The Age of the Shuffle

I can't remember the last time I actually listened to a song in full. The shuffle button on my iPod certainly gets a fair workout when I get a chance to listen to some music. I don't get much of a chance to listen to music that doesn't consist of pointing your finger and doing the twist, so when I do, I find myself listening to a bit of a song and then flipping through to the next in the hope that I will get through heaps of songs in a short period and feel that my music craving has been satisfied until the next time.

But its not, it is leaving much to be desired. In an effort to complete my 25 before 25, today I have packed the iPod away and reverted to an old school form of music equipment... cd's and cd players... did you know that these things are still around??? That and adding a new cd to my collection (I haven't bought I 'physical  cd' in years, I normally purchase them on iTunes) and am going to spend the afternoon emerged in some music. So on the sampler today is Mumford & Sons, which consists of four West-London boys, who apparently by their Bio, 'create a gutsy, old-time sound that marries the magic of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young with the might of Kings Of Leon, and their incredible energy draws us in quickly to their circle of songs, to the warmth of their stories, and to their magical community of misty-eyed men'. You might remember them from there song 'Little Lion Man' which was the number 1 song on 2009 JJJ hottest 100 countdown. I love this song, but have never bothered to listen to any more of their music until today. Here's hoping it lives up to the same platform that I put little lion man on to.

Music...

“It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony. “

                                  Benjamin Britten 

Music. The ‘silent’ driver of our life’s. The glue for our memories.

There once was a day, which feels like a different lifetime ago, that I would have classed myself as a musician. It’s almost as if I have been reincarnated in my own lifetime without having to deal with the issue of dying. Music was my life.

Now, in my new reincarnated state, there is not enough space for music to be my life. Heck, I struggle to find the time to listen to anything, {let alone pick up an instrument} that doesn’t involve singing about dancing dinosaurs, superhero theme songs or cartoon jingles.

It’s depressing.

There once was a day, which also feels like a different lifetime ago, that the borders of my mirror where surrounded in various tickets from music festivals and concerts that I had attended. From Big Day Outs, to little intimate acoustic sets from indie artists. Now those tickets have been replaced with ones sprouting words like ‘Playschool live in concert, The Wiggles and *sigh* Dora the-god-damn-explorer.

It’s heart-breaking.

I think that I would even have to seriously sit and think for a while to tune into JJJ... Because I doubt I can even remember the station number.

So it’s time to reintroduce myself to the old me. The type of person that could reel endless lists of her favourite music off in the beat of a heart beat. The type of person that had a bad back from being constantly bent over her guitar. The type of person that was up with the latest news, bands and artists from the music industry.

I can’t wait to say hello to her.

I miss her.

25 things before 25

Next year in March I have been alive and breathing for a quarter of a century. In an effort to feel like I am accomplishing / have accomplished something of significance, and to also give me some motivation to do some things I have been putting off for a long time here is my 25 before 25. I wonder if I can get everything ticked of...

1. Buy a DSLR.

2. Get Fit. Like really fit. Like I could climb Mt Everest kinda fit.

3. Get two tattoos. – before you freak out on me...  a blog post to come on this later.

4. Go on a holiday. Like a real holiday. Like stay in a hotel and not with drab relatives kinda holiday.

5. Manage to keep a visual journal. – I had to keep numerous of these during my Uni days. But now I can’t seem to even manage to fill at least 5 pages and keep it going any more. I miss the process of it. I miss the finished products.

6. Get my business up and running. Running really fast. – (this is why I need to get fit so I can keep up.)

7. Fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans.

8. Get over my ‘artists block’ and start painting and drawing again... I mean seriously, if I am to earn enough one day so I have to pay Mr. Tax man back my uni debt, I might as well make use of the skills I developed there right??

9. Learn to drink 2 litres of water a day.

10. To dust off my guitar and not let it get that dusty again that I can’t even recognise it. (damn those dust bunnies)

11. To make time in my life for music. Things seemed so much similar when I actually made time for the things I love.

12. Stop biting my nails. – I mean, it is seriously gross. Did you know that biting your nails is like licking the underneath of a toilet seat... I knew that and I still bite them, now that is defiantly gross!

13. Give to charity in some form. (must be helping Australians)

14. Visit my grandmother Valerie as much as possible.

15. Get a funky hair cut and colour.

16. Actively think about doing some kinda post-grad course. Actively as in really truly make an effort to contact some high and almighty admin. officer to send me some official information about applying.

17. Start selling my wares at the local markets.

18. Write a letter to my dad.

19. Actually post the letter to my dad.

20. Make more me time... (well I’m kinda going to have to if I want to get all these things done)

21. Recycle more.

22. Be kinder to myself.

23. Read more.

24. Get some professional ‘artsy’ family shots done.

25. Celebrate my 25 years earth-side in fabulous style!!