Hello again, Twisters! Sorry it's been a bit since we've updated. Though it's nothing new, us disappearing and not updating, it's not something good. We honestly do say, "Oh, you need to update the blog this week...", but it never ends up happening. As bloggers trying to collect an audience, I believe it's important to try and be consistent. Sure, missing a week isn't terrible, but whole months without a word? That's not the best. But anyways! On to more enjoyable conversations! With our last post, we were working on the comic. We had plans on getting it out that month, but that never happened. We are still working on it, but we've decided to get a few pages finished before we start publishing it. Hopefully we can get it out before the year is over! We're using a (lovely) program called Clip Studio Paint. I didn't buy it, but I got a Wacom Intuos and it had the application already attached. (I'm still working it out to see if I have to pay for it in the future, but for right now, it's free.) I've played around with the application to generally understand how the basic functions work. While on the other hand, Bianca does not. She's tasked with doing backgrounds (as I suck at them), but she struggling with how to do them, what's the best way for her, how to use the tablet, etc. It's a slow journey, but we'll get there! Around the time we were trying to push this out, we weren't working. We had been accepted at our jobs, but they hadn't scheduled us in yet. Now, we're scheduled in, working two part-time jobs, so we have to juggle that and making the comic. It's not the easiest, but it's definitely not the hardest thing to do. We made it so that each job has their own separate times to schedule us, so overlapping jobs isn't a big concern. They schedule us at most four to six hour shifts, which is quite nice and the people we work with our amazing. Every time we work is a fun time! It's quite nice getting jobs that are fun with nice co-workers! I've heard lots of stories where people say their fist job was terrible, or another job had a terrible boss and co-workers, or another job was amazing and the people were amazing, but this one high up person just made it horrendous for everyone, etc. And sure, there is always going to be that one person who isn't fun to work with, but I haven't had those experiences. My first job at Chick-fil-A was amazing, loved it and would gladly recommend it to anyone. My two current jobs are also amazing! I love my bosses and co-workers, we're all here to do our best and make sure we're all working as a team. You can't go into a job with the mindset of "I'm here to work, get money, then leave." No. That's not how it works. You can definitely use money as a motivator because we all need money, but you can't put the bear minimum in your work. At all. That's what's going to get you scheduled low hours or get you fired. You have to go in wanting to do your best. Show it off to your co-workers and boss, but not rub it in their faces that your amazing. You want to feel as if you're being rewarded with the money that you're earning. Try to make it as one of the happiest jobs in the world. You are not there just to earn money. You're there to better yourself, grow your capabilities, your understanding, your knowledge. Grow as a team with others also willing to put their best in their work. And, you know, eventually get that well earned money. Anyways, I have a lot to say on jobs and how you should be working a job that makes you happy. Hopefully that becomes a blog post in and of itself, because this one is getting kind of long. But last topic! You all know that Bianca and I are learning Japanese and that we've set our sights on going to Japan. Well, after years and years of wishing and dreaming, it's finally going to become reality! We're super, super pumped to share with you all that we're going to be going to Japan! I'll probably do a complete blog post dedicated to all the information and planning that's going to be happening. In short, since we haven't finished learning Japanese, we've decided to go study abroad to learn it in Japan for three months. We're using a site (that will be in the dedicated Japan post) that shows a list of Japanese schools. We're going to be applying for one hopefully by Wednesday. That's the plan, at least. Also, Twisters! Next Monday is going to be a special update, because it'll be our blog's anniversary! We'll have been making blog posts for a total of six years! Which is honestly mind blowing. We were eleven when we started this and now we're seventeen and still rolling. It doesn't feel like it's been that long, but time seems to be flying anyways. Thanks for sticking with me for this super long post, Twisters! It's actually a really quick life update, but we'll get back into the swing of things. Catch ya later, Twisters! Charisma
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What on EARTH do you call it when you don't have the mojo to write on your blog? Is it blogger's block? Since you're a blogger and it is preventing you from blogging? Or is it writer's block? Since you're technically a writer writing the post? By this point, I'm really confused, but this is my topic for today! I have Blogger's/Writer's Block! *sarcastic yays!* I honestly have no idea what to write/blog because nothing really has been happening?? I've been accepted for a job (yay!), but I haven't started working, so I can't really talk about that. I was going to talk about YouTubers I watch, but I want to research all the ones I want to feature and such. I've been just drawing a lot lately, WHICH I LOVE! I need to be drawing more digitally, but I'll take what I've got! Traditional drawing has been really fun lately. I've been pushing towards adding more colors to my traditional pictures so that I can understand what I'm more attracted to, how I color, etc. So that's been good. I suppose this has just been another life update. Bianca and I have so many amazing things we're working on and planning, but right now, those ideas are just taking shape! Once we get rolling and feeling the flow more, we'll let you know all the exciting things that will be coming! You Twisters are not PREPARED for what we have in store! But that's all for now! Sorry that this wasn't really anything, but thanks for reading! Catch ya later, Twisters! CharismaHello Twisters! Bianca has finally appeared on the battle field and is ready to begin the fight! But, no seriously, it has been way to long. I don't even remember the last time I wrote on this particular side of the blog. I have forgotten the joy that I have felt when writing blog posts, so I'm very grateful that I'm back at it again. As you may already know, we moved to a different state this past summer and it has been absolutely amazing. The only hard part is that I haven't figured out my daily schedule, as I have decided not to do school this semester (but that is an entirely different blog post on it's own -- it's a really big topic). With that being said, I have been trying to keep my wits about me and explore new opportunities and I am incredibly excited to keep going with that. Topic Time! Okay, so here's the thing. Guys, dudes, men, things, I don't know what you call them, but they are out there and they come in all shapes and sizes and brains. Emphasis on the 'brain' part too. As long as I can remember, I have always wanted a guy friend. Just a friend. Not a boyfriend. Not a partner. Just a person that was male that I could hangout with and just enjoy my time with. I thought that was a pretty simple request, but I was dead wrong. I haven't had a guy friend since I was in kindegarten. Since I have been virtually schooled (homeschooled, basically) my entire life, I don't get to see people very often and when I do, it's only for a field trip or an outing. So I could only make friends with the people at my church, since I saw them on a regular basis. In my Sunday School classes, though, there was sometimes hardly any or none at all. And since I was a kid then, they were a friend, but I didn't see them outside of church so I wasn't sure if I classified them as a 'friend-friend'. When I turned ten, that's when the boys started coming and so I would see more of them and start making conversation, but I'm not looking for anything by this point. Conversation is conversation and if I knew past me well enough, I knew that she loved to talk. So it was easy to talk to them. Of course I was thinking that this guy was cuter than the other, but I wasn't going to throw myself in front of them and proclaim my true love that I had only truely understood just moments ago. No. Not at all. Eleven through thirteen is when things get weird. Girls are claiming guys that they like and they're giggling in their little packs on who they want to hang out with like it's going to affect their future and if they don't talk behind these boys backs, they aren't going to get a kiss from them or something. It's really weird. I still just want a friend. I mean, I guess I was doing the same thing that the girls were doing but on a different level because I know that real life guys had NOTHING on the fictional characters that I saw dancing with light sabers and solving mysteries on the big screen. Fictional characters > Real life guys. (100% scientifically proven) But something started happening when I was thirteen. I made a friend. And it was a boy too. I met him during an online school activity and he was the same age as me, so I thought, 'Heck yeah.' I met him in person when we were talking this math test thing and it was cool! He and I talked about games and school, but mostly games. And then some more games. And then some more games. And then some more. What was happening again? Like, didn't I just get a friend? Of course at in our household we like to tease each other, but everyone was hardcore teasing me that I liked-liked this boy, which I didn't. I tried talking about other topics with him but he would always revert back to games and the games that he talked about, I didn't even like very much, but I have this blessing gift (it really is a blessing) that I can stay interested and listen to whatever a person is saying. Whether it be politics, science, mathematics, environmental issues, basically anything. If you're passionate about it, that's all I ask and I don't mind listening. That's when I discovered something. That there are such things as a One Topic Friend (rather an acquaintance, but for the sake of a catchy title, it is a 'friend'). One Topic Friend | What It IsOne Topic Friends are the worst and I apologize if you have one. Unless they are really cool and they don't mind talking about other things. Than you have a real friend and not a OTF. Let me establish some boundaries before I dive deep into what an OTF is. There is a pattern into meeting a new person. You exchange 'hellos' (Greetings), you talk about the weather or how their day has been (Acquaintance), you talk about what happened last week and what they have planned for this week, as well as the occasional Insight-For-Advice section that you add in (Friend), and, lastly, you can talk about boys (or girls), bad eating habits, and strange topics like, I don't know, toilets or feet fungus (Close Friend and/or Best Friend) to said person. Greeter. Acquaintance. Friend. Close/Best Friend. These are the four stages I have created to know the relationship that I am with any given person. A OTF, however, is inbetween the Acquaintance Stage and the Friend Stage. In my opinion, there should never be a stage between the two. Never. Because if there is, there is no going back. Since I was a young girl and I was extremely polite, I didn't fully understand what was happening until I came across the other OTF. This OTF wasn't as bad, I could throw in another topic or two, but it immediately was back again with that specific topic. When you're friends with an OTF, you are obligated by the process to talk with them, since you are more than just an acquaintance. If you see them in the halls, at the grocery store, or at the gym, under this unsaid 'Rules For Life' board, you have to go and talk to them. If you pretend to ignore them, like pretending that you didn't see or hear them or making sure you don't make eye contact, etc. This won't stop them. Instead, they will take the first step and come up to talk to you. By societal reasons, they should always start with a 'hello' and 'how are you' and then ask 'how has your day been so far' etc. A common and light hearted entry to a conversation. Next, after they have asked and you have responded, two things should happen next. Either you ask them the same questions, to establish a connection on both sides, or they will begin immediately with the topic that seems to captivate their only interest. You may try to change the subject, but it normally doesn't work, so (in my case) you just listen polietly to what they have to say and inject comments and opinions, if they see fit to stop speaking. Now, for me, since I was polite, cute, nice, AND I liked the general topic that they were speaking about (not the subtopics, but there is always a chance to lead the conversation to a subtopic that you enjoy, only if it is in the main topic), all of those things qualified me for one thing. Love. (Or like-like) His family knew, my family knew, I knew, he knew, everyone knew. He liked me. Really liked me. And yes, if the OTF doesn't see you as just a friend, they will see you as a potential lover. It is neither pleasant nor fun, especially if you don't see them in that kind of way. I didn't particularly enjoy this time, especially since the teasing from my family intensified (Charisma was nice enough not to tease me though), so I was doing my best to lower the friend stage from an OTF to an Acquaintance, which in the end worked. OTF | The ReverseUnfortunately, there is a reverse effect to this. It doesn't happen intentionally and it can be avoided, but only if the other party is willing. There is a chance where you can become the OTF. It's an awful thing, but let me share an example: "Hey Alex!" I walked over and sat next to him at the counter. I HAVE HAD THESE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS FOR YEARS AND I STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY. If you want me to talk to you THEN RESPOND WITH ACTUAL ANSWERS MY FRIEND. One long answer will give me enough time to think of a relevant and awe-inspiring response that will give us time to have an actual legit discussion about anything. In this case, since you want to extend the hand of friendship, you begin the conversation with the normal Greeter response as well as Acquaintanceship responses and you latch onto a topic that you know they are interested in. Yet if they give these kinds of responses, who is considered the OTF? Unfortunately you. But any good relationship, no matter which stage, should have an equal balance of communication, understanding, and silence (this depends on the person, but it's sometimes nice to just sit there in silence). To save the eyes of my readers, I am going to continue this in another post. Thank you so much for reading so far and I hope that you will join me for Part 2, coming in a couple of weeks. Until Next Time... Adieu Happy New Years Twisters! Sorry that we haven't been super active. Bianca and I are planning on graduating early (graduating in our Junior year!), which means a heck ton of extra school work. Trying to get those extra credits to graduate are super tough and the load work is crazy, but we'll get through it! I'll just take a lot of planning and prioritizing. Especially to include blogging again. And with that, I'm here to share with you my new year resolutions! New Years Resolutions
Anyways, that's all I have for my resolutions! There are probably more, but I can't remember them right now. Thank you so much for making 2018 a great year! Here's to an even better year! See you in 2019 Twisters! No Twisters. We did not get a guest blogger (even though we do need one of those sometime).
I was going through my long, long, LONG list of bookmarks when I stumbled upon Koichi's blog post. (Okay Twisters. We're going to spiral out for a minute. But I don't think you all realize what I mean by "long". I could literally make a YouTube series of me going through my bookmarks and it be more than 5 videos because that's how many bookmarks I have. It would be a good time. Me and Bianca, just chattin' away at how bad I am with bookmarking things... Anyways! Back to the post.) Koichi's post was titled "Why You Didn't Get the Job". I had read this previously, but now that I actually have a job and such, I wanted to see how much it would help me when I change to a different job. And boy. Is that advice in there valuable. First, go ahead and take a minute to read it. Here, I'll give you the link again: "Why You Didn't Get the Job" I'll sit here and wait until you've read it. *Leans back in a rocking chair and opens up a manga* Take your time, I'll be here. Don't worry. *Slowly flips the pages* Doo do do dooo... *Looks up* Oh! You're finished already? Okay then! We'll start off! So, if you had read the post, then you know that Koichi was talking specifically about the Tofugu Internships that were going on. But in all honesty, all of what he said applies to any job. ANY of them. There are a few more things that could be added to his list, but what he's covered is pretty spot on. I'm going to touch on a few that I believe are the most important from his list and that need to be reiterated. Don't Compete. And like what he said, "Stand out and don't do something people have already done. Do something original." Now, if that were me reading it, I would be stumped and confused. How and where was I supposed to go and find something "original" to do? Well, we're going to use the Tofugu Internship as an example. In short, Tofugu specializes in giving accurate/detailed insights on Japan, its culture and its language. So, what's something original that you could do? Well, if you live in America, then you could participate in the National Association of Japan-America Societies where, if you're chosen, you can become an ambassador representing America in Japan. That's a pretty hefty thing to go up against if you had that on your application. Not only would those at Tofugu see that you've been to Japan, but they would see that you went to Japan as an ambassador. Now, if that's too daunting of a task (like it would be for me, haha), then go and do things where you would be exposed to Japanese related things. You could help out at a Japanese-speaking school (they do exist, you just have to look, Bianca and I had a hard time locating them), help a Japanese teacher, be a Japanese tutor, something! But you HAVE TO put yourself out there. You have to leave your comfort zone and try something new. Trust me, it pays out in the long run. It's difficult and hard a lot of the time, but the experience and knowledge that you'll gain is tremendous. So every second is worth it. You Didn't Know the Company. Okay. If you're applying for a job, the people want to see that you've actually gone out of your way to see what they are all about. And it would greatly benefit you to know what they do, when they started, their views and opinions, etc. Sure the opinions part will change with the people working there, but if you know what the company stands for, then you can back that up. The last one we're going to touch on is You Didn't Put Effort in the Project. People. We are here to impress. In order to impress, you have to put your complete effort plus another half. If you really want that job, you'll work for it! Especially if it's your dream job. If this is a job that you really, really want, then work your butt off for it! What do you think your going to be doing in your actual job anyways? Just lazing around? No! You're going to be working your butt off, but doing something that you love. Like I said, if you want it, put effort into it. Now, I completely understand if it gets tough.. My mom is in college taking courses to be a doctor! Learning all this science and math is crazy difficult. There are times when she wants to give up. I know this because she's told me. There are also times when she's cried. I also know this because she's told me. But you know what? She hasn't stopped. No, she's kept on going and hustling through because she knows this is what she needs to be doing, no matter what it takes. So she's putting her all. Every. Single. Bit. She's putting that in. MOST IMPORTANTLY! Even though this wasn't on Koichi's list, it's still important. Don't take rejection like it's the end of the world. Sure, you might not have gotten into your dream job. Sure, you might have worked your all for that job. But what's most important is that you got that experience. Oo, that didn't sound as epic as I had wanted it to. Let me rephrase. When you worked your all, when you went out of your comfort zone and did new things, all that adds up to experience that you can now put on you "Achievements" list. Not only have you gone and developed yourself to be so much more awesome than you already were, but you now have that experience to go and try out for a different, maybe even better job! Keep going! Paradise is always in reach. Anyways, that's all I got for you today! Catch ya later Twisters! I might be there physically, But not mentally. You see me being distracted, but yet you continue to speak, Your words rolling out of my ears like water. Suddenly you stop and pause, My thoughts and focus still not yours, And gently you push, "Are you listening?" I put my head up, startled. "No, I haven't been. Sorry." You restart the conversation, now with my attention. But remember, sometimes, I'm not there. *** But hello everybody! How've you been?
Sorry we haven't done much here. Right when we stopped blogging, our school lives got CRAZY. I was almost at the point of no return with my school. I was weeks (almost a month!) behind in my school and if I wanted to go to Japanese next school year, I need to accomplish that and it was a mess after that too, so yeah. BUT HOPEFULLY NOW we can actually get into the blogging thing instead of these, "Oh we've got something going!" and then fail the next week. I don't know though. We might drop out again. WHO KNOWS! Catch ya later Twisters! The long anticipated schedule for this blog! (I was waiting for this for a LOOONG time, and I'm so happy to be finally able to finalize something that'll actually work!)
And there ya have it Twister's!!! Our finalized schedule!! Super excited to implement it! We'll begin to follow this on the week of February 5th. Post-wise, we are going to be uploading all the posts on their respective days at 6:00 AM CST. Also, I have said previously, our blog is still kind of under construction. We're finalizing our pictures and rewriting things that desperately need to be rewritten. We'll probably do a blog post where we've finally say "IT'S ALL DONE!!" and celebrate with virtual cake or something, I don't know. Somethin' will happen. Additionally!! (There's so much that I want to say, I'm so sorry!) Bianca and I might still post from outside of our schedule if we deem necessary. Bianca has told me that she's got a post coming up that she wants to put out before our schedule commences, so that's probably going to happen. So be on the look out for that. Alrighty, Twisters, there ya have it!! Our official blog schedule! See you soon on the beginning of a grand adventure!
IT WORKS!!
The scheduling feature on Weebly works!!! So now, all Bianca and I have to do is figure out what day and time we want to schedule posts to go out and where posts should happen, and then we're all set!! Also, we're are still in the process of finalizing some features on our blog, such as some pictures need to be changed, some other things need to be updated, etc. That won't happen instantly, but posting is what's important right now. See you all soon! 1
2 3 I'm just seeing how this scheduling feature works here! If it all works well, then we'll actually have a schedule to follow!! Happy New Years, Twisters! It's a new year and that means new goals and a whole lot of new opportunities~ This past year, I regret doing so little regarding everything I did. School, I could have put a whole lot more effort into that, my Japanese class, I could have had a higher grade than my 96%, and I could have used my Bujo a lot more. Also, I regret not posting on the blog when I had the chance. I spent so much of my free time on YouTube or on Instagram that I didn't even have the decency to say, "Just A Quick Update!". That is why, this year, I'm going to change a WHOLE lot in my life. My Goals:
And those are my resolutions! I'm so ready for this year. I feel as though it's going to be a great year and I really think that my goals are actually achievable. What are your goals for 2018? Tell us in the comments below! |
Who We Are We are twin sisters who like to do almost anything! Inspiring people to get out their creativity is our forte and we strive to travel on magnificent journey through words on a page. Exploration is the doorway to opportunity and the endless possibilities of helping and reaching out to others is something that we endeavor to create. This crazy blog of ours is one of the many ways we hope to achieve that goal.
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