Music: Naruto Shippuden Opening 8 and 9

Lily here with two Naruto Shippuden Openings!

        Diver, performed by NICO, Touches the Walls was the eighth opening sequence for Naruto Shippūden. It began with episode 180 and ended in episode 205. It was then replaced by Lovers, also known as Naruto Shippuden Opening 9.
 

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        Lovers (Naruto Shippuden Opening 9), performed by 7!! Seven Oops, was the ninth opening sequence for Naruto Shippūden. It began in episode 206 and ended in episode 230. 

World News: RIP Robin Williams

        This past Monday, the world lost a beloved actor, comedian, screenwriter and film producer. Robin Williams, age 63, was discovered dead by his personal assistant in Tiburon, California.

        Oscar-winning actor and groundbreaking comedian’s death was declared as a suicide by Marin County's assistant chief deputy coroner, Keith Boyd. Further investigation was Williams’ death will be done in weeks to come, but it is believed that depression is what led him to take his own life.

        Williams was always open about his depression and about his struggles with cocaine and alcohol. The Chicago native was said to be seeking help for his depression and had entered a rehabilitation center to maintain stability. However, there were no further details.

             ​Robin Williams was one of 19 million adults that suffered depression and will be dearly missed by colleagues, friends, families and fans of his work.

        He will be remembered for the adored characters that he played such Daniel Hillard in Mrs.Doubtfire. Williams’ played the talented yet unemployed voice actor who disguised himself as an elderly woman so that he can be hired as a housekeeper and be able to see his kids after he got divorced with his wife.

        Williams was also known for voicing the loveable Genie in the Disney movie, Aladdin. This role was one of the most memorable characters that Williams ever played. Disney animator said that the actor was a “human miracle” who absolutely loved animation.  

        He was also known for playing the unorthodox English teacher, John Keating in Dead Poets Society where some of William’s most remembered quotes can be found such as, “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”

        Other unforgettable movies that Williams took part in include Jumanji, Hook, Good Morning Vietnam, Flubber, Night at the Museum, World’s Greatest Dad, Good Will Hunting, Happy Feet, Bicentennial Man, The Fisher King and One Hour Photo.

        Many people have been mourning over Williams’ death over social media and flowers in front of his house. However, it is important to not just mourn over his loss, but smile and remember about the gifts he gave millions of people: laughter, joy and reminding us to be weird and enjoy life.

        As William once said, “You're only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.”

                                                                                                                                                                 
 

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Monica

Music: Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin Opening 1

Hello! It is Lily (OtakuForever) here with a popular Japanese opening, Guren no Yumia!

        Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin Opening 1 is a Japanese theme song with vocals by Linked Horizon, lyrics by Revo, composition by Revo and arrangement by Revo. The song's official name is Guren no Yumia. It does have a various phrase in German. It is 'Sie Sind Das Essen? Und Wir Sind Die Jäger.'. It is heard at the beginning of the opening. It kind of makes sense because one of the main character's last name is Jäger, sometimes spelled Yeager. People say that they get a strange feeling, like they want to be with the Scouting Regiment on Team Levi and so on.

Random Rants and Articles: Writing!

        Hi! I'm Lavinia and I'm a journalist for Crown Credits. :) This is my first article thingy, so don't judge too quickly!
      
        I know for a fact that this will offend some people but it needs to be said -- or typed, rather. It's also to help and give advice to any writers who make this mistake or done something intentionally. Either way, it makes it hard for readers to understand what you're writing. Now lets get down to it!

        My wee 'rant' (it's not really, but let's pretend it is) is about writers jumping to and from different tenses. For example, if you're writing about someone in present tense and then, during the same sentence, you jump to past tense, that can be very confusing for a reader and, quite frankly, is really annoying. It works the same for future tense. To help, I'm going to explain all the tenses starting with present tense.

        Present tense is used to express anything that is happening now or occurring in the present moments.
        For example: 

I'm working on an essay for my English class. 
I pick up the cookie.

       
        Past tense is used to indicate past events, prior conditions or completed processes.
        For example:

Ancient Romans believed basil was poisonous.

I voted at the school last week. 

        Future tense indicates actions or events that will happen in the future.
        For example:

I will write my paper this weekend.

The dog will be put down with a lethal injection.

        Now say you're writing a sentence in past tense (not the same as a flashback, but I'll get to that soon). If you jump to present tense or future tense it not only makes it difficult for the reader to understand,  but it also makes it harder for you to understand when you're reading over it and also takes your writing skills down a notch. Even if you have amazing writing skills, simple mistakes like this can make other people think differently.

        Next- flashbacks. Flashbacks are usually done in past tense, but sometimes people have them in present tense because of the character or the setting in the story. For example, if someone is doing a psychiatric session, the psychologist will speak to the person in present tense, re-telling the events of something in present tense, which will help the person remember what happened thus causing a flashback. But unless you're doing something like that, stick to do flashbacks in past tense. Future tense can be used in writing hypnosis sessions or writing a future-telling session. 

So if you're writing in a certain tense in a sentence, stick to that tense! I hope this helps anybody who makes this mistake and I also hope I explained it clearly enough!
 

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Lavinia

Writing 101: Descriptive Writing

       Hello! I'm Mathematicalgirl, sometimes Math for short! I like ranting about grammar and all things related to conventions, since many beginners happen to either a) care a lot about grammar or b) couldn't care less about grammar. Please keep in mind that about half of the Quotev population is full of grammar freaks. :) In addition, I just like talking about writing in general. I can cover plenty of topics, so feel free to leave a request in the comments!

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Descriptive Writing
 

        So, on Quotev, we have quite a few stories that we would consider not very good. Know what you lack? It's probably either help with grammar or descriptive writing. You know, if your chapters are short, it's probably because your details aren't very good. If you wish to create longer, actually good chapters, do stay and continue reading!

 

        What's descriptive writing? It's vivid details. Let's hear a few bad and good examples.

 

        Bad Example: She had blonde hair.

- Okay, come on. If the blonde hair's somehow really appealing to the character, make it more detailed. 

 

        Good Example: The beauty of her blonde hair could rival Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. It fell down to her waist, even though it was in a high ponytail. I could tell that she dyed it by the dark brown roots on her head.

-I dunno that's just something I whipped up at the moment, but not every physical feature has to start with, "He/she had/has..." because that gets annoying if you keep repeating it.

 

        From those two examples, you can clearly tell which one creates a more vivid description, right? But if it's just some sort of minor character who doesn't need all that, just shorten it to the first example. If it's someone important like the heroine, make sure to give her a description worthy of one!

 

How to Write Descriptively

 

        Even through examples, it won't guarantee that you guys will know how to write descriptively. As the nice author that I am, I shall break it down to simple steps and give some extra notes just for you. Special thanks to my English teacher, Mrs. Lewis, for giving the class such wonderful notes. :') Yeah I know in other words she's technically the one breaking it down but ANYWAYS—

 

Two Types 

• Objective: Use of realistic, factual details to describe a subject without expressing feeling. [In other words, objective is writing with use of statistics and actual facts rather than biased opinions. OBJECTIVE: My favorite color is yellow.]
• Subjective: Creates a clear mental picture about a subject without expressing feelings. [Opposite of objective. SUBJECTIVE: Yellow is the best color in the world.]

 

Key Elements

• Sensory details (details that appeal to the five senses of the reader)
• Clear focus
• Exact words (instead of "bad," use "awful, unpleasant, horrid, etc.)
• Organized Details

 

Pre-write for Descriptive Story/Essay

1.) Brainstorm topic.

2.) Select and narrow one topic.

3.) Create a sensory detail map ( map but with less circles 'cause ain't nobody got six senses)

 

Writing First Draft

        Include the following:

• Sensory Details
• A main feeling/main impression
• An arrangement of details that make sense (don't talk about a tree one second and then talk about flowers the next and then jump back to the tree again)
• Exact words
• Similes and metaphors (I'M SERIOUS PEOPLE USE SOME FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE)

Math

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Aaaannnnddd yep. That's all I have for this lesson. :') For more help with your writing, click that heart shaped thingy above!

Book-Movie Adaptation: Ender's Game

        As I reread one of my favorite stories of all time, Ender's Game, I couldn't help thinking about the movie. When first seeing this film, I was incredibly excited, but I believe I set the bar too high. I hadn't felt the impact of differences between the mother story and Hollywood's child. However, flipping through the familiar pages of Orson Scott Card's novel, I realized just how many mistakes the movie made. I can go over all the fine details that were missing, but I'd rather go over the major missteps Hollywood thought would pull in more viewers. Before beginning, I'd like to note that there are tons of spoilers in this article, so if you haven't read the book or watched the movie, I suggest you turn back... unless you're a rebel.

        The greatest disappointment this motion picture gave me involved the much beloved character, Bean. Let me tell you, I was not a happy girl when screenwriters thought that making Bean the same age and in the same original fleet as Ender was a good idea. Plus, Bean was supposed to be super small and utterly adorable-- but don't let him hear you say that! Not only does this screw up Ender's story, but it also closes the gate to making another movie based on the sister story, Ender's Shadow. This was very upsetting for me, since I am a huge fan of Bean's difficult and renewing life.

        Another change to the plot was a small --but important-- one. This is near the end of both novel and film, where Ender finds the last Bugger's egg. Two tremendous faults the film made were Ender's age and the world in which he finds the egg. To begin, Ender is the same age throughout the whole film and he finds the Bugger's egg on the fort world where he had destroyed the Bugger's home planet. However, the novel has Ender (or Andrew) in his thirties, living on an old Bugger planet the humans had colonized. It is here where he finds the egg. This detail is necessary for the sequels, Speaker of the Dead, Xenocide, and Child of the Mind, in which Ender is a grown man. I understand that screenwriters were probably trying to keep the "YA" feeling to the movie by keeping him younger, but in this decision, they were wrong.

        Of course, I can't ignore one of the biggest things missing from the film. That is, Peter's and Valentine's anonymous, online rivalry. That's right, movie-watchers. These major events were missing from the movie, and probably left you feeling like you were missing something if you hadn't read the novels. Therefore, let me explain myself. It never really went into description about the Wiggins, though the children of this family all play a huge role in the world.

        Firstly, absent from the film, there was a huge prophecy-type dream of the military, where they believed a soldier as strong as the great Mazer Rackham would come to squash the Bugger race. In fact, the whole space camp was created to find this hero. However, Ender was not their first choice. The military had first wondered about Peter, but realized that the Wiggins' eldest was much too psychotic and perhaps too homicidal for the job. Next, they considered Valentine, but she was too soft for the position. Ender was chosen as a sort of last resort. On the other hand, when he broke the boy's arm on the spacecraft trying to explain gravity, most of their doubts were swept away. What writers forget to add is that the military had also strongly believed Bean might be the hero, because he was smarter than Ender, and even made better decisions. But Bean, having been the amazing genius he is by keeping track on everything in space camp, decided he couldn't have that much responsibility.

        Anyhow, back to the Wiggins' rivalry. Back on Earth, the prodigies knew that another world war would be coming if someone didn't stand up immediately. They figured it wouldn't be hard to play anonymous roles online of false personas, Demosthenes and Locke. Here, both have different views on the world. People begin to look to them for the latest analyzations of politics. Eventually, these two figures become so well-known and aspired to that they could influence the public with a click of a mouse. These personas are very important to the story-line because, without them, another world war would have started down on Earth during the Formic Wars.

        On the bright side, the actors and their roles fit well, in my opinion-- excluding Bean. To find out that magnificent Asa Butterfield was playing Andrew Wiggins was inviting. Abigail Breslin was the perfect choice for Valentine, and Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham was great. Of course, if Aramis Knight was a wee-bit shorter, I might have accepted the changes made to his character, Bean. 

        Overall, the movie didn't send me crying out the theater like Avatar: the Last Air-bender, but it did make me clench my teeth. Even adding a half an hour to the budget would have increased the likeliness to the book. The whole film felt rushed and empty. Character connections weren't felt, struggles weren't emphasized. I'd rather not mention this, but the fact that they tried to smoosh all battles the Dragons had into two was awful. It left viewers who hadn't read the book thinking, "Why is Ender such a sissy?" While reading the novel, you understand why Ender finally broke down. In the movie, it just seemed like he was weak.

        Furthermore, to all those rebels out there who haven't read the book or watched the movie, I suggest the novel first. Even though the movie isn't an exact replica, it still carries tons of spoilers that would ruin your read. Ender's Game is a sophisticated, disturbingly realistic and heavy-reading story, so don't open to the first page expectingDivergent. If you can't handle very descriptive and informative passages, then Ender's Game may not be for you.

 

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Ari

Beauty: Lazy Hairstyling

"If your hair is done properly and you have on good shoes, you can get away with anything."

        This quote may be your greatest dream or your worst nightmare. Who has time to properly do their hair? Who wants to properly do their hair? When you're sitting in your bathroom and getting ready for school at 6 AM, nobody wants to spend too much time on their luscious locks. The answer to this problem; the Lazy Hair-styling techniques.

        Throughout this article, I'll take you step by step through the best, and laziest hair-styling techniques out there.

        First off, we'll start with the ladies.

        Long hair can get frustrating, especially in these heated summer months. Sometimes, all we need is to sit back and tie the hair up. However, boring old ponytails can be just that- boring. With this simple twist-and-tie bun technique, you'll be ready to tackle anything.

        First, lift your hair into a simple ponytail. Then take your hair and start twisting it, until it all forms a spiral. At this point, your hair should be tightly twisted together. Let up on the tightness slightly, only to bend your hair and twist it around the ponytail elastic that's holding your ponytail together. Keep doing this until all of your hair is wrapped into a circle around it. Finally, take bobby pins and place them throughout the bun, holding it in place. 

messy-bun-tutorial

        Now, on to the gentleman. Fauxhawks are all the trend right now, and one might be intimidated by the fashion and work required for such a style. However, it's really quite simple.

        First, you'll need styling gel. Nothing fancy, just something that will give your hair a nice hold. Take a quarter size of the gel and evenly apply it to all sections of your hair. Next, take the middle to front section of your hair, and start to style it upwards and forwards. Using the rest of the gel in your hair, flatten the sides and back to the shape of your head.
In the end, your hair should look something like this.

faux-hawk

        One last technique that has saved me countless times, is something that you would not expect. Everyone has those days where they don't have time to take a shower, or simply don't have shampoo to wash their hair. There's no shame in this, as life can get quite busy. But how are you supposed to go threw the day with greasy hair? You're not!

        To combat greasy hair, simply take a handful of baby powder, and sprinkle it on the roots of your hair. (And yes, I did say baby powder.) Work your hands through your hair, making sure the powder absorbs all the excess oils in your hair. Make sure not to use too much, or your hair could turn white. When finished, you should have a full and clean head of hair.

        If you have questions on these Lazy Hair-styling Techniques, be sure to leave one of us authors a message or comment below.

        Until next time!

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LivingWithReality