Author: Yourcupatea

El Camino.

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El Camino

The Black Keys are one of my all time favorites bands because they produce real, edgy, distinct music that is uplifting and empowering. They produce music that is different and unique, combining sounds of rock and indie with older tunes like blues.

The band consists of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney who come together to create and perform wonders. Forming in Akron, Ohio in 2001 the two came together after dropping out of college. Finding each other in similar situations the two began to make albums together. The pair fit perfectly together like piano keys and together they have created seven amazing albums.

The bands newest album has become my soundtrack for the winter season and the New Year. Named El Camino, the album was released in December 2011 displaying new sounds of rock and roll and soul with the help of producer Danger Mouse.

The album is suitable for any mood, whether it be rocking out in your car, angrily venting or just getting hyped up. So give The Black Keys a listen if you want to try something new and exciting.

Of Monsters And Men.

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Of Monsters And Men

Sometimes on a cold winters day all you need is some comforting folk, fun, music that raises your spirits in the dismal weather. Mumford and Sons are a great band but if they do not tickle your fancy you must give Of Monsters And Men a listen.

Of Monsters And Men are six-piece folk/pop bands from Iceland who write catchy, folky, soulful music. With a mixture of female and male vocals and an assortment of instruments and acoustics the 6 piece band comes together like the perfect pie.

The band produces the perfect soundtracks for watching the rain fall, driving through the snow or sitting in front of a fire with a cup of Cocoa.

Releasing their first album My Head is an Animal in Iceland in September 2011, the band currently only has an EP available in America on iTunes. Named Into the Woods, the EP is a perfect collection of songs.  The band has received a lot of attention from people across the U.S, releasing their single Little Talks as a free song on iTunes. The band are now signed to the Universal Music Group and fans look forward to hearing more from the group in the coming year.

So if you feel like listening to some great, festive sounding music give Of Monster And Men a listen.

Unfit Not Lazy

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lazy

Being unfit should be some sort of disorder. Being unfit is not being lazy, it’s just not being capable of doing much exercise. Yes I admit I struggle sufficiently when doing a lot of exercise. This is not because I struggle to walk from the grocery store to my car or because I struggle to even step in the shower. It is because I struggle when doing sports.

This sounds stupid for someone who is so young but I admit I am extremely unfit. I’ve always done exercise and kept moving but still, I sometimes experience slight asthmatic symptoms when walking up to the cafeteria and in situations alike.

My Dad likes to comment that I never do exercise and that I’m extremely lazy. This is because evenings for me consist of food, homework, shower and bed at best. I literally have no time to myself and once my workday is done it is time to rest. I am not fat or lazy and, although others may like to argue differently, I do my best to exercise.

Being unfit just comes to some as a second nature; I guess it’s just one of my bad traits. The best I can do is to try my best to scare it off and if not work against it because after all you can’t let anything hold you back.

Car Troubles: Run in With the Gardener.

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Lampost

I’m guessing you read disaster and immediately associate the word with an accident. This is exactly what happened and yes it did involve my car and me. By reading this blog you know that I am still alive and I am not in prison, so surely the accident was not that bad. In fact I wouldn’t even call it an accident, maybe just a bump.

Ok now you’re probably wondering what I may have done. No I did not kill anyone, damage anyone or murder a cat. In fact, I just dented a car. Ok, lets be more specific. A truck. Yes my tiny ford fiesta miraculously managed to dent a truck.

So I reversed around the sharp corner of the driveway, guided by the smiling gardener, following his hand signals. My reverse seemed to be going pretty well at this point. Well for me anyway. This is the first time I’d followed hand signals before so I assume that I just followed his lead. Little did I know glimpsing away for one second would mean reversing into his vehicle. Yes I reversed into the gardener’s truck.

Oops.

You heard me right; I reversed in to a truck while the owner was watching. How embarrassing. And the worst part of it is I see him on a regular basis.

Everyone always seems to be watching the minute I do something wrong. And in this case it was the gardener. As he walked over to his car, the smile now wiped off of his face, I sat dreading the moment he would walk towards me from the accident scene, insurance information in hand. Luckily for me he didn’t.

“Only a little scratch” he said, “Don’t worry about it.”

I may have escaped insurance claims, a dent on my car and death, but I did not escape the shame. These sort of situations always happen to me. At least it wasn’t a lamp post.

Happy Birthday Nan.

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My Nan is one of the most loving, generous, compassionate women ever known to mankind. She is a woman who will always put others interests before her own, and will always make the time listen to anyone’s woes and counsel them in her own way.

Although she has all these talents and more it is the way that she treats her family that makes her a shining jewel amongst the rubble of society. The time she invests in each and every one of our work and our personal growth. The time she spends reading her sons poetry proudly or reminiscing over the great dance or musical performances starring her grandchildren. The light that glimmers in my Nans eyes as she proudly speaks about her family’s achievements and the wide smile that spreads over her face as she laughs over their stupidity is a sight that will brighten anyone’s day.

Nan you mean the world to me and that is why I dedicate this blog to you.

You are the one who has taught me to pursue my passions and to follow what I believe in. From the days I first watched Holby City with you and decided to become a paramedic to now as I set out to become a journalist you have always been my driving force. In times of trouble you have helped me out and guided me through big decisions like moving to America. If it wasn’t for that chat you gave me one summer evening in 2010 on how I should give California a go and do it for my family, I can honestly say I would have struggled to leave.

It was so lovely when you visited in April 2011. You were the first to come, out of our family, and this took a lot of bravery. Your presence at Meher Mount meant so much to us and we all look forward to you visiting again in the next few years. I’m glad you had the chance to admire our new life and realize you still have a significant place in both our lives and our hearts.

You find so much joy and happiness in life and nature. You aluminate the light in our world throughout the darkness and make everything special in your own description. I love the way you seek so much pleasure in the changing colors of the leaves and the seasonal changes in your surroundings.

As I start to consider my career path and colleges I bear in mind if it would have your approval. Just as Dad said over Christmas that every house your children move to must be approved by you, I feel that often I find myself seeking your approval on big changes in my life. This is because you’re a great guide who speaks truthfully and reasonably and that is why I am going to do my best to make you proud throughout my life.

Happy 80th Birthday Nan, I am sorry I will not be there to celebrate. All my love.

Bex, Georgie and Nan at the beach

Comfort Zones.

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Comfort zone

People create their own rules and boundaries, to which they comply. They create their own padded comfy cells, which they are reluctant to break out of. Often they are happy to remain in this space, in this comfort zone.

There comes a time when it’s time to break out get a taste of those flavors you have never experienced before. It’s a time to sample the things that you may either hate or love and see the wonders that lie beyond the self-created safe place.  It’s a time to fly.

Since moving to America I have realized that everyone has their own comfort zones whether it be their home, their country or even just their daily routine. Taking my friend to my first American  concert this Thursday  I saw how these boundaries exist.

As I pushed to the front surging with the crowd he stood unsure, moving with the people against his will. If he had another option he would surely have been at home playing video games, but he didn’t have that choice. The only choice he had was to become part of the crowd and embrace the music. So that’s what he did.

Speaking afterwards he was full of joy and “buzzing” with excitement. He had stepped out of his comfort zone and experienced something magnificent.

This week my 43-year-old mother is trying out an adult ballet class. Something she has loved from a young age but never had the opportunity or guts to do. Since moving to the U.S she has realized stepping out of ones comfort zone often brings you liberation and that is why she has decided to try something different.

So I encourage you all, take that extra step to do something different and you may find everything you have ever wanted.

The Inbetweeners Movie

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The Inbetweeners

Yes the nerdy quartet are back. After the end of their third and final season in October 2010 The Inbetweeners are back with a movie.

Released this summer, the film is truly hilarious. I can honestly say that I have never been in a full cinema where everyone laughed so much including my American boyfriend who doesn’t understand much proper English.

The film tracks the four boys adventure to Malia, one of the biggest party destinations in Europe. And follows their unlucky, laughable mistakes as well as their desperate attempts to find women.

Out soon on DVD the film is definitely the perfect Christmas for anyone who wants a good laugh. It is truly one of the funniest movies you will ever watch.

Coming of Age.

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Old person

Eighteen. An age of adulthood and an age of maturity, yet I still can’t embrace the fact that in a few days I am going to be old. Yes I said it old.

Many people will say that turning 18 is the beginning of your  life. It is when you can start college, go and have fun and  be independent, but to me it’s just another year closer to the end. I know that seems pretty sad, but for me it’s the truth.

To be honest I am expecting wrinkles to appear on my face and to find my first grey hair any second. I constantly think about how scary getting older is. As I find myself staying at home in the evenings and drinking hot tea before I go to bed I can’t help but to think old age is approaching fast.

Ok there are many benefits to getting older. For example: you may lose those teenage pimples, you can buy lottery tickets, you can see different films and even buy a house, but still many of these will never get rid of the fact that I am slowly dying.

So as I celebrate a year closer to my retirement, I can’t help to feel a little bit of sadness. I know I have many years to go but the thought that the end is approaching actually does me a favor. It makes me want to make everyday even better, embrace life and have fun. In the end I guess that is what life is all about.

Gaming.

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Wii

Video games, what is the draw? Xbox, PS3, Wii, these are all devises that are used for entertainment, what ever happened to the good old stuff? Making dens and mud pies, play fighting, going to the beach and building sand castles, all free, exciting activity’s but many of these past times seem to have been lost.

Fun, exciting, activities now only seem to happen on the screens of ones TV, rather than in the outdoors. Virtual dueling, fighting and building homes, people now indent their sofas with wear, tear and maturity rather than themselves and their clothes. Although many mums see this as a plus, children just don’t gain the experience of learning things hands on.

Many people don’t even know what getting dirty is, the virtual life has kept many clean, vulnerable and in many cases helpless. People may be good at fighting with avatars but in a day-to-day confrontation it is not their Xbox controllers that can help them.

Video games have taken over the human experience. People don’t learn from their mistakes instead they learn from Halo or Call of Duty becoming addicted to the gaming lifestyle.

Although video games can be fun it seems that some people take them far to seriously allowing them to consume their lives, which in my perspective just is not right.

Rizzle Kicks.

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Rizzle Kicks

I find that mainstream hip-hop gets boring. In many cases artists release songs that sound identical, use similar lyrics and just do not have any flare to them. That’s why when I heard Brighton’s hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks I couldn’t help but to love them.

Rizzle Kicks are a two-man group from Brighton, England. Consisting of Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexandar-Sule, the pair produce alternative hip-hop, pop, music.

Unlike songs by many mainstream stars, they produce music that is unique, authentic and real. Their lyrics are simple but effective, talking the truth and shedding light on everyday subjects.

Releasing their album Stereo Typical on October the 31st 2011, the band has received much admiration from the English Public with their single “Down With the Trumpets” coming #8 in the U.K charts.

Rizzle Kicks may not be for everyone, but they are worth listening to. Their catchy, upbeat songs and alternative sounds are fun and offer a change from mainstream sounds that fill many radio stations these days.