X: "X" or Ecstasy

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

X: “X” for Ecstasy

Ecstasy, or “X”, is slang for MDMA. It is often termed a “club drug” because of its stimulating effects that make everyone around seem like a friend. While this might seem like an amazing side effect of taking “X”, the cons far outweigh the pros of taking this illegal substance.

Some of the dangers:

Ø  Dehydration due to vigorous activity associated with the drug, which can lead to overheating, hypothermia, and/or kidney failure

Ø  High doses can cause seizures

Ø  Memory loss

Today’s song: Just Like a Pill by P!nk

I haven't moved from the spot where you left me

This must be a bad trip

All of the other pills, they were different

Maybe I should get some help

 ***

Don’t forget the Power of Three. 

Visit our other blogs linked with the

YA Causes/Tough Issues

Moxie Writers & Rebecca’s blog

V: Violence (anti)

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

V: Violence (anti)

Today’s song: Where is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas
(Such a great song!)

Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity

Whatever happened to the fairness in equality?

Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity

Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity

That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under

That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down

There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under

Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found

Now ask yourself

Where is the love?

***

Don’t forget the Power of Three. 

Visit our other blogs linked with the

YA Causes/Tough Issues

Moxie Writers 

Rebecca’s blog

N: Nicotine Abuse

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

N: Nicotine Abuse 

Come on, admit it. You’re tried it—at least once.

My best friend (yeah, I know you're reading this and remembering!) and I used to buy cigarettes in high school during a less strict era and smoke them during lunch. “Smoke” is a relative term. We never inhaled and mostly just held them to look cool. I mean, isn’t that the initial point of smoking? To look different from most and to be a bit of a rebel? Luckily, it never stuck with either of us. In fact, I always wound up with a sore throat and headaches. But for some, the trial stage leads to addiction. So not cool, honestly! Have you ever kissed a smoker? Yeah…not quite the same as a minty-breath kiss.

Anway…

Today’s song:  Nico-Teens by Twisted Nixon

Twelve-year-olds do what they're told by the Malboro men
Get to them early to create the clients for 2010
Defenseless kids have no recourse to calm their fears
Because their parents have clients of theirs for years and years

***

Be sure to visit the other blogs linked with the

YA Causes/Tough Issues for the Power of Three:  

Moxie Writers & Rebecca’s blog.

M: Mental Health, Anxiety, and Depression

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

M: Mental Health, Anxiety, and Depression

Today’s song: Brain Stew by Green Day

My mind is set on overdrive
The clock is laughing in my face
A crooked spine
My sense is dulled
Passed the point of delirium
On my own here we goAbout Teen Depression states that...

1:5 children have some sort of mental, behavioral, or emotional problem

1:10 may have a serious emotional problem

Among adolescents, one in eight may suffer from depression

***

Be sure to visit the other blogs linked with the

YA Causes/Tough Issues

for the Power of 3:  

 

Moxie Writers & Rebecca’s blog

 

 

L: Learning Disabilities

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

L: Learning Disabilities

 
Today’s song: The Climb by Miley Cyrus

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb


During a Peak Parent conference in Denver, I had the honor to listen to Jonathan Mooney speak about his personal experience with LD. He is very inspiring. So if you have a moment, check out his video below.

 

 

Jonathan is also the author of The Short Bus, which is a great read!

Be sure to visit the other blogs linked with the

YA Causes/Tough Issues:  

Moxie Writers & Rebecca’s blog.

Do you know someone with a learning disability?

K: Killing and War

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

K: Killing or War

Today’s song: Ecstasy by Rusted Root

Wasted arms, wasted legs

Wrapped round this machine
Military machine
Military machine

I wouldn't want to be
Living in a world of ecstasy with you
I wouldn't want to be
Living in a world of ecstasy with you
For organizations that help teens deal with killing and war, visit the Moxie Writers’ post today.

Be sure to visit the other blogs linked with the

YA Causes/Tough Issues:  

Moxie Writers & Rebecca’s blog

E: Eating Disorders

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

E: Eating Disorders

Today’s song: Ana’s Song by Silverchair—a song about anorexia. It is quite helpful that lead singer, Daniel Johns, has the pretty-boyish, easy-on-the-eyes look J

And you're my obsession
I love you to the bones
And ana wrecks your life
Like an anorexia life

For organizations that help teens with eating disorders, visit Moxie Writers’ post today.

Be sure to visit the other blogs linked with 

YA Causes/Tough Issues

Moxie Writers will briefly address a YA Cause or Tough Issue facing teens, then offer organizations that aid in the cause, starting with the appropriate letter of the alphabet.

At Rebecca’s blog, she will list a book and characters associated with the issue of the day. This may or may not begin with the designated letter.

Here at my blog, I will share a song with some of the lyrics that pertains to the cause.

C: Cutting and Self-Injury

YA Causes/Tough Issues continues with

C: Cutting and Self-Injury.  

The song that relates to today’s cause is Razor by Foo Fighters.

Wake up it's time
We need to find a better place to hide
Make up your mind
I need to know I need to know tonight

Sweet and divine
Razor of mine
Sweet and divine
Razor blade shine

For organizations that help teens with cutting, visit Moxie Writers’ post today.

Remember to visit Rebecca’s blog where she will list a book and characters associated with the issue of the day.

B: Bullying

If you’re here for the A to Z Challenge, you’ve come to the right place. This is my third year taking part in the Challenge, and I learned from experience that it’s best to have a theme. That said, I am teaming up with YA Author Rebecca Green Gasper this year, and we’re harnessing the power of three under the theme YA Causes/Tough Issues.  

So what does that look like? 

Moxie Writers will briefly address a YA Cause or Tough Issue facing teens, then offer organizations that aid in the cause, starting with the appropriate letter of the alphabet.

At Rebecca’s blog, she will list a book and characters associated with the issue of the day. This may or may not begin with the designated letter.

Here at my blog, I will share a song with some of the lyrics that pertains to the cause.

Thus, the power of three! Enough said. Onto...
 
B: Bullying

Hero by Superchick

 

I love this song because it dismisses the idea of passivity and promotes choice and proactivity. 

A to Z Reflections

If you're here for my Six Things About FRACTURED, as part of the virtual book tour, it has been postponed until tomorrow. I didn't want to innundate readers with a double post today.

Now, on to the reflection post...

Let me begin with this: it was much easier to have a theme this year than to fly by the seat of my pants as I did during last year’s challenge. My theme was popular culture in the 1980s. Thank you to the hosts and to all the wonderful people who stopped by and commented.

I would like to say I visited the 1700+ blogs listed, but (for me) that would amount to plain madness. Instead, I found a number of blogs that I grew enamored with, and I visited them on a regular basis. They are:

Julie Flanders: Julie took us on a virtual tour of Cincinnati. Later on, it turned into a haunted tour. I adore her, enjoy her writing, and will now be a forever follower.

Medeia Sharif: I actually followed Medeia before the challenge, but really found myself returning to her blog throughout the challenge due to her eclectic posts and wonderful writing. She is amazing, ya know!

Stacy S. Jensen: Stacy treated us to memoirs from A to Z. Wow-wee! can this woman write! I am so looking forward to her memoir—and basically anything else she has in written form. She is talented! And oh-so nice! She’s so good, I’d love for her to critique my memoir I’ve been working on. Hint, hint.

Angela Brown: Angela wrote a portion of an ongoing story, NEVERMORE, that she’s now *jumping for joy* turning into a novel. I was so caught up in the drama that I read every single one of her posts. I am very much looking forward to seeing how things continue with Abby and Basil.

Lynn Proctor: Lynn gave us snippets of her thoughts and of her life throughout the challenge, which were honest and insightful. I truly enjoyed them. Each day’s post was a treat.

Nick Wilford: Nick posted about his writing inspiration, using the letters of the alphabet. His writing was not only relatable, but contained that special something that kept me returning for more.

There are so many more wonderful bloggers out there (and I've been following a whole bunch of them even before the Challenge). But having a smaller list of people to visit was much more manageable for me with kids, a job, and the other intricacies of life.

Hopefully, the list of participants on the A to Z Blogging Challenge site will remain in place for quite some time. I would love to hop around to the blogs I only stopped by briefly, or to read those I didn’t get around to at all.

I had a great time with the Challenge. At the same time, I am most grateful it 's over.  

Fractured, Now Available at a YouTube Near You!

Come to find out, the A to Z reflections post is officially scheduled for May 7th. So I am postponing that update. Instead, I bring you this…

My trailer for FRACTURED. (Available at Amazon and Smashwords).