Wednesday 30 December 2015

It's Not Right For You

"She said, "Is this the life you've been dreaming of
Spending half the day away from the things you love?
It's not too late to do something new."

She said, "It's hard enough trying to live your life.
But not following your dreams made you dead inside.
If you don't love what you do."

It's not right, it's not right for you
If you even have to think about it
It's not right, it's not right for you
If you really have to think about it
You got one life to love what you do"


It's Not Right For You - The Script

This year I am boycotting New Years Resolutions. I've always had a thing against them, and last year when I came up with three, I broke two of them on January 1st when I was notoriously hungover. But the third, to worry a lot less, stuck with me throughout this year. That resolution didn't come from a desire to change, but rather it was something I'd learned in 2014 (you can read the whole story here). A year later I'm here musing about that one thing I've learned this year that I can take into 2016, and it wasn't hard to come up with. 

This year has been a year of trial and error. I tried to move to Perth, and soon realised Australia was not the place for me. As a lovely Grandmother in my hostel in Adelaide later told me "at least you gave it a go". Soon after I came home, I tried to work a job in a new industry. But I never fully understood it, and realised for my professional and personal sanity, I had to move on. And as for my love life, well, sometimes the best things still aren't the right thing for you. In summary, 2015 was the year I learned to walk away from the things that weren't making me happy or healthy. It's this thought I will take into the New Year.  

I have no solid plans for 2016. Apart from a plane to catch back from my New Year's trip, being due back at work shortly after and my desire to see every cricket game this summer, 2016 is wide open for me. It's exciting, and it's endearing. I hope it will be full of love and laughter, of creative writing and good music, and just a little challenge to keep me on my toes and learning wonderful things about myself. 

Happy New Year, you wonderful people. I'll see you on the other side after a little New Year's escape to one of New Zealand's beautiful towns. 




Thursday 10 December 2015

Breakfast at Tiffany's

"You'll say, we've got nothin' in common
No common ground to start fromAnd we're falling apartYou'll say, the world has come between usOur lives have come between usStill I know you just don't care

And I said what about Breakfast at Tiffany's?She said I think I remember the filmAnd as I recall I think, we both kind o' liked itAnd I said well that's the one thing we've got"


Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something 

It is possible that in a little while I while look back and think, hmm after a few months off writing in your blog, you do a come back with Breakfast at Tiffany's? But you have to admit that this is a tune (unless you're a specific creative writer who was not having a bar of this song last time we played it at work). I've been jamming along to this at least once a day for the past few months and I wanted to bring it up so you can all have a listen and remember that twenty years ago this was a massive one hit wonder. 

I've been off the blogging record for a couple reasons - I went without internet for a month while moving, I've been working on other secret writing projects, and this year's music hasn't left me inspired at all, hence why we're going with a song from 1996. I mean yeah, there's been a few sweet songs pumping on the radio, but it's feeling a bit tired. There's been some notable comebacks: Gwen Stefani's new track is brilliant and I'm only starting to realise she's a genius. Adele and the Biebs have new tunes which are nice but not knocking off my socks, Imagine Dragons released a killer album which I heard most of at an amazing concert earlier this year, and I could happily not hear another T-Swift song for a while. 

Hopefully next year there will be some cracker songs released and I'll be able to churn out the blogs a bit more. Or else I'll dig through the one hit wonder charts and find some more gems like Breakfast at Tiffany's to muse about. My Sharona? How Bizzare? Poi E? (That is my favourite one hit wonder, for the record). 

In the meantime, take some life advice from a song that actually got to number one on the UK charts one week in 1996. Remember and cherish the small things. When it all seems lost, hold onto the hope of that stupid thing you've got in common. Sometimes, these make you the happiest. And above all else, worship songs about a film with Audrey Hepburn.