Day 7 - Voices

The devil on my shoulder

Speaks so smooth to me

Scarlett lips and silver tongue

So easy to believe

But I can't seem to grow

Can't seem to change my ways

While you're in control

Darkness, it will reign

Darkness, it will reign

Angel, angel come

Be gone of this charade

Drown the voices, silent now

At least, for another day

But I can't seem to grow

Can't seem to change my ways

While you're in control

Darkness, it will reign

Darkness, it will reign

Even though I have hundreds of songs in my iTunes library, I only listen to 2 or 3 each day, on repeat. One of my favorites is Voices by Joe Brooks. In most songs, Joe Brooks, a British 25-year-old singer/songwriter, sings about his rollercoaster love life. What I love about this song is that it is different from his others, but still sounds so raw and honest. To me, the lyrics represent his struggles with whom he should believe. There is the devil on his shoulder, who convinces him to do the wrong thing, yet simplifies everything, and the angel, who improves his life day by day. He has trouble taking control over his own life, which he believes is in the hands of the devil and the angel. Although the lyrics are complicated and can be interpreted in many ways, I think that everyone can agree that this song is simple and beautiful.

Yes, I think I would be able to live without this song, but the words relate so well to my life. I’m in a bit of a pickle right now (did I really just say that?), and I have many people telling me different things. The “devil” in my situation is convincing me to end things with the person because I am unhappy. And yes, it’s true, I’m not as happy as I should be, but I haven’t really had a chance to get to know the person well enough in order to be fully happy with them. On the other hand, the “angel” is telling me that I should tell the person how I feel, and see how it goes from there. I’m not sure what to do, and how to overcome my confusion, and all I really need right now is someone’s honest advice. I can’t trust myself with this type of decision, for I have already made the same mistake once before. It’s frustrating, and I think that’s very similar to how Joe Brooks felt while writing this song.

The chorus of this song reflects the same feelings I’m currently having. “But I can’t seem to grow; Can’t seem to change my ways; While you’re in control; Darkness, it will reign; Darkness, it will reign…” I’ve been going back and forth for a while now, thinking about the pros and cons of every decision. I’m afraid of making the wrong choice. What if I regret it? But then again, it’s not worth feeling awful. If it were that important to me, I wouldn’t be changing my mind like this, right? Other people are making my decisions for me, and I don’t have the guts to stand up to them and pick a side. Joe Brooks is giving me a different perspective on my problems in the form of a beautiful song.

Day 6 - My Best Friend

To me, having a best friend is very important. A best friend is like a sibling, but you don’t always necessarily look alike or act the same way. A best friend is there for you all the time, and can help you with your problems. My best friend is Eesha. We haven’t always liked each other, but over the past two years, we’ve become amazing friends. I trust her more than anyone else, and can talk to her about anything. She’s like the sister I never had: we’re very close and similar, yet different in so many ways.

Eesha has helped me through so many things. She’s there for me when I’m feeling happy and cheerful, but also when I’m stressed and need someone to talk to. I can’t thank her enough for her advice, her positive feedback, and for keeping me calm when I’m just the opposite. We’ve taught each other so many things, from makeup tricks to math strategies, and continue to do so. She inspires me to improve myself, as well as how I treat others and how I act around other people. When we’re in public, and I start acting obnoxious, she always tells me to be quiet and control myself! But then again, we have those times where we just act stupid together, and we know that neither one will care. It’s such a reassuring feeling to have someone who has so many things in common with you, and to have someone who knows you more than you know yourself.

As the end of 8^th grade is drawing near, I find myself thinking a lot about high school, and the types of people I will meet there. There is a huge chance that Eesha and I will be going to different high schools (Lawrenceville for her, George School for me), and I can’t imagine how my life will be without her. She has changed my life in so many ways, and to be without her will be such an adjustment for me. I am going to miss her so much, and I am so appreciative that I have her in my life.

Day 5 - My Rainbows

While visiting my sister and her husband in Annapolis, I came across a pair of simple, comfortable leather flip-flops. Little did I know that they would soon become a staple in every vacation of mine. As Spring Break quickly approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about my Rainbows, and what they mean to me. They hold memories from the Bahamas, Aruba, Costa Rica, and many other warm-weather destinations, as well as memories from the past few summers. I’ve had many experiences in these flip-flops, including my trip to South Korea this past summer. Even though the weather was humid and cloudy, I wore my Rainbows every day. They have become my go-to choice of shoes for the summer, every year.

My first vacation with these flip-flops was in 2010, in Aruba. I wore them constantly, and by the end of the trip, I was almost positive they were ruined. I had worn them in the ocean (yes, I was a pretty stupid 12-year-old) and the salt from the water discolored them. I wore them in the pool, which softened the leather so much that they were close to falling apart. I had no idea that they would last me until today, January 14^th, 2012, and still have the ability to be worn. I’ve taken thousands of steps in these shoes, traveled thousands of miles, and had thousand of different thoughts. These shoes have meaning to me, and that’s why I couldn’t imagine living without them.

Day 4 - My Phone

Phones play an important role in most teenagers’ lives, including mine. I use my phone for hours every day, and most of it is spent texting my friends. Most conversations are light and funny, while others are deep and require lots of different thoughts before hitting the “send” button. I text my friends from school, as well as friends and family that I haven’t seen in years. Texting is easy and instantaneous, and it’s a simple way to get in touch with your friends. My phone has become an essential in my life because it’s a great way to talk to my friends when we aren’t in school.

Using my phone has become a bad habit of mine. It distracts me from homework, and it keeps me from spending time with my friends and family. But then again, my phone has come in handy multiple times. It helps me in awkward situations, as well as simplifying communication between my friends and my parents. Although I prefer personal interaction, texting or calling is the second-best, in my opinion. I use my phone to text my friends, call my parents, and play games when I’m bored. Throughout the years, my phone has become one of my most-used items, and continues to be a significant object in my life.

Day 3 - My Teddy Bear

As a child, something that I couldn’t live without was my teddy bear. I slept with him, nestled between my arms, for most of my childhood. Along with most other children, a stuffed animal is very important. And in my case, “very important” is an understatement. Nights without my teddy bear were long and sleepless, usually resulting in a very crabby girl the next morning. There have been many incidents where I’ve temporarily lost my teddy bear, or forgotten him at my lake house for a long period of time (yes, three weeks felt like an eternity to me as a child). But there was one mistake that left me crying for hours and hours on end…

Other than a beautiful, nighttime boat ride on the Seine and a stunning view of the twinkling Eiffel Tower lights from my hotel room, I don’t remember much from my trip to Paris. I was only in third grade, and I wasn’t interested in the Louvre or the fancy restaurants. At that age, I still slept with my teddy bear every night, and I even brought him on our trip. One morning, after I woke up from a nap, I forgot to untangle my teddy bear from the sheets. We went outside for a walk through the garden that was across the street from our hotel, and by the time we got back, the housekeeper had already come, and she had taken the sheets away in a bundle without checking if anything was inside of them. I searched the entire room, and once I realized he was gone, I was sobbing. I didn’t know what to think. Could it be that this morning was the last time I would see him? Would be ever come back? It sounds like I’m talking about a person, I know, but I took my teddy bear very seriously!

After multiple phone calls to the front desk, he returned the next morning in even better conditions than when I last saw him! He was washed and smelled like lavender. Today, my teddy bear sits on my nightstand, untouched. As a child, I couldn’t imagine life without him, but now, at 14 years old, I’m more independent, and thankfully, I don’t need to rely on a teddy bear to have a restful night.

Day 2 - Essie "Mademoiselle"

A little more than seven years ago, I had my first manicure, and that was such an exciting day for me. As I looked up at the huge wall of nail polish colors, I can remember imagining how the different colors would look on my fingers, and how they would compliment my skin tone. This sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s true. In my left hand, I held two colors: a shimmering red, which seemed too mature, and a bubblegum pink, which was too bright for my tiny finger nails. I grasped my third option tightly in my right hand, a sheer, light pink. It was called Mademoiselle, which means “young woman” in French. Everything about this color was perfect for me. It felt sophisticated and clean, and, as a child, that meant maturity. I wanted to be treated as an adult, and in my opinion, it was better to start small. This simple nail color was the perfect step into adulthood, according to my seven-year-old mind.

Even today, this color is one of my favorites. This barely-there shade still represents maturity to me, even at 14-years-old. It keeps my nails looking polished and clean, but adds a little bit of shine at the same time. It works with every outfit that I have, and whether it’s to school, a dinner with my parents, or a party, it’s completely wearable. From my first manicure, I’ve gone through three bottles of this Essie nail color, and I’m still working on my fourth. With every use, I find myself thinking about the same things I did seven years ago, as if nothing’s changed. It’s one of my most-used beauty products, and I hope I never forget the memories that it holds.

Day 1 - My Camera

Every day when I get home from school, I follow a routine that I’ve had for a while now. I start with a snack, check my Facebook, and then I start my homework. But after a long day at school, there is nothing I want to do more than relax and take a break. I can achieve this by taking pictures. For the past 3 months, I’ve made it a priority to photograph something new every day. Whether it’s the necklace I got for Christmas, or the plants I’m trying to grow for my science project, there is always something different that can be turned into a beautiful picture. I use my Nikon all of the time, which makes it the perfect subject for my first blog post.

The picture I’ve attached is one that I took before Halloween, when we had the unexpected snowstorm. I had nowhere to go, and I decided to take pictures around my house. I was soon on a roll, taking pictures of whatever I could find. This is one of my favorites that I’ve taken. What I love most about this photo is the worn-in, vintage feel of it, and how it reminds me of something you could find in an antique shop. Surprisingly, this is a close-up of the base of a floor lamp that I have in the living room of my house. I see it every day when I walk through the front door, and I never took the time to look at it as much as I did when I used my camera. When I’m looking through the lens of a camera, I’m able to see so much more than I would without it, and that’s what makes me so interested in photography.