My Sweet Lady

My Sweet Lady (Spring Playlist - 2k13) from horea_tmt on 8tracks Radio.

Its been a while since I made a music post, which is clearly unacceptable.

Music is my lady. She keeps me calm in the dead of night. Reminds me I'm not as crazy as I think I am. Changes my mood as she pleases. She moves me. Shapes me. Brings me imagination to life, gives my ideas flights and cures every ail I have.

And my lady needs some lime light on this blog.

I know I've spoken of Imagine Dragons before but I think I need to speak about them again. Their album, Night Visions is filled with hit after hit after hit. It is the musical definition of my senior year of high school, and quite frankly its what got me through it. If I could define Night Visions with one word, I would say: holographic. You look at a song and understand one thing about it, and later you look at it in a different way and understand something completely different. Does that make sense?

Speaking of bands, I recently saw a local band perform an acoustic set of some songs off their album. The band is currently based in Ottawa, Ontario and goes by the name The Riot Police. I usually am not impressed with the music scene in my city (let alone my country) but The Riot Police honestly shocked me! By the middle of their first song I was singing along to what I could remember and falling truly, madly, deeply in ''music love''. A few of their members go to some of my rival high schools in Ottawa, I didn't know our generation was capable of producing bands. Real, honest bands. With instruments, and feel worthy lyrics, and talent. I thought we were all products of industrialization, hypersexualation and the media. Who knew! Their music is currently available on iTunes if you care to take a look (you should) and I will definitely be picking up a copy of their album. I am absolutely smitten by the tune ''Losing You'' and I am so happy I recorded a few clips of them because those are my stand ins until I get the album.

I recently purchased Trilogy by The Weeknd. A collection of The Weeknd's first 3 cd's, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes Of Silence. Its definitely worth it, as I got 3 Cd's for the price of one.  I usually don't purchase albums since its kind of outdated, but I think this is the start of an amazing collection.

Speaking of albums I need to buy, I may need to purchase The Great Gatsby's soundtrack. It is pure perfection and seems to go along with the book just perfectly.

So there is my Spring playlist. It has some old and some new. What's on your playlist?

Follow me on Instagram: @Ahorea

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (Spoiler free!)

New characters were introduced, old characters were reintroduced, present characters developed, and some characters left the story all together. Love blossomed as it wilted and an epic story was concluded.

 

Finally, a book review!

Clockwork Prince basically crushed my heart into teeny tiny pieces, so naturally, while waiting for Clockwork Princess to hit bookshelves, I've been gluing those pieces back together. But when I finally got my hands on Clockwork Princess I had just finished gluing those pieces back together and I wasn't completely sure if my heart was ready to witness the conclusion to Will, Tessa & Jem's compelling story.

Clockwork Prince left things quite...chaotic (to say the least). There was the master love triangle of ALL love triangles, heartbreak, a pregnancy, heartbreak, a long lost sibling, heartbreak, and many secrets were revealed. It was tough. And of course Clockwork Princess did not take long to address each one of these storylines.

Reading the book was effortless. If there were ever a moment you questioned Cassandra Clare's writing abilities, CP2 must have caused you to shut your mouth and deport yourself back to your underground cave.Clare definitely played on words, shooting my anxiety levels through the roof. I honestly did forget that I was reading a book, the streets of London came to life with energy and vibrancy! It was detailed and beautiful.

People are always shocked to hear that I prefer this series to The Mortal Instruments, but its true. I feel a deeper connection to the characters and am much more entranced by the plot. What can I say, The London Institute owns my heart!

Clockwork Princess' plot did not have an easy set up to conclude the series. There were 2 instances where I had tears in my eyes based on the range of emotions I was put through as a reader. Whether or not you are ready to say goodbye, you are forced to do so for some characters. It looked to me as if Miss Clare had constructed a labyrinth with not much wiggle room, and that the only way to leave said labyrinth was to burn the whole thing down. Yet, miraculously, she managed to exit the labyrinth without doing so. A few paths were cut down, some leaved were frayed, but the labyrinth stayed intact. Does the labyrinth represent the stories, the characters or the reader's sanity..? Not sure.

Read these books.

(Can we just talk about the fact that Jem's name is Jem Carstairs. Car Stairs. CAR. STAIRS. Beep beep vrrom vrrom - climb up. This fact perplexed me hahaha)

My heart is crying

Hello all, I hope your Easter weekends are going faaaaabulously!

This week something huge happened. Like. It shook up my world. Seriously.

Let me spell it out for you.

L-I-Z-Z-I-E--B-E-N-N-E-T.

Now let's put it all together: Lizzie Bennet.

RIGHT?

Well, for those of you who don't know what the Lizzie Bennet Diaries are or who Lizzie Bennet is for that matter, let me shed some light.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is an interatcive modern day retelling of Pride & Prejudie via vlog. Most of the show is played out in front of a camera by these amazing actors(whowillmakeyoufallinlovewiththemandthenripyourhearttoshreds).

 For some odd reason I said to myself "Start watching the LBDiaries now" last Sunday night, while in bed. And so I began my journey. Knowing nothing about the series, I just clicked play and it took me up until the mention of William Darcy to figure out what the show was really about (and that it wasn't an actual vlog hehe)  It took me 5 days to reach episode 99, while in History class and by lunch time the final video was up. Of course I wasn't going to watch the final page in Lizzie Bennet's diary on an iPod in my human development class...that would be disrespectful. So I waited until my last period spare, but then I felt awkward watching it in the library so I decided I'd wait until I got home. Well I didn't actually go home because I went to work and by the time I got home I went to bed and decided to pretend the LBDiaries were never ending. Because that is a good way to get rid of your problems. Sleeping.
Anywayas, I woke up Friday morning, booted up my computer and watched the final moments of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. It was hard for me to say goodbye to all those characters, to that well known story, and to the wonderful actors.

I had five great days of obsessing over Youtube videos under my Mother's watchful eyes and another 5 days (I say five prematurely but it'll really be 7 + reliving painful memories) of mourning the loss of those five great days I had. Mhmp.

I just wanted to make this post to tip my hat off to the creators, produces, writers, actors, makeup artists, fashion directors, and anyone else who worked on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. You are great.

I also wanted to spread the word regarding this beautiful nugget of the internet. While watching the show I got another friend to start her first episode in the middle of the night, which come to think of it was probably a bad idea, and another friend who is currently right in the middle. And I hope, if you haven't already begun your journey through the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, that you embark quite soon as well! It's worth it.

This house is not a home to you

I suppose I should just stop calling these long uncalled for breaks between posts I have hiatus' and just simply say I'm a bad blogger. There. I said it. Wait no, let's just call me a dead beat, how about that.

Well here's the unnecessary update on my life: I'm finishing up my last semester of high school and I have conflicted emotions about it, it's quite bipolar of me. I woke up last week with the sudden realization that I hate most of these people and never want to walk those halls again and basically I'm done with high school but then I was walking through the halls, alone and I was all ''UGH NO. HIGH SCHOOL IS SO SIMPLE. CAN'T MOVE ON. SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. FOREVER GONE. UGH. PETER PAN 5EVER'' and so on. It really is a difficult time.

I have been accepted to the program of my choice which is cool, I guess...but winning an 8million dollar jackpot is cooler, am I right? HAHAHAH (noseriously). I am also employed now, which is very lucky for me because I am not working at McDonalds which means I'm already ahead of my peers. Success! Other than that, I'm pretty much just trying to juggle everything and you know, learn things. It's weird, I always feel like I constantly have to learn something about the world or myself, which I actually have done a lot of. All of this kind of does make me excited for university, but then...well, refer yourself to the above quote. Oh, and my current shopping addiction is sickening. I just can't stop.

(Look at that segway)

 I mean, I reaallly cannnnn't stooopp. Every paycheck is an internal battle of saving vs. spending and the latter usually wins (my tabs are currently full of Romwe, Ebay, River Island, and Aldo sales pages). It really is a dominant factor of my li(wallet)fe.

Here are some of the few things I've recently picked up

From the top:
Sweater: Tommy Hilfiger
Nail polish: Revlon
Necklace: Local boutique (Sirens)
Watch: Tommy Hilfiger
Jacket: Sparkle & Fade colourblock vest coat in burgundy (Urban Outfitters)
Purse: Tommy Hilfiger

*Note that a lot of the stuff I did buy was on sale and/or I had an employee discount (you can probably guess from where) and I was not compensated in any way to speak of these items (unfortunately)

I bought my first real (meaning it wasn't from Claire's or anything) watch! I AM A WOMAN! It also was the catalyst for my watch obsession, which has indeed begun.

The jacket pictured above is from a brand called Sparkle & Fade which I am completely smitten by! If I had a million dollars, I'd probably be their number one customer? The jacket is so lovely and great for dealing with post-Winter/pre-Winter weather. I love the plaid detail which makes it that much more unique, quite a step back from the non stop leather detail trend. I love the style and the colour is just fab

I also purchased this Kimchi bag from Urban Outfitters while I may or may not was supposed to be completing my overdue English Independent Study Unit (oops?). It is the love of my life which I've been so eager to show off to evveeryonnee (including my Instagram followers). It was my first ''costs-more-than-2for10-purse'' and just ughhghglove. pure love.

No, I'm not becoming one of those blogs, but one of my goals for the new year was to integrate more of my life in this blog and although I don't shop that much* (university ain't cheap), I do allow myself some splurges every once in a while.

It's pieces like that which make me extremely excited for the fashion themed things to come for this blog. I'm right about to dive in to some seriously exciting projects, encompassing some of my favorite things. And of course I haven't let go of my book blogging, it just has to jump in the backseat for a bit because I have legitimately have no time whatsoever to read these days, although it remains one of my first loves.

At this time, I am insanely wanting anything remotely close to Jeffrey Campbell Coltrane's. Everytime I see someone post about them on Instagram, my brain releases a slew of curse words only I could understand. They make me want to cry....out of love. The shoe. So if anyone knows any similar dupes, please let me know!

The current tune I think you should all be jamming to is Twenty Eight by The Weeknd. I saw him in concert last July and haven't been the same ever since.

I hope you all have a great March break and whatnot, I'm in Toronto this week for a Youth Parliament, participating as a journalist, which was an amazing experience and I am now visiting my sisters for a few days. Afterwards, I'll be turning ON my Boo Radley status.

Love,
Horeah

*My Mom begs to differ

The shoes that keep me up at night

The shoes that keep me up at night by horea33 featuring black and silver shoes

Topshop
topshop.com

Topshop
topshop.com

Jeffrey campbell bootie
$205 - office.co.uk

Black and silver shoes
misskl.com

River Island white shoes
$75 - riverisland.com

Forever 21
forever21.com

Forever 21 heels
forever21.com

I don't like change, but this one was good

I'm not comfortable with change, unless I'm uncomfortable in the previous situation, I'm scared and apprehensive of changing a good thing. Get me?

But I knew I needed a change in my bedroom, it was cluttered and was turned into a huge mess on a daily basis when I would get ready for school. And so I decided to do the biggest clean up of my life. Yes sir, I threw out the ugly, old, useless, and unworn. It took about 3 weekends to get this done (I wouldn't say I was extremely motivated) but once it was finished...well, let's just say my room is still clean.

I like cats

This painting was done by a friend of mine for my birthday

Observe my retro laptop

I've inherited my sister's bedroom. For some unknown reason she chose to paint it a ghastly shade of blue, and I was waaay too lazy to paint it white and so I decided to live with it.

But can we assess the situation though? I'm blogging about a clean bedroom (albeit, I was super excited to go home on Monday because of my clean room). SERIOUSLY.

.....*sigh* anyways, my room still isn't completely ready as it's lacking a mirror and some decorations (WHITE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS), but it's home.

And I like this change.

"I was born into Bolivar's labyrinth, and so I must believe in the hope of Rabelais' Great Perhaps" - John Green

This too shall pass...I hope.

Photos: tumblr & Jonathan Ducruix photography

It is now November but this is still relevant

The month of October. The month of October may well be my favourite month of them all. It is finally socially acceptable to wear layers, not too hot for tea, my whole playlist is dominated by old school rock and heavy guitar strums, and every time I walk outside I can smell, hear, and see Autumn. October is the perfect medium between the flip flop weather of September (rain, sun, and thunderclouds all in one hour) and the snowy November month. October is good for the soul.

At this point, I haven't read any books (unless you count reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower for the 8997809th time) as I've been suffering under the weight of my classes, prom committee, and student council (AND A SOCIAL LIFE). I know, I know, insane. Right? Ha.

Anyways, the only book I have read is Animal Farm by George Orwell for my English class. A very quick, read that took about two half hour sittings. I am about to embark on reading 1984, once I muster up the initiative, which I really do look forward to. Am I becoming a fan of George Orwell's writing? We'll see.

Seeing as we're already on the subject of books, I've compiled a list of books that I'd like to read (on top of the ones I already have/want to read)

• On The Road by Jack Kerouac 
  On the Road chronicles Jack Kerouac's years traveling the North American continent with his friend Neal Cassady, "a sideburned hero of the snowy West." As "Sal Paradise" and "Dean Moriarty," the two roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience. Kerouac's love of America, his compassion for humanity, and his sense of language as jazz combine to make On the Road an inspirational work of lasting importance.
  Kerouac's classic novel of freedom and longing defined what it meant to be "Beat" and has inspired every generation since its initial publication more than forty years ago
  Fountainhead by Ayn Rand 
  This instant classic is the story of an intransigent young architect, his violent battle against conventional standards, and his explosive love affair with a beautiful woman who struggles to defeat him. 

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath        
  
Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under--maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational--as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, "The Bell Jar" is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.


Every Day by David Levithan                                                                          In his New York Times bestselling novel, David Levithan introduces readers to what Entertainment Weekly calls a "wise, wildly unique" love story about A, a teen who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life. Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.



The Side of Paradise by F.Scott Fitzgerald
Definitive novel of the "Lost Generation" focuses on the coming of age of Amory Blaine, a handsome, wealthy Princeton student. He exemplifies the young men and women of the 20s who grew up to find "all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken." Fitzgerald's first novel and an immediate, spectacular success.









Frida Kahlo: Song of Herself by Saloman Grimberg

Frida Kahlo's extraordinary life has been well documented, but until now little has been known about the artist's thoughts on her internal and external reality. In "Song of Herself", Kahlo expert and child psychiatrist Salomon Grimberg introduces and contextualizes an intimate, deeply introspective interview that Kahlo gave towards the end of her life to her friend the psychologist Olga Campos for an unpublished book on the creative process. Kahlo comments directly and starkly as never before on her life, her loves and her art, and expresses her attitudes towards sexuality, her body, friendship, politics and death, among other personal concerns.The most revealing autobiographical text known on this singular woman, this startling interview is accompanied here by Campos' reflections on her relationship with Kahlo and a psychological assessment of Kahlo by Dr James Bridger Harris. The book is illustrated with selected photographs and works by Kahlo, including previously unseen and rarely seen drawings.




Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh


The most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, "Brideshead Revisited" looks back to the golden age before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmains and the rapidly-disappearing world of privilege they inhabit. Enchanted first by Sebastian at Oxford, then by his doomed Catholic family, in particular his remote sister, Julia, Charles comes finally to recognize only his spiritual and social distance from them.








Legs Get Led Astray by Chloe Caldwell
 A provocative collection of essays that vividly rockets the reader through one young woman's life. Chloe Caldwell beautifully and bluntly escorts you through her childhood dreams, her first loves, her most unguarded sexual exploits, bookstore crushes, babysitting jobs, heartbroken wanderlust, and the suicide of a lost lover. Caldwell's writing remarkably explores the genre of personal nonfiction and has been featured in The Rumpus, The Faster Times, and Mr. Beller's Neighborhood, The Nervous Breakdown, and Everyday Genius."Chloe Caldwell's LEGS GET LED ASTRAY is a scorching hot glitter box of youthful despair and dark delight. Tender and sharp, wide-eyed and searching, these essays have a reckless beauty that feels to me like magic."--Cheryl Strayed


Blue Highways: A Journey Into America by William Least Heat-Moon
William Least Heat-Moon set out with little more than the need to put home behind him and a sense of curiosity about "those little towns that get on the map-if they get on at all-only because some cartographer has a blank space to fill: Remote, Oregon; Simplicity, Virginia; New Freedom, Pennsylvania; New Hope, Tennessee; Why, Arizona; Whynot, Mississippi." His adventures, his discoveries, and his recollections of the extraordinary people he encountered along the way amount to a revelation of the true American experience.


The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
The haunting, humorous and tender story of the brief lives of the five entrancing Lisbon sisters, The Virgin Suicides, now a major film, is Jeffrey Eugenides' classic debut novel.

The shocking thing about the girls was how nearly normal they seemed when their mother let them out for the one and only date of their lives. Twenty years on, their enigmatic personalities are embalmed in the memories of the boys who worshipped them and who now recall their shared adolescence: the brassiere draped over a crucifix belonging to the promiscuous Lux; the sisters' breathtaking appearance on the night of the dance; and the sultry, sleepy street across which they watched a family disintegrate and fragile lives disappear

Many of these books are said to set my mind on a path to adulthood, or whatever comes next, and it kinda excites me and scares me. I've done so much independent learning these last 3 years,on who I am, who I think I am, and who I want to be. It's so ridiculous how much one can learn by simply reading books.

Marc & Cleo

Marc & Cleo from horea_tmt on 8tracks Radio.

Super Rich Kids feat. Earl Sweatshirt - Frank Ocean   --- My ultimate Summer song
It's Time - Imagine Dragons                                           --- Ultimate song.
Everything Is Embarassing - Sky Ferreira                     --- The ultimate first day of school song

The name behind this month's playlist is actually quite a famous story. I've decided to name August's playlist after Marc Anthony & Cleopatra. Egypt's ancient power couple. 

The two fed off of each other's power and wealth to aid their own causes. Egypt remained independent from Rome and Cleopatra agreed to fund Mark's war campaign. But while Egypt was submerged in war, Marc Anthony was falsely informed that Cleopatra had died. Deciding that he couldn't go on without Cleo, Marc committed suicide.  When it was finally Cleopatra's turn, Octavian (the guy who was orchestrating the downfall of the world's most famous lovers) planned to parade her through the streets of Rome to her ridicule and to his triumph.  Of course Cleopatra would not go along with being a prop so she decided she would rather join Marc Antony in death.  Cleopatra apparently committed suicide by holding a viper to her breast and letting the poison seep into her.

Octavian was later renamed Imperator Ceasar Divi Filius Augusts by the Roman Senate . Of course August is named after Augustus, he who brought the downfall of the supreme leaders. Is it starting to make sense now?

August is named after Augustus (formerly known as Octavian), the jerk who demolished the work that Cleopatra had tried so hard to maintain, and this playlist is named in honour of the lovers who were killed by the man named after this month.

Anyways, if you'd asked me about my March playlist, I would've told you the whole theme was about nostalgia and looking back.  But this month's playlist is the exact opposite, it's about  the amazing Summer nights and the soundtrack to those memories.  It's about creating new memories.  You may not exactly remember those nights but you would remember all the fun you had, the smile you had on your face, the happiness.  And that's the best part, right? Not every night exactly evoked this nostalgia, and n'or does every song, but there were a few...and they were pretty great.

Three songs that I need to talk about: It's Time by Imagine Dragons is one of those songs that can inspire you, make you sad, make you happy, make you experience the full dam spectrum of emotions that the human body can handle, no matter how allergic you are to ***feelings***. I took no notice of the song when I first heard it in The Perks Of Being a Wallflower trailer (less than a month left Jesusholdme), but it quickly turned out to be my Summer song. My mind sighs in content whenever I hear the clapping sequence in the beginning. Pure magic.  Super Rich Kids gives me that sticky Summer feeling you get when you're laying in the sun too long and I can already imagine the video in my head. Finally, Sky Ferreira's Everything Is Embarrassing goes back to her electro pop sound that I love so much. Its catchy, it's upbeat, it's Sky (and it has me thinking that Sky Ferreira shoulda been the star of the Adidas advert because Nicki Minaj is so irrelevant)

A few stand out songs, which brought me to discover some stand out albums were Emili Sandé's Breaking The Law and Daddy. Her album, Our Version Of Events is filled with songs of pure beauty and pure soul.  Marina & The Diamond's Electric Heart is a fun album with a sometimes dark undertone. Other hits include Lies (the acoustic is very raw) and Teen Idle. And you may have noticed that at the very end of this playlist, lies a Justin Bieber song. It is a miracle that there is only one. This month was the month I died in Justin Bieber's arms okay. His new mature sound is definitely pleasing to my ears seeing as I've been cranking a few singles from the album LOUD & PROUD. (and yes, I am aware of how weird it is that Justin Bieber is right under Radiohead)

So what was on your playlist?

(Oh and since we're on the subject of music, my headphones recently broke so um...I'm open to reviewing headphones *winkwinknudgenudge*)

It wasn't chess

I think a discussion on the matter of Prada's Fall/Winter 2012 women's advertising campaign is in order.  I've been getting quite bored with the recent campaigns but this...this is something new. The fashion was great, of course, but I really loved the idea behind the whole advert. The game of Idontreallyknowwhatitwasbutitwasntchess and the reflection it imposed on the characters and oh don't even get me started on the score. The score. The score. Quite possibly my favorite part of the whole campaign, gave it a new level of intensity. 

Well done Prada, well done.