Social Networks (Good or Bad)

Did you know that 73% of teenagers around the world regularly use a social networking site? 
And are you one of those 73%?

If so, I ask you, do you think it helps your social life?

Many people would say “Yes because I can stay in touch with relatives/friends overseas.” But really all it does is slowly ruin your social skills. On social networks users have created all kinds of acronyms that don’t exist in the English dictionary, like; LOL (Laugh Out Loud), ROFL (Roll On Floor Laughing), G2G (Got To Go), BRB (Be Right Back), Etc. Teens have now started using these acronyms and others in normal speech and in their writing.

Also being on a social network talking to others through a computer and not face to face makes it much easier to say things they might find difficult to say in front of their friends. Therefore there is a lot of cyber-bullying spreading around the networks. Cyber-bullying is hard to control because there aren’t really any major rules preventing things like this. Word is spread like wild vine through the networks of friends and when the person being bullied goes to school the next day, everyone will have found out what he was getting cyber-bullied for and make him the laughing stock of the school.

Personally I use a Social networking site at least once every day. And I think that everyone including myself should try to cut down on computer time and really start going outside and doing something meaningful!

I know it’s addicting and you feel like you have the urge to comment on someone’s wall or add a new picture of yourself. But really, what’s the point…?

I hope this has improved your point of view on the topic!

Minecraft Review

Are you a creative gamer? Well minecraft might just be the game for you.

Minecraft is an unlimited indie styled sandbox. A sandbox is a game that basically never ends and the possibilities are endless.

There is no real point to Minecraft and the graphics are all pixelated. This makes many gamers think it’s a bad game but honestly if you try it, I’m sure you will like it. There are texture packs that make the game look amazing and you can make your own goals in Minecraft. Whether it is to survive and complete all the achievements, destroy everything with TNT, kill anything that stands in your way or to build spectacular creations.

Minecraft is also multiplayer. It is really easy to set up your own server and invite your friends to join and survive/create with you.

In Minecraft there are 3 different jam-packed game modes: Survival, Creative, and Adventure.

Survival is minecraft’s original game mode. You spawn in a randomly generated world with no items in your inventory. You have to collect wood and build a house before nightfall. Because at night all kinds of horrible things come after you. You need to mine underground and find materials to make weapons and tools to survive.

Survival Mode

Multiplayer

Creative mode is all about making things. The possibilities are only limited by your mind. You can make mini games, adventure games or giant structures. When you open your inventory you have every single item in the game at the click of a button. Also you can fly and break blocks with a single click.

Map created in Creative mode

Adventure mode is the mode for playing adventure maps that people have made in Creative mode. It is pretty much the same as Survival but you can’t break blocks. You can interact with chests, levers and buttons but not being able to break blocks helps the mapmakers ensure the players can’t cheat.

Playing a map, that was made in Creative mode, in Adventure mode

Minecraft costs $26.95 for your computer. You can register a free account HERE and play the demo for free. You can also get Minecraft for IOS and Xbox 360 for 1,600 Microsoft points.

In the Minecraft Store there are all kinds of merchandise. There is a variety of different Minecraft themed shirts and jumpers, figurines such as life sized swords and pick axes, a Creeper figure and Minecraft Lego.

5 years from now

At the end of this year I will be leaving Bali and heading for Sydney Australia. I will be going to the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. This will allow me to really focus on my acting as well as do classes that will help get me into a Marine Biology university.

Once I’m done with high school and free to roam the world I will take a gap year to travel the world and search for the best surf spots out there.

Then on my 4^th year from now I will be trying to enroll into WAPA. I’ve heard it is quite hard to get in the first time but I have a back up plan. If I am not accepted I will audition for NIDA, which is also another drama university. My final plan would be to get into a university that offers Marine Biology. The school in Sydney offers the classes that will allow me to get into this type of Uni without having to take any extra courses. 


So in 5 years I will be studying either acting or marine biology.

Hopefully getting all the best grades.

Sick Spray Logo Tutorial

What's up all my viewers. This post is about a tutorial that I've made on how to make THIS!!!

It's a really easy to do this logo if you follow my tutorial. to be able to make a logo like this, you will need Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. You will need to download your own background for the image, some free spray brushes and your own text but besides that you just need to follow my instructions.

Here is the YouTube post.

Tutorial: Logo with graffiti spray background 

When you do this yourself you could write/do whatever you want. It could also be two words like this one I made.

It can also be whatever colour you want! or even multicoloured like this cover photo.

Any way, I will leave all that up to you to decide.

Hope you enjoy my Video.

The Ocean Sunfish

"The ocean sunfish or Mola-mola is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended."


That was just a snippet off a Wikipedia Page that I found detailing the Mola-mola.


The Mola-mola is a must see fish for all you divers or snorkelers out there. It is a very majestic and calm fish that is amazingly beautiful up close.

Right now in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida ,Bali, it is Mola-mola season. here you can witness Sunfish as the come to the shallow reefs to a cleaning station.

Mola-mola season usually starts from July until October but recently in Bali the Rainy Season has been starting early. The seasons are all weird and mixed up. Apparently there were some sightings as early as February.


But for anyone in Bali now you should definitely book to see these amazing fish.

What makes me who I am today

This weeks post I'm supposed to write about how one person has influenced me into who I am today. But honestly I couldn’t route out one person from my life. Everyone around me has made me who I am today: my parents, my friends, even people I meet out surfing or doing the things that I love.

I think the one main thing that made me who I am right now as I type would have to have been moving to Bali. Bali has lead to so many things that I wouldn’t have done in Australia.

Things like riding motorbikes as an every-day thing. In Australia I wouldn’t have even started riding a bike yet because I am under age. I may not have ever ridden one at all.

Though I would have to thank my dad a lot for taking me surfing all the time and pushing me to keep surfing in different spots all around Indonesia. Even though some of the trips were excruciatingly long and boring he kept my chin up to the horizon, pumped for another surf of a lifetime.

Being in Bali I have made friends with the workers at a company called Deus Ex Machina. Deus is a great shop in Canggu that I love to hang out at. I got my first motorbike built up at Deus that my dad got me as a Christmas present. Also my dad got me a Deus surfboard for my birthday two years ago that I still ride sometimes today.

Also all my friends in school have changed my life. When I moved to Bali all my interests changed with the different people I met. I was introduced to a whole variety of kids from all over the world. Some liked the same things I did. Others, completely different things I’d never done before but learned to like.

So as you can see, just one person doesn’t change my life or anyone else’s. One person might have a big influence but it’s really everyone around us that makes us who we are today. And we are changing all the time, being teenagers in puberty, we like one thing for one moment then hate it the next. But being around people that like something tends to make you like it as well.

And me, I am who I want to be, where I want to be, around the people I want to be with and for as long as I can I wouldn't change for the world.

Top 5 dive spots I have experienced

 1. Tulamben Liberty Wreck

This dive site is located on the Coast of North Bali. It is very close to Amed, for those of you that are not familiar with the area. It is a 120m long wreck that lies at a 90˚ angle with its deck facing out to sea.

The wreck was pushed into the water in 1963 when Mount Agung erupted. The lava flow pushed the wreck to depths of 3-29m.

It is an amazing dive site with many varied species of fish, coral and vertebrates.

 2. Gili Islands

The Gili Islands is where I first learned to dive. I have done both my Open Water and Advanced Open Water dive courses there.

All around the three islands there are all different kinds of dive sites. Ranging from flat, little to no current dives to great coral walls where all you have to do is sit and enjoy the show while you get dragged along by the current.

These islands are great for divers with any level of experience.

 3. Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon is in Padang Bai, which is sort of East Bali. It’s a five-minute boat ride from the beach to the dive site that is directly in front of a cliff. There are large patches of coral all around and a few bio reefs. You might even be lucky enough to see a few black tipped reef sharks while you’re there.

Also for those of you that don’t like to dive or get wet, there is a tourist submarine company that take you down to the reefs below for an underwater experience without even getting wet.

 4. Menjangan

I have only ever dived Menjangan once. But when I did I saw some really amazing coral reefs and a large variety of beautifully coloured fish.

It’s around a one-hour boat trip out of Pemutaran, which is in North Bali.

 5. Pemuteran

Pemuteran is in the North of Bali. With bio reefs all around I’m sure that within a couple of years there will be coral all around.

Great for inexperienced divers and those of you that don’t like too much current

            

This whole list is based off my opinion so if you disagree with anything feel free to comment.

        

Work experience day 5 (Final Day)

Today I had to wake up at 5am again to pick up a guest about an hours trip away, only to find out that they weren't feeling well, so they cancelled.

The only good thing that came of it was that I got to have a nice sleep on the way back.
Once I got back to the office I helped put away more equipment then went to LBH again to work in the booth there.

Work experience has been an amazing week. I have learned a lot about what it really would be like to work in a dive centre one day. It was a bit sad to have to say goodbye to everyone, but I'm sure I'll be diving with them soon.

I was also given an Aqua Marine T-Shirt for free!

Work experience day 4

Finally got to sleep in today, only had to be at the office at 9am. Helped around the office for about an hour then went to the Legian Beach Hotel. Everyday at LBH there are free trial dives for those that haven't ever experienced diving for them selves, so I mainly went around asking people if they wanted to try the dive or join a dive trip with the Aqua Marine dive company.

For anyone who is interested it's an opportunity to good to pass up. Check to out!

Work experience day 3

5 o'clock wake up call this morning. Gotta be in the office at 6 to leave for Tulamben. At Tulamben we dived on the liberty wreck twice. Saw some amazingly large trigger fish and grouper fish. Tomorrow I'm going to the Legian Beach Hotel to help out with the Aqua Marine booth there.

Work experience day 2

Just got back into the office from a day in Blue Lagoon, Padang Bai!
 I got to go diving twice, for free!!! It's a really awesome dive site there, with a variety of corals, fish, eels, and box fish. I also saw a jelly fish and 4 blue spotted sting rays.
The people that I was diving with were really nice.

Tomorrow I am going to Tulamben to dive the Liberty wreck there. It's a bit of a longer drive but a still a great dive spot.

Work experience day 1

So far, today has been an amazing experience. I have learned how to disassemble a regulator, clean it, then completely reassemble it. I have spent most of the day filling up diving tanks for tomorrows dives and those after it. I've also getting tomorrow's dive equipment ready for myself and all the guests that will be diving with us.
Tomorrow I will be diving in 'Blue Lagoon, Padang Bai' it's about a 2 and a half hours drive there and back.

Really excited!!!

Getting ready for Work Experience

Next week my school is doing a workexperience project

I have chosen to work at the Aqua Marine Dive centre in Petitenget, just next to Lio square.

I am so excited to work with student diversand I might even get some free dives in.

My interview with the boss Barbara wentreally well and I am sure they are as excited as I am to work there.

Holidays in the Heat

You might say it seems strange that you would have to leave a holiday island for a holiday.

But for my father and I it’s just normal.After 5 and a half years of living in Bali we have gotten used to leaving paradise and going back to the urban country for a holiday.

This holiday we decided to go to beautiful Sri Lanka.

Bags packed and ready to go we headed out on our 1 stop trip to Sri Lanka.

Once the wheels touched the asphalt I was so pumped. Only to find out we have another 8-hour car ride to Aragum Bay.

8 excruciating hours later I finally seethe water. I unpack my bags and fix up my board for a late afternoon surf.

The next few days I spent waking up early for the 6 o’clock tuk tuk ride down a bumpy road to where we surfed. 45 minutes of potholes and ditches isn’t the funnest thing to do, but it’s a beautiful ride. With large rice fields and peacocks everywhere you look.

The points in Aragum are amazing; you just chuck your bags on the beach and walk to the top of the point. Paddle to the waves and catch long 200-meter waves down the beach. And the best part is that you just get out of the water and walk up the beach again.

This allows for 4-hour surfs without even getting tired.

Once done it is a race for the shade before the blistering sand scorches the bottom of your feet. Then to the well for a nice shower.

After you’re all dry and ready again, eat some nice banana chocolate roti for breakfast.

Back to the hotel for the rest of the day and get ready for another trip the next day.