The Palm Valley School Student Blog
By Senior Jess Billimore
In the springtime haze, there is a breeze,
Petals dance around with ease, breathtaking sunsets,
My love for spring is true, each beginning is new,
Birds sing melodies, sweet and serene,
Living like this feels like a dream, when the day ends i take a sigh,
An array of colors kiss the sky, i envy the birds as they fly,
Lost in spring, nature’s hush,
Each day i feel a rush, butterflies dance in the soft sunlight,
And my dreams take flight.
By Senior Jess Billimore
While she’s not yet working for Consumer Reports, we’ve got our own Jess Billimore with ratings, reviews, and advice on products she’s tried. Here are a few she liked so much in 2023, she’s gonna keep using them right on through 2024.
The new year is well into its second month! Everybody’s talked about new things in the new year, but there were so many great products that I found last year. I don’t want to leave them behind. So, here are the items I discovered and loved in 2023 that I am definitely bringing into 2024 with me.
Starting off strong with the Owala water bottle–I got this as a Christmas gift, and I love it so much. Unlike many other water bottles I have tried, this is completely leak proof. It also keeps your water cold all day, which is great for school. Owala water bottles are super pretty and come in a huge variation of colors, so there is something for everyone.
Next we have a hair mask. Fino is a Japanese brand that I discovered on TikTok. I have tried several hair masks before, and this one really lives up to the hype. This mask makes your hair super soft and silky. I could see these results after just one use. Last year I damaged my hair with heat and frequent bleaching; incorporating this hair mask into my hair routine has helped massively, and I can see myself using this product for years to come.
Staying on the topic of hair moves me to my favorite curler ever, the Conair Curl Secret InfinitiPRO Curling Iron. I can’t express how much I love this. To begin, it’s so much more time efficient than a regular hair curler; I can finish my whole head within 10 minutes. I also no longer have to worry about burning myself as it has a protective guard and does all the work for you, so you don’t even need to know how to curl hair! I try to avoid using too much heat, which takes me to my final reason for loving this product, and that is the curls last for days!
Now, for one that surprised me, and that is the Hooga Red Light Therapy Wand. I had heard a lot of good things about red light therapy in general. I didn’t know if it was legit, but I did some of my own research and it totally is: “Red light therapy (RLT) is a treatment that uses low wavelength red light to reportedly improve your skin’s appearance, such as reducing wrinkles, scars, redness and acne. It’s also touted to treat other medical conditions (my.clevelandclinic.org). You may be wondering, how does this work? As we age, our skin produces less collagen and what red light therapy does is penetrate deep into the skin, stimulating the cells that produce that collagen. Then, this new collagen moves up to your skin’s surface, reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Now, a full-on red-light facemask is quite expensive, potentially a future investment for me. For now I just have the wand. I’ve had it for about two months, and I’m already seeing some of the benefits, such as brighter skin and reduced redness. This really has elevated my self-care routine. I would recommend the Hooga Red Light Therapy Wand.
Finally, the Miss Dior perfume! I know you are probably thinking, really, a perfume? But, this would have to be my all-time favorite scent. I love it so much and try to save it for special occasions, which could be a reason I like it as I associate it with good memories. As for the scent, it’s very fresh, floral, and light. I get so many compliments whenever I wear it!
That’s all for today! What would you most like to try?
Here at The Bird on Fire, we toyed with the idea “What if ________ was erased?” What if your best friend never was? What if home disappeared? What if the “missing link” went missing? What if Tucker Carlson was canceled? Jess looks to her beloved Marley and highlights life with her favorite Chihuahua.
By Junior Jess Billimore
This is Marley.
As you can see, she is very charming.
I have had Marley for just over two years now and my world would implode without her.
To begin with, as you have already seen, Marley is stunning.
I mean who wouldn’t want to wake up to that face?
Marley is very caring also. Whenever I’m having a bad day, she knows and takes care of me. She does this by bringing me toys, being extra silly, licking my tears and giving me extra love and cuddles.
She’s also a very intimidating guard dog. Marley is an expert at scaring away flies and other insects, and frightening objects such as La Croix cans. I probably wouldn’t be alive without her protection.
In addition, Marley is absolutely hilarious. She loves playing with bottle caps, leaves, and her favorite toy Lamby. She is so funny when she plays with them because she acts like they are trying to attack her. She also makes the silliest faces sometimes. My personal favorite is when her top lip gets stuck on her teeth (this happens a lot when she’s sleeping).
Marley is very social! She has lots of best friends and is loved by many. Marley impacts the world of even those who don’t know her as they stop to say “Hi,” and I know for a fact that the memory of Marley sticks with them for life.
All in all, Marley is my world, and I can’t imagine my life without her!
We end the year with Post-of-the-Blogger’s-Choice. One day, in American Lit, we were talking candles and churches and candles lit in churches, and Jess had a recollection of being a child in church witnessing the extinguishing of candles. And, she remembers being overcome by sadness at the sight. On the spot, she penned this beautiful poem. She shares it with us.
Blog Advisor Zachik
By Junior Jessica Billimore
Once again they put out the candles,
And with that they rob me of my hope,
They steal the fire from my eyes,
Yet I’m still blinded by the forspoken lies,
My heart you cannot mend, I ask is this the end?
And with that my dreams disappear,
I am in dismay for what can I say?
My thoughts are dark,
So bring light to my life,
Now I’m alone,
This loss I can’t condone,
Yearning for a love I secretly loathe,
Burning is my soul,
Until next time my life will be dull,
So set me on fire,
For the light makes me a liar,
So I ask you to ignite me forevermore.
Meet Marley. You may have seen Marley dropping off and picking up her human Jess in front of the Upper School. Marley leans authoritatively out the passenger-side window sporting a red or pink sweater. Marley, we’ve come to learn, knows much about the world. And, since it is a confusing world out there, we are fortunate Marley has agreed to share her sage advice here at The Bird on Fire.
Hello everyone! It’s me, Marley–your favorite chihuahua. I am very popular and looked up to, so I thought I’d answer some questions from my fans.
Why does your head look so weird? — Luke Sonderman
Hi, Luke, thank you for your question! I have a very large brain which takes up a lot of space. Also, unfortunately, I cannot control how I look. #bekind #bigbrains
Marley, do we have a connection? — Ms. Zachik
Hi, Ms Zachik, of course we do! I love that you got so excited to see me. It made my day. I’d love to meet you in person sometime.
Do you ever get bored of eating the same thing every day? — Louisa Richardson
Actually, I have a well varied diet. I usually begin my morning with some bacon and whipped cream. For lunch, I’ll have some turkey mince, and for dinner I’ll have chicken. About once a month, I’m treated to filet mignon.
What is a wise piece of wisdom you can share? – Maya Karpaty
Always be yourself, even if people make fun of your head shape.
Between you and me, is Jess actually your bestie? How’s our relationship? – Enzo Lomsky
Enzo, you are my true number one bestie. I love you more than I love Jess! Let’s hang soon.
Have you ever thought of running away? — Zachary Kazmouz
Yes, everyday actually. I want to live with my best friend Enzo.
How are you doing? – Simee Patel
I’m really good, thank you! I love answering questions from my friends:) How are you?
What is your favorite thing to do during the day? – Ms. Perea, US Administrative Assistant
I love to annoy my dad when he’s on work calls and sleep in the sun.
How big do you think you are? — Audrey Guess
Such a great question, Audrey! I’m proud to say I weigh 22.5 pounds.* That is a fact.
Have you had any past lives? – Ike Spry
Yes, I was a cat in my past life. #meow. Jess said she wishes I was still a cat.
What is your favorite part of living with Jess? – Mirabelle Lee
Jess is so cool and funny. I love living with her because of that!
What is your favorite toy? — Anais Lee
LAMBY!
Who is your favorite family member? — James Billimore
Obviously, it’s Jess.
Thank you for reading. Tweet me with more questions or add them to the comments here @ thebirdonfire.org. #lovemyfans
*Marley weighs in at 4 lbs.
By Junior Jess Billimore
You see me everyday,
Or do you?
You’re familiar with my presence,
Maybe too much so.
You walk all over me,
To and fro.
Some of you dislike me,
Yet I continue to grow.
Am I invasive?
I endure the pain that you give;
All I want is to live.
I take up lots of space,
Growing at a fast pace.
Is my existence a waste?
You see me everyday.
Please, appreciate me today.
*Log in your answers in the comment section.
By a new blogging voice @ thebirdonfire.org: Jess Billimore
In the words of George from George of the Jungle, “Java, java, java, java.” Yes, we’re looking at more coffee. Blog Coffee Rater Jess took on the arduous task of going undercover to investigate three local coffee shops to determine which serves up the best iced-cold brew in a soothing atmosphere and pleasing locale.
Hi! It’s Jess, in today’s post I will be doing a coffee review of three different locations in the Coachella Valley in order to determine where serves the best coffee. So, how will I be ranking these locations? I will rank them according to location/atmosphere of the shop, the menu, price, and above all- the taste. Each of these categories will be rated out of 5, and the final rankings will be calculated at the end. At each location I will order a medium iced-cold brew to make this as fair as possible.
I’m going to begin with Starbucks. There are several locations around the area, but I chose the one on El Paseo at 73520 El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA 92260. To begin with, it is a very beautiful location. You get a nice view of the mountains if you choose to sit outside, and inside is lovely too. This is a smaller location than most Starbucks, which I personally really like. It had a great vibe–the majority of those dining in were working which really inspired me to come back sometime and do the same. Usually, I find the inside of Starbucks far too loud and hectic, but this one wasn’t, so I would return for that reason also. I would give them a total of 4/5 on location/atmosphere. The barista was also kind and even offered my dog a pup cup, so this location gains +1 bonus point for that. As for the menu, I personally really liked it. Starbucks has a very large menu, which means there’s bound to be something for everyone. I really can’t fault them on it, so they get a 5/5 for that. As for the price, a medium (grande) cold brew cost me $3.25, which in my opinion is a very fair price, so they also get a 5/5 for that! And, of course, the taste–honestly, it was only okay. I personally like my coffee on the stronger side; this was quite a strong roast, so it has the nice bitter coffee taste. It was just very, very diluted. Unfortunately, I would only give them a 2.5/5 on taste. Overall, Starbucks gets a 17.5.
Now, onto my second location: The Vintage Coffee House located at 49990 Jefferson St., Indio, CA 92201. As for the location, it’s lovely. It has indoor and outdoor seating and is so beautifully decorated it feels very homey. It is also a local, independent business, so it is great to support them. The staff is super friendly–definitely the sweetest workers I’ve ever met! They also offered my dog a pup cup and treat so they gain +1 bonus point for that. All the customers were super lovely, too. It’s clear they have a lot of regulars. This is a perfect place to come to work or hang out with friends. I could have seriously stayed there for hours. Overall atmosphere/location is 5/5. The menu was amazing; they had so many unique flavors: lavender, cinnamon roll, butter pecan, and tiramisu. They would also get a 5/5 for this. My medium iced-cold brew cost me $4.50, which, yes, is a little more than Starbucks but still low and totally worth it to support a local business. I give the pricing a 5/5. The coffee was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect level of strength. They get a 5/5 for this also. Overall, The Vintage Coffee House gets a whopping 21.
Finally, I visited IW Coffee, located at 74-995 CA-111, Indian Wells, CA 92210. The location is very pretty outside and the patio has a good amount of sun. I also liked the modern/minimalist vibe on the inside. This seems to be a very popular spot to go with friends, and everyone was super friendly. For atmosphere/location they get a 5/5. As for the menu, it was decent, not as much variation as the previous locations, but there was nothing wrong with it. I am giving them 4/5 for this. The price was $4.85, which isn’t bad at all, so a 5/5 for this, too. Honestly, the taste was disappointing. It was very watered down, similar to Starbucks, so they only get a 3/5 for taste. Overall, IW Coffee gets a 17 score.
All in all, The Vintage Coffee House is the clear winner. It is my new favorite spot for coffee, and I would definitely recommend going there.
