How to Play Gin

     Gin is a fun card game that involves memorizing, strategy, thought, luck, trickery, and a good poker face! As long as you have a deck of cards, someone to play with, and a surface to play on, you can start a game of gin!

Object of the Game: To be the first player to get three sets (two sets of three and one set of four).

Number of Players: 2 players

Set-Up: Shuffle and deal ten cards to each player. Be sure to take the jokers and any other extra cards out of the deck. Put the remaining cards in the center, and put the top card face-up beside the other cards, forming the discard pile.

How to Play (basics): The player who has not dealt goes first. During one's turn, they must pick up one card and put one card down in return. The card they pick up can either be from the discard pile or the "regular pile": the pile of cards that are face-down. Once they do, they must put one card down on the discard pile, so they still have only ten cards. Each player will continue to do this on their turn. The cards each player picks up will help them in their attempt to form sets. A set, as stated before, has to be made up of four or three cards and can either be the same number in multiple suits or 3/4 numbers of the same suit in order. For example, a set could be an ace of hearts, spades, and clubs or the 2, 3, 4, and 5 of diamonds. In this game, aces are 1, jacks are 11, queens are 12, and kings are 13. When a player picks up a card, giving them "gin" (three sets), they will place the card they must set down face-down, and say "Gin".

Additional Things to do in Play: Remember when I said that gin involves memorizing and trickery? I am now going to tell you why gin involves these things.

When cards are placed down in the center, it is helpful to remember which cards are put down. Why, you ask? Well, let's say that, for instance, you are trying to form a set of spades. You have a 9 and an 8 of spades. All you need is a 10 or 7 of spades and you will complete the set...AND get gin. You probably are excited, happy, sure of your win...right? No! This is because you were not watching what cards were being discarded earlier in the game, when you did not need the 10 and 7 of subject, not noticing that those two valuable cards were put down! There's no way of getting them back now, unless, of course, you must re-shuffle the deck due to a lack of cards, but by then your opponent could win! Had you watched the cards you would've known, but now, oh: it's too late, and--do you see where I'm going with this?
Paying attention to the cards played by your opponent also proves to be helpful when trying to prevent your opponent from winning (getting gin). If you watch your opponent carefully throughout the game--noticing the cards they put down, what they pick up, how well they hide their fortune--you might be able to determine what card your opponent needs to get gin, and if you, by luck, happen to pick up that card, you are going to want to hold on to it! But, if you didn't watch the games carefully, then you would've put down the card, as it had no use to you. Then your opponent, smiling, would snatch that card, and put a card face-down on the pile. "Gin," they grin, and at that moment you would be thinking, If only I watched the cards. If only...if only...then I wouldn't have put down the winning card!

But, how will you avoid your opponent from doing these things to you? It's simple: you'll TRICK them. Tricking your opponent is easy and helpful...UNLESS your opponent isn't watching the cards. Then "tricking" them is just a waste of time. Now you can see how trying to trick your opponent can be risky. But before you decide whether or not you want to trick the other player, first you should know how to trick them, so you can consider your options. Let's go back to the example I used before: you already completed two sets, one of four and one of three. You have a 9 and 8 of spades. All you need is a 10 or 7 of spades and ta-da! you win the game! And this time, both cards are out there somewhere in the pile, waiting for you. It's your turn. You pick up a card from the regular card pile. It is a...6. Of hearts. You don't need this! But you can TRICK the other player. Put down your extra card and KEEP the 6. Later you can put down that six. By picking up a card, you create suspicions inside your opponent's head, and you get them thinking, and sort of off track. Just be careful...they might be tricking you too!

DIY Photo Holder

   Today I'm going to teach you how to make your own photo holder! It is extremely easy and will only take about a minute. You need:

• Some Snapple bottle caps (3 per picture holder)
• Some small pictures (1 per picture holder)
• Duct tape/ Washi tape

1.Put one cap on top of another so the space between the caps is hollow.

  

2. Put tape over half of the caps so they stay together.

3. Put the two caps in another cap tape side down.

4. Customize! Make it your own! This photo is a photo card I made of Miles in Made You Up. I love that book! Here's a link to my recently updated book review: Made You Up book review

   I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

                                   

                 -Emily

Top 10 Things to do in the Car

     Over summer vacation, you'll probably do a good amount of traveling. Whether the car ride is only half an hour or 5 hours, you probably don't want to be bored out if your mind waiting. So, I have created this "Top Ten List" to help guide to the world of car ride fun! Even if you have some ideas, it wouldn't hurt to have a few more! Look below for my top ten picks!

1. Read a book! Everyone loves reading, right? Okay, this might not be true for everyone, but Emily and I sure live to! Books take you to new places. They teach you so many things! Romance, comedy, mystery...there's something for everyone! Check out our book reviews page for a few good suggestions!

2. Talk! Why not? Your parents have tons to say, and I'm sure you do too! Talking is fun for most people, and will make time fly! It also is a great chance to bond with your parents! Have siblings? Even better! You can have a chit-chatter party!

3. Listen to music. Your parents might by mind. In fact, some (maybe including yours) parents listen to the radio themselves! If not, don't worry: a lot of people have some sort of device that they can play music on. Just pick some songs and listen! Just, be careful not to crazily sing along...out loud.

4. Look out the window. Okay, okay, I know: might not be your favorite. But, it can be worthwhile. Especially if you happen to be driving through rows of trees or rolling hills; historic houses or tall city buildings. I'm sure there's something out there! All you have to do is turn your head!

5. Play gin! While this card game may not be ideal for a car ride, it surely is fun--and addicting! It is possible to play in the car though, and is a great thing to do with a friend! (Don't know how to play? Do not worry! Next Monday you can learn how to play through a blog post! So, stay tuned!)

6. Think. Who says you have to actually do an activity? Thinking can be quite fun. And the great thing is, there's so much to think about! Think about what's going on in your life: family, friends, what you're going to do on vaction; what has happened in your life: happy things, troubling things, what happened on your vaction; and, of course, there always is the simple fun of thinking random thoughts!

7. Crochet/Knit. Yes, you may not know how to do either of these things, but there must be a hobby of yours that can be done in the car! Whether it is crocheting, knitting, drawing, etc. it doesn't matter. As long as it is fun for you and meets the previous requirement, it's a possibility!

8. Play a car game. Don't have a deck of cards? That's okay, because there are plenty of games that are made for car rides! Games include I Spy, 20 Questions, an assorted selection of hand games, and so much more. You can even create your own car game to pass the time!

9. Take a nap! Who says this isn't nice? Maybe you had to get up at some unpleasant hour early in the morning. Or you didn't sleep well from vacation excitement. Whatever it may be, naps are an easy and simple option. They especially come in handy during LONG car rides. So sit back, close your eyes, maybe even snuggle up under a packed blanket and begin your snooze!

10. Go on a device. You may be wondering why I chose to put this last on the list. My reason for doing so is because I believe that kids these days already spend enough time on their kindles, phones, iPods, iPads, etc. Anyway, you might not be able to bring such things with you in the car, so it might be best not to think about! With so many options listed above, hopefully you won't have to turn on your electronic!

By Julia

Summer Book Club with Friends!

     Reading. A lot of schools, including my own, require you to do so over your summer vacation. Some people, possibly including yourself, don't find the fun or need in this. But, it is important, and it can be fun. Even if you don't enjoy reading, having a book club can make it enjoyable. And the best part is, you only need at least one friend and enough copies of a book for each person.

Get your friend(s) on board with the idea. Before you can start your book club, you need to find a good group to have the book club with. But don't rush into gathering your group. Try thinking a little. A few factors might make some friends unsuitable for your book club. Ask yourself the following when looking over a friend:

1. Would they have time to get together (or at least chat electronically) for the book club?
2. Do they have a reading level similar to yours?
3. Would you enjoy having them in your book club? (After all, you're trying to have fun!)
4. (If others have already been invited) Is there enough room for them in the book club?

Pick a book. This might sound simple, but there is actually a lot of thinking involved! Is it on a good reading level for you? Will everyone in the book club be able to finish it on time (before summer vacation ends)? Is it interesting to all or most of the book club members?  Are you able to find enough copies of the book for each person? (This last question should also be considered when finding members.) If you need help finding books, you can look at our book reviews page!

Get started! From here on, a lot of the details are up to you! How do you want to do your book club? Will you have physical meetings or electronical ones? How many discussions will you have? How will you split up the book? Will there be assigned roles, or will everyone talk freely about their thoughts on the book?

Why should I have a "Summer Book Club"?

• It would make summer reading even better!
• It gives you a chance to hang out and interact with friends while doing necessary things.
• By having your own book club over the summer, you would be prepared for a book club you might have to do in school.

By Julia

Phenomenal Reads With Emily: Made You Up

  Recently I've enjoyed Made You Up by Francesca Zappia. This book is truly phenomenal. At first I only read it when I had the time, getting up to page 68, but then I began reading it more seriously, and over the course of two days I finished the rest of the book. While looking for good books to read over the summer, this book was number 4 on my list, but really should have been at least in my top three picks.

   I fell in love with this book almost instantly. From the cover, to the interesting prologue, and the great characters, this book is literally perfect. I couldn't stop reading! I just don't have the words to describe how amazing this book is (Miles does)! It was so hard to put it down I felt like it was super glued to my hands (fault of Alex). I loved how it was realistic. Everyone has their flaws. No one is perfect. All the characters had flaws and weaknesses, which made the book really relatable.

    Alex. Alex has Schizophrenia. This means that sometimes she has delusions, and is also very paranoid. She often struggles to figure out what's real and what's fake, so she takes pictures. I really liked her character. She is kind, and understandable. Everyone at her old school judged her because she is schizophrenic, so I feel bad for her. She just wants to fit in, and to be treated normally. This is why at her new school, she wants no one to know.

    Miles is a very interesting character. However, I still really liked him. His home life is not the best, but of course he doesn't tell anyone that. He has many layers to him, and even though the whole school is convinced he is a complete and total jerk, he is just misunderstood. He does things for people to earn money, for reasons I'm not going to mention (because it will spoil the book), but I'll tell you one thing: you won't see it coming!

    In this book, I found myself guessing what was real and what was not, and more often I found myself wrong than right. This book is a 

must-read. The characters are well thought out and relatable. The story is interesting and complicated. What's not to love about this book?
    Recently I have reread 1/4 of this book,(this part of this post is added on after it was published), and I completely fell in love with it all over again. The characters are amazing and have so many layers. I love the voice Alex's mind respond to things. For example

"Stop thinking about him, idiot!"

Oh, and how I love how Alex asks a Magic 8 Ball questions. Or more tells the Magic 8 Ball. Some things she says to it are not questions. This book is wonderful. Yes, Miles, it made me cry, but it also made me smile. And that smile is permanent.

Check out another "Phenomenal Reads With Emily"

I'll Give You The Sun

Let's Go Bowling!

   Bowling is a great activity for the summer. It's indoors, which means air conditioning; it's something you can do with friends and family; and it's fun! Go bowling with your family and friends!
   Imagine a hot day (it can get really hot in the summer). You can't stay outside for five minutes without sweating. Your parents want to get out of the house to do something, but it's just TOO hot! But, with bowling, you can bring the fun indoors!
   Also, bowling isn't fun with just one! This is an opportunity to have some fun with others! A little friendly competition can't hurt! ;) Afterwards, you can always get a yummy treat. May I suggest ice cream?
   Bowling is a great activity to do this summer. I have done it a few times myself. Go bowling!

By Julia

Bookworm Reviews: If I Stay

     Mia's whole life is torn apart on what seems to be an ordinary day. One moment she has everything: a wonderful family who loves and supports her, a loving boyfriend, a nice BFF, good hopes in following her dreams in music...and then smash! everything is different. Caught in the middle of life and death she must make a decision that will affect the lives of everyone around her, including her own. Will she chose to stay and live on, or will she go and join the loved ones who didn't survive? In this novel, Mia reflects on everything that has happened to her, and watches the events that happen while her survival is still uncertain. What will you uncover in this book? Romance. Loss. Uncertainty. Joy. Grief. Hope...
   
     Overall, If I Stay by Gayle Forman contains an idea that is so interesting and exciting that it clings onto the reader. For what seems like forever readers are flipping page after page, all the time searching for the answer to the following:

"What will happen if she leaves? If she loves? If she stays?"

Question above is from the summary on some copies of If I Stay.

By Julia

Check other Bookworm Reviews:

Out of my Mind

Every Soul a Star

Or look at this Phenomenal Reads With Emily:

All the Bright Places