These things make me happy

The thing about these awards is that if anyone random, who didn't have a blog, saw this they would be like, what's so great about that?! But it's a realisation that people actually read your blog. And that makes me unnecessarily happy.  So thank you, thank you, thank you too metalrizon. 
This award seems more confusing than the Versatile one...something about questions. I dunno. But here are the rules: 

You must share 11 things about yourself.

Answer the 11 questions that your tagger has given you.

Choose 11 other blogs for the nomination. nominees must have under 200 on Google Friend Connect.

Leave 11 questions for your nominees.

Lastly, thank the person that nominated you and link back to their blog.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! Eleven things about myself?! I'm sorry, but I'm a really dull person and you guys know most of the things about me if you've ever read any of my blog posts. Oh well, here is goes.

1. I watched Wild At Heart today by David Lynch. I really liked it. I like the whole juxtaposition between love and violence. 
2. I've come to notice that people are using what I say quite a lot and then get all the credit. I don't know if you know what I mean but it has just started to annoy me.
3. This is connected to the second fact: I get wound up about things easily. I must have a short temper or something, I dunno. But I get really annoyed with people (mainly my 'friends'). 
4. This is connected to the fourth fact: I always seem to find myself 'looking' to being wound up. This could mean stalking someone on twitter or whatever. Again, I think this has probably got some psychological thing to it.
5. I lie a lot. It makes things more interesting.
6. Whenever I'm alone, I don't talk to myself, but I always picture myself in my own film. It's quite good because when I was thinking about my film for film studies, I had a lot of imagination and thought of a really surreal idea. It also gets me 'inspired' and I makes me want to write a screenplay or something.
7. I give up on things really easily. Not much to say with that, but I do. It's always things that are good for me. For example, exercise, reading, writing. I just give up.
8. However, I don't give up on food. I find myself going through phases with foods. For example, at the moment, I eat a lot of yogurts.
9. I love YouTube. I spend most of my spare time watching new videos. Right now I love the Shaytards who do daily vlogs. It's a nice comfort to know they'll be their everyday. (How sad it that?!)
10. I love watching films. My favourite place is the cinema. If I could watch a film everyday or go to the cinema everyday, I would. Sadly, I'm busy. But now I'm on holiday for a while, I'll probably be watching lots and lots of films...And I can't wait!
11. I finally ordered Twin Peaks series one today. (NO SPOILERS PLEASE). I love boxsets. I watched every Skins episode, then Girls series one and now I need something else. So I decided on Twin Peaks and I can't wait!

Wow. That was really hard. Most of them make me sound psychotic. But trust me, (ironic as I said I like to lie) I am pretty normal, these are just things that I notice about myself. Everyone else doesn't notice it. (Believe me, I've asked them).

Now, time to answer 11 questions!

1. Give your full name as it appears on your official documents.

I'm hesitant to answer this question because I'm still embarrassed if people I know find my blog... Ugh. So, I'll just say my first name and middle name: Mabel Clare

   2.    Be honest, can you tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi?

Is it bad that I actually can? It's because I'm obsessed with coke...I drink it most days. (I know, it's bad).

  3. If you were to cook something for me, what would it be? I want your best meal.

Haha, I like this question. Sadly, I'm more of a baker. (I once won an award for a cheesecake I made.) But I would make you a mean bowl of pasta and that cheesecake!

  4. Are you currently attached to a significant other?

I am not and never have been. *Never been kissed*

  5. What is your favorite color combination? Mine is green and purple.

Okay, now I feel bad that I don't have a favourite colour combination..I like blue and grey? It depends, it's all about the dress ;)

  6. Kill, marry, fuck. Kim Kardashian, Severus Snape and the Michellin Tyre guy?

Omg hahaha this is so random! Kill: Michellin Tyre guy (he's freaky) ((do we even know for sure it has a gender?!)) Marry: Snape and Fuck: Kim (I've seen her sex tape...)

  7. Have you read ’50 Shades Of Grey’? If yes, did you enjoy it?

I have not. Apparently it's really badly written so what's the point when you can read The Great Gatsby?

  8. Do you like eating chocolate with nuts and fruits in?

Nope. Nope. Nope.

  9. In school were you ever part of any plays or productions? If yes, what/who did you play?

I once played Little Red Riding Hood. Boom. Lead part.

  10. If you had to sacrifice two of your fingers, which would those two be?

These questions are so random! My two small fingers...

   11. Would you rather travel to somewhere cold or hot for a holiday abroad?

Okay. This is a hard question because I like covering up my body (still not comfortable in it). But I'm going to have to say hot so I can swim.

Wow. They were weird and wonderful! 

People I nominate are: 

1.http://pheoni-x.blogspot.co.uk/
2. http://rosieandthewolf.blogspot.co.uk
3. http://thechicmuse000.blogspot.co.uk/
4. http://surreal-realm.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm only going to nominate these four because it seems that everyone else has way over 200 followers..(And I'm watching a programme about Anne Boleyn and I want to watch it properly).

My questions are:

1. If you were any of Henry VIII's wives, which one would you be?
2. Do you play any instruments?
3. How old are you?
4. Do you have a favourite musical? What's your favourite song from it?
5. What's your favourite film, the one you always go back to when you feel sad?
6. If you could be part of any era what would it be?
7. If you could be in any film what would it be and who would you play?
8. What's your favourite album since 2010?
9. Put the first picture you come across here when you refresh your tumblr or blog timeline:
10. Elephants or giraffes?
11. Do you believe in luck?

So, they're really kinda stupid but oh well.

Thank you again to http://metalrizon.blogspot.co.uk! If I could hug you I would. But I can't. Because this is just a screen. Oh well.

XX

I'M BACK!

How long has it been? Two weeks..? Longer? 
Well, as a lot of you probably know as you're probably going through them as well, I have had lots of exams. That means lots of revision. That means no blogging. But I'm finished now and back to having a life again. 

Even though I was meant to be doing a lot of revision, I actually got up to a lot of things..
Last week I went to see Lana Del Rey. She was a goddess. Her voice was like silver and the night was magical. I managed to get pushed to the front and I got her autograph.. it feels crazy. It was like a religious thing or something. All these teenagers were begging her to touch them and they were touching her and taking pictures. It made me realise that celebrities kind of are like the 'new' religion. Idolatry and all that. Well, I'm not going to in to that today because this is more of a 'what I have been up too' blog. Anyway, she was amazing and I wish I could go back.

I feel really out of place writing this blog, it's been a long time.

I also went to see The Great Gatsby. I've read the book several times and I've studied it so I basically know it inside out so I went in expecting the worst but hoping for the best. In the end I decided...It was alright. The music was bollocks. I don't want to hear Jay-Z when everything else is set in the 1920s! And a lot of the really important bits were missed out. However, I must admit, like my mum said "it did remind me of how good the book is." Which it did. They used a lot of the quotes from the books. For example, "I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." Fitzgerald is such an amazing writer! It also made me think of how much I wanted to write a novel one day. I've started to think of ideas but they're just not...good. 

I also, randomly, read A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and loved it. (I'm kind of obsessed now...and you know about my 'phases'). It's a play so I read it in a day, therefore, I want you all to read it now! Or see the film. I don't mind. I just really loved it.

This blog really isn't that great. I've lost my writing skills. Maybe it's because I'm tired after exams or maybe it's because I'm watching X-Men while I type this. Either way, I'm sorry this is really dull. Weirdly enough, I seem to have been nominated for another Versatile award. Thank you very much Luce. And I've been nominated for a Liebster award...I don't know why. But thank you to metalrizon! Seeing as I've done the Versatile one before I'll just do the Liebster one...So that'll be coming soon...

Anyway, thanks for reading. Sorry I've been away and sorry for this dull blog post.
Oh! And I got my haircut. Cool.

xx





. 

I had a dream about the end of the world.

source

I had a dream the other night that was actually really scary but it wasn't until last night (the night before I had two mocks and had to be up at 7) that I remembered it. Now it's been circulating in my head since. I do realise how annoying/boring it is to hear about other people's dreams but I just feel like telling you some of it.

I had a dream about the end of the world. Yeah, pretty major. But it was one of those dreams where I actually felt it was real - not necessarily for that day but another day. I now think this is going to happen one day, exactly as I dreamt it. (I know how ridiculous but I've been pretty affected by it.)
What I mainly remember is running, a lot of running, to try and find loved ones, but never being able to find them. During this time a black shadow was covering the Earth and televisions (just goes to show how much technology is in my life) were blaring out the news of the end of the world. So I was trying to run out of the shadow just so I could say goodbye to someone, but I couldn't find anyone.
It seems that I would actually be really sad about this, but I don't remember crying. I just remember trying to come to terms with it. I actually remember saying "well at least we'll all die together." Which, if you think about it, is quite nice. No one dies alone and all that soppy stuff. (Now I'm thinking about it, this would be an interesting film/book...)

So anyway, the main reason I'm telling you this is because the night after that dream I couldn't sleep. I spent most of the night thinking about where we go after we die, why we're here, what's our purpose. These are just questions I want to be answered! Why would we be here?! It doesn't make sense to me that no one knows. What is the meaning of life?! (42 - please say there are some Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy fans here). Why do they always seem to come at night? I always seem to have an out-of-body experience where I'm so freaked that I'm me and everyone else is...them. Why are we stuck in this body?

I know a lot of people have these feelings and have these questions - we all do. There's just so many questions that are, annoyingly, going to be left unanswered and for some reason this freaks me out.

(Sorry, this post was rather bizarre). ((Oh, and I fancied a new font)).

Mabel x




This is from Joseph Gordon-Levitt's book The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories.

We are the generation of worriers.

I'm unsure as to where this blog post is going to go so bear with me.

I'm thinking maybe I should start doing a weekly thing so I keep up to date with this blog. However I do have exams that I need to revise for and, sorry, but they must come first (as much as I hate to admit that). If I were to do a weekly thing I would have no idea what I could that is 'original'. As I was revising today I was listening to Radio 6 and this caller said how he was in his final year of university, doing music journalism, and he couldn't find a job. Then Steve Lamacq gave some advice that you need to find your own 'thing'. You know, like what makes you original. But I've come to realise that originality is getting harder to find. Technology has meant that literally every aspect of anything has been talked about. As much as I love that technology is always rapidly changing, sometimes I just can't keep up and then I think we begin to lose ourselves. 

I know this sounds selfish, but I do feel sorry for our generation. Making a stand used to be so...rare before, but now it seems that it makes no difference. Both my parents are teachers and we've been on so many marches in our time, but none of them seem to make a difference. Gove is still ruining education and it's not as if Ed Milliband has said anything against him before. I think something original needs to happen. That doesn't mean violence or whatever, just something that gets our voices heard. 

I would have said, that because of the vast amount of technology we have now it must have become easier. But think about the whole getting 'Ding-Dong The Witch Is Dead' to number one for Margaret Thatcher's death. The people of the UK spoke and they wanted that as their number one, however, this was completely dismissed and we only heard five seconds of it. I've begun to realise that you have no voice if you're not important in some way. And by important I mean part of the Upper Class. Knowing what you want to do in life. Knowing that you'll go to a public school. Knowing you'll go to Oxbridge. I am constantly losing faith in what I will become and who I'm going to be. It's become so hard.

I also think it's sad that I've started to think this way. I'm a seventeen year old girl. I should have a wide amount of possibilities before me but I know that's not the case. Maybe it's from living in a very realistic household. Or maybe it's from actually taking into consideration what is happening in the world. Whatever it is, I feel that I know the truth and I feel deflated about it. I miss being a little kid without any cares. Without the constant worry that I should be revising "10 hours a day" (okay, maybe that's an exaggeration) for my exams. Or without the worry of University fees. 

I've come to the conclusion that we are the generation of worriers. We have a lot to worry about, no matter how much we try to not show it. We are. Think of this what you will.

Mabel x

Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card

Have you ever read a book that has changed your life? One that has really just made you stop and think about everything and who you are and who you want to be? Yeah, I haven't. Well, I don't think I have. Surely if I had I would remember it?

I just finished reading The Fault In Our Stars after literally everyone on twitter fangirling (sorry) over it. I had read Looking For Alaska by John Green and was extremely dissapointed. I wasn't as dissapointed with this one, however, I didn't like it very much. It seems that for a book to be a teenage book it has to be about someone (obviously another teenager) that has a really horrible life and then finds love and it gets a bit better but then everything is crap again. (But it's always kind of good by the end). I don't know about you but I've never really properly related to these kind of books.

I just want something real. Something utterly depressing because it's utterly real. 
For my English A Level we studied a play called Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett and if any of you know the play you would know it's a comedy but nothing, and yet everything, happens. And basically it is about life. We're all waiting for something but everything just stays the same. Where are the books like this? Maybe people feel they wouldn't sell (everything is about money nowadays) because when most people read they want to be exported from the real world and into someone else's. Which, I admit, that is one of the main reasons I read. But just for once I would like to read a book that I can relate to and will make me think. 
Maybe you guys have some recommendations? 

Anyway, this was just a little thought. Sorry for not writing many blog posts, I haven't felt inspired as they say. 
Thanks for reading and now time for some nice images.






(I'm going to see Lana Del Rey live in 20 days!!)


(Did you all have a good Record Store Day?)

It Ain't Me Babe

I have absolutely nothing to say. As you may have noticed I haven't written a blog post in a few weeks and seeing as I have no inspiration, here's some songs that I've been listening to and playing on the guitar. 

I Am A Master Hunter - Laura Marling

All Too Well - Taylor Swift

Panic Cord - Gabrielle Aplin

Laura - Bat For Lashes

Wouldn't It Be Nice - The Beach Boys

Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush

Bel Air - Lana Del Rey

Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole - Martha Wainwright

Last Hope - Paramore

Eet - Regina Spektor

America - Simon & Garfunkel

To A Poet - First Aid Kit

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - The Smiths

Venus In Furs - The Velvet Underground

I'm sorry this isn't a proper blog post. (No ranting etc). But I haven't had anything to say other than I have exams but instead of revising I'm playing the guitar.

Listen and tell me your favourite songs!

Body Issues

You may have noticed from my past few blog posts that I haven't been having the best few months and that can also be shown on the scales. This month I've gained half a stone and, to be honest, I'm actually freaking out by it and I hate that I'm thinking like that. If I know that everyone is beautiful no matter what shape or size, why don't I think that about myself? 

This week I saw an article about Frankie Sandford from The Saturdays about how she's put on weight from a size 8 to a size 10. This article was extremely negative about this weight gain, saying things like "apparently she's happy about the weight she's gained." Well, if she's happy, then why should we care? And why is it that a female's weight is part of the news?! The article ended with a slide show filled with celebrities that had lost weight and were obviously very unhealthy, however, they were saying how amazing they looked. Really we should be encouraging people to be a healthy weight. Being 'skinny' does not mean they are fit or healthy. That's what people need to realise. 

It depresses me that because these females are in the limelight they feel that they must lose weight. Everyone is different. We are encouraged at a young age to think differently, have our own ideas about things, however, why when we grow up is it not the same? Society has forced us into thinking one way is the best way and sadly weight is one of the major factors. Designer 
Caroline Castigliano has been working in fashion for two decades and in her London Fashion Week show, of this year, she couldn't find 8 models that were of a healthy weight. Most designers don't even care about this, so when girls of my age or younger see these images, we think it is the norm. 

In a Sociology lesson that I had the other week we looked through a number of magazines all for different ages. For every single female magazine it mentioned something about dieting, even the children's magazines. This made me realise how much of a problem this is and it wasn't until recently that I realised that it was also a problem for me. I can admit that I am overweight, I know my BMI, however, if I do lose weight, it's for myself. It's to get healthy. It's not for anyone else. Which is why I appreciated Frankie Sandford for telling everyone she gained weight for herself and because she wanted to be healthy. Girls need good role models in their lives and we need to stick together to make a difference because recently, I have felt that feminism has been going backwards.

Actions speak louder then words. Which is why I know writing a blog post about this won't do much, however, every little bit counts. Read some magazines and get noticing these things. Send complaints to editors or tv programme studios and let's start making a difference! You never know, you could be the next Gloria Steinem.

 

This is an image of the model Karlie Kloss that was published

in a Japanese magazine. 

Dove did a campaign to make people aware of the power of photoshop.

 

However, it is not just women who have body issues.