"The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew."

I would just like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, whatever you do or whatever you celebrate!

On this wonderful Christmas eve, I thought I would write about how the best things in life aren't planned. What I mean is, I find that the less I organise an event the better it tends to be. Spontaneity leads to wonderful surprises and unexpected moments that we often cherish for a long time. Instead of planning every step you take, be impulsive! A mapped out path is safe but a winding, twisting detour leads to better adventure. 

Which is like my blog, I'm not planning it. I just write as I go along. So it maybe a bit unstructured and a little hickledy-pickledy but it's more fun for me to write and hopefully a little less drab for you to read. 

So why am I writing about this? Well for me, I hate planning. People often ask me those annoying questions like; "Where shall we go?","How are you getting home?" and "How long are you going to be?". My answer, "I don't know!" Often followed by, "I'll figure it out when we get there."

And usually I do figure it out, I just like to see where the day's events will take me first. This is especially true on a night out. When one chooses their club for the night and sticks to it, one never experiences anything brilliantly unexpected. I like to see what Mr. Fate has in store for me and where I'll end up.

This is what happened the last time I went out.
We started the night drinking Malibu and Coke outside a closed Starbucks...yes, classy. Before strolling through town and finally I managed to get a close look at the street art (see below) which I drive by so often. We took some amazing photos.

Art work from the 'See No Evil' project.

Off we then headed to a bar which we'd always wanted to check out and in the process found a new favourite haunt. Before eventually heading to our intended destination, meeting some interesting individuals on the way!

After clubbing it out for a couple of hours, we grabbed a pizza and sat outside in the freezing cold waiting for our journey home. It wasn't until I got on the night bus that the fun really started, when some plonker decided to head butt another in the nose. This led to an hour's wait on a stationary bus in the middle of the morning, jammed pack full of rowdy townies. We, on the bus, in our semi-drunken/sobering-up state were united against the cause of the conductor who failed to stop the 'fight' in the first place, declaring our need for sleep and food. At 4:30 in the morning, and in just a little bit of pain, we jogged half-heartedly back to my mate's house. At the end of the night, at 5am, I ended up eating hot mash whilst watching How I Met Your Mother - it was a glorious moment.

 And just because it's such a beautiful and almost new Christmas song...

A very long-winded post.

Well hello!

I'm afraid it's been quite a while since my last post and I have only myself to blame. That and time. Yes! Haven't the weeks just whizzed around? It always does towards the end of the year. Maybe it's the shorter days or perhaps in the run up to Christmas everyone starts becoming that little more stressed. I can't believe I'm saying this already but.....Merry Christmas!

So anyway, I've survived! (well almost...I've finally come down with a cold) A whole term of college is over! And this forthcoming spring term will be my penultimate, isn't that a little bit scary?

So how can I summarise over a month's worth of events into a single long-winded post? Well I can't! Now I have the time to do something productive rather than wasting my time twittering away or poking people's faces. I can actually catch up and write some 'interesting' and 'noteworthy' new posts. I have plenty of ideas that I want to share with you all!

Anyway, here are a couple of titbits about my past month:

• I failed my driving test for the second time. I don't want to rant - I've done that enough already - but I had the same driving examiner twice and I swear he made excuses to fail me. Who else fails for stalling? In case you've never had the delight of failing a ludicrously expensive test, let me tell you, it feels like shit (excuse my French) and it's even worse the second time around.

• But I did get one of those golden tickets to see Coldplay in June. (Shock horror!) That was a challenge in itself! I was so close to not getting any but thank God I did. Good ol' Coldplay Karma finally pays off.
• I've received three offers from my chosen unis and I just wrote an absolutely horrific entrance essay for UCL - fingers crossed everybody, please!
• Finally, I saw Example for the third time last week and for free! I have such lovurrrly friends!

Honestly, this wasn't intended to be long-winded but I guess I just had so much to tell you all. If you got this far, congrats!

And I'll leave you with the best Christmas song everrrr! (controversial for some, I know.)

The Fat Lady and Topshop

Good evening everybody.

So what a hectic last few weeks it's been. Now on my half term I can finally reflect and wind down a bit.

Something very special happened to me a couple of days ago. As you may or may not know I write articles for my school's website and I reviewed a recent Ed Sheeran gig I went to. I don't expect much from my articles so it was really nice when I received this in the post. 

At present I'm a bit disillusioned as to what to write in my blog. I think that as work is taking over my life at the moment, it's difficult to decide what I should post. So I'm sorry if this post seems a bit higgledy piggledy. 

Recently I went to see Jack Whitehall. He was hilarious. Of course that's a given. I think my main attraction to him is his posh accent and his charming looks. But of course, listen out boys: girls like guys who are funny. Well I do anyway. He also had a brilliant support comedian, I couldn't catch his name - so I'll get back to you on that. He does a brilliant Peter Dickson impression. UPDATE: His name's Joe Lycett. 

For those of you who don't know Jack. I'll post a video. It may or may not change your life.

Plus: He has a massive grudge against Robert Pattinson. Teehee.

Have a fab Halloween. Hope everyone's got their outfits sorted. I'm going clubbing dressed as a slutty carrot.
Because everything can be slutty on Halloween.

Simple Things Can Provide The Most Joy

So it's been just under a month since my last post. As I expected I have been overwhelmed by waves and waves of work at school. I'm just about keeping my head above the water. Although sadly it means that my average of one post per week is now slipping.

So I finally downloaded those songs I mentioned in my last post. Yay! They are going through quite a regular listening programme on my behalf and plus we're now singing Feeling Good in a singing competition at school - awesome!

Whilst trying to balance a hectic school life as well as organising a chaotic social calendar, I'm pretty much letting my blog go to the dogs. It saddens me, but I shall do my best to update it as much as possible. But that's not the only thing, I just haven't had the time lately to investigate any new or free music! Aaah! What a dilemma that is for me!

Also at the moment I have no money to go to gigs or to even buy albums! And believe me there's plenty of bloody brilliant bands playing in Bristol soon. This also saddens me.

Anyway the CDs on my list to buy at the moment are pretty mainstream:
1. Muse's Origin of Symmetry
2. Coldplay's new album
3. Ed sheeran's debut
4. Kasabian new'un
5. Sgt Pepper's lonely Heart Club Band
6. Ou Est Le Swimming Pool's one and only debut :(

So things you might be interested in:

• I didn't get tickets for Coldplay's show in December at the O2. Absolutely gutted. But to be fair not getting tickets for their shows is becoming such a norm that I'm almost used to the horrible feeling of missing out. You all must know what it feels like to be unable to go to a show you desperately want to see. I experienced this for Glastonbury this year; which is why I was so determined to get tickets for Reading.

• Lately I've been thinking of all the gigs that I really want to see at some point. I might list it in my next post - remind me!

• I've started writing 'fascinating' articles for my school website, if you guys are interested, here is the link. I'm that really stunningly attractive school photo with the name Elizabeth beside it.

Finally, yesterday, two things really cheered me up.
1. I learnt that Never Mind The Buzzcocks is back on BBC2. Hallelujah!
2. This video: Oh my Goshhh, it is like pure gold. Most of you, hopefully, should recognise these two people raving it out in the Radio 1 HQ. I can relate to their dancing and I happen to love this song at the moment. Enjoy!

So that's my random thoughts for this month! Hopefully I can post again very soon!

Jango.com

So I wanted to listen to some music online the other day and I discovered Jango.com. I listened to the Hot Alternative Playlist, which I have linked in the title. The website is brilliant, if you're stuck without music and you're near a computer I would recommend it. I'm no expert about the pros and cons of streaming websites but it suited my taste in music well.

Anyway whilst listening to their playlist I noted down four amazing songs that my iPod is seriously embarrassed to not have already:

1. The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun



This song is not only a classic and inspirational tune, but who can't resist it's charms? As it puts a smile on your face, even on a gloomy day.

2. Massive Attack - Teardrop



This song is stunning. It invokes in me a sense of peace as well as greatness, like something spectacular is about to happen. I feel that this means something special to me and yet I am unable to put my finger on what it is. It may not make sense but it's like this song holds some sort of lost memory.

3. Muse - Feeling Good



The soothing climatic intro grows into that rocky guitar riff which we all adore. It has Bellamy singing into a speaker phone which nobody could make sound so brilliant. Before slowing the tempo with Mat's soprano wails fading out into silence. Leaving us all feeling good.

4. Gary Jules - Mad World



This simplistic song is beautiful and undeniably stirs emotions in all of us. Sometimes all you need is a piano and a voice to bring tears to your eyes.

That time, a long time ago, you know, when it was hot and stress free, I can't remember when exactly but it was fabulous.

So it's been over a week since my last blog and in that time I've been at school for six days.
So I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to do some last minute reflections on my summer holiday before it becomes just a wonderful, long-lost memory, buried deep under layers of stress and sleep-deprivation.

So I know from experience you aren't interested in reading large essays about my holiday.
So I thought why not set myself a challenge and sum up two months of glorious decadence in 5 words?

Hrmmm, I'm gonna need a thesaurus.

Eye-opening, memorable, regrettable, hilarious, the-best-one-yet.

I think the highlights were:
My mate Jess's very successful charity gig.
My two-week holiday to Bulgaria with Jess.
My weekend away in London with my mumma.

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

Reading Festival 2k11!

I've tried to narrow down hundreds of photos to just three of my summer which I love and that are suitable for this blog. It was difficult and I missed out loads of brilliant photos but here they are.

This is the crowd and sunset during Reading festival. It was a glorious and rare summer's evening during Elbow's set. The atmosphere was euphoric and at that moment I wouldn't have wanted to have been anywhere else in the world. Plus Muse were about to go on, yay!

In Bulgaria, we went on a 4X4 trip through the mountains, there were fields and fields of sunflowers which was incredibly surreal. It looked like thousands of people with black faces and yellow hair were staring and judging as we passed by. Quite unnerving really.

This is me and Jess, on one of our many very jolly nights out in Bulgaria. I tried to find the least sweaty, least shocking photo. It was quite a mission!

So that's my summer in a very small and very compact nutshell. Now just to bury it like a squirrel does its acorns and maybe I'll unearth it sometime in the future, when I really need the nourishment of some nostalgic and happy memories.

Free will or free meal?

The last few weeks have been a hell of a busy time, which is unusual. Most summer holidays I can spend a week or two just twiddling my fingers, looking for something to do but this one has been non-stop. (more on this later)

I'm beginning to reminisce like this because it's one of my last nights as a free woman. On Wednesday I go back to sixth form. Back to the daily grind. The hard slog through timetables, restrictions, coursework, exams and early mornings. Yes, we've all been there. Some of you may still have a while to go. I have one year left and deary me, I can't wait for it to be over. I am completely ready for university. People have said that sixth form is the best years of your life. I disagree. However I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But how long is this dark tunnel I'm about to enter for the last time? Too long.

My brother has informed me that university is the best time of your life. I hope he is right.

One more year. Just one more year.

However this is how everyone feels at the beginning of a new academic year. Am I right?
After breaking up from school about an eternity ago, I am so completely unwound that going back into the daily routine will be like diving into a pool of icy water, shocking at first, followed by a period of readjustment.

I know however that once I get back into the routine, I enjoy it. Doing A-levels especially means that you can study the subjects that you find interesting, I mean at present I'm struggling to pick one to drop. I get to see all my friends, some of whom I haven't seen all summer and catch up on all the gossip. Plus there's that freshness; new uniform/suit, new stationary, new folder, new leaf.
But most importantly this year, this final year, we're at the top of the school, the superiors, the powerful, the example-setters. Who would have thought?

But even with all my positive thinking I still just can't help chanting:

One more year. Just one more year.

Smarty Arty Farty Malarky

So hey guys, long time no post.

I thought I might as well use my blog to post my art work. Obviously I'm no Matisse or Van Gogh, far from it but wahey! - I put so much love, effort and time into my work that I thought I might as well have a wall to hang it. (The wall being my blog...)

So for now I shall upload all my recent work which I have done on my art tablet. I really enjoy using my tablet, my first pieces I kept to using just Microsoft Paint (the windows 7 version) and then recently I have taken to editing on GIMP, a brilliant and free program that I prefer to use rather than Photoshop.

My first few pieces of artwork I completed just over a year ago.

The flower I drew here was the first attempt I had at using my tablet.

Second up I drew a picture of my dog JayJay:

My next attempt was just a random little thing which turned into a full on picture by the end. I was pleased with it but I never expect much from my artwork. Anyway, I thought why not just for fun enter it into Coldplay's exhibition room, where people's artwork is placed on their homepage for a day. And then.....someone at Coldplay's HQ must have liked it because one day there it was on their homepage! That really made me very happy!

So now I have a little confession for you. I used to be incredibly obsessed with Coldplay. I still am a little bit. So at the time, I did a bit of fan art. I'm still quite proud of it actually, it was my first ever attempt at drawing people realistically. It caused me a lot of trouble but I'm a perfectionist so that's nothing new. Anyway it took me a lot of late nights but eventually I admitted defeat and so this is the final product.
Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland; inspired by this picture.

My next piece is just a casual bit of fun which I did in a couple of hours whilst watching Slumdog Millionaire. This was my first attempt at editing my artwork with GIMP, I basically just used the smudge tool to make everything more appealing to the eye.

My next big project was a piece of artwork that I did for two of my friends for Christmas 2010. It took me a lot of time and a lot of patience especially as the subject matter involved wasn't something I'm particularly fanatic about. But my mates love Jedward and I love a challenge, so I went for it!

My last art project involved a little couple that I had been planning on drawing for a while. Howard Moon and Vince Noir a.k.a The Mighty Boosh! I started this one on Paint like usual but after I completed Howard and Vince, I moved over to GIMP, where I edited them, created the background and added in the title. I think this is my favourite piece so far.

So that's almost everything for now. I hope you like my artwork. I'm proud of my work but I know it's nothing spectacular but when you put so much effort into something, you just want to show everyone!

The Woes Of Life Won't Be Here

I've been thinking.
("Really? You've been thinking? Shock horror." Shush, you, inner monologue.)

Yes, I have been thinking.

This blog is troubling me, my problem is that I don't feel like my blog is serious enough. I feel maybe I should be using it to address the serious problems happening in the world. That I should be speaking out. That I should be typing more angrily LIKE THIS. Stressing my woes about society. Fixing everything. Putting the world to right through my insignificant blog.

But, the issue with this is: I don't want to.

My conscience is telling me; YES I should be writing depressing posts about the state of the current climate but my heart is saying; NO, write as many frivolous articles as you can. The world needs more waffle in the world!

(Although I think politicians do enough of that for everyone. *cough* Boris Johnson *cough* - I love that man. He really proves why private education is worthwhile..)

Oh look I'm blathering on again!
But you know what? I don't care.
We all read/listen to/watch the news which is basically an obituary. We experience enough hardship in our lives without needing more people ranting on about miserable things in blogs.

So I'm going to post irrelevant, ignorant but hopefully entertaining posts and if you want to read them you can, without the worry that you will either weep or curse humanity.

A little post for a big song.

Just a little post today but I've been meaning to tell the whole world about this song since I started this blog.

I don't know why but I just really like this song. I love the name of the band....or orchestra? - I wouldn't know even where to start with pronouncing it though. Is it Spanish?

I've done a little youtube research and their other songs are quirky, laid-back, and chilled-out, but this one in particular is beautiful.

Neu Chicago by Clive Tanaka Y Su Orquestra. Enjoy!

The Obscure Powers Held By Irrelevant Things

Isn't it strange how little things can remind you of someone, some place or some thing? As you are flooded with vivid, brilliant and often emotional memories.

And isn't it strange how that one little trigger can mean so much to you and yet for someone else it could hold no value entirely? How one irrelevant thing can take you back to a place long forgotten.

There are a couple of things that really provoke strong memories for me. It's funny as they are usually sounds or smells, not necessarily objects or places.

For example, the smell of the shampoo and conditioner; Miracle Aussie - takes me back to my trip to Kenya. Strange for you maybe but for me, it was simply because I used it only once on that holiday.

Kasabian's last album is another, particularly their song Happiness. It reminds me of my journey around China, as I listened to it in full one day on the way back into the city of Xi'an from the surrounding foothills.

It's strange how some things will always bring back a particular memory.

To end on a cheesy note: I hope that as I go through life I can build up more memories of the fantastic experiences which I have and wish to achieve.

The Pain When Indie Goes Mainsteam

Do you know what I hate? Probably something that many of you can relate to if you have any sort of taste or interest in music.

It's when you listen to a band or song that no one knows about and it feels like your little secret and then BOOM, one play on Radio 1 and everyone is a fan. This has happened to me so much - aaaah! - it makes me angry.

And what's worse? ~
When that particular song/band comes on shuffle on your iPod before radio play and people are like, "What the hell is this?".... And then all of a sudden - they love it.

For me this includes:

• Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
  
• Ed Sheeran
  
• Biffy Clyro - Joe McEdldjkdjdsfdkery ruined Many Of Horror for me.
  
• Example
• Mumford & Sons

I could go on but I won't.

And as if music wasn't enough to be ruined by profit making tycoons; this problem also occurs with modest books which then get turned into Ginormous Hollywood Movie Blockbusters.

A few books include:

• Twilight saga (yes embarrassing but I read it when I was like 12 and it was my little secret.)
• Phillip Pullman's Northern Lights
• The Time Traveller's Wife
• The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy (although technically this was a radio show first)

It's like "Oh darn it, now I have to go and find another tiny cult to be a part of".

(although obviously I'm proud when my musicians or authors become successful but there will always be that grudge that I found them before anyone else - even before their own mum.)

So I thought I wouldn't rant on here but I just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks for your time. *stands up from the leather recliner chair*

Will Power!

I'm really going to need will power! As I mentioned earlier I get bored super easily and not just with music. So I'm going to need a lot of effort to keep this blog up - I hope I can do it!

Anyway, I'm really in love with this song.

Okay I'm a hypocrite, it's quite a poppy tune but everyone has that one song which reminds them of their summer and this one happens to be 'My Summer Song 2k11'.

I wish I could rollerskate..

Wolf themed music...

I'm really into my music. Okay. Now that really is quite an underwhelming claim as I think everyone is really into their music....But I really am into my music.

Although my problem is that I'm quite the music snob. I'll listen to the radio but I don't really enjoy it - unless it's hours when Radio One isn't playing crappy pop music. My problem is, I'm bored easily, pop music to me sounds the same; manufactured & synthetic. Now I won't have a rant about today's music industry because that's been done. It never ends well. Someone usually ends up storming out of the room.

So instead why don't I link you to some of my current favourites.
Firstly however, here is a very special site that I love. It posts different and brilliant music of all genres that can be downloaded for free. http://rcrdlbl.com/

• The Big Bad Wolf - Duck Sauce (I don't know why I love this but it's incredibly catchy and addictive)
  
• Me And Mr. Wolf - The Real Tuesday Weld (I couldn't find it on youtube, so here's RCRDLBL again, another very catchy song, I described it earlier in one of my tweets as the gypsy-jazz-gremlin-dance-jazz-hands song)
• I'm starting to feel a wolf theme so just for the fun of it: Yulia - Wolf Parade

Okay so that was random. Maybe I'll post some more un-wolf-related songs that I like tomorrow.

A Blank Canvas

I made this blog over two weeks ago...well actually that's a little to lie to hide my shame...as I made it probably over a month ago now. Well no one is keeping track so it doesn't matter.

I'm still undecided about what to write. I thought that I would just write about anything that I find interesting but who cares? I need to write about something that YOU find interesting and I'm still trying to gauge what that is.

And to be fair...I might as well just write what I like, as no one is reading this. What makes what I write better than all the other millions of more qualified, more experienced and generally more entertaining bloggers out there?

Well, if there are any readers out there; I'm going to compare it to NASA trying to find ET life...it's out there but largely improbable to find. But somewhere, someone might stumble upon my tiny blog and if so then hooray, I hope they want to stay and read it.

I'm considering my blog as a blank canvas and hopefully one day I can fill it full of wholly interesting and enticing things.

Picture by Norman Rockwell