Reading through my Facebook feed yesterday, I came across this post by Ramona, a friend of mine who is a fantastic writer and who also, evidently, has great taste in music. Reading through her list inspired me to make one of my own, and I have to say I’ve had a little trouble narrowing the list down to just 10 albums, but here are mine, in no particular order:

Nirvana – Nevermind
I first listened to this album in full when I was 14. It quite literally changed my life. I went from your regular J-Lo-loving teenager to a grunge kid overnight. I quickly became obsessed with Nirvana. Did the whole ripped jeans and flannel shirts thing. Bought all the albums and listened to them and nothing but for a year or so. Knew every single lyric off by heart (still do). 15 was a hard year – all those hormones, boy troubles, falling out with friends… but at the end of the day, going home and rocking out to Nirvana made my life a little easier.

Tori Amos – From the Choirgirl Hotel
Rummaging through the bargain bin at my local music shop when I was 17, I came across this album for Lm3 (about €7). Having heard Cornflake Girl on the radio a few times and having been mildly interested, I bought it. Went home, popped it in the CD player and what came next blew my mind. The chord progressions, the piano arrangements, the lyrics, her voice a mixture of sweetness and anguish. Needless to say, this was on repeat until I bought the rest of her discography, then went to my piano and made it my mission to learn to play all of her songs. I’ve watched her live three times now, met her twice. I don’t listen to Tori as much anymore, but I always go back to her when I need to find myself.

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
When I was very, very young, my uncle used to babysit me. Him being very young and it being the late 80s, we used to pass the time by sitting on the carpet in my parents’ living room and listening to his cassettes. Whitesnake. Queen. Roxette. Heart. Pink Floyd. I grew up and went through a brief flirtation with mainstream music, until I met Nirvana, which is when I threw myself back into rock music. One day, at the market in Valletta, I got my hands on a copy of  Wish You Were Here.

As the soundscape to Shine on You crazy Diamond unfurled through my headphones, I closed my eyes and lay back on my bed. I saw colours. I saw an entire light show. I listened to the entire album once, twice, three times. Then I put Shine… on repeat. For a week. The silence begins it. Then the slow and constant notes like foundation brushstrokes for a painting of the sea. The bells clink softly in the background like sunlight hitting the waves. The guitar is picked slowly, sadly – a lament, it sings, until it begins its repeated theme: those four notes picked again and again until the song comes crashing over your consciousness like a waterfall. And then… “Remember when we were young…”

Still one of my very favourite songs. By one of the best bands who have ever graced this earth. A masterpiece. During the summer of 2003 I realized it took me exactly 15 minutes to walk to my then-boyfriend’s house. That’s how long the Echoes version of that song is. I listened to it every day on my way to his house and back. That song will always be my youth, my summer. On the brink of adulthood but not quite…

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin
Ah, Zeppelin, my darlings. This album always takes me back to my first year at sixth form. I’d go an hour before lectures so I could do my little ritual of ordering a cheese toastie and a coffee and chain smoking while I listened to Dazed and Confused on repeat. I couldn’t get through the day if I didn’t do that. Zeppelin’s not my favorite band, but they are up there with the best.

Queen – A Kind of Magic
Because what kind of life-changing albums list would this be without a little Queen? I was already a devout follower of Queen before I bought this album, because what rock-freak in their right mind wouldn’t be? But this album was my go-to for the couple of years I spent taking art lessons. Sitting in a room, painting for four hours a week with this album in my CD player. It was a kind of magic (Ha!).

Foo Fighters – One by One
Bought this, together with Hole’s Pretty on the Inside, and the Meat Puppet’s self-titled album in Sirmione, Italy, while I was going through my grunge phase.  So I got into the Foo Fighters pretty late on, but I still adore this album. Sure, it’s not technically brilliant; sure the lyrics aren’t poetry (well, some of them are), but this album is always the one I put on when I need to feel a little uplifted while still taking the edge off things. I’ll be fulfilling a long-term wish to watch them play live in a few months and I can’t bloody well wait.

Rufus Wainwright – Poses and Want One
Alright, I’m cheating a little here. These are two albums, but I bought them together and listened to the two of them on shuffle so they’re a little jumbled up in my head. Rufus, to me, is what Chopin’s music would sound like if he were born in the 20th century. Technically complex, virtuoso compositions with melodrama dropping from every word. A little over the top, but perfectly so. Rufus moves me to emotions unique to him. Another guy I’ll be watching live later this year and I’m going to need to stop myself from fainting with excitement when he walks onto the stage.

Radiohead – OK Computer
Does this really need any explanation? One of the best albums ever made. Radiohead at their very peak. I have to moderate my listening because it can get pretty depressive, but it is beautiful nonetheless.

Jeff Buckley – Grace
A relatively recent discovery, I admit. I’d heard OF Jeff, then I eventually got a copy of the album and was won over completely. As much as I love Leonard Cohen, I still think Jeff’s version of Hallelujah is the best out there, and Lover You Should Have Come Over is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful, raw, profound love songs ever written.

The Beatles – White Album
You can’t not include the Beatles in a list like this. Almost every band I love traces their roots and influence back to the Beatles, and listening to this album it’s easy to see why. The Beatles sound easy – they sound simple, but once you get into the nitty gritty of their music you realize they turned simple on its head. Perfect summer Sunday afternoon listening while you read a good book and drink your weight in tea.

Now tell me yours. I’d love to know what you like to listen to and which albums influenced you the most.

When the fantastic Sarah from Yes and Yes asked on Twitter what we’d wished we’d known at 22, my answer was almost instant: Nobody will fight for your dreams if you don’t.

Twenty-two was not too long ago. Barely three years ago. And this lesson is something it’s taking me a long time to understand; it’s also something I’m still learning. But here’s the thing: this is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time. Fight Club. Chuck Palahniuk. A little fatalistic, I know, but definitely the kick up the arse some of us – me included – may need to get us going. Really going.

And perhaps the problem was twofold. I had a pretty privileged childhood. I didn’t live in a palace or anything like that, but my parents made sure my sister and I were always happy and never wanted for anything. They took us travelling, sent us to a good school, encouraged our education, bought us nice clothes. And that may have made me a little lazy. I try to be as independent as I can, especially now that I’m living in a whole other country. But when you’re used to eventually getting what you want, you take it for granted that the same goes for your dreams. That you can just utter “I want to travel” and that eventually it would happen.

Not so, my friends.

The other problem was youth. Is youth, thank you very much *grins*
Somehow, as soon as I turned 24 I  stopped considering myself ‘young’. Sure, I’m still young, but I’m not as young as when I was 18. I’m not a kid, just now opening my eyes and taking my first tentative steps into the world. I’ve actually achieved quite a bit: a college degree, a masters, I had a good job… and realizing how quickly everything is rolling by, I had to admit to myself I wouldn’t be young forever. My mind might, my spirit might, but I won’t be 24 forever. And when you’re young and you think life is at a standstill it’s easy to put things on hold while you explore different avenues. It’s good to explore different avenues. But when that one dream which has been poking you in the back pretty much all your life and which you have ignored because it may have been ‘inconvenient’ or ‘uncomfortable’ is still poking you in the back so many years later, then maybe it’s time to do something about it. Yeah?

So there you go. If you have dreams, don’t expect anybody else to fight for them on your behalf. It’s you who has to do it. And yeah, it might hurt. And yeah, you may need to sacrifice some stuff for it. And yeah, there’s a possibility you will fail. But if I’m honest, I’d rather be upset at the failure than regret not having tried.

Here is a litte rant about something I’ve mulled over in my mind for a while now but never really tried to articulate: why the hell do we find it so hard to accept compliments from people?

More than that, why is it considered normal to blush and act all surprised and shy when you receive a compliment which, actually, you are quite enjoying and probably deserve?

Here’s the thing: I know what I am good at. I know I can write, sing, draw and act. I know I’m a fast learner and that I am good at staying positive and, on days when I bother, I can look pretty good too. So my ethos is that if you compliment me about one of the above, I’m going to accept that compliment.

Sure, I won’t be all “Oh yeah, I know. I’m so brilliant.” Because that would just be stupid. But if you passed a compliment about something I kinda knew I was decent at, I would say you were lovely for saying so, smile, and thank you for it. Then I would let that compliment make me happy for however long I think about it. Because I realize that giving compliments doesn’t come naturally to everybody. They’re something you actually have to make an effort with. So it’s nice to know that effort’s being made on me.

Being somebody who enjoys giving people compliments they deserve and seeing them smile, I also know it can be quite annoying when you tell somebody who’s a really good dancer that they’re, well, a really good dancer, and they bumble and say something along the lines of “Me? Really? Shut up. Whatever. That is so not true.” This reaction makes me:
a) Feel the need to give you another compliment, which you will inevitably deny, which will lead to another compliment, which you will deny again, which will lead to a third and so on until I have to start making up shit to compliment you on. It’s annoying and
b) Make a mental note not to compliment you again in the future to save myself the trouble.

So there you go. When somebody pays you a compliment, don’t argue. Just smile and thank them for saying it.

Back when I first started taking photographs, cameras were much simpler affairs. You popped the film in, made sure it had some batteries and then turned it on. You waited, in anticipation, while the flash warmed up with a high-pitched hum and then you pointed your camera at your desired subject and pressed the shutter button. A good healthy click and burst of light was your indication that a picture had been taken and, hey presto!, on to the next subject you went.

These days the average digital camera has multiple functions. If you take a look at the top of your camera (digital compact, SLR or otherwise), you will most likely find a dial with a variety of pictures and letters on it. Now, depending on the model, the pictures will vary and are usually fairly self-explanatory. These are the pre-set functions that the camera has and include portrait, landscape, macro (close-up), sports and night mode. The letters, however, are a different ballgame.

A is for Auto and, for the standard user, will be the mode that remains on their camera 99% of the time. Auto is exactly what it says – automatic. The camera makes all of the decisions on how to take a photograph and all that is required is for the shooter to push the button. A large percentage of people will never switch from the Auto function, which is a real shame. Modern cameras are capable of so much more and sticking with Auto is like having the use of a five star kitchen and only using the microwave!

So, if you want to take a little more control of what happens to your photographs then read on, because things are about to get a bit more interesting. There are generally three other letters you will find on a camera function dial. These are M, Av (or A where Auto is marked with a green rectangle) and Tv (or S).

M – Manual mode.

This mode is about as far away from Automatic as you’ll ever get. When you switch to manual mode you have complete control over all the settings on your camera and it’s a huge leap from Auto to Manual. Many professional photographers don’t even use Manual mode except in certain situations. Don’t worry too much about this mode for the time being. Instead, take a look at the two settings below.

Av – Aperture Priority

You know those pictures where the subject in the foreground is clear and sharp and the background is all blurry? That, my friends, is called depth of field (DOF) and can be achieved by altering the aperture. The number here is referred to as an ‘f-stop’ and the rule to remember here is this: “The smaller the number, the bigger the hole”. Simply put, an f-stop of 2.8 will be a large aperture and create a greater DOF while an f-stop of 16 will be a small aperture with a much smaller DOF.

It’s important to remember, here, that with a large aperture such as f/2.8 more light will be let in to the camera (small number big hole, remember!) and so f/16 will, in turn, have a smaller hole and therefore let less light in. This is important to remember in low light situations, as you’ll find your photographs will appear much darker.

The photo on the left was taken at f/2.8, the one on the right at f/9. See how the background becomes clearer the smaller the f-stop?



Tv – Shutter Priority

Shutter priority is probably a more simple process to understand. When you alter the settings in this mode you are controlling how long the shutter remains open for. The longer the shutter remains open the more movement the sensor will capture thereby creating motion blur. This is something that can be used creatively, for example with waterfalls or capturing a vehicle in motion.

The shutter speed works in seconds and parts of a second. A simple understanding of fractions will make this easier so 1/250th of a second is much quicker than 1/50th of a second. Most cameras go up to 30” (second) and some even have a ‘bulb’ mode, which means the shutter remains open as long as you control it for.

It’s worth noting that anything other than a very fast shutter speed is hard to keep sharp when you hand hold the camera so you may need to use a tripod to avoid this. And, as before with Av mode, the faster the shutter speed, the less light will be let in.

And there you have it, a basic start to getting away from the Auto function. Ultimately, as with anything, the best way to learn is to practice as frequently as possible and don’t be afraid to play with your camera’s settings. The great thing about digital is that you can take as many photographs as your memory card will allow, review them immediately and delete the ones that you don’t like or that don’t work before starting again. So get clicking and enjoy!

I’d love to win the lottery. Who wouldn’t, right? There are so many things I would do; so many things I would see; so many things I would buy…

Unfortunately, I’m not a lottery winner. I’m a student, living off my savings. There are bills to pay, rent, groceries. Everything else is secondary. But I’ve found that doesn’t mean I can’t still live richly – it just means I have to be a little more innovative about it.

Pick your luxuries
It may sound obvious, but when you’re on eBay at 1 a.m., it’s hard to restrain yourself. Vintage designer handbag? WANT. Bright red lippy? GIMME. Step one: stay off eBay. That’s what I do. Make a list of things you want. Which do you want more, the fluffy throw pillow or that gorgeous dress? Pick your luxuries. You can’t have everything but you can have some things. Decide what they are.

Make the most of what you have
You’re invited to a party, a wedding, a date, a dinner and you’re eyeing an outfit in a shop window when, really, you can put together something quite similar with the things you already have. Get creative. Mix and match things. Learn how to make your own accessories. Mix shades of eyeshadow to create your own new colour. Make the most of things you already have.

Special offers
Subscribe to discount sites like Groupon and Living Social and keep an eye out for special offers on clothes, meals, makeup, salon treatments, waxing, massages… My friends and I are going zorbing for €7 through one of those discounts.

Special occasions
Got a birthday coming up? Graduation? Engagement? Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Most people will be relieved they don’t have to rack their brains coming up with ideas, and you get exactly what you’re after. Win win.

New to you
Embrace second-hand. Embrace vintage. The thrill of retail therapy is still present when you thrift shop, and as an added bonus your item comes with its own history and character. You’ll get some great deals at charity shops and flea markets, especially if designer is what you are after.

Borrow, swap
Borrow things from friends, especially when it comes to clothes. Hannah and I do this all the time and it’s pretty great because it’s like having two whole wardrobes. You could even take it a step further and organise a swap meet. Fill a bag with clothes you no longer wear and invite your friends to do the same, then swap! It’s free.

How do you get what you want on a tight budget? I’d love to hear.