How not to get broken by the holiday break
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Just seven more days until Christmas, which for many of us means a trip -- maybe a short one, maybe a loooong one -- to visit family for the holiday break. The thrill! The excitement! The adventure!
Yeah, not really.
It can be great hanging out with grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, or even parents we don't see as often as we'd like, but it can also bring stress and tension and general awkwardness. You know, the stuff nobody wants to talk about because it's kind of a downer at a time when we're all supposed to be jolly and generous. And traveling itself is often a drag and sometimes, if you're unlucky thanks to weather or other circumstances, downright disastrous.
You can't control what your family members or nature or cars and planes are going to do, but you can take charge of your own destiny here and make this holiday trip as much of a "vacation" as you possibly can. Here's some advice from our Family Vacations section:
Wherever you spend the next week or two, whether it's on a cruise ship or Aunt Mildred's house or just at home sweet home, we hope you have some quality time with yourself and the people who are most important to you!
Yeah, not really.
It can be great hanging out with grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, or even parents we don't see as often as we'd like, but it can also bring stress and tension and general awkwardness. You know, the stuff nobody wants to talk about because it's kind of a downer at a time when we're all supposed to be jolly and generous. And traveling itself is often a drag and sometimes, if you're unlucky thanks to weather or other circumstances, downright disastrous. You can't control what your family members or nature or cars and planes are going to do, but you can take charge of your own destiny here and make this holiday trip as much of a "vacation" as you possibly can. Here's some advice from our Family Vacations section:
- Tips for surviving the Getting There part of your holiday.
- "Togetherness" ain't always a good thing, but here are some ideas for Keeping the Peace among family members.
- Dealing with Relatives can be challenging and yucky; read our suggestions on how to make the most of that challenge (and yuckiness).
- As always, check out what other IML'ers have written about memorable family vacations, and how they survived to tell the tale!
Wherever you spend the next week or two, whether it's on a cruise ship or Aunt Mildred's house or just at home sweet home, we hope you have some quality time with yourself and the people who are most important to you!
Spend, Save, and Share with the Moonjar Moneybox
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This is the time of year where everything that's stressful and confusing about money gets AMPLIFIED TIMES 100. Your family members are probably spending money, but also complaining about spending money. Charities and fundraisers are asking for money. You might be getting extra money as a gift or for doing holiday-related jobs and chores, but what should you do with it? Everywhere you look, there are messages to buy, buy, buy...usually coupled with messages to save, save, save (as in special sales and discounts).
GAH.
As you know, here at IML we offer a lot of advice on how to deal with money matters, as in Making Money, Managing Money, and getting Spending Smarts. We are always on the lookout for useful tools that will help tweens not just learn about money, but also make a plan for how to deal with it realistically and positively. Maybe even in a way that will set you up with good financial habits for life.
Recently, we discovered something called the Moonjar Moneybox, and we think it's pretty fantastic. The main idea behind it is this: "Throughout many cultures, there is a respect for money's three distinct purposes: spending, saving, and sharing." So the Moonjar is a bank, but it is a bank that encourages you to divide up your money into these categories by offering three separate containers for cash you want to Spend, Save, and Share. Spend would be money you want to bring with you to the fair for a souvenir, for instance, or a trip with friends to the arcade. Save is, of course, money you're stashing away for a big ticket item you've got your eye on, or for pocket cash on an upcoming vacation. Share would be money you'd like to donate to a local charity, or to buy your sister a birthday gift.
It's up to you to figure out how to divvy things up. You can split your money evenly across all three, or you can change it up depending on what's most important to you from one week to the next. We love that the Moonjar encourages us to think about our personal goals, wishes, and positive experiences. It's a great way to make a budget that works both for the things that stay the same in our lives and the things that change.
The Moonjar Moneybox comes with a "Passbook" to help you keep track of how much money you put in each jar, a rubber band to keep the three pieces together, and a guide to help you make a plan that works best for you. You can find it at online retailers as well as Toys R Us, and get more information at www.moonjar.com.
GAH.
As you know, here at IML we offer a lot of advice on how to deal with money matters, as in Making Money, Managing Money, and getting Spending Smarts. We are always on the lookout for useful tools that will help tweens not just learn about money, but also make a plan for how to deal with it realistically and positively. Maybe even in a way that will set you up with good financial habits for life.
Recently, we discovered something called the Moonjar Moneybox, and we think it's pretty fantastic. The main idea behind it is this: "Throughout many cultures, there is a respect for money's three distinct purposes: spending, saving, and sharing." So the Moonjar is a bank, but it is a bank that encourages you to divide up your money into these categories by offering three separate containers for cash you want to Spend, Save, and Share. Spend would be money you want to bring with you to the fair for a souvenir, for instance, or a trip with friends to the arcade. Save is, of course, money you're stashing away for a big ticket item you've got your eye on, or for pocket cash on an upcoming vacation. Share would be money you'd like to donate to a local charity, or to buy your sister a birthday gift. It's up to you to figure out how to divvy things up. You can split your money evenly across all three, or you can change it up depending on what's most important to you from one week to the next. We love that the Moonjar encourages us to think about our personal goals, wishes, and positive experiences. It's a great way to make a budget that works both for the things that stay the same in our lives and the things that change.
The Moonjar Moneybox comes with a "Passbook" to help you keep track of how much money you put in each jar, a rubber band to keep the three pieces together, and a guide to help you make a plan that works best for you. You can find it at online retailers as well as Toys R Us, and get more information at www.moonjar.com.
Green Holiday Idea #2: Wrappin' It Up
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One of the things that gives us instant holiday blues: all those piles
of post-gift-opening wrapping paper, crumpled and used and pretty darn
sad. It's sad because the hoopla is over, but it's extra-sad because
that's a lot of wasted paper. Did you know that half of the paper
consumed in the U.S. every year is used to wrap and decorate stuff?
Even if we're normally good about saving paper, it seems like the
holidays are a time when people forget about conserving resources. But
presents need to be pretty, right?
Ah,
but that's where you can really have some fun! Wrapping doesn't have to
mean cutting a huge swath of store-bought printed paper. It can be a
chance to get creative and express yourself, and make your gift
extra-special because you did something different and original with it.
Here are a few ideas:
And then it's time for the finishing touches! Give your gift some bling such as fabric or reused bows and ribbons, or take a walk in your backyard and scoop up leaves, fir or cedar branches, pine cones, and sticks. (Avoid berries, since they can be poisonous to young kids and pets.)
If you create something truly fantastic, snap a photo and email to us at itsmylife@pbs.org!
Ah,
but that's where you can really have some fun! Wrapping doesn't have to
mean cutting a huge swath of store-bought printed paper. It can be a
chance to get creative and express yourself, and make your gift
extra-special because you did something different and original with it.
Here are a few ideas:- First, the "duh." Save wrapping
paper to reuse by opening it neatly. If you need a large sheet, try
collaging together smaller ones.
- Paper can be found
everywhere. The Sunday comics is a time-tested favorite, as is torn out
sheets from magazines. Where else? Think about old calendars, posters,
unused wallpaper, and even old road maps. Fancy them up if you need to
with a layer of clear or colored cellophane.
- Tear open
brown paper grocery bags and decorate the insides. Buy a roll of
"butcher paper" at a craft or art store. If something's small enough,
grab a brown paper lunch bag. Decorate with drawings, painting,
stickers, rubber stamps, words cut out from magazines, glitter, etc.
- Put
something pretty (a ribbon, some glitter, beads, etc.) between two
pieces of wax paper; ironing it will glue them together and make a
single, spectacular sheet for wrapping.
- Consider
fabric, too -- fabric scraps make great wrapping material. If you or a
family member like to sew, make reusable fabric gift bags that can
maybe even become a holiday tradition in your home.
- We have a ton of those gift bags lying around from gifts we've received in the past. Doesn't everyone? This is a great time to put them to use, even if they're not decorated with a holiday theme. Paint them, collage them, sticker 'em up. Even small paper shopping bags with store logos can be tricked out, and don't forget the good ole brown paper lunch sacks that might already be in your kitchen cabinet.
- If you just have to buy wrapping paper, look out for the kind that's biodegradable or has recycled content.
And then it's time for the finishing touches! Give your gift some bling such as fabric or reused bows and ribbons, or take a walk in your backyard and scoop up leaves, fir or cedar branches, pine cones, and sticks. (Avoid berries, since they can be poisonous to young kids and pets.)
If you create something truly fantastic, snap a photo and email to us at itsmylife@pbs.org!
Green Holiday Idea #1: Make Your Own Cards
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Did you know that there are enough greeting cards sold in the United
States each year to fill a building as long as a football field and at
least 10 stories high! That's a lot of paper, and most of it does NOT
go into the recycling bin!
There's
no better way to save paper (and money!) during the holidays than to
make your own cards for family, friends, teachers, and others in your
community you want to show some love this season. Start with some plain
solid-colored notecards or cardstock and try these ideas with items you
probably already have in your house (and are just waiting to get used!):
If you make a holiday card you're super proud of, scan it and email it to us so we can post it on this blog!
There's
no better way to save paper (and money!) during the holidays than to
make your own cards for family, friends, teachers, and others in your
community you want to show some love this season. Start with some plain
solid-colored notecards or cardstock and try these ideas with items you
probably already have in your house (and are just waiting to get used!):- Cut out images from wrapping paper, magazines, personal photos, and even last year's cards (if your family saved them) to make collages.
- Dig into your stock of stickers for funny images and accents.
- Fabric, ribbons, and buttons add a great artsy look.
- Check the kitchen for aluminum foil and cupcake sprinkles.
- If there's already a stock of craft supplies in your home, look for beads, glitter, pipe cleaners, sequins, felt, yarn, etc.
- Make a design on the computer and print it out, then glue onto the card.
- Go old school -- get some markers or crayons and DRAW!
- Peace sign
- Christmas tree
- Cross
- Planet Earth
- Heart
- Bunch of stars
- Picture of yourself
- Home
- Snowflake
- Snowman
- Santa
- Menorah
- The numbers "2012"
- Or anything you think your card recipient might like...
If you make a holiday card you're super proud of, scan it and email it to us so we can post it on this blog!
Expert thoughts on cyberbullying
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Are you sick of the word "cyberbullying"? We hope you are, because we hope you're hearing it a lot. We hope you're learning about it and talking about it and thinking about it. Because it's not simple, and it's not going away any time soon. Here at IML we're always trying to figure out what can be considered cyberbullying on our You Said It pages, so we were glad to have the chance to speak with Ryan Moreau, an expert in cyberbullying from KiwiCommons.com, a website that offers advice and information about Internet safety for young people. He has some great advice to help all of us better understand cyberbullying and protect ourselves -- and others -- against it.
IML: What counts as cyberbullying these days? Sometimes the line is a little blurry!
Ryan: Cyberbullying comes in many forms but typically includes harassing, hateful, or threatening messages, posts or material through the use of digital media. So what does this really mean? It means that a computer, mobile phone, digital camera, or any other Internet enabled device can become an avenue for cyberbullying if they're being used to potentially harm or make someone else even uncomfortable.
IML: If you think you're being cyberbullied but aren't sure, are there questions you can ask yourself to help figure out exactly what's going on? For instance, if someone is responding to you on a message board and they've hurt your feelings, what's the difference between them simply expressing a conflicting opinion or actually bullying and being cruel?
Ryan: The most important things you can ask yourself are: (1) is the behavior directed at me or another individual specifically, and (2) is it repetitive or a onetime occurrence? These two questions can also help us better define what counts as cyberbullying. You can also think about the question, is this person just generally cruel to everybody in the way they act online, or are they specifically acting this way towards me? Sometimes people act differently on the Internet because they feel it gives them the cover of anonymity. If this is how they act to everyone, they may be simply expressing themselves in a bad way; but if it is only towards you, then you may be being cyberbullied.
The other key thing to consider is whether or not the behavior or messages are being repeated. One mean message could just be a misunderstanding or misinterpretation, or even unintentional. But if you find that they keep doing it over and over, it's likely an attempt to be a bully or make you feel bad on purpose.
IML: How can a tween avoid being cyberbullied in the first place?
Ryan: It's extremely difficult to avoid being cyberbullied because you really can't control what other people on the Internet choose to do. One of the best things anyone can do is to be kind and courteous to the people they interact with on the Internet. Young people should practice positive digital citizenship in all of their online activities. Treat everything you do as if you were face to face not only with those people but also their close friends and family. Consider questions like, "Would I want my Grandma to see me saying these things?" Avoiding bullying is also a matter of not escalating situations to the level that they are cyberbullying. If we see or receive a cruel message or something that hurts our feelings, we shouldn't reply with a nasty response, since this could cause things to get much worse.
IML: If you find yourself a target of cyberbullying, what are your options for help? What can you do if you don't want to involve an adult?
Ryan: The best thing to do if you find you're the target of cyberbullying is to tell an adult; but even if you don't want to talk to an adult, there are some things we can do to help stop the problem. First, we should inform the bully that we feel they are bullying us and would like them to stop -- this should be done simply and nicely. All conversations, messages, or images should be recorded along with dates, times, and links to the websites so that we can prove there is a problem.
No matter how much we may want to be mean back to the bully, it's important that we don't become a bully ourselves. Instead, let the websites, message boards, or chat services know you think you're being bullied and provide a sample of what you recorded, and if you think the issue is serious you can report it anonymously to an organization like CrimeStoppers.
IML: Can you be cyberbullying without really intending to or being aware of it? Why does this happen so easily?
Ryan: It's actually very common to engage in cyberbullying without intending to or being aware that we are being a bully; in fact, most cyberbullying happens by accident. This happens so easily because people don't consider how others may interpret what they say or do online. When we don't consider that the people who see what we post on the Internet can't see our face or hear the tone of our voice, we forget that those things help people tell when we are joking.
We need to be very careful about everything we do on the Internet, especially what we say to and share with other people. We should always think twice and consider if that's something we would want said to us -- if not, we should take the time to rethink and reword our posts.
IML: That is great advice! Thank you so much for sharing these words of wisdom with us -- hopefully they'll help a lot of young people out there.
For more of IML's advice and information, check out our section on Online Bullying.
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Are you sick of the word "cyberbullying"? We hope you are, because we hope you're hearing it a lot. We hope you're learning about it and talking about it and thinking about it. Because it's not simple, and it's not going away any time soon. Here at IML we're always trying to figure out what can be considered cyberbullying on our You Said It pages, so we were glad to have the chance to speak with Ryan Moreau, an expert in cyberbullying from KiwiCommons.com, a website that offers advice and information about Internet safety for young people. He has some great advice to help all of us better understand cyberbullying and protect ourselves -- and others -- against it. IML: What counts as cyberbullying these days? Sometimes the line is a little blurry!
Ryan: Cyberbullying comes in many forms but typically includes harassing, hateful, or threatening messages, posts or material through the use of digital media. So what does this really mean? It means that a computer, mobile phone, digital camera, or any other Internet enabled device can become an avenue for cyberbullying if they're being used to potentially harm or make someone else even uncomfortable.
IML: If you think you're being cyberbullied but aren't sure, are there questions you can ask yourself to help figure out exactly what's going on? For instance, if someone is responding to you on a message board and they've hurt your feelings, what's the difference between them simply expressing a conflicting opinion or actually bullying and being cruel?
Ryan: The most important things you can ask yourself are: (1) is the behavior directed at me or another individual specifically, and (2) is it repetitive or a onetime occurrence? These two questions can also help us better define what counts as cyberbullying. You can also think about the question, is this person just generally cruel to everybody in the way they act online, or are they specifically acting this way towards me? Sometimes people act differently on the Internet because they feel it gives them the cover of anonymity. If this is how they act to everyone, they may be simply expressing themselves in a bad way; but if it is only towards you, then you may be being cyberbullied.
The other key thing to consider is whether or not the behavior or messages are being repeated. One mean message could just be a misunderstanding or misinterpretation, or even unintentional. But if you find that they keep doing it over and over, it's likely an attempt to be a bully or make you feel bad on purpose.
IML: How can a tween avoid being cyberbullied in the first place?
Ryan: It's extremely difficult to avoid being cyberbullied because you really can't control what other people on the Internet choose to do. One of the best things anyone can do is to be kind and courteous to the people they interact with on the Internet. Young people should practice positive digital citizenship in all of their online activities. Treat everything you do as if you were face to face not only with those people but also their close friends and family. Consider questions like, "Would I want my Grandma to see me saying these things?" Avoiding bullying is also a matter of not escalating situations to the level that they are cyberbullying. If we see or receive a cruel message or something that hurts our feelings, we shouldn't reply with a nasty response, since this could cause things to get much worse.
IML: If you find yourself a target of cyberbullying, what are your options for help? What can you do if you don't want to involve an adult?
Ryan: The best thing to do if you find you're the target of cyberbullying is to tell an adult; but even if you don't want to talk to an adult, there are some things we can do to help stop the problem. First, we should inform the bully that we feel they are bullying us and would like them to stop -- this should be done simply and nicely. All conversations, messages, or images should be recorded along with dates, times, and links to the websites so that we can prove there is a problem.
No matter how much we may want to be mean back to the bully, it's important that we don't become a bully ourselves. Instead, let the websites, message boards, or chat services know you think you're being bullied and provide a sample of what you recorded, and if you think the issue is serious you can report it anonymously to an organization like CrimeStoppers.
IML: Can you be cyberbullying without really intending to or being aware of it? Why does this happen so easily?
Ryan: It's actually very common to engage in cyberbullying without intending to or being aware that we are being a bully; in fact, most cyberbullying happens by accident. This happens so easily because people don't consider how others may interpret what they say or do online. When we don't consider that the people who see what we post on the Internet can't see our face or hear the tone of our voice, we forget that those things help people tell when we are joking.
We need to be very careful about everything we do on the Internet, especially what we say to and share with other people. We should always think twice and consider if that's something we would want said to us -- if not, we should take the time to rethink and reword our posts.
IML: That is great advice! Thank you so much for sharing these words of wisdom with us -- hopefully they'll help a lot of young people out there.
For more of IML's advice and information, check out our section on Online Bullying.
Meet tween entrepreneur Lily Sandler
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Thirteen-year-old Lily Sandler (pictured, right) doesn't shop the way she used to. A few years ago, she thought that things just popped up in stores, like magic. Now she knows how much work and decision-making goes into every single product available for sale, and how many people help it get there. That's because she and her sister, eleven-year-old Melanie (pictured, left), along with help from their parents, are the founders and owners of Blamtastic Luscious Lip Balm, which makes natural lip balms especially for young people.
IML spoke with Lily and her mom Renee about Blamtastic and their journey from a random idea to a successful, growing business.
IML: How did Blamtastic first come about?
Renee: It all started when I was reading in the Wall Street Journal about how few female CEO's there were in Fortune 500 companies. At that time there were only 12. I know women make up 50% of the workforce, so that didn't square up with me very well! I thought about my two girls, these girls who are going to go out into that workforce. I read the article to them and they said, that really stinks. I told them, "If you ever decide that you'd like to start a business of your own, I will support you, because I think that's the key to controlling your own destiny.
Lily: The idea for Blamtastic was kind of an accident. I was looking for my lip balm one day, and I said, "Mom, where's my lip blam...I mean balm!" And she said, "Wow, that would be a really good name for a lip balm company."
IML: So you had a cool idea. What was the first step from there?
Lily: We started by ordering a bunch of lip balm bases and we cooked them up in our kitchen. We saw what we liked and what we didn't like, then sent what we liked to a manufacturer and they made it for us. It was a really fun process.
Renee: At first, it was really just an experiment. As we started to play around with the product and get it out there to the community, we realized we had a good product to sell. Then the girls and I got together with their dad and decided, are we going to go for this and take it to the next level? Because if we are, we've got to get a business plan together and get funding, and get serious. So we decided to go for it.
IML: How did you first get the lip balms out there to...you know...lips?
Lily: At first we did a test run at the mall. We saw what people were more fond of, what they didn't like so much, and in the end it really did sell pretty well. We saw that this was something that people want and need on the market: a natural lip balm. A product that's been done over and over, but making it even better and taking it to the next level.
IML: How did you put together the lip balm flavors?
Lily: We ordered different scents and sweeteners, and we tried out what we liked out of certain smells. We narrowed it down to five flavors for boys and five flavors for girls. In the end, we had ten flavors we were going to launch in the first run.
IML: Did you invite your friends to try things out?
Lily: In the beginning, we would make a flavor and I would take it to school and see what my friends liked and what they didn't really go for as much. If they didn't like it, then we trashed it. If they did like it, then we gave it a try!
Renee: I think every neighbor on our street has participated in our testing!
IML: So nowadays, who does what in the company?
Renee: This is the girls' business; they started it, but they can't run it at the level we're at now. I work 60-80 hours a week and the girls participate when they can. Melanie is kind of the creative force behind things; she'll come up with ideas and flavors. Lily is the mouthpiece of Blamtastic...she likes to participate in promoting the company.
IML: Lily, do you and your sister get into disagreements about the business?
Lily: Well, aside from me and my sister fighting about normal sibling stuff all the time, we do have disagreements about the business. Whenever we have something we're not so sure about, we'll all talk about it as a family. By the end we always seem to come to a decision about what we've been wondering about and what we can do to solve our problem.
IML: It sounds like you make sure everyone's ideas get taken seriously.
Renee: The biggest conflicts we have about developing the product line is if I come up with a concept that's just not "cool"! Lily will say, "That is just not cool enough and nobody will ever buy that." They pull me back. They know what the customers want because as tweens, they basically are the customers.
IML: You give a portion of your company's profits to causes that you care about. Why do you feel it's important to do that?
Lily: When we started our business, that was always one of our top priorities: To give back to the community and help others in need. To be able to donate something out of your business really does make it more worthwhile and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside.
IML: Lily, what have you learned about yourself during this whole experience?
Lily: It's been a great way to help me get in touch with my family. We've had a lot of disagreements and in the end we've been able to come through for each other, and it all comes down to the family and what we've been doing to support our business.
IML: What's your advice to other tweens who would love to start their own business?
Lily: First of all, I would like to say that starting a business is a huge commitment. But if you want to commitment to it and are really devoted, you should go for it. Do what you can to make what you're selling better and more well known to people. Make sure that you are really committing to your product and that you stick by it!
IML: Thanks, Lily and Renee! We can't wait to watch Blamtastic grow!
Lily: Thanks!
Renee: Thank you!
For more information about Lily's company Blamtastic, whose lip balms are cruelty-free, all natural, and feature flavors for boys as well as girls, visit www.blamtastic.com.
Tell us: How do you go about Making Money? If you've ever dreamed of starting a biz, check out our Be Your Own Boss game and see if you have what it takes.
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Thirteen-year-old Lily Sandler (pictured, right) doesn't shop the way she used to. A few years ago, she thought that things just popped up in stores, like magic. Now she knows how much work and decision-making goes into every single product available for sale, and how many people help it get there. That's because she and her sister, eleven-year-old Melanie (pictured, left), along with help from their parents, are the founders and owners of Blamtastic Luscious Lip Balm, which makes natural lip balms especially for young people.IML spoke with Lily and her mom Renee about Blamtastic and their journey from a random idea to a successful, growing business.
IML: How did Blamtastic first come about?
Renee: It all started when I was reading in the Wall Street Journal about how few female CEO's there were in Fortune 500 companies. At that time there were only 12. I know women make up 50% of the workforce, so that didn't square up with me very well! I thought about my two girls, these girls who are going to go out into that workforce. I read the article to them and they said, that really stinks. I told them, "If you ever decide that you'd like to start a business of your own, I will support you, because I think that's the key to controlling your own destiny.
Lily: The idea for Blamtastic was kind of an accident. I was looking for my lip balm one day, and I said, "Mom, where's my lip blam...I mean balm!" And she said, "Wow, that would be a really good name for a lip balm company."
IML: So you had a cool idea. What was the first step from there?
Lily: We started by ordering a bunch of lip balm bases and we cooked them up in our kitchen. We saw what we liked and what we didn't like, then sent what we liked to a manufacturer and they made it for us. It was a really fun process.
Renee: At first, it was really just an experiment. As we started to play around with the product and get it out there to the community, we realized we had a good product to sell. Then the girls and I got together with their dad and decided, are we going to go for this and take it to the next level? Because if we are, we've got to get a business plan together and get funding, and get serious. So we decided to go for it.
IML: How did you first get the lip balms out there to...you know...lips?
Lily: At first we did a test run at the mall. We saw what people were more fond of, what they didn't like so much, and in the end it really did sell pretty well. We saw that this was something that people want and need on the market: a natural lip balm. A product that's been done over and over, but making it even better and taking it to the next level.
IML: How did you put together the lip balm flavors?
Lily: We ordered different scents and sweeteners, and we tried out what we liked out of certain smells. We narrowed it down to five flavors for boys and five flavors for girls. In the end, we had ten flavors we were going to launch in the first run.
IML: Did you invite your friends to try things out?
Lily: In the beginning, we would make a flavor and I would take it to school and see what my friends liked and what they didn't really go for as much. If they didn't like it, then we trashed it. If they did like it, then we gave it a try!
Renee: I think every neighbor on our street has participated in our testing!
IML: So nowadays, who does what in the company?
Renee: This is the girls' business; they started it, but they can't run it at the level we're at now. I work 60-80 hours a week and the girls participate when they can. Melanie is kind of the creative force behind things; she'll come up with ideas and flavors. Lily is the mouthpiece of Blamtastic...she likes to participate in promoting the company.
IML: Lily, do you and your sister get into disagreements about the business?
Lily: Well, aside from me and my sister fighting about normal sibling stuff all the time, we do have disagreements about the business. Whenever we have something we're not so sure about, we'll all talk about it as a family. By the end we always seem to come to a decision about what we've been wondering about and what we can do to solve our problem.
IML: It sounds like you make sure everyone's ideas get taken seriously.
Renee: The biggest conflicts we have about developing the product line is if I come up with a concept that's just not "cool"! Lily will say, "That is just not cool enough and nobody will ever buy that." They pull me back. They know what the customers want because as tweens, they basically are the customers.
IML: You give a portion of your company's profits to causes that you care about. Why do you feel it's important to do that?
Lily: When we started our business, that was always one of our top priorities: To give back to the community and help others in need. To be able to donate something out of your business really does make it more worthwhile and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside.
IML: Lily, what have you learned about yourself during this whole experience?
Lily: It's been a great way to help me get in touch with my family. We've had a lot of disagreements and in the end we've been able to come through for each other, and it all comes down to the family and what we've been doing to support our business.
IML: What's your advice to other tweens who would love to start their own business?
Lily: First of all, I would like to say that starting a business is a huge commitment. But if you want to commitment to it and are really devoted, you should go for it. Do what you can to make what you're selling better and more well known to people. Make sure that you are really committing to your product and that you stick by it!
IML: Thanks, Lily and Renee! We can't wait to watch Blamtastic grow!
Lily: Thanks!
Renee: Thank you!
For more information about Lily's company Blamtastic, whose lip balms are cruelty-free, all natural, and feature flavors for boys as well as girls, visit www.blamtastic.com.
Tell us: How do you go about Making Money? If you've ever dreamed of starting a biz, check out our Be Your Own Boss game and see if you have what it takes.
Boo! It's Halloween 2012!
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We've always loved reading about your Halloween Costumes. IML'ers are so creative! We're sitting here, imagining a runway fashion show of all your dress-up creations, predicting what will be hot in trick-or-treat wear this year.
For instance, Lady Gaga. There's been much debate on the You Said It boards about her and whether or not her songs and videos are appropriate for tweens, but we predict that won't stop young people from dressing up like the pop superstar. We're sure the real Lady Gaga is thrilled; after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. (And for the record, we think she's a good role model in the way she has taken a stand against bullying and encourages people to be themselves!)
"Decade" costumes will be as popular as ever, and a lot of you are dressing as 60's hippies, 70's disco dudes and dudettes, and 80's new-wavers. Even 50's greasers and 20's flappers will be out there in force again this Halloween. These are fun costumes to put together because you can raid a relative's closet or thrift store for all the makings.
Vampires are still huge, but Zombies seem to be taking their place as the top scary/creepy costume (and lend themselves to more variety too). We're betting that fairies, especially ones with an edgy or weird twist, will also be big in the not-quite-human department.
Another trend we expect and really love this Halloween is homemade or improvised costumes! Costumes have become a huge money business over the last decade, and it seems like, year after year, more kids and adults are buying outfits from stores instead of getting creative with what they have at hand. We don't know if it's the tough economic times, or if people are just tired of seeing the same pre-made costumes in every store, but we think a lot more of you will be rocking "do-it-yourself" looks this year. Whatever the reason, we at IML really like this trend because, while buying a cool costume can certainly be fun, making your own lets you show just how imaginative you can be at a time of year when imagination rules!
If you're still stuck for a costume idea, here are a few of our faves:
For many people, coming up with a costume is too much pressure. Can you
still have fun on Halloween if you don't dress up or feel like your
costume is kinda lame? Well, that all depends on what this "holiday"
means to you. It's something you can decide for yourself. If you see it
as a chance to get dressed up, "be" someone (or something) else, and
exercise your creative muscles, then that's great. If it's just about
having fun with your friends and scoring loads of candy, that's great
too. Maybe it's more appealing to you to stay home and hand out candy
to younger kids. And in the end...it IS just a holiday that will be
over before you know it.
Halloween can also be about helping
children in other countries who don't have stuff like clean water,
nutrition, health care, and education. Chances are, in the past you've
done some collecting at Halloween for UNICEF, the United Nations
Children's Fund. Now, UNICEF (and spokesperson Selena Gomez) has more
options for young people to give as well as get, like creating your own
"Trick-Or-Treat Online" page to collect donations from friends and
family over the Internet, or ideas for hosting a Halloween party
fundraiser. For more information, check out Trick-Or-Treat for UNICEF.
| No TrackBacks
We've always loved reading about your Halloween Costumes. IML'ers are so creative! We're sitting here, imagining a runway fashion show of all your dress-up creations, predicting what will be hot in trick-or-treat wear this year. For instance, Lady Gaga. There's been much debate on the You Said It boards about her and whether or not her songs and videos are appropriate for tweens, but we predict that won't stop young people from dressing up like the pop superstar. We're sure the real Lady Gaga is thrilled; after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. (And for the record, we think she's a good role model in the way she has taken a stand against bullying and encourages people to be themselves!)
"Decade" costumes will be as popular as ever, and a lot of you are dressing as 60's hippies, 70's disco dudes and dudettes, and 80's new-wavers. Even 50's greasers and 20's flappers will be out there in force again this Halloween. These are fun costumes to put together because you can raid a relative's closet or thrift store for all the makings.
Vampires are still huge, but Zombies seem to be taking their place as the top scary/creepy costume (and lend themselves to more variety too). We're betting that fairies, especially ones with an edgy or weird twist, will also be big in the not-quite-human department.
Another trend we expect and really love this Halloween is homemade or improvised costumes! Costumes have become a huge money business over the last decade, and it seems like, year after year, more kids and adults are buying outfits from stores instead of getting creative with what they have at hand. We don't know if it's the tough economic times, or if people are just tired of seeing the same pre-made costumes in every store, but we think a lot more of you will be rocking "do-it-yourself" looks this year. Whatever the reason, we at IML really like this trend because, while buying a cool costume can certainly be fun, making your own lets you show just how imaginative you can be at a time of year when imagination rules!
If you're still stuck for a costume idea, here are a few of our faves:
- Combo
costumes. Like "half devil, half angel." Or "zombie cheerleaders" and
"dead prom queens." It's fun and easy to take something familiar and
kind of boring, then give it a Halloween twist. Make something unique
with an existing costume (a great use for hand-me-downs or borrowed
ones) accented with lots of scary, gory stuff like fake blood, fangs,
pale makeup, etc. For instance, you could buy a simple fairy costume
and be an "Evil Fairy" with just a few extra touches!.
- Pun costumes. Play
with words and have fun watching people guess what you are! We love the
"Cereal Killer" idea one IML'er posted (a cereal box with knives
sticking out of it). What can you do with things like "Pig Latin,"
"Anchorwoman," "Black-Eyed Pea," and "Butterfingers"?
- Black
to basics costumes. Dress all in black and you'll be surprised by how
you can turn yourself into a background for something simple yet
hilarious. One IML'er posted about how she's using an all-black outfit
and glow sticks to become a Human Stick Figure. Cover yourself in dryer
lint and you're Static Cling. Wrap a fake cobweb around yourself, along
with some plastic bugs, and you're a Spider Web. Cover yourself with popcorn, empty soda cups, and candy wrappers, and you're the Movie Theatre Floor. You get the gist!
For many people, coming up with a costume is too much pressure. Can you
still have fun on Halloween if you don't dress up or feel like your
costume is kinda lame? Well, that all depends on what this "holiday"
means to you. It's something you can decide for yourself. If you see it
as a chance to get dressed up, "be" someone (or something) else, and
exercise your creative muscles, then that's great. If it's just about
having fun with your friends and scoring loads of candy, that's great
too. Maybe it's more appealing to you to stay home and hand out candy
to younger kids. And in the end...it IS just a holiday that will be
over before you know it.
Halloween can also be about helping
children in other countries who don't have stuff like clean water,
nutrition, health care, and education. Chances are, in the past you've
done some collecting at Halloween for UNICEF, the United Nations
Children's Fund. Now, UNICEF (and spokesperson Selena Gomez) has more
options for young people to give as well as get, like creating your own
"Trick-Or-Treat Online" page to collect donations from friends and
family over the Internet, or ideas for hosting a Halloween party
fundraiser. For more information, check out Trick-Or-Treat for UNICEF.
Guest Post: Debby Ryan
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In the recent Disney Channel Original Movie "Radio Rebel," which is now available on DVD, Debby Ryan plays Shelby, a shy high school student who only finds the courage to speak as her "secret" alter-ego, an underground DJ who inspires her peers to be themselves and break free of pressure and expectations from others. If you haven't seen this flick, we highly recommend it. (The music's great, too!)
We invited Debby to be our guest IML Blogger for the day. She has some amazing insights about celebrating our differences and what makes each of us unique. Read this and you'll totally want to hang out with her for a day.
"Be Yourself, Because You Are Beautiful"
I think that the most beautiful thing in life is diversity. When you see a light in a dark room, the reason it looks so bright is because everything around it is cloaked in the same dark shadow. On the other hand, a prism or a sunset is often experienced as strikingly beautiful, because each is made up of so MANY colors. If everything everywhere was one color, you wouldn't be able to see just how beautiful things are, and I think that this applies to people, too.
If everyone had the same sense of humor, things just wouldn't be as funny or intriguing. I think that the most beautiful thing about being able to live life is meeting different people in passing, experiencing various personalities, and hearing the stories explaining each individual's preferences and memories. For example, you may agree with someone on your favorite flavor of ice cream, but they might have a completely different reason for making it their number one choice. Maybe someone's favorite flavor is based on a memory of getting ice cream with their family as a kid. Maybe someone else hates mint because it reminds them of toothpaste. I like digging into people's thoughts and ideas; it really gives you an idea of why people are the way that they are!
The biggest mistake that we can make is to go through life without ever asking "Why?" I believe that in order to really get the most out of life, we should see and do as many different things as possible. I've always wanted to help support a village in developing countries, and I've been obsessed with India recently. So I went, helped bring big changes and bigger hugs, and before I left, I decided to ride a camel and get henna tattoos all down my arm. From there, I went to Australia on a business trip and took a surf lesson. I'm terrified of the ocean, but I did it! I had these opportunities, and I let myself take them. Different experiences make us into the people we are. I believe we are collages or mosaics, made up of different pieces, textures, and colors. Some qualities and experiences may break us and leave us with rough edges, while others build us up solid and refine us smooth and shiny. All of them come together to create the mosaic of you, and all of them are beautiful.
There is no one standard of beauty. I think that each person can have something incredibly unique and beautiful about them that makes them stand apart from all others in the world. Knowing that millions of people that have lived before, and millions of people are currently alive, but there never has been, nor will there ever be, anyone exactly like you, is the most beautiful thing in the world! The more that you are able to embrace that, the more you'll see that the things that you find weird or awkward about yourself, the things that make you stick out or feel like you're strange, are the things that make you different and unique and beautiful. As long as you are working to become the best version of yourself that you can be, always being gracious, and open to learning new things and asking why, you remain beautiful leaving behind a unique footprint on the world. And you have a ton of fun while doing it. Stay beautiful!
Radio Rebel believes in the beauty of diversity, so I put together a playlist that showcases a range of genres, lyrics, and artists: classically timeless & ahead of their time, gently reflective & empowered anthemic, chart-toppers & basement-dwellers. These tracks are about youth, individuality, the power of music, and fighting for what you believe in.
"Start A Riot" - The Rescues
"Beat The System" - Alyson Stoner
"Bullet Soul" - Switchfoot
"Generation" - States
"Synthesizers" - Butch Walker & The Black Widows
"Coachella" - Brooke Fraser
"Revolution" - The Beatles
"Forest" - Twenty | One | Pilots
"It's Time" - Imagine Dragons
"Free My Mind" - Katie Herzig
"I Can't Hear You" - The Dead Weather
"Youth" - Foxes
Change the world... out loud.
Wow. Great playlist. Thanks, Debby!
| No TrackBacks
In the recent Disney Channel Original Movie "Radio Rebel," which is now available on DVD, Debby Ryan plays Shelby, a shy high school student who only finds the courage to speak as her "secret" alter-ego, an underground DJ who inspires her peers to be themselves and break free of pressure and expectations from others. If you haven't seen this flick, we highly recommend it. (The music's great, too!)We invited Debby to be our guest IML Blogger for the day. She has some amazing insights about celebrating our differences and what makes each of us unique. Read this and you'll totally want to hang out with her for a day.
"Be Yourself, Because You Are Beautiful"
I think that the most beautiful thing in life is diversity. When you see a light in a dark room, the reason it looks so bright is because everything around it is cloaked in the same dark shadow. On the other hand, a prism or a sunset is often experienced as strikingly beautiful, because each is made up of so MANY colors. If everything everywhere was one color, you wouldn't be able to see just how beautiful things are, and I think that this applies to people, too.
If everyone had the same sense of humor, things just wouldn't be as funny or intriguing. I think that the most beautiful thing about being able to live life is meeting different people in passing, experiencing various personalities, and hearing the stories explaining each individual's preferences and memories. For example, you may agree with someone on your favorite flavor of ice cream, but they might have a completely different reason for making it their number one choice. Maybe someone's favorite flavor is based on a memory of getting ice cream with their family as a kid. Maybe someone else hates mint because it reminds them of toothpaste. I like digging into people's thoughts and ideas; it really gives you an idea of why people are the way that they are!The biggest mistake that we can make is to go through life without ever asking "Why?" I believe that in order to really get the most out of life, we should see and do as many different things as possible. I've always wanted to help support a village in developing countries, and I've been obsessed with India recently. So I went, helped bring big changes and bigger hugs, and before I left, I decided to ride a camel and get henna tattoos all down my arm. From there, I went to Australia on a business trip and took a surf lesson. I'm terrified of the ocean, but I did it! I had these opportunities, and I let myself take them. Different experiences make us into the people we are. I believe we are collages or mosaics, made up of different pieces, textures, and colors. Some qualities and experiences may break us and leave us with rough edges, while others build us up solid and refine us smooth and shiny. All of them come together to create the mosaic of you, and all of them are beautiful.
There is no one standard of beauty. I think that each person can have something incredibly unique and beautiful about them that makes them stand apart from all others in the world. Knowing that millions of people that have lived before, and millions of people are currently alive, but there never has been, nor will there ever be, anyone exactly like you, is the most beautiful thing in the world! The more that you are able to embrace that, the more you'll see that the things that you find weird or awkward about yourself, the things that make you stick out or feel like you're strange, are the things that make you different and unique and beautiful. As long as you are working to become the best version of yourself that you can be, always being gracious, and open to learning new things and asking why, you remain beautiful leaving behind a unique footprint on the world. And you have a ton of fun while doing it. Stay beautiful!
Radio Rebel believes in the beauty of diversity, so I put together a playlist that showcases a range of genres, lyrics, and artists: classically timeless & ahead of their time, gently reflective & empowered anthemic, chart-toppers & basement-dwellers. These tracks are about youth, individuality, the power of music, and fighting for what you believe in.
"Start A Riot" - The Rescues
"Beat The System" - Alyson Stoner
"Bullet Soul" - Switchfoot
"Generation" - States
"Synthesizers" - Butch Walker & The Black Widows
"Coachella" - Brooke Fraser
"Revolution" - The Beatles
"Forest" - Twenty | One | Pilots
"It's Time" - Imagine Dragons
"Free My Mind" - Katie Herzig
"I Can't Hear You" - The Dead Weather
"Youth" - Foxes
Change the world... out loud.
Wow. Great playlist. Thanks, Debby!
Celeb Scoop: James Maslow
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Back in November 2009, IML interviewed some guy starring in some show that was about to premiere on Nickelodeon, about him and some other guys who sang together and had some funny adventures. It sounded cool, but we hadn't seen the show yet to know if it would be any good.
What we DID know was that the guy, James Maslow, was really smart, sweet, and insightful, sharing his experiences as a tween who was involved with both performing arts and sports. It was one of our favorite interviews ever, actually. Then, of course, "Big Time Rush" premiered and it was all kinds of awesome. It's been fun for us here at IML to watch BTR and James's career take off, and we were really excited to have the chance recently to catch up with him as he heads out on the Big Time Rush summer tour.
IML: Hey, James! It's been a while since we spoke to you, right before BTR hit the airwaves. If you had to describe the last 2 1/2 years in a single word, which word would you choose?
James: Fast-paced. There are so many other ways to describe it, from the experiences I've had to the work I've put in. Looking back on it now makes me feel old actually, because that time went by kind of quickly! Every new month and every new year almost feels like a beginning again. Looking back on the four years since I first got involved with BTR, I think, "How did we fit in so much?" and "Where did the time go?" It's been kind of crazy, however I don't regret anything. All these experiences are leading to bigger and better ones. It's pretty amazing.
IML: What's been the best part so far?
James: One of the best parts is getting to experience the world. Not the whole world of course, but we've been to quite a few places, to Canada and Europe and now at the end of this tour we're going to South America. By the end of this summer we will have been to every state in the U.S.! A lot of it is quick, it's in a tour bus or a car so you can't see everything. But it's more than most people get to experience, and not only do I get to go to these places but I get to make connections and meet the fans who live there and experience different cultures. I'm realizing how lucky I am to get to see so much.
IML: What's been one of the toughest things?
James: Transitioning from essentially being a kid and spending lots of time with my friends and family whenever I wanted, to working 6 or 7 days a week, usually nonstop. Even though it's absolutely amazing and it's what I love, it's still hard, not being home for months at a time. It's different and it takes a toll on you in certain ways, and you have to just focus on the trade-off. There are so many ups and you forget about the downs!
IML: In that time, you guys have created a really good body of work out there, not just with the TV episodes but with the music. Do you have a favorite BTR song or one that's just had a special meaning for you?
James: Definitely the songs that I've written, and the songs that have done well, like "Elevate," because I created it. It's amazing to see the fans sing that. One of my favorites that I wrote is "Epic" that's only out in Europe. "No Idea" is my favorite song on the second album, because it's so passionate and lyrically it's so beautiful. On stage we're usually doing flips and dancing around but for this we just sit down and sing this song. The fans take a break and just listen to the lyrics, and it's beautiful. It's also closer to the things I love to do most and where I started from, playing piano and singing.
IML: Do you have a favorite recent episode or shooting experience?
James: Recently we filmed an episode with Rachel Crow and the guy who played Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Alfonso Ribeiro. We actually did a goof on that show, which was one of my favorite shows growing up. That was just one of those moments where I could look back on where I was four years ago and what I'm doing now and what I used to watch on TV...and now I'm creating that for a younger generation. It's pretty cool.
IML: Ten years ago, you were really involved in musical theatre at school and in your community, dreaming some pretty big dreams. Are you meeting kids who are in that place now? What advice do you give them?
James: I meet a lot of fans who are interested in being singers or actors or even producers. It's kind of fun now that I live in all those worlds. What it comes down to, in any kind of business, is this: if you love it, keep doing it. It sounds simple but I think a lot of people are discouraged, especially in this industry. As an actor, you're going to be told NO so many times and there are so many things you can't control, but if you continue to do it and continue to love it, that shows through. Eventually somebody's going to give you an opportunity. And if you do it for a long time, you're going to get better.
IML: It's been interesting to watch James Diamond evolve as a character. What would you like to see happen with him in the future?
James: I think this is already happening a little bit in the third season...he's not SO self-centered anymore. One nice thing about Big Time Rush is that everybody has their distinct personality on the show, but ultimately they still care about each other, they're still brothers who love one another and help each other out.
IML: You and the other guys are really like brothers at this point. Do you have nicknames for one another?
James: I started calling Kendall "K-Dog" for whatever reason, and now everyone calls him that. Carlos has always just been "Carlitos," which is a fun name that kind of sticks. We call Logan "Logane" or "Logi-Bear" if we're feeling especially affectionate. My nickname is...hmmm...James? I guess I'm not nicknameable yet.
IML: Have you been able to get involved with a cause you care about?
James: One thing I love is to do children's hospital visits. Recently, I noticed my dog Fox really brings the best out of people, so I'd like to train him to be a therapy dog when he's old enough and bring him around when I go. Then of course I'm really into educating kids about physical fitness. When there's some down time, I'll seek out the right organization to get involved with.
IML: Physical fitness has always been really important to you. How do you fit it in with such a crazy schedule?
James: I usually go on a run. I bring boxing gloves on the road so I can spar. You have to figure out what you enjoy. I enjoy running, especially in a new city, so when I'm on tour that's always a good option. I enjoy going to a gym when it's a new gym, new people and a new environment. When we were on Maui, we went hiking. Even if you have just half an hour, you can get a good workout. So I try to make it count no matter where I am.
IML: Thanks, James! It was so great to check in with you; you continue to be a great role model for young people and we wish you nothing but the best in the future!
James: Thank you!
We may have watched this video for "Elevate" more than once. You might too.
| No TrackBacks
Back in November 2009, IML interviewed some guy starring in some show that was about to premiere on Nickelodeon, about him and some other guys who sang together and had some funny adventures. It sounded cool, but we hadn't seen the show yet to know if it would be any good. What we DID know was that the guy, James Maslow, was really smart, sweet, and insightful, sharing his experiences as a tween who was involved with both performing arts and sports. It was one of our favorite interviews ever, actually. Then, of course, "Big Time Rush" premiered and it was all kinds of awesome. It's been fun for us here at IML to watch BTR and James's career take off, and we were really excited to have the chance recently to catch up with him as he heads out on the Big Time Rush summer tour.
IML: Hey, James! It's been a while since we spoke to you, right before BTR hit the airwaves. If you had to describe the last 2 1/2 years in a single word, which word would you choose?
James: Fast-paced. There are so many other ways to describe it, from the experiences I've had to the work I've put in. Looking back on it now makes me feel old actually, because that time went by kind of quickly! Every new month and every new year almost feels like a beginning again. Looking back on the four years since I first got involved with BTR, I think, "How did we fit in so much?" and "Where did the time go?" It's been kind of crazy, however I don't regret anything. All these experiences are leading to bigger and better ones. It's pretty amazing.
IML: What's been the best part so far?
James: One of the best parts is getting to experience the world. Not the whole world of course, but we've been to quite a few places, to Canada and Europe and now at the end of this tour we're going to South America. By the end of this summer we will have been to every state in the U.S.! A lot of it is quick, it's in a tour bus or a car so you can't see everything. But it's more than most people get to experience, and not only do I get to go to these places but I get to make connections and meet the fans who live there and experience different cultures. I'm realizing how lucky I am to get to see so much.
IML: What's been one of the toughest things?
James: Transitioning from essentially being a kid and spending lots of time with my friends and family whenever I wanted, to working 6 or 7 days a week, usually nonstop. Even though it's absolutely amazing and it's what I love, it's still hard, not being home for months at a time. It's different and it takes a toll on you in certain ways, and you have to just focus on the trade-off. There are so many ups and you forget about the downs!
IML: In that time, you guys have created a really good body of work out there, not just with the TV episodes but with the music. Do you have a favorite BTR song or one that's just had a special meaning for you?James: Definitely the songs that I've written, and the songs that have done well, like "Elevate," because I created it. It's amazing to see the fans sing that. One of my favorites that I wrote is "Epic" that's only out in Europe. "No Idea" is my favorite song on the second album, because it's so passionate and lyrically it's so beautiful. On stage we're usually doing flips and dancing around but for this we just sit down and sing this song. The fans take a break and just listen to the lyrics, and it's beautiful. It's also closer to the things I love to do most and where I started from, playing piano and singing.
IML: Do you have a favorite recent episode or shooting experience?
James: Recently we filmed an episode with Rachel Crow and the guy who played Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Alfonso Ribeiro. We actually did a goof on that show, which was one of my favorite shows growing up. That was just one of those moments where I could look back on where I was four years ago and what I'm doing now and what I used to watch on TV...and now I'm creating that for a younger generation. It's pretty cool.
IML: Ten years ago, you were really involved in musical theatre at school and in your community, dreaming some pretty big dreams. Are you meeting kids who are in that place now? What advice do you give them?
James: I meet a lot of fans who are interested in being singers or actors or even producers. It's kind of fun now that I live in all those worlds. What it comes down to, in any kind of business, is this: if you love it, keep doing it. It sounds simple but I think a lot of people are discouraged, especially in this industry. As an actor, you're going to be told NO so many times and there are so many things you can't control, but if you continue to do it and continue to love it, that shows through. Eventually somebody's going to give you an opportunity. And if you do it for a long time, you're going to get better.
IML: It's been interesting to watch James Diamond evolve as a character. What would you like to see happen with him in the future?
James: I think this is already happening a little bit in the third season...he's not SO self-centered anymore. One nice thing about Big Time Rush is that everybody has their distinct personality on the show, but ultimately they still care about each other, they're still brothers who love one another and help each other out.
IML: You and the other guys are really like brothers at this point. Do you have nicknames for one another?
James: I started calling Kendall "K-Dog" for whatever reason, and now everyone calls him that. Carlos has always just been "Carlitos," which is a fun name that kind of sticks. We call Logan "Logane" or "Logi-Bear" if we're feeling especially affectionate. My nickname is...hmmm...James? I guess I'm not nicknameable yet.
IML: Have you been able to get involved with a cause you care about?
James: One thing I love is to do children's hospital visits. Recently, I noticed my dog Fox really brings the best out of people, so I'd like to train him to be a therapy dog when he's old enough and bring him around when I go. Then of course I'm really into educating kids about physical fitness. When there's some down time, I'll seek out the right organization to get involved with.
IML: Physical fitness has always been really important to you. How do you fit it in with such a crazy schedule?
James: I usually go on a run. I bring boxing gloves on the road so I can spar. You have to figure out what you enjoy. I enjoy running, especially in a new city, so when I'm on tour that's always a good option. I enjoy going to a gym when it's a new gym, new people and a new environment. When we were on Maui, we went hiking. Even if you have just half an hour, you can get a good workout. So I try to make it count no matter where I am.
IML: Thanks, James! It was so great to check in with you; you continue to be a great role model for young people and we wish you nothing but the best in the future!
James: Thank you!
We may have watched this video for "Elevate" more than once. You might too.
Beyond the Big Concert: "Apassionata" and other unique happenings this summer
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What's on your entertainment calendar for the summer? Got tickets to something huge and ultra-exciting? 'Tis the season for big concerts and this year should be no exception, with the Bieb going on tour as well as One Direction and Big Time Rush, plus lots of multi-artist festivals and state-fair headliners. However, look a little harder and you'll see there's more than music coming to your city this summer...happenings that might speak to your special interests, expose you to new things, and be the perfect outing for everyone in your family to share together. Want a For Instance? Here's a great one:
"Apassionata" is a live equestrian show that's finally arrived in North America after being a hit in Europe for nearly a decade. IML was lucky to have a chance to check this out recently when it came to the NYC area. If "live equestrian show" sounds vague and confusing to you, picture more than 40 horses of 13 different breeds -- everything from enormous Friesians to adorable little Shetland ponies -- and their riders performing tricks,
dances, and powerful displays of the bond between humans and these incredible animals. The music, screen projections, non-stop energy, and varying themes of each performance made this a truly theatrical event, but like nothing we'd ever seen before. There's something about these horses that really grabbed our hearts, and as we looked around at other audience members of all ages, it seemed like everyone else felt the same way. For more information about Apassionata, visit www.apassionata.com.
We nosed around and found some other ideas for great, family-friendly events you might not have thought of:
Cirque du Soleil. These stunning shows combine acrobatics, dance, theatrics, and imaginative visuals -- definitely not your old-school circus. Many of the different Cirque du Soleil productions are on tour at the moment, such as "Michael Jackson: The Immortal," "Quidam," and "Totem." Check out the details at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
"How To Train Your Dragon" Live. Based on the hit animated film from DreamWorks, this is bound to be way off the Coolness Scale. Gigantic animatronic dragons. Special effects. Stunts. Yeah, we'll be there! www.howtotrainyourdragon.com.
Theatre, theatre, and more theatre. Crack open your local paper and you're bound to see lots of great musicals on stage near you, performed by members of your community or a touring production, or even a youth theatre group. Take a chance and break out of your movie rut; chances are, these show tickets are not much more expensive than the multiplex.
Music, music, music. Well yeah, it's much more exciting to see a Gigantic Pop Star perform in the flesh. But there is so much live music being performed in the summer -- in your town park, at street festivals, during local fairs. It may not be anyone you've heard of, but could be equally as awesome (you could always say you "discovered" them before anyone else did) and best of all, most of these events are free.
One of our favorite things about summer is the chance to try new things and create memories...going out of the box for entertainment is a great way to do that! Remember that if tickets to something seem unaffordable, ask a parent to help you search the Internet for special coupons or deals.
We'll leave you with this video trailer from "Apassionata"!
"Apassionata" is a live equestrian show that's finally arrived in North America after being a hit in Europe for nearly a decade. IML was lucky to have a chance to check this out recently when it came to the NYC area. If "live equestrian show" sounds vague and confusing to you, picture more than 40 horses of 13 different breeds -- everything from enormous Friesians to adorable little Shetland ponies -- and their riders performing tricks,
dances, and powerful displays of the bond between humans and these incredible animals. The music, screen projections, non-stop energy, and varying themes of each performance made this a truly theatrical event, but like nothing we'd ever seen before. There's something about these horses that really grabbed our hearts, and as we looked around at other audience members of all ages, it seemed like everyone else felt the same way. For more information about Apassionata, visit www.apassionata.com.We nosed around and found some other ideas for great, family-friendly events you might not have thought of:
Cirque du Soleil. These stunning shows combine acrobatics, dance, theatrics, and imaginative visuals -- definitely not your old-school circus. Many of the different Cirque du Soleil productions are on tour at the moment, such as "Michael Jackson: The Immortal," "Quidam," and "Totem." Check out the details at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
"How To Train Your Dragon" Live. Based on the hit animated film from DreamWorks, this is bound to be way off the Coolness Scale. Gigantic animatronic dragons. Special effects. Stunts. Yeah, we'll be there! www.howtotrainyourdragon.com.
Theatre, theatre, and more theatre. Crack open your local paper and you're bound to see lots of great musicals on stage near you, performed by members of your community or a touring production, or even a youth theatre group. Take a chance and break out of your movie rut; chances are, these show tickets are not much more expensive than the multiplex.
Music, music, music. Well yeah, it's much more exciting to see a Gigantic Pop Star perform in the flesh. But there is so much live music being performed in the summer -- in your town park, at street festivals, during local fairs. It may not be anyone you've heard of, but could be equally as awesome (you could always say you "discovered" them before anyone else did) and best of all, most of these events are free.
One of our favorite things about summer is the chance to try new things and create memories...going out of the box for entertainment is a great way to do that! Remember that if tickets to something seem unaffordable, ask a parent to help you search the Internet for special coupons or deals.
We'll leave you with this video trailer from "Apassionata"!
