Hope Everyone Had a Happy Thanksgiving and Hanukkah!

So I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and Hanukkah! If you didn't know for the first time in 125 years Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fell on the same day! So I hope you had an extra special time on a once in a lifetime day!

Haiku Scholarship!

Three lines, 5-7-5, thats write we are talking about Haikus. Three of them to be exact. Haikus are a form of Japanese Poetry and usually pertain to nature.

The Nicholas A Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition is a competition for students who are in grades 7-12. The students must submit 3 original Haikus that haven't been previously published.

Deadline March 25 so you have some time
Top prize $150 not bad for 9 lines of poetry
Total of 6 winners


Advice
Check out previous winners Click here
How to write a Haiku Click here
See all the rules Click here

Feels Like Winter

OW baby its cold outside.....

As the day is starting to rap-up the first snow of the season has already fallen and started to melt. 

A Little bit of Poetry

An Opening

The rains of weep and weary

cast a shadow of sadness

over the hills and valleys

of mundane fortunes

Forever drenched

in a state of being

Forever fastened

to the network of time

Nothing moving

Till with dawn abreak

Through yonder clouds open

A colorful expansion

In a dull listless world

So what you just read was an original poem written by yours truly. I have really felt inspired to write more lately, probably the amazing scenery. The wonderful contrast between the bright fall colors to that of the night sky or still green brush makes for amazing ideas and inspiration. A couple weeks ago on a group outing I saw the best example of a fire. It was a little after dusk and the fire was low and hot. The    logs were just charcoaled enough to have a little bit of white on the very outside. Flames of blue shot out from the middle of the fire to sharply transfer to orange. The contrast between the black of night and the blue, orange, and white of the fire gave almost an unrealistic 3D effect, it was so breathtaking I was caught staring into the fire for ages. I really hope to be able to paint this soon so check back to see if I start anytime soon! Also have a poem you would like to share? I would love to read any suggestions you have, I might even review my favorites;)

A Run Down of my favorite K/J Pop bands!

Notice that I have not listed the bands in any order because I love them all, this is also not all the bands I listen to, just some of my favorites. There are a bunch of different styles and varieties so feel free to try out a couple!

Boy Bands

• Teen Top~ This band in my opinion should hold the best music video for their song Miss Right. I've loved this band and probably always will. I feel their members really work good together and you can hear it in the music.
• Block B~ I love this band because of their uniqueness and also there note range, this band can hit those low notes where most boy band focus on the high ones so it is a very nice break from the norm. My favorite song from them is Nillili Mambo.
• B.A.P.~ This band has a lot of different styles to it from pop with their song Crash to more rock with their song Warriors. This group makes a loud impression and is more for people who like rock or rap more.
• BigBang~ I think this band definitely takes most creative for their song Fantastic Baby. This band is really unique and has their own style that is very in tough with their countries culture but also with a lot of sci-fi elements to it.
• BTOB~ I really like this band because it has a lot of spanish flare to it, my favorite song form them is their song WOW.
• Super Junior~ The first song I heard from them was Super Girl and I was totally sold afterwards. Though their english is a little rusty it was a great song and their other hit singles are really fun and entertaining to listen too. As a plus I feel like this is a band that any age group can listen too and feel comfortable watching.
• Beast~ This is a band that has definitely been around for a while. This is the band that made me first start listening to K and J pop. Though they have definitely changed over the years the most current group is one to watch. Their song Midnight is something I would recommend.
• VIXX~ This band really caught my attention with their pop hit Rock Ur body, its totally catchy and made be want to listen some more.
• BoyFriend~ This is a band for all those heart swooning girls out there. Their song My Lady brings out the girl in every woman.

Girl Groups

• 5Dolls~ Is a really good current group that is pop with rap highlights in their songs. The first song I every listen to from the, and currently my favorite from them, is Like This Like That witch is about guys not being able to make up their minds over 2 girls. I think this is a song a lot of girls can relate to. I would highly recommend this group to both guys and girls of any age. 
• 4Minute~ I like this band a lot for there unique music videos such as What's Your Name, and their amazing vocals and music that incorporate different flare like in their music video Volume Up
• 9Muses~ I like this band not only for their great songs like Dolls, but also because they are one of the few groups that has the options of english sub in their videos. This is a great band for those of you who like to know what the singers are saying. 
• 2NE1~ This is a group that is always current especially with their songs Falling In Love and Follow Me. Their singers styles shine trough to their music and it makes the stuff much more interesting to watch and listen to.
• Sistar~ This is one of my favorite groups in general just because their songs like Give it to Me and MaBoy are so entertaining and catchy.

One Hit Wonder Songs

• EXO~ i just recently found this band but I already love them. I cain't tell you how many times I have already seen this music video, Growl, totally awesome and unique, great dancing guys.
• Trouble Maker~ this band is new in general and doesn't have very many song out yet so the only song I really listen to from this group is their debut song Trouble Maker
• Offroad~Im not sure if this is an official band or not as I have not been able to find much on them or their songs on iTunes but no matter their song Head Banging is so upbeat and catchy that it had to be put on this list.
• Secret~ I haven't investigated this band much but I do love their current music video out called Poison which is both interesting to watch and listen to.
• Girl's Day~ Is a band that has been out for a while but hasn't caught my attention much till this new girl power song came out that was completely different from their previous songs. Female President is an brilliant new direction for the group and many agree as it has jumped to the top of the charts in its first weeks of being released.
• WounderBoyz~ Is a band that hasn't gotten very much attention but has a very good twist on some very popular subjects. Their songs Circus and Tarzan are definitely ones to watch.

This Amazing World of Ours

Very few Facebook pages actually impress me but This Amazing World Of Ours is a great example of something that has resorted my faith in humanity. This "feel good" page shares inspirational photos  of this world and everything in it. The variety of the pictures is quite pleasing to the mind as you can have your fill of funny/cute pictures, inspirational pictures, scenic pictures, and even pictures trying to invoke social change. I'd thought I'd give a shout out to them today for a great job making me smile everyday!