Sunday 30 January 2011

Some tunes...

So, I'm almost ready to post my first review of the year, I just need to write it...But in the meantime I'd like to share with yous some tunes I've been loving recently. My old mac has passed away few days ago unfortunately, and I'm waiting for the IT guys to back it up for me, so I'm left with NO music on my new laptop. Thank the Elders of the Internet for sites like the hypemachine and we7, I'm not left completely musicless.
I'm really into happy, carefree, summery songs so that's what this post is gonna be about.
Here we go:
The Magic Kids - Hey Boy


The Magic Kids - Hey Boy .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

Summer Fiction - Chandeliers

Summer Fiction - Chandeliers .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

Tennis - Marathon

Tennis - Marathon - Mastered AAC .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

The Love Language - Hard to Tell

The Love Language - Heart to Tell .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

Generationals - Trust

Generationals - Trust .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

Avi Buffalo - What's in it for?

Avi Buffalo· - Whats In It For? .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

Summer Camp - Ghost Train

Summer Camp - ghost train .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

Cults - Go Outside

Cults - Go Outside .mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Home
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home .mp3
Found at bee mp3 search engine


Also, I'm falling in love with Adele. I haven't listened to her new album yet and can't wait to! Rolling in the deep is such a powerful single, the whole album must be amazing. What I'm going to share here is her version of Promise this by Cheryl Cole. I'm glad she has a soft spot for Cheryl as I do. She's my guilty pleasure. Luckily I don't need to feel guilty to like Adele's version :)

Adele Covers Cheryl Cole& 39;s "Promise This& 39;"For BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge.mp3


Found at bee mp3 search engine
and that's all for now :)

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Books read in 2010

  • 33) Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets by J.K. Rowling (reread)
  • 32) Blankets by Craig Thompson
  • 31) The Green Guide for Business by Chris Goodall
  • 30) The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
  • 29) Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown
  • 28) Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
  • 27) La caccia al tesoro by Andrea Camilleri
  • 26) Il Visconte Dimezzato by Italo Calvino
  • 25) Ho Paura Torero by Pedro Lemebel
  • 24) Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
  • 23) A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
  • 22) Epic by Conor Kostick
  • 21) Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce
  • 20) Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
  • 19) Oceano Mare by Alessandro Baricco
  • 18) La Rizzagliata by Andrea Camilleri
  • 17) Yeats is dead! by various Irish authors
  • 16) The Various by Steve Augarde
  • 15) Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim
  • 14) Shine Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger
  • 13) My family and other animals by Gerald Durrell
  • 12) Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
  • 11) The Dreaming PLace by Charles de Lint
  • 10) The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
  • 9) Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • 8) Piggy Monk Square by Grace Jolliffe
  • 7) Does my head look big in this? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
  • 6) Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan
  • 5) Just Like Tomorrow by Faïza Guène
  • 4) Il Mistero dell'Inquisitore Eymerich by Valerio Evangelisti
  • 3) Box Office Poison by Alex Robinson
  • 2) The Deportees by Roddy Doyle
  • 1) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Thursday 6 January 2011

Notes on a non-blogging year


As much as a non-blogger I've been this year, I'd be really sad if I didn't at least write a little about what this year has been about for me. I know it hasn't been much about reading. I have hit my lowest reading level since 2007. I have also more than halved my posts compared to last year. At some point I nearly thought I was done with blogging. But to be honest, I miss it.
So as for a first New Year's resolution, I'd like to try to make friends again with regular blogging and stick to my earlier idea of blogging about anything I want to, whenever I feel like (although, obviously, more often than I have done lately).
Aside from neglecting my blog, this has been a very good year for me. I have lost my bookselling job at the end of February, but that has given me the opportunity to figure out what I really want to do with my life and start planning it. I haven't finished planning yet, but I'm working on it, which is good. My idea was to open a cooking business delivering vegetarian lunch boxes to shop and office workers. I'd still love to do it, but in this current Irish climate, I doubt I will be able to get funds. Also, I need people who are willing to be my partners, cause doing it alone is out of the question. But I'll see what the new year brings.
In the meantime, I'm back to the idea of taking my writing seriously. I do mean it this time. I'm very proud of myself for finishing and editing my first novel with Nanowrimo, but I don't want that to be my only finished project. This year I'm going to finish my neverending children story which I started aeons ago. And hopefully I'll get more ideas after that.

Looking back to my 2010 resolutions, I can say that I stuck to the one about creativity. With so much time in my hands, I was free to create lots. And had great fun with it. Knitting, photographing, painting jars and making bookmarks. That's probably what I liked most about this year. That's exactly what I needed, and what I want to keep doing in the new year too.
My digital camera was my favourite buy of the year. I haven't parted with it since. My jar-decorating thing is getting better and better. And the knitting thing has produced some much appreciated Christmas presents. I'm gonna have to learn how to knit socks next. It'd be amazing.
Also a jumper would be nice...

The other resolution from last year was to reread more. That, I must say, wasn't followed through. I only reread one Harry Potter book, and I have listened to Neil Gaiman reading The Graveyard book, while knitting. It was such a treat. I wish he had read more of his books, so I could enjoy his voice again and again.
As for the new books read, they weren't many, but there were some great ones.
My favourite in no particular order have been:
The Deportees by Roddy Doyle - a very entertaining collection of short stories about being an immigrant in Ireland.
Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan - an engrossing story with a fairy tale touch to it.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale - the blogging hype on this one wasn't without reason. Such a good book.
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness - a wonderful ending to an epic story. I still sometimes think of Todd and Viola and miss them.
Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown - a lesbian coming of age story. I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did. So ahead of its time. I will never forget the main character.
Blankets by Craig Thompson - It's unbelievable how the art and the narrative mix so perfectly well in this memoir. Mesmerising.
Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce - I really wish I wrote a proper review for this one. I had so much to say about it, but now I can only say it was adorable, and funny, and clever, and you should read it.

I have to admit I haven't read much not just because I was busy being all artistic and stuff. I've also spent an insane amount of time online. Specifically on that evil invention design to suck you in and never let go until it's too late to do anything else, aka Tumblr. I could say that it helps my mind find inspiration, but what really it's pure procrastination.
So another New Year Resolution is to be strong and Spend. Less. Time. On. The. Internet.

OK?

Another way I have used my time was watching the It Crowd obsessively since this summer, and having a massive crush on Katherine Parkinson.
If you have never watched the It Crowd, I sort of envy you, because you can still experience its awesomeness for the first time. But don't leave it too late, cause it's worth it.

And now I'm going to wrap it up by sharing with you some of favourite songs of this year,meaning songs I have discovered this year, not necessarily *released* this year.

Cathy Davey. She has released a great new album this year called the Nameless, but I have discovered her previous album, Tales of Silversleeve, and fell in love with it. I like all the songs in the album so it's hard to choose, but anyway, I have to. (Oh by the way, if you know of a better way to upload music on blogger, please let me know, I'd love to use one of those streaming devices, I just don't how to).
"Harmony"


and "Mr. Kill"


The Concretes "Kids"
I've listened to this band a lot this year. They are a bit similar to Camera Obscura, so I had to love them. This song in particular is the one that made me listen to them more.
I love this line: Music could really knock you over back then, so we would lie on the floor just to be safe.


Of course I'm gonna have to repeat myself, because this is a year's summary and I've posted this video already. This song is part of this year's soundtrack so it has to feature:
Slow Club - "When I go"


In my opinion, the coolest, most faboulous Irish singer around at the moment. I can't wait to see her live in February
Imelda May - "Mayhem"


Marina and the Diamonds - "Seventeen"
Why the hell wasn't this on the album??


Amiina - "What are we waiting for?"
The discovery of this band was such a gift. Their music makes me enter a state of incredible relax and well being. I love them so much I bought the full album.


This band's only a recent discovery, but I like them very very much
Allo Dalin' - Kiss your lips


OK, I better stop here. I realise I could go on and on about all the songs and bands I've discovered, so maybe I'll leave it to future posts.
Hope everyone's year has been a satisfying one, or at least one to remember for a few good things. I also wish everyone's new year to be full of new exciting discoveries, love, art, moving reads, tasty food, fun parties, and good company.
Talk soon,
Val :)