writing – Page 5 – that lemon life

Winter Is Here

Hola everyone.

And welcome to another week. Can’t believe we’re already reaching the middle of February. When did that happen? Time really does fly by, doesn’t it? That’s why we need to enjoy it to its fullest. Which is something you could say I did in the past few weeks. Which is exactly what I wanna tell you all about. Today I’m gonna tell you the story of how I, despite all my beliefs, became a Game of Thrones fan.

Yes, I know. I’ll give you all a minute to process that and calm down again. Yes, it’s really me, Laura. I know. I can’t believe it myself. I, the person who really really REALLY disliked Game of Thrones until a few weeks ago now calls herself a fan. Life is full of surprises. And I did not only watch it, oh no. I devoured it. I binged it. I didn’t watch anything else for about three or four weeks. Which is exactly how long it took me to get through all of the seven seasons. I’ll let you do the math, but yes, that’s not a long time. And every single time I felt my mind going a bit twitchy because I was sitting at uni and just wanted to know what would happen to Jon or Daenerys in the next episode, I got this instant feeling of shock and surprise and, quite frankly, happiness.

But before I get into why I now really really like the series, let me first explain why I disliked it so badly. Well, I first got in contact with the show when my parents started watching it and I got see a few bits here and there. And I literally hated all of it. And that never really changed throughout the years. So, whenever someone asked me why I didn’t like the show, I told them that I thought that it was either a porno or a slasher/gore horror movie. Which was true, at least, because nobody ever seemed to come up with an argument against that. And let’s be honest, the first two seasons are indeed just a mix of those two things. So, as you can probably guess, I didn’t really enjoy watching it the first few days. That’s just not my cup of tea, you know. I love horror movies, but not that kind. But I thought I should just give it a chance. There had to be a reason for the extreme hype around it. And I wanted to know that exact reason. It was a bit like Lord of the Rings for me. I never liked it until I saw the ending of the second Hobbit movie by accident on TV and couldn’t stop myself from falling in love with the whole story. And that was exactly what I hoped would happen with Game of Thrones. I wanted to be wrong. I wanted to like it.

Which I then did, after I let myself fall into it. The more episodes I watched, the more I enjoyed it. And maybe that’s just my opinion, but for me the show gets better with every single season. Compared to the last two, the first two seasons really are utter crap (my favorite two episodes are the last two of season 6; so epic, I can’t even describe it). Sorry, not sorry. And I can’t be the only one to notice that they literally got rid of all the crappy stuff. Of course nudity is still a big thing and it wouldn’t be GOT if not at least one person got killed in every single episode, but none of that is crappy in any way. They really topped up on the quality and I’m so utterly thankful for that. The more constructed the stories got and the more characters started to grow and change, the more I got to love the show. I caught myself cursing at different characters, even clapping and cheering when one of my favorite characters killed off one of my most hated ones. I got so intrigued by the story, I felt like a part of it myself. I still do, actually. And it’s all very fresh, as I just finished the series last week.

I know that the last season is supposed to be released in the middle of April or something like that, which I’m super excited for. I don’t wanna spoil anything, but I honestly have no idea how any of them want to win the real war. I mean, whoever dies, they’re just going to have to kill them again. And from what I’ve seen online so far, I’m not the only one who thinks the war is literally impossible to win. Which is exactly why I’m so excited to see how it’s gonna end. Very very hyped up, honestly.

So yeah, there you go guys. That’s how I became a fan of Game of Thrones and again learned you shouldn’t judge a movie or a series by a few minutes. But what do you think about the show, guys? Do you like it? Let me know your thoughts down below. And until then I hope you enjoy this post and wish you all a nice week. And, as always, thanks so much for reading. x

A Late Night Talk

Hola everyone.

Right now, it’s a few minutes after 9 p.m here in Brighton. The sky has long darkened and slowly but surely you can feel the city calm down. I’ve always loved these times. I’ve always been a creature of the night. And I’ve always been a big fan of late night chats. The talks when people suddenly start discussing their own fate, their personality, their deepest desires and strongest fears. Something about the night makes the truth, the sincereness come out and I’ve always loved that and been fascinated by it. And now that I’ve been thinking about what to write as today’s post, I thought such a late night talk would be the perfect fit. So, get into something comfy, grab a tea and let’s get chatting.

You know, since the beginning of 2019 – which we’re still in, actually, right? – I’ve been thinking about the last year, probably as many other people too. Maybe even yourself. For me, 2018 was truly the craziest year of my entire life so far. Without any doubt. I finished my first bachelor’s degree. Started my own music column for the magazine I’m writing for. Worked at a damn huge festival for the very first time (hopefully not the last). Visited Sziget again, thank god. Worked at the biggest music promotion company in my country. Saw Ed twice (can never be enough, though). Saw my love Marty again. Strolled through the streets of Budapest with my mum. Finally saw the one and only Justin Timberlake live (was well over due, trust me). Moved to Brighton to study music journalism at the legendary BIMM (probably the craziest part). Did my very first interview with a musician, that I’m a huge fan of (this right here is the big contestant for the first spot on the list of craziness, next to the move). Had the very same interview published in The Sun (say whatever you want about the paper, it’s a damn huge deal). Read a ton of books and listened to so much more music. Laughed more. Loved more. Lived more. And so much more that I can’t seem to remember now.

And seeing it now, black on white, makes it even more crazy. If anyone would have told me I’d be where I am right now, I would have laughed in their face. But now I’m really here. And now it’s already 2019 and I have no idea what’s going to happen. I can just hope for the best and that my plans will become reality. Maybe, at this time in a year, I’ll be in London, together with Leni. Stuffed into a small but cozy apartment in the middle of the city we’ve always dreamed about and now call our home. It won’t always be the easiest, but we’ll always make it work, I’m sure of that.

I’ve always been someone who gives everything for her dreams. Who fights for them with all her might. I wouldn’t be where I am if I wasn’t that person. And I’m very proud of that. And it’s not just about big dreams. Even the smallest one is important. Just recently I finally edited all the videos I had saved together into a little potpourri of different moments of my life and added one of Tom’s songs to it. Just put a black and white filter over it and there you have your super emotional video. One that I’ve been wanting to make for ages and finally did. And I’m so happy and proud because of it. Or, another example, since 2015 it has always been my big wish to see Marty every year. And since then I’ve been able to stick to it, every single year. Not just because I wanted it that much, but because I also fought for it. The same with seeing Ed live or getting my mum to visit Sziget again, for the whole week this time (yes, seven full on festival days, I can already start mentally preparing myself for the recovery). And I know, I’m literally just talking about music related things right now, but that stuff basically rules my life, so. Or even if it’s just finishing a book and being proud of it. It’s about the small dreams, the small goals and the small fights. Because we can only grow from small ones.

But finally, what I wanna say – no matter how you’re feeling right now, it will get better, trust me. And if you have a dream, go and fight for it. No matter how small or big it is, crazy or normal it might sound. If it means something to you, it deserves to become reality. Please let nobody tell you any different.

And if you need an immediate portion of happiness to feel better, here you go. I’ve been listening to and looking at this little adorable bean while writing this post and my heart is nearly bursting, so I’m pretty sure you could call Tyler a literal happy pill. Such a cutie, I don’t know how Jenna is able to handle him (good for her though, he’s a true gem).

And yeah, I think that’s it for this late night’s talk. I hope I could inspire you a bit with my babbling about music and dreams and I dearly hope that you enjoyed this post. And I also hope that the little bean named Tyler could put a smile on your face. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. Start your own late night chat, go on. And besides that, I hope you’re all doing good and wish you a lovely week. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

My first interview

Hola everyone.

I know I know, what an exciting title. And I’m not gonna lie, the story behind it is even more exciting than just the pure thought of it.

So, you might have guessed by now that I recently had my very first interview. You’re probably gonna ask yourself now how I managed to never have an interview until now, looking at my past. Of course I’ve already done interviews, they’ve pretty much become normality to me by now. But this one, this one special interview wasn’t just a plain, simple, every day interview. No. It was an interview with a musician. One that I’ve been totally in love with the past months. One that I’ve been totally obsessed with due to the amazing music. One that I can’t believe I really got to talk to.

But before you get all fuzzy and excited – please still do, seriously – a small disclaimer first: I am not going to mention any names and I’m not going to say who I interviewed or when or where or why. I choose not to because, first of all, I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. I mean, it actually is one of the biggest deals in my life so far and a step in my life where there is no turning back again – not that I would like to go back. Ha. Never. Thank you. To the actual interview? Yes please, take me back. Now. But to my life before it all? No thanks. But besides that, I also don’t want to share any names or details because I think that that wouldn’t be the right thing to do. It was such a special moment for me, but I want this post to be about what I felt and what I feel now and not about how I got to interview someone and oh my god, how crazy, blah blah blah.

Actually, I want to use this post to kind of share my happiness and gratefulness. You know, the past few years I wasn’t quite sure what to do with my life. I mean, at the end of the day I was, but according to what many professors told me at uni, my chosen path wouldn’t be an easy one and definitely not one full of money and happiness and basically survival. I think, nowadays, people like to think really badly about the job of a journalist. Because we have the internet now, so why should we even need people who write about stuff we can easily google? Well, that’s a really troubling thought right there, but not one I like to share myself. I think journalism is and will always be something very very very important for our society. In the past, journalists have brought some great changes into our world and I am hundred percent sure that it will continue to be this way. And even though I don’t want to be one of those investigative journalists who reveal those great and big stories, just the thought of one person reading my article about one of their favorite artists and smiling because of it nearly makes my heart burst with happiness.

And now that I am here in Brighton, essentially studying my dream job, it just makes me even more determined. So determined that I managed to get myself an interview with one of my favorite artists within the first two months of being here. Yes, I know. This is like uber-crazy. I still can’t get my head around it and I think I never will. Those few hours I got to spend at the interview and at the show have probably been one of the craziest in my entire life. And let me tell you something. People can tell you whatever they want, but those people who work in the music industry are literally the nicest people ever. I am just at the start of my journey and got treated like I have been part of their team, a part of their world, my whole entire life. And for that I am endlessly grateful.

I am now sitting at home in Brighton, in front of my laptop, writing this post right here, while knowing that, for that one big goal in my life that I set for myself in the past, I have literally made it. My dream has always been to go to concerts and write about them and that essentially being my job and I did exactly that just a few days ago. The feelings trapped in my body, I can’t describe them. Have you ever been at this point when you’re just so happy and thankful that you can’t even put it into words? That’s where I am right now.

I am not going to lie. In the past, I did question my decision of moving to Brighton and studying at BIMM. It was a huge step in my life, but even more so a huge risk. But now that I am here and having this deep feeling of happiness in my stomach every time I wake up and know that I get to go to uni on that very same day, I don’t question it anymore, not one bit. And this doesn’t even include the interview and everything that happened around it. Honestly, apart from getting my cat Peaches and my dog Molly, this may be the best decision of my life. And now that I know how this one crazy path I chose for myself actually feels like, I never want to do anything else ever again. This is exactly where I need to be and this is exactly what I need to do. I am now literally living inside my dream and it couldn’t be any realer.

Again, I apologize if you read this post hoping to see some names and maybe getting to hear some tea, but this seriously wouldn’t be the right thing and surely nothing I would want. I want this post to live on forever and to always remind me and you guys that dreams do really come true, no matter how crazy they sound. I would’ve never thought that I would once actually reach this point, let alone in that short period of time. But I made it and if I can do that, you can too. I honestly believe in all of you. You can make your dreams reality, please never let anyone tell you something else. Please never stop believing in yourself and your dreams.

And now I’ll end this super positive and motivating post. But please know that I really mean all the things I said. If you guys have got any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and also please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. As always, I hope you’re all doing good and I wish you an awesome weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

What’s Up

Hola everyone.

I can’t believe the weekend is already over and a new week has started again. Can you believe that? Feels like time is just flying past, right? Which I guess is kind of a bad and a good thing, as it means that I’ll be home for the christmas break in the blink of an eye. But it also means that my time here is passing by real fast and I can tell you, it’s such an amazing time that I don’t even want that to happen.

Which is also what I want to tell you all about today. Actually, I was just working my way through possible ideas for my this post right here and kind of remembered that it’s been quite some time since I just talked a bit to you guys and told you about all the stuff that’s happening in my life here in Brighton. Which I why I decided that it’s time to change that. So, get ready and buckle up for some babbling.

As always, let’s start with the most exciting part – my life here in Brighton. It won’t surprise you that, honestly, uni has just been amazing so far. Guys, I just love it so so so much. Maybe it’s because I already have a degree in journalism, as it means that I get to actually chill and listen in class, as I’ve already heard about most of the stuff we’re talking about. But it’s just so nice to simply sit there and soak it all up. All the music related stuff I’ve never heard about. It feels like I’m refining my own knowledge and also possible career path right now. And it’s so cool that my course is as practical as it is, because I get to actually do and write stuff and not just sit around and write down facts I’ll probably never need again in my entire life. Which, speaking of that practical, is also a quite big deal for me right now, as I may or may not have an interview scheduled for this week. Saying that I’m overly nervous and excited at the same time would be such an understatement. I’ve basically been at the edge of my seat the past few days.

Also, music-wise, I can’t wait for 2019 to come flashing around the corner. Honestly. I’ve already got so many concerts planned. Hippo Campus in February, Saint Raymond, Tom Rosenthal (which I still can’t get my head around) and Twenty One Pilots in March, Ed in June and again in August. I may have actually forgotten a few right there. It’s just so so crazy. And I can’t wait, seriously. Just one of those perks when you live in the UK – every single band comes here. Every. Single. One. This is like heaven, no joke. My personal heaven.

And last but not least, there’s one other thing that’s quite new in my life. Believe it or not, but I actually started doing yoga. Can you believe it? Me? Doing yoga? Sounds like something out of this world, doesn’t it? But I guess I just felt like I had to incorporate a bit more exercise into my daily routine, as the typical English weather has just full on hit us now and it’s basically either windy or rainy or plain both. At home I usually stick to the indoor-cycle as soon as it’s getting cold out, but as I don’t have one here in Brighton I had to find something else. Something cheap and easy, preferably. So I just thought about trying yoga and so far I’ve really enjoyed it. I love how it really calms my mind down and makes me focus on myself and my body. Which is just what I need right now. I’ve actually just started this 30 day yoga challenge on YouTube, which is amazing, so if you want to check that out too, here’s the link.

And yeah, I think that’s it. So far, my time here in Brighton has been the best it could’ve possibly been and I’m so excited for everything that’s still to come. If you guys want to know anything or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to drop me a message. And that’s all I’ve got. But how about you guys? What’s going on in your life? Please don’t hesitate to share your stories. And yeah, I hope you’re all feeling well and wish you a nice week. And, as always, thanks for reading. x

A Celebration of EDM

Hola everyone.

Do you ever feel like you should be at another place, somewhere else? Yes? Same. This is something that especially happens to me whenever there’s a concert or a festival I really wish I could be at while being stuck at home. Which is exactly what I went through the past week.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you’ll probably know what happened exactly a year ago. ADE. Or one of the best nights of my life. The night I went to Martijns show. The night I danced for three hours straight. The night I definitely lost some of my hearing. And the night I saw Martijn, up close, standing right in front of me, smiling. It was a night and a weekend I’ll never forget.

Which brings me back to present time. And the one event that has been ruling my past week, even though I wasn’t there. You guessed it right – ADE. The best EDM festival – apart from Tomorrowland, of course – and the week where the whole scene, all the DJs, all the fans, get together in the one and only Amsterdam to celebrate this incredible type of music.

But I don’t want to bathe myself in self-pity. I’m still very, very happy to be where I am right now – especially because of one massive thing that happened on Friday, which I’m going to tell you all about at the end. Actually, I want to use this post as a way of celebrating EDM and Marty – who was again awarded as the Nr. 1 DJ in the world for the third time in a row btw – literally gave me the best reason to with the release of his newest EP, which includes five new songs. He released one every single day for the last week, just another reason why last week was way more exciting than I had anticipated.

For me, all of the songs are a masterpiece for themselves and I love how none of them sound anything like the other. And I’m more than proud that I get to share them with you guys. So, let’s go.

Breach (Walk Alone)

This was the very first song that went out on Monday, so just about a week ago. It’s actually a collaboration between Marty and Blinders, one of the DJs he has signed at his label STMPD, known for the bop “Snakecharmer”. And from the very first beat on you can feel Blinders presence in the song. Until you get to the part where a female voice hits you and that’s when Martys fingerprint becomes more visible. Also, the small hints of violins basically scream his name, which I totally love and which seem like a theme throughout the whole EP. Apart from that the song is just a pure banger and literally perfect to get a crowd heated up.

Yottabyte

The EDM lovers among you will probably know the beautiful melody of this masterpiece, which was premiered at this years’ Tomorrowland festival as the opening track of Martijns set. Besides the usual electronic beats, it also features a series of sounds that strongly remind me of the rewinding of a music box and its comforting tune. This is also what gives the song its special feel. And, of course, the beat just drives you into it.

Latency

This is another collaboration, but this time with Dyro. I can still remember hearing this for the very first time this year, Martijn telling the crowd to clap in sync with the beat. It was breathtaking. The intensity of the beat, building up until it reaches its peak, with its harsh electronic shredding in the background, makes you throw up your hands in the air and jump like you’ve never jumped in your entire life. It’s EDM at its best.

Access

Also known as Chinatown, this song is one of the highly anticipated tracks that got hinted by Marty about one and a half years ago during a YouTube live stream. After all this time, it is now here, out in the world. And following the electric beat of Latency, it almost has a sense of cuteness to it. You can feel that Martijn was younger while producing the melody and how he got older and more musically mature during the finish. It’s like you hear him grow up by listening to this song.

Waiting For Tomorrow

Well, where shall I begin? This is it. This is the song that literally every MG fan has been waiting for (apart from Rewind, Repeat It – can we please release this too? Thank you). This is Waiting For Tomorrow, featuring Pierce Fulton and Mike Shinoda, which most of you will probably know from the band Linkin Park. This masterpiece of a track was first premiered at Ultra in 2016 and has ever since been a recurring highlight during Martijns shows over the past few years and months. Although I already know it by heart just from going to his shows and watching the sets online, it feels damn good to have it finally out there in the world, for everyone to enjoy it. From the very first second on, the song builds up, utilizing amazing vocals, energetic melodies, great percussion just to peak with a drop that turns the whole track into a breathtaking piece of progressive house music. All I can say is that it was definitely worth the wait.

So, there you go guys. That’s what happened last week. I have to say, I do feel pretty sad that I didn’t get to attend this years’ ADE, but I’m already preparing for next year. Also, like I hinted at the beginning, one very cool thing happened just a few days ago, which would’ve never been possible if I hadn’t been in Brighton. Because, guys, guess who got to talk to the one and only Felix Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie. And no, I’m not joking. I did really meet and talk to my favorite YouTuber. And yes, I’m still floating around on a cloud of pure happiness and I don’t intend to ever change that. I don’t want to turn the little convo we had into a huge dramatic deal, but I just want to say that Felix was literally the nicest guy ever. I was quite nervous about talking to him, especially as I know that he doesn’t really like it that much. But I just told him that I loved his videos and thanked him for everything and then let him get on with his day. I don’t get fans who go up to their faves and literally ask them for a picture and then just walk off. That’s not me and that’s certainly nothing he deserves. And I guess, overall it was really a nice talk. Especially as Edgar seemed to really enjoy my cuddles. (Just a little insert by my inner fangirl – OMG, can you believe I really talked to Pewds? How is this even possible? Holy moly.)

Okay, and now I’m going to end my brabble about EDM and special human beings. As always, I hope you enjoy this post. Please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and thoughts down below. I wish you all a nice week and hope you’re all doing good. Oh and guys, just for your info, I won’t be posting anything until next week as my parents will be visiting me and I want to spend as much time with them as I can. Thanks for your understanding. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

Thoughts

Hola everyone.

Looks like it’s Monday again, huh? I can’t believe it’s already a new week and that I’ll be officially starting uni tomorrow. But on the other hand I’m also so happy that it’s finally beginning, I actually can’t wait any longer.

As you guys know from my previous posts, moving to Brighton and living here, without my family and my friends, wasn’t and isn’t the easiest thing. I mean, I know that I’m not alone and I’ve already met some amazing people and I’m head over heels in love with Brighton, I really am, but I still can’t help but miss home sometimes. All the people I love and my pets and just my home all over, the place I know and care about. I do always try to look at the bright side, of course, but this weekend I kind of got swallowed up by a dark hole. Honestly, I just wanted to go home. And it wasn’t because I wasn’t happy or anything, I just literally wanted to go home. You know, I’m used to coming home on the weekends, it has always been like that. But now that I’m here I can’t do that anymore and it just hit me.

I of course talked to my mum and other people and went for a walk to calm my mind. But I also remembered that what I’m doing is actually a pretty huge thing and certainly not an easy one. For nobody. So, it’s okay to not be okay, especially now. And I want you guys to know that. The important aspect of it is though, that you get out of this dark hole again too, because noone should stay in there for too long. I did get out again and I’m now feeling a lot better. Life is a rollercoaster, right?

But I didn’t write this post just to tell you guys my thoughts. I actually wanted to show you guys some pictures I took this weekend. Like I said, while feeling not so well, I went for a walk and took my camera with me. At first I tried to take my usual, colorful pictures, but that just didn’t feel right. So I went down to the beach and started taking photographs in black and white. And somehow I managed to transport my inner thoughts and emotions into these pictures and turn them into something beautiful. When I look at them I can actually sense how I felt while taking them. My mum said that they have some kind of gloomy vibes, which I think fits perfectly. To be honest, I really like the pictures and for me they don’t just represent my ability to translate my emotions into art but also a new step into a new creative, photographic area, which I’m very happy about.

So yeah, that’s basically what I wanted to talk to and show you guys. As always, I hope you enjoyed reading about my thoughts and looking at the pictures. Please don’t hesitate to tell me your opinions, I’d love to hear them. And if you have any questions, please leave them down below. Oh and if any of you are stuck in that hole and need some help getting out, please know that you can always talk to me or somebody else you trust and love. Talking always helps, guys, it really does. And yeah, I hope you’re all doing good and I wish you a nice week. And, of course, thanks for reading. x