QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Night Painting, originally uploaded by stuttgart_san.

"So you lie there, holding your breath
And it's strange, how soon you forget
That you're like stars,
They only show up when it's dark,
Cause they don't know their worth."
-Anna Nalick, SHINE

I have felt invisible. I have felt that the only person who gets me is mom, and sometimes felt that no boy would love me if I knew how scared and shy I was inside. One of my favorite things to do, and always has been since I can remember, is to spend hours staring up at the speckled sky. As a teen, the stars were my friends-- I would look out through the window of my room and tune the world out, focusing only on the sky. All of those stars, the moon, the horizon--they reminded me that I was a tiny part of something bigger and it humbled me. These moments of solidarity in my life have always been a solace for my thoughts and dreams. I admire the boundless freedom of the night sky, and that during the day, you can just look up and know that all of it is there underneath the vale of sunshine---just hidden from view. It makes me smile.

It has taken me a long time to understand why I love the stars so much. Now, when I feel invisible or misunderstood, I look up and know that there is a star inside of me and it is my choice whether I let the world see it. I think about my amazing friends and how lucky I am that I get to see the stars that live inside of them. My friend who gets nervous at parties, but makes the best cupcakes I have ever tasted... My friend who is one of the best people I have ever met, but constantly worries that she is annoying... My friend who desperately wants to know her folks love her, but they never say it... Every day I am more thankful for the constellation of my friends, and know that together, we can all learn to shine.

BELIEVING AGAIN

Purple Wings Silhouette wallpaper, originally uploaded by gbrummett.

I remember a time when I felt immortal. I thought Peter Pan was real and that, if I looked really closely, I'd be able to see the fairies of Neverland out my airplane window. My little sister was the first mate as we fought pirates and pretended to be princesses. Those pirates never had a chance against us. We didn't need help, but we always dreamed who our prince would be to whisk us away from the kingdom of suburbia.

I was determined and ready to conquer the world. Then, I grew up. The confidence of my kidness turned into teenage trepidation. Suddenly, the walls of my high school were much more enormous than the world had felt as a child. I went from being the kid that could take on anyone in tetherball to being a girl who tried to get in and get out--visible to invisible in the flash of a few precious years of innocence gone by.

There was time when my weight didn't matter, I liked my freckles, and proudly showed off bruises from climbing trees. What do you think would happen if we all took the things that we hated about ourselves and kicked those thoughts to the curb? We are all still those fierce pint sizes princesses, if we are brave enough to let them show. Maybe next time I'm on a plane, I will look extra hard at those clouds in the sky. I think I believe in fairies again, at last.

GETTIN' OFF THE COUCH

summer, originally uploaded by kt*stry.

Is the stickiness of summer causing you to be glued to your couch? Are you and your friends telling time by episodes of SWEET SIXTEEN on MTV? I think we discover some new ways for us to all enjoy the air conditioning that don't just involve TV marathons or long naps that rival how long we actually sleep each night. A lot of girls have told us that it's hard to find something to do on a teen's budget. So, Girls in the Hall, let's fight the complacency of the couch potato revolution and get off that couch and into...well, something more fun. Here are our top 10 hang out ideas to enjoy our time together without breaking the bank:

Do you think ice cream is the ultimate summer treat? We definitely do. Invite your pals over on the condition that they each bring their favorite ice cream toppings, the weirder the better. Then, you just provide the ice cream and let the creative sundae building ensue! Your bowl will be a canvas for culinary creativity.

When was the last time you sat down to play a good old boardgame, no batteries or gaming systems involved? Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Monopoly, get 'em all out. Or, have your friends each bring one and play them all one at a time. Have each person bring a prize in an unmarked bag, and then, as you go through the games, the winner gets to pick out one. Cheesier prizes make for better stories.

What is your favorite childhood movie? Dust off those DVDs from when you were little and pop 'em in. Remind yourself--and your pals--just why you heart MARRY POPPINS, THE LITTLE MERMAID or THE SANDLOT. You make love them even more the second time around. Bonus points if you get popcorn and share your favorite movie snacks.

Want to switch up your style? Have you friends come over and bring a box of items they want to donate of clothes, accessories, etc. Then, everyone can mix and match from each other's items. The necklace you want to get rid of may be your friend's favorite accessory in your wardrobe.

Host a dinner party where your friends bring the food. Tell them to each bring a recipe courtesy of your mom or dad. In asking 'rents for treasured family recipes, you just may learn something about your history (and get to eat something yummy too). Then, if you all are feeling it, share the recipes with each other. Dinner parties aren't just for adults anymore. It's affordable and delish.

Organize a volunteer-ation with your friends... Spend a weekend working with Habitat for Humanity in your area building houses, helping out at a rec center for kids or an animal shelter. You all will have a great time together and feel good helping out.

Remember when you were a kid and you couldn't wait for the weekend when your BFF could sleepover? That's the beauty of summer--you get the weekend all season long! Go back in time and invite your friends over for a slumber party. Play Girltalk (remember those fake zits?!), raid the refrigerator and tell ghost stories.

Can't afford to hit up the GAGA concert this summer? Rent a concert DVD of your favorite band, invite your friends over, and crank up the volume (maybe not too loud, so the neighbors don't freak). Singing along is a major bonus.

Who in your group has a pool? Go to the dollar store and stock up on luau items--- grass skirts and tiki drinking glasses a bonus. Pretend you are on a black sand beach in Hawaii or enjoying the surf in LA. It's nice to pretend get away. No pool? No problem. Have everyone pitch in and buy a kiddie pool--kick it old school.

Get outside. Take a game from the days of recess like kickball or four square and set up a match. You might be surprised how competitive your pals get over a silly game.