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This Sunday on May 2^nd, the Sporting Life 10K run is taking place once again. The run goes from the Sporting Life store on Yonge & Castlefield all the way to Fort York. The run is to raise money and awareness for Camp Oochigeas. Camp Ooch is a camp for kids who have cancer. At my school, The York School, every year we have a massive fundraiser for Camp Ooch, where we are able to send many kids to camp and help them raise lots of money. We work very closely with Camp Ooch, and we continue our support whenever we can. For the past two years now, I have wanted to do this 10K run, but never got around to doing it so this year I told myself, this is the year you are going to run.

Lots of people have been training for this run for months, but I unlike most, do things at the last minute. I only signed up for the run last night, which gives me only about six days to actually train so I don’t kill myself running. I don’t plan on running the whole way, but it would be nice to be able to run for parts of it. I’m really excited to do this because it’s my first marathon! I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m a little nervous that I’m going to get lost in the crowd however because I am doing this run alone and I’m not a big person; and a little person in a sea of people…doesn’t sound too fun. Hopefully everything goes great and I’m not the last person to complete it! I’ll blog about my experience and how I did after the run.

Pretty Little Liars is a book series written by Sara Shepard. There are currently seven books in the series, each better than the one before. The books are about four old best friends Emily, Hanna, Aria and Spencer and the troubling events that happen around them and to them in Rosewood, Pennsylvania. In the summer of seventh grade their ‘best’ friend Ali went missing the night of their sleepover. A few years later workers find her body in a whole that what in her backyard.

As you read each book you discover more and more of what happened the night that Ali went missing and more about their lives as they uncover some dark secrets in Rosewood. There isn’t much more that I can describe to you about the books without giving anything away.

The Pretty Little Liars series is a great read especially for teenagers as it takes place while the girls are in high school. The eighth book is coming out sometime in the summer and I can’t wait to read it! Also there is a Pretty Little Liars show which is premiering in the States first in the summer! I really recommend this series to anyone who likes a good read, though the books aren’t small, it doesn’t take you long to finish them because they are a real page turner! Here are pictures of all of the books in order.

On February 2nd, the long awaited return of LOST season 6 is finally here. After waiting for almost a year since its season 5 finale, the cast of LOST is ready to come back to the island and finally solve all its mysteries and make things right. It is their destiny.

Over the past 5 seasons, we have travelled through the struggles and journeys of all of the different survivors from the plane crash on September 24 2004. This plane crash was the first thing which led to the unexplainable events which occurred on this island.

Make sure that you tune in to watch the final season of LOST on ABC on Tuesday February 2nd, 2010 at 8/7c. I included the trailer for this new season.

Since the start of school in September I have been looking forward to our long and well deserved December break. There are some people who don’t go anywhere for the break, and there are others who travel in all different parts of the world; but it doesn’t matter if your going somewhere or not, this is a very needed break and everyone just can’t wait.

For the break, I am going to be spending around two weeks in Key Biscayne, Florida. It’s right off of the cosway of Miami, so we get that really nice CSI: Miami view! I’ve been going there for December break for about four or five years now with my dad, his wife, her two kids, my sister and myself. It’s always tons of fun because every year there is something new that we do. Having said that, we don’t always go out; most of our time is spent relaxing and tanning by the pool or by the ocean. It’s so calming and I could spend all day doing it!

I am extremely excited for this years trip though because my step sister, step brother and I have decided to venture out without our parents and explore the Key and meet some new people. Every year for New Years, we have been dragged along to these dinners with our parents and their friends, and it’s never really fun. I couldn’t imagine how any teenager could find that fun, especially on New Years! So we have decided that this year we are going to make our own plans for New Years, and do stuff on our own. Hopefully it works out in the end!

One thing I am certaintly not looking forward to however, would be the plane rides. I am not really the best flyer, but I don’t complain. Although if there is a little bit of turbulence, I start to grip the arm rest a little tighter. I also do that when we’re taking off, and when we’re landing. I don’t know why, but I just have this fear of being so far up in the sky in a plane. Usually on a plane ride, I take some good naps, watch some movies and listen to music. There isn’t really much more that you can do!

I leave a week from this Saturday, the 12th. I am so looking forward to this well needed break, that it is almost all that I can think about! Hopefully, it’s good!

The average teenager will get braces. Whether they want them or not, they are most likely to have them. We teenagers have to suffer with these horrible metal contraptions for at least a year! The constant visits to the orthodontist, the monthly check-ups, the latest technology, the overbites, all of it, its torture.

Speaking from experience I know that braces are one of the biggest nuisances of high school life. They always interfere in almost everything I do, though I have learned to live with them for the past two years. Braces make me feel very self conscious when I smile because if there’s food stuck in them or something then it’s really embarrassing. Also I have taken lots of time out of my life to go to the orthodontist office to fix either my broken brackets, wires, springs; you name it.

Throughout the two years that I have lived with my braces, I know it is for the better. Though I get very frustrated often, I know that in the end I will have nice teeth and a good smile. Before I had braces I had many spaces between my teeth, and I didn’t like the way that they looked.

In the beginning however, my goal for the braces was to fix the spaces, but my orthodontists goal was to fix my jaw. This caused us to have constant arguments about what they are doing to me, and how much pain and discomfort I am in. The end result that the orthodontist was hoping to complete was something that I did not agree with so I finally said no. With dentists and orthodontists you have to stand up and say no! Otherwise if you don’t, they will put all of these fancy contraptions in your mouth and 5 years later they finally come off.

Luckily because I was so fed up I said no; and today I have an appointment at 3:00pm to get them off! Today is the happiest day ever because finally after two long and painful years, I am being relived from my misery. If you’re dentist or orthodontist is trying to stick you with things that you don’t want, say something; because in the end it’s your mouth and you’re going to be the one living with the end result, not them.

The basement is the most feared part of a house for many people. It’s cold, usually dark and very mysterious. It can be really scary; but you can easily turn your basement into a warm cozy room where the family can get together and watch TV or even where kids can have their friends over. It’s pretty simple actually and can also be inexpensive.

Every basement is different, some are large, some are small, some have many rooms but which ever one it is it can be easy to imagine a different outcome. If you decide that you want to re-do your basement start by removing all of the contents in the room so you can get a feel for it as an empty room. Once you have done that decide on what kind of room you would like it to be. You might want to have a theater room, a play room for younger kids or you might even want a work out room. Depending on what you decide on what you will use it for will help you decide on what color you would like on the walls.

If you are turning your basement into a work out area then covering a wall with ceiling to floor mirrors. This is usually found in common house gyms.

If you are planning on turning your basement into a cozy TV/movie room then dark colors on the walls is recommended. It provides a nice warm feeling where you can snuggle under a blanket while watching a scary movie.

You can go to your local Benjamin Moore store where you can look at all of the different paint colors that you can use and also you can get advice from the people working there. Also you can get all of your materials there.

If you are planning on buying some furniture for your basement IKEA is the best place to go. Not only is it inexpensive but it is also has a very wide variety of furniture. There are also many locations that you can go to which is convenient.

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year! You can dress up however you want and decorate your house how ever you want! Since I knew what Halloween was I have always been super enthusiastic about it! If you are having costume confusion or decoration troubles here are some tips to help you out!

Never go for the typical costume that at least 5 people will be wearing. Try something new! Don’t be afraid to have a unique costume. It will be funny and very original.

Don’t just go to a store and buy a random costume that you think no one else will have, try being creative and make your own. Think of something that you would like to be and make your own costume! It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it will defiantly be worth it!

If you and your friend both want to have different costumes you can do a matching one together! That’s always a good idea if you and your friend are stumped for an idea. It is also good because then if you don’t want to be the odd one out with a different costume then you won’t be! There are many costumes which can have two characters so you are in luck! Just go to any costume store and you will for sure find exactly what you need!

When it comes to decorating your house though, it can be tough. You want to be the scariest house on the block with the best decorations and best candy. Sorry but those clumpy cobwebs with the dangling leaf filled ghosts won’t do the trick.

You need to get creative like your costume. The best candy to get is the multi-pack ones where you get a bunch of different candies in one back for only $3! Don’t buy your candy at shoppers, such a waste of money! Go to No Frills or a dollar store and you can get double the amount of candy for less money! It’s a great deal! For your house you have to get creative to!

If you have a balcony, try hanging a skeleton from it. It adds great effect! Also try and get some Halloween music, it’s really good and if you can turn it up loud everyone will go to your house. Also try to make things come out of the ground, for example if you have one of those fake arms or hands for a costume try putting some dirt around it on the ground by a tombstone so it’s like a zombie trying to come out of the ground! It’s super creative and scary!

Also don’t just focus your decorations on your front lawn. Continue them all the way from where people would walk onto your property all the way to the door. That way it’s a full effect! You can go to any Halloween store or even any store which sells Halloween decorations to pick up anything you will need!

Hopefully you have found some helpful tips in this blog to make sure that you have the best costume and best house on the block! There are only a few days left before Halloween so hurry! And remember, don’t get to scared.

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