Author: Aleria Holmes

Hey guys! My week has been going pretty well surprisingly, but I am a little sad internally. That’s okay though, because today’s blog is going to make me feel so much better. Today I’m going to be talking about my all-time favorite transformers. If you know me, you know I’ve wanted to be a transformer since I was little, and I still do. I solely believe that one day I will gain superpowers or change form or something of that nature. I’m more into the protagonists which are auto-bots than the antagonists which are decepticons. If you’ve never watched transformers, this may be a lot to take in, but it’s worth it, and I definitely recommend watching it.  

The first transformer I have is a decepticon and his name is Bone Crusher. He is so funny to me. He has this arm/claw that seems like it belongs on a forklift or a crane or something and he grabs people, or other transformers with it. Whatever he grabs usually ends up dead or smashed. His medical feet can also fold in, and these wheels come down and he starts skating. His ability to skate is my favorite attribute about him. I also really love his tan/khaki color. The neutral color really fits his off-putting demeanor.  

The second transformer which is my favorite transformer and maybe even my favorite thing of all time and he is BUMBLEBEE!!! Even though he is young and may not have many weapons, he always seems to be successful in battle. I really like the way he and Sam bonded. It is so intriguing to me. When he first came to Earth he couldn’t speak, and he was a very old car. He then adapted a newer model car, and his vocal cords were fixed by the team’s medic so eventually he began to speak. When he started speaking their relationship grew even stronger. Bumblebee always protected Sam and Sam did the same. They went everywhere together, and they were miserable without one another. Who knew a sports car could be a human’s soulmate? 

The third transformer I really love is Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime was one of the first transformers. He is literally ancient and has saved so many lives. He’s like the sweet grandpa that teaches his grandkids how to tie their shoes or how to use the potty. He has some cool colors too, red and blue with flames on his chest. He is just an iconic transformer over all, and he knows the history of their species and how to defeat historic decepticons who mean no good. 

Til next time guys, see you next week! 

      Hey guys! I know in last week’s blog I wrote about sports that I’ve took part in, and I said that I would make it into a series, but I’ve decided to deter from doing so for another week.

     Today is February 8th and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Valentine’s Day is next Tuesday on the 14th and I’m going to tell you all how I prepare for it. So first and foremost, I think the obvious question is do I have a Valentine? The answer is……YES! I do have a Valentine and I’m not one to be consumed by “holidays” and what not, but I want to utilize every day that I can show her how much I care. She is incredibly special and dear to my heart, but I’ve been pondering on what to get her, or if I should get her anything at all. Maybe we could just spend the day together. I could make something myself, I could buy something, or I could do both, it just depends on how I feel in the moment. I feel as if handmade gifts are more heartwarming in my opinion.  

     So now for the preparation part. Yesterday we went shopping with some friends and we all found dresses for our school’s Valentine’s Day dance that is coming up next Friday. I found an elegant white dress that is very fluffy. I don’t know any other way to describe it. The dress doesn’t have any fur on it but it’s super flowy if you know what I mean. I may or may not insert a picture. I also found a black silk dress with a mesh film over top. It’s very pretty and way more fitted than the white dress. The black dress isn’t as elegant as the black one. I needed completely different options, so I bought an edgy look, and a sweet one. I’ve also been watching so many Valentine’s Day makeup tutorials. I like to look for inspiration then make things into my own. I have an idea of what I want to do, but I’m not totally sure. 

     I’ve also been looking for gift ideas and have had no real luck, except for one thing on Pinterest. It’s completely handmade, but it will take me some time to make. That shouldn’t be a problem though considering I have an entire week, but as busy as I am with school, I’m not exactly sure if that will be enough time. 

      Okay guys, I know this blog was probably pretty boring considering you don’t know who I’m talking about, and I didn’t say exactly what I’m going to get her but I ‘ll be back next Wednesday with an update and I will try to include as many pictures as possible in this post so that you all can visualize what I’m saying. See you next week! 

Hey guys! In today’s blog post I’ll be talking about all the sports I’ve played, rating how much I liked them and why I stopped participating in them. I’ll be going in order from best to least enjoyable. 

     The first sport is cheer. I give cheer 1,000,000,000,000,000/10. Cheer is by far the best thing I have ever participated in. It’s the best decision I’ve made in my entire life, and I don’t make too many good decisions, so that says a lot. Cheer is amazing. It requires stamina, flexibility, strength, and agility. While cheering I stunted, tumbled, and jumped in competitions, as well as doing sideline cheer for football, basketball and other sports at my previous high school. Jumps require so much stamina, because we used to do them as one big group, and if one person messed up, we did it repeatedly. Stunting was my favorite because the variations within it are endless. Stunting made me gain confidence, learn to trust the people around me, and it made me incredibly strong. 

      The second “sport” is Mixed martial Arts. I give this 10,000/10. I took a Korean martial art called Han Mu Do. This taught me so much discipline and how to respect Korean culture and the other practitioners of the art around me. It taught me how to control my anger and that I shouldn’t use this art to hurt people unless necessary. Martial Arts wasn’t as popular within children my age, especially African American children. So, I wasn’t surrounded by too many people that looked like me but there were some. It made me feel special and made me appreciate the art so much more. 

     The third sport is basketball. I give this sport a 2,000/10. I loved basketball, but it had so many negative entities surrounding it. The huge crowds made me nervous. That was weird, because I loved seeing huge crowds when publicly speaking and cheering, but basketball was a whole different story. I was an average player if I’m being honest so that may be why crowds made me nervous. I was so used to being the best at everything that I did so my faults in basketball consumed me at times. But that’s neither here nor there. Basketball was fun. I gained a new family that supported me even when I failed. The guy that I was talking to at the time played basketball as well, so that made it fun as well, but he was really good, so I hated being compared to him. 

     I’ve participated in so many sports and extracurricular activities that I’ll have to make a list. I think this is interesting so I may make this a series and do three different ones each week. Until next time guys. Byeee! 

Hey guys! Today’s blog will be about overachieving. I’ll speak on my experience in overachieving and why we as people aim to do it. Let’s get straight into it. Overachieving is the act of performing better or achieving more than is expected or standard. Overachieving to me is the act of trying to obtain self assurity or confidence while canceling out insecurity. The main question I have is “are overachievers insecure, or do they just lack educational confidence?” During my research I learned that the act of overachieving can stem from feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. In a job or at school, completing a task or assignment can offer feelings of self-worth and relief. Instead of soaking in and savoring the feeling of that accomplishment or achievement, overachievers tend to move onto the next task and expect even more for themselves.  

Don’t get me wrong, overachieving can be a great thing. It shows how much you care about and respect the work that you’re doing, but overachievers don’t always give their work value or see finishing a task as meaningful. People usually see overachievers as smart, hardworking, successful people. That is how overachievers should be viewed but when you start to feel like your achievements are being shadowed by anxiety, or an overwhelming fear of failing you may need to think about why you want to succeed so badly. Failure is a part of so many processes of life and it eventually leads people to success, but if you can’t stand the thought of failing then you may be a perfectionist as well. Overachieving and perfectionism are a terrible pair made in the devil’s workshop. Me personally I don’t think I’m an overachiever or a perfectionist, but a mixture of the two. I say that because if I fail, I’m not okay with it, because I want to succeed, but I also don’t stress over it. I just think of it as part of the process and say “I’ll get it next time”.  

I know people that will study for hours the night before a test and then start crying thinking that they’ll still fail. Something I’ve also realized is that overachievers and perfectionists are always motivated by someone or something. For example, they may have gotten into their dream school and dedicated their success to their grandmother who passed away shortly before. Now they think if they fail, then they’ve failed their grandmother. Or their mother may be pressuring them into having perfect grades, etc. I feel like people around us fuel a lot of our personal insecurities and we shouldn’t let that happen. I know that it’s easier said than done, but it can be done. Make sure that whatever you want to achieve is truly important to you perosnally. 

Bye guys, see you next week! 

Hi guys! I’m back and if you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m obsessed with love and romance. Even though I’m a hopeless romantic I always end up heart broken or reading about a heart break. So, in this blog I’ll be talking about what happens when the heart breaks mentally, physically and emotionally. Come along with me on this roller coaster ride as we take a trip through the human heart.  

In so many movies, books, and documentaries they show heartbroken people sunken into a couch looking all sad and sappy. They usually haven’t ate, slept, or even showered for that matter. Sometimes that may be the case, but everyone takes heart breaks differently. Some people run to the gym to change themselves and make their exes regret losing them. Others lie on the couch and wish to never have to get up again. Some people get a rebound, so they don’t have to live through and experience heart break. 

When the heart “breaks,” a part of it actually enlarges. Which is kind of funny, because I used to think the opposite. I used to think that one day my heart was going to shrivel up and become dry and dead like a prune or a raisin. I thought that it would become so broken that I would never be able to love again. I still believe it’s true to some extent. I do believe that heart break takes a toll on the heart each time it happens, and I also believe that it changes the way that a person loves. What I no longer believe is that one day I would never be able to love again. There is always room to love, and you should never give up. 

The part of your heart that enlarges temporarily causes your heart to pump in a depressed function. Even though that happens the rest of your heart functions perfectly normally. Arrhythmias can also occur when your heart is broken. 

Some people acquire better physical health while heartbroken, but some people don’t. Most peoples’ physical health declines and it declines FAST! Heartbreak can lead to loss of appetite, stomach pain, headaches, overeating, or just a sick feeling. 

According to “Mental-Health-Matters there are 5 stages of heartbreak, which include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. There are studies supporting the theory that you can feel your heart breaking. The release of stress hormones after a heartbreak can temporarily stun your heart muscle producing a similar feeling to a heart attack which is kind of insane. Anyways guys, that’s all I have for today. Thanks for reading, see you next week! 

Bye! 

The Gray Man 

     The Gray Man was one of the best movies I watched all year. It was action filled, extremely entertaining, and had an amazing story line. It wasn’t your average corny or cliché action movie. On top of that it starred Ryan Gosling, which is always a plus. It had the perfect amount of divulgence and suspense. I know he was in prison, but I hate the way that company treats their hitmen after they’re done with them. It shows that the don’t even respect them as human beings but only killing machines. It’s rated PG-13 however it does include killing and bloodshed which probably isn’t acceptable to all viewers so beware of the fact that it is very graphic. 

Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery 

I also watched the glass onion: a knives out mystery is truly a masterpiece of stupidity. There are so many twists and turns. So, don’t think you know what’s going to happen because you don’t. It’s so unpredictable and funny, but the way the friends treat one another is scary. I wouldn’t want my friends to lie on me, suck up to my friend, and be greedy just for money. They totally cheated her out of her business and her compensation which upset me.  

How to Get Away with Murder 

I started how to get away with murder maybe a month or two ago and it’s been really good so far. Everything that happens has been unexpected. You would never think that the lawyer/professor that is teaching students her craft would be the one committing murders with her students. It first started off as little accidents, or coincidences if you will. They slowly turn into stone cold murders purposely with no remorse. It is Tv-14 but the show contains blood, violence, cursing, etc. so I don’t recommend it for kids. 

7 Seeds 

I started watching an anime series a while ago called 7 seeds. I’m very off and on with this show so it’s taken me much longer to watch it than I needed. It is very interesting though. It includes the curation of certain eggs and sperm between the most desirable people whether it be for looks, intelligence, strength, survival, or diversity and babies were born to be put into facilities. The children were trained every day of their lives and eliminated one by one for the ones who didn’t make the cut. One day their city would be hit by a meteor, everyone would perish, the city would sink and become inhabitable. These desired people were put asleep underground where they would be safe from impact then released years later when it was safe to resume the population, but the world would be much different. It’s an idea that’s rarely expressed. 

That’s all for this week’s blog guys! Byeee 

Hey guys! So, this will be my last blog post of 2022. I won’t be posting again until January. Time has been going by so quickly it’s honestly sort of frightening. Even though Christmas break doesn’t start until Friday December 16, 2022, but I’ll go home tomorrow on Wednesday 14, 2022, because I’m exempt from my exams. When going home for Christmas break, we have to let all our teachers sign a for saying we are good to go home as well as the nurse and librarians. I go to the Mississippi School of The Arts and even our Brookhaven High School teachers have to sign them. We also have to sign a paper requesting what time and day we want our rooms to be checked and if they aren’t thoroughly cleaned when it is time for them to be checked the floor parents will make you stay until you have cleaned it fully. Then we have to clean our room top to bottom which includes emptying our refrigerators and unplugging them, which means I have to take food home. That prevents me from cleaning my refrigerator out ahead of time because the food will spoil. I only live 30 minutes away from my school but I don’t want anything to sit out any longer than it has to. I also have to pack my suitcase and a few duffel bags, because I will be gone for 2 weeks. Now let’s get into my winter break packing list of 2022. 

• Shoes  
• Tops 
• Skirts 
• Shorts 
• Sweatpants 
• Sweaters 
• Hoodies 
• Socks 
• Undergarments 
• Apple watch 
• iPad 
• iPad charger 
• Phone charger 
• iMac 
• Makeup 
• Glasses 
• Food 
• Wigs/ Wig Products (heat protectant, bio silk, straightener, blow dryer, wand curler, lace glue, lace band, etc.) 
• Hair Products (shampoo, conditioner, brush, gel, bonnet, scarf, etc.) 
• Hygiene Products (soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, lotion, etc.) 
• Leggings 
• Jeans 
• Jewelry 
• Medication 
• Journal 
• Aside from packing my belongings I also have to sweep, mop, and take out the trash in my room as well as dust the air vent so that it isn’t filled with lint and dust particles. I have terrible allergies so that would be bad if lint is just falling off and floating around the room in the air. My bed is also very high up in the air so the dust would get on my bed as well disrupting my sleep. Thank you guys so much for reading my last blog of the year have a Merry Christmas!!! 

Hi everybody! Today’s blog is going to be entirely about my first poetry out loud experience. I haven’t presented either of my poems yet, I’ll be doing them next block but until that happens, I can still tell you about the process of preparing for the competition. So, I had about a month to memorize them, but I was so focused on my writing that sometimes I forgot about them. I hate having a long amount of time to accomplish things because I’ll usually do them right away and turn them in early, but this isn’t something I could turn in, so I just ended up forgetting about it for about 2 weeks. After those 2 weeks we got reminded about poetry out loud and I started back studying my poems, but it may have been a little too late. I learned the poems but I’m not at all proud of the way that I performed them I think I got so much into the performance that I wasn’t focusing on my lines, but that’s okay. I did it for the experience and because it was mandatory. There’s always next year and then I’ll know what to expect. The Poetry Out loud website has great poems but some of them are very old so they can require a lot of analysis to understand. I believe you must be able to understand a poem before you can recite it. It took me a very long time to understand my poems, because poems are a very subjective form of writing and can be perceived in so many ways. I performed “No I wasn’t meant to love and be loved”, by Mirza Asdullah Khan Ghalib, and I also performed “If time is queer/and memory is trans/and my hands hurt in the cold/then”, by Raquel Salas Rivera. They are both very well written poems with strong themes and lessons, but they are also packed with emotion like sewer rats in New York. I am not an emotional person so getting into the feeling and trying to express it during my performance was kind of difficult. I could feel the emotion through the poem, but I was trying to decide on the best way to portray it. I ended up best expressing the emotion by putting myself into the poem and acting as if I was the speaker in the poem. However, I am more than glad that this is over, and I would do it agree but I would do it so much differently. 

So that’s all for this week’s blog! Thanks for reading. 

Hey guys, I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving break!!! Now we’ll be getting back to our regularly scheduled program. At least once a week I do some form of self-care. In order it usually includes using a clay mask to detox my hair and skin (usually only my face and underarms), washing and conditioning my hair, showering, shaving or waxing, exfoliating, using a face mask and then styling my hair. Now let’s go into depth of my routine. 

     First, I start off by using the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask. It detoxes and cleanses the hair and skin. I mix the clay mask and apple cider vinegar in a plastic bowl with a plastic spoon. It’s very important that you don’t use metal, because it’ll disturb the minerals and other ingredients in the mask causing it to not work properly. It has measurements on the jar to help you mix it. Once it has a smooth but thick consistency, I apply an even layer of the mask to my underarms, all over my hair, and my face. Applying it on my underarms helps to unclog pores, remove deodorant buildup, even out hyperpigmentation, and stop odor. Applying it on my face helps to prevent acne, unclog pores, and allow my skincare products to penetrate my skin easier. Applying it on my hair helps to remove product buildup, keep my color vibrant, and give me a clean slate which allows my moisturizing products to penetrate the hair shaft easier. 

Second, I move on to cleansing my hair with the Renpure Originals Biotin & Collagen Thickening Shampoo. It has no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, artificial dyes, etc. It’s also color safe which keeps my pink hair vibrant. It also cleans my hair well without drying it out. I usually only shampoo twice. After shampooing I move on to conditioning with the Carol’s Daughter wash day delight dreamy detangler jelly to cream conditioner. I love this conditioner. You don’t need much of it for it to do its job. It’s super moisturizing and it glides through your hair because of the jelly to cream formula. It expands to cover every strand of hair making it so much easier to detangle. 

Third, I start my shower and cleanse my body. There are about 3 different body cleansers that I alternate between every couple of weeks. They are all very moisturizing, they don’t leave a film on my body, and they smell amazing.  

Fourth, I shave or wax depending on how I feel. I don’t like to shave because it causes hyperpigmentation, leaves razor bumps, and just isn’t good for your skin overall, but sometimes I do and when I do I use this razor. This razor has disposable blades and razor heads. It also has shave gel inside of it that comes out when it makes contact with your skin which is really helpful. I usually go get waxed, so I don’t really have any details for that other than the fact that I get a Brazilian wax. 

Fifth, I put on my exfoliating gloves which look like this. I use my Boobies Body exfoliant. It has coconut hibiscus and vanilla in it. It firms my skin, keeps my skin from itching after shaving, and keeps away razor bumps. It also removes dead skin and just feels great overall.  

Next, I use the same brand of face mask that I use to exfoliate which is Rainbow Beauty. This is an anti-blemish face mask, and it truly fades hyperpigmentation and helps to prevent acne. It also reduces the size of your pores, making your makeup smoother and dewier.  

Last, I style my hair and I usually use the crème of nature argan oil strength and shine leave in conditioner, because I hate drowning my hair in water it’s pointless and it makes my hair take so much longer to dry. Then I move on to the Kuza Jamaican black castor oil repair cream. I run this through my hair for moisture because it’s really think and allows me to detangle easily. Next, I use the Shea Moisture Coconut, Hibiscus, and Flaxseed defining styling gel. This works great on thick hair, and it doesn’t dry the hair out. It also leaves the hair with movement but gives it hold without making it crunchy. Lastly, I use the Cantu Shea butter wave whip curling mousse. I scrunch my hair with this at the end before blow-drying. It keeps my curls clumped together and gives my hair hold. It also helps my hair to dry faster. 

That’s my entire routine and I hope to see you all next week! 

Hey y’all, this week’s blog will be about what I usually eat while I’m at school. I live in a dorm so I either make my own food, go to the cafeteria, walk to get food, or door dash. I don’t have my car on campus right now, so I’m just working with what I have. So, let’s get into it.

1. Janie’s Pastries

Okay so the first restaurant/ pastry shop that I really like is Janie’s Pastries. They make some great cookies, some amazing chicken on the sticks, and a bunch of other things. People rant and rave about the donuts, but I don’t really understand the hype. I’ve tried them and they taste okay but they aren’t all that. I’ve had way better donuts from other places. I usually get the chicken on the stick, the chicken tender basket, with donuts or cookies. I really love Janie’s.

2. Door Dash

My second choice is Door Dash. It’s usually my go to if Janie’s is closed. I tend to order from Zaxby’s, Popeyes, McDonalds, Taco Bell or Wendy’s. Those are my 5 favorite fast food restaurants that offer Door Dash, so I use it quite often. I usually get a 10 pc boneless combo with sweet and spicy sauce from Zaxby’s. I usually get spicy chicken tenders with mashed potatoes and red beans and rice with the dry little biscuit they give you, but it’s always good, I just wish they would give me more sauce. From McDonald’s I usually get a spicy McChicken with cheese, bacon, and mayo. I also order fries and a coke. From taco bell I get a crunch wrap combo with a soft shell taco I take off the sour cream and tomatoes and add extra nacho cheese and jalapenos with a wild cherry freeze to drink. From Wendy’s I get a Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich with cheese, and bacon with potato wedges and a coke.

3. Cafeteria

I also tend to visit the school’s cafeteria quite often. The food is usually well prepared, all you need is a little salt and pepper and you’re good to go. They also make a lot of the things they serve. Such as the Rice Krispie treats, cookies, and other sweet treats. They offer vegetarian options of each meal, and a salad bar is always stocked and available.

4. Dorm Food

When all else fails, I opt to cook food in the lounge and eat in my room. I love rice and pasta, so I get them prepackaged with seasonings in the packs already and I add water, butter, and milk to the pasta. I only add water to the rice, but you can add butter as well. I also eat cereal. I love cereal; any kind I’m not choosy. I also eat ramen noodles in any flavor, but I will NOT eat the ones that come in a Styrofoam container. I also warm up frozen pizzas, hot pockets, or Totino’s pizza rolls. I love a good cheese pizza roll. 

That’s all for today’s blog, I hope you enjoyed it. See you guys next week!