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Wednesday, 9 March 2011

Life Changing Lyrics

I remember the day I first heard this song. It was during a workshop at Chickenshed Theatre Company and the workshops leaders put the song on and asked us to just sit down and listen to the words said. From then on I have had the lyrics saved under "My Bible" on my laptop and currently have them pinned up on my notice board. They have helped me stay on track, treat people well and also have confidence and belief in myself.


Not long ago Radio 1 did an Anti-bullying Campaign and used this influential song to give advise to teenagers who are or had been suffering from bullying. Thankfully I haven't, but like everyone, I have had knock backs and  hard times when this song has really kept me strong. So I want to share it with you.


It is Baz Luhrmann's Everybody's Free. Luhrmann is responsible for the music video, but the words were first created in an essay called Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young written by Mary Schmich which was published in the Chiago Tribune in 1997. Many say the essay was influenced by a speech by Kurt Vonnegut, so perhaps it is he who we have to thank for these words (although not for the hours I spent writing my A level English essay on Slaughterhouse 5).


But anyway, here it is. It's long I know, so if you don't fancy reading it its on our trusty friend Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGLN2uZLje4


Enjoy, learn and be inspired.


Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99 
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now. 

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. 
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….
You’re not as fat as you imagine.
Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. 
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. 
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing 
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. 
Floss 
Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. 
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. 
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. 
Stretch 
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. 
Get plenty of calcium. 
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. 
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…
What ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. 
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.. 
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. 
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. 
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. 
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good. 
Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. 
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. 
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. 
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel. 
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. 
Respect your elders. 
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. 
Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out. 
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. 
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. 
Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…"

Monday, 7 March 2011

A 1st for Kanye?

Kanye the soon to be Fresher
With all the trouble of the increase in tuition fee's it seems this year as many people as possible are applying to get into university before them bombshell hits in 2012 and one of these hopefuls is Kanye West.

The rapper has reportedly been meeting with the head of fashion professor at St Martins College in London at a bid to start the MA Fashion course in September of this year.

Shutter Shades
It seems he has a few advantages. He hit off the trend of shutter shades, has previously designed with Louis Vuitton and Fendi and well, is a world class rapper.

Lets just hope he has written himself a good personal statement like the rest of us had to. Doubt it huh.

Sunday, 6 March 2011

My new music mansion

Today I purchased an Ipod Mini off of Ebay for a bargin of £10. But what amazes me the most is how much technology has evolved in the last 6 years since my new (now chunky) ipod was the hot new model.

I remember how cool I thought I was when I bought my first CD Walkman. I bought it from Argos (as when you are younger you buy EVERYTHING from Argos, its just what you do) and was so chuffed that I had saved up that bit  of extra money to get a walkman with a changeable cover. Three-quarters of the lid would come off and you could then choose out of your three covers which to replace it with; see-through purple, red or blue. The saddest part was I chose see-through purple nearly every time cos it was super cool to watch the CD spin round and round. Hours of entertainment when you are 10 years old.  

I then moved onto my electric blue Ipod Nano which I got when I was about 14. "4gb memory...a thousand songs? Wow that's so much, I will never have that many songs!" How wrong I was. It has lasted me well, but now it is time I needed more space for songs.

Ideally I would then go on to get a nice shiny new state of the art Ipod touch and buy loads of apps and have endless room for all the songs I would ever want. But sadly I am a student. Not only that, I am a student who prefers to buy clothes rather than gadgets (those who know me will be nodding as they recall what phone I currently have). 

Yes I am downgrading, but I don't mind though. It is pink and the chunkiness will mean I will find it in my bag quicker, right? I will now be able to keep all my lovely music in one place at the one time and I couldn't be happier...all for £10. Happy days.