The Olympic Torch for the 21^st  Winter Games was lit in Athens, Greece (the birthplace of the Olympics) on October 22, 2009, and travelled by plane to Victoria, British Columbia in Canada to begin the Olympic Torch Relay.  The Olympic Flame is currently in the middle of its 106-day, 27,962 mile journey through Canada, and will be carried by about 12,000 torchbearers on the way to Vancouver. 

The tradition of the modern-day Winter Olympics can be traced back to 1924, where they were held in Chamonix, France. The events included in the games have changed over the years but today include alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating, snowboarding, curling, the bobsleigh, the biathlon and more! What events are you most excited to watch? For more information about the upcoming winter games, check out the official website here!

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-If you can, try to shampoo every 2 to 3 days – shampooing too often can deplete natural oils and dry hair out.

-Don’t forget conditioner! Winter is a good time to opt for a heavier conditioner than you would normally use. Try leaving conditioner on for a few minutes in the shower before rinsing out.

-Avoid styling products with alcohol- they can be very drying and cause static, which is also a result of dryness.

-Try to minimize the amount you use hot styling tools such as hairdryers and flattening irons –they can be additional culprits behind dry and brittle hair

 -Use milder cleansers in the winter, avoiding harsher detergent ingredients. Examples of more gentle ingredients to look for are sodium laureth sulfate and cocoamidopropyl betaine.

-Make sure to moisturize skin using a rich moisturizer, which is especially beneficial post-shower. In the winter, an oil-based cream is more effective at warding off dry skin and itchiness caused by cold weather than a lighter lotion.

-Don’t forget to apply a moisturizing lip balm, especially one with SPF (you still get sun exposure in the winter!)

-Drink water to stay hydrated (inside and out)

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Since Halloween is approaching, why not plan to throw a Halloween party with friends? You can never be too old for dressing up and eating candy! Rent some scary movies (depending on how scary or horrific you want to go) – some good picks are The Ring, Silence of the Lambs, The Village or Twillight.  Hang up fun, spooky decorations like spider webs, or put in a black light. Have a costume competition and hand out prizes to the winners for different categories like funniest, scariest, most original, etc.   Buy (or even pick your own!) pumpkins and get creative with pumpkin carving.  Gathering your friends to watch some scary movies and hang out is a fun way to get into the Halloween spirit.

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Summer’s finally over, and it’s time to focus on the brand new school year ahead. With the new year comes new opportunities to try out some activities you may have been considering, and for your old favorite activities to start back up again. With the fresh start of the school year, what activities will you get involved in? Will you stick with a sport or club you love? Give something new a shot?

There are so many different  activities to choose from. Getting involved in the student government, trying out for a play, taking an art class, joining the chorus, or working on the newspaper or yearbook are all great options. Trying out new things lets you test out different strengths and can show you new talents you didn’t know you had.  At the same time, participating in activities you’ve done for a while, such as the soccer team, or playing an instrument help you develop skills you’ve been working on. Getting involved in activities are a great way to meet new people, and provides a good break from all that school work!

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Catch a free movie outside!

As summer winds down and the beginning of a new school year approaches, it’s time to get outside and soak up the last days of summer in August! I try to spend as much time outside in the summer as I possibly can.

Here are some fun outdoor ideas:

• Invite friends over for an end of summer BBQ – Fire up the grill and make burgers, hot dogs, and other BBQ staples like corn (also great on the grill!), coleslaw, salad, etc. etc. Or make it potluck style and have friends bring their own cookout favorites.  You could even keep the fire going and make s’mores at the end of dinner.  Yum!
•  Spend a lazy weekend day lounging at the pool- make sure to pack some books, magazines, or music (and of course some sun block!)
•  Check out local outdoor concerts or music festivals; also check to see if there are any outdoor movie screenings, which are usually free!
•  Go for a run with a buddy or by yourself- it’s a great way to clear your mind and get some good exercise. In the hot summer months you’ll want to stick to early morning or evening to avoid the hottest part of the day
•  Organize a game of kickball or softball with friends

 Of course, there are endless (not to mention free, or at least very cheap) ways to get outside and catch the last days of summer, so get creative!

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Who says you can’t be fashionable and a sporty chick all in one! You can compete for the gold with the best of them and do it all in style. Snowboarding X Games champ and Olympic gold medalist Gretchen Bleiler is changing fashion for female snowboarders and athletes. She is said to be the single most accomplished female snowboarder in the world. She found her passion for snowboarding at age 11, and has been collecting awards ever since.

She accomplished it all while hitting the slopes wearing men’s XS snowboarding gear. Tired of the limited variety, she decided to revamp the women’s snowboarding wardrobe. She teamed up with sporting gear company Oakley to create her ideal snowboarding and outerwear collection. It is currently in stores and the next collection is slated to hit stores in the fall. Her goal was to make fashionable, edgy clothing for females. She spent countless hours constructing the perfect blend of edgy graphics and details in bold and bright colors. The clothing is sporty, yet still feminine. Now you can look sporty and chic while winning a medal or competing.

Check out Gretchen’s interview with Nick Magazine and Ask, Listen, Learn. When she’s not out on the icy mountains, she enjoys surfing, mountain biking, interior design and fashion. She’s active in a number of environmental organizations and helped to create Snow Angels Invitational, a new all-female invitational superpipe competition at Snowmass. You can accomplish anything with a dream and the desire to obtain it!

Go for the gold, ladies!

April is right around the corner and along with spring beginning, flowers and trees blooming, and April Fool’s pranks, April is designated Alcohol Awareness Month. As youth, you can get involved and create your own ideas to reinforce prevention education in your schools as well as your community. Visit Girl Talk’s Alcohol Awareness cause on Facebook and become a member! To learn more, visit The Century Council’s website and educate yourself about the dangers of underage drinking. Recruit your friends and tell them about the Facebook cause as well. Familiarize yourself with the positions of the cause. Remember to spread the word and join the cause!

When you think of spring you think of bright colors, flowers blooming, and bees buzzing. When you think of spring fashion bright colorful clothes come to mind. Spring fashion is all about prints and bright colors to enhance your silhouette! Tighter budgets this season may keep you from shopping as freely as you please and experimenting with every new style, however there are plenty of new styles to pick and choose from. Spring time evokes a feeling of fresh new beginnings. Bright vibrant colors appear and designers include each of them in their new selections. This season introduces a mixture of bright new colors. Put your navy away for fall, Pantone’s spring 2009 color report names Palace Blue the new “it” blue hue for spring 2009.

You can expect to see an array of prints this spring season, such as large fun polka dots or tropical and floral unique prints. Geometric lines will surface as well. As far as colors, black is out this season so make way for bright colors. Metallic, silver, and gold will still be prevalent during this upcoming season. Jump suits are one of the hottest items this season. You can wear them baggy or fitted. Cropped trousers in solids or an assortment of prints are in this season. They can be cute for day and night wear. Textured leggings are also carrying over into spring so feel free to try new colors and patterns! New items to appear will be hooded medieval dresses and hooded outfits so look out for them. If you have been waiting to break out your white, the time is almost here. You can substitute your little black dress with a white goddess-like dress for spring. Asymmetrical dresses, blouses, and shirts are a nice look as well.

Open your mind up to new styles this season. Go for the bohemian style or the Cleopatra look with a jeweled neckline. Big bold costume jewelry is a must-have for this season. Huge chains, large textured rings, thick cuffs and stacked bangles will add as a nice accessory to your spring look. Don’t be afraid to add accessories to your outfit – maybe a nice broche, pin, or a feathered headband in your hair.

You can save money by altering clothing you already own such as jean jackets or blazers. A simple push or roll of the sleeve will keep you trendy this spring season! You can also jazz up your outfits with accessories. Big flowers are in! You can head to your nearest arts and crafts store and make unique accessories to make your outfit just that more noticeable. The destroyed denim look will be in so you can easily cut up a pair of old jeans and create a look that best suits you.

Happy fashionable spring!

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