen to more than a couple of songs per artist with the exception of maybe The Piano Guys, Shakira or Pentatonix. My music style really is all over the place and I really don't have the energy to tame it and buckle down. 

I have a really amazing friend who I've known since 5th grade. We have been in touch on and off throughout the years and she is very easy to get comfortable around. I love her vibe and being with her. She is ever so helpful and an awesome spirit. Her name is Sara. And let me tell you something. If there is ever an awesome event in the works, she will be the first person to know about it. I don't know how she does it. I've asked and she's given me all the links. But this girl just knows her game too well. I will never catch up. 

Now I love YouTube, I am always on it, but during the school year my attention drifts towards Netflix. Mostly because Netflix will only ask me if I am still watching their episodes while a YouTuber will probably find a way to guilt me into doing my homework or going to class. So it is understandable that I missed Max's Schneider tour announcement and why I'm so grateful Sara didn't.

There is something about watching a YouTube singer grow that really forms a connection between them and the viewer. There is also some excitement of being able to see someone before they ever get big. So for around $26 not only did we get to see Max but we got to stand in the 3rd row. Being that close to the stage is a really big deal for me. I am only 5 feet tall,  anyone can become a giant obstacle in my viewing process. I was thankful for being able to see clearly with minimal pushing.

After waiting online and holding back our need to pee, and complaining about my iphone being at 10% we got our tickets check, our hands marked with a giant X and we got to race up the stairs to get the best view possible. The night started off the talented Alexz Johnson. I'd be the first person to admit that I didn't know who she was. I know that I could have looked her up beforehand. But when seeing someone new I like to see how the do live, because that is how I form a connection.

Although there were many technical difficulties at the beginning of her performance, instead of reacting with annoyance, she was extremely polite and handled everything with grace. There were constant calls of "I love yous" and "you are amazing" to which she responded to very sweetly.  She was so real and down to earth. She wasn't afraid to curse. Johnson was a very relatable person and is someone who I would to be friends with in real life. Her is some the footage I got of her:

I only record these two videos of her because I really felt and got into her music. The vibrations and messages of her song filled me up and I found myself swaying and bobbing my head to her voice. I got slightly annoyed at these girls speaking over her. So when she quietly shushed them before a few of her  songs I just wanted to high five her for standing up for herself in a classy way. Unlike many artist today, her songs had messages that I actually related to and it had a big impact on me. 

I want to move on to Max. Because boy, his stage presence really got me off guard. He energetic and happy and got everyone pumped within 5 seconds of stepping onto the stage. He danced around he sang. I found it very funny that unlike most artists, he didn't reach out to touch his fans. This was probably done in self preservation, because you could tell his fans wanted nothing more than to touch and possibly grab something off their idol. 

Max sang all of the songs off of his E.P. He even gave away a few of his $40 T-shirts to audience. Sadly I was too near the front and too short to manage to get one. He kept reminding the audience to dance along to the music. But most girls were trying so hard to touch him so there wasn't much space to do that. He constantly moved around the stage so no on felt left out and engaged the audience perfectly. He seems really similar to his YouTube videos, which made him even more genuine. 

He also brought Hoodie Allen onto the stage which made everybody go crazy.

The biggest highlight of the performance was when a bra was thrown at Max and he suddenly had no idea what to do with it. He just went a bit red and immediately dropped it like a hot potato. It was very cute. But alas, the concert seemed really really short. I wished he would have stayed on staged longer or at least do an encore, but once he was off he was off. My concert high lasted for quite a while afterwards though.

Sara, her sister Jordan and I tried very hard to get the set list. But it went to one of the VIP girls. It was very entertaining watching the braless girl run on stage, grab her bra and strut out like she owned the place. Props for confidence girl! It was equally entertaining to watch a girl send her boyfriend on a mission to steal Max's sweaty towel off the stage. Now to me that seems a bit gross, because I understand you love the guy. But his sweat... really? I just can't. It is too creepy.

Alexz Johnson stood outside by her merch table and was signing anything you wanted to. So I bought her E.P. for $10 and I will keep it forever. I also bought Max's E.P. and it was only $5, much cheaper than that $40 T-shirt. Am I the only person that won't buy a shirt that is more than $20?

All in all I really loved the concert. It has inspired me to go to more. I will be heading to Warped Tour in a few days with on of my teammates and best friend. And hopefully I'll be attending more concerts this summer.

Here are some of my favorite songs/covers by these two wonderful artist. 

Alexz Johnson

Thank You For Breaking My Heart

Hoodie Allen
Show Me What You're Made Of

Max Schneider
Mug Shot
Labrinth
All of Me
Sweater Weather

<3 Cielo

Body Acceptance and Positivity

Body positivity is something that I am pretty sure we are born with. As a child I don't remember being insecure about my body. In fact until I started school I was a very confident child. Sure I was shy once in a while but overall I was outgoing, wanting to make new friends everywhere I went. Of course I was a chubby kid but it was never something that held me back. People would comment on how my long and beautiful my hair was, on how bright my eyes where when I smiled. Life was good.

When I hit the age of four things started to take a turn for the worse. I constantly spoke Spanglish and I was having the tiniest bit of trouble learning to read, this was something that only concerned my teacher. But suddenly I was surround by girls and boys who were constantly comparing themselves to each other. It wasn't just who can get to the ice cream truck quicker, it was who was the prettiest. Who looked more like this or that singer. I was never really around kids my age, mostly because my siblings were way older. It began a confusing time, seeing that because of my upbringing I wasn't really exposed to the media all that often. But of course it can't just be the media's fault, as a child everyone compares everything, it is just how we learn and grow. And grow we did.

I entered middle school, at a new place. Unlike my elementary school which had a large population of white students, my middle school was mostly Hispanic and Black. Not something I was used to, but the school had a good program. I got closer to girls who were constantly trying to change their body type to those of a white women. As I said before, we were mostly Hispanic and Black, our bodies are shaped differently, some of their hair was different. We do not have the ability to change ourselves to another race. But we didn't know that then. Play dates were spent lifting up our skirts and shirts, surrounding each other with "helpful" comments about what was wrong with our bodies. How we would change our bodies to be "whiter". I honestly can't remember what that even meant but because  that was what was being shown in the media that is what we did. I began to be hyper aware about my weight.

I changed schools, and although I was never physically harmed, I was beginning to be constantly surrounded by negative comments. Girls were getting boyfriends, which is funny because we didn't even understand what that meant at the time. I never tired to get one because I felt that I was an outsider in what I remember calling a "thin world". I would really rather spend my time at recess reading and writing stories with my friends. But as the groups interest changed, we all had to adapt. Clothes and make-up it was. 

The doctor told me I needed to start losing weight and that is when the constant pressure from my mother came in. It is still around. She wants the best for me. But sometimes pressure can lead you to a breaking point. My dad also joined the boat. They found all natural pills with vitamins and herbal plants to help me lose weight. It was over nine pills a day. That was when the first string broke in me (all the hugs if you know what I'm referencing). I don't think I have ever cried more than I did that night. Was something really wrong with me?

I'm not going to bore you with more background about how I chose a very dark and unhappy path for myself, it is not something I am completely comfortable and at peace with. Maybe one day I will be and I'll share that if asked. But it was overall an internally negative experience and there is already so much negativity out there that I want to put out a positive message. 

I'm not 100% confident with my body. But before I was at a -1000 and now I can say that I'm heading into the 60s. Which is a lot of progress for me and I'm actually very proud of myself. But you don't have to be at 100 to begin to love yourself. No matter what shape, gender or race there is beauty in you. You will never see yourself face to face. They say that if we saw a perfect clone of ourselves we wouldn't be able to recognize it as us.

(not really happy with myself here...fake smile haha. But its my sister dad and I)

(current photo with my mom peeking through)

 I doubt you stand in the mirror and watch yourself give a completely genuine smile or laugh. You can't see yourself when you are passionate about something. You can't measure the impact you have on someone when you praise them. You don't see yourself when you sleep, when you dance, when you do good deeds. You are in fact very valuable and you cannot let something so petty as your weight define who you are and were you can go. 

We are so much more than our image. Our impact on the world isn't based on what we looked like. I say this. We live in a world that has stupidly defined what beauty is. So lets fight back by forcing us to look pass outer beauty. I have started doing this thing that is a bit weird for me. I usually compliment someone on their outer appearance, but now instead of saying "oh I like your make-up today" I go  "I like your laugh or your confidence" or whatever I can pull that is positive and I would like to see more of in the world.  

When you read a book, you have no idea what a character looks likes like exactly. You have a vague idea in your head. But you don't fall in love with a characters image, you fall in love with their personalities, their decisions and actions. I wish that we could apply that in real life. I could go on and on, but I think you the idea. 

Let's just try loving ourselves and each other. Let's stop criticizing and analyzing each other. Whether or not a girl wears make- up or does her hair a certain, or works out or dresses a certain way, doesn't mean we should judge her/him. Try to look a bit deeper and find out who that person really is. There may be more than meets the eye.  

If you want more of my thoughts, even though they might be all over the place follow THIS  to my short video :) 

<3 Cielo