Bits & Bobs

Here are some bits & bobs for you to enjoy this weekend:

* How sweet is this ring?

* I'm purging my internet browser's many tabs by (a) writing this here post & (b) using Instapaper, which let's me place pages on a Read Later list. [via Apartment #34 - Thanks, Erin!]

* Last night, I found a mix CD that I used to play while I drove around in high school. I called it 'Rock On Man'. (Others were titled 'Gangster', 'G Style', & 'Cowgirl Up' - yes, I have quite an eclectic taste in music.) Anyway, 'Why Don't You and I' by Santana ft. Chad Kroeger is on said mix CD, & I've been listening to it over & over today:



* I really want to make some of these crocheted hearts, but what would I do with them? [via Miles of Style]

* I'm loving the sound & vibe in Francesqa's new video:



* I love some of the tips on Food Network's Healthy Helpings guide.

Ah, that's enough for now. I took a bubble bath tonight, during which I ate an ice cream sundae & watched the new episode of Skins. It was, as the Brits say, lush. Today is my Monday, so I'll be working hard all weekend (& enjoying it). Any more exciting plans out there? Have a lovely weekend!

<3

Inspiration: Originality

I love this scene from Garden State. Lately, I've had a bout of Blah, the disease of lack of inspiration and motivation. When Jonty & I watched Garden State the other day, though, I could tell that the Blah was starting to subside - thank goodness! I hope this scene gives you the same heart-pumping, exhilarated feeling that it gives me every time I watch it.

And this next video is for a fantastic song called Radar Detector by Darwin Deez. It is seriously kooky, in a mind-bending way. Enjoy!



My inspiration this week is originality. What's your inspiration?

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Song of the Day: Lipstick Jungle

I'm obsessing over the song 'Lipstick Jungle' by Newton Faulkner:

Isn't it addicting?

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Beautiful Disaster

Sometimes we all feel like a beautiful disaster, don't we? I know I do this week. My life is a bit of a mess at the moment, with The Deadline's steady approach... but through it all I feel like my life is beautiful. I have a chance to engage in discussion with great thinkers and to get support from Bristol's best. I'm sitting here, with the sun streaming onto my desk, drinking coffee and doing philosophy. It's crazy but beautiful.

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Music of the Weekend: Anarbor

Hi there! Yesterday was a beautiful day here in southern England, & today looks like it's giving yesterday a run for its money. When the weather is sunny and warm like this in the UK, the entire country swarms with outdoor sports, washing cars, & barbeques. It's amazing to see the whole country react to the nice weather, but I guess we appreciate it more since it's less common than it is back home in Cali.

When Jonty and I went to see The Dangerous Summer a few weeks ago, I became mildly obsessed with the band that followed them: Anarbor. They have an upbeat vibe (a huge plus in my book!) and are slightly trashy in their lyrics at times (also a plus in my book when I'm feeling like a badass). Their music has a bit of an old school vibe and is perfect for evening barbeques, just add lots of friends and a couple of beers. And tonight, we're doing just that! I hope you enjoy your weekend too!





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The Boss

Fun fact: Just as I suspected (hence the experiment that led me to discover this fact), when you google "the boss," the Wikipedia article for Bruce Springstein is the first entry to come up.


Yesss! In appreciation of this, here's something fun to listen to this lovely Friday evening:

I'm dancing around my house to it :.)

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The Dangerous Summer

Last week was full of music. I wrote yesterday about the band we saw last Monday. Later in the week, we went to see a band from across the pond, The Dangerous Summer, in part of their two-week UK tour.

While the lead singer maybe said the F word a few too many times for my taste (not that I have a problem with the word, but it should be used in context, not as a comma), we chatted with him a bit after the show, & he was an incredibly nice guy. The band is awesome, & they were awesome to see live.

This song is really catchy:
[Disclaimer: it might get stuck in your head... but it's worth it!]



Another good one (I love the key changes):



Oh oh, I also got one of their tee shirts, which is totally 80's-tastic! (Thanks Jonty!)

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In Gratitude

Gah... I know, I know... I'm reeeaaalllly holding out on Kenya photos. But the truth is, I feel so guilty working on them when I should be writing the essays for my HUGE deadline at the end of the month. And when I'm not working on my essays, I just can't be bothered to do anything that requires any thinking. So, maybe we can just ignore my negligence for a while. What do you think? Thanks guys; you're the best.

Speaking of the best... Last week, Jonty & I went to see one of our favorite bands, In Gratitude, at The Croft in Bristol. In Gratitude is from an hour south of Bristol in Somerset, which is cool. Their musicianship is fantastic, and in general their songs are really good. I had met the band briefly a couple of months ago and had the opportunity to chat with the band members--Matthew Guttridge, Andrew England, Daniel Hayes, & Adam Mason--at the gig. They are really awesome guys. I can't recommend this band enough.

This is my favorite of their songs:

And here's a new song, not yet recorded, from a gig on their tour a couple of days after we saw them:

Enjoy!

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Music of the Day: Sara Bareilles

I've been obsessing over Sara Bareilles' music for the past day or so. These two songs ("Undertow" & "Bottle It Up") especially have been on repeat.




Sara Bareilles - Bottle It Up (Official Music Video)


Today I cleaned out a junk drawer & it felt really good! But it also helped me procrastinate a bit. So I am now (as you can see...) trying to make up for it in the next couple of hours before I head to my friend Katie's house for dinner and then to a party made up of all the best philosophy postgrads. I hope you all have a great Saturday night!

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Song of the Day: Ingrid Michaelson

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this song?



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Last Autumn Song

Autumn is quickly fading into winter. We only have a couple of weeks left. Now that I've given my supervisor a draft of one of my essays, I'm finally allowing myself to accept that winter and Christmas are in the air. As a final farewell to fall, here is a lovely song comparing the relationships in nature (which is now going into hiding) to love. It's from the Juno soundtrack, which I adore. I absolutely LOVE these lyrics :.)



If I was a flower growing wild and free
All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee.
And if I was a tree growing tall and green,
All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves. (x2)

All I want is you, will you be my bride?
Take me by the hand and stand by my side.
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a river in the mountains tall,
The rumble of your water would be my call.
If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow,
Just as long as you were with me, when the cold winds blow.

All I want is you, will you be my bride?
Take me by the hand and stand by my side.
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a wink, I'd be a nod.
If you were a seed, well I'd be a pod.
If you were the floor, I'd wanna be the rug.
And if you were a kiss, I know I'd be a hug.

All I want is you, will you be my bride?
Take me by the hand and stand by my side.
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were the wood, I'd be the fire.
If you were the love, I'd be the desire.
If you were a castle, I'd be your moat,
And if you were an ocean, I'd learn to float.

All I want is you, will you be my bride?
Take me by the hand and stand by my side.
All I want is you, will you stay with me?
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

<3

More Lovely Music

More from my Starbucks Playlist. It makes me feel like I'm living in a classier era, yet I still find myself dance around like a child when it comes on. Isn't it lovely?

Melody Gardot - Who Will Comfort Me


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Song of the Day

I've been listening to my "Starbucks Playlist" a lot recently, which consists of the free songs I've downloaded thanks to Starbucks. (Remember the cards they used to give out?) This song especially has practically been on repeat. It makes me feel warm & fuzzy.

Madeleine Peyroux - "Instead"


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The Rainbow Connection

I'm in love with Jason Mraz's rendition of "The Rainbow Connection" by The Carpenters. I actually adore this song--I sang it at my kindergarten graduation and will never forget it. And Jason's version sounds sooo nice. Perhaps I can learn to play it on guitar :.)

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Some Inspiration

This song by Zee Avi is lovely. It makes me think of an old-fashioned movie.



I love the Chateau Collections (bedroom furniture) by Newtons Furniture Company. Here are a couple of the pieces that I will someday own:
They may not necessarily be white, though. I like the white, black, and even the silver for accent pieces. Or I may paint them funkier colors. [This will of course be when I'm rich and have the money to buy expensive furniture and then paint it however I choose.]

And here are some nice, and very true-to-life, quotes that I recently found:

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see."

--John Burroughs

"When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy."

--Anonymous

"When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character."

--W. Somerset Maugham

Lastly, the 3/50 Project is a very cool group dedicated to promoting the support of local businesses. Check out their website and buy local!



Getting closer to finishing my book! The end is in sight!

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I think that the best love song ever is...

"Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service.

The wording is so perfect, and the imagery is fantastic. I would be surprised if anyone who is in love could read this without thinking, "Yes, that's how I feel." Isn't it nice to find words written by someone else that say what you want to say so well? Mmm...



I am thinking it's a sign
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images and when we kiss
They're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate
That God himself did make us
Into corresponding shapes
Like puzzle pieces from the clay
And true, it may seem like a stretch
But it's thoughts like this that catch
My troubled head when you're away
When I am missing you to death
When you are out there on the road
For several weeks of shows
And when you scan the radio
I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great heights
"Come down now," they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
"Come down now," but we'll stay . . .

I tried my best to leave
This all on your machine
But the persistent beat
It sounded thin upon listening
And that frankly will not fly
You will hear the shrillest highs
And lowest lows with the windows down
When this is guiding you home

They will see us waving from such great heights
"Come down now," they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
"Come down now," but we'll stay . . .

<3

I just love this music video!

It is for the song Saturday Waits by Lonely, Dear.



I just got back from having coffee at Naked Lounge downtown with a guy who went to University of Bristol in the UK, where I will be starting a Masters program this fall. It was nice to get some questions answered. I'm getting nervous though! I'm not sure what to do my essay units on. I plan to go back through some old notes/books/papers in the next month so I can hopefully narrow it down.

But before I can do that I MUST organize my life! My bedroom/purse/car/desk have become really disheveled and I need to find a place for everything and put everything in its place before my brain can function properly again. Time to crank up some Nickelback and get some cleaning in before I work at the River Cats game tonight!

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