Missy Blog

When hosting a party, most tend to throw good eating habits out the window. Serving sugary, carbonated, caffeinated drinks and fatty, high calorie snacks is the norm. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. As more and more young people are dealing with obesity, healthy choices are what party-goers want to see!

Try these ideas at your next party or sleep-over and see just how many compliments you receive:

1. Serve all different kinds of nuts! Although they do have fat, they have unsaturated fat (which is “good”). This type of fat helps the body maintain healthy hair, nails and skin. Some brands can be high in sodium, though, so look for unsalted varieties.
2. Serve raw fruits and vegetables! The fruits will work for guests who have a sweet tooth, while the vegetables will satisfy those that want to crunch. Serve with healthy dips, like salsa and hummus. For the fruit, make some homemade peanut butter for dipping. Provide a blender, some 100% fruit juices, ice and various raw fruits and create smoothies everyone will rave about.
3. Serve air-popped popcorn! An entire cup of this crunchy snack has about 30 calories, but provides the body with much needed fiber. Dumping a bunch of butter on the popcorn will defeat the “healthy” description, so try just a touch of a seasoned salt if you want to add some flavor.
4. Serve water! That’s right! Water is the new soda at parties. Add a slice of lemon, lime or orange for a bit of fruit essence and enjoy.
5. If it is a party that requires a cake, make it an angel food cake! This type of cake has a significantly lower amount of fat than regular cakes. Top it with some of the fresh fruit provided and a sweet treat will be had by all!

* Low fat whipped topping and a cherry on top can add a decorative touch to your creations.

As you can see, just because you are eating healthy doesn’t mean it won’t be fun.

This is a scary topic of discussion but sexual predators are everywhere. What’s even scarier is that they may be someone you know and think you can trust. Any time you are out you are potentially at risk. You don’t even need to be on a date. You may just be a house party or club with friends minding your own business.

Date and acquaintance rapers are sneaky. Some start off very sweet and charming, gaining your trust then by the end of the evening they are pressuring you well beyond your comfort limit. Others take and easier and much more dangerous approach: drugs. The number one date rape drug is alcohol but many other drugs that are colorless and odorless can be slipped into you drink, even if you’re drinking just water. These substances can act in various ways, making victims confused, disoriented, helpless, unconscious, or even comatose. When mixed with alcohol they can even be lethal. There are three main date rape drugs. Rohypnol, nicknamed “roofies,” is a powerful drug that will cause confusion, fatigue and memory black-outs; GBH, also known as “Ecstasy” is very dangerous because it produces euphoria and sexual inhibition. You may find yourself in a rape situation and be so high you that you unwittingly consent. The last but certainly not least of the three major date rape drugs is Ketamine, also know on the street as “Special K.” Ketamine is a horse tranquilizer and it is extremely hazardous to humans. It causes hallucinations, paranoia and in some cases, paralysis.

Your best plan of action is being prepared. Always know where you’re going and how you’re getting home. And yes, ALWAYS tell your parents where you will be.  They may not always be able to get through on your cell.

If you are on a “blind date” or a first date, try to go with another couple that you know. This will not only protect you but also serve as an icebreaker.

If you are at a party never show up alone. There is power in numbers. Be cautious about getting into a car with someone you do not know well, no matter how charming he seems.  If a person insists or pressures you to accept a ride, say not thank you and walk away!

Remain aware and in control of yourself. Do not consume alcohol. However, it you do drink, even if its soft drinks, don’t take your eye off it for a second. Put in two straws or do something that distinguishes your drink from someone else’s or you may end up taking a substance meant for someone else. Ideally, try not to put your drink down at all. If you’re drinking bottled water, replace the cap between sips. This seems like a big nuisance but it’s very easy and soon you will do it without even thinking.

Avoid letting your date take you to remote, or dark places. Don’t let your date take you to his home or to someone’s house you don’t know. Stay in well-lit public places where other people are near by.

If you feel you’re being pressured into unwanted sex, you’re probably right.  If you feel threatened, take action before the potential attacker does. Define what you want from a relationship and say what you mean. “No!” means “no.” Say is with force and demand that you be respected. If things escalate beyond your control, yell, scream, fight and run away. Most importantly TELL! It doesn’t matter who the creep is. Tell your parents, police, and school administrators. Don’t let him get away with it. Only you have the power to prevent date rape and preparation is the first step to prevention.

Finishing High School and moving away to college can be an exciting time in anyone’s life. However, it can also be an expensive, therefore stressful, time. Knowing some money saving tips can reduce the stress and minimize the expense of what may be the foundation of your future.

One of the biggest money saving tips: decline all those credit card offers! Credit cards are a temptation, as at this point the credit card companies are making offers left and right. Since many college students have never had a credit card before, it is a thrill to be offered so much credit! Interest rates and finance charges pile up quickly, though, and the use of credit cards can lead to huge debt in just a short time.

It is best to keep only one credit card when starting a college career. Find an offer with a low credit limit, a low interest rate and only use what is budgeted for credit card expenses. This will build up the users credit rating, allow for an emergency expense, while also limiting the stress of overdue payments and roll-over debt.

Other tips are much more common sense. College tuition comes at a big cost, but believe it or not so do the books and materials required! Money saving tip number two is look for used books and class tools. Many college students try to get rid of things used last semester, so it is easy to find good deals on books and materials that have been gently used. Look in the college newspaper, on the bulletin boards and in the bookstore for used items.

Number three – don’t buy lunch everyday! Eating out constantly can take a huge chunk out of a grocery budget. If you live on campus, purchasing a meal plan at the cafeteria might be cost effective, but eating at the fast food restaurants that pop-up around the college will take quite a “bite” out of your budget.

Living on or close to campus is always better financially, as the cost of gas adds up fast. No matter where you live, you will probably be paying rent, so look for a place close to the college so you can either walk or driving will be kept to a minimum.

No matter the money saving tips, the first step to remaining sound financially is to create a budget for expenses. When a budget is written down and followed, debt will not accumulate, leading to stress.

A Halloween spooktacular, ghoulish gathering or frightful fiesta – call it what you want. I call it fun! Throw a Halloween get together with your friends that is creative, scary and a total blast.  

First, invite all of your friends to come in costume. Make you invitations look like tombstones. Set it up something like this:
 

Here Lies an Invitation to

(Your Name)’s Spooktacular

10/31/06 8PM – Midnight

Come in Costume

If you dare.

The ghouls are out

So BEWARE!

You will also need to have decorations, food, music and games.  Decorating is fun and easy. Start with black and orange balloons. They are inexpensive and lively and when one gets popped, it can really scare the heck out of someone. Dim the lights to create a dark, mysterious atmosphere. Place candles safely out of reach of people and decorations, preferable in a hurricane lamp. Buy some fake cobwebs from your local craft store. This time a year you can even find webbing at your drug store or supermarket. String the cobwebs over furniture and across doorways. It will creep out your friends to get tangled up in icky webs. And what would Halloween be without creepy, crawly spiders to go with those icky webs. To make spiders paint the inside and outside of a cardboard egg carton black. When it is dry, cut out the cells to make 12 spider bodies. Poke eight black pipe cleaner “legs” into each one and bend them to shape then poke a tiny hole in the top and put a thin, long thread in the hole, securing on the inside with tape and hang them from the ceilings and doorways.

Now you need creepy Halloween music. Look for CD’s that have Halloween sound effect like moans and screams that can be played simultaneously with your favorite music. You can also purchase one of the many Halloween music compilations CDs that are out this time of year.

Decorations: check; Music: check; Food and drinks: MUUUHHHAAAAAA!!! This is the fun part. You can make a red jello brain with molds available at the craft store. Garnish around it with bloody guts (smooth rigatoni colored with red food coloring) but tell your friends the guts are just for show. Next, frost a chocolate cake with white frosting. Use black writing gel to make a spinning spiral from the center of the cake to the outer edge. Then take a toothpick, insert it into the frosting in the center of the cake and scrape a thin line all the way to the edge. Do this in eight sections (like pie slices) around the cake and you have created a spider web design.  Then make a big tray of worms, dirt and mud. Start with a roasting pan. Put a layer of chocolate pudding on the bottom, then mix together a couple of bags of gummy worms with a box of crushed cookies, either chocolate or graham cracker, and lay over the pudding. Yummy! Other ideas are pizza with guts on top. Make the guts out of spaghetti with marinara sauce. Make “deviled” egg eyes from hard boiled eggs. Just cut them in half, remove the yoke, mash is with mayonnaise, salt, pepper and green food coloring the ccoop the mixture back into the whites and garnish with a black olive in the center for a pupil and thinly slice pieces of pimento around it to make it look bloodshot. They are delicious and the texture is soooooooo creepy.

For drinks you can use any juice or punch you like. The key is in the props. Melt a quart of sherbet and pour it into a rubber glove. Place it back into the freezer until it sets. When guests arrive, remove the rubber glove and place the severed hand it in the center of your punch bowl to keep the punch cold as the hand melts the sherbet will more flavor. Turn your punch bowl into a smoldering witch’s cauldron by tossing in a piece of dry ice.

You’ve got all of the things you need to create the atmosphere so how about some games? Keep them fun and simple so you’ll still have plenty of time for socializing. Try a “reverse apple bob.” Instead of bobbing for apples in water which is cold, wet and uncomfortable you can give it a twist that is even more fun. Have two people stand on chairs each holding the end of a broomstick. Then take two apples and poke them with a popsicle stick that has a hole drilled on the end. Run a long string through the hole and tie it to the broomstick so the apple dangles from string. Have two contestants put their hands behind their back and try to take a bite out of their apple. The first one to do it wins. Then replace the bitten apples with fresh ones and have two more friends play. Award a candy bar to each winner. You will be hysterical watching your friends bobbing and weaving with their mouths wide open. Be sure to take lots of pictures.

Having a Halloween Spooktacular Party is great way to celebrate the holiday. Have a ghastly good time!

Sometimes is can be hard making new friends. There are lots of reasons you may want new friends. Perhaps you have recently moved to a new town or your very best friend has just moved away. Perhaps you got into an irreconcilable argument with a friend or you realized they are simply not the friend for you. Sometimes shyness or fear of rejection can prevent you from taking the first step to forming a new friendship. What ever the case, not having a close friend can make you feel sad and isolated, and that is no way for a beautiful young lady with so much to offer to ever feel.

Rule number one for friendship is the “golden rule.” You must treat others as you would like to be treated. Would you want to be friends with you? Why? By making a list of the things you believe make you a good friend, you can figure out the qualities you would like in others. Then follow the advice in this article and you will be on your way to creating lasting and meaningful new friendships.

It is important to have opinions and beliefs, but if you think it’s always “my way or the highway,” you are sadly mistaken. Sure it’s great to find someone who loves everything that you do but it’s what makes us different that makes us special. If you accept that other people have a right to be different from you, then you open yourself up to the possibility of experiencing relationships that bring a fresh perspective to your own life.

Friendship takes time to develop. Don’t expect to become BFFs overnight. Take things one day at a time. Don’t share your life story or reveal all the skeletons in your closet right away or you may scare a potentially close friend away. Take it slowly and allow trust to develop. See how they react to safe secrets such as the cute celebrity you dream about meeting or the fact that you still have your baby blankie. Test the waters of trust before you tread any deeper.
 
There are many places to meet new friends. Many people make friends at work or school. Open yourself up to the opportunity to make friends at work by participating in special projects or helping to organize social events. At school you can consider joining a club or participating in a sport. Follow your interests so you can join groups that share the same interests as you.  For example, if you like to sing, join a school or church choir. Having a common bond with someone is often the first step to giving you the confidence to talk about other things. You may find that you share many interests with someone thus giving your new friendship a solid base.  If you don’t have any particular hobbies, consider joining a volunteer group with a charity that interests you.  You will share the same common bond as everyone in your volunteer group – helping others.

When meeting new people your body language says a lot about you. Look people in the eye when you speak to them and smile. Body languages such as looking at your feet or keeping your arms folded in front of you close you off rather than open you up to other people. People may get the impression that you don’t want to talk to them.

Once you’ve made a new friend, appreciate them and don’t take them for granted. Take the time to thank your friends for enhancing your life. Also, make sure to make time for your friendship to be nurtured. If you are consistently too busy to give time to your friends, they will one day move on without you. Ensure you make friendship an important priority. Actively listen to your friends, and show your interest and enthusiasm in their lives.

Be forgiving and compassionate – no one is perfect. Sometimes, a friend may do something of which you don’t approve. Put yourself in their shoes – try to support instead of judge.  
 
Keep a secret. Abuse of trust is very hard to forgive. You might think you’re building relationships with others by sharing gossip, but you’re actually ensuring that others won’t trust you enough to tell you anything. And if your friend finds out you abused their trust, your relationship with them is as good as over.
 
Now that you have the basic tips and tools for making new friends you need to take a deep breath, smile and get out there! Don’t rush it and don’t force it. It’s OK to be choosey so go for quality instead of quantity in your friendships.  You are worth it and only special people deserve to be your friend.

When you are in your late teens to early twenties, your entire wardrobe is going to need quite an overhaul. You aren’t going to be able to get away with just shorts, jeans and t-shirts anymore. Out in the working world, depending on where you find employment, you will need a wardrobe that fits your needs ? as well as fits your budget!

During your college career is the perfect time to begin finding your way with fashion. You know what you like, but don’t necessarily have to follow a strict “dress code”, which is common in high schools. Here are some easy tips to follow when choosing your first wardrobe which is all your own:

• Have in mind just what type of “look” you are going for. Browse through fashion magazines, catalogs, and look closely at those in your age group who you feel have a great style. Determine which stores in your area can best fulfill that image by browsing their selections online.
• Know what you need to round out your wardrobe. For example: do you need 5 pairs of dress slacks or 5 skirts? Do you work in an office or are you working in a warehouse? On the weekends, do you frequently relax on the beach or do you enjoy the theatre? All of these factors need to be assessed before you even set foot into a department store.
• Now ? go shopping! Have fun with the experience. Don’t feel pressured to buy on your first trip, but just take in all the various fabrics, colors and clothing pieces. Ask the sales staff questions and for their opinion on the fit of outfits you try on. (You can even take a friend along and have him or her take some digital photos as you try on!) Do not be afraid to try new styles which you believed weren’t for you before.
• Don’t forget to accessorize! Even pieces currently in your wardrobe can be spiced up with a colorful scarf or some inexpensive costume jewelry.
• Keep in mind you will need matching footwear! Shoes should be purchased just like any other part of your wardrobe.

Since you will be on a budget, this process will probably stretch out over several months. Set aside some money each paycheck for wardrobe development, so you will not have to rely on credit for purchases. Purchase items at first that will go with items already in your wardrobe and build from there.

After many fun shopping trips, you will have a completely new wardrobe that is all yours! It won’t happen overnight, but you will be surprised at how quickly you develop a look that is all your own.

Are you the Princess or the Commoner? The answer lies within the cards. This is a fun game of skill and luck. It’s great for sleepovers or even just to play at lunch during school. All you need to play is 4 or more players and a deck of cards.

The first hand played is used to determine everyone’s rank. The ranking from highest to lowest is Princess, Duchess, Lady, and Commoner. It doesn’t matter who deals the first hand. Just deal out the full deck going clockwise around the table. The girl to the left of the dealer starts off. The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards. When starting, you can lay down any card you like or, if you have two of the same value, you can lay both cards down. The person following you must lay down a card of equal or greater value. If you laid down two or more of the same card they too must lay down the same amount. For example, if you lay down two 9’s then they would have to lay down two of something equal or greater. If the player lays down the same card as the previous player then the next player is skipped. If you can’t play any of your cards than you lose your turn. Cards are cleared if everyone skips.

Play continues like this until all the cards have been played. Whoever goes out first becomes the new Princess for the next game; the second girl becomes the Duchess; third becomes Lady and last is the Commoner. The Commoner is always the dealer. For the following rounds, anyone who ranks higher then you can tell you to do whatever they want you to do. i.e. bring you a drink or a snack, sing a song, perform a dare…use your imagination!

Special Rules:
The Commoner must always give the two best cards in her hand to the Princess. The Princess gives the two worst cards in her hand to the Commoner. If the Princess remains Princess for three consecutive rounds she can create special rules of her own, such as everyone referring to her as “Her Royal Highness” If these “special” rules are broken then the offender must do as the Princess commands. Again, use your imagination…anything goes. Just remember, these are your friends so don’t do anything too mean.

A great way to spend some girl-time is to have a spa sleepover party. You can gossip, talk about your favorite celebrity crushes and have a blast while pampering yourself and entertaining your friends. It’s also a perfect way to experiment with make-up and share fashion and personal advice.

Some supplies you’ll need to have on hand for your spa party are nail polish, nail polish remover, nail files, ingredients for facials (see recipes below), a variety of healthy snacks and drinks and music – party music as well as relaxation music . Ask your friends to bring a towel, washcloth, copies of their favorite fashion magazines and their own make-up. Remember, never share your makeup. Even though it may look clean you never can tell what types of bacteria are lurking in your best friend’s mascara.

Set up the room you plan to use as your spa. Have an area for doing manicures and pedicures, an area for facials and an area for refreshments. Put on some background music but no too loud so you can talk with ease. Set out some fruit with cheese and crackers, juices and sparkling water. For a fun twist, make smoothies by combining fruit with milk, juice and ice in a blender. They are delicious and nutritious.

When your guests arrive, welcome them to your spa and offer them some refreshments. Let everyone get comfy and settled for a while. You can use this time to chat it up and flip through fashion mags sharing your opinions on the latest styles. You can also start your makeovers and open the “nail salon.” It’s a good idea to do your makeovers before your facials. This way you can go to bed with a clean, fresh face and eliminate the risk of break-outs.

Manicures and Pedicures

Have everyone wash their hands and feet. Put out nice lotions for everyone to use. Choose your favorite polish and grab a file. Don’t worry about your cuticles. Just moisturize them and push them back. When filing always remember to file one-way, not back and forth as this can cause splitting or peeing. You can do your own nails but doing each other’s is a fun way to socialize and it solves that messy “opposite hand” problem.

Facials

Facials are great for rejuvenating your face and cleaning your pores. By exfoliating and ridding your skin or dead surface cells you are making your face look radiant and optimizing its ability to benefit from moisturizer or astringents. To make a natural exfoliating scrub, blend one tablespoon of kosher salt with one teaspoon of olive oil. If you choose you can add a scented natural oil such as lavender since lavender is a relaxing scent but it is not necessary. Put your hair back or put your towel on your head to keep you hair away from your face. Gently massage the mixture along your cheeks, chin and forehead avoiding your eyes and lips. Rinse well with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel.

Face Masks

The best ingredients for facials are in your own kitchen. Throughout the centuries, women have used honey as part of their skin care treatments. Cleopatra was famous for her milk and honey baths. To make Cleopatra’s Moisture Mask mix 2 tablespoons of honey with two tablespoons of evaporated (unsweetened) milk. Smooth it over your face and throat and leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse it off with warm water. For girls with oily skin mix one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of lemon juice. Leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse with warm water.

When your spa sleepover is over, everyone will leave your home feeling refreshed, beautiful and closer than ever. What a fun way to bond with friends!

What sports cars are to men, designer handbags are to women. They are a symbol of status and power, and the enormous wealth one must have to afford them. Carrying that Prada bag that you likely spent an entire paycheck on sends out a message to all other women - I am successful. But if you’re carrying the wrong one, like that one from two seasons ago - forget about sending out the message of success. Carrying around an out of season bag, despite being designer, sends out the wanna-be message. Avoid that fashion faux-pas by getting acquainted with some of fall’s hottest must-have bags.

Dooney & Burke recently unveiled their new fall line of bags, as well as their new spokeswoman - Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts’ niece. Past spokeswomen have included Mischa Barton and Lindsay Lohan. New Dooney & Burke ads appear in the latest issue of Teen Vogue, which feature Roberts and the new handbags. The collection hits stores this month, and also features a limited edition bag designed by Emma which features her “signature style.”

Hot with celebrities such as Carmen Electra, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Geena Davis, are bags by the hot Turkish designer Emre Erturk. Word of the designer’s unique, yet functional bags is spreading fast, with celebs clamoring to pick one up. One unique feature of Emre’s line is the oh-so-couture pet carrier, a favorite amongst jet-setting Hollywood elite that is also FAA approved.

If you’re looking for a trusty must-have bag that won’t go out of style overnight, why not pick up one of the old classics? There’s always the Hermes “Kelly” bag, the wildly popular CoCo Cabas bag by Chanel, or the signature Louis Vuitton bag. These bags won’t go out of favour in a snap.

Although you are faced with peer pressure all your life, in one way or another, it is never more pronounced than in those last years of high school into the beginning of your college career. There are so many things to be pressured about during this time: smoking, drinking, drugs, and sex top the list. However, it is so important for young people to realize this doesn’t have to be the case.

The one falsehood about the term “peer pressure” is that friends do not force you to do anything. If someone is truly close to you and cares about your feelings at all, they will not feel the necessity to pressure you into doing something you don’t wish to do. The only people who will make you feel bad or call you names, like “baby” and “chicken”, are not your friends. So, when you walk away from them, you can feel confident and say to yourself, “Who cares what they think?”

Some things to keep in mind at all times:

• Don’t follow along with a crown taunting or teasing someone else. Be kind at all times. As the old saying goes, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.”
• If you are underage, avoid tobacco products and alcohol. Getting caught with these things when you are under 18 for tobacco and 21 for alcohol is illegal. If someone offers you one or more of these things, simply walk away.
• No matter what your age, avoid drugs! They are illegal and can hamper your personal life and your school performance. If someone offers you something, say “No Thanks”!
• You studied and now your “friend” wants to copy your test or homework. It would not just be your “friend” cheating…you would be, too. Keep that paper to yourself and tell your friend to do the best they can. A true friend will respect your decision.
• Don’t limit yourself to one “crowd” or “clique”. Interesting people can be found everywhere, so why deny yourself the opportunity to get to know another just because they don’t run in a particular “circle”?

The most important thing to remember throughout your life is you only have to live with one person – and that is you. If you give into peer pressure and do something you feel is wrong, how will you live with the person in the mirror? Making good choices and walking a path of your choosing will always provide you with better results.