Wednesday 31 December 2014

Silver Linings Search: December!

Here we are at the end of the year. I cannot believe that this is it. The year has gone by so fast. I've been doing this, noting the good things from throughout the month, since January. I began doing this as an exercise in positive thinking. I wanted to somehow record the good things that happen in the month to preserve them. In doing so I do not allow them to be overshadowed by the bad things that happen.

I'll put together a little post with a collection of all of my silver linings search posts so I have a collection of all the good things that the year has brought me. I'll see what I can remember and what still stays with me.


  • I booked two weeks off this month from work as paid holiday. From November 30th - December 14th I had time to just chill and work on things that I wanted to work on. 
  • For my hard work my boss gave me two tickets to see my favourite play which was super sweet.
  • I went to a really cool party and ate free food and danced the night away. What more do you want?
  • December 14th was my partner's birthday and we 
  •  I finally dyed my hair blue! I've been wanting blue hair since my final year of university and I never got around to it. Once I got the okay from my boss I just went for it. I mixed a blue and a green and I just love it!
  • After a meeting at work, I went out for breakfast with some of my lovely co-workers. We had a lot of laughs and then went to see a movie. It was lovely. 
  • I spent a lovely few days with my partner. There was one day where for about 6 hours we didn't leave my room. We just snuggled down and hid from the cold for a six hour cuddle.
  • Christmassy vibes! It all began on the 6th of December when we put up the tree, decorated it and threw Christmas ornaments everywhere. Suddenly the house was filled with candles and wreaths. Beautiful!
  • I exercised my baking/cooking skills and I managed to make some delicious onion relish and goat cheese puff pastry things. They were wonderful. 
  • I also did some chocolate crafting and made loads of yummy treats. I had to test them for poison before I gave them to people. Yes. That was the best part.
  • On December 8th I got to see my sister perform in a Christmas concert full of great music and winter favourites. That's when it started to feel Christmassy
  • I got to spend some real quality time with my sister and we had the opportunity to just talk this month.
  • My Dad and I went on a long walk which enabled me to spend some quality time with him too. We got up early one morning and walked through the forest and got a coffee together. I love spending time with my Dad and that afternoon is/was precious to me. 
  • I got to spend some lovely time with my partner too. I especially loved having one or two really lazy days where we just worked on our laptops in bed and put no make up on and cuddled. Perfect. 
  • I performed in a variety show where I sang 'Let It Go' from Frozen. It's probably a sin but, as I write this, I still have not seen Frozen. That said, I did my best to fill the role of a Disney Princess. 
  • CHRISTMASSSSSSSS! Yes, Christmas day gets an entire bullet point.
  • I love the general vibe of the month of December: everyone is so charitable and merry. It warms my heart!
  • I got to spend Christmas day with my beautiful partner for the first time ever. We've previously spent Christmas with our respective families but she joined me for Christmas. We opened presents together and went to visit my aunt/uncle/cousins together. It was the best!
  • I got so many rad Christmas presents. I am stocked up on books for the next few months. I'm so happy.
  • I spent Boxing Day with my partner and my future mother/father in law and we feasted. Then I curled up and read a book by the fire. Is that not perfection?
  • The day after Boxing Day I went to a really swish but laid back dinner party. I had prawn cocktail three days in a row - no complaints. It was delicious. I've eaten like a Queen this month.

Song of the Day: Don't You Forget About Me by Simple Minds

I love this song so much. 
Okay, so we're doing this whole 'songs from movies' theme this month and I felt that it would be utterly incomplete without this absolute 80s anthem. This is the wonderful song 'Don't You Forget About Me' by Simple Minds which comes from the film The Breakfast Club. I adore The Breakfast Club. When I have kids it will be essential viewing for them once they're of high school age.
This seems like a great song to end the year.
As we move on, don't forget the past. Don't forget what came before.
Use it to create the future.


My Top 10 Films of 2014!

I decided to throw together a definitive ranking of my top ten favourite films of the year with a little bite-size review. 2014 has been a year of hits and flops and box office delays. 2015 holds some jewels but before we can move to those, we must reflect on the past year. Here is my list of the films I enjoyed and ranked best from this whole year.  I would highly urge you to seek out and watch these movies...

10) The Love Punch

I saw this film with my family and really enjoyed it. It was so endearing and full of charm. It relied on a sense of humour that was self deprecating and very British. It was good to see realistic action with older characters and exotic locations. It was a really fun ride. 

9) The Maze Runner

I really enjoy dystopian fiction. I saw The Giver this year and enjoyed it. Maze Runner was really good and fans of The Hunger Games should enjoy this Dylan O'Brien adrenaline frenzy. Those who have not read the books will be kept on the edge of their seat. I can't wait for the next one...

8) The Book Thief

I became familiar with the book in university and read it whilst on jury duty. It's a really beautifully written book and I felt that the movies really did it justice. It so subtly showed how German towns fell under the Nazi regime and how people tried to remain true to themselves. It was heartfelt and true.
7) The Grand Budapest Hotel

Oh, Wes Anderson, you glorious bastard. I loved this film: it was such a fun and visually stunning piece, a real work of art from start to finish. It boasted such a star-studded cast, all of whom pulled their weight. Who knew Ralph Fiennes had the makings of a great comedic actor in him? This is the film equivalent of a decadent chocolate box: fancy snacking for artsy folks who need comfort food for the eyes and the soul.

6) The Wolf of Wall Street
This film explores money and gradual commodification so well. It's known for being extreme: it's long and it's full of sex, drugs and, well... more sex and drugs. It was really interesting as a true-story-biopic and I loved Jordan Belfort and his cheeky cameo.

5) Gone Girl

This is one of my absolute favourites. I went in having not read the book and it had me scratching my head and on the edge of my seat. It has a lot to say about marriage and how we interact with the news and how information is presented to us. It offers much food for thought. It's so stylishly done. I loved Trent Reznor and his work on the soundtrack: so subtle yet so unsettling. This was a real game changer. More films like this, please?

4) Belle

I crave films written by, directed by and starring women. I long for films that pass The Bechdel Test. I want intriguing films and strong female characters. This was one of my absolute favourite films of the year. It has everything you would want: politics, social commentary, romance, real life events, intersectionality between race and gender issues, GORGEOUS dresses... I loved the underlying theme of depictions of race and servitude in paintings. Gugu Mbatha Raw gave a dazzling performance and as such a new face on our screens I hope to see her career blossom from this point forward. I also eagerly anticipate more from director Amma Asante. This film was a real labour of love and is a dazzling narrative.

3) Guardians of the Galaxy
This needs to be in my top five for the soundtrack alone. After seeing the film I went out and bought the soundtrack which I've not done since, I believe, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. It was so fun and really engaged those of us who were feeling a real feeling of superhero fatigue. I appreciate Marvel but post-Avengers with Gotham and The Flash and Arrow and superheroes everywhere I needed a break. The Guardians of the Galaxy was fun and really felt like new territory and had a fun, stylistic edge. I'm really excited to see them expand on the Infinity Gauntlet story arc and hope to see Marvel Universe cross overs in the near future. Guardians of the Galaxy brought me back to Marvel movies this year.

2) Snowpiercer

This is the kind of film that defies reviews. You cannot simply jot a quick write up of this film and that's why I feel the advertising for this film has failed. The less said about this film the better; you really have to go into it with a fresh mind and no expectations and it is awesome. It's metaphorical and darkly comic whilst also being quite thought provoking. Tilda Swinton gives a wonderful Thatcher-esque performance that I quite enjoyed. I cannot tell you anything about this film. All I will say is DO NOT READ ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Just watch it. Let it happen. Move along the train.

1) Nightcrawler

Jake Gylenhaal gave one of the best performances of the year in this movie. Fans of American Psycho will love this nerve-shredding film about Lou Bloom, a down-on-his-luck lad who just wants a job. It serves as a really interesting character piece. Jake Gylenhaal is this sociopath who blurs the idea of the American dream as he manipulates people and situations around him to make things happen for him whilst also managing to be almost endearing at times. Rene Russo presents a wonderful performance as a woman in a male-soaked career pool trying to hold her own and struggling. She becomes so wrapped up in Lou's schemes almost unknowingly. 
I cannot believe that this was the first movie for the director Dan Gilroy. For your first film to be this good, your career ahead should be a tremendous one. This film allows you to follow a real predator lurking on his fellow human beings with no remorse for what happens: horror becomes the thing that pays his bills. This was an enigmatically performed, fresh film and I enjoyed it. It stayed churning away in the back of my mind for weeks after. 

Tuesday 30 December 2014

2014: A Look Back At My Favourite Moments.

In some ways 2014 has been a rough year. I lost my dog, one of my cats had to be put down, I've really struggled as an author... and yet I feel it's so important to focus on and recognise the good things that happen to us. Here I've rounded up some of my favourite moments from 2014 so that I can remember some of the real joy that this year has brought me. These are the moments that really stand out in my mind as highlights of this year.

  • When I had a bad day and called my partner in the middle of the night she was there for me. She got on a bus at 5am and travelled through the night to surprise me at work just because she knew that I needed her. In that moment I felt so truly loved.
  • My partner surprised me at work on Valentine's Day with gifts and flowers and I blushed so hard. I felt so special in that moment.
  • I created a beautiful little scavenger hunt for my beloved to lead her around our town, re-visiting places we were in the weeks leading up to us becoming a couple. The aim was to lead us around those important places and meet up at the finish line.
  • My short story collection was published. In March of 2014 I became a published author which has been my dream since childhood. I got to go to a book launch, my book launch, and meet the people who had worked on and edited my work behind the scenes in the run up to publication. I got a cake with a picture of my book on it. It was truly amazing. So many of my friends turned up to support me and I signed some books and felt truly, truly awesome. We then partied into the night: my friends, my partner, my editor, my old lecturers. It was wonderful.
  • I got to see my beautiful soon-to-be-fiancée graduate from university and I felt so very proud.
  • I really loved spending a day with my girlfriend, just exploring the Natural History Museum and learning about the world together. That was a really fun moment for me. The last time we'd been there, we were children. Maybe next time we go there, we will be there with children of our own.
  • I got to spend Christmas day with my partner as well as my family. My partner and I have never been together on Christmas day which made this year so very special. 
  • I went too some great gigs. I saw Aerosmith at Calling Festival (I won the tickets through work, with a little help from my partner, so I got to see them for free!) I saw Within Temptation. I saw William Control and Bad Pollyanna when I was a VIP member going backstage at their London Punishment Tour gig. I saw Miranda Sings! It was a really awesome year. 

Monday 29 December 2014

2014 Resolutions: How Did I Do?

A few years ago I wouldn't have made any New Year's Resolutions at all. This is the second year that I've made a list AND reviewed my resolutions at the end of the year. It is time where we examine what I said I'd do and what I actually did. Last year I managed to do pretty much everything on the list so I'm happy to review how I've done over this past year.

The writing in bold shows what I said I wanted to do and beneath I'll say if I actually managed to achieve it.

- I want to travel. It may be to somewhere far afield like New Zealand or just up north to Scotland. Either way I want to travel this year because holidays are soul restoring and I was born with an endless wanderlust. Over the summer I shall be travelling around Europe with my father. We'll be starting in Amsterdam so I'm very excited.

Well, due to financial restrictions my father and I didn't manage to go to Amsterdam over the summer. I had hoped to get away but my work hours doubled over the last few months of the year so I'm not basically working full time which, in truth, is what I wanted so I can't complain. I'm hoping next year will bring travel opportunities but this year sadly hasn't. That said, a cheeky tax rebate should bring me enough money to take me to New Zealand so fingers crossed!

- Keep writing. This year I want to either write a novel in 2014 or finish a film script or the pilot of a TV show and a few following episodes. I also want to continue with my second anthology of poetry and maybe seek publication for my first anthology of poetry. I'm now actually kinda happy that my poetry wasn't selected for publication because there's more work I want to do on the existing poetry in 2014.

Oh, I've written. The anthology of poetry has been added to and a second anthology is in the works. I've made a real effort towards finishing a novel. Sadly I didn't actually finish one. Let's hope next year does it...

- I want to work. I want to work whether it's in the job I have now or a graduate job or work abroad.  I want to work and to save up money for the future.

I got a job at the end of December 2013, the job mentioned above, and worked there for several months. I also applied for internships and graduate jobs and really put myself out there whilst working on my own work at home. Around the month of May I went to my first job interview of the year. I began looking for better jobs and internships that are more to my interests. After that I also started putting myself out there for things like competitions and scholarships that would somehow enhance or improve career prospects. I've saved up a lot of money over the past year and put it away for the future. I've had interviews for another job at the end of this year so it looks like I may get that job some time in 2015. That said, I've worked and saved up so much money for the future. Half of my earnings each month have been put away. I have worked my socks off. All of my end of year blogs this year were almost not written because I'm working an eight day streak from the end of December all the way into the New Year! I've worked and worked hard and the hope is that 2015 will see a career change for me. Fingers crossed....

- I want to get into photography. Even if I'm no good at it I really love the idea of taking photos and simply documenting life.

I sort of did this. I got an Instagram account and began documenting the little things in my life. I must be honest: taking the occasional selfie has actually sky-rocketed my self confidence. I had a day in May where my partner and I went out with a camera and had a mini nature photography kind of day which was quite nice. We ended up taking a lot of pictures of each other being cuties. This, however, involved an actual camera and some camera skills so... yay! I'd say my photography skills have come along a little this year. I've also totally upped my selfie game. I think I'll put together a separate post about photography in the year 2014 but yeah, this is a resolution I nailed. Pun intended.

- I want to start getting involved with music and actually creating some original songs so that I can maybe put together a small demo album. A few friends of mine have recorded their music and shared it with the world and I'd like to do the same. I've got some lyrics and tunes written out so we'll see where that goes. Maybe if I try to write at least one song by the end of the year. I think that's a good place to start.

This year I wrote a few songs and started actually planning out a rough idea for an album. I'd like to just record some lazy indie album one day really low budget. I know a friend who has done the same. That's the aim for the not too distant future....

- I want to get into vlogging. I've really enjoyed blogging so the next step is clearly to vlog on YouTube. I've set up a channel and I'd really appreciate it if you could subscribe and follow my journey.

I totally did get into vlogging. I felt a little hesitant at first. Something about talking to a camera seems awfully unnatural but I did it. I also got into making quick videos on vine to boost my online visibility. I've not done much but I've done something and that's good enough for me. I'm hoping to vlog more in 2014.

- I want to exercise more and maybe get back into swimming simply because I really enjoy it. It's a really relaxing way to exercise.

I did exercise, yes. I went to the gym a little, went on walks, lifted weights. I lost some weight. Life was good. I'm starting to look rather slim and sexy if I do say so myself. Then near the end of the year I got a gym membership and made real progress. I can run now! It's pretty darn exciting. My bad knee is so much better. I am losing weight, my heart and lungs feel so good and my skin is super clear. I hope to be a dress size smaller in the New Year but Christmas has put back what a few treadmill sessions took off if you know what I mean....

2014 Favourites

Favourite Songs:
  • Sing To The Moon by Laura Mvula
  • Stay Gold by First Aid Kit
  • I Love You Too Much by Diego Luna/Gustavo Santaolalla
  • Architect's Son by Julia Gray
  • She by Laura Mvula
  • Running When You Call My Name by Haim
  • Torrent by Asgeir
  • Rise Like A Phoenix by Conchita Wurst
  • Long December by Julia Gray
  • Roots by Orla Gartland
  • Robber Bride by Julia Gray
  • Blue Roses by Julia Gray

Favourite Films:
(I will be doing a separate post with a short review of each film and an actual ranking of my favourites)
  • The Wolf Of Wall Street
  • Gone Girl
  • The Book Thief
  • Godzilla
  • The Book of Life
  • The Maze Runner
  • How To Train Your Dragon 2
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Belle
  • It's A Disaster (Sure, it came out before 2014 but I only saw it this year)
  • Snowpiercer 
  • Nightcrawler
  • The Love Punch

Favourite Moments:
  • Being surprised twice at work by my loving partner: First in the morning after I'd been on the phone to her all night saying how stressed I was. She got on a bus in the early morning and travelled all day because she knew I needed her. Secondly, on Valentine's Day when I was surprised with presents and flowers at work. It was the best Valentine's day ever.
  • Hannah's graduation.
  • Being merch girl for Bad Pollyanna and getting to go backstage with them and the other bands.
  • Going to the Marina Abramovic exhibition, 512 Hours.
  • Taking Hannah to see The Crucible in London for our anniversary.
  • Setting up the ScavHanger Hunt for my partner <3
  • Holding my book for the first time. Knowing that I was officially a published author. 

Favourite Events:
  • Seeing Eric Whitacre and Laura Mvula perform at Union Chapel back in May
  • My book launch!
  • Watching my beautiful partner graduate from university after three years of effort and study
  • Bad Pollyanna and William Control on The Punishment Tour
  • Seeing Within Temptation in London with my father and friends
  • Going to a football game with my father
  • Setting up a scavenger hunt for my beloved around the town.
  • Going to the Miranda Sings gig with my partner
  • Seeing The Crucible for my anniversary with my beloved.
Favourite TV shows:
  • Game of Thrones
  • How To Get Away With Murder
  • Orange is the New Black
  • Masters of Sex
  • Grey's Anatomy
  • The Following

Sunday 28 December 2014

HOW'D YOU GET HERE? pt 3

So at the start of the year I did a post detailing some of the interesting things that Google Analytics show me, specifically what people manage to Google to find my blog. Some of them are an absolute mystery and I have no idea how they find my blog via such bizarre Google terms but they certainly do make me chuckle.
I have posted a few of these before and I really, really enjoy seeing what crazy stuff people Google to find this blog. Sometimes I really don't quite know how it got them here:


  • sexy classical music.
  • lesbian rudeness
  • dancing in the rain youtube
  • is drunk skinny dipping safe?
  • who's the queen
  • can't get candle wax out of cat's fur (that's probably one of my favourites)
  • heavily
  • legend gump
  • how do I find the book at the university?
  • Alex Vause Hunger Games
  • Artpop Game of Thrones
  • nerd stuff (this has been Googled many, many times to get to my blog...whut?)
  • in their skin sex scene
  • lady marjorie shaved head (sic)
  • lesbians in movies
  • aaliyah eyebrows in music videos
  • girls insult
  • красная переплет книга (meaning 'red hardcover book')
  • skinny old man
I'm really glad that so many of you end up here by Googling things like "pescetarianism for beginners" and am saddened by how many of you come here Googling terms like "insecurity" even though it leads you to my post where I remind you that insecurity is usually something that we've been made to feel by those around us and not our own fault. I hope that those of you Googling insecurity read the post and are reminded that you're wonderful and stuff. I hope that the new year brings plenty of weird stuff from Google.

One Year Of Silver Linings

This past year I've been making monthly lists and posting them on this blog. The lists detail good things that happened within that month. If anything, it has really taught me the importance of seeking out goodness. It has made me a more positive person. It means I also, at the end of the year, have a really positive review of what happened in the past 12 months.

Sure, bad things happen. They stick out. You remember them. This year I lost my beloved dog, Hamish. My cat and writing sidekick, Chelsea, became unwell and had to be put down. There are plenty of crappy things that happened this year. That's why its so important to remember the good: it contrasts the bad and if you don't hone in on it, it will get overshadowed by the bad. I definitely think I'll keep doing these posts in the next year. I'd urge you to do them to whether it be on a blog or just a notebook in your home. Focus on the good and let it lead you form day to day.

Thursday 25 December 2014

Song of the Day: The Carol Medley from A Muppet Family Christmas


Someone recently asked me what my favourite Christmas film is and, for some time, I simply couldn't think of one. Then I realised that I do have one... thanks to The Muppets!
And no, shockingly enough it isn't A Muppets Christmas Carol. 
It's from a film which I believe is called A Muppet Family Christmas and I had it on video tape as a kid. The Muppets gang all go to visit Fozzy's grandmother and the house ends up full of Muppets, the Sesame Street gang and even the guys from Fraggle Rock. Here's a little song from the film:



Friday 19 December 2014

Song of the Day: Danny's Arrival (Hollywood) from Cats Don't Dance

I don't think I've ever heard anyone else discuss this video but I had it on VHS tape as a kid. It's about a little cat who goes to Hollywood to pursue a career in showbiz. It's a weird one but it's not bad.

Enjoy,


Thursday 18 December 2014

Song of the Day: Touch The Sky from Brave

Continuing in our "Songs from Movies" season I thought I'd wander over for some Disney goodness.
This is from Brave, a film which I saw from the cinema seats and from the projection room. 

Enjoy,


Wednesday 17 December 2014

Song of the Day: Libera Me from Interview with the Vampire

Oh, I do love a good choir.
This song is featured at the beginning of the hit film 'Interview with the Vampire' and is a little different from some of the other songs that have been featured this month in our 'songs from movies' season.

Enjoy,


Tuesday 16 December 2014

Song of the Day: 3 Small Words by Letters To Cleo (from Josie and the Pussycats)


This song is from one of my favourite 90s bands: Letters to Cleo. 
The song was featured in the highly underrated film "Josie and the Pussycats", a live action retelling of the old Hanna Barbera cartoon. The film explores the foibles of the pop music industry and how bands turn to brands and are used as marketing tools. I really enjoyed the film so I hope you enjoy the song...


'A glossy double cover spread
Open up inside your head...'


Monday 15 December 2014

Song of the Day: Slept So Long from Queen of the Damned

So you may recall that last year I rewatched the atrocious Queen of the Damned as part of my 31 Horror Films in 31 Days challenge. Although the film is awful I stand by the fact that it has a pretty decent soundtrack. Since we're continuing on with our "songs from movies" season, I chose this as our song of the day today.

Enjoy,


Sunday 14 December 2014

Song of the Day: I Love You Too Much from The Book Of Life

Following on from our "Songs from Movies" season of songs of the day, I bring you this.
Back in October there was a great little film called The Book of Life which I actually really enjoyed. I saw it with my partner and we both thought that it was really cute. It's sung by Manolo to his love, Maria, having not seen her for many years and I just found myself really loving this song. As I write this my partner is even trying to mouth along to the words... badly.

I'm posting this because it's my partner's birthday.
I definitely don't think I can love her too much but this is for her.


Yorkshire.

"Yorkshire is a place. Yorkshire is a state of mind."

I have recently been re-watching episodes of The Mighty Boosh and the quote above is something that Howard Moon says to the Spirit of Jazz. I miss Yorkshire. I lived there for three years whilst studying at the University of Huddersfield. Earlier this year I woke up early one morning just to see Huddersfield being passed in the Tour de France. I went to university there and so spent three years of my life surrounded by the rolling hills of Huddersfield. I was a stone's throw away from Leeds, a train ride away from Manchester and a hop, skip and a jump from York itself. I managed to gain a great wealth of experience from living in Yorkshire so here's what I learned:
  • Everything is cheaper up North. Down South you'll pay £8 for a watered down cocktail in a plastic cup in some shitty night club in Bexleyheath. For £8 in Huddersfield you could probably get totally pissed. Hell, you might even come home with change in your pockets. 
  • Before living in Yorkshire I didn't even know that pies can come in cans. They can. Excuse the pun, but they can... and they'e good. 
  • Yorkshire has slang. Oh yeah.
  • People are surprisingly proud of being Northern. People will create a hierarchy from who is most Northern. It didn't matter that I was Scottish, which is as far North as you can get here, because I had a 'posh' Southern accent. 
  • Everyone is so much more friendly. In London people act as if you can catch germs through eye contact and so they turn their gaze to the floor. In Yorkshire, the fellow train passengers are your new but temporary best friends.
  • People are friendly but they're also honest. Brutally honest. 
  • If your accent sounds even remotely Southern you will be asked 'Are you from London?' at least once. 
  • Gravy. Gravy goes on everything.
  • Everyone there has a favourite tea. It's usually Yorkshire tea. Sometimes PG Tips, but these are usually people with southern roots. 
  • Also people are almost violent in their love for Sunday dinner. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT get between a Yorkshireman and his Sunday dinner. 
  • The weather is worse in winter. I mean, it's generally colder all year round but when I lived in Yorkshire I was practically snowed into my apartment three winters in a row. That's pretty normal in Huddersfield. 
  • People will try to prove their strength by going out on winter in the shortest, tightest little cocktail dresses and still scrambling to the nearest Student Bar. Grown men will walk the streets in onesies and battle against the cold for fear of losing their 'man cred' in front of their mates. It's all about endurance. They win. They just win.

Saturday 13 December 2014

Song of the Day: Within You form Labyrinth


In picking a song from the movie Labyrinth I think 'Magic Dance' would be the song you'd expect to hear.
But no.
Or perhaps 'As The World Falls Down' which provides the music for the dream/ball sequence?
No.
This one is my favourite.
It shows Jareth with a sudden element of vulnerability. 


Don't you just want to give David Bowie a cuddle?
I do.


Friday 12 December 2014

Thoughts from Bag End.

So today, as is my tradition, I woke myself up early so I could make it to the first showing of The Hobbit at my local cinema. I always see the first available showing. I went in, along with another sixteen or so movie-goers, and we watched. As the film wrapped and the credits began it was as if another chapter of my life had ended.

I've loved Tolkien's work since childhood. My Dad read the books to me as a little girl when we were travelling through Hungary. He did all of the voices for the characters. He read the 'Riddles in the Dark' chapter in the dark and I was filled with awe. My Dad then began reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy to me. When he was to busy, I'd read the books to him. I loved them. The movies came along and I fell head-over-heels in love with Jackson's vision of Middle Earth. Return of the King will always be my favourite film. My Dad took me to see Return of the King at a preview screening so I could talk about it in school the next day because he knew how much I loved it. We sat in the very front row and it felt as if the Rohirrim were leaping over us. It's one of my favourite memories with my Dad. I can still remember how I felt.

When I went to see the first Hobbit film I saw it twice in one day. Firstly, with my partner in 2D, and then an hour later in 3D with my friend Claire. I saw the second one countless times last winter. I'm sure I'll see the final one many times more. There were things about the final film that I didn't like. The thing that sticks out more is the heavy use of CGI. Billy Connolly in his role as Dain looked like video game footage rather than a credible, tangible character. I'd much rather have seen more practical effects rather than digital ones. I am still collecting my thoughts into a clear narrative from which I can construct a review/criticism. That said, when the film ended, and we were left looking at the map and realising that the film had so nicely gone full circle, I felt a hot tear spring from my eye. I cried in the first Hobbit film too: first, when we were shown that map I knew so well, and secondly when my favourite part, Riddles in the Dark, began.

I am so thankful to Peter Jackson and the entire cast and crew of both trilogies for making films that have shaped my life so much. I am thankful for the beauty of New Zealand which gave Middle Earth shape. It has been an emotional day. I was so sad when the original trilogy ended. I called it Middle Earth malaise. Then, at the announcement of The Hobbit films, I felt a soaring joy. Now it's over. We say goodbye to Middle Earth.

That round, green door is closed now.

Song of the Day: Deliver Us from The Prince of Egypt


What's this?
Another Prince of Egypt song in our songs from the movies month?
Yes. It's my blog. If I want two songs from the same film then I can do that.
I was utterly obsessed with the music from this film as a little girl. It made me want to be a choral and orchestral conductor. It really set off my fascination with music. This entire piece set my imagination on fire and to make things even better it features the wonderful Ofra Haza in the role of Yocheved. Ofra Haza is a singer whom I adore. She died on my birthday. This song has always inspired me. This whole opening number.
Enjoy,



Thursday 11 December 2014

Song of the Day: Wings by Gustavo Santaolalla

This is one of my absolute favourites.
This is Wings from Brokeback Mountain.
It was penned by the wonderful Gustavo Santaolalla who is behind many great film scores (most recently The Book of Life) and this is my favourite of his songs.
Enjoy,


Little Ways To Pamper and Care For Yourself. (Pt 1)

Try a Relaxing Foot Bath
Get a basin. Fill it with warm water, Epsom salts or bath oils and plonk your feet in there. It beats away the winter blues by warming you up and leaves your feet smooth and soft. This is a perfect way to unwind if you don't have the time or energy for a full bath.

Go Make Up Free
Have days where you just let yourself go make up free so that your skin can breathe. Clean it. Steam your skin and open up your pores. Make up can really clog your pores and dirt can build up on your skin from make up and day-to-day life. Have days of cleaning your face and leave it nude after.

Don't Use Old/Out Of Date Make Up
Treat yourself to new make up and bin anything more than one year old. Bacteria builds up in our make up and applying dirty, old, bacteria-riddled make up is not good for your skin at all. You deserve make up that is clean and relatively germ free.

Try to find a shampoo with NO sodium lauryl sulphate
Sodium lauryl sulphate/sulfate is often what makes your shampoo lather up to clean your hair. The problem is that it's really not good for you. It dries out your hair, robbing you of your natural hair oils. Try to minimise the amount of bad chemicals you use on your hair. Maybe even try to cut down on how regularly you wash your hair so that you can let your hair thrive in those natural oils. It should really strengthen your hair over time. Similarly, minimise the amount of products you use on your hair in general and try not to apply heat too often. Maybe on weekends, let your hair dry naturally after a shower. Have days where you don't straighten it. Just let your hair be...

Eat fruit and vegetables
I cannot even stress this enough. No more running out and buying creams, pills and potions. Just eat your 5 a day and you should see and feel the difference within weeks. Even picking a vegetable at random, a red bell pepper for example, has plenty of benefits. They're packed with antioxidants, help you to absorb iron, a great source of vitamin B6 and magnesium, they can help to boost your metabolic rate and help to keep skin smooth and more wrinkle free. Eat fruit and vegetables. Blend them into smoothies and drink them. Make them into face masks and apply them to your skin. Throw fresh lemon juice into as much of your cooking and beverages as possible. Fruit and veggies are the closest thing to beauty potions that we have.

Wednesday 10 December 2014

Recommended Reads!

Hello darlings!
It is, of course, Wednesday.
This means that it is time for recommended reads.
If you don't know what recommended reads is... you must be new.
It's a weekly segment where I share links to a few cool things in the hopes that you'll like them too.
Here are my picks for the week:


Song of the Day: What If by Kate Winslet (from Christmas Carol: The Movie)

Kate Winslet surprised us all with this Christmassy song 'What If' and when it was released I totally fell in love with it. I've not actually seen the film it's from but I've always loved the song.
Enjoy,


Tuesday 9 December 2014

Song of the Day: There You'll Be by Faith Hill

This is one of those ballads that I just love.
Pearl Harbour is one of those films I put on when I feel like I need a good cry because it's a real weepy. If you're new then I'll explain: here on this blog I'm posting a song each day and the theme for all these songs is that they are from a film I like. 
Enjoy, 


Monday 8 December 2014

Song of the Day: I Still Believe by Tim Capello (from The Lost Boys)


Ha!
For a song from The Lost Boys I bet you'd have expected Cry Little Sister, right?
Wrong.
Get back in your box.
I really enjoy this number.
He thrusts and plays his saxophone.
WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?



Saturday 6 December 2014

Song of the Day: I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith (from Armageddon)

Haha, some more cheese.
Except it's cheese we all seem to like.
I mean, really, I've not ever met someone who didn't like this song.
Maybe it's because Steven Tyler is the prettiest he's even been in this video?

 

I had the chance to see Aerosmith perform this live earlier this year.
I took a quick vine of it: 

Christmas DIY!

Time for a spot of Christmas DIY!
So I've done these before through the year, it's a collection of DIY materials. Some are from blog posts or YouTube tutorial videos etc. The difference this month is that they all have a Christmas theme. Yay!
Here are my picks for the month:

Friday 5 December 2014

Who? YOU? Where? THERE?

I'm forever happy to see people all over the world stopping by to read my humble little blog that I started with no major plans for it. Here I am many months later and still raking in views from all over the world.

Here is a list of the countries that have stopped by my blog so far. Thank you for reading and making me feel awesome on a daily basis. Don't forget that you're awesome too:

United Kingdom
Isle of Man

Latvia
Côte d’Ivoire
Iraq
Jamaica
Ghana
Guyana

Luxembourg
Brunei

Guernsey
Bangladesh 

Lithuania
Nigeria

Bahrain
Mauritius
United Arab Emirates
Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe
Pakistan
Macedonia [FYROM]
Singapore
Israel

Colombia
Thailand

Qatar
Nepal

South Africa
Trinidad and Tobago
Georgia
Peru
Moldova

Taiwan
Mongolia
Estonia
Kuwait
Croatia

Slovenia
Saudi Arabia
Portugal

Hungary
Norway
Tunisia
Belarus
Morocco
Poland
Azerbaijan

United States
Germany
South Korea
Brazil

India
Indonesia
Finland

Argentina
Puerto Rico
Bulgaria
Greece
Cambodia

Sweden
Mexico

Turkey
Romania
Serbia

Philippines
Japan
Canada
Netherlands
Spain
Venezuela
Chile

Switzerland
Italy
Ireland
Egypt
France
Malta
China

Hong Kong (as special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)
Vietnam
Malaysia
Czech Republic
Russia
Ukraine
Australia
New Zealand
Belgium
Denmark
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Argentina

Song of the Day: Everything I Do (I Do It For You) by Bryan Adams (from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves)

Well, it wouldn't be right if there wasn't some cheese...
Continuing on with out 'songs from the movies' month, this is an old favourite of mine...


Thursday 4 December 2014

Things To Consider Before Bringing A Pet Home

Christmas is now officially just around the corner. As we roll through into December it's important to remind people of the troubles of giving animals as gifts. Every year people give animals, typically kittens and puppies, as gifts to their loved ones. Already there has been news of animals being imported in squalid and unsanitary conditions ahead of Christmas this year. This is a problematic practice as these animals aren't always well received or later go neglected. Some owners don't think everything through. Whether you've decided to give someone a pet for Christmas or you're hoping to welcome a new animal to your home in the near future, these are important questions to ask yourself before you get a pet. I want animals to have homes. In writing this article I do not want to stop people getting pets altogether. I just want to make sure they're going to homes that are prepared to care for them where they will be loved and not neglected. Having a pet can be such a joyful and rewarding experience. That said, many people rush the decision to get an animal without thinking about the big picture and asking themselves some important questions before bringing a furry friend into their home.

Can you afford to support them?

Pets cost a decent amount of money. Can you pay, for example, £10 per week on food? What about pet insurance? Are you able to pay for pet insurance too? There's also the cost of getting your pet spayed or neutered and possibly even micro chipped. You'll have to fork out on animal accessories, regular flea and worm treatment, any kind of vet treatment. Younger pets may need various vaccinations which would be irresponsible of a pet owner to not provide. What would you do if suddenly you lost your job? Can you support an animal if the worst happens? It's important to always consider why you want a pet in the first place and then considering how much it will cost.

Do you have a suitable home for them? Will there be space for the pet in your home?

Indoor pets need space to roam. Cats will want to go outside. Dogs will want to run around. Do you have space in your home for a pet? Is your small apartment really the right amount of space for a large, energetic dog to bounce around in? Are your things going to get broken? If you live in an inner city apartment, how are you going to manage having a cat? Do you have enough space for one? If you're in an inner city apartment with a dog, will you have time to take it outside to go to the bathroom regularly? If not your life will involve a lot of cleaning up after their bowel movements. If you live in a rented property it is also CRUCIAL that you check your rental agreement to find out if you're allowed to have a pet where you currently live. It is best to discuss the decision with your landlord as this may incur fees and changes to your lease agreement. Are you going to move from one apartment to another? With a pet your choices will be limited because not all landlords allow animals in their buildings. This will leave you and your pet struggling to find a new home. Also, do you travel a lot? Animals don't want to sit at home alone. They will love you and therefore will want to spend time with you. If you work late hours and leave them home alone, they may get bored or even depressed. When you go on holiday you need to consider who will care for them too. It's such a big responsibility that you have to prepare for.

Is your pet for a child?

Buying a pet for a child can be wonderful. Seeing their eyes widen as they meet their pet for the first time could make you heart sing. It can be problematic though. Many people use pets as a way to teach their children about responsibility. This can, in some cases, lead to animals being neglected. This often occurs with small pets like hamsters. It is NOT the job of these animals to teach your children responsibility. It is YOUR job as a parent or guardian to teach them this. Even if it is a pet for your child, you must take an active role in caring for it. You will most likely be funding the existence of such an animal. If you are the head of the household then the responsibility falls to you as much as every other person in the house.

Consider animal size - can you provide for their needs?

Huskies have always been popular due to their wolf-like aesthetic. The only problem is that huskies are big dogs and therefore have certain needs. They have a lot of energy and need a great deal of attention and exercise. If you're looking to get a big dog, do you have the time to walk them for at least and hour every day? If not, have you considered a smaller dog that would be happy with a fifteen minute walk? Your dog needs to be walked every day. Yes, every day. You've got to consider if you even have time for a pet. If you're thinking of getting a horse, do you have the land, space, equipment and experience to care for one? Owning a horse is very different to owning a domesticated house pet. If you get something like a snake, are you prepared to feed it dead chicks, rats or live insects? Those tea cup piglets don't stay small forever. Are you willing to have a full grown pig walking around your house? (No, your spouse doesn't count.)

Allergies

Pets are bought as gifts every year only to find that the person receiving them is allergic. The animals are then given up for adoption, resold and shuffled from one place to another. It may well be worth finding out in advance if anyone suffers from such allergies and looking into hypo-allergenic breeds.

What if you have children?

You have to plan ahead for this. It's all well and good adding a pet to the family but if a baby is thrown into the mix that can be too much to juggle. Some worry that the pet could harm the baby. This is another common reason as to why animals are re-homed and it's not good for them to be palmed off to another owner as soon as they become an 'inconvenience' in their first home. Some animals that come from shelters aren't compatible with children and can be aggressive although they're fine around adults. This is just another important factor to consider.

Do you have the patience to care for a long haired animal who needs a lot of cleaning up after?

Sure, huskies are stoic and wolf-like. Yes, Persian cats have the potential to make you look like a wicked Bond villain. Of course pomeranians are giant bags of cuteness. That said, they are long haired animals. They will need plenty of grooming. When I had a dog he wasn't even a particularly long-haired breed but he needed regular grooming and that costed quite a bit. It's not just for aesthetic reasons. Some dogs with long hair can end up with dirty, matted fur if left to their own devices. Some animals will shed hair all over your home. Are you prepared to run around in an attempt to clean all that up?

Where is your pet from? Are you supporting kitten/puppy farms?

This is the darkest part of the Christmas pet trade. As previously mentioned, on top of pre-existing puppy and kitten farms in the UK, animals are being shipped in from abroad to make a huge profit.
Don't support this awful industry. Life is not a commodity. If you want a pet then I urge you to look into animals currently in shelter awaiting homes. If you must get a pet for Christmas make it a gift for you and for that animal by giving them the gift of a forever home.

Song of the Day: The Plagues from The Prince of Egypt

Okay, I really love this song.
It's probably not the most obvious choice of all the great songs from this film but I'm a sucker for a good, strong choir and this song is so incredibly powerful. It's sung well by both the choir and the soloists. It's honestly one of my favourite bits of the whole film. This scene is executed so perfectly and the choir build everything so skilfully. I'd secretly love to be part of a film choir on a piece like this.
Enjoy,


Wednesday 3 December 2014

Recommended Reads

Hello there!
It's Wednesday.
You know what that means ri...

Oh!
Look! It's a picture of a bath tub in a field.
Excellent.
Just excellent.

Oh, but of course it's time for us to be getting on to recommended reads, that wonderful weekly segment where I outline a few cool things I've spotted online lately and share them with you in the hopes that you'll enjoy them too.

Here we go, guys:


WRITINGMAS

So I decided to try and get some writing done with my time off. Originally I'd wanted to work on a novel but my patience for novel writing is just really low right now. In the run up to Christmas I just know that it's something I don't have time for and I'll just have to accept that I won't be finishing 2014 with a full novel completed. That said, I've stated doing something called 'WRITINGMAS' where I'm going to write a little something each day. It could be something for this blog, for The Huffington Post, a poem, a shot story. Whatever it is, I am going to just write a little something each day for the month of December in the hopes that this will keep me creative and make me work.

Happy Writingmas!

Song of the Day: Casper's Theme

Can I keep you?


Jared Leto signs up to play The Joker in Suicide Squad movie!

So the news is now breaking. It appears that the gorgeous Jared Leto has signed up for the role of The Joker in the upcoming Suicide Squad movie. These are big shoes to fill because we're all still revelling in the glory of the performance given by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. I for one will be awaiting this performance with great anticipation.

Jared Leto is no stranger to bad things happening to his face in movies, so a role as the slit-faced Joker shouldn't be so strange. His face was beaten in quite a bit on Fight Club and torn apart by bullets in The Panic Room. Hopefully he can hide away his pretty behind the clown make up and give a truly excellent performance.

Tuesday 2 December 2014

'Me' Time

I currently have about two weeks booked off work.

I aim to use this time to write and relax. I got so behind with NaNoWriMo because I work full time. I have rehearsals for the show three times a week. Eventually I stopped altogether. In these two weeks I want to write and try to finish a novel by the end of the year though I'm not sure this will happen. I'm also going to try and work on this blog a little more this month. I feel really bad for neglecting it over the past six months. It just takes so much time and effort. Time to get back on track...

Song of the Day: I Want You To Want Me by Letters To Cleo

I'm sorry.

The 90s called.
They want their vibes back.

Who could forget this 1999 Shakespeare-inspired hit?
Based on the play The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favourite films of all time. It introduced me to the wonderful band Letters To Cleo who I adored for many years after. It also introduced me to the wonderful Heath Ledger. Oh, how I miss him.
Enjoy,


Monday 1 December 2014

Review + Response: The Imitation Game

Okay, okay... I know that this film has been out for weeks so it's a little late for a review but I'd not written one for a while and I had some thoughts on the film that I wanted to share.

The Imitation Game had been recommended to me so many times in the past few weeks so I had to carve out time to see it. As a member of the LGBTQ community I had to see it. I loved how naturally they depicted Turing's sexuality without making it a huge plot point, it was definitely treated as a respectful sub plot. I felt things were a little rushed and I would have really liked them to tastefully depict Turing's suicide as it remains one of the most beautiful and poetic suicides I've ever heard of.

This was a real character piece and Cumberbatch most definitely stole the spotlight. His portrayal of Alan Turing was strong, possibly his strongest yet. The rest of the film, however, fell a bit flat. We went through this whole journey of Turing joining the team and building a machine and yes, suddenly it works. We see it working and then are thrown a brief bit of information about how they used the information before Turing, in a most blasé fashion, tells us how the war dragged on for two years and was over. This was incredibly anti-climactic. Were it not for the strength of Benedict Cumberbatch and his portrayal of Alan Turing, this film would have fallen flat because the plot moves so hurriedly and without care for dramatic tension. Things are not adequately brought to a dramatic ground. Cumberbatch brings the laughs and the tears and really makes you feel. The rest of the cast give a decent enough performance (with Keira Knightley playing Keira Knightley as per usual) but this feels like a good enough film that certainly entertained. I feel that this could call for an Oscar nomination for Cumberbatch, that's for sure...

Warmth In Winter.

A friend of mine has just reminded me that, four years ago today, hundreds of us were snowed into our apartment blocks. We lived in these little apartments in the middle of nowhere in the hills and the forests. I'd chosen to live there rather than in the centre of town because it was quiet. Unfortunately those hills and the remote setting meant that nothing in terms of food or other goods was able to be delivered. We were stuck there for a few days. The shop was raided, all items bought, and the shelves were left empty. There was one bar in walking distance that was crammed full of chilly, scarf-wrapped students. It was a little scary. Most of us were trapped in and, with no buses able to get to us, some were trapped in the town centre and away from their apartments. Now I'm really thinking about that time and reliving it. This could be inspiration for a short story.

Thank goodness for little shreds of inspiration...

Song of the Day: Pretty In Pink by Psychedelic Furs

So here it is!
We're starting up song of the day once more and the song I decided to start with is Pretty In Pink by Psychedelic Furs which is, of course, from the film Pretty In Pink. This is one of those songs that I can never get sick of.

"Caroline talks to you softly sometimes,
She says 'I love you,' and too much.
She doesn't have anything you want to steal,
Well, nothing you can touch...'