A Cellist in the Tuba Section

What is your favorite book? What kind of music do you like to listen to?  What songs speak to you when you're sad, happy, etc.? How would you spend a million dollars? What super power would you have if you could pick any one? What would your three wishes be if a genie appeared before you right now? What's your favorite meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and what's your ideal menu for that meal? What was your favorite cartoon growing up? Favorite movie? Would you be more likely to watch a sunrise or a sunset? If you could have any animal as a pet, what would you have? What are five places you want to visit? What would you title your autobiography? What one person, alive or dead, would you most want to have dinner with? How would you describe your "happy place"? What color makes you happiest? What is your favorite birthday memory? Do you have a favorite Bible verse? What was your favorite hobby growing up? Do you understand things better in written...

Dear Giselle, I really liked this guy, but he's dating someone else. I know that I shouldn't be interested but I still really like him. Is there anything I can do to get over him faster? Thanks, Moving On Dear Moving On, Thank you so much for writing to me. I completely understand the struggle of trying to move on from a guy that's not interested in you. Keep in mind that you can't move on over night, and it's ok to take as long as you need to process your emotions. To start, I would suggest not communicating with him, maybe even breaking a Snapchat streak if you have to, and you could take a break from social media or just unfollow him for a while. Then, do some study on the purpose of dating, marriage, etc from the Bible and pray that you will be  prepared for marriage when the time comes. Finally, I would recommend going out to events where you might be able to meet a new guy, when you're ready. If you like someone new, you won't try to fall bac...

Dear Giselle, I'm currently dating a guy, but we're both going to different colleges next month. A lot of my other friends are breaking up to meet new people in college, but I really love my boyfriend and don't want to give up before trying long-distance, but I don't know whether we'll be able to make it work. What do you suggest? Thanks, Long Distance or Let it Go? Dear Long Distance or Let it Go, Thank you so much for writing to me. Pre-college break-ups are fairly common, but you don't have to follow the norm. Because I don't know your exact situation, let me give you some reasons for and against a pre-college breakup. You should break-up before college if... you don't want to commit a lot of time to making a long-distance relationship work. you don't want to be tied to a boyfriend from home when you're meeting new people at college. You shouldn't break-up before college if... you are happy in the relationship and want ...

Dear Giselle, I struggle a lot with my self-image, and I feel so uncomfortable in the summer because the clothes are so much smaller. What can I do to feel less self-conscious about my weight? Thanks in advance, Summer Self-Image Struggler Dear Summer Self-Image Struggler Summer is often a time when people feel most self-conscious about their bodies, but there are a few things I would suggest that can help alleviate those concerns and boost your self-confidence. First, I would suggest you look up Bible verses to memorize about how much God loves you. No where does God say anything about loving skinny people more than fat people or blonds more than brunettes. In fact, in 1 Samuel 16:7 it says, But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do noy look on his appearance, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." (ESV). Remind yourself often of this truth because G...

July 1: Mark 1 2: Mark 2 3: Mark 3 4: Mark 4 5: Mark 5 6: Mark 6 7: Mark 7 8: Mark 8 9: Mark 9 10: Mark 10 11: Mark 11 12: Mark 12 13: 1 Corinthians 1 14: 1 Corinthians 2 15: 1 Corinthians 3 16: 1 Corinthians 4 17: 1 Corinthians 5 18: 1 Corinthians 6 19: 1 Corinthians 7 20: 1 Corinthians 8 21: 1 Corinthians 9 22: 1 Corinthians 10 23: 1 Corinthians 11 24: 1 Corinthians 12 25: 1 Corinthians 13 26: 1 Corinthians 14 27: 1 Corinthians 15 28: 1 Corinthians 16 29: Joel 1 30: Joel 2 31: Joel 3

Have you ever gone to an event, like a party or a dinner or a school dance, and you find yourself totally ignored. Maybe you stand awkwardly against a wall and no one sees you. Maybe someone cuts you off in line and you feel totally invisible. Trust me, I've had more than my fair share of these moments, when it feels like I'm wearing an outfit more fit for a ninja than whatever function I'm at. Recently I was at a graduation party for a friend of mine and I showed up, was greeted, and then promptly assumed my place in oblivion. I don't blame the host, because it was her party and everyone was demanding her attention and she really did try. I went with no intention or expectation of having a long, heartfelt chat with her. (Graduation parties are exhausting for the person they're honoring.) However, I did go in with the expectation that the other students there, both the ones who were in the now graduating class and the ones I had graduated with, would at least try ...

Dear Giselle, My mom hates this band that I love. I don't know how to explain to her that it's something really important to me. Do you have any advice for dealing with a parent that doesn't support your interests? Thanks, Mom's Bad Band Dear Mom's Bad Band, Thank you so much for writing to me. I want to start by saying that you are certainly not alone in this situation. A lot of teenagers find themselves facing off with their parents about their interests, activities, friends, etc. It's important to keep in mind that your parents have your best interests at heart almost 99% of the time. (Yes, we're all human, and sometimes even parents can make selfish decisions regarding the activities or interests of their kids). So, the first thing I would suggest is looking at some of the songs with your mother and discussing why she doesn't like the band. Maybe it's the language the band uses, in which case you may be able to play certain songs that do...

Dear Giselle, How do I continue learning over the summer? Thanks, No Brain Mush Dear No Brain Mush, There are several free web sites that can be used to learn new material over the summer. The two that really come to my mind are Khan Academy and Lyrics Training: Khan Academy has a variety of topics from math to practical life skills. Lyrics Training teaches you languages through cultural music videos. Another option is to read some of the classics. This is my favorite summer activity. Some books to check out would be: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Agatha Christie books--mysteries are fun to make you think Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment You can also check out your local library for activities or suggestions for reading. Your loving sister and fellow cellist in the tuba section, Giselle To submit your own question, email it to acell...

Dear Giselle, I'm wondering what the big deal is about sending nudes? I mean, it's not having sex. They're just pictures. Sincerely, What's the Big Deal? Dear What's the Big Deal? Sending nudes is not a great idea for two reasons. First, it you're under the age of 18, it may qualify as child pornography under your states' laws, and possession of child pornography (yes, even your own nudes) could be considered a sexual offense. That's not something to take lightly. There was a student at my high school whose nudes got leaked and he was charged as a sexual offender. (He was a minor so everything's sealed, but still this is best to avoid). Secondly, your body houses the Holy Spirit, which makes it a temple. I know, I know, it's an overused line for everything remotely sexual, but it's a very real verse in scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have f...

Dear Giselle, I really like this guy and he drinks a lot. I don't want to drink, but I don't know how else to get his attention. Do you have any suggestions for getting his attention. Sincerely, Drinking Date Dear Drinking Date, This sounds like a complicated situation, but I'll do my best to help. First, if either of you are under the age of twenty-one, remember that it's illegal to drink in the United States. If you're over twenty-one, or the legal age in your country, my advice would be to find a guy that doesn't need alcohol to have fun. You certainly shouldn't need it to impress him. Here's why: alcohol distorts reality. If you have to use alcohol to get a guy's attention, he's not paying attention to the real version of you. He's paying attention to a version of you that's a fantasy, like a dream. While we often have compelling romantic dreams, we usually don't act on those dreams in real life. If you're really sti...