Death and Happiness.

Osama Bin Laden has been killed. I dont even know what to follow that sentence with... Should i be happy?  Should I be relieved? What now? What should I feel?
This is the question, the very important question, for many. But in the end I feel one thing: Relief.
But why? Why does a mans death bring me a sense of relief? 9/11 was an attack that affected many, the World Trade Center was just that, the WORLD Trade Center. That's why the attack was so bad, so many people were affected, people everywhere were shocked and appalled. SO what does his death accomplish?
Closure. All those people, hurt and affected. The dead, the ones who lost family, this news is for them. Sure it gives people a reason to be happy, it gives people a sense that this war is not for nothing, that maybe there will be some sort of correlation between the two, that less will die now. This is what I keep hearing, Facebook, Twitter, people are filled with hope. But in the end, this is a win for those who lost family, for those who needed an ending to that story. After everything that happened this is a book that can be closed, a reason to move on.
So lets celebrate, but not because a man died last night, but because people have gotten a reason to move on and a sense of closure to a tragedy that affected many.

Do it Yourself~

I have been doing Do It Yourself projects for a long time. I love the idea of wanting something, working on it, and then enjoying the results. When you work on a project its your love child, you search how to do it, what are the best materials, the best design, how to customize it... how to make it yours. Now I never would have gotten into DIY if it weren't for a cool website called Instructables. This is a website where you can post your DIY project, but now just show to show them off, but to show people how to make them.
As you sure the website you find things as simple as Mother's Day cards, cupcake recipes, or a simple how to sew; but you can also find things as complicated as arudino, House building, grill making, metal smithing, wood carving, solar power,.. ect 

Not exactly like this....

Its a lot, but fortunately they have things divided into handy categories:
-Food
-Living
-Outside
-Play 
-Technology
-Workshop

All of these are pretty self explanatory, food for recipes, living for house hold projects and kid projects, living for projects to better your life, outside project, play for games and game modifications, technology for tech stuff, and workshop for more crafted instructables. Each one has its own subdivisions, so i suggest you go explore for a while! 

Don't take it too far...

Now, as I sadi earlier, this website got me started on DIY projects, so I rounded up some simple projects for you to try and see if you like it... 

1) Customizing Headphones {these are links by the way...}
This is an example of one of the simpler instructables, it shows you how to take something like your headphones and make them a bit more 'you'. its a nice way to start with DIY, changing things like notebook covers or painting a design on something is a nice way to help you get out of your shell and see that you can make things yours.
2) Secret Candy Dispenser
One of the most important things to look at in an instructable is its materials. Do you have them?  Can you afford to get them? Sure I want to make my house green, but do I have the money for all of the solar panels? This is an example of a simple instructable that uses things you find in the house, while still managing to be really cool~
3) Cheap and Easy iPhone cover
Here's another thing DIY aims to do (aside from please) it aims to give you home-made alternatives. This instructable is just that, an easy and cheap option to something that's pretty expensive on the market.

And can be a bit useful...

4) Origami Envelope
This instructable shows you how to add a personal touch to something you're gonna send to someone else. Its an extra feature to make sure you a remembered, its also a very nice way to save paper and look cool doing it.
5) Altoids Tin Watercolors

I come prepared..

In the strange world of DIY altoids tins are an oddly prized possession. They are sturdy and well made, the perfect size to carry along with you, and INCREDIBLY versatile, to the point of almost being a sin. From flashlights to survival kits, you can look up entire pages worth of altoid related instructables.  This one teaches you how to make a portable watercolor kit for an altoids box, but really its just a great example on how versatile they can be.


6) Make Your Own Sketchbook
Well, youve got some watercolors, so why not a sketchbook. There are many different options on how to make sketchbooks, I picked this one randomly, but you can go looking for a better one. Once more you are using things you have at home to make something that is completely yours.
7) Keyboard Long Cat
Since you've obviously been reading this entire post, then your hands have definitely been on that computer for too long, its probably hurting by now, so why not make a little comfy kitty to lay your arms on? This instructable requires you to go buy some things, but its a cute an easy project to do and it gives you a handy item as well. You can take this design and customize it too. Don't like cats? Change the face and tail and make a dog, or a bunny! its really all up to you.

One day he'll be long enough..

8) Bath Bombs
Youve been working so hard on all of these projects, why not reward yourself with a warm bath and some fizzy bath bombs to add aroma and fun to your otherwise boring bathing situation?  I <3 Bath bombs. They are fun and cool and this tell you how to make them, and I think that's epic.

Now, another thing that really helped me figure out where to get started were the guides. Sometimes there are topics that are so repeated that they choose their favorites and make downloadable guides filled with different instructables. Here's a few that I swear by:

Your robot will never be this cute though...

- Your First Robot
Make your own tiny robot and learn the basics for making more complicated beasts. 
- Origami
Beautiful origami made easy, both fun and functional items to keep you entertained. 
- LED projects
LEDs are the base of so many projects, they're cheap, simple and they are shiny when lit. Whats not to love?
- Pinhole Cameras
Who knew that making pinhole cameras was co easy? go ahead and take a picture with a camera you made yourself!

Now at times all of these options seem too complicated, but look around the website and you'll see that it really has a little something for everyone, adults to kids to cooks to programmers, its all there, and if it isn't make it your self and post it! That is the best part, after a while you aren't limited by what you can or cannot buy, what you can or cannot do. Whatever you want, make it. Even if you don't know how, it teaches you to think outside the box and look for different ways of making things.

TUESDAY

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!

The Music Of Life

Music is for everyone, you may not be trained to sing or know how to read sheet music, but the minute that one song you love comes on the radio you blurt out those tunes like a drunk teen on karaoke night. But what makes music so fundamental to everything we do?

Oh baby, oh baby.

The reason I'm writing this today is mainly because for the last few days all that I've done has been organized through song. My nap times are playlists that start with soothing songs and lead to songs that wake me and pump me up. My shower times, study times, play times, everything. So what is it about music that gives you the ability to integrate it?
Music affects us all, it may affect us in different ways, but it will always have a side effect. It gives you a rhythm for your life. A soothing one if you want to relax, a hyper one to get excited, something with a steady beat to keep you focused. Nowadays music is more accessible than ever, whether through the internet, your ipod, the radio, a musical instrument or a that one teddy bear someone gave you years ago for valentines that sings "That's Amore" while wearing a tiny chefs hat. Music is all around you, but since this is an internet blog, why don't I give you some tools to listen to and share your music?

Thats Amore!

- Stereomood

 This website takes songs and organizes them not by name, but by the emotion that they convey, giveing you songs that match the mood you are in. Whether you want to relax, chill out, or you just woke up, this website has something for you.

- Pandora

Internet radio at its finest. You need to sign up for this one but its worth it. Choose an artist and it sill start playing music by that artist, but it will also suggest songs by other artists that match the style of the one your listening to. Many of the bands I love today I heard first on Pandora so it hold a spot in my heart.

- Mix Pod
This website is pretty straight forward, if you like a band, search for it and make a playlist.now your playlist will be available to others just as their playlists are available to you. Its a nice playlist creator with a good selection of music and some nice forums, definitely worth checking out.

- 8Tracks

Not to be confused with this

8 tracks is my favorite on this list, it is a combination of all of the aforementioned websites, but dont just take my word for it, go check it out. The playlists are available to anyone, you just gotta look. Looking for music to study to? they've got a playlist. Something to freshen up your day? Go ahead, someone has made a playlist with that purpose. Maybe you're just looking to listen to some blues, then look at the blues playlists that have been created, or make your own. What i like most about 8 tracks is that you see what other people meant to do with the songs you are listening to. You see the purpose they had in listening to those songs, giving you a whole new perspective on  music you already love.


SO there, go forth and listen my child, and enjoy everything the world of music has to offer to you.

I hope this gets stuck in your head.

OH GOD