Dying Print's Last Words...

If you wanted to read the news right now, you might just look it up online, tap your newspaper app, or switch on the tv. And if you wanted to read a book, you might grab your nook or your kindle or your kobo that's right next to you. That's how the print culture is nowadays. Our world have turned almost completely electronic. The internet holds anything you could possibly get from a newspaper or a magazine, and ebooks have taken books to the digital world. The realm of print is dying, and with its downfall follows the decline of jobs, socialization, health, and simple pleasures.

Think of how many people used to work in factories that created newspapers and books and magazines. As the years go on, all those jobs disappeared. With the use of technology, there was simply not as many people buying prints, and therefore not as many were selling. This simple shift created a huge dent in the lives of many workers. This will only increase as the years go by.

Not only are print jobs going down but so are social connections. No one sits at the breakfast to read the newspaper anymore. Now families sit around the TV to watch the news and all the commercials that come with it. Sure you're still getting the information you need but you're not getting time to chat to someone about it. Families are reduced to sitting on the couch and merely absorbing the information thrown into their ears. There's no learning, only perceiving for a minute or two.

Additionally, the print world turning electronic has a toll on health. Through scientific studies, its been proven that a higher use of technology can have a strain on eyesight and even give people headaches and migraines from the light of their devices. If turning digital is supposed to be easier, why does it affect health so negatively?

Finally, through technology, many pleasures of print are vanishing. No longer will you be able to smell the wonderful smell of an old book. And no longer will you be able to learn, unless you have a full battery and a strong WiFi connection. Sure you're saving paper, but you're using up a lot of energy at the same time, and that has a similar effect on the world as paper consumption does.

Through the print world turning digital, things like jobs, social interaction, health, and little pleasures are being lost. Unfortunately, there will be a time where they will be gone for good.

Free Blog: More Importantly, What Being A Nerd Is and Why It Rocks

I'm going to talk to you about something very close, and very dear to my heart; being a nerd. It's lovely and fun and I want to tell you all about it. Most of you know me very well, and understand that I am a self-proclaimed nerd. So, a great starting question here is "What is a nerd, anyway?" You could look it up and find a wordy definition if you'd like, but I'll boil it down and explain with a simple quote by the lovely author, Mr. John Green.

"Nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff… Nerds are allowed to love stuff, like jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can’t-control-yourself love it. Hank, when people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is ‘you like stuff.’"

Basically, nerds are people who just really, honestly, and passionately like stuff; be it computers, video games, books, British television shows, movies, comic books, music, whatever.

Okay, so, now you know what a nerd is. Congratulations! But it doesn't simply end here. Alas, no! There's so much more to understand about the being of nerds. You think it's just a bunch of superheroes and theme songs? Or a group people talking about computers and software?! You're so wrong! "Fine, then! What else could you possibly tell me about being a nerd?" you might be asking yourself. Well, son, allow me to tell you a little bit about why being a nerd rocks.

Firstly, it's super fun and brings you joy getting over-excited about the nerdiest things. Examples include, but are not limited to:

- Season (blank) of (blank) being added onto Netflix's instant watch list,
- Any movie trailer you've been waiting "forever" for,
- British guys,
- Books. Just- books,
- Someone reblogging a gifset on your Tumblr, (oooh nerd overload),
- Videos of cats doing adorable, and usually human, things,
- Japanese animated movies,
- Art!
- Etc.

If you're a nerd, and you're feeling a little blue, think of something to be over-excited about and I guarantee you, you'll feel so shiny that you'll want to start watching that Joss Whedon space-western series everyone's talking about. Nerd things bring joy to nerds. That's just how it is.

Secondly, you get to meet the nicest, weirdest, most enthusiastic, and most ridiculously nerdy people in the world. Trust me, it sounds like they're all creepy but they're not. Some Most of my best friends are nerds and they're my all time favorite people. Overall, nerds are funny, nice, accepting, and overall stellar individuals. I've never met one who's left me with a terrible impression of themselves. I've met some epic nerds through my friends, through other nerds, through the internet, too. Even in Bed, Bath and Beyond when this kid commented on the super cool Tardis t-shirt that I had just gotten and immediately the two of us were talking about Doctor Who and became the best of friends and my mom gave me the weirdest looks, but I didn't care, because obviously, this kid had great taste in British television and I wanted to talk to him. They're all just great people and I want to hug every single one of them

Thirdly, you get to participate is awesome nerdy things. Such as, Harry Potter movie marathons, reading an eight book series in a week, fun chat rooms, actually making fish fingers and custard (you were curious, you had to try it!), and let's not forget Comicon. These probably sound like the weirdest ways to use your time, but being active in nerdy things is great fun! Chances are, you end up meeting fantastic people, and having a blast.

Lastly, you understand that being a "nerd" isn't an insult. It's not about making someone feel stupid for liking something, or making them feel like they don't fit in. Honestly, being a nerd is about being a part of something much bigger, something wonderfully intangible! It's like being encompassed in this fantastical sphere where people understand you're references to "bowties", "okay?", and "I'm in shock." Not only that, but they respond with "are cool!", "okay", and "look, I've got a blanket!" Being a nerd is like always being in a hug. That's what being a nerd is. That's the only way to describe it. One huge, nerdy, accepting, really awkward, but loving hug, and it's beautiful.

So, go ahead! Tell me I'm a nerd! I'll love it, and chances are I'll probably say something like "ALLONS-Y!" or "BAZINGA!" and walk away with my sonic screwdriver, my fandom buttons, and my knee-high piano socks, because you know what? That's how nerds roll. And guess what, we love it.

Family Dinner?

Many define "family dinner" as an everyday occurrence where everyone gathers over a wonderful meal to share stories and laugh together. Most importantly, though, everyone sees it as the best way to connect as a family. That doesn't necessarily ring true though, as you'll see through the great example of my own schedule challenged family.

Yes, of course we gather to eat. (While we're on the subject of eating, I feel it's important to add that both of my parents are wonderful chefs, so the quality of food is not the issue here.) But, the definition of "we" has changed over the course of the last two years. My entire family used to be on the exact same schedule. My sister and I were at school, and my parents worked the same hours. We would all be home at dinnertime, and therefore we would always eat dinner together. Look at us, eating green chile chicken enchiladas and laughing about my sister's all-girl high school or the crazy people my dad worked with. It was a cliché family dinner, and it worked for us. Then my sister left to further her education. And then my mom got more night hours. And then my dad started a different job. As a result, family dinners soon became a thing of rarity. Now, with only three in our family home, and mom not being home until later, family dinners consist of my dad and I. Dinner had become a time where my dad tries new recipes and where we talk about art or the news or something else that interests my father. Don't get me wrong, I love my dad and he's hilarious, but he's often incredibly quiet or isn't hungry at the same time I am, so sometimes dinner is just with the fantastic company of myself (and our incessantly begging dogs). Hey, that's okay with me sometimes, but others, I miss those crazy people I call my family. I especially missed us laughing together and sharing those ridiculous stories that made us the strong family we wanted to be. Not to fret though, because we started to use different times to communicate. Now the 7:00 AM car rides to school are filled with the stories of stupid Yahoo headlines and updates from my sister. And now our Friday nights consist with us in the family room, listening to Bossa Nova: Around the World as my mother researches kennels (which, by the way, we are in the market for an Airedale puppy if you happen to know a good breeder). It's okay that our dinners are different.

I'm not saying that family dinners aren't important. No, I'm merely saying that you can achieve the same outcome of the great "Family Dinner" through different settings. And hey, when you find what works for your family, it doesn't matter if there's food or not.

Color Means...

"Red means love. Orange means enthusiasm. Yellow means happiness. Green means healing. Blue means peaceful. Purple means royalty."

These are some of the definitions given to color by those who think they understand was color truly is. But it must be asked; is purple really royalty? Or is yellow actually happiness? Color is not something to be defined, it's something to be embraced. It can be something of simplicity, like the appearance of a pillow or a shirt. But it can also be something complex, like a feeling or a memory. Color is to be perceived in every way it can be. That's what makes it unique.

The simplicity of color is that it's so easily enjoyable. When someone watches a stunning sunset, they see the rich hues and appreciate how naturally beautiful it is. Or when someone is looking at a painting, they see how the colors of the paint collide to create a masterpiece. Color can be as simple as anyone wants it to be. If someone likes the color blue because it makes them happy, they can love the color blue. And if a different someone likes the color orange because it makes them happy, they can love the color orange. It can truly be a simple concept of enjoying color.

Color can also be an idea that's so complex, it's nearly impossible to understand. Colors have the incredible ability to make you think, and remember. Just by looking at a color, you can conjure the most amazing memories in your mind. You can remember the vast, beautiful ocean, full of life, just by glancing at something blue. Or you can recall a terribly cold winter being vanished by an inviting fire, simply by gazing at the same color orange elsewhere. Colors can be that an amazing force of thought.

Whether color is a shirt or a feeling to you, remember to accept color with open arms. Color is wonderful, both in simplicity and complexity.