(Photo by www.colleges.com/umagazines)

It is the same problem over and over again. You are in a bar or restaurant, at a sporting event or at the poolside and you do not know where to put your precious handbag. The ground is far too dirty but you don’t want to carry it all the time, either. Thankfully, a company from Irvin, California, has found a perfect solution for this female problem: Clipa Topcor designs products are very handy in the day-to-day and help to get through life a little more comfortably.

Clipa is a thoroughly thought through piece of jewelry for your handbag. It is a solid ring that opens very wide. Just leave it on the strap of your handbag to always have it with you and if you need to, you can just hang it anywhere with the Clipa. Due to its extra wide opening, Clipa works almost anywhere: tabletops, chairs, counters, sinks, rails and bathrooms to keep it away from germs. And whenever you are ready to take off, simply grab your bag and Clipa automatically falls back down the strap, ready to soon be used again.

But it does not only work for handbags. You can always have your Clipa with you as a bracelet or bangle. This way, it looks pretty and spices up your outfit and whenever you need it you can just take it off and use it for umbrellas, backpacks, diaper bags, totes or just anything you want to keep safe and off the ground.

It is available in eight different designs to make sure it fits your taste and your handbag perfectly. Furthermore, is it not only pretty, but also sturdy and so it may accompany you up to 12 years.

This handy piece should not be missed. It is convenient, pretty and versatile. With the Clipa, you never have to worry about where to put your handbag again. And it also is a great idea for a present: in the end, every woman could use a Clipa.

Check it out.

Check out Jordyn Schara’s interview below! Not familiar with Jordyn’s story? Click here!

Relate: When did you first become passionate about this situation and this project and how did it come to light for you? Did something happen to help you see the effects of it?

Jordyn: I started off as kind of wanting to do a project and I definitely wanted to do one about the environment as so I started researching the different problems we were having. I found out about the problem of people disposing of their medicine down the toilet and it was something I had never heard of before and it had never been brought up in any of my classes. Basically, I thought it was something I should touch on because it’s a serious problem. Once I started reading more into it, I realized how serious of a problem it was and I better definitely address it and so I started a project on it [for a personal thing].

Relate: If you had an opinion, why is this drug issue maybe not being brought to light? Why would you say these organizations didn’t help address this problem with you at the beginning?

J: I think it was just an issue where it didnt seem like something that seriously needed to be addressed in this day and age. I don’t think anybody really understood the seriousness of this problem. Once I started researching this more, it was very serious. Even when I was trying to get help from government officials and getting grants and everything, everyone just told me “no” you’re only 14, you can’t do this. No, don’t even try.” And everyone was just telling me ”No, no, no I can’t” and so finally once I started getting grants and getting money and making this project happen, it was kind of a newsflash for everybody that even though I am just a freshman in high school, I can do things in my community.

R: What would you say to teens who are reluctant to stand up and say something thinking, “I’m too young. No one is going to respect me?”

J: It’s something that you hear a lot, especially now when people are really thinking that teenagers are starting to actually get a voice and make a difference. It’s very small so far, but I think within the next few years it’s going to get bigger. 

R: What would you say to someone who says being “eco-friendly is too inconvenient and it takes too much time?”

J: I think they’re just looking at it all wrong. I wouldn’t say it’s an inconvenience; you just need to get out of the way that you’re doing things. Just because you’ve been doing it like that a long time before, doesn’t mean it’s the right way. There’s very little things that you can do and it changes the impact you have on your environment. It’s just to me a little bit of everything, then you’re actually making a huge bit of difference.

R: It sounds like you have been doing a lot of research on this. What is the level of harm from these drugs?

J: It’s causing a lot of problems. And not only is it causing problems in the environment; it’s causing the feminisation of fish, lots of different mutations, but it is causing huge problems in people. When you have birth control in water and there’s children and men drinking it, it’s going to cause some huge problems. It’s causing heart problems. It is showing signs of feminisation in men!

R: Your town was the first dropoff location created for these drugs. What should communities and citizens be doing to keep people informed and keep these problems from occuring?

J: I would definitely say start one of these projects. Now that I have started in my town, I am making a format on how to make it and it’s really simple once you get down to it. It’s really easy and the benefits are huge.  It makes your town such a better place and the way it helps the environment is just fantastic. If you’ve ever started a project before, it’s hard but the benefits definitely outweigh the hard parts. Even just partnering with another community and getting more in the county. It’s a great thing. It’s definitely helpful.

R: Have you personally experienced teens in your community and near you abusing these drugs?

J: Oh yeah, you hear about it all the time. I live in a small town and you still hear about it in the hallway; [someone] talking about a party on Saturday and this happened and that happened. It’s definitely a big thing. A lot of adults don’t realize it because they are still on the marajuana and all the well-known drugs. The problem is a little bit more close to home when the drugs are more easy access. You definitely hear about it.

R: What is your response to these people as a freshman and a new person in high school?

J: Well, it’s not worth it. A lot of people my age don’t understand the dangers of what they’re taking. There are huge dangers with it; you can’t just take something and think just because Aunt Martha took it to help her arthritis, it’s going to work just fine for you. A teen just died in our area from prescription drug abuse, so it’s a big thing.

R: What would you say leadership means to you, as you have taken on this role as a leader in your community?

J: I think leadership is a big thing. If you’re always following in someone else’s path, then you’re really never going to stand out. These problems that are in your community aren’t always being addressed and someone needs to stand up and address them, so why not you? I feel it’s my responsbility as a member of the community and a citizen of the world that I need to stand up and address these problems that are being presented.

Have you noticed the difference between how girls treat each other as opposed to how boys treat each other? Girls’ insecurities prevent them from having really close relationships with most girls. When I talk to teenage girls, it seems to be the one topic that causes them the most anxiety. It comes up time and time again how they have to adjust their personality, walk on egg shells, not voice their feelings- so they don’t get shunned and have vicious rumors spread about them from other girl’s.

I remember girls being snotty, but not vicious.

One question that came up in one of my girls circles was, “I have this sort-of friend that is my friend one week and then she is someone else’s best friend the next week. She really doesn’t treat me well, but if I tell her why I don’t want to be her friend, she will shun me and spread vicious rumors that aren’t true and ruin my reputation. How do I walk away from unhealthy relationships without those consequences?”

Here are 5 ways to protect your self from unhealthy friendships:

1. Be yourself and set good boundaries around the way your friends treat you. If you are hanging around with mean girls, ask yourself why? It could be that your self-esteem needs some attention.

2. Start saying NO to things that aren’t good for you. It automatically makes you feel better about who you are.

3. Eliminating those girls, it leaves room for better friends to come in. Don’t be afraid to tell a friend that you don’t like the way she is treating you. If her response is something to the effect of “Whatever, get over it” ask yourself if you want a friend that doesn’t care about your feelings…Probably not!

4. The more you take care of yourself, the more confidence you have, the better you feel about yourself. The better you feel about yourself, the more confident you are and the more likely you will make better decisions. Then, you will start attracting friends that treat you better.

5. And last but not least, make sure you’re not a mean girl. If you are treating other girls poorly, ask yourself: “If I was in her shoes, would I like being treated that way?” If not, see how you can change your actions to be a better friend.

For the next few weeks, start looking at your current relationships and make some healthy choices in the friend department. Ask yourself  questions regarding each friend.

Is this a friendship that is making me feel good, and do I deserve more?

Am I the type of friend that I would want to have? Be really honest with yourself. Be the friend you want as a friend.

Debra Beck, Author of My Feet Aren’t Ugly, A Girl’s Guide To Loving Herself From The Inside Out

Debra@myfeetarentugly.com

Before the series began airing in January, the show Life Unexpected was marketed toward fans of Gilmore Girls. While the shows have an executive producer in common, and maybe a few mother/daughter moments (some nice, some, well, not so much), Life Unexpectedreally does have that likeability factor that keeps you tuning in every week.

(Photo by cwlifeunexpected.com)

Brittany Robertson stars as Lux Cassidy, a fifteen-year-old who, in her quest to become emancipated after spending her entire life in foster care, finds her biological parents. She is quirky and defensive and somehow manages to make poor choices every time, but she also calls things as she seems them and really, truly wants nothing more than to be accepted as she is. Lux has difficulty adjusting to life with parents and wanting to stay in touch with the friends she had made while in the foster care system who understood her before but now suddenly don’t seem to get her at all.

Shiri Appleby (Roswell) stars as Cate Cassidy, Lux’s mom who is also a “Morning Madness” radio show host. Cate is a perfectionist who excelled in school but was also attracted to “Baze,” her complete opposite. Cate decided to give their baby up for adoption. She had been comforted by the social worker who convinced Lux would be adopted right away, but now must come to terms with the fact that her baby spent those years in foster care and is now in her life. Cate fumbles terribly in her first attempts at parenting, but it’s the fact that she cares so much that makes her so forgivable.

Kristoffer Polaha (Mad Men) stars as Nathaniel “Baze” Bazile. Baze is the type of guy who doesn’t seem to ever want to grow up as he is trying to make a business of a bar in a building owned by his father. He’s not the responsible guy at all, but he is the one that bonds instantly with Lux. And maybe that attraction to Cate isn’t quite something he grew out of, either.

Kerr Smith (Dawson’s Creek) stars as Ryan, Cate’s co-host on their radio show and her fiancée. He provides further tension between Cate and Baze, the third component of the love triangle and not the man who knew her then but knows her now. Or so he thinks.

They’re all trying to grow up and adjust and learn from each other. The show is filmed in Vancouver and although it wasn’t up for early renewal by the CW, it is still in contention. Tune in to the CW on Monday evenings to find out how unexpectedly easy it is to fall in love with this show.

Imagine going behind the scenes at film and video shoots…

Traveling to exotic locations and house sitting luxurious mansions…

Getting tickets to sold out concerts…

Sound wonderful? Now imagine getting paid almost $100,000 to do so. Think it’s too good to be true? If you’re interested in becoming a celebrity assistant, all these perks could be part of your everyday life.

The responsibilities of a celebrity assistant vary, but any girl interested in becoming one must be organized. Celebrity assistants not only take care of a household but they screen incoming calls and messages, run errands like grocery shopping, schedule appointments, coordinate transportation and travel arrangements. You must be able and willing to do those everyday tasks that the average person does for herself that the celebrity doesn’t have time to do. And that can mean any number of things, even the unexpected, so anyone interested in being a PA must be able to handle pressure and many tasks at once.

If all this sounds like something you might be interested in pursuing and you’re asking what you can do now to get a job as a celebrity assistant, develop essential computer skills such as typing and word processing. Consider working as a secretary and work your way up to assist top level management. An entry-level position can not only be a stepping stone, but going through these experiences will tell you whether or not you would even enjoy being an assistant to a celebrity, as many of the responsibilities are the same. Take etiquette classes, learn how to plan parties and volunteer to help friends and family with gift buying because those responsibilities are often passed on to assistants.

Also, choose the type of celebrity you would like to be an assistant for. If you have an interest in writing, consider working for someone in that field because the more you know, the better.

To find the job opening you are interested in, you must learn to network. Work for a public relations firm, a talent agency or a celebrity’s manager, lawyer, accountant or production company. A quick search on the Internet can help you find agencies and professional organizations that will help you find that job you want.

Most of all, a celebrity assistant must be discreet and someone a celebrity can trust because you will learn all about his or her daily life, including personal secrets. Do you think you could handle the pressure? Assistants really do get to see how the other half lives, but along with the opportunities and good times come a lot of responsibilities!!

What does this look like to you?

Yep. It’s just what it looks like- a bag of trash…but not just any trash. It’s prescription drugs.

Believe it or not, the disposal of old or expired medications in households affects our environment drastically, harming wildlife and dirtying drinking water. Can you imagine ingesting a drug for your grandfather’s arthritis through a glass of seemingly refreshing ice water? The hormones and chemicals show up not only in groundwater, but in lakes, rivers and ponds as well.  

You can’t just flush them down the toilet or put them in the trashcan…and you can’t leave them in your cabinet, either.

And non disposal? Well, that’s just as much of a problem, as they are accessible to young teens and kids who actually have what they call pharm parties. They’ll mix different medications together for some serious dangerous results.

Sound crazy? It is. But it’s true. A passionate teen has done the research- it was reported more than 2.1 million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 abused prescription drugs in 2006 alone. And over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medication is a very common way for teens to get high.

Teen and Reedsburg, Wisconsin native Jordyn Schara created “the first teen-driven, self-sustainable, drug collection program in the world” in her own town. The program, called Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal (P2D2), seeks to create a permanent drop-off location year-round for the proper disposal of these medications and drugs, covering all costs for the incinerators to destroy them.

Through her efforts and the help of the community, Jordyn has raised over $7,000 in her community to cover the costs of hazerdous waste disposal at $3 per pound. She received a local grant to gather funds for future events, and P2D2 is now in six states and responsible for the collection of about 100,000 pounds worth of drugs! 

HELP JORDYN SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE AND PROPER MEDICATION DISPOSAL!

Write to your state lawmakers and appeal to them about this serious problem. “Educating the public is the only way to stop the environmental damage we are doing to our world and the only way to save our teens from prescription drug abuse, which is also why I am sending packets of information to other municipalities,” Jordyn said.

How old is this talented, driven girl, you might ask? She’s 15. But she began this project at 14. The Environmental Protection Agency, the WI Department of Natural Resources and the Drug Enforcement Agency turned her away and told her she couldn’t do anything. But once her local police department realized how determined she would remain, they purchased an incinerator and enthusiastically chipped in.

So if you’re thinking you’re too young, think again.

Be on the lookout for Relate’s interview with Jordyn. She has some really interesting things to say!

It’s funny how someone comes up with an idea to make a craft or to even write about something. We got this craft idea from Hobby Lobby. We were walking around the store before Valentine’s Day, and we saw these signs that were hanging up in the holiday section. There were different hanging signs that represented Valentine’s Day.

We saw this one sign that we wanted to make. It was a painted love sign with red gems on it. There were no plain wooden signs up in that section, so we asked where they were. We were told that they were in the back. So we went to the back to look at the sign. We did not find a hanging sign like we wanted, but we did find one that stood up. So we picked it up and looked to see what we could use to decorate it.

What you will need:

• A wood sign
• Paint
• Paint brush
• Gems
• Elmer’s glue
• Newspaper

This is simple to do. They only thing that you need to do is to paint the sign. Don’t forget every part of it. We painted everything but the very bottom where it stood up. That doesn’t mean that you can’t paint it. We just didn’t want to have to pull off more of the newspaper. Let it dry, and then you will want to at least put another coat of paint on the sign to fill in cracks and make a deeper tone. When the sign is dry, and you do not want to add any more paint, then you take the gems out and glue them onto your sign. For this craft, we did not use any special glue. The only kind that we used was just regular Elmer’s- anyone can do this, regardless of age!

You can decorate the sign any way that you would like and for any holiday- what about Easter, Mother’s Day, Christmas? There are many options, so you don’t have to just stick with the way we do it. When you are done, you can put the sign up in your room on a shelf or desk or give it to someone else for a present.

Happy Decorating.

Hey girls, it’s time to get inspired! We talk the talk, but can we walk the walk? And yes, that’s right—we don’t have to be models to show off who we are!

It’s all about wearing your heart on your hands.

(Photo by alefbet.com)

It’s overwhelming when all of the pressures of the world fall down on us!

But one thing I am able to remember through the sin and hardships life brings is to live life to the fullest, to be brave and to pray continually.

How do I remember this? I wear a few simple rings on my fingers. These are rings my mom has gotten me over the years, ones which have inspirational phrases written on them.

Whenever I’m feeling a loss of hope, I look down at my hands and read the rings I wear.

One ring reads:

“Love Life. Be Brave.“

When I read this, I remember that life is a precious gift from God and it’s meant to be filled with happiness. I’m able to cherish life most after I read the “Be Brave” part. Life is full of sin and anguish. But when I seek God with my entire heart, I’m more confident I’m able to overcome obstacles and enjoy life to its fullest.

Another ring I wear has a cross on it. My parents got it for me for graduation and it represents good judgment and positive decisions. Whenever I find it hard not to mesh with the world, I look down at my cross and remember God put me here to represent Him in all I do.

The third ring I wear says,

“Trust”

Trusting in God has been one of my struggles. But when I read it, it’s like God speaking to me and telling me that He will fulfill his promise for me here on Earth.

These three rings I wear inspire me to live life in a positive way.

What phrase inspires you? Chances are they make a ring with your name on it!

What is the Yin Yang sign? To me, it’s a popular tattoo in the twenty-five cent machines at Wal-Mart. It’s a fun and common sign we love to draw but seldom know the meaning of. Recently, I learned it’s a very important representation of the ancient Chinese understanding of how life works.

Yes, the Yin Yang sign unveils deep meaning. The outer circle represents the “everything” of this life while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called “yin” (black) and “yang” (white), which cause the “everything” to happen. They are not completely black or white, just as things in life are not completely black or white, and they cannot exist without each other.

While “yin” would be dark, passive, downward, cold, contracting and weak, “yang” would be bright, active, upward, hot, expanding and strong.

The shape of the yin and yang sections of the symbol actually gives you a sense of the continual movement of these two energies, yin to yang and yang to yin, causing everything to happen just as things expand and contract, and temperature changes from hot to cold.

If Yang is overly powerful, then Yin may be too weak. If Yin is particularly strong, then Yang is apt to be defective.

If the male force is overwhelming, then there will be excessive heat. If the female force is overwhelming, then there will be excessive cold.

The Chinese use this to diagnose medical illnesses. For example, exposure to repeated and severe heat will induce chills in the body. Cold injures the body while heat injures the spirit.

When the spirit is hurt, severe pain will ensue. When the body is hurt, there will be swelling. Then, when severe pain occurs first and swelling comes on later, one may infer that a disharmony in the spirit has done harm to the body.

Likewise, when swelling appears first and severe pain is felt later on, one can say that a dysfunction in the body has injured the spirit.

Overall, Chinese use this symbol as a framework to their intellectual ways. Without this symbol, balance would be a hard to acquire.

Who knew a cool design could mean so much to culture?

The Day After Tomorrow

by Sandee Sgarlata

This little book packs a powerful message about forgiveness. It is a short story in the first person form which resembles a journal entry. It chronicles a few short days in the life of fictional character Julia Monroe. Julia typifies the modern-day teen girl-critical, obsessed over body image and annoyed with her parents. As a result of a difficult situation, Julia learns how forgiveness of others, as well as herself, can lead to joy and peace.

We know this is vague, but you’ve just got to read the book! Check it out!

Any reviews of your own on this read? Comment, ladies.