I'm Here for You.

So hello fellow blog readers! Life is strange, I think you would agree with me. My life has taken an emotional and strange and slightly awkward turn.

I know I suffer from depression. That is not a new fact for me, but it always gets me every time no matter how ready I am for it. I'm a strange person altogether, so I guess I will have to accept that.

To help reach out to other people with this same state of mind, I want people to know that I am here for you. I want to empower you. I want you to know that in times of trouble and need and the times when it feels like you have no one left to talk to, I can be there for you. I may not know you personally but I will try my very best to help you out, because no one deserves to suffer alone and in silence.

More information can be found on my Tumblr: I've created a link to a page that hopefully you will read and feel that you aren't alone. I want to make you feel as welcome as possible. No amount of words is too large or too small, too ordinary or too bizarre. I will take you the way you are. You don't need to worry about being judged.

Here it is, please check it out if you ever need help: http://mariachelle-annaclare.tumblr.com >> want to suicide?

Just like I answer all your questions, you tell me whether or not you would like them to be posted on the blog or not for other people to read and learn. I can tell you now that whatever you choose to tell me will forever stay confidential and I will not share it with anyone.

Along the lines of this subject, I got a couple questions concerning suicide and depression that people wanted publicized and answered...

Q: I know you always say that there is someone out there that thinks that I am worth it.. but so far I  haven't been able to find that person, so does that make me useless? - via Tumblr

JAAG: Absolutely not! There are people out there that love you for who you are, and even if you haven't found them yet, rest assured that they are out there. For a long time I have struggled with this as well: the people you thought actually cared for you turn out to be your worst nightmares and be very unsupportive. I want you to know that everyone has a purpose in life, and you have to find it. You may have a small part in this world, but without this part, our world wouldn't be complete :)\

Q: My friend wants to suicide. What can I do to stop him? - via Twitter

JAAG: Talk to him about it and see if you can offer him any words of encouragement and tell him that he is an amazing person. Tell him about his strengths and what you like best about him. Tell him that you will be there to listen if he ever needs someone to listen. If you feel that you won't be able to handle what he could tell you, tell an adult that you can trust. An adult can help you in finding help for your friend.
Also, tell him to read my "want to suicide?" page on my Tumblr which is listed at the top of this post. Hope that helps, and tell your friend that he is amazing!

Q: Is depression the same for everyone? - via Twitter

JAAG: Not really. There are two types of depression: clinical and situational. Clinical comes from an imbalance of chemicals in your brain. It's interesting to note that this is hereditary and if a person has a family history, it is not uncommon for it to be seen in future generations.
On the other hand, situational depression derives from, as the name implies, 'situations of your present and past'. Say for example you failed a test, you got bullied, you were denied a scholarship, a close family member passed away, your dog ran away... these are all things that can traumatize people and make them feel like their life is spiralling out of control or that they are 'worthless'. People have different levels of depression, some very mild and some very severe, and people have different ways of coping with it, so depression is different for everyone.

Q: How can I deal with my depression on my own? My family thinks that anyone who suffers from depression is 'weak' and 'useless' and there is no such thing as depression in their world. - via Tumblr

JAAG: I live in a world similar to you. While my parents don't share views quite as extreme as yours, my parents do feel that depression is just a head thing that you can grow out of and that it is not a serious disease. Unfortunately, it is, and it is sweeping our continent by storm. I would first suggest talking to an adult that you can trust, preferably someone that has no ties to your parents in case it accidentally slips. A school counsellor is a great choice. However, if depression becomes suicide and you are seen as 'at risk to yourself' chances are you may get 'ratted out' so to speak. When that happens, don't feel betrayed. It is for your good. That happened to me where my adult told the school guidance counsellor and I was in counselling for 5 weeks. At the time I felt super betrayed, but now looking back, I am so thankful that he did that for me <3

Q: I've been doing all these things that I don't usually do: I've been hanging out with different people, jaywalking during lunch, coming in late for classes and giving teachers attitude. I never used to do that, but now, I don't know what's happening to me. what should I do? - via Tumblr

JAAG: This may be a side effect to depression: breaking out and wanting more attention to yourself for all the wrong reasons. It happens, and for a little bit, it happened to me too. I actually made out with someone during my little rebellious streak! But looking back, it was a mistake. These things rush to your head, they make you feel superior and for a while you are on a power trip that is nothing but ecstasy and fake-ness. Good for you for noticing it, and now, try your best to do what you used to: get into class early. Cross the sidewalk instead of running across the street. Smile at teachers, and maybe keep your mouth closed for a bit. You can do this: it maybe all in your head, but you have the power to change.

So yeah, I hope that you can find some peace of mind in my blog. Like I said before, don't hesitate to message me or ask me a question or tell me what's going on or how you are feeling now. We are all different, unique, special and beautiful. YOU ARE WORTH IT.

This is a song for you, kinda depressing, but I love it all the same. "The A Team" by Ed Sheeran

"It's too cold outside for angels to fly, to fly, to fly."

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! Remember that there is no one on this earth that is youer than you - Dr. Seuss. :)

love,

rachelrae xx

Hello, Technicolor Life.

Life is amazing. Life is also incredibly strange, and it can change in an instant.

I'm talking about life in general, here.

Over the weekend I had the greatest encounter with the one soul I should have saved myself for before even considering getting into any serious relationship, and that is one with my Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

I went to Youth Day 2012: Rejoice! (Philipians 4:4) with a couple friends where I learned more about my God and deepened my relationship further with him. As a conference we were so blessed to have musical guest Cooper Ray from Louisiana come and grace us with his wonderful singing talents, as well as bringing his wife Laura with him and his beautiful son Eli to share with us how to make a relationship strong, and that is through Jesus. We were also blessed with Judy Macdonald from California who came to talk to us about joy and what it means in it's truest form. Joy is not happiness; for happiness sometimes is temporary, but true joy lies in God and in God alone, and with God we should be forever joyful.

2 Timothy 4:7 ~ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

From here on out, that is my new life mantra. If you can be happy only with God and God alone, then to hell with everything else.

So back to the initial topic. Life really does change in an instant, for better or worse, no one can tell.

Even if bad things do happen, they happen for a purpose.

Here is an example.

Acts 20:24 ~ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

I was talking to one of my best friends about relationships and when you should pursue one. I told her that honestly, there is always an opportunity to pursue one. You just have to decide whether or not it is the right opportunity to do so.

For me, that has always been my problem. I have a game plan set out, a timeline written out for myself so that I can accomplish what I can. In the end things end up happening and because of my own naivete I fall, faster than I ever have, and then end up screwing things up for myself.

I'm a teenage girl, it happens.

But I get it now. After making this mistake, twice, with one ending off better than another, I know now not to stick my head into the fire a third time. A third time with only make things worse and make me burn even more. I'm not fully healed yet from my last debacle, nor do I think I ever will. I see him every so often with the boys whom I used to call my friends. His parents even turned on me too.

After that relationship talk, it's all clear to me now. Make your intentions clear, and get it right.

Hence, I found this question in my inbox that I found exceptionally close to what I'm talking about..

JAAG, There is this guy who I liked forever that has finally asked me to be his girlfriend. What should I do now? - Fearing for His Love

JAAG: Honestly, I hear that a lot, and truthfully, I've been there. It's really awesome, I know: You're in love with this guy for _____ many years, wanting him to notice you. Then one day it happens: it turns out he returns the feelings that you have held deep in your heart for ______ many years. I get it: it's a magical feeling, like "yes, finally, you love me too!" sorta kinda.

What I have to pose to you is this: Is this relationship that you want to pursue really worth putting into your tangle of life? For me, it wasn't the right time at all, but I went for it anyways. You have to truly tell yourself that you really are ready for something like this. If you are going through a really hard time right now (ie divorce, passing of a family member, fight with a friend, school probs, etc), now would probably not be such a good time to put another thing into the mix. Things get out of hand and pretty soon you will be either fighting with him about sacrifice, or the fact that he won't leave you alone. Trust me, I've been there. I'm kind of regretting the fact that maybe, just maybe, if I had held a firmer ground and said, "No, now is not the right time", then maybe we'd still be able to carry a conversation as opposed to constant staring at each other, silently.

I really don't want that to happen to you. If you were in my shoes, you would understand that it is the worse feeling in the world, being consumed by the sadness of something you started, did and ended, as well as the anger against yourself for not staying true to yourself.

Please, really think it through before you jump into this relationship. It will save you a lot of trouble and time wasted when you do. Best of luck, though! :)

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Anyways, homework beckons. Thanks for listening though! I know I haven't been on for a while; I've been trying to sort out my Tumblr to make it the best it can possibly for the world wide web :) I'll be sure to tackle more questions though the next time I'm up. Also, a shout out to "Fearing for His Love" - I loved answering your question! It made really think long and hard about my life and my mistakes and helped me learn from them. Like I said above, best of luck to you!

Keep your questions coming in, I love answering them! You guys are the reason why I think and the reason why I learn so much. You all teach me so much!

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! Remember, follow your heart, but take your brain with you :)

peace out from the bloggerverse,

rachelrae xx

Thank God it's [Good] Friday

Hello everyone! Today is Good Friday, the day my Lord, my Saviour, died on the cross for my salvation and for the salvation of mankind. He extended His arms on the cross so that we might live. I am so blessed to be raised in such a religion and to live in a country where you have freedom of religion. Praise the Lord!

Today will not be a question answer post today. Nope, today will be a recap of life.

So how is everyone this fine evening that God has granted for us today? After a month and a bit since "the incident of all incidents, in my humble opinion", things have begun to look up. Everything seems to be on the better side of things, and I seem to have a slightly better handle on things than I did before.

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I didn't take the course of action that I did. Would things be different? Would I be a different person? Would we still be able to make the love last, even though in my eyes, we were coming to a close?

I guess there are no regrets. I should know better. I should know what I want, what not to do, and what I should be looking for before I stick my oar into the water. It saves you from a lot of trouble.

Love is forever, if it is with God.

Love is also blind, selfish, and deceitful. You don't realize that maybe, just maybe, the person that you are so in love with is actually the wrong type of person God wants you to be with. You don't realize that until you surrender yourself. It becomes selfish when you are only focussing on yourself and how perfect you want the love to be, by following your own agenda. It deceitful when you think you are doing the right thing, you think you are with the right person, you think that this really is true love, but you have already been deceived.

I hate to admit it, but that used to be me. I recognize that now. I understand that there really is no point in looking for something that does not exist. There is one match for me out there, and I know God has a plan for the two of us. I just can't see it yet.

Instead, focus more on what God wants you to do, instead of what you think God should do for you. It will save you more time to be happy.

This is a song that we were supposed to sing at the service. Unfortunately, too little time, many songs prepared. Oh well, have a listen....

"Above All" (from Youtube) - such a beautiful song. He was here for us, He made us, and He will always be here for us.

Questions next time, I promise you. STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE!

Have a wonderful and blessed Easter everyone!

love,

rachelrae xx

Questions revisited :)

Hello everyone! December already, hmm?... can't believe how fast time flies.

Well last post I promised some questions to be answered right? let's tackle them now, shall we? ...

Q: JAAG, there is this guy that is constantly hitting on me. the thing is, i like him but i really don't want to return the romance. any thoughts on how to get this guy off my back? - via Email

JAAG: LOL, that happens to us all at one point in time or another, myself included. what I can give you is that you should let things be. Don't be overly harsh just to tell him that he isn't worth your time, but at the same time, monitor your behaviour around him. Yes, YOUR behaviour. are you touchy feely with him a lot or maybe laugh at jokes that really aren't that funny that he says? if you are, you could be potentially leading him on for no apparent reason and no intention of dating him. Just be yourself and be natural, and hopefully things will go a lot more smoothly for you.

Q: any tips on how to be a better flirt? - via Twitter

JAAG: okay there. i think that the question you meant to ask was, "any tips on how to be a better person that more people will appreciate?" being a flirt isn't all that difficult, but what makes it difficult is that you end up with less than you started out with. what i mean is, being a flirt may get you so far, but after that, there is no substance to what you say or your actions. by being a genuine person who is not superficial or fake and definitely NOT a flirt, you will see that more people, guys and girls alike, will accept you for who you are. it also makes it easier for people to fall for the real you and not a second rate, fake version of you.

Q: there is this guy in the drama club that constantly flirts with me, but when i see him outside of drama club, he acts all haughty and arrogant. why is that? - via email

JAAG: well, let me start off by saying that maybe, just maybe, but don't hold this to me... that maybe he likes you. i take it that maybe he doesn't have that many of his manly guy friends in drama club, and when he is around them, he wants to show them who is boss and who is in charge in this so called 'relationship'. if you think that nah, he doesn't like me, then this guy is a big jerk. call him out on it when you see him in drama club. ask him what the deal is. if he acts all innocent but his alter ego comes out when he leaves the drama club walls, then you know that this guy is definitely not worth your time, and you should move onto the tenor in the club who can't get enough of reading Macbeth. good luck!

Q: How do i tell my boyfriend of three months that it's over? - via Twitter

JAAG: that always hurts, especially if he is the one that still believes in the relationship. I can't tell you how to break up with him, but I can offer some guidelines:
1) Be honest and to the point. It's hard enough for you and for him, so don't beat around the bush with it by trying to soften the blow. tell him nicely, but don't drag it on for the whole lunch hour. make it concise and then leave him alone so that he can absorb the information.
2) Privacy is the best policy. Even though you may need one of your girls for moral support, really, it's showing diesrespect to him. Pull him away from the group gently, and tell him what you need to say. and never do it in front of his friends.
3) NEVER DO THIS OVER EMAIL, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, OR TEXT. as hard as it might be, face to face not only brings you more merit and is more honest, it shows the guy that you are no chicken and you aren't backing out of this the easy way. a phone call is okay but not the best or the most respectful.
I hope these points help. good luck to you with this!

Q: I broke up with my boyfriend a month ago. Now everytime I see him, I think back to when we were together. Sometimes when we talk together I feel myself flirting with him! do you think it was wrong of me to break up with him in the first place? should I get back together with him? - via BloggerMail

JAAG: wow, two questions in one! firstly, congratulations to you and your ex for making things not as awkward and being able to carry a conversation with him despite your past. I can't tell you whether or not it was necessarily wrong of you to break up with him, it's all up to you. Maybe you catch yourself flirting with him because you know him and it's a comfortable spot that you relaxed back into. ask yourself why you broke up with him in the first place, and see if what he does, etc, still bothers you.
secondly, talk to him and be honest with him and yourself. tell him how you feel. If you both think that maybe it was a mistake, then maybe there is a chance for a second romance. i must warn you though: if you break up again, third time usually is not a charm in this case. you may be better off moving on after that point.

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AIIGHTS. thanks again for all of your amazingly difficult but interesting questions! next post will definitely have more to be answered.

well, exam week has just ended. i have another exam tomorrow (sob sob sob!) but after that, it will be free fallling for me. as a matter of fact, I should be studying for that three hour test but NO, I'm answering your questions instead :) oh well. we have a music concert tonight! wish me luck, I have a jazz solo!

if i don't write back within the next couple weeks, I would like to personally wish you and yours a very happy holidays, a peaceful and relaxing Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! Cheers to everyone in the New Year!

love,

rachelrae xx

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Hello universe. today's post will be a little different.. to be honest with all of you, I haven't checked my email or my Twitter for any questions. If you have a burning question, I'm sorry in advance... I have been so busy lately, but never fear... I promise, next post with be Q and A central :)

So, that is the classic childhood (and hey, maybe even now) question that most adults ask you when you just met them, you haven't seen them in a while or just to break the ice.

When I was three, I remember that my dream was to become a princess when I grew up.

Then, as I gained more knowledge, I realized that probably wasn't going to happen. At 7 I told people that I wanted to be a singer and sell millions of albums and do concerts worldwide.

I grew up and gained more knowledge. 12 years old: lawyer, hoping to get into Harvard.

Now I'm here. 15, and wanting to be a high school teacher. That, or be a successful journalist.

So why all the sudden thinking about this topic? Recently in my Planning 10 class I was given an assignment to investigate what schools offer a program that I could do to get my undergrad and possibly graduate degree in whatever profession/stream I chose.

One weekend, 10 hours, hundreds of webpages and thousands of Google searches later, I came up with two schools. And this is only for one profession (I had to investigate two professions... and btw, this project is worth 50 marks and heavily weighted... yikes.)

Basically, the question that everyone could answer without blinking when they were 5 is now the most difficult question to answer. This is our future we're talking about.

Another question would be what school you would like to go to. Harvard was my number one choice at 12 years old.

Now? It's looking more like Kwantlen or Langara for an undergrad degree. I would be laughing (and terribly lucky) if i got into UBC, SFU, or UVic or something like that.

I saw a really good school in Ottawa - Carleton University, that has an amazing journalism program. Now, there is a dream worth dreaming...

So yeah. This journey called 'life' has just gotten more complicated.

But I can't complain: life is good. My wonderful friend that is a boy who is more than what that reads is amazing. school is going well, family life is going well, and everything is splendid. Also, I have some of the best readers there are, so that's a bonus.

I was told today to value your childhood and teenage years. I think there is some important advice to heed :)

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! Best of luck to my schools JV football team on their game tomorrow :)

Lots of love,

rachelrae xx

Thanks to all your awesome comments and ideas! :)

if you haven't noticed i seem to have a lot of time on my hands. this is probably why i am posting so regularly time and time again now (: but it's good! i get to reach out to all you lovely people.

so when i asked you all the question (that i posted, i believe, two posts ago?) i asked what you all thought about the whole situation. i got a lot of response, mostly through email etc.. some of it was pretty darn good, and i think that some of you could be better than me at this job. who wants to take over? :P

some of the stuff was quite insightful. also, for privacy, i will leave it all anonymous... but thank you, whoever you are, for all this new insight!

"Let time take it's course and see where you two end up. Who knows, you might end up marrying him... or marrying your current bf." - via Twitter

"I don't think that you should let him off the hook so easily. Don't bottle up the emotions inside! Tell him how you feel, but be impartial.. I have a feeling that the friendship you two share is too good to give away!" - via email

"Tell him off and tell him to get lost. He's not worth it!" - via email

"Is it okay if I smack him for you? You're too good of a blogger to let someone like him weigh you down!" - via email

"Who knows? Your paths might cross again." - via Twitter

"If he is too finicky then and now and can't make his mind up, watch out world: this guy is a player!" - via Twitter

"You should both set aside your feelings and try to mend your friendship. Right now, I'm getting the vibe that he really needs a friend."

"His friendship isn't worth your time. You can do so much better, and now, especially that you have a boyfriend... MAKE HIM SUFFER!!!!!" - via email


LOL, everyone. these are only a few of what i got from all of you. i posted these ones because they were insightful, my favourite or made me laugh. some of them were quite sweet, but you all are just like me: very, very undivided in terms of where to go with my friendship with him. the first one though was very very wise, however: "Let time take it's course". i think i found a winner, ladies and gentlemen. the JAAG will now let the universe take hold of the situation.

the last one that i put there, about the suffering, made me laugh the hardest. also, cheers to the person that said that my tweets to my boyfriend were 'cute'. ;)

this is a random song that i started listening to, entitled "Diary of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin. it's hard core rock and i like it very much :)

well that's it from me :)  STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! i pray that no one got any cavities from excessive candy snacking last night? ;)

love from the world wide web and beyond,
rachelrae xx

Happy Halloween!

Hey everyone! LOL sorry, i know i said that the next post i would post all your comments on how cute, thoughtful and amazing you all are.. but this is an extra EXTRA quickie post...

... to wish you all a safe and fun Halloween! someone out there eat a Oh Henry for me, will ya? :)

next time around i definitely DEFINITELY will post all your awesome suggestions! something to think about: forgiveness is something that we should do always, no matter how big the problem is. do you think i should forgive and forget this boy after everything he has done to me?


continue the discussion on Twitter @JAAG143

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! peace out... i'm currently not wearing my Paper Bag Princess (Robert Munsch, HOLLA!) but i'm still somewhat in the spirit.... sort of ;)

love and candy highs,
rachelrae xx

EVEN MORE QUESTIONS!

Okay, let's get straight down to it. I chose the first three questions from my email and this is what happened:

1. I think that I am bi, but I have a girlfriend. what am I gonna do with her? 

JAAG: this is way outta my zone, kid. in my little brain, i would hope that you are just being yourself and not changing anything about you, because anything that's less about you ISN'T you, if you know what i mean (:
I guess the truth would be the best mode of action in this circumstance. tell her how you feel and how things have changed.. of course, be sure that you realize that while this truth may be liberating for you, but it might come as a shock to her. be careful with what you do and go about this gently. good luck, and good on you!

2. My parents hate my boyfriend, even though he is nice and polite and everything! i invited him over for dinner and he said yes without any hesitation... so what's wrong with them?


JAAG: hmm, this is quite an interesting one. usually parents are quite thrilled when they are let into such an intimate and personal part of your life. think about it this way: have your parents been the type to be more cautious with things (i.e. perhaps they started to let you go out on your own when you were much older.. and this happened after a heated debate?) and are more uptight. you could say that they aren't used to this new found 'independence' that you have been given, and maybe they feel that they are losing touch with you. TALK TO THEM! include them in your life, tell them that you can't live without them, and ask them what their thoughts are on your new boy. ultimately, the decision is up to you. this guy sounds pretty safe to me.. so work on your parents and hopefully, you'll have the fairytale relationship you always wanted!

3. My girlfriend and I have been going out for several months now. We have our one year coming up soon and I feel like things aren't going as awesome as they used to. what can i do to make things way hotter?


JAAG: Congrats to you and your girl for making it to your 1 year! that's pretty darn special and she must be a very awesome girl, and likewise, you must be a very awesome boyfriend!
how can you make things way 'hotter'? i guess try something new. do you always do the same thing with her time and time again? maybe try and switch it up: if your thing is to watch a movie and have dinner, then maybe try getting a portable DVD player and making a picnic under the stars out of it. Or, try something new and spontaneous: canoeing, hiking, etc... go out of yours and her comfort zone. Best of luck to you both!


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lalala, happy halfway through October! I still can't believe that it's halfway through October :)

school is going great, family stuff is well as well, music is outstanding, health is going well .. thanks again for all your well wishes! and of course, love is fabulous. i have the most amazing person in the whole world and i am very blessed to call him my own (:

I am also pleased to announce that from now on, you can shoot your Q's to the OFFICIAL JAAG twitter account. here you go now, and i guarantee it'll be hella easier to shoot your Q's : http://twitter.com/JAAG143

so yeah, STAY OUTTA TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! peace out.. and Halloween is coming soon! get high on candy! :P

rachelrae xx

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving long weekend everyone! I am truly blessed to have such an amazing and loving God, first and foremost, such amazing family and friends and teachers and people that help me through everything. To be alive, most of all, is a blessing in itself. Also, thank you to all of you! All your questions are very interesting, shall we say, and it makes me really think about things. :)

Today will not be a question answering day (awwww...) but rather a random comment day. It is a big blessing to find out that I am actually of some help to you guys! This is from a email, and it really makes me feel special. i have a name but no idea who this person is, but thank you to this person anyways!

Here we go... This is from Sadie:

"Thank you so much for everything you have said to me! I finally got over my ex, and now I am living my life better than ever. Thanks for all your encouraging words and all your inspirational posts! Keep rocking on!"   


aww. i feel really amazing now. thank you thank you thank you!


Also, i'd like to take this opportunity, since it is thanksgiving weekend and all, to personally thank everyone for their well wishes concerning my health. it is so awesome to have complete strangers telling me that they are praying for me and stuff like that. Treatment starts this coming week and will go for about 6-8 weeks, depending on how responsive my system is. This treatment bout will determine whether or not i will do another set of test and treatments in the new year.

so once again (i feel like a broken record, but still. you guys are so awesome, and it's THANKSGIVING!) thank you for reading my blog, asking questions, commenting, your follows, and your well wishes.

I hope that you and your family and close ones have an amazing thanksgiving weekend. eat a lot of turkey for me, kayys? :)

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE. even though it is Thanksgiving weekend, i should get started on my homework and stop procrastinating. as always, keep your questions coming, and the next time i post i will FOR SURE answer another 5. Thanks so much, everyone! <3

Love Etc,
rachelrae xx

more questions to be answered... here we go again. :)

What's cracking, virtual world. my vocal cords are strained from an already sorta/kinda sick throat ish thing and from a pep rally that ended.. hmm, 5 minutes ago? note to self; pep rallies are super loud. but i knew that already.. and not to be a downer or anything, but pep rallies do not in any way, shape or form conjure up any school spirit within me. besides, i don't even follow football. i don't get it.

so yeah. there are some more questions that you guys sent in for me:.. let's do this right, shall we? :)

Q: is it possible to have feelings for someone younger than you? - via Twitter DM

JAAG: is it possible for you to not have feelings in general? i don't quite understand your question, but if you are flat out asking if it is possible for one to have feelings, then yeah.. everyone gets them. even me.
now, if you are referring to falling in love with someone younger, then i guess that is normal too. i mean, if a person is attractive, then why not? if you go deeper and say that this person is smart/funny/intelligent/WHATEVER then yeah.. go for it.

Q: When is it the right time to introduce my girlfriend to my parents? - via email

JAAG: now this is the making of a true man. good on your part for wanting your parents to be involved in this relationship and not hiding it from them! if your girlfriend is comfortable with it, then i guess you should start by asking your parents' permission first. tell them that you would like them to meet your girlfriend, and that you would like to ask their permission for her to come over to your house for dinner. now, on your girlfriend's part, here are some things to look out for:
1. if your girlfriend dismisses the idea of meeting your parents or doesn't want to, then that should be a red flag.
2. ask her if you can meet her parents. if, again, she says no to that option, then that should be another warning flag: she doesn't want you to interfere with her family life, which is never a good thing. make careful decisions, and good luck!

Q: my girlfriend has been sneaking around behind my back, and i know because i saw her with another guy on the football team. what should i do? -via Twitter DM

JAAG: oh, the horrors of cheating. my advice is that you should be upfront and honest with her: ask her what's up, discreetly. has she made any new friends that she would like you to meet? maybe it was a complete misunderstanding? before you go all out and mad at her, ask her. who's the guy? be honest with her and tell her what you saw. if she denies everything or tries to avoid the topic, a warning bell should go off in your head. listen to your head and follow your heart. if you think that, after all has been said and done, that something is still wrong, consider this an easy way out.

Q: how do i pull the plug on my relationship.. carefully and easily? - via BloggerMail

JAAG: honestly, there is never really an easy way to pull the plug on any type of romantic relationships. it's difficult enough as it is, so i would go with HONESTY. pull this person aside, privately, and explain your thinking. tell him/her that it's not quite working out and that you would like to say friends. the faster you do this the better, just so that there is no underlying resentment towards the person. and of course, NEVER do this over email, text or facebook. a phone call is borderline bad... but it's your call.

Q: my boyfriend denies that he has been hitting on my sister, but everytime they are in a room together it's almost as if i don't exist. what should i do? (ps- my sister is two year younger.) - via Twitter DM

JAAG: ouch, that always hurts but it seems to be a rucurrent theme: a guy and a girl get together, and all of a sudden.. the guy is coming over to your house not to hang out with you, but to hang out with your sister. first, i'm sorry to here that. that must be tough. i guess the best thing to do would be to ask him if he likes your sister.. which you seem to have done, judging by the fact that you say he 'denies' it every time. feelings change constantly, and what he has to realize is that while he has these feelings, he decided to be with YOU in the first place, not her. tell him that you are feeling kind of left out, and ask him why he he's doing this instead of telling him that you see him doing this. if this doesn't workout, you should also try talking to your sister. maybe she can be the one that influences him into stopping this madness. if this all fails, however, please please PLEASE remember that you are beautiful and that you deserve the best and nothing less! :)

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okay that's enough. you guys' questions are getting way more difficult. my head is just hurting just rereading some of them! :) of course i am happy to answer them, though. keep them coming, and remember that yo uare all beautiful! :)

so yeah it's time for me to leave now. i am actaully doing this in the school library... so yeah. STAY OUTTA TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE!  peace, and have an awesome weekend! :)

rachelrae xx

five more questions answered. enjoy :)

So there have been people literally breathing down my back for me to answer their questions. seriously. to avoid any further spam (jokes) i would like to dedicate this post to answering as many questions as i can... well, i'll try.

1. how do i tell a girl to back off.. wrong words. um, how do i tell her that i'm not interested? -via Twitter


JAAG: ouch, this is a hard one. if it were up to me to do this, i would tell her the truth. not cut corners, no shortcuts. this is already unpleasant for the both of you, so there is really no point in dragging it out. however, just be upfront and honest with her. don't do this over email/facebook/text/one of her best friends... just tell her the truth.

2. is there any way to get a guy to think i'm hot? -via BloggerMail


JAAG: hmm. you should just be yourself. don't change your whole being just for one person, because there are plenty of people out there (your future honey included) that love you for WHO YOU ARE and not some cheap version of yourself. if love really meant that we were to change ourselves for others, then HELL WITH IT. i said it. likewise, changing your look to make yourself 'hot' doesn't necessarily help you get the right attention. just be yourself and smile!

3. my parents aren't okay with my boyfriend, but i really love him. what do i do? -via Twitter


JAAG: firstly, sneaking around the parents isn't really the best thing to do. ultimately they just want what's best for you. of course we tend to think the polar opposite from our parents, but try to find a centre ground: compromise is the key. talk to them and patiently explain to them why you think that they should change their mind about him. maybe you can convince your parents to let him come over to dinner one night. i know it sounds old fashioned, but give it some thought.. after all, don't parents love it when we take responsibility for our own things?

4. my boyfriend and i are graduating this year, and he is planning to stay here for post secondary while i want to go somewhere else. any thoughts on how to stay together? -via email


JAAG: this is a tough one, since i've never actually been in your shoes, nor can i tell you how to go about playing this out. what i can offer you is a thought that you should treasure what you have right now as opposed to what could happen in the future. if you do plan on pursuing school outside of your hometown, we're in the age of electronic communication. keep in touch! also, with long distance relationships (if you plan on doing so) comes the element of TRUST. trust is so big in every relationship. you will have to trust him to know that while you're away, you are still together, regardless of distance.
you should also talk to him about it, discuss what could potentially happen when this does. as the saying goes, 'let's cross the bridge when we get there.' good luck!

5. is it too much to say that i am madly in love with my girlfriend? my guy friends think it's kinda creepy. - via email


JAAG: different strokes for different folks as they say. if you truly are, then embrace it! i guess what they are really trying to say to you is that 'they get it' and they 'don't need to hear this mushy-gushy stuff again'. maybe some of your friends are jealous because you have such a strong relationship. my advice is to just chill out for a bit, and focus on them more than your girl. continue loving her... but you don't have to give your buddies the play by play every time she comes over to your house to hang out.

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ANYHOW, i hope that answers some questions. more to come.... eventually. you probably noticed i don't have a fixed schedule.

well, i have more homework to do but i took some time to answer these. soo... STAY OUTTA TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! september is almost over.. can you believe it? ridiculous. pretty soon the snow will be falling....

tons of love and luck for you and yours,
rachelrae xx

Hello.

Summer like weather has finallly  arrived in my area. I am so happy, it's finally here and sunny and everything else that's nice. :)

So what's new with you? Nothing, if you call completing all necessary training to be a legit staff member with the City nothing! I just  finished up training this afternoon, and I'm thrilled about my progress :)

"Parachutes and Airplanes" by the lovely guy himself, David Archuleta <3 love this song! Just another song to get your spirits high for the summer ---

excitement is in the air. it goes both ways though - on one hand, i love summer. i love to debrief and chill. it's wonderful to live life slightly differently and help out in day camps with children. that makes you smile.

on the other hand, i can't wait til school starts up again.

and guess what? it's almost july 17th. the same day that i said in an old facebook status that i would start missing school and counting down the days until it starts in september.

"September" by Daughtry - how ironic.

i called it though, ladies and gentlemen ;)

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE :) have a pleasant summer!


rachelrae xx

Sorry to any American readers but....

Hello, and happy belated Canada day.

How ironic, on the 4th of July too. oh well. i wasn't on my blog on Canada day for unspecified reasons. but what really got me when i woke up this morning was not because it was independence day but because it is already july. OH. MY. GOODNESS.

yeah. super bowl and the american national anthem for the win. just out of respect :)

so yeah, how's it going for everyone? i hope that summer is treating you all well. another thing that caught me this morning was that there are only 10 weeks in summer and one has already passed us by.

what happened?

you're probably wondering why i am wondering all these things. here's my answer - I'm a glass both half empty and half full type of a person. just saying.

what's cool - the royal couple coming to visit our country! :) random thought...

and a random song!!! :) :) :)

All Again For You by We the Kings.

okay, well thats about a wrap. i hope that everyone's summer is a good one, and if anyone is going away then i hope you and yours stay safe! come september, we'll all be wishing that it was summer could go on and on. but for now, let's just bask in the summer sunlight. :)

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON;T FORGET TO SMILE! summer loving!

rachelrae xx

hey! check it out... :D

Simple Plan ft. Natasha Bedingfield - 'Jet Lagged'

This is one of the newer Simple Plan songs, but a really, really nice one. I really like this one. I should watch the video sometime...

So, I hope that everyone's summer is going well so far. The first day of summer was June 21st, but still.. it's never too early to ask how everyone's summer is going! :)

Wow. It's June, so it's kind of like, 2011 is halfway through. I can't bring myself to say 'halfway gone' because that sounds really depressing... but yeah, 2011, halfway through? REALLY? ALREADY?! D:

Yeah, so check this out... this is called 'Summer Lovin' (Perfect)'

When I first saw you that day in the summer

I fell for you faster than ever

Imagining all the things we could have been

Having a rough time letting you go

What we had was perfect

What i saw in you was perfect

that day by the water

under a vast blue sky

it was just you and i

and now it's gone

the image of us gone...summer lovin'

Sitting there in September waiting to hear your voice again

the leaves start to fall, like our love through my fingers

all the things i wanted, never came true 

having a rough time seeing this through

What we had was perfect

What i saw in you was perfect

that day by the water

under a vast blue sky

it was just you and i

and now it's gone

the image of us gone...summer lovin'

waiting for you in the snow as it...as it falls like pride from my eyes

waiting for you as the flowers start to bloom, stuck under showery skies

what we had was perfect

what i saw in you was perfect

i swear i got to you under the summer sun

it was just you and i... and now it's gone

the image of us gone...

What we had was perfect

What i saw in you was perfect

that day by the water

under a vast blue sky

it was just you and i

and now it's gone

the image of us gone...summer lovin'

this is my new, actual legit song named Summer Lovin'. I don't actually know who this is about..but yeah, I finally have a legit song! :)

well, hope that this summer will inspire people to find summer love...but hopefully, yours will stay true all through the year unlike the tone of this song. ;)

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! Peace and love and such...

rachelrae xx

nothing better to do but...

...BLOG! :) hey hey hey it's a really rainy day (that was an unintentional rhyme) :)

i'm really tired right now. what do you do when your best friend is sick but to pray and hope for the best ): sad face.

gym class was a fail today. we played softball and i kinda sucked at it. i can be there all day and still not get a hit.

thankfully i had a glimmer of hope (or maybe God was shining down on me in pity) and finally hit the freaking softball after who knows how many hits....it was sad.

so let's provide you with some awesome music for you to listen to...hmm i think that i should give you some Push Play for your enjoyment... :) :)

PUSH PLAY - This is Us Breaking Up (Better Off) -- one of my favorite break up songs, but of course, there is no need for that kind of hate towards anyone yet...hopefully not now and not ever !

RANDOM THOUGHT. i think that the world can benefit from no hate. if we all stopped hating each other for their imperfections or stopped hating ourselves for our own imperfections, the world would be a smoother and happier place. no joke. #onethingiwouldchange random twitter trending topic from a long time ago...

so the Canucks won Game 7 on home ice. (they better have. or else there would have been a riot and people could have died.) we beat out our long lasting rivals the Chicago Blackhawks (if there is anyone from Chicago reading this, please do not sue. and peace be with you.) out of round one, so now we are onto round 2. i think we are up against Nashville...but only time will tell :)

sigh. my better half of me is at home. i pray that my better half gets better soon. what fun is school when you are your own worst enemy and you don't have your better half to bring out the sun through the clouds?

anyhow, i'm pretty much done online journaling for the day (if that even makes sense....) well, there really is nothing better to do when it's raining outside. praying for some sun...

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! praying for sun...and you all. :)

love, rachelrae xx

one more day...

...until EDMONTON! :) good and bad:

Good: away from school. my first trip on my own with my friendsies, doing something i love <3 MUUUUSIC!

Bad: it's going to be snowy. and cold. and everything else in between. i'll miss my other friends and my family :(

but yeah, this trip is going to rock...nevermind the snow :P

so what's going on people? i can't believe we are already halfway through april. today is april 15th and there are only 30 days in april. so yeah...30 divided by 2 is 15..

yuup, i just had to bring math into this :)

random quote: this is an excerpt from a really good book that i read, entitled "Breathe" by Jessica Warman. if you ever get the chance,  read it. it's a pretty exceptional book, and it's so real and touching.

so yeah.... :)

"I have nightmares about you...in hell."

"And I have nightmares about you...running for public office."

:D LOL

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so, i fell in love with this new band, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. check this out...

this is a song called Represent by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. i think that they're pretty amazing.

and that's why they belong on my blog, That's Amazing. LOL ...

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Q and A Time! :)

this is via Formspring - "When was the last time you received flowers?"

my initial reaction to this question, what the heck? what type of question is this?

my answer (as you can probably guess) NEVER.

LOL next question...

this is from anonymous: what do you see yourself doing in 10 years?

hmm, this is a pretty DEEEP question. i must say, this anonymous has serious minds... :P LOL

i would say that in 10 years i would like to be a HS teacher. i know, i know, weird. but i would seriously like to consider becoming a teacher just to teach people. preferrably socials and english. i'm not too great at science, and don't even get me started on math. i kinda hate it, but oh well.

and i'm definitely not qualified to teach french. not now, not ever.

LOL my random smiley :)

and that concludes our question period, please join us next time for some more smashing fun ;) RAANDOM.

of course, we can't forget my favorite boys, Big Time Rush. :)

i don't remember if i posted this one before, but this is "Count on You" by BTR with Jordin Sparks. i love this song, it's so sweet and slow. perfect for me ;) <3

okay, gotta get packing for the crazy cold city. i won't be posting for a while, but you know the drill..

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE.! i just realized that my birthday is coming up really soon...wow i really feel old ;)

but as we all say, 'life does go on, so make the best of it and just live your life.'

is that Rihanna i hear singing in the background? LOL

love, rachelrae xx

some good weather please?...

this past week it has been raining like crazy. and today it was hailing. must I remind mother nature that it is APRIL???

so yeah, how is life? my life has been pretty much shook up because of one name:

REBECCA. BLACK. and i am not joking about this. her songs are just ridiculous in every way: the lyrics are pointless, the singing is just terrible, and so much for auto-tuning. it makes it even worse for her. So the song, Friday is a terrible mess. yes, we do know that friday comes after thursday. sheesh. and by the way, since she is a thirteen year old, someone explain to me how come her friends are able to drive. WAIT, they could be pedophiles...just saying, just saying :) :)

also, i have been (against my will) made to listen to her new song, which has absolutely no difference to Friday. and it's called Prom Night. "His hair is brown and my dress is blue." Wonderful to hear. just don't search up the song. the auto-tuning on that track is a fail as well.

but here is something funny...Hitler's impression of Friday. it's something that my friend showed me...

LOLOLOL....

also, to lighten the mood, this is something funny that i have been shown. just goes to show how awesome some people can drive...or park...or reverse, for that matter...

this is subtitled in English, but there are some parts of the conversation in Chinese. just a heads up...but it's still funny. it's even more funny if you understand Hokkien... :) :)

so yeah. for some reason when i posted last it never showed up, so here i am, re-typing my thoughts out. but now i must leave now, so yeah... STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE! word...

OH OH by the way: the thing that i am most excited about now? EDMONTON IN ONE WEEK!

if there is anything you'd ike to say - - Tweet it, Formspring.me, or just good old email me. just try not to spam my inbox, kaayyys? ;)

lovely love, children, rachelrae xx

it's all over now...

so, people. spring break is over. i'm kind of sad, but to quote Nelly Furtado, "Why do all good things come to an end?"

well because they do, okay? GET ON WITH IT.

my spring break was really fun! palm springs, california, is a beautiful place that is sunny and you see palm trees everywhere. it's sometimes pretty windy, but you get used to it. and get this: it gets up to 30 degrees Celsius. and this is barely spring time!

so yeah, people, how is life? i feel very relaxed after my fun week and a bit in the sun. and the shopping? don't even get me started!....

i like that people like to ask questions. i ask a lot of questions myself. so that's why i created my own formspring.me account so that my email doesn't get too over-spammed with messages. but yes, keep them questions coming! :)

today i won't post a music clip, but i will leave you with this...

isn't that cute? and don't think that it's overrated just because valentine's day is over... think of all the joy you can bring when you love someone! <3 :) just saying...

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE. don't despair, children: the next long weekend is probably Easter weekend! Cheers! :)

love, rachelrae xx

spring break + BIG TIME RUSH!

well, spring break has officially begun! i wish everyone a happy, safe, fun, and relaxing spring break. i mean, what better way to relax from ther stresses of SCHOOL?

something to get your mood pumpin' for the break :)

GETTING YOUR SPRING BREAK ON!



 

so yeah, this post is dedicated to spring break and the dear boys at Big Time Rush. i like their music so much, it's crazy!

this is "Stuck" by Big Time Rush, one of my fave songs by them...you should explore BTR as well <3

so yeah back to spring break, the meaning of this post. anyone going out of town? it should be a blast ;)

i know that i am going somewhere but the 'rents refuse to say where, and it's driving me INSANE!

spring break = fun in the sun, hopefully not the rain. we've had about ENOUGH OUT HERE.

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okay QUESTION SEGMENT!

i've been getting a flood of emails from a bunch of you, so thanks for all your questions!

one very special person sent me a special question via email...and wanted me to address it now, so here it goes:

Travis Yu asks : "What does love mean to you?"

so here's my answer....

I think that love is something special. But this question is really vague, TRAAAV, because there are so many different kinds of love.

there's family love - i love my family. you can't choose who you live with, but you can choose to love them, which is the only right thing to do anyways since you see them 24/7. not that that's a bad thing...

and then there's friend love - among me and my BFFLs we all love each other for who we are. that's why we are friends. and with guys, you gotta love boys for not bringing all the gal drama there is.

finally, there is love love - when i find the right person, i'll know. love for me is very strong: love is commitment. love is respect. if i can't have any of those things, then love means NOTHING.

so yeah. that's what i think about love.

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so Q and A is done...for now :) travis, i hope that answers your question... ;)

i guess this is good bye for now. my vacay starts in a couple days, so it's to the homework pile so that i can actually relax as oppose to freak out over homework. big time rush forever!

if you don't live your life big time, then no one will, and it will pass you by.

HAVE AN AWESOME SPRING BREAK EVERYONE! KEEP THE CONSOLES AND VIDEO GAMES AT HOME; COME OUTSIDE AND BREATHE THE FRESH AIR!

and as always... STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE!

and don't listen to Friday by Rebecca Black. i find that song annoying, but if you really want a massive migrane... :P

PEACE AND LOVE!

rachelrae xx

time for catching up

hello universe,

please keep in your hearts and prayers the people of Japan. the world is praying for you. they need our help more than ever so please, HELP OUT! :)

now, for me, life has just seem to make a 180 degree turn. i'm so thankful for people like you for reading. i'm thankful for family and friends when it seems like i am the only one left that can fend for myself.

THANKS FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE!

there's a quote for inspiration, especially if you're like me and like to take pictures. i love my camera, even if sometimes it acts like a tempermental two year old child ;)

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break in segment. someone asked me a question very recently (read: a couple minutes ago) so i will answer it now, if that's alright...

it turns out that there is some guy following me by the username @sexychickfinder. anyone know who that is? (i have no idea who you are, but i guess in someways this is quite, er, flattering?...)

@sexychickfinder asks: what do you look for in a guy? can i be your guy? ;) ;)

okaay, sexychickfinder guy. i will answer only the first question for obvious reasons.

what exactly do i look for in a guy? well, i would like someone honest and full of respect. there is no point in me dating you if we don't base our relationship on respect. if you don't respect me, my family or friends, my life and religion, then you can FORGET IT.

i don't have a preference. regardless of race, if you are honest, witty, respectful, a hard-worker and fun to be around, then i'd love to be with you. there are so many people that i have met that have earned their few badges and merits here and there according to my guidelines, but i have yet to meet the ONE. SPECIAL. GUY. who can get me all those things and much more. i don't want my love to be just a one-sided thing; i need COMMITMENT and EQUALITY in my relationship. i need someone who can see me through in my darkest times. i need someone who can let me BE FREE, and BE ME.

so, @sexychickfinder guy, i hope this helps. maybe (or most-likely) we won't meet, but i hope you can find somebody to love. pardon the Justin Bieber cliche.

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so yeah, life.

it goes on, people. don't let anything hold you back from being you! there is no point in hanging out with people who make you feel like you're worthless.

to quote P!nk,

"You are perfect to me."

the song "Perfect" by P!nk is quite inspirational. of course, there are some words that are included in that lyric if you choose to search it up, but it's not really something i can put on my blog, if you know what i mean :) be good!

so yeah, how goes it? i hope everyone is doing well.

on the flip side to all this rain we have been getting in our town, it's one week away from spring break!
i can't believe it! the year has gone by so fast, it's almost like...

...a blur. wow. pretty soon the school year will be over, and then it's summer time! :)

in terms of catching up? well, nothing really happens in my life. it all happens in my head.

one thing you should all know is that my head is full of randomness. i am not joking. if we all had the ability to look inside each other's heads, i must admit that mine would be quite a scary sight.

just a fair warning. :P

i think that people who understand life are people that are like this kid right here. i wish that that kid was me...

so yeah. to quote one of my favorite bands, Big Time Rush,

"...it's the only life you got, so you gotta live it big time."

and that is very true. STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON'T FORGET TO SMILE!  peace out to you all, and peace all over the world.

Rachel Rae xx