Ingrid Michaelson - Lights Out

Exams brought my blogging to a halt, including the blogger challenges. That means I'm going to have to catch up with them and fast! 

Topic 9 was the first that I missed and it was about music. I've decided to do an album review for Ingrid Michaelson's Lights Out which came out just before this post was originally due! 

I've loved Ingrid's music for a long time and this album is no exception. It's a bit different from her older stuff as she had other writers helping her this time but I love it all the same! 

1. Home

I love this song, it has such a great tune.

2. Girls Chase Boys

Probably in my top 3 of the album - the video is also brilliant! It has such a great message and a catchy tune!

3. Wonderful Unknown (ft. Greg Laswell)

A slower song, but I love it! 

4. You Got Me (ft. Storyman)

This is such a different and more upbeat, poppy song for Ingrid but her and Storyman's voices work really well together to make a really great song.

5. Warpath

Easily in my top 3. Another upbeat song that I'm in love with - so easy to dance to and sing along to!

6. Handsome Hands

It's quite a slow song and I don't think it's as good as the others on the album. It picks up towards the end but I find it a little boring if I'm honest.

7. Time Machine

This one is a mix of pop and rock and is in my top 3, it's so catchy and memorable, I absolutely love this song and I'm constantly singing and humming it!

8. One Night Town (ft. Mat Kearney)

Another poppy and upbeat song. Too much 'ooh-ing' for my liking but it's still a good song!

9. Open Hands (ft. Trent Dabbs)

Not as good as the others in my opinion but it isn't bad - I just have others I would listen to over it.

10. Ready to Lose (ft. Trent Dabbs)

Another slow song but it's still pretty good! 

11. Stick

Okay...maybe I have a top 4. It's such a great song; less poppy than some of the others and it gives a nice mix!

12. Afterlife

A less dancy tune but equally memorable, I love it!

13. Over You (ft. A Great Big World)

Another great slow song - it's sweet and their voices are really nice together!

14. Everyone is Gonna Love Me Now

A lovely song to finish the album on, another slow one!

Overall I love the album and like with most others, it has stronger songs but its generally really good! If you haven't heard of Ingrid, I would definitely recumbent listening to her - the album is on Spotify and probably on YouTube too! 

Jess xx

Spotify!

I decided to create a Spotify account yesterday to help me get through revision with some of my favourite music! 

I was always a little sceptical of it but now I've tried it, I'm in love and can't stop searching bands and artists that I love to find new music! Much easier than trawling through countless Youtube videos of covers or relying on 30 second snippets on iTunes! 

If you want to check my account out, click here and it will take you to my page where you should be able to access my Favourites playlist!

Let me know what you guys think, if you find any new artists through my playlist, and feel free to follow as I'm sure I'll be adding to it and creating new ones imminently! 

Jess xx

Listen Without Understanding.

I love listening to songs in another language while I'm working. It makes it easier to concentrate as I can't sing along or listen to the lyrics closely so it forms a lovely background hum instead of distracting me from work. 

My favourite foreign language songs currently are by a singer called Luce Tremblay-Gaudette. I absolutely love her and even though I can't understand a single word, the songs are so sweet and happy sounding, they just put me in a good mood. You can listen to her 5 track album here.

Jess xx

The Versatile Blogger Award!

I was originally nominated a couple of weeks ago by my real life awesome friend Kate and I found that I've also been nominated by the amazing Amy today so I figured that I should actually do this! I'm honestly so grateful to these girls as they both have great blogs and it's lovely to think that I do too! You should definitely check out both of their blogs, they're great!

The Rules:
1. Once you've been nominated, you must display the Versatile Blogger Award somewhere on your blog.
2. Make sure to thank your nominator and leave a link to their blog.
3. Write 7 facts about you so new readers and old followers get to learn a bit more about you as a person and not just 'the blogger'.
4. Nominate your favourite bloggers for the award too!

7 facts about me

I'm in my final year of sixth form studying Ancient History, Classical Civilisation and English Literature.

I want to study Archaeology and Ancient History at Uni and am applying this year, I'm hoping to go to Cardiff because it's such a lovely Uni and the course is fantastic!

Reading is my favourite hobby and even though I don't have much time on my hands, I always carry a book around with me incase I get a spare 10 minutes or have to wait for a train!

I have a very mixed music taste and most of my favourites are pretty unheard of. Orla Gartland, Hudson Taylor, Lauren Aquilina, Lewis Watson, Lisa Hannigan, Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaelson anyone? Passenger, Gabrielle Aplin and Paolo Nutini are other favourites of mine. I also like bands such as Madness, Johnny Get The Gun and The Wombats.

I have never dyed my hair and I don't want to. I have copper tones running through my hair already and I love the way it shines in the light! People always used to say I'd look good with black hair though...I disagree.

I have an unhealthy addiction to nail polish and lipstick. I own 22 of each and I love them all, I haven't worn all of the colours of nail polish yet though. My next product I'm looking at is a MAC lipstick though, I really want to say I own one!

I said this a couple of weeks ago but Autumn is my favourite season, October is probably my favourite month too. I just love the changing colour of the leaves, the fact that Christmas is just around the corner and that you get to wear cuddly scarves, jumpers and boots, my favourite pieces of clothing!

Writing this has been really fun and I hope you guys have learnt something new about me! It's hard to choose because there are so many amazing blogs out there, but I'm going to choose these bloggers as they're lovely and have a great writing style!:

Alexi

Rosie

Emily

Lauren

Caitlin

Barbs

I hope you check these girls out, they're all great!
Jess xx

Personality

I'm a bit of a sucker for personality quizzes. I like to see how close they get to the truth. I found one the other day that asks you questions and gets you to answer by choosing a picture. I was really interesting because the result at the end was the most accurate and detailed result that I've ever had.

"You're a culture vulture - Sophisticated and inquisitive, you have a real passion for art and culture. You pride yourself on being in the know when it comes to the latest music and films and you always like to have a good book on the go. You believe in immersing yourself in interesting experiences that make you look at people, places and opportunities from now angles, Being sensitive and creative you want to feel connected to the world around you and seek out opportunities to explore it. It's all about broadening your horizons and living life to the full. Anything else would not fulfil your curious nature. 

Open minded and inquisitive, you're the sort of person that likes to tackle problems head on, and you are not afraid to get your hands dirty in the process. You enjoy being really involved from the ground up, and love the sense of satisfaction that you get from seeing something through to completion. 

Asking about the latest book you've got on the go is probably the best way to get you talking. You like to lose yourself in another world or lifetime, as each page is turned you become more involved with the plot and characters and increasingly enjoy the sensation of fuelling your imagination and knowledge. 

You love the fast-paced city life. You are open to be inspired by vibrant urban culture so when you have some spare time on holiday, the lure of the bright lights is irresistible. You love to try new things. After all, holiday time is precious, so it's important not to waste too much time just lounging around! 

When all is said and done, you are a true optimist at heart. You like to laugh at all life's little calamities. Better to see the funny side and ride the ups and downs with a smile on your face."

Annoyingly, I can't find the link for the quiz but it was so good! I remember it was an advert but that's about it!
Jess xx

Sunshine Blogger Award

So my friend Kate has nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger award which has made me so happy today! Apparently people are nominated for their blog if someone thinks that it "positively and creatively inspires others in the blogosphere" (had to nick that from you, Kate, I haven't seen anything else about this award apart from this!). I feel really happy and proud that she thinks that my blog is good enough to qualify for that!!
Another part of the award is that the nominator sets the nominee 10 questions, so here are mine!

1. What was the best day of your life? The first day I think of when people ask that is Prom. It was so amazing and it was spent with some of my favourite people in the world! 
2. Your favourite thing about your bedroom? I love my room but I can't choose anything that I like the best! Probably my bed though...it's a good bed. 
3. Your proudest achievement to date? I'm not sure if I have a proudest moment! I would probably say when I got my GCSE results back because I had proof that all of my hard work had payed off! 
4. Favourite TV show? I love a lot of TV shows, including Sherlock, Merlin, Bones, House and Doctor Who, but my ultimate favourite is NCIS. It's so funny and has amazing, constant story lines, plus it's had 10 seasons now which is awesome, season 11 will begin filming in September so I'm super excited! 
5. Something you're addicted to? (or practically addicted to!) American sweets, internet window shopping, Starbucks and sleep are probably the biggest ones! 
6. Who's your celebrity crush? I don't really have a celebrity crush...I have people I think are awesome (Hugh Laurie, Robert Downy Jr, Matt Smith...hello? All awesome and funny!) but no one I have a crush on!
7. Where do you hope to be in 10 years time? As my friends like to say; "digging a hole in the ground somewhere!"... Yeah... Something to do with archaeology hopefully so if that's fieldwork or museums, I don't mind as long as I'm enjoying it!
8. Your favourite ever smell? Oooh.....I really like the smell of coffee shops, bakeries, orange, scented candles (most Yankee candles smell sooo nice...I spend so long in their shop smelling each candle until I feel like I have to leave due to the cashier giving me evils...) and my favourite perfume ever, L'elixir by Nina Ricci. It even comes in an Apple shaped bottle! 
9. Something you own more than twenty of? Scarves. Or shoes. I have so many, I swear I have a problem....
10. If you had to pick one song to start the 'soundtrack to your life', what would it be? Oh gosh, that's such a hard question! Umm.....I don't know! Definitely something by Ingrid Michaelson, Regina Spektor, Gabrielle Aplin, Hudson Taylor, Orla Gartland or Lauren Aquilina... Maybe King by Lauren Aquilina, it's such a nice song!

Hope you guys enjoyed this! I have no one to actually tag or nominate which is slightly rubbish! 

Go and check out Kate's blog because she is awesome and is so lovely. If I had to nominate someone, I'd nominate her again but I wouldn't want her to have to do even more questions so yeah! 

Jess xx

Inspiration

I've been wondering recently, What actually inspires me to blog?
I've thought about it, and the simple answer is everything!
Every day, I see new things that inspire me and give me new idea about what I want to blog about. Sometimes the ideas can't wait and I have to write the post there and then! (What my phone blogging is for!) Other days, I have absolutely no inspiration at all and I end up doing a rubbishy blog about my day! Boooooooring! :P (I never have anything exciting in my life that I can blog about!)
A few of the main things that inspire me when I'm out and about though are:

People

If people actually stopped and looked around at the others surrounding them, they'd be surprised at how different everyone is. I urge you, on a day that you aren't busy, to go to a coffee shop and just sit in the corner. Watch the people that come in and see what they do, just look around and see how different everybody acts. Chances are that the only thing they all share in common is that they all share the same love of that particular coffee shop. Even then, they're all going to like different drinks! 

I like imagining what they're doing there, what they're like, where they're going, things like that! Makes a boring day so much more interesting. 

Nature

It's so pretty, isn't it? I always find that sitting outside, alone, surrounded by nature is where I get my inspiration. It's so peaceful and calm, it really gives you a perfect opportunity to have a think about everything and anything. I love it when the only sounds you can hear are purely natural, instead of the usual noisy pollution from cars and people. If you just stop concentrating on your busy life and look around, you realise that the world is really beautiful and needs a little more attention from people! 

And of course, if you're a photography enthusiast, you can always snap a few pictures when you're out! Always a bonus!

Books

I love love love to read. I don't have the opportunity to read as much as I'd like to anymore because of my AS levels, but I try and read whenever I have the chance. I nearly always carry around my kindle or a book that I don't have to read as a prescribed text so I have something completely different instead of what I have to analyse syllable by syllable. 

I love how reading can transport you to a completely different country, time, or even world, and introduce you to new people and places that you've never been to before. It takes you away from reality and puts you somewhere new, discovering new stories and connecting you with new emotions every time! And every time you open an already read book, it's like you're welcoming back an old friend, or old memories.

Reading inspires me as I can write about the book, or what it makes me think about! Reading actually inspired me to start a blog in the first place! (I will probably end up making a whole post on reading some time in the near future...look out for that!)

Daydreaming

This picture just about sums me up; especially the Iron man one ;D how cool would it be to be an Avenger?!

^ This just proves this point, daydreaming and going off on tangents brings on random thoughts and inspirations. Sometimes, the thoughts are good enough to expand and blog about! Obviously daydreaming when you're meant to be working is bad, so be like the guy on the right! But if you're not doing anything that requires concentration (travelling by public transport, again, in a coffee shop) or just lying in bed one night, just let your mind wander, it might lead to something good! 

Just think, JK Rowling came up with Harry Potter on a journey one day, think about where that's got her!

Music

(I just found this picture on google, and I LOVE it, so pretty and cute!)

Music. Need I say more? 

There are so many genres, so many styles. There is something for everyone! 

Music is amazing for inspiration. Some songs lyrics are so touching and moving, you can't help but think about what they mean. Others just capture you, or relate to your mood or emotion. It can change your bad mood in to a good one! There's even songs for different types of weather! It can be applied to practically all life situations and if you don't listen to music a lot, I highly recommend you do, some of my blogs have been inspired by music, as my usual readers would know! (Lots of jazz in Starbucks is apparently good for blogging!) 

It basically just gets you to think, which leads to blogging (for me, anyway!)

Friends

True friends are always there for you no matter what. They are there in every day life and if they aren't, when you see them, you make memories which is even more special! Funny moments happen with friends - blog material! Embarrassing moments - blog material! Everyday life - blog material! 

You get my drift...

Either way, friends play a big part in your life even though you may not realise it, memories are mainly based around what other people have said and done. Friends make you happy because you know you aren't alone, and when you feel alone they're there with tissues, chocolate and hugs to make you feel better. Always value your friends and tell them how much you care! (If you're reading this and I know you in real life, I LOVE YOU) Value your friendships because chances are that they won't last forever, but you can be sure as hell to try and make them last as long as possible! I know that I'm still close with some of my friends from my old school and I haven't seen them in about a month! But don't take them for granted! Friends are fantastic! 

Other blogs!

I'm doing Hamlet in English Lit at the moment...sorry, I couldn't resist...I love being a nerd sometimes! *giggles to myself*

Reading other blogs give me ideas for types of posts to do, what sort of things to write about and how to style my posts. It's been really handy for my writing style as well! My favourite and most looked at blogs are definitely: 

http://smilingismyfavourite.blogspot.co.uk/ (Kate, my only friend on blogger!), http://www.thecollegeprepster.com/ (Carly does some fantastic posts and her blog is quite old now, about 3/4 years I think!) and one of my new favourites that I found this morning: 

http://www.classygirlswearpearls.com/ (Sarah has THE most amazing fashion sense, I spend about an hour just looking through her pictures and her outfits, I wish I had the money to be able to afford the clothes she wears! That's exactly the style I love!)

So there you go! My main inspirations for blogging! If you blog, I hope this has helped you to think of ways YOU can get inspiration next time you're out; as you can see, you don't have to be anywhere in particular and sometimes, an idea just hits you completely out of the blue! 

If you don't blog, then welcome to my mind and why aren't you blogging yet?! Seriously, it's one of the best things I've done, it's fun and interesting and I looove it! 

Anyway, sorry this post has been so long, and if you read through all of my rambles then I salute you! 

Jess xx
P.S. Sorry about the pictures not working yesterday! They should be running fine now, and if anything is a bit out of place, sorry because the writing kept moving when I was changing the pictures around!