Quote Of The Week #27

...So, like, imagine some girl who writes in her little unread blog, right? She writes, and no one comments, and she wonders if anyone reads it... This girl, she can make her voice hearable, but cannot make it heard. This sweet, little girl - who has friends, who harbors crushes, who worries about homework, who knows that talking without being heard is sadder and more poignant than silence.

John Green

Music at Musings - The Twilight Saga

This Music at Musings has a theme - The Twilight Saga. Yes, The Twilight Saga. Please! I only hope that even those of you who loathe Twilight with a passion will read on, to hear what I have to say? OK? Thank you.

I firmly believe that the super number one best thing about the Twilight movies is the soundtracks. The soundtracks embody the films and the performances completely. In fact, they actually got me interested in music properly, for the first time. They are the reason why I want to be a music supervisor, like Alexandra Patsavas, when I am older. (I know. I have to thank Twilight for my drastic personality upheaval. Don't laugh.) So the Twilight Saga soundtracks signify a huge phase of my life. Namely, this phase. And the soundtracks feature some fantastic artists like Muse, Paramore, Florence + The Machine, Bat For Lashes, Vampire Weekend, Death Cab For Cutie, The Killers, OK Go, Linkin Park and even Robert Pattinson himself! These are my favourite picks from the soundtracks. I've had to be extremely strict with myself to keep my choices to a sensible number. Enough with the initial introduction! Let's get on with the song introductions! Go!

Twilight: Paramore - Decode

This was the official Twilight song, and my introduction to music. I had always been aware of music of course, but until this time last year, it just wasn't that important. Then I heard this song, and I finally realised how music can have such an impact on people's emotions, lives. Yeah, the song is awesome.



Twilight: Muse - Supermassive Black Hole

Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, says Muse were her biggest inspiration in writing the books. (Read into this what you will...) This song makes me feel daring, like I can do anything! Or get sucked into a supermassive black hole.




New Moon: Band Of Skulls - Friends

This is one of the best songs ever! One of the few somewhat cheery songs in New Moon, and all about friends! Lovely. It's also an awesome song, great for headbanging!







New Moon: Anya Marina - Satellite Heart

God, this song is so beautiful. It makes me cry, and Anya Marina's voice is so earnest and sweet. Like Cathy Davey! And the lyrics are gorgeous.



Eclipse: Metric - Eclipse (All Yours)

This is the only 'Twilight song' to appear on this Music at Musings, and with good reason. The song is probably the cheeriest song in the whole series... I'm sorry. It's just so freaking cute!



Eclipse: Florence + The Machine - Heavy In Your Arms

When I heard that Florence + The Machine were featuring in the soundtrack, I was ecstatic. All you regular readers of Musings will be very much aware of my love for Florence and her Machine, and this song does not fail to disappoint. The lyrics are breathtaking, one of the most poetic things I've ever heard. And the video makes my hair stand up on end!



I have to go now, and I hope you enjoyed this. I'll see you soon! I'm actually in the middle of editing a video, which will hopefully be up shortly!

Eleanor Roscuro

Quote Of The Week #26

If an optimist had his left arm chewed off by an alligator, he might say, in a pleasant and hopeful voice, "Well, this isn't too bad. I don't have my arm anymore, but at least nobody will ever ask me if I am right-handed or left-handed", but most of us would say something more along the lines of "Aaaaah! My arm! My arm!

Lemony Snicket - A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Miserable Mill

Music at Musings - Ben Folds & Nick Hornby, I Blame Coco, Imelda May, Tom Milsom, The Gossip, The Script

Good evening everybody! And welcome to another installment of Music at Musings!

Yes, isn't it great! Fantastic! OK, shut up. Now. Good. This won't be as long as previous Music at Musings, but that's because I'm writing two ultra-special Music at Musingses! Yes, TWO! But for now, let's start!

Ben Folds and Nick Hornby - Saskia Hamilton

This song is one of the best of 2010. It's just so... euphoric! And my love for this song has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Charlie McDonnell was commissioned to make the music video. No sir. I wouldn't dream of it. Although I'll really hope they'll sell the video on iTunes.



I Blame Coco feat. Robyn - Caesar

I Blame Coco and Robyn make a fantastic combo. Coco's lyrics are always so beautiful and clever, they are always a pleasure to hear.



Imelda May - Johnny Got A Boom Boom

Imelda May is an Irish rockabilly singer who is HUGE in Ireland. She performed at the Grammys a while back and now she has a new album, and I can't believe I didn't include her in a Music at Musings before! Johnny Got A Boom Boom was her first big hit. So here it is. And stuff. (As I have said before, Hot Press will be knocking on my door any day now...) ONE MORE THING - I love the fact that she always has the blond twirly thingymajiggy in her hair. OK. Watch the video now.



Tom Milsom - Indigo

I know I keep spamming Musings with Sons of Admirals music, but I just can't help it! They're so talented, and handsome, and talented, and handsome! Anyway... Indigo is such a beautiful song. It's now one of my favourite love songs, even though it might not seem like a love song, but it is! And it's just so gorgeous!



The Gossip - Standing In The Way of Control

The reason I love this song is because it really doesn't hold anything back. It's not polished, Autotuned singing, it's just Beth Ditto giving it her all into your ear. Good song for friends. I could apply that statement to most of these songs, but I think it's apt. A good song for friends...



The Script - For The First Time

My cousin and I have different opinions on The Script. She thinks that all their songs sound the same and are about the same thing. I believe that The Script are truly one of the greatest bands of the western world. In a recent interview, Danny Donoghue, the lead singer, said that when they returned to their homes in Dublin from touring around the world, almost all of their friends had lost their jobs due to the recession, and that you can't just go up to them and say 'Hey, I've toured with Paul McCartney!' 'It's all about going back to basics, drinking cheap wine, eating your dinner off the floor. That's when you meet each other for the first time, when you have nothing.' AND ANOTHER THING - Taylor Swift is a big fan of The Script. So there.




And that's all we have time for! Don't forget, we'll (me and my laptop) be coming back shortly (at the weekend) with lots of posts, and perhaps a video?

Eleanor Roscuro

Quote Of The Week #25

Practically perfect people never permit sentiment to muddle their thinking.

Mary Poppins

Seamus Heaney

Today in my English class we read a poem by Seamus Heaney, a famous Irish poet who has won the Nobel Prize for Literature. This is how my English teacher described him to the class. I just wrote it down.

Seamus Heaney is a darling little man,
With blue twinkly eyes like Santa Claus
And he wears little glasses
And when he looks at you, peering over -

Nemesis

'You don't bother being creative?'
'No, I don't.'
'How can you do that? How can you not be creative?'
'I don't like it.'
'I don't believe this. You don't have a soul.'
'I do have a soul!'
'No you don't. You're not creative.'
'Eleanor, you're being silly.'
'No I'm not! This is very important! You have to be creative!'
'I don't.'
'OK, well... you like cooking, don't you? Baking stuff?'
'Yeah.'
'That's being creative!'
'No it isn't. I just follow the recipe.'
'Right. Right. Um... Do you garden?'
'Sometimes.'
'That's being creative! Gardening!'
'No it isn't! It's just putting things in the ground!'
'You can win thousands of euros in gardening competitions!'
'Eleanor...'
'Even planting pansies in a row is being creative!'
'Eleanor.'
'Fine. OK. Umm... You're wearing a red headband today.'
'So?'
'What made you decide to wear it? What compelled to reach for the red headband and put it on your head? Are you trying to make a statement? Express an opinion? An emotion?'
'It was the only one in my drawer.'
'You will be the death of me.'
'What do you mean?'
'It's just an expression.'
'For God's sake, will you ever say anything simple and clearly?'
'What I mean WAS, I'm supposed to be the quitter out of the two of us. Not you. You haven't even tried being creative in any shape or form, which I never thought was possible until now!'
'Eleanor, why is this so important to you?'
'Because being creative is the only way I can express myself and the reason I was put on this earth!'
'Oh.'
'Yeah.'
'Hmm.'
'So... do you like music?'
'No, not really.'
'How in God's name can you NOT like music?! You can dislike a genre, or a band, but you can't NOT like music!'
'Yeah, well...'
'For God's sake. I'm only trying to improve you.'
'I think it's the other way around now, Eleanor!'
'What? How are you improving me?'

Quote Of The Week #24

How do you expect me to go on a diet with all these cookies in the world!

wheezywaiter

Good English

I had to write a short story for English featuring the words 'I wish I had listened'. I wrote this and I got an A! So, in a post of smugness, this is Good English... And most of Mrs Magorian's lines belong to my English teacher, who found it hilarious.

The pupils of Mrs Magorian's small class immediately fell silent when she swept into the classroom, closing the door behind her.

'Good morning! Today we'll be writing short stories. Please take down what I write on the board,' Mrs Magorian announced.

Stephanie opened her copy at a fresh page and took down the date. Her pen was out of ink, so she searched her pencil case for a fresh pen. She found a brand new pen and took down the heading. The heading was 'Short Stories'.

'In your story,' Mrs Magorian said, 'you do not deal with a long series of actions. You deal with a moment. Underline that, please.'

Stephanie wrote what her teacher had said into her copy, and underlined it twice.

'Miss, how many characters should your story have?' Stephanie's friend Tom asked.

'For a short story, like the ones you're going to write later - '

'Ah no! Please miss! We've got loads of tests tomorrow!' The class started to implore her. A minute or two later, Mrs Magorian finished her sentence.

'Tom for a short story like you ARE getting for homework tonight, two characters will probably be the most you can manage.'

With a pop, the class vanished. Stephanie and her teacher were left in the classroom on their own, looking very confused.

'You might be able to fit three characters in, if you really want to,' Mrs Magorian added. Tom suddenly reappeared next to Stephanie looking slightly bemused. Stephanie said nothing, and took down what Mrs Magorian had written on the blackboard. She underlined it twice. Stephanie was very organised and meticulous.

'Magnify important details!' Mrs Magorian called from the board. 'If you decide your character is stubborn, don't tel the reader. Show it in the character's behaviour, actions and speech.'

Stephanie and Tom took the advice down into their copies. Suddenly, Stephanie decided that she wanted to kill Mrs Magorian.

'I'M GONNA KILL YOU!' Stephanie screamed. She jumped out of her chair and started running towards her teacher. Mrs Magorian wasn't fazed and dragged the girl back to her desk, where Tom pushed her down into her seat. Stephanie was immediately silent. Her teacher walked calmly back to the board.

'Don't change a character's personality just to make the story more exciting.' When Stephanie and Tom had written it down, she gave them their homework.

'I wish I had listened to the second sentence, I can't remember it!' Tom moaned quietly.

'Lastly, the most important thing a story needs is a beginning, a middle and an end!'

Stephanie took down the sentence and underlined it.

Twice.