TeensCanWriteToo Blog chain: What Characters are you most like?

This is my first blog chain ever and I am super stoked. But that being besides the point who would have ever thought that the 31st would get here this fast?

On too the business of the day, what characters am I most like?

I gave a lot of thought to this and I had a couple of outrageous characters like Dora the Explorer, Elmo, Po from Teletubbies maybe its because I've been watching a load of cartoons but its probably because those are characters I've also wished I was. And yes, you are still reading a teen writer's blog.

The following though are the characters I did settle on:

1. Christina Yang from Grey's Anatomy. First up, me and Christina are similar in more way than one; we are both uptight, we know what we want and how to get it and blunt just to mention some of the attributes we share.
   
2. 
   
Julia Braverman from Parenthood. May I just say that I absolutely love Parenthood in one of those set aside a whole weekend just to have a Parenthood marathon type of way. It seems like at first everything is going Julia's way and then the inevitable happens; change. Instead of complaining until she can't complain any more, she adapts. Yes an emotional breakdown here and a fake smile there but she scrapes through. With all the chaos in her life she still thinks of others. A lot like what I have to do. Not forgetting that her dress sense and mine are in the same league and that she's a lawyer like I'd like to be when I'm older.
3. The Huxtable Kids. I thought about it being Denise Huxtable only but I settled on all of them because let's face it the Huxtables, they come as a package. So Denise and I both have trouble adjusting to college life not to mention all the responsibility that comes with it; from grades to money to self-motivation but in the end we both find a way through the problem plus her wardrobe, I wish I could get lost in it
   

Theo Huxtable. I am just going to say it right out Theo and I buddies in having an untidy room, unconventional studying methods and embarrassing high school grades.

 Vanessa Huxtable. Just like Vanessa I like getting myself into other people's business, horrible I know, but again just like her I don't find out much. on a lighter note though we both try out different things with our hair, that if I do say so myself are not too shabby.

Last but not least, Rudy Huxtable. The youngest out of all of the Huxtables and she gets away with a lot of mischief that she manages to get herself into just like I used too.

I realize that there are five Huxtables but I honestly do not connect with Sondra, sorry?

4. Quentin from Paper Towns. I am not exactly like Q, but one thing's for sure, Q and I we do not let things go. Maybe I'm a tad bit milder in terms of not letting things go unlike Q who would even go to the ends of the earth just to find a girl, sorry, just to find Margo Roth Spiegelman.

5. And finally June from Tell The Wolves I'm Home. There are like a billion things June and I have in common and to sum them all up and the one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb would be how such a non conformist we both are.

I hope you enjoyed and be sure to check out the previous blogs listed below seeing as mine is the last one.

5th – Sometimes I’m a Story
6th – The Little Engine that Couldn’t
7th – Against the Shadows
8th – Sammi Talk
9th – Musings From Neville’s Navel
10th – The Road Goes On
11th – Brooke Reviews
12th – Miriam Joy Writes
13th – Uniquely Anonymous
14th – The Upstairs Archives
15th – The A.R. Files
16th – NutFreeNerd
17th – Unikke Lyfe
18th – Writer’s Place
19th – Roomble
20th – Tara Therese
21st – The Writing Duo
22nd – Free As a Girl With Wings
23rd – Butterflies of the Imagination
24th – The Weirdy Station
25th – Teenage Ink
26th – Where Books Never End
27th – Insanity Inc.
28th – Miss Alexandrina
29th – ripped out pages
and The Long Life of a Lifelong Fangirl
30th – Fantasies of a Pocket Human
and Turtles in My Soup
31st – literallylovely
and Teens Can Write, Too! (We’ll announce the topic for next month’s chain)

Book Review: John Green's #PaperTowns

You know one of the many things I miss about being a kid? How stories ended; "And they lived happily ever after," "The end". Nothing was left to the imagination. Once a story ended it ended, except now when you think about it what happened to Little Red Riding Hood? Did she and the fox (or was it a wolf) form an alliance and start punking other kids visiting their grandparents...just a thought guys.

Then comes young adulthood where nearly everything is a sequel or left suspended in mid air. Well John Green has mastered the latter. I guess that's the beauty in his books really.

With Green's books, you never want the books to end but you do want to know what happens in the end and when you find out what does happen you a) want to hurl the book across the room because the ending and the road to the end is everything you did not expect or b) read everything after the last page, acknowledgements, discussion questions I mean everything in an effort to appease the denial phase you've just entered (denying that the book has indeed come to an end) and to make sure no "An Imperial Affliction" has been pulled on you.

Paper Towns in particular is no different.

May I just say, that before John Green wrote Paper Towns he read "Into the Wild by John Krakauer" which I also happened to have read before reading Paper Towns. Purely coincidental. Oh well you know what they say about great minds.

I found this book so captivating that you remember how I bowed down to TFIOS? Yup that's yesterday's news.

It basically revolves around Quentin or Q,  a senior in his last few months of high school and how it all unravels after the sudden disappearance of the school's IT girl Margo Roth Spiegelman who also happens to be Q's all time crush.

I'll be the first to admit, that it does not sound like much, but it is so much more than a mystery novel, in fact, it's far from it. That's what makes it sooo great. It's more of a  welcome-to-the-male-species-mind and the never ending high school experience type of novel.

The welcome-to-the-male-species-mind couldn't be brought out any clearer by anyone other than Q's friends, Ben and Radar. From referring to girls as honey bunnies and bringing the word "bro" back to absurd outfit ideas for graduation these guys will have you girls rolling your eyes and you guys giving imaginary high fives for this trio's "awesomeness".

High school experience, I don't think anyone can forget but in case you have or are yet to experience it or you happened to miss out on it, Paper Towns fills you right in.

This book offers that teenage temporary high and does not forget to include the trials and tribulations most teens go through. Basically, a roller coaster ride that is only going up my friend (see what I did there, put a little TFIOS in it).

By the time you're done reading this book, you'll probably be calling everybody bro and even though its not a sequel looking for anything John Green related to read and I almost forgot you'll be enlightened on what a paper town is...at least I was.



Picture courtesy of: www.dailycal.org

#ManCrushProbablyNot Monday: Bill Rancic

I couldn't be more excited writing this article because 1) I'm eating pizza  courtesy of my sister 2) I'm listening to Disclosure 3) Bill Rancic is like the definition of cool in my books.

But then again, I could be writing this article because of one too many Giuliana and Bill episodes or because Rancic here seems to have the Midas touch, turning everything into pure gold. His gone from having a million dollar cigar business to Mr. Trump's first appearance to owning eateries (RPM), I could go on and on, so, why not?

The Apprentice Season 1 is still fresh in my mind. It was the highlight of my Thursday evenings while in middle school. You have to admit it when Mr. Trump said, "You're fired!" in that board room you said it with him, at least I know I did. The best part, the cool team names; Versacorp and Protege. It doesn't get any cooler than that.

I remember one particular contestant though and it sure is not Bill (sorry Billy...I can you call that right?). Some short annoying guy who got underneath everyone's skin. So you can only imagine how excited I was when he lost and Bill won.

To think, the then future apprentice was once not the top of the crop while at school, in fact, he was far from it!

Despite one of his teachers making a snazzy comment in regard to his intellectual capabilities, he proved him/her wrong. (Take that Bill's teacher!)

His is clearly a case of not how you start but how strong you finish.

The truth is he's kind of the perfect guy. I know, I know there's know such thing as perfect and all of you guys going "Yeah, right," yup I see you through my cyber eyes, hear me out. His the perfect husband in my opinion, bringing Giuliana coffee in bed nearly every morning (Giuliana you lucky girl, you), the perfect dad...just look at "The Duke" (Duke); just so you know his Twitter has more followers than E!'s Katt Saddler last I heard. His also an author,has run marathon(s), the ultimate son-in-law(I think Eduardo Depandi would agree with me on that one) and the unlikely favorite, he encouraged Mama Depandi to write a cook book but who can forget the friendly feuds he has with E!'s Jason Kennedy.

All I can say is, Bill, can I be Your apprentice?

#WomanCrushNotWednesday: Siba Mtongana

I discovered Siba's Table on a lazy Sunday afternoon as I attempted to African thread my hair.  It was my first time doing it and I didn't anticipate how long it would take. With uncertainty in my mind, I flipped through the channels hoping to find something interesting to watch as I did my hair.

But if my memory serves me right,  my mum got a hold of the remote when I wasn't looking and tuned into her favorite channel "The Food Network", after CNN and BBC (what is it with grown ups and these channels? ).

And there she was.

I don't know what it was but there was just something different about "Siba's Table". Was it the kitchen which brought a very welcome homey feel rather than that you-can't-afford-this-kitchen feel? Or was it how she was able to reel me in as she effortlessly slaved away on an intricate dish? Or if I may dare ask, was it her looks?

It is safe to say it was all that and a bag of chips (I've always wanted to say that).

Her show is the first I have seen that actually incorporates friends and family. Not just seen in one episode; a family special,  a holiday special or at the end of the show the family/friends enjoying the sumptuous meal that you can't. Quite a realistic approach since one rarely cooks for themselves only, at least in Africa we don't, heck if you want to do that why not just order takeout!

In the actual inclusion of her family and friends,  her husband and adorable son are often seen shopping for an ingredient mommy needs or spending time together in the garden before the meal. As for her friends, they are seen gathered nowhere other than around Siba's Table enjoying everything from lunch to brunch or high tea.  What I'd give to be on that table!

Another aspect that I absolutely adore, is you always learn something new. From alternative ingredients for particular dishes to a store where you can buy custom brewed tea to alternative dishes to be served on various occasions; take picnics for instance, you don't have to serve the same old sandwiches, Siba's got the hook up on something new and fresh for you.

Siba's table is a literal inspiration and a bit addictive, so much so, whatever channel she is on, whatever time she's on is Siba time for me and when she says "For more of my recipes go to such and such a website," that url is already bookmarked.

All I can say is Siba, can I be your friend and sit at your table? If so comment below :)