A Anonymous Poem and Quote

Today, while looking through some of my mom's stuff, I found a small piece of paper that I guess mom had printed off of the internet with a quote and a poem on it. I wanted to share these along with my thoughts on them.

"The road to success is always under construction."

If you always believe,
What you have always believed,
You will always feel,
The way you have always felt,
You will always think,
The ways you have always thought,
If you always think,
The ways you have always thought,
You will always do,
What you have always done,
If you always do,
What you have always done,
You will always get,
What you have always gotten,
If there is no change,
There is no change.

I find this poem very honest and inspiring- if you don't change your way of thinking, you yourself will never change. As Norman Vincent Peale said: "Change the way you think and you change your world."  The smallest change can bring around big ones- just by simply believing you can do something often gives you the confidence to try, and who knows- maybe if you try something and like it, it can change YOUR world.

I am going to keep this post short and sweet- I love this poem. Leave me your thoughts on it in the comments.

Maddie

Siblings

How many of my readers have siblings, specifically younger ones? If you do, then you know how they can sometimes get into SUCH TROUBLE... but how they also give you their unconditional love and attention. I find that my sister looks up to me A TON and will copy anything and everything I do- even my not-so-pleasant traits, like making faces and spontaneously sparring around the house.

She gets into a good deal of trouble on her own, too, don't get me wrong, and sometimes even gets ME into trouble- but at the end of the day she is my little sister and regardless of her flaws I love her with all my heart... and I know she loves me too. She is a great playmate and a so-so confidant... and is great at karate. She will dance, sing, bake and make videos with me, PLUS  a ton of other stuff. She is awesome.

Leave me a comment sharing a comment about YOUR sibling/s- old or young.


Maddie

Energy 101

Remember the Energy101 class I blogged about 1 month or so ago? Well, both me and Dad completed that ALONG with my baking course yesterday. We both passed with an 100% average, having aced all of our quizzes. We don't get our certificates for another 2 months, but we kept track of our scores over time and we were always 100% average.

This makes my 3rd complete college course- and I already have a 4th picked out. It is a course on the computer and how to use Gimp and PhotoShop. I am very excited as I have always wanted to know how to use PhotoShop. It is being given by the State University of New York and is being taught by Margaret Anne Schedel and Catherine Katsafouros. If you want to sign up for it and take the course, it is free. Here is the link: https://www.coursera.org/course/compartsvisual

As for me, I have already installed Gimp (the free version of PhotoShop) and have tried dabbling in it... This was the result:

Well, this finishes up this post....

Maddie

Fondant and Cake Decorating... Over

Yesterday was my LAST CLASS for cake decorating. I learned so much from this class... how to make flowers and different designs with both fondant AND icing. I now have the tools and the skills to decorate cakes semi-professionally. For my Dad's birthday, which was Sunday, I made him stuffed chocolate cupcakes. I did a basket weave on top and a simple blue drop flower. I unfortunately did not get a picture of them, but they were very pretty and tasted good.

I DID get a good picture of my final cake from my class, however. I am going to give it to one of my friends. For the last class, we learned to cover a cake and a cakeboard in fondant and how to align the flowers we had made previously. I thought it turned out pretty good- how about you? The whole class was 3 months- 12 classes. Cake decorating classes are offered at all Michaels stores, I believe. You can go to their store website and click classes to find the closest store to you offering classes.

Maddie

The First Templar

Me and Dad have found a new xBox game in which to drown ourselves- the First Templar! It is a co-op 2 player game with split screens- (meaning me and Dad can play the game together) and it is AWESOME! You are basically playing as Templar Knights fighting against the Inquisition. We are only a little way into the game, but the action sequences are great and the storyline seems to be good.

I am playing the part of the sidekick and Dad is playing as the protagonist of the story. My first character got killed off in the first real action sequence, so I have since taken on the role of a female templar/assassin- which I much prefer to the bloodthirsty maniac I had before.

Dad's comments on the game: "It's fun. You get to slash people up... the fighting is not overly hard." To that, I must agree... the fighting is very easy, and my SISTER could probably handle it (for those of you who do not know, my sister is 4).

Well, that concludes today's post- til' Monday,

Maddie

YouTube Careers.... Not a Bad Idea?

The other day, me and Dad were talking about YouTube and how some YouTubers make a living off of simply posting videos. Currently, the most subscribed YouTuber is a gamer named "PewDiePie".

He has over 33 million subscribers as of today, and is estimated to make about $50,000 a month. Not bad for playing games, videotaping it and just posting once a day!

I believe that you are paid per $1 per 1000 views/likes/comments. Being this youtuber gets MILLIONS of views on each video (posting once a day), it is a pretty good job. Of course, you would have to be good at making videos and be sure that your audience would like your videos enough to watch them every day... but when you have the most subscribers, I don't think that that is a problem.

I still have my mineral to write up, so I am going to end my post here...


Maddie

Wizard101

I haven't been on Wizard101 in a LOOOOOONG time... so this weekend, I will try to go on and see whats been happening since I got off. I believe there are new magic schools.. it'll be hard picking up where I left off. I was in Celestia when I stopped playing, and I believe I was a level 56. I will try to get Dad to get on too... heck, maybe I can convince him to do a video with me! Probably not though, so don't expect it. I don't know the slightest thing about how to record games.

Do I have any readers who play Wizard101? If so, leave your thoughts on the game in the comments... if not, check it out! It is a free-to-play family game, a multiplayer, and very fun. It DOES require download, but it has not given me any problems, and it has been installed to my computer for over 2 years now. Basic gameplay is free, but at a certain point you are given the option to pay for the rest of the game.

Well, I still have one more blog to do so I will end the post here.

Maddie

About

If you go to your facebook profile, you will notice that you can write a little about yourself... I find this very stupid. If I add you on facebook, you're obviously my friend.... and if you are my friend you know more about me than I would be able to put into that little box. Otherwise, you are just providing more information than necessary for creeps and stalkers!!!

Personally, I keep my profile blocked from anyone except my friends/family. Anyone who I haven't added doesn't need to see my wall. There are still many things that people can do to permanently get you off of facebook, though... such as claiming you are dead and turning your page into a memorial wall. And the sad part about claiming you are dead is facebook doesn't do good background checks- anyone can do it.

All you need to do is link to the obituary page- but being facebook doesn't do background checks, someone could just use someone with a similar name to you and claim it is you. This has actually happened to a few people... it is very scary what people can do. Once your page has been turned, the person, if they claim to be family, can ask for your password I believe... and completely hack your account.

Maddie

A Synopsis of Chapters: The Power of Positive Thinking

Synopsis of Chapters

Chapter 1: Believe in Yourself

During this chapter, Peale describes his meeting with a business man in his late forties who tells him his concern of not achieving anything in life. He says “If I succeed, it means everything to me. If I fail, I am done for.” Peale tells him to calm down and that if he succeeds, great. If he fails, tomorrow is another day to try again. The man has very little disbelief in himself. Peale gives him a few words of prayer to repeat and shows him the brighter side of his situation, and in just a few weeks, the man is back on track and not gloomy.

Another man meets Peale, telling him how he used to be popular when he was younger, but now he is old and washed up. Peale sits and tells him that while he might not be the life of the party anymore, to think of all the things that he has achieved and DOES have. He and Peale make a list of “assets” that the man has in his life- a strong marriage with his wife, strong and supportive friends, loving children. The man realizes that he has a lot to be thankful for, and turns his life around.

I think that making a list to remind you of how good you are is a great idea…. People should do it more often. Sometimes all you need to get yourself out of a rut is a little reminder to yourself of what you have and…. Not to sound egotistical but how GREAT you are!

Chapter 2: A Peaceful Mind Generates Power

In this chapter, Peale helps a restless man find sleep by the help of prayer- and another man’s tip. The men begin talking about how they slept the previous night, and while one man barely slept, having heard trouble before closing his eyes, the other man slept soundly- he had read the same troubling news as the first man, but had given himself time to digest it, and then had prayed before bed. Peale talked to the man and prayed with him over the phone, explaining that it is best to relax before bed, rather than intercept troubling news.

A technique used in this chapter is a very good one- talk calmly and things will be calm. Talk about calming things and you will feel calm.  It’s actually very good- and true. When I talk about baking, or cool, relaxing place, I tend to feel calm and cool. However, when I am yelling about something stupid, like whether or not I should go outside, I tend to get hot under the collar and annoyed.

It makes sense- talk about good things, be in a good mood. Talk about crappy, pointless things and yell, be in a crappy mood.

Chapter 3: How to Have Constant Energy

Like our emotions have an effect on our mood, they also affect our energy levels. Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel entirely unproductive and like you have just sat around all day doing ABOSLUTELY NOTHING? According to Peale, it has to do with our outlook and attitude about the day.

If you convince yourself that you are tired, and aren’t going to get anything done, your brain will believe it after awhile. And once your brain believes that you ACTUALLY ARE tired, it sends signals to your muscles, and you wind up doing nothing all day but slouching around complaining. If you are going to send signals to your brain, make them productive ones at least.

The final technique taught in this chapter goes hand in hand with the first- if you start feeling your energy drain, remind yourself with a passage from the bible: “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” “Recharge” yourself with prayer- read the bible and calm yourself, then try working again.

Chapter 4: Try Prayer Power

This chapter basically goes over prayer, and how powerful it is… to the right person. Peale describes prayer as the most powerful thing in the universe- “You’re not using a kerosene lamp for illumination, you’re using the most up to date lighting when you pray.” He describes basically what he has been through in the previous chapters.

Prayer is refreshing, it digs you out of SO many ruts in life, it gives you strength, confidence and energy to live your life to the fullest… as long as you use it right and keep doing it.

Chapter 5: How to Create Your Own Happiness

Peale talks about the simplicity of happiness in this chapter- how easy it is to just- BE HAPPY. He talks of a television show host who has an old man on the show as a guest. The old man is very happy, and upon being asked why he is so happy, he responds with: “I just am. When I roll out of bed in the morning, I have a choice- to be happy or unhappy. And I choose to be happy.” That is literally as simple as it is too..

Happiness IS indeed a choice. Only we can cause our own feelings, and only we are in charge of them. Whether you decide upon happiness at the start of your day affects the outcome of your day- gloominess will give you a miserable day, while looking at things with a bit of light may give you are happier day. Once again- it all depends on YOUR perspective.

Peale asked his young daughter what made her happy. She replied: “I don’t know, I just am. My schoolmates make me happy, going to Sunday school makes me happy, being with my family and brothers and sister makes me happy.” Only such simple things are needed to be happy: Friends, family, prayer… not big things like money, or cars, or anything fancy. Just small things can make a day- like a beautiful sunset. It costs nothing but yet can mean everything.

Chapter 6: Stop Fuming and Fretting

We ALL have those days where EVERYTHING “sets us off”. Peale says that our emotions get the best of us and we act foolishly- fussing and, well, fuming over every little thing. Peale tells of taking a relaxing walk in the woods with his wife to let go off some of his troubles. Finding a quiet place, they sit down and relax, listening to nature when they are disrupted by young people walking through the woods blasting music on a radio.

Him and his wife were trying to enjoy nature and were interrupted by the group of young people. They were nice enough, but the music was annoying. Presently they carried on, leaving Peale and his wife to wonder why they didn’t just sit back and enjoy nature’s music- birds chirping, the wind whistling through the trees, the sounds in the faint distance…

Peale then tells of a trip to visit his son in New England, and how his wife pointed out beautiful sights that he sped by. He felt so guilty that he drove a mile back to enjoy the beautiful scenery with her. I think that the lesson in this chapter is- don’t waste your time being angry about little things… don’t waste beautiful moments in life. Life goes so fast, and we go with it, and if we don’t stop, we miss all of the best sights… kind of like Peale. The only difference is, you can’t go back.

Chapter 7: Expect the Best and Get it

In this chapter, Peale tells about expectations. Take me going into a tournament, for example… If I go into my tournament expecting to lose, it de-motivates me and triggers my brain (like in previous chapters). Then, by the time I am ready to compete, I have deflated myself SO much that I don’t give my performance my all, and end up losing because of it… so technically, if you expect the worst, you will get the worst.

However, expecting the best is a different story. Expecting the best doesn’t guarantee you’ll GET the best- it just gives you more hope and more incentive, which often times motivates you enough where you get the best anyway. The lesson taught in this chapter is what Peale calls “God’s Beauty Parlor”.

One day, a beautiful woman came to see Peale. She had a sharp attitude and a prim, tight face. She demanded an answer to her dilemma- she wished to be married. Peale talked with her for a bit, and finally gave her her answer. He told her she had to loosen up a bit- no man wanted to feel dominated. She also needed to lose the tightened lines in her face, which were not complimenting at all, and dress up a bit. She thanked him for his strange but thoughtful advice and left.

Some 12 years later after a speech, Peale was approached by a beautiful woman with a little boy and a husband on her arm. It was the very same woman Peale had helped so many years ago, and she was so changed that he didn’t even recognize her at first. She took his advice and lightened up a bit, and changed her appearance- and she soon found a husband and she now had a 10 year old boy. It just goes to show what a LITTLE change can do… and a little expectance.

Chapter 8: I Don’t Believe in Defeat

This is a very interesting and encouraging chapter- Peale tells the readers to let go of any challenges standing in their way, and not to think about them repeatedly and bring yourself down. He tells of a boy with a very smart mother who strives for her son to be intelligent like her… but gets annoyed when he doesn’t get good grades.

The boy tells Peale how he stresses constantly over tests and assignments, brought down by his low self esteem and his mother’s harsh words. Peale tells the boy to forget all about the criticism and ignore all the barriers blocking him from good grades- just say a prayer before a test or exam and after to help. The boy, after practicing what Peale told him for a few weeks, got much better marks on his homework.

Honestly, it is good advice- if something is challenging you, go at it open mindedly! Don’t constantly think about how you can’t- because after all, can’t is only “can” with a t!

Chapter 9: How to Break the Worry Habit

In this chapter, Peale teaches you how to handle worry. He describes worry as “just a bad habit”, and habits can be as easily broken as they are to fall into. This habit is actually deadly- tests have been done, and it is shown that people who worry too much tend to live shorter lives than people who have learned to let go of all their troubles.

Surveys have also showed that churchgoers and married couples live longer too… I guess that having a partner to ease your worries takes them away, little by little, and if that doesn’t work, just give your troubles to the Lord! Peale’s method in this chapter is quite simple: Picture yourself in your head with no worries. Clear your mind of any stress, and imagine yourself as having no worries at all.

But your mind will not stay worry-free for a very long time, so you must fill it with something else- prayer and words of the Lord. Pray and let your troubles go free- and live a worry-free life.

Chapter 10: Power to Solve Personal Problems

Peale tells in this chapter of a successful business man and his wife. The man, Bill, was very successful and was at the top of the ladder in his company below the president, and was very happy- but then a new president took his place. The new president was quite different from the old one, and had different rules.

Peale had dinner with the family- the wife was FUMING over the switch, while Bill was quiet about it and not too troubled. Peale suggested that they give their troubles to the Lord, and sit in prayer for a minute about the situation. They prayed, and just a few months later, things got better. Bill liked the new president better than the old one, and his wife got to being friends with the president’s wife.

3 years later, Peale received a call from Bill’s wife, excited as could be- the old president had retired and in his place, Bill was going to be the new president! They all got together once more in prayer and thanked God for all he had done to help them… Basically, if you truly pray and believe, God WILL help you… though it may not be right away.

This draws to a close my paper… Norman Vincent Peale was a wonderful man with a great faith and a great mind. He helped many in his lifetime and through his writings is still helping people today. I would definitely recommend the Power of Positive Thinking to an avid reader and/or prayer.

Maddie 

Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking

I have been writing a report on Norman Vincent Peale- here is an excerpt from it.

Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking

~Report by Madison Nef~

About the author

Norman Vincent Peale is a minister and author. He graduated high school and earned degrees in the Boston University School of Theology and the Ohio Wesleyan School. He became the pastor of the Marble Collegiate Church and quickly became New York’s most famed pastor when the church’s crowd turned from 600 into 5000 people.

Peale published his first and most notable book, “The Power of Positive Thinking”, in 1952 and got a great deal of criticism from many people. The main reason for the criticisms was a few reasons. Because Peale was a Methodist, many people believed the “techniques” he used was just a form of hypnosis to switch their religion. The book also got criticism because many sources referred to in the book and many of the people are anonymous. 

Another criticism thrown against the book was that Peale did not allow his followers to see the bad side of things- only the good. To him there is no suffering, nothing wrong. I do not agree with this at all, because to be able to help people you have to have a sense of their pain yourself. Otherwise you are thoughtlessly blabbering untruths. And if you were trying to help someone, wouldn’t you want to block out negatives too, rather than focus on them?

Peale himself got a lot of criticism as he caused a lot of trouble with politicians. When JFK was elected, Peale criticized him because he was Catholic, saying that naturally he would help the Catholic Church rather than run the country properly. However, upon his passing, Bill Clinton spoke good words about him, saying he was an optimist who believed any problem could be fixed by the power of God.

He also got caught up in a fight with politician Adlai Stevenson… Stevenson was a presidential candidate and was told by a news reporter that Peale had been calling him “unfit for presidency” because he was divorced. When Stevenson stepped up to the podium to make one of his speeches, he said: “Speaking as a Christian, I find the Apostle Paul appealing and Peale appalling.” Many times he replied with this quote when asked about Peale.

However, Peale was very close to the Nixon family, and officiated the Nixon/Eisenhower wedding. During the Watergate crisis he continuously called the White House. In 1984, Ronald Reagan awarded him the highest civilian honor in the United States- the presidential medal of freedom- to thank him for his contributions to theology.

“The problem with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism” – Norman Vincent Peale

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!

Maddie

Chocolate Chip Cookies! (How to Video)

It's been an awful long time since I have done a baking video, so here is one! I have posted the recipe for the cookies in another post. Don't forget to check out my baking site!!!

www.maddiesbakeshop.weebly.com

Hope you like the video... it took me FOREVER to upload!

Maddie

Maple Fudge

I know, I know... this is the second recipe in a row. But trust me, after you try this fudge, you'll be thanking me. My grandma learned to make this from her mother when she was just 15, and after all those years remembers the recipe. It is very simple to make, and in fact, you only need 3 ingredients!

You Will Need:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Prep:
Mix together the cream and sugar in a frying pan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add your vanilla. Have a buttered pie plate ready. Use a soft ball test to know when your fudge is ready to be poured into the plate. Make sure that while the mixture is in the pan to constantly stir, so it doesn't cook onto the pan. Let it cool once in the pie plate for about 10-15 minutes, and then cut it into small squares.

And that's IT! It is SO easy to make... by the way, my baking site is FINALLY published! I have it up and running and will try to post 1 recipe per week at a minimum, sometimes more. On occasion there will be baking contests or "Baking Tips" or even tutorial videos. Here is the link, please check it out: www.maddiesbakeshop.weebly.com There is also a shop along with the site that is linked to amazon, so if you need any baking goods, you can get them from my store.

Maddie

Oatmeal Raisin and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today, snow is falling down hard in NH and me, my sister and my grandma have decided to make cookies! I will list the recipes down below and then put up some pictures... Here are our recipes. Oh yes, and I'd like to wish my BFF Alena a happy 14th birthday... she has been my best friend for 5 years now. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Oatmeal Dough

You Will Need:
2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 packed brown sugar
1/2 butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3 cups of oats
1 cup flour
1 cup of raisins
1 cup chocolate chips

Prep:

Heat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients except oats, flour and raisins/chocolate chips. Then add your flour and oats. Divide the recipe in half and then add your raisins to one batch and chocolate chips to another. Grease a baking sheet and drop balls of dough onto the sheet. Cook ten minutes per sheet.

Makes 3 dozen.

Fondant

I have firmly decided that I HATE fondant. My first class in fondant started yesterday- all I see fondant as is a messy, hard to work with, and not to mention disgusting tasting. I spent 2 hours working on ONE decoration. I think it is a waste of time- it becomes rock hard, so it makes it hard to eat when put on a cake. It also tastes terrible, so while you might get a lot of compliments on how pretty your cake is, no one will actually EAT your cake. To me, the best part of baking is watching others enjoy what I have made- I can achieve a beautiful cake that is still edible by using icing.

Also, when working with fondant, you often have to use a wonderful little confection called gum paste. For those who don't know what gum paste is, I'll shorten down the description: A block of white, sticky stuff to make your fondant more durable and to make it harden better. It comes in a plastic ziplock bag and is very tricky to break off a piece, let alone work it into the fondant. In the end, I got a really pretty bow that is currently hardening in my kitchen... but I doubt I'll ever use it on a cake for the reasons mentioned above.

If any of my readers use fondant frequently and have any tips for me, PLEASE leave them in the comments. It would be much appreciated.

Maddie