I'm *Sensing* Some Changes Around Here!

Welcome to the November - December issue of Brainy Girls!  Over the next week or so you'll notice that the content will change - the old stuff will disappear and new stuff will take its place.  Did you miss out on any of the September - October issue?  If you'd like, you can request a pdf of the entire thing and I'll email it to you - just send me a note through the Feedback page (unfortunately, it looks like I can't post files directly to this website).  It's no trouble at all!

You may have noticed that I'm referring to Brainy Girls content as "issues".  This is because I very much consider this website to be an online magazine, with the same type of content that you'd find in a print publication.  We've got articles, we've got interviews, we've got other fun little tidbits!  The only difference is that you don't have to pay for it, and there are no advertisements.  So if you like this online magazine, pass it around to your friends!

You may also have noticed that a few things have changed in this latest issue.  First, there's an "interactive" page where I hope to post things for you to engage with.  Please let me know how you like it - right now, there's a poll for what you'd like to see in future Brainy Girls issues.  Second, I've moved the links and good reads sections to one page, "more, please".  There, you'll find links, books, DVDs, and other things I think you might find interesting.  Next, I now have a "videos" page, where I'll post videos relevant to the current issue's theme.  We also have our own YouTube channel!  You can subscribe to that and see what videos we like.  Additionally, current news will now be featured through Facebook, since it's so easy to find and share there.  So if you haven't "liked" our Facebook page, please do so!  And that leads me to my final point - social media.  It turns out I'm kind of a social media geek, and have gone a little overboard on the social media scene.  But that's ok, it just gives you that many more options to connect with Brainy Girls!  You can find us on Facebook, Google+, Blogger (the "join this site" button on the left side of this page), YouTube and even Pinterest!  Yahoo!  (Well, not Yahoo.com, but yahoo, as in yippee!!!)

I'd like to take a moment to reiterate the purpose of Brainy Girls.  There are two main messages that I want to impress upon you:  1) most importantly, be proud of who you are, whoever you are; and 2) be smart!  No matter what "type" of girl you are, you can use your brain.  You don't have to choose between being smart or popular or geeky or pretty - you can be ALL of these things, some of these things, or something else entirely.  It's up to you!  Brainy Girls is here to encourage you to enjoy using your brain!

One last thing...the theme for November and December!  I received a note from a girl named Wallis who was hoping to learn more about the science behind cosmetics and perfume.  I started thinking about fragrance, and then thought about how much we enjoy smelling (crisp winter air, pumpkin pie), tasting (turkey and stuffing, please!), feeling (warm air from the fireplace), hearing (caroling, anyone?) and seeing (brilliant changing leaf colors) the world around us at this time of year.  You see where I'm going with this?  Yes, our new theme is our senses - and I'll take a look at some of the ways they help us navigate our world, for survival, need, and enjoyment.  I hope you enjoy the next couple of months!