The Axiomatic Musings of a Teen who's addicted to lip balm.

I have no problem admitting that. 

It started back in the winter of 8th grade, when it was incredibly dry and I had no concept of moisturizer or Chap-Stick. My hands got so dry they cracked and my lips were a mess of bleeding flakes--It wasn't pretty. Rather disgusting, actually, I'll come right out and say it. After that I vowed never to let myself get into that state again. 

And I haven't! Since then, I put on moisturizer every morning. Plus my backpack/purse/pocket has always contained hand lotion; I can identify nearly any scent in Bath and Body Works with a sniff. But lip balms...lip balms I've gone a little too far with. There are currently three varieties in my backpack, one in my wallet, and another five on the bedside table next to me. Four of those I've bought in the last month in a desperate attempt to repair the damage that was done in the past few months (lots of sun plus constant Ctrl+Z'ing does quite a number in making lips scaly and gross, who knew? That's actually the reason I stopped, which is a tad superficial but still probably good) so I've really broadened my expertise. Anyway, I've become quite the connoisseur on which brands and flavors work the best and smell the best, so I figure now that we're coming up to the drier part of the year I could make some recommendations! 

EOS

Aka "Evolution of Smooth". I love this brand, and have tried nearly all of their flavors. The balm comes in a little smooth sphere (google it if you don't know what I mean) and it's all natural and mostly organic, without parabens or any other icky chemicals. I find it really soaks into my lips fast and feels smooth but light. "Summer Fruit" and "Honeysuckle Honeydew" are really fruity for summer, "French Vanilla" is sweet and delish, "Sweet Mint" tastes a lot like the Orbit Sweet Mint gum (which I happen to adore) and gives you a nice cooling feeling. "Tangerine" is their medicated variety but it actually didn't do as good of a job in repairing chapped lips as I had hoped, and it tasted pretty disgusting. It's an excellent brand if your lips are already in good shape and you just want them to stay that way, but that's about it. Finding all the varieties is also a little hard (I ordered mine online from Target) and they spheres can get a little annoying to transport since they don't fit in your pocket easily. But overall this is probably my favorite brand, and once I get some birthday money I'll probably end up buying their new "Strawberry Sorbet" balm and new hand lotions as well. 

Blistex

The medicine-y one. The "Mint" flavor is a little less that way, though. This does a better job at repairing damage, especially cracks from dryness. I use it the same way I use Neosporin on a cut. Not every day, but if you get a boo-boo it'll fix it up nicely. It didn't really help the summer damage either, though. Apparently it's also good for cold sores but I've never needed that so I'll just take the packaging's word for it. 

Chap-Stick and other Chap-Stick Knock Offs

I actually don't know how people use this stuff. The other day I was in the car with my mother and I didn't have any balm with me because I left it in my backpack in my car. She offered me her Chap-Stick and like...ew. It coated my lips with a thick waxy layer that just sat there until it got crumbly in the corners of my mouth and I wiped it off anyway. That goes the same for Lip Smackers balm, and the collection of flavored Chap-Sticks I bought a couple years ago because they had flavors like "Whoppers" "Cherry Jolly Rancher" and "M&Ms". They smelled amazing but did next to nothing. Apparently Chap-Stick does have like a trillion different natural or shimmery or colorful types now, but I'm still not willing to try. It's cheap, but you get what you pay for. 

Vaseline

The most basic of lip treatments. I use this mostly for after exfoliating lips (using an old toothbrush; I found the tutorial on Tumblr once and it works great), when I want something that'll really soak in. It's petroleum-based though, which means the oil can cause more breakouts around your mouth, so I use it sparingly. 

Dionis

I picked this up at a gift shop in Cape Cod back in August and OH MY GOODNESS it's probably the best tasting lip balm ever created. The flavor I have is called "Chocolate Caramel Macchiato Coffee" and it's AMAZING. It has goat's milk and vitamin E and other relatively natural ingredients (beeswax, sunflower seed oil, jojoba seed oil, ooh and there's caffeine in here too, sweet!) which make for really nice smooth moisturizing too. Plus the label says it's made in the USA, not tested on animals, and asks you to please recycle the tube! Yayy going green! (Oh and that actually reminds me, I once got a balm made from bamboo. It worked fine but smelled horrible. Just a side note.)

Softlips

I got this because it's a really skinny tube that fit nicely in the crease of my wallet so it was easier to carry. I have it in vanilla and it's nice, nothing special except it's especially convenient. Neither this nor the Dionis helped with damage repair either, they're like EOS and better for maintenance. Plus this has SPF which is always good.

Baby Lips by Maybelline

I actually just got this one the other day at Rite-Aid, it's brand new and I love it. One caveat: the color of the balm is the color it makes your lips. I had to return the cherry flavor in favor of "Quenched" because it was clear instead of bright red. I actually really love this so far. I got it as a last resort to fix up the summer damage because the package guaranteed "Clinical Strength: 82% visibly less dry, 94% less rough (that's what I was going for), 77% more supple, and 77% better looking lips." I've been using it for only two days now and I'm already noticing a difference and loving it. There's no distinct flavor to "Quenched" but it isn't bad or anything, just neutral. The only downside is I'm not a fan of the huge list of unpronounceable chemicals under Inactive Ingredients, it's nothing like EOS's list of shea butter, various fruit extracts, and beeswax. I'll probably just use this one until my lips are back to being healthy and nice again and then go back to EOS or Dionis.

So there you go! Hopefully this is helpful and doesn't just make you think I'm hopelessly obsessed with lip balms. Because I am, but I mean I don't need people thinking it ;D.

Off to write more application essays and a One Acts script and a Haunted Hayride plan and study for the SATs!

*: "Fabulous" from High School Musical 2

The Axiomatic Musings of a Teen who's going to say hi to Kevin on Monday.

Sal and I have both always supported the idea that everything happens for a reason. We're living proof of it. Today he used that same idea (plus some comforting cuddles) to help me come to terms with something that's been eating away at me for a while.

I've mentioned Stephen before. Codenamed after a photographer he loves. He's the super individual hipster that I fell hard and fast for back in March until he left to move back home and never contacted me or replied to my attempts to contact him since.

The reason it bothered me so much wasn't necessarily that he totally shunned me and most of his other friends from Cheshire once he left. It was more that I was angry--furious, even--at myself for throwing myself yet again into a daydream that meant nothing to the other party, thus setting myself up for failure once again. I mean even if he acted like he liked me for a time...clearly if he actually did he'd at least have tried to continue a friendship, that's all I would have wanted since I knew he was going to college anyway. Anyway, I was furious at myself for allowing myself to get hurt again, dangerously furious, and I tended to take it out on the obnoxious junior in my French class who had at one point in June taken it upon himself to tell Stephen that he should ask me out xP. I liked to pretend it was that kid's fault for scaring Stephen off and that's why he won't talk to me, so I could direct all my hatred to him when truthfully it should have remained aimed at myself.

Or, maybe it shouldn't. At least that's what Sal came up with. Maybe my desperation to impress Stephen was the best thing that ever happened to me.

One evening, Stephen and I had been chatting on Facebook about traveling and why we both love it, and how other countries have such awesome foods and awesome desserts. He mentioned how he loves desserts and cakes and such. So the next evening I had nothing to do so I figured why not throw together a batch of cupcakes to impress him? I picked out a new cook book that my mom had bought but never touched and made a batch of vanilla cupcakes with purple and yellow colored raspberry/lemon/vanilla frosting flowers. (And for the record, that same book is now stained with numerous splotches of batter because it's the best vanilla cake recipe I've ever found). I brought them into Physics the next day first period and offered him one which he seemed to enjoy. I thought that maybe I should try a more impressive cupcake, like coffee cupcakes with creamy frosting and a munchkin on top, loosely based on a cupcake I had seen on Tumblr. He really enjoyed that one, and so did the other friends that I offered the cupcakes to. The next weekend I thought I'd try another recipe. Then another, and another, until soon enough I realized I had quite a talent and passion for baking.


Now, several months later, I'm applying early decision to Cornell School of Hotel Administration because they offer a degree program where one can get a Bachelor's degree in hospitality management, and in the middle spend 9 months at the Culinary Institute of America earning an Associate's degree in Culinary Arts, thus graduating in 4 to 4 1/2 years with all the knowledge needed to own, run, and cook in any restaurant in the world. Then likely I'll return to the CIA to earn an Associate's in Baking and Pastry Arts as well, because that's my true passion.

And that very well may not have happened without Stephen.


So Sal's theory is that the reason Stephen was a part of my life was to introduce me to a passion I was meant to discover. I shouldn't hate myself for allowing myself to become attached so fast, I should be glad I did; if I hadn't, I wouldn't have been so intent on impressing him and wouldn't have started all the baking. It's still pretty shitty that he just left without a single look back and I'm not sure about the reason for that yet, maybe it was just to remind me again that I need to be careful with who I trust.

Regardless, tonight I finally came to terms with the fact that maybe jackasses who ignore your homemade cookie care packages are really blessings in disguise. I don't feel as angry anymore, at myself or at the dorky junior, and it's a really nice relief. So yeah. Sal tames the crazinesses that are my emotions once again. At least this one I know I'm not making a mistake by trusting :).

Oh, and for the record I'm pretty awful at Boggle.
Also for the record Pokepark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure is one of the most adorable and fun games ever.
Also also for the record things with Sal are going great and I couldn't be happier to have him :).
Also also also for the record my interview with Cornell is next Monday. If anyone else has done Ivy interviews and can give me tips or pointers please comment! I'm so nervous, I want to get into that program so badly :(.

*: "I Don't Wish You Were Dead Anymore" by Bowling for Soup
**: "If My Heart Was A House" by Owl City

The Axiomatic Musings of a Teen from a wealthy small town in New England.

I'm trying to keep up my daily posting but nothing terribly interesting happened today, soo...FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS!

[Wait I lied. Quick update, I'm in Young Democrats this year and it's actually really awesome so far, I'm really glad I joined so special thanks to those who helped me get involved, I'm really looking forward to all the meetings and events and stuff!!]

Okay now here's the list!

Best of First World Problems (They're hilarious because you know at least 5 things on this list have irritated you in the last two days)


I want to drink some coffee, but I also want to take a nap later.

My mom just started following my twitter feed.

I typed 5318008 in the calculator on my phone, but I couldn't flip it over and see 'boobies' because the screen automatically corrects itself.

My mom didn't buy the orange juice with Vitamin D in it, so now I have to go outside.

My hoodie drawstring got pulled too far on one side and now one end is way inside the hood

My flat screen TV takes a second to turn on. Sometimes I get confused if I actually turned it on and turn it back off by accident.

I really want breakfast at McDonalds, but I can’t get up before 11.

The croutons in my salad keep breaking when I stab them with the fork.

I keep dropping my phone on my face when I am texting in bed. 

My graham cracker didn’t break along the perforation.

I’ve been hitting “reboot later” every 4 fucking hours for days now.

Something just beeped, and I have no idea what.

When I put my spoon into my empty pudding cup, it tips over.

I can never find the matching Tupperware lids and containers.

I woke up at noon and don't know if I should eat breakfast or lunch.

I dont have enough dip for my chips...but if I open another container, I wont have enough chips for my dip.

I keep thinking I got a text because everyone has the same iPhone ringtone as me.

It was raining today so I had to drive to school with my convertible roof up. 

Starbucks has better coffee than Dunkin’ Donuts, but Dunkin’ Donuts has better donuts than Starbucks, so I had to go to both.

I wanted to buy a hotdog at the fair, but I didn't want to break a $20.

*: "Rockin' the Suburbs" by Ben Folds

The Axiomatic Musings of a Teen who should go back in time and tell her ninth grade self to chill the f*** out.

[P.S. This is a shoutout to Hope and an apology for keeping her waiting :P]

Sal and I are back together. Third time's the charm, right? :)
Okay I've been debating how to present how this happened and I think I'm going to just write it like a story and then explain it. So here goes!

It was a beautiful and warm early September day (9-10-11 to be exact) and we had been spending the afternoon strolling around the Fall Festival either alone or with our friends, chatting and enjoying the day. Eventually after a very pretty sunset (idk if anyone else noticed but Saturday night you could see the sunset and the moon in the sky at the same time, it was really cool) we bought overpriced tickets and waited in line and boarded the Ferris wheel. As we neared the top and were looking out over all the pretty lights, we kissed and I snuggled into his shoulder. We hadn't hung out at all since the last day of summer, and I was really happy to finally be alone with him again, even if only for a couple minutes on the ride. The ride continued to turn as I was nestled against him when out of the blue in a very low voice he asked the same heart-skipping words I'd heard from him twice before:
"Will you go out with me?"
I smiled.
Blinked.
Gave him a puzzled look.
Smiled again.
Paused.
"...what?"
Granted not the most eloquent or romantic of responses, but he caught me off guard! And I knew he knew me well enough to understand what I meant and wouldn't be offended so I wasn't worried. He smiled back and I continued.
"Didn't we agree that was kind of a bad idea for right now?"
"Well yeah, but I was thinking about it and like this last week was just great, we might as well have been a couple by how we were interacting, and I don't really think this will change much."
"Okay...we should like, figure this out."
"Exactly, let's talk."
And we did. For the rest of the Ferris wheel ride we just talked out what we were thinking, the way we always do. No awkwardness, just discussing. It's not something that I think I could do with anyone but Sal, but we're just so comfortable around each other that it works perfectly. We continued the conversation across the street to our cars (to get blankets to sit on while watching the fireworks) until at 8:30 (NOT 9:00 like the paper said :P) some of the first fireworks went off while we were still getting blankets from his van. So the conversation went on hold for a minute while we burst into a full-on sprint back across the street to the field where we lay down the towels (not that they helped, the ground was 80% water at least) and watched the fireworks. And kissed again, because he's adorable and we're cliche like that.
"So did you wanna keep talking, or just watch the fireworks for now?"
"Just the fireworks if that's alright?"
"Yeah totally!"
He leaned back and I lay perpendicular with my head on his stomach and we watched the fireworks. It was actually a really great show, I have to admit.
*Turns head to look at him smiling*
"Hey stop that, watch the fireworks."
"But you're attractive!"
"But these fireworks are only once, maybe twice a year!"
"But but but!"
"Watch the fireworks!"
"Nyeeeeahhh!"
*Verrrry slowly turns head again*
"I see that."
"Fiiiiiiiiiine."
I just included that because it's a pretty good picture of how we interact xD. Anyway after they finished we stayed where we were and chatted a little more. We got up to leave and as we were walking he turned to me.
"So, what do you say? About like, this?"
"It seems like a pretty darn good deal to me. So yes. :)"
"Awesomeee!" (There are no fonts for the adorable voice he made when he said that but it made me crack up because it was too cute, just take my word for it xD)

So yeah basically after that we met back up with our friends, told them, enjoyed the rest of the evening, put it on Facebook when we got home, etc etc the rest is history!

If you're wondering what we were talking about so much before we reached an agreement...it was basically a verbal constitution for our relationship xD. We wanted to make sure we got any possible irritations out of the way early so we wouldn't stress ourselves out by being in a relationship (the original reason we avoided it). We worked out what things bother us in a relationship and the things that ruined us last time and how to avoid them, how a break-up would work if/when it occurs, and basically that nothing much is going to change except that it'll be more public now. And honestly it's working great so far, it's really a relief to have any potential stresses removed before we even started. And if all else fails, we agreed if it doesn't work out how we're hoping we'll go back to being friends without a big fuss. Because clearly we realize it's pretty hard to avoid being friends with each other, it'll end up happening one way or another :P. Our first day of school as a couple was really lovely (I almost forgot how nice it was to hold his hand :)) and I'm really genuinely happy with him :).

Oh, and random note: Fred told me on the day that Sal and I broke up in 2009 when I was crying on his shoulder and whining about how I wanted him back, "I don't think you two will be able to work again until you both date at least one other person."
I dated Ash, Sal dated Rayne, and now, BAM! Working great. Shoulda known that little rascal's always right ;).

So yeah, that's basically the story! Wish us luck this time!! :)

*: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift (this song reminds me of him, if that wasn't obvious already)
**: "Rhythm of Love" by Plain White T's

The Axiomatic Musings of a Teen who is loving senior year so far.

But then I still have over a month until college application deadlines start, so I can't be too sure just yet. Anyway. Today I was inspired to make a list.

THINGS ONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO BY THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL:

• Identify the quickest route to each of one's classes on the first day by simply looking at one's schedule.
• Identify the cleanest bathrooms and the coldest water fountains in the school. 
• Know which bathroom stalls lock and which ones haven't been fixed since your freshman year. (Any girls reading this right now know exactly what I'm talking about, although obviously I don't know about the guys' bathrooms)
• Successfully BS responses in class even when one hasn't done the homework.
• Forge a parent's signature. (Okay I know this is very wrong but let's be honest here, no one wants a 0/10 on the first homework assignment of the semester for forgetting to show your parents the list of class rules)
• Stay up until 1am or later doing homework but still be at least 80% compos mentis by 7:30am.
• Text without looking.
• Hackey-sack. (Because we all looked out our Comparative Cultures class in freshman year watching the super-cool seniors playing hackey-sack on the senior walk and couldn't wait to be them)
• Correctly use your and you're. (Yeah I'll go there)
• Multi-task (I currently have 9 open tabs in Chrome right now. Granted 5 of them are ear cuffs on Etsy that I want but I digress)
• Write an essay the night before it's due and still get a good grade. 
• Take off a hoodie while carrying a backpack without dropping the backpack (Extra points if you don't have to put down your coffee, either)
• Laugh at how stupid one was in middle school.
• Relax once in a while, because by now one has figured out that not everything is the end of the world, and sometimes things end up pretty damn okay. :)

*: "Good Riddance" by Green Day

**: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift

Songs for the Sitch

LOTS OF SICKLY SWEET EMOTIONEY GIRLY SONGS READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

The Axiomatic Musings of a Teen whose going to have an awesome Senior Experience Project.

I just thought of this and I'm so freaking excited right now I can't even contain myself.

Okay. So. Originally I was just going to teacher assist my French teacher because I love teaching and I love French. I was then informed last spring it would be bundled into this new program called the "Senior Experience Project" with a bunch of other kids. Basically an SEP is a project that a senior can do about literally ANYTHING. Any interest, any topic, anything. You just have to write some reflections along the way and make a presentation at the end. Like, Sal is building a remote control car that you can control with your brain waves. Calvin's translating the entire Phantom of the Opera into Latin.

So as you can imagine, once i heard about these awesome things, I felt like I was missing out by just doing a study in teaching. Plus, it didn't incorporate cooking in any way which was a little disappointing. So I talked to Mrs. V and she basically said I can change it however I want to include whatever I want. Thus, brainstorming began. AND THIS IS WHAT I CAME UP WITH!

I'm going to learn French history and enrich my understanding of French culture through researching and making French cuisine. I'll cook different French dishes then research when they became popular, and why, and if they were a favorite of any historical figures (Like Marie and her cake), and thus get a deeper understanding of culture. Because let's face it; food has always been a pretty big deal when it comes to human life. Once I have some knowledge on the subject, I'll use it to teach lessons to French classes in the school. Like the French II's I'll be assisting for in the second semester do a unit on Quebec, so I can teach about some Quebecois food and bring in samples and such. I'm pretty sure Canada gets a whole lot more interesting when gravy and cheese-covered french fries are introduced.

Basically I'll get to cook, learn French and French culture, and then teach people about it. Essentially baking three cakes in one oven, then eating and having them too. Can't wait to tell Madame about it on Monday!!

*: "Destination Ailleurs" by Yannick Noah (favorite French singer :P)