Lately

   With marching band in the off season (sadly) I, reluctantly, have a little bit more time on my hands besides homework, SAT/ACT practice, and extracurricular activities. This time is spent mainly in unproductive ways aka browsing the internet for a long time and watching TV/movies endlessly. But in these long hours I've stumbled upon some treasures that I have become, essentially, obsessed with. A little indulgence isn't anything to be ashamed of. 

1. BBC Radio 1- Live Lounge 

Other than broadcasting the amazing show Sherlock BBC has a few radio stations including Radio 1 which internationally broadcasts top current song throughout the day from pop to alternative to dance music. But the Live Lounge is the best part. Various artists take each others songs and cover them, and it is MAGICAL. Artists step away from their typical styles and take on new genres, often transforming the originals song into something completely new. Through this I've discovered some amazing artists like   George Ezra, Years and Years, and London Grammar. Guys. Do yourself a favor and watch these. 

Here are a few of my favorite covers: 

1. Taylor Swift covering Riptide by Vance Joy 

2. Bastille covering We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus 

3. Arctic Monkeys covering Hold On, We're Going Home by Drake

4. Labrinth covering Shake It Off by Taylor Swift 

5. Miley Cyrus covering Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey

2. Good Mythical Morning 

GMM is an upbeat daily show run by two best friends on YouTube. Rhett and Link dig up some interesting stories and share them, complete challenges, and answer the ultimate questions like Will it Pizza? or Will it Donut? Their music videos are sure to entertain, including 600 pillows, dancing zebras, and refrigerators. It's quality still, and genuinely entertaining. It's nice to wake up on a weekday before going to school and have a funny video to start the day off right. 

3. Button Poetry  

Button Poetry is an organization that promotes spoken word poetry and allows artists to share their works freely. I've recent really gotten into poetry and short stories and wow... people make magic just by weaving words together effortlessly. These poems are so moving because they're personal, raw, and consuming. Some poets choose light hearted topic and others draw from their beliefs and experiences. Spoken word poetry is a more underground art form but it certain deserves its place among other forms. 

Here are some of the best performances that I've seen so far (Warning: there may be some explicit language and controversial topicst):

1. Neil  Hilborn- OCD

2. Lily Myers- Shrinking Women

3. Dylan Garity- Friend Zone

4. Patrick Roche- 21

5. Harry Baker- 59 (Not Button but still amazing)

4. Artist Javier Calleja 

First, how cute is that? Pretty cute. I've been following this artist's Instagram for quite a while and I simply cannot get enough. Calleja's bright colors and tiny materials make his work so original and unique. He incorporates nature, people, and some of his own characters that are both simply and profound. 

 

5. TED Talks 

I've always been a firm believer in the importance of sharing ideas. And this is precisely what TED is all about. TED Talks allow people from all around the work to collect, meet up, and participate in these talks. I could (and have) watch Talks for hours because there are so many diverse topics and unique story and message each speakers hopes to share with the audience. Just two weeks ago our school held an independently organized TED event. 

These are my few favorites:

1. Sir Ken Robinson- How Schools Kill Creativity

2. Tom Thum- Beatbox Brilliance

3. Jacob Barnett- Forget What You Know

4. Sarah Kay- If I Should Have a Daughter

5. Pranav Mistry- The Thrilling Potential of SixthSense Technology

I highly recommend checking some of these thing out. This might be the perfect way to procrastinate on all the work you don't want to do. But we all get by. Have a lovely day!

xoxo,

Anastasia