Hey kewl kids! Happy Saturday!! I began my day by dancing to 80’s music. No lie! I have my alarm set to turn on the radio to wake me up and there’s this station that plays 80’s music all weekend long. When you wake up to the Bangles, how can you not get up and immediately start dancing? (if you’re unaware of who The Bangles are, download their songs on itunes immediately. Same goes for The Go-Go’s and Bananarama) When I get up and start dancing like a silly fool around my room, I start my day off in a good mood with a positive energy. You should totally try it sometime. Then my day got better with a surprise gift from a friend which was really really sweet. Okay, the gift was an Easter basket a week too early filled with my fave Easter treats. I think Easter candy is the best in the world, even though I chipped my tooth on a Cadbury Mini Egg last year. Tonight I’ll be singing with a band at a well known Hollywood establishment where respected musicians play. That is going to be a blast! I’ll get to see so many of my friends and sing and it sounds like the perfect Saturday night. I sure hope y’all have something planned for the night. Even if you don’t go out or feel social, put on your favorite dance tunes and dance like crazy in your room. You’re guaranteed to feel better

Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles rockin’ out!

Hi there, kewly kewls! Now, I’m sure y’all have heard the phrase “trust your gut.” Let me tell you this: as you start to grow up, this phrase makes SO MUCH SENSE. Especially for girls. Women’s intuition, baby! It could be anything like an answer on a test…”B feels right, I’m drawn to circle B, but maybe A is right?” Most likely, the answer was B. Or it could be about a boy. Do his wishy-washy answers and the way he won’t look you in the eye give you a weird feeling in your tummy? Girl, trust that feeling. Most likely, the boy’s no good. This happened to me recently with something as simple as a few dollars. I used my cash at a store and while I was paying with my cash, a voice inside my head said “don’t pay with cash, use your card” but I paid with cash anyway. And ya know what? That night I ended up at a restaurant that only accepted cash. I said out loud “I knew at the check-out that I should’ve used my debit card!” And of course this happens to me in bigger ways with friendships and boys. If I get a weird vibe from someone, it’s because there’s more to the story that I don’t know, but my gut is picking up on it. I’ve experienced it with guys when I feel they’re not being completely honest with me, but I choose to trust their words. But almost everytime, I should’ve gone with my guy. Same thing happens to my friends. We all say “I knew it! I knew from the start something wasn’t right with him! I should’ve trusted my guy and I wouldn’t have wasted my time with him!” We decide to use it as a learning experience. Learn to trust yourself, girls. Count on yourself.

Hey guys! We had the BEST weather in Los Angeles this weekend. I mean, it’s the sort of weather when you wish it could stay like this all year long. Not too hot, not too cold, clear blue sky, slight breeze. Perfect for sitting under a tree and reading or opening up windows and finishing up your homework before Monday (you should’ve done that Friday so you could enjoy the weekend!). This Kewl staffer went for a hike up in the hills of Griffith Park. You can always count on seeing some frisky dogs, beautiful trees, flowers and on a clear day, you can see the ocean. I always feel amazing after my hike at Griffith. Looking down on that huge city reminds me how small I am and how huge the world is and that it has a million things to offer. It’s also a great way to clear your mind and be by yourself. If you don’t have hiking trails nearby, a walk around your neighborhood can also be good to be with your thoughts. Going to a park is a great get away, too.

I also sang with a rock n’ roll band for kids called “Egg,” which is always a blast. It’s the kewlest when the kids come up on stage with us to sing and dance. I think it’d be impossible not to be in a good mood after one of our shows!

And even though the weather has been lovely in L.A., we are sending good thoughts to Fargo which is fighting floodwaters.

yourweekendwarriorkewlteam

While stuck in traffic on the highway the other day, I saw a bumper sticker that read “drive friendly, it’s catching.” I wanted to wave out my window and smile at this driver, but I didn’t because that would be unsafe driving, right? haha. Instead, I decided to remember those words and put it to use while I’m driving. Earlier this week, I stopped behind a school bus with its stop signs and red lights flashing. The line of cars behind me began to honk. I couldn’t believe that people could be so impatient - it literally took about ten seconds of waiting. Not only is it impatience, it’s the law to stop in that situation. At first it made me angry, but then I figured I’d be no better than the honkers if I let their aggression get to me. So I sat there calmly, glad that the children crossed the street safely. We’ve all heard how if you smile at someone, they’ll most likely smile back. And that the act of smiling fools your brain into thinking you actually are happy. It’s funny how you can be in a bad mood, but then you see some friends and start smiling and laughing and your bad mood disappears. Happiness can be contagious! It’s not like I never get frustrated or impatient, but I’ve learned to take deep breaths, maybe do a few stretches, then I feel much better. That’s something you can do, too, maybe before a big test, or when your little brother is driving you crazy! Instead of lashing out at someone, try to address the situation calmly and you’ll be surprised how they react. And instead of letting that frustration build up inside you, take a few moments to breathe and relax. So then you’ll be smiling, then you’ll smile at the next person you meet, then they’ll smile at the next person they meet…Happiness, pass it on!

Have you guys seen the hoopla in the media about that un-retouched photo of Kim Kardashian? The internet was saturated with the picture today and it got me really riled up! There was a photo of Kim looking gorgeous and then someone leaked the photo minus air brushing and brightening — and get this, she still looked gorgeous! But little did the “leaker” know, Kim is proud of her body, air brushed or not. She put the original photo on her website stating that she has curves, has cellulite and is happy with her figure. You go girl!!! I wish more celebrities would show us who they really are. I am so sick of the media harping on the female body. Nothing is ever good enough! She’s too skinny…she’s gaining weight…does she have an eating disorder. Give me a break! I have some beautiful friends. I mean, GORGEOUS, but every single one of them criticizes their awesome bodies, curves, muscles and I blame the media. I admit, even I fall victim to the hype. But I have wonderful friends that set me straight the second I start dissing my form. And you know what? I’m getting better at accepting my body, imaginary flaws and all. I get past the outside mainly because my body can do such amazing things: dance, roller skate, swim, run, cartwheels. Who cares if I have some dimples in my thighs? Life is short and we shouldn’t waste our time stressing over our figures. I think we all should embrace our unique bodies just as Kim Kardashian has. I salute her for breaking that Hollywood stereotype!!

yourbodylovingkewlteam

Here’s a great quote: “Confront problems, not people.” It might seem really obvious, but gee, it really made an impact on me. I have always sort of bit my tongue when something was bugging me. I did it so often it became a bad habit and then what happened was one day, after I’d had enough, I’d explode on the person who was doing the bugging. They would always react the same way: total shock. I couldn’t understand it. Wasn’t it obvious that I was irritated, but that I was being super evolved and mature by not saying anything? Wasn’t it clear that I was a Zen friend with a really kewl head who was incredibly patient with said irritating person? And didn’t irritating person realize how irritating she was?? I thought I’d been a saint for not saying anything all this time! Well, imagine MY surprise when I was told time and time again that these people had no idea I was fuming on the inside! And that my “asserting myself” was in fact interpreted as an attack on them! Wow! What a huge misunderstanding this all becomes when the truth is not spoken up front. What I am learning, is that it’s okay to speak up and say what’s on your mind when it’s on your mind. Sure you have to wait for the right time and place, but it’s better not to let it build up and then explode. And what this quote makes me realize is that one way of looking at a troublesome situation is like a problem to be solved, rather than a person to be confronted. Make sense? I think one way to approach someone could be this: “Hey, Rachel. Maybe you can help me. I am feeling kinda stressed out about the (insert problem here). I’m doing the best I can to solve this. Do you have any ideas?” For example, I’m really noise sensitive. I hate the sound of a continuously barking dog or a continuously crying baby or a noisy neighbor. So I’m gonna practice confronting the problem - not the person! “Excuse me, you super-annoying jerk, I MEAN friendly neighbor: I am such a noise freak and I am having trouble sleeping/studying/breathing when I hear your dog bark continuously. Maybe you can help me. Is there some way to calm her down? Is there anything I can do to help?” Then you can always follow up with an offer to reciprocate: “Thanks so much for helping me! Please let me know if we ever do anything over here on this side of the fence that you need to talk about. You’re the bomb!”  Or something like that… I dunno. Try it out. Let us know what you come up with!

yourtryingtobepeacefulkewlteam

Your public library is a fantastic resource of freebies. Many libraries offer free computer classes, book discussions, children’s story times and college entrance exam workshops.  For a complete schedule of events and locations, visit your local library!
Or save time—and gas—by using the library on-line.  Visit your public library’s web site and you can find full-text magazine and newspaper articles. You can download audio books, e-books, films and music or explore digitized collections and even get live homework help!  But it’s fun to go to the library. It’s a great place to study and learn and if you go with friends, you are bound to wind up laughing. Everything’s funnier when you’re supposed to be quiet!

a.k.a. Dining Out Without Going For Broke!
Eating out is fun, but it can get expensive. Let’s say your friends want to go out to eat and you only have $8. Or $4. That won’t go far at a sit-down restaurant. So how ‘bout going halfsies with someone on a dinner plate? Split something with a pal and still enjoy the whole experience of dining out with only half the calories and half the expense! (hint: avoid mentioning to the server you’re planning on splitting a meal. Sometimes they’ll charge you to put it on two separate plates.)
Another idea is for a few of you to share something like nachos or fries. Appetizers are often meant for sharing, but sometimes they’re small so they may not really satisfy an appetite. So drink more water!  You can skip the $4 beverage and order water with lemon in it for a healthy twist.  And unless it’s the only thing you’re ordering, skip the dessert. (You don’t really need it anyway.) These are ways to get around the high tab of eating out. And remember to always leave something for your server (Typical tip is 15% to 20%). They are counting on tips to make a living so be respectful.
An easy way to calculate is this: if the bill is $20, drop the ‘0’ to get 10%:  $2.
Twice that is 20%(or$4) so 15% would be $3.  Get it?
yourfoodlovingkewlteam

So it’s your birthday and you wanna throw a party. Or it’s not your birthday and you wanna throw a party. Either way, you’re throwing a party!  You’re going to want food and drinks there, but who’s gonna bankroll all that stuff? If you don’t have much in the way of a budget and your allowance is a little dried up(or non-existent!) consider throwing a potluck. Everyone can bring a little something and that way no one person is stuck with the tab. What’s really fun is if you have friends who are willing to cook or who have families from different countries, then see if they’ll share something fabulous from their own kitchen. Maybe your girlfriend whose parents are from India can bring samosas. Yum!!!!! Or someone Argentinian could bring empanadas. Ever had Persian baba ganoush? Delish!! We’re just sayin’!  Host an around-the-world party with delectables from around the globe.
Another idea is hosting a cooking party where the whole point is to make something together. This works better for groups under 8. Otherwise you get “too many cooks in the kitchen.” Google some fun recipes and see what you come up with. Then let us know what you came up with.

We’d love to hear from you!   How do you creatively save money?   And who says it can’t be fun??

YourResourcefulKewlteam

Birthday expenses can really add up!  You know a lot of people and every single one of them seems to have a birthday at least once a year!  Geez! That’s a lot of gifts. Well, we can’t always run out and spend $10, $20, $30 or more on our friends, siblings and parents. It’s just not possible. So consider giving the gift of service instead of stuff.
Offering a service like babysitting, lawn care, cleaning or organizing can often mean more to a person than just more stuff. Offer to watch the little ones so your parents can have a date night. For a sibling’s birthday, offer to clean their room or help them with a chore, homework or something they struggle with.  Make a handmade gift certificate or coupon so they have something to “unwrap.” For friends, you can also go in on a gift with other friends or their family. Let’s say they really want some expensive game or outfit. Maybe you can team up to get the gift for him or her. If everyone pitches in $10 on a $50 gift it makes it much easier on everyone’s pocket book. This is also a reasonable request when your birthday rolls around! A few weeks before your bday, let loved ones know your heart is set on having that awesome rug you saw in a catalog. A polite request that it be the only gift you receive could perhaps get you the gift!  Rather than lots of small stuff you’ll get just one amazing item that you really want. This is also a very green way to go, too. Think of all the gas and time people will save on running around looking for the perfect gift. Get creative!!!
How do YOU save money? Let us know! Share with other readers your fave tips and your family’s fave tips.

yourthriftyKEWLteam