Liv's Blog

My favorite room in my house is my backyard. I love my backyard because there are many things to do, such as swim, play volleyball, watch tv, eat nugget ice, and tan. When you walk out through the slider in our kitchen, above you is the white patio cover. To the right, there is a barbecue and bar area. To the left is our fire pit and pool. There is a wooden deck where you can jump off and into the pool. There is turf in front of the pool where there is sporting equipment. There also are tall, bushy trees called Japanese Blueberry trees  that go around the perimeter of the property. Being outside in the fresh air surrounded by beautiful scenery, looking at the trees leaves blowing in the wind, I feel grateful and happy.

Hi, my name is Liv, and for my 20% Project, I decided to learn about dermatology. I chose this because when I’m older I would like to be a cosmetic dermatologist. This week, my goal was to get a lot of research done and contact a dermatologist. First, I looked at different websites and learned about the layers of skin and the different types of skin, and also what dermatologists do. I learned that the outermost layer of skin is called the epidermis. The epidermis is constantly shedding dead skin cells from the top layer and replacing them with heathy cells. The dermis contains all sweat and oil glands, hair follicles, connective tissue, nerve endings, lymph vessels, collagen and elastin. The layer of skin beneath the dermis is called the hypodermis. This layer provides insulation for your body, keeping you warm. Next, I contacted a dermatologist and set up an interview. So far, everything is going according to plan and I haven’t had any problems, so I had no adjustments to make. I am excited to learn more, stay tuned for next week!

For Spring Break 2025, I went to Cancun. I had a blast while I celebrated my dad’s birthday, and hung out with friends. At the crack of dawn (4am) I woke up to go to the airport. I was so tired because I tried to pull an all-nighter, but I ended up falling asleep at 3. Our flight was at 8am but we had to drive to Tijuana, I honestly have no idea why. We got to the airport at 5:15 and we met up with our friends. First, we had to cross the border which was a tiny bridge, then we checked our bags, next went through customs, and finally security. I was hungry so I decided to get Starbucks because it was around 7 in the morning. When I was waiting in line to get my drink, I got a text from one of my friends, Aaron. He said “I see you at Starbucks.” My heart leaped out of my chest, and I turned around so fast. I showed my mom the texts and I spotted him boarding to go on a flight. After that we boarded the plane and it was a 5 hour flight. On the plane my friend Gianna, my brother, and I, watched “Jurassic Park”, “Jurassic World”, and ”Jurassic Park 3”. We landed at 3pm and got our bags and headed to the hotel. After I arrived at the hotel, we unloaded our bags and noticed my dad was missing his suitcase! Many calls later, we found out we forgot to load it in the car. So while all the kids were in the pool, my mom and my friend’s dad went back to find the suitcase. We swam till 8, then went back to our rooms and headed to bed. The next morning I woke up at 9 and headed to get food. We were at the pool and beach from 10-4, so I was exhausted when I got back. Our reservation was at 6 at an Italian restaurant, and it was pretty good. I got a caprese salad and lots of bread. When I got back to my room, I passed out so hard. When I woke up, I realized, it’s my dad’s birthday! So I wished him a happy birthday and got ready because it was a boat day. We left the hotel at 10 and headed to the dock. We got to the boat and my brother screamed, “ITS A MINI YACHT!!” First we snorkeled and saw such cool animals. Then we went to the Island of Mujeres, we walked around, and had such good tacos! Our last stop was by a resort. We jumped off the boat into clear water and swam around. On the way back, my brother, Gianna, and I fell asleep on the front of the boat, and by the time we woke up, we were back at the dock. After we got to the hotel we got ready and went to special hibachi dinner to celebrate my dad’s birthday. It was so good! After the dinner, I got Nutella gelato and headed back up the room. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were similar because I laid out at the beach and I went dinner. On Saturday, I woke up bright and early and headed to the airport. I boarded the flight, and just like that, my trip was over. Cancun was so fun, and I would definitely go back!

In March, I finished a book by Grady Hendrix called How To Sell A Haunted House. In chapters 21-38, things start to get more intense, and Louise and Mark are in way over their heads. Mark’s past with puppets is revealed, and it turns out they messed up his life more than anyone knew. Meanwhile, the creepy stuff in the house is escalating, and Louise and Mark are forced to work together, even though they have tons of unresolved drama. As they uncover dark family secrets, they realize they have to face the ghosts in the house if they ever want to escape.

This book is such a great mix of horror and twisted family drama, which makes it super interesting to read. The haunted puppet thing is super spooky, but the story is about family, grief, and learning to deal with the past. Louise and Mark’s sibling drama makes everything feel real, and their relationship keeps things interesting. Plus, the plot twists are insane, and when you think things can’t get worse, they do. It’s the kind of book that sticks with you even after you’re done reading!

My favorite character in How to Sell a Haunted House is Louise because she is determined. Even when things get terrifying, she refuses to back down and keeps fighting to protect herself and her family. “I am not letting this house take anything else from me.” This shows how strong she is, even when everything feels impossible. She’s scared, but instead of running away, she stands her ground and tries to take control, which makes her easy to root for.

One of my favorite character in quotes is when Louise says, “The past doesn’t stay buried. It claws its way back up.” I love this line because it perfectly describes the whole story. Louise and Mark try to move on from their childhood and sell the house, but all the secrets, trauma, and the haunted puppets won’t let them. It shows that ignoring the past doesn’t make it go away and it just comes back even worse. The way it’s written makes it even scarier, like something straight out of a horror movie, which fits the whole vibe of the book perfectly.

There are so many people I would want to invite to dinner, but these are my top three: Adam Brody, Chase Crawford, and Billie Ellish. First, I would want to invite Adam Brody, who played Seth Cohen in my favorite show, “The O.C.” I would want to hear about his time working the show, how his life is being married to Leighton Meester (who played Blair on Gossip Girl), and he also seems like such a funny person to be around. Then, I would invite Chase Crawford who played Nate Archibald in Gossip Girl because he’s gorgeous, obviously. I would want to know all the juicy drama of filming and what it was like working with everyone on the set of Gossip Girl. Lastly, I would invite Billie Ellish, who is a singer, to figure out how she wrote one of the best albums, “Hit Me Hard And Soft”. I’d love to hear her talk about how she writes her songs and the messages she’s trying to send out. The night would be a perfect mix of laughs, deep convos, and a little bit of fangirling too!

If I could have any job in the entire world, I would be a dermatologist. One reason is because I have always wanted to learn more about the skin barrier, how to treat skin cancer, and what skin products are good for different ages. My next reason is I want to be able to make a difference in the world by helping people prevent skin damage. I would do this by either helping people remove cancerous moles with lasers, or being able to accurately diagnose and properly treat skin conditions from skin cancers to warts. Lastly, I want to help people develop healthy habits, like helping people create skincare routines with sunscreen or other UV protection. By being a dermatologist, I can make an impact by treating conditions, but can also help prevent and maintain people’s health in the future.

A magician has made me invisible for twenty-four hours. The first I pranked my brother by dumping a bucket of water on him while he was asleep. Next I hopped onto a flight to Hawaii. Once I landed in Hawaii I got a car and drove it to a hotel. When I made it to the hotel I went to the front desk and grabbed a key card. Then I got to my room I took a nap and headed down to the pool. While I was down at the pool I scared a couple of kids. I was getting tired so I decided to rob the gift store. I got a hoodie, some shirts, a box of chocolate, and a water gun. I headed into the elevator and shot some people with the water gun, they freaked out. When I got back to my room I realized there were people sleeping. So I decided to roll them out of the room into the balcony and locked the balcony door. I turned on a show and fell asleep, but when I woke up, I wasn’t invisible anymore!

In February, I read a book by Grady Hendrix called How To Sell A Haunted House. I have not finished reading this book yet, i’m currently on page 217. In How To Sell A Haunted House, Louise has to go back to her hometown after her parents die, but the last thing she wants to deal with her annoying brother, Mark. They have to clean out their childhood home to sell it, but weird things start happening, especially with their mom’s creepy puppets. The house seems to have a mind of its own, and the more they try to ignore it, the worse things get. By chapter 21, Louise realizes that whatever is haunting the house isn’t just some random ghost, it’s something closer to home.

So far this book, has been super intense. The family drama between Louise and Mark makes everything so real, and the haunted house isn’t just spooky, it just has this weird, unsettling energy that makes you feel like something awful is  about to happen at any second. The puppets are the worst, and every time I think things can’t get weirder, they do. I love how the story keeps building up tension, and I have no idea where it’s going next.

My favorite character so far is Louise because she’s super determined, even when things get terrifying. One trait that stands out is her perseverance. In chapter 15, she says, “I’m not letting this house, or anything in it, control me.” This shows that no matter how creepy things get, she refuses to back down. Even though she’s scared and dealing with a ton of family drama, she keeps pushing forward instead of running away. It makes her really easy to root for because she doesn’t give up, even when everything is against her.

One of my favorite quotes is when Mark says, “We don’t get to walk away from this. We deal with it, or it deals with us.” This quote really stands out because it shows how serious the situation is and how Mark, despite his flaws, understands  that they can’t just ignore what’s happening. It’s a turning point where her acknowledges that running isn’t an option, they have to face whatever is haunting the house. It also shows his growth, because at first, he seems like the type to avoid responsibility, but here, he steps up.

 

One sunny afternoon I set off to sail to Hawaii. As I was sailing through the Pacific Ocean, a terrible storm hit. The boat was rocking back and forth, while waves were crashing against the boat. Somehow when I woke up I was on an abandoned island. This island had palm trees flowing in the wind, white soft sand, and crystal clear water. I built a small tiki hut out of palm tree leaves and bark, and I catch my food with a spear I made. Most of the time, I wake up to the gorgeous sunrise and catch some fish for breakfast. Then I go swimming and hunting for most of my day, and catch more fish for dinner. Lastly, I lay down looking at the stars and fall asleep to the swaying palm trees. I love living on an abandoned island, and I never want to leave this paradise.

In January, I read a book Jenny Han called It’s Not Summer Without You. It’s Not Summer Without You, follows Belly as she tries to navigate a summer that feels completely different from the ones she used to love. After a heartbreaking loss, everything has changed, especially her relationship with Conrad and Jeremiah. When Conrad suddenly disappears, Belly and Jeremiah team up to find him, leading to a trip full of emotions, memories, and unexpected. Along the way, Belly starts to realize growing up means facing change, even when you’re not ready for it.

It’s Not Summer Without You, is the kind of book that totally sucks you in and you feel everything. It’s got all the drama, love triangles, heartbreak, and an adventurous road trip that changes everything. Belly’s emotions are so real, you can relate to the way she’s trying to hold on to the past while figuring out what’s next. Also, the summer vibes and nostalgia make it the perfect book to read by the pool or late at night when you just need to know what happens next. If you love books that make you laugh, cry, and feel everything at once, you need to read this book!

My favorite character is Belly because she’s so real and relatable, especially when it comes to figuring out who she is and what she wants. One trait I love about her is her determination. Even when things are messy, she keeps going and doesn’t give up. A quote that shows this is “I’m not the same person I was before. I’m different. And i’m okay with that.” This quote really significant because it shows that Belly learns to embrace change and being different, even though it’s hard. It shows her strength in accepting who she’s becoming, even if it’s not what she expected. It’s inspiring because we all go through changes, and it’s important to accept them just like she does.

My favorite quote is “You can’t keep looking back. You have to look forward.” This quote hits hard because it’s a reminder that we can’t stay stuck in the past, no matter how much we want to. It’s easy to get lost in memories or what could’ve been, but life keeps moving forward, and we have to do the same.