MM: Pocketful of Sunshine

It's time for another week's Mixtape Monday, with the last and final song for this week's theme:

Songs for Any Type of Weather

We had a good run, didn't we? Starting out with lots of rain, a not-so-storm, and quite unexpectedly a whole lot of sun. This week, I'd like to end the playlist on a happy lighter note with one of the most annoying, yet addictive songs out there.

You all know it, and you probably hate it, but you sing it in the shower anyway. Take from Emma Stone, it's not something to be ashamed of, especially not if you've got your very own Pocketful of Sunshine 

Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine

I think more than anything, this song was popularized by its use in the awesome teen movie, Easy A. Let's face it, if it weren't for this movie, I doubt anybody'd even give it the time of day. Thank you Emma Stone for introducing us to the awesomeness that is this song.

That being said, I can't say it strongly partakes in this week's theme, but as the troll that I am, I decided I'd just include it for the lolz. It does have the word sunshine in it right?

Sing it, Emma!

And that's it for this month's theme! For a list of all the Mixtape Mondays this month, you can refer to the links below.

Mixtape Mondays is back! NEW FORMAT!

Rain or Shine

Perfect Day

Not Over Soaking up the Sun

To view this month's full Mixtape Monday on playlist mode, feel free to visit my YouTube page or go directly to the playlist here.

Stay tuned for more Mixtape Mondays and comment below for next month's theme suggestions!

Ada, signing out!

MM: Not over Soaking up the Sun

 

In some obscene miracle, the sun still happens to be out so let's start the week off with a sunny round of Mixtape Mondays with the theme:

Songs for Any Type of Weather

In the spirit of basking in the sun and taking advantage of the good weather while it lasts, this week's sampled song celebrates the sun with its subtle social commentary and early 2000s vibe. And while Sheryl Crow isn't usually on the top of my list when it comes to sunny songs to jam to, this song's absolutely perfect despite the scattered drizzles here and there.

Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow

This 90's song made it reappearance in my list of recently heard songs (well, not exactly recently considering the last time I heard it) on a commercial for one of Yamashita Tomohisa's dramas - Ending Planner lol. I never really did finish that drama, despite my love for Chinen Yuri and the various talented guest stars. My attention span doesn't have the capacity to deal with fish-eyed Yamapi for too long. But I digress. This song is a perfect beach song, and while summer might be coming to an end for everybody else in the world, I'm perfectly fine basking in the limited sun I seem to be getting haha.

Maybe it's just the fact that I've been getting more Vitamin D lately, but the sun really seems to have a bearing on my mood. But that doesn't exactly mean I'm a morning person - I will never be a morning person haha. That being said, I'm so happy I've decided to include yet another upbeat song, although it probably may not be to everybody's liking, and while it is upbeat, it's not the happiest songs. The title says it all actually - Not Over You by one of my favorite new Kpop Boy Bands, NU'EST is one of the lighter sided videos out there right now, and while it's obscured by the likes of Psy's nominally more popular Gangnam Style and Super Junior's stereotypical Spy, I strongly believe it deserves more attention, so there.

And did I mention that Ren looks exceptionally beautiful in this MV? Yehp, that's probably the first and last time I'll be saying those words about a guy except of course maybe for Taemin of SHINee but that's a given.

That aside, we have one more week left on this theme guys! That's it for today's Music Monday! You can check out last week's featured song here and other Mixtape Mondays here.


Feel free to leave a comment recommending songs appropriate for this month's theme, or maybe even comments pertaining to how awesome (or not awesome) the weather is where you are!

Ada, signing out.

Mixtape Monday: Perfect Day

OMG THE SUN'S OUT AND IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER MIXTAPE MONDAY!!!!!

Continuing from where we left off with this month's theme:

Songs for Any Type of Weather

I definitely feel overly excited for this theme considering how much it's been raining and now that the sun's out (an unfortunate corollary of which being that it's extremely hot again, but hey who cares, it's SUN!) I can finally force myself to think of some happy song to add to this playlist.

The atmosphere's just so bright and sunny that the first song that comes to my mind is one of those stereotypical bubble-pop 90's songs that we'd all jam along to when we were kids. Don't know what I'm talking about? Well, you'd probably be familiar with this song from the then-hit Legally Blonde.

Perfect Day by Hoku

I know I have a reputation for going overboard with 90s and early 2000 songs but really, who wouldn't love dancing to this song? It's just so damn catchy. I can imagine headbanging to this kicking back at the backseat of a convertible and zooming at speeds probably not legal in my country across the freeway. Haha, I'm letting my imagination get the best of me.

Let me take a moment to stray off topic to give Hoku a special mention. She is absolutely gorgeous, and while most would dismiss her as a busty blonde -  she's not overly skinny and has curves in all the right places. She's sports a healthy natural tan, probably because she's Hawaii born and raised and will you just look at her? She's probably one of my biggest girl-crushes haha. Her image then and now is what today's society should probably strive for. I mean when did this

become more attractive than this?

Hoku, never change.

Two More weeks left on this month's theme. Hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am. With that being said, that's it for today's Music Monday! You can check out last week's featured song here and other Mixtape Mondays here.


Feel free to leave a comment recommending songs appropriate for this month's theme, or maybe even comments pertaining to how awesome (or not awesome) the weather is where you are!

For now, amma just enjoy whatever sun the Philippines has left before another bout of rain strikes.

Ada, signing out.

Mixtape Monday: Rain or Shine

Now will you look at that? It's time for another Mixtape Monday! Continuing from where we left off in this month's theme:

Songs for Any Type of Weather

I'm honestly glad to hear that I still have some of my readers here with me for the new format change of this segment in my blog. I'm catching wind that Autumn is approaching and I'm sort of glad I won't have to wait so long until I'm not the only one who's complaining about the horrid weather.

It's been raining for seven days straight (or more). Can you believe it!?!?


I'm starting to forget what sunshine feels like  =_=.

Yesterday morning, if you caught my update on Facebook, I took this picture:

Just wanted to say good morning to my readers!

The sun was pretty bright and it felt so warm and pretty and grah. It felt like I'd been living in a hole for ages. Excuse the yellow tint of the picture, the window that borders our stairway is tinted yellow and thus the coloring, but it makes for a really pretty ambiance.

And then it started raining cats and dogs a few minutes later.

WEATHER. Y U NO STAY STILL!?!?!?

Gah, I feel so sun deprived. It's no wonder this week's featured song is just as melancholy-sweet. Say hello to one of my favorite songs - Sunshine by The All-American Rejects.

Sunshine by The All-American Rejects.

I just love AAR. Who doesn't? They were my go-to band since grade school when I was jamming out to their song Swing, Swing and when I was in high school dealing with the drama that was reminiscent of  Dirty little Secret. But somewhere along the way they became less poppy and more - adult? I don't know how to describe it really. So instead of dwelling on that, I'll move on to another thing that suddenly hit me about AAR.

Tyson Ritter is the epitome of hot.

Need I say more?

But really, aside from the hotness that is AAR's lead singer, their songs are legit. Sunshine, might I say, is one of their most underrated songs. Originally a hidden track, it plays after 30 seconds of silence in their album When the World Comes Down. And did I mention it features a 16-piece orchestra?  I don't know if you guys have noticed, but one of the awesome things about AAR songs is the musical arrangement that accompanies it, especially in this album.

I can go on ages about AAR, but really, let's talk about Sunshine. The lyrics say it all, really -

Everyday we awake if it takes too long

Just tell me something new

Forget about the sunshine when it's gone

Well obviously, the first line's talking about how we force ourselves to wake up when the announcement for suspension of classes doesn't come. College students are #waterproof. But all joking aside, much like how the sunshine came and went earlier yesterday morning, sometimes it's best if we don't dwell on it. Forget about the sunshine when it's gone.

Really, the song is about a breakup more than anything, but I couldn't help myself. It's just so weather appropriate. I know I said I'd try to make this playlist more cheery, and I will. Soon. I promise. Hahaha.

So don't forget to check out the song! A big thanks to everyone who recommended songs (both personally and through the comments.)

I'm in a particularly cheery mood, so I'll take up Vanessa Jhoy's request and put this song up as well.

Umbrella - Rihanna

In all honesty, this isn't usually the type of music I listen to, but a midst the walking raincloud that is now the Philippines, I think it's quite appropriate haha.

With that being said, that's it for today's Music Monday! You can check out last week's featured song here and other Mixtape Mondays here.


Feel free to leave a comment recommending songs appropriate for this month's theme, or maybe even comments pertaining to how awesome (or not awesome) the weather is where you are!


Ada, signing ----

WAIT!

I feel like I'm forgetting something.

Oh yeah! It's time to announce

THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Whew! I have to say, that was a very successful giveaway. All in all, there were a total of 1380 entries and more than a hundred participants. Actually, there were more, but I had to disqualify some. And even then, when I picked some winners, I found that the ones I picked hadn't actually completed the requirement for entry! Tsk tsk.

But of the lot that I picked randomly, thankfully two of you knew how to follow instructions haha.

A big congratulations to

Merry Jane Ocol - Entry #842 

Winner of a 1000-Peso Fully Booke Gift Certificate

and

Armand DC - Entry #127

Winner of 500-pesos worth of Robinsons Gift Certificates!

I've sent you guys an email! Please reply asap or risk forfeiting your entry! :o

Thanks to everybody who entered. I'm pretty sure everybody who entered really wanted to win. I can think of a select few in particular who kept bugging me about it. One of you guys even got in 26 entries total! But don't fret! I'll try to have another giveaway soon, and hopefully with better prizes :P

That's it for realz now. Hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for the next Mixtape Monday and/or Giveaway!

Here's to many more readers and page views to come!

Ada, signing out.

Mixtape Mondays is back! NEW FORMAT!

Hey guys! Have you missed this segment? Hahaha. I'm back after a two-week hiatus on this segment to bring you a whole new Mixtape Monday. One that is as equally entertaining as the old format (hopefully), but isn't so much of a stress buster on my part.

So for the past month or so the segment has been me selecting songs on the basis of a theme with a new theme every week. I'll be honest - this was pretty hard work: deciding on a theme, finding songs and writing up descriptions and in the end, it became more of a burden than fun, so I've tweaked things a bit to better suit my busy schedule and at the same time still be able to share a little bit of a music fix with you guys!

This is how the new format will work:
Every month, I'll be deciding on a theme, and every week I'll be posting a video/song or two every Monday. By the end of the month, I'll have a full playlist and you guys will have a chance to suggest songs according tot he theme in between each post as well!

This way, I can take my time picking out songs, and I have an entire month's notice to get ready :D Awesome right?

But if you want to get a load of the other past completed playlists, you can check out the Mixtape Mondays tag here or choose among them below:

Songs for Scientists

Songs for The Forever Alone

Feel Good Music (Part 1) (Part 2)

So Being a Kid Sucks - Join the Club.

School's In

With August right around the corner and with particular importance being given to the weather as of late (whether it's burning hot, raining cats and dogs or the perfect time of year wherever you guys are), this month's theme is:

Songs for Any Type of Weather

I think it's no surprise I'd be picking songs for this theme seeing as the weather where I am has been a spastic mess lately. Some days is hot beyond belief and some days (like today and the day before), it's non-stop rain, wind and general storminess. No matter what the weather is, the perfect song can lighten up the mood (or worsen it on the off chance that your singing is as horrendous as mine and might just cause the next great flood).

Joking aside, let's get this month's theme started with a good old-time favorite of mine from the Irish Girl Group, B*witched.

Blame it on the Weatherman - B*witched

Oh god, that was a nostalgia trip wasn't it? Who remembers when jamming to this type of music in gradeschool was so awesome. These girls were actually pretty big from 1998 to 2002 before they were dropped. Their first four singles, C'est  la Vie, Rollercoaster, To You I Belong, and of course, Blame it on the Weatherman all reached number 1 on the UK charts and if these girls were good enough to open for *NSYNC and Britney Spears, then they deserve some recognition (especially considering the state at which Britney finds herself in right now).

The song is quite appropriate for the theme if I may say so myself. I think it's a recurring joke to me and my peers when PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) makes more than a few wrong calls on the weather, and it's even more of a joke that despite there being a roaring typhoon outside, my college still decides against the suspension of classes.

YES. AWESOME. COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE WATERPROOF NOW! YAY!

That aside, I'm deciding against taking my rants publicly - who am I to say what's best for the everyday scholar? Apparently people think we're capable enough to withstand wind, rain and floods. I should be flattered, right? Passive Aggressive Ada ftw.

Sorry for dampening the mood guys haha. I promise I'll be back next week with a song which is more summer appropriate for all my readers out there who are busy enjoying their vacation. :P Which is why you should all stay tuned!

Feel free to leave a comment recommending songs appropriate for this month's theme, or maybe even comments pertaining to how awesome (or not awesome) the weather is where you are. 


Ada, signing out.

Mixtape Mondays: 2 Week Hiatus

Hey guys! It's a little sad to say that there will be no Mixtape Monday this week. Or next week either. *sadface*

But Why!?!?!?

It's just that I've been really busy recently (tests, lab reports and general activities) and the only reason I've been able to post is because I've had posts lined up and scheduled for publishing since last week. This week however, I was not able to properly prepare a Mixtape Monday for you guys D: I know, FOR SHAME, ADA. FOR SHAME.


But you can still view last week's playlist here.


I'll be going on a 2-week hiatus for this segment of my blog because these posts take by far the longest time to prepare (It takes me ages to find a good theme, at least 3 hours to a day to screen for appropriate songs and another hour or two to write up descriptions, embed videos etc).


I'm thinking of rebooting Mixtape Mondays to a different format and style two weeks from now, and you can be sure that by then I'll have my stuff straightened out D: I'll still be posting some music today, but it won't be an entire playlist and there won't be a particular theme. Please bear with me x_x

So to assure you guys that I'll be back with more awesome music-y goodness I leave you with one of my favorite Kpop songs: 2pm's I'll be Back.

Ada, signing out! See you soon on my other posts!

Mixtape Mondays: Songs for Scientists

Hey guys! Welcome to another Mixtape Monday, where I come up with a list of songs for any mood, for any occasion. If you missed the last one, you can find it here.

This week's playlist is an attempt at getting my mind out of the gutter and concentrating more on my studies. Nope, I'm not going to hit you with a study playlist - I'll save that for another day. Instead, I'll bombard you guys with some songs I hold quite close to my scientifically-oriented heart:

Songs for Scientists and the Scientifically-Minded

The doctor would be so proud.

To skip the banter and go directly to this week's playlist, click here.

This songs on this playlist aren't strictly nerdy-know-it-all songs that only people in the field of science. Rather, they're songs probably anybody can enjoy but seem to have enough of that wonderful tinge of thought. Here at Mixtape Mondays, each post is dedicated to exposing the readers to songs they wouldn't have cared to listen to in the first place. It may seem a little bit hipster, but it's true. These songs are basically the songs I often find myself listening to whilst racing for the deadline of one of my formal lab reports, or probably just browsing my cell culture textbook and wondering what the hell I'm doing with my life. After all, science isn't exactly the first choice of many where making a living is concerned. This playlist is dedicated to all the aspiring scientists out there who have no idea what they're doing and all those people who've made the world how it is now. You guys don't get enough love.

Let's kick this playlist off with a song that brings back a few memories of why I even chose to pursue a career in science in the first place. Rogue Wave's Good Morning (The Future) has that fresh beat and the  familiar tone of any cynical scientist in the making.

Good Morning (The Future) - Rogue Wave

I don't know about you guys, but when I was a kid, I always associate science to the future. Being the young optimist that I was, I wanted to be part of that future. Fast forward to now and like the words of this song echo, "The future isn't what it used to be." Heck, I'd thought we'd have flying cars by now, or at least cured cancer, but such advancements are much too far off as I've come to learn in my studies, but that isn't really stopping me, is it?

The indie rockband Rogue Wave isn't letting anything stop them either. They always seem to have the brunt of all the worst of the music industry, their songs being plagiarized and used commercially without consent on many occasions, but aren't we all glad they keep making music? I know I am.

That aside, the next song is one that seems to have a more direct relation to our theme, the title in itself screaming "stay away from me, I might hurt your brain". Chemistry by Semisonic was one of those songs I'd hear on the car radio and instantly scream to my parents to turn the volume up higher.

Chemistry - Semisonic

I'll be honest - this was one of the songs that I'd pretend I understood when I was a kid, but really didn't, and only upon rediscovery of this song in my second year of high school in a school dedicated primarily to sciences did I come to appreciate it to the fullest. I think anyone who's fond of chemistry can probably relate to this song. The lyrics pertaining to getting burned and "memorizing everything" "so I can teach it when it comes my turn" struck a particular chord within me and I was practically sold. While this song is about someone who pursues science for the sole sake of getting the girl, to me it's a song about pursuing something you really love and learning to love something else in the process. That is my life story as an aspiring scientist right there.


Fast forward to the modern day. This particular song, To Modern Science by The Black and White Years is definitely one of my favorites of this playlist as it is one of the songs that seems to glorify my chosen profession where all others fail. Call it the theme song of my kind if you will.

To Modern Science - The Black andWhite Years

I think the lyrics of this song are as pertinent as the topic it speaks about itself. It speaks of science as a means of progress - "nothing is impossible" while acknowledging its limitations as well. It presents both sides of the story so well - that some think that science is the solution to all your problems (it isn't), and that some dismiss science as a hindrance to cultural and human advancement (it definitely isn't). The song so affectionately calls scientists the "glorious sons of Cain", putting science in the opposite spectrum of religion, and while that might not be entirely correct, historically, yes, science has often been portrayed as contrary to most religious beliefs, but meh, you wouldn't be here on your computer sharing thoughts on the internet without us, would you? Hah.

And now after that nose-bleed chunk of a paragraph, a song that really isn't related to science at all, except by the Physical Science-oriented nature of its name. When you guys listen to Muse's Supermassive Black Hole, you really don't have to think much. Just listen to the song and enjoy.

Supermassive Black Hole - Muse

I think the only downfall of this song is that it had to fall to the hands of the mainstream train wreck that is the Twilight Saga. I was perfectly comfortable with this song being relatively popular in the U.K. and the U.S. but now whenever I listen to the song with family the topic of Twilight always seems to come to play. Thanks for ruining a perfectly good song, Summit.

Hipster rants aside, this particular song, I have no qualms about being mainstream, overused and sold out. This is the second time I'm featuring a song of Barenaked Ladies in Mixtape Mondays and I have no problem with that. That's just how awesome they are. Add to that the fact that The History of Everything is the main theme of one of the most awesome shows out there right now, The Big Bang Theory and you can pretty much see where all my bias comes from.

The History of Everything - Barenaked Ladies 

The song in itself is pretty self-explanatory. This is as simple a retelling of the history of everything as it gets, all packaged in a catchy, wonderful tune very characteristic of the tone of many of Barnaked Ladies' songs. Anyone who doesn't enjoy this song is either a grumpy batch of sourdough or one of those anti-science extremists.


Let's end this playlist with something solemn and slow. Arguably the most celebrated song in this playlist, Coldplay's The Scientist isn't as strictly a song about science as it is about experimenting, asking questions and living life by the same process a scientist would approach any problem. Same goes for relationships as well, apparently, as the video so graphically portrays.

 Coldplay The Scientist

As cliche as it sounds, sometimes we all get caught up in the science of things, trying to put things in logic and perspective when really all we need to do is look at something and take it as it comes. For all those scientists out there, don't forget you're human once in awhile, okay? And I'll try to remember not everybody's as taken with science as I am :P

That was rather abrupt, but what can I say? That's the end of this week's Mixtape Monday.  If there are any songs you guys deem fit for this playlist, leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about you guys' awesome taste in music.

To view this week's full Mixtape Monday on playlist mode, feel free to visit my YouTube page or go directly to the playlist here.

Stay tuned for more Mixtape Mondays and comment below for next week's theme suggestions!

Mixtape Mondays: For the Forever Alone

Welcome to another Mixtape Monday. If you missed the last one, you can find it here.

This week's playlist is dedicated to everyone out there, fresh from a break up, searching, or just plain alone. I'm here to tell you guys that it's okay and if last week's Feel-Good playlist wasn't enough to make you feel better about yourself, maybe this playlist is just the thing for you. I present to you this week's playlist:

Songs for the Forever Alone.

To skip the banter and go directly to this week's playlist, click here.

The songs in this playlist cater to all the lonely hearts out there who're used to sitting by the sidelines whilst all their friend pair up in a frenzy of hormonal teen emotions. We here at Mixtape Mondays salute everybody who's been friendzoned, a third to fifth wheel or anybody who just isn't tough enough to seize the moment and grab the girl/guy he/she wants. We've all been that person at one point or the other. Some of us hate it and some of us are pretty okay with the fact. Most times, romance is overrated anyway, and who needs a lovelife when there's awesome music you can jam to? Sure girlfriends and boyfriends give you the love and company you've always craved, but can they make you jump around your bed  air-guitaring and headbanging like you just don't care all while maintaining a stoic face of non-judgement? Nope, not really. Music, however, lets you do that in the comforts of your own room and you don't even have to subject yourself to awkward social norms either.

Let's start this playlist with a crowd favorite. I Want You to Want Me by Cheap Trick is one of those timeless teen favorites with the retro vibe that's perfect for rocking out to or even bumming around in your room.

I Want You to Want Me - Cheap Trick

Popularized by the well-received 90s teen movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, this song, in the form of a cover by Letters to Cleo has been a staple for lonely people everywhere for ages. In fact, this song was a lot more popular in Japan than it was in the U.S. upon its release, spurring Cheap Trick's Nippon Budoukan Tour. Since then, the live performance of this song at this tour has been their biggest selling single, reaching #7 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. Since then numerous covers of the song have seen use in pop culture, including dozens of teen and high school movies and series like John Tucker Must Die and the ABC Family TV Adaptation of 10 Things I Hate About You, not to mention one of my favorite series, yet again, Scrubs. It's no wonder then lonely people all over the world.

But maybe you're not pining over someone who doesn't love you back. Sure, I'll give you that. Maybe you're one of those people still wallowing in  their spite after having found out their significant other's been spending intimate time with somebody other than yourself. So you've broken up, and even though you know you're angry and deserve a lot better, you can't help but feel lonely, worthless and like a pile of dirt. Here, have this song. It might just make you feel better.

Cheatercheaterbestfriendeater - Never Shout Never

Cheatercheaterbestfriendeater by Never Shout Never is basically one of those songs you sing to yourself in your room whilst spitefully shooting darts at an old picture of your ex. It helps that the video to this song is pretty darn funny as well. The passive aggressive nature of the song is genius and endearing at the same time and will have you humming its tune in the back of your head whilst carving scars and stabbing pencils into a homemade voodoo doll model. It's the perfect catharsis for your bleeding soul in a nice ukulele wrapped package.


Okay, so maybe you aren't spiteful, but you've still been dumped and feel pretty bad about it. Luckily for you, Hot Chelle Rae has just the song for you. Tonight Tonight tells the story of a guy dumped by his girlfriend. But doesn't mean he's going to let that cruddy fact get to him. Nope, instead, he parties the night away.

Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae

And will you look at that, another #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Hot Chelle Rae had the potential to thrust this song into summer anthem status with its catchy beat and very relateable lyrics, but nope, that didn't happen. Do you know why? Because Call Me Maybe happened, that's why. The level of disappointment I hold in my little fangirl heart is too much to express in words.

But then maybe you haven't been dumped and instead choose to walk the righteous path of celibacy and monk-dom. We all know that's probably just an excuse, but hey, to each his own. This song doesn't exactly scream empowerment, but the beat, tempo and general atmosphere of the song does.

Audience of One - Rise Against

Audience of One from Rise Against is the perfect headbanger that reminds us that we're definitely aren't the only ones feeling alone. In the end we're just part of the crowd the says 'screw it, I don't need anyone else to make me feel alright about myself.' In the end, even with an audience of one, you can still sort of feel like a rockstar.

But then again, not many people choose to be single, and for most it is an unwilling status. So what most guys do is try to find something that makes them seem more appealing. They could hit the gym and probably tone themselves more - nope, too much effort. Maybe haircut and a shave to bring out those gorgeous moody eyes? But then you'd actually have the leave the house. Oh! Is that an old guitar lying unused on the floor? Maybe I should learn how to play it. Chicks like guys who play instruments right?

Jumper - Third Eye Blind

Jumper by Third Eye Blind is one of those songs people learn how to play on guitar to get some chicks. The chords are easy and the song makes you seem deep, mysterious and misunderstood. Pair that up with a leather jacket and some grungy look (it's effortless really) and you'll have the girls swooning for you in no time. At the same time, for people who really do feel alone in this world, this song is a call for them not to end it because somehow, no matter how alone you feel, there's always someone out there who cares. Even if it is just your mom. So in some way or the other, it serves a double purpose in this playlist.

One thing this author would like to remind her readers is that even though we're all alone, there's always hope. Put on an approachable disposition and things will somehow align themselves in your favor, with or without a significant other, so don't lose hope. And to end this playlist, I leave you with a song of encouragement and sincere sympathy.

 Hold on Hope - Guided by Voices

Hold on Hope by Guided by Voices is the most appropriate song that comes to mind at this moment. When I'm feeling extra emo and moody, wallowing in my own self-pity, this always seems to work my mood out. Here I am, single, happy, and content. It's not that hard to find happiness. Unless of course your depression is caused by a chemical imbalance, in which case appropriate medicine might actually help. But in general a few songs, some supportive friends and maybe a little attitude adjustment will get you places you've never even thought you could reach, heck it may even get you a girlfriend/boyfriend. So don't lose hope.


On that note, that just about wraps up this week's Mixtape Monday. If there are any songs you guys deem fit for this playlist, leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about you guys' awesome taste in music.

To view this week's full Mixtape Monday on playlist mode, feel free to visit my YouTube page or go directly to the playlist here.

Stay tuned for more Mixtape Mondays and comment below for next week's theme suggestions!

Mixtape Mondays: Feel-Good Music (Pt.2)

Welcome to another Mixtape Monday. If you missed the last one, you can find it here.

In this week's playlist, we continue where we left off, and thus I present you with Part Two of the Feel-Good Music playlist. While last week's playlist concentrated on songs and music we all listen to on a particularly good day of awesomeness, moments of celebration and pure bliss, in this week's playlist we mellow down and chill, concentrating on the feel-good music we all need to listen to when we're not feeling particularly great and need a little picker-upper. That or the songs we listen to to feel a bit better about ourselves and all the crap that happens around us. Let's call this set of songs

Inspirational.

To skip the banter and go directly to this week's playlist, click here.


The songs (and their accompanying videos) in this playlist range from vaguely inspiration to downright life-changing (at least in my opinion) and while these songs might not be everybody's cup of tea, this post will be a little self-indulgent as these are songs that hold special significance to me as a person and the truth is, I can't help but smile (or break into tears of pure unadulterated well-being) when I hear this songs. Let's face it, I'm pretty sure it's these types of songs we all listen to when we need to get our crap together. A fair word of caution though, this will be the first playlist where some of the songs aren't actually in English, but sometimes, it's just the music that matters, and while these songs

Let's ease our way in with one of my more recent finds. Well, not exactly. I've been following this guy's escapades for years - a fair testimony to how Youtube Video savvy I was back when I was a child. This song, Trip the Light by Matt Harding and Alicia Lemke was one specially made for Matt's latest video of travel escapades all around the world. For this reason I suggest you guys actually watch the video while listening to the song. It doubles the epicness and thus doubles the inspiration. Hell yeah.

Matt's other epic and viral travel escapades date way back to 2003 and 2004, and were first released publicly in his 2005 video - the landmark of his viral fame - where he dances awkwardly in different world landmarks, cities and wonders, the majesty of which greatly outweigh his lack of actual dance prowess. I was caught in the middle between this song and video and his earlier 2008 video which was equally as inspiring. But because the lyrics of the song that accompanied that one were adapted from a Gitanjali Poem I chose to stick to this one. This song is inspiring in two ways in a few ways. The lyrics (written by Matt himself) are monumentally moving and the composition work is exceptional. Accompanied by the fact that this man's travels were spurred by a dream and purpose, and we have the makings of a tear-jerking movie right there. I mean really, doesn't the song just make you so emotional!?!? Okay, maybe that's just me. But I'm pretty sure half of you wish you could live the life Matt has. I would probably give an arm and leg to travel to that many places, but then I probably wouldn't be able to dance as well without my limbs.

Traveling dancing man aside, the next song is more mainstream friendly. We Believe by Good Charlotte is one of the songs that is more empowering than inspirational, and while it doesn't exactly start off with the happiest of themes, it holds the promise of inspiration through the chorus of the song.

While Good Charlotte did turn into a pile of crap (debatable at best) a little after the release of this song, I do value the message and for some reason, with all the crap that happens around us, this song just manages to instill within me a little hope. Call me an optimist, a dreamer or whatever the heck you want, I like this song, end of story.

With that train of thought in mind, I doubt any inspirational playlist would be complete with one of the most cliche but well-loved songs ever. John Lennon's Imagine has to be one of the landmark songs that have shaped a generation of dreamers and free-thinkers, and while at this point, it might not be the most original choices for this playlist, I'll go on and include because I might be hanged if I don't.

This song has enjoyed numerous covers, a whole lot of pop culture references and tons of media exposure, and I'm pretty sure it's one of those go-to songs at Karaoke Bars right up next to songs from Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and of course, Frank Sinatra's never dying 'My Way'. Of course, a lot, if not all of those songs are so darn depressing that it hurts to mention them in this playlist. So let's move along now shall we?

One particularly life-changing song on my part was brought to me by my love for Japanese Culture. Some of you who may know me know that this song was one that shaped my life as a teen and if I had the courage to include this song in my earlier So Being a Kid Sucks Mixtape Monday, it would have been one of the first songs there. Angela Aki's  Haikei ~ Jugo no Kimi e (Letter: Greetings to a 15 Year Old) is definitely a life-changer for me.

In most cases I'd only post one copy of the song, but just in case one of these videos gets taken down, I'm posting both. The first is a choral rendition of her song with English Subtitles so you guys get the full gist of it and the second is the official music video. Both versions have their moments, and while I prefer the audio atmosphere of the choral version, the official music video tells so much more with its actors, actresses and portrayal of characters. If you guys are wondering why these are in such bad quality, blame Japanese Copyright Laws. Sucks, but yeah. That aside, this song would have done so well in my previously mentioned playlist, but I'm sharing it with you guys now in the hopes that somehow it'll help in some way. I know that a lot of my readers are still pretty young and this song'll probably help you through a lot of rough times. No sarcasm or snarky comments on this one, just the truth yo.

Leaving the past behind, I now move on to one of my favorite bands, Our Lady Peace and their song (which is one of my favorites as well) Innocent.

Okay, so I understand this video isn't a youtube video but I had difficulty finding the original MV on youtube, and that is one of the more important aspects of this song aside from its striking lyrics. Don't worry, I've still added a picture-vid of the song to the Youtube playlist so you can expect to still here it there. That aside, this  song, like the previous songs, holds somewhat of a sentimental value to it for me. Again, its theme isn't the happiest of themes but like Good Charlotte's We believe, it holds the prospect of a better future and the company of numerous others who have it worse than you do. In fact, this song owns Good Charlotte by a landslide, hands down and its video is definitely worth a watch.

I feel like ending this playlist off with the most meaningful song I've discovered in my lifetime, albeit mostly by accident and at the last place I'd expect to pick up something inspirational from - a video game. This song, Baba Yetu by Christopher Tin and the Soweto Gospel Choir is a song I stumbled upon whilst playing the historical turn-based strategy game, Civilization IV.

While the song in itself is inherently Christian in nature, having derived its lyrics from the Swahili translation of the Lord's Prayer, it is much more than a religious spiel, it's like a symbol of humanity. The song itself is breathtaking and there were times whilst booting up Civ IV for a quick campaign where I would just spend minutes or hours listening to this song at the startup menu of the game.

From its humble beginnings as the title song of Civ IV, Baba Yetu has won not on,e but two Game Audio Network Guild awards and was even nominated for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, where it won Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s), effectively being the first video game piece to ever receive a nomination and also the first to ever win. In short, this song is just that awesome and that relevant. It's so relevant that the Dubai Fountain even based an entire show (which is AMAZING btw) on it.

There are no ends as to how awesome this song is.

In all honesty, I'm not one to get so overly emotional over a water works show. I mean, it's just water being propelled at speeds unimaginable to heights almost unreachable. But this song makes it seem so amazing.

Am I done fangirling yet? Yeah, I'm done fangirling now.

That just about wraps up this week's Mixtape Monday. If there are any songs you guys deem fit for this playlist, leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about you guys' awesome taste in music.


To view this week's full Mixtape Monday on playlist mode, feel free to visit my YouTube page or go directly to the playlist here.

Stay tuned for more Mixtape Mondays and comment below for next week's theme suggestions!

Mixtape Mondays: Feel-Good Music (Pt.1)

Welcome to another Mixtape Monday. If you missed the last one, you can find it here.

This week we dedicate Mixtape Monday to the songs we all find ourselves rocking to on a particularly high mood. Be it after a particularly good day, a  sudden raise in salary, an aced test or finally nabbing the girl of your dreams, these are the days when we all feel like we have accomplished something of merit -

- LIKE A BOSS.

So we take these days, appreciate them and milk them for every ounce of feel-good yumminess they have. Yes, the best way to relish in transient success is with a good old playlist.

This playlist is the first in a series of Feel-Good Music playlists that I'll be separating based on tempo, feel and atmosphere. You can expect that this playlist mostly deals with hyped of rhythms and beats and a lot of rock. Don't worry, I'll follow up with a mellow playlist next week ;)

To skip the banter and go directly to this week's playlist, click here.

This playlist is mostly my personal feel-good playlist, and while the soundtrack of my life has a wide array of pieces to it (much of it containing music that isn't even in english, but we'll leave that for another playlist), these are the few songs that I find always hype my mood up and get me feeling like I rule the effin' world. I'm pretty sure a lot of the songs in this playlist will change the way you guys view me, especially since my blog is all pink and girly. The truth is, good music is good music no matter what the genre - Kpop, Jpop, Metal, Punk, Alternative, Pop, I listen to it all, and I hope this playlist is a manifestation of that fact. Although I won't be including any non-English songs for the sake of my audience (maybe another time).

Let's start the playlist off with a kicker. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are one of those bands whose music I will never ever ever ever get tired of listening to and if I could make an entire MM Playlist dedicated to them I would, but then I'd probably piss a whole lot of people off. So instead, I'm starting this playlist off with the song I listen to almost every morning - Can't Stop.

There's something about this song that makes anyone feel invincible in the mornings. Whether you attribute it to the intoxicating beat and music or the sexy voice of lead singer Anthony Kiedis this is a song that appeals to the masses. It's a shame this single wasn't included in their greatest hits album, but maybe that's why I like it. I'm hipster that way. The video is also worth a watch. I think it's worth mentioning that RHCP's been doing weird artsy trippy music videos long before the crap artists of today have and so have many other much better bands than what kids these days listen to. Just sayin'.

Now that you've woken up and started the day right, you've got places to go and people to meet and wasting time is a no-no. So imagine driving your car, riding your bike, skateboarding, running, walking, crawling on your bare hands and feet to wherever the hell you want to go and this song is playing. What song? The Offspring's Come out and Play of course.

Yep. Epic travel music right there. This song is famous for being the first song of The Offspring's ever to be made into a music video, and is very much responsible for some of the band's initial success. While the band did get some flack for being accused of copying the Arabian sounding guitar progression from Agent Orange's Bloodstains, I personally think The Offspring did it much better. That aside, most of you would recognize the band from their song Pretty Fly (For a White Guy). Come to think about it, I should include that in a future playlist.

Setting aside the punk in this playlist, let's move on to an all-time favorite. This song, I remember to have loved in my grade school days and with good reason. The music's fresh and the lyrics are addicting to sing and as usual Smash Mouth graces us with the awesome song, Allstar.

It's so awesome that they converted it to widescreen despite it being released in 1999. Since then it's graced the big screens in movies like Mystery Men and Shrek. Not to mention it's been credited in the Digimon Movie and Inspector Gadget as well as in various other media. I remember jamming to this song when I was in grade school and awkwardly air-guitaring in front of friends as a class presentation. Guess what? I still do that now, the only difference being that my air-guitar has vastly improved. Yehp, that's as good a feel-good song can get.

So now you're all pumped up and hyper and you can't be held responsible for any collateral damage your insane spike of energy has most likely built up. But who cares? Nobody's gonna rain on your parade. So what if they think you're a deranged maniac? Haters' gonna hate. Times like this, the perfect song to get you back on track is Bad Reputation. While Joan Jett set up the legacy for this uberly wonderful song, the version I listen to everyday, is not surprisingly, from Kick-Ass by The Hit Girls.

It's not often that I prefer a cover tot he original and this might just be bias talking but this song has so many faces and covers it's almost impossible to choose which version suits my mood the most, but I've found that the most accessible to me was this one. So there. It's fast-paced, upbeat and something I would totally listen to on a sugar high whilst pogo-sticking around a supermarket and reeking havoc on all the store employees. Don't judge me - it's part of my bucketlist.

Now that you're all riled up, it shouldn't be too hard to find a band of people who are as riled up and happy with life as you are. Start a flash mob, a revolution, a coup d'etat - who says you can't be productive when you're feeling on top of the world? You know what would be the perfect song for your high-induced plot to take over the world? My Chemical Romance's  Na Na Na  (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na).

I'm not a big fan of My Chemical Romance, but this song is just that addicting. It doesn't take long to memorize and once it's stuck in your head it's in there for practically forever. I never doubted my mother when she said I didn't have ADHD and I was just a rather outspoken child, but this song brings out the worst in me and I've practically broken my bed jumping on it to the beat of the song. While I still maintain my stand that punk in the 90's will forever trump punk now, this song almost makes me change my mind.

Let's end this playlist on a lighter note, with a song I discovered a few years ago. It's a rather abrupt ending to the infinite high that is my odd taste in feel-good music, but it'll have to do. Killer Life by Morningwood (hold in the immature snickers at the innuendo please) is just the song to end this playlist, because damn right it's a killer life.

This song is what we should all listen to as an instant picker-upper. The band, produced by Gil Norton, the same dude who's produced the Pixies, The Foo Fighters and the like definitely knows how to pick his players. It's hard to believe that this band's been around since 2001 since they've continuously been coming up with fresh music with passion reminiscent of all those groups who've just started. Basically we should all just enjoy life, and feel good.

That just about wraps up this week's Mixtape Monday. If there are any songs you guys deem fit for this playlist, leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about you guys' awesome taste in music.

To view this week's full Mixtape Monday on playlist mode, feel free to visit my YouTube page or go directly to the playlist here.

Stay tuned for more Mixtape Mondays and comment below for next week's theme suggestions!

Mixtape Mondays: So being a kid sucks.

Welcome to another Mixtape Monday. If you missed the last one, you can find it here.

This week's theme centers on that feeling you get when you're young and everything that happens make it seem like it's the end of this effed up world. We've all been there and done that, and while I'm past that stage of my life, here are a few songs I listened to (or wished I had listened to) to get myself through the days of homework, tom-effer-y and hormones. So being a kid sucks - Join the Club.

To skip the banter and go directly to this week's playlist, click here.

While last week's playlist centered on starting the school year right, by the end of that week you'd have realized nothing's changed and you'll find yourself feeling as insignificant now as you've ever felt before. That's fine, in fact it's normal until you leave the house, get a job and grow a pair of balls. This playlist aims to either help you accept your fate as society's middle tier with the burden of saving its crumbing economy, dying environment and the plight of mankind OR embrace your childhood as the only time you have left to eff things up and not actually be blamed for it.

So let's get the ball rolling with our first song from 3OH!3. Though We are Young isn't one of their title songs, it has a reputation for having that drum line, football-pep-rally feel that we've all come to establish a love-hate relationship with.

The chorus is pretty catchy and lets you belt out the words, "WE ARE YOUNG" with such an intense rigor that your neighbors will start calling the police for possible illicit behavior. The song has seen use on that short-lived CW show Hellcats and is pretty much the song we'll all be turning to in order to justify any stupid decisions we make in our lives. On that note, I assure you that you'll be hearing the words 'we are young' way more than you'd like as this playlist progresses. But for now, this song tells the tale of just how abused, used and misunderstood we all feel at this phase of our lives. And if you're not into 'dancing with the devil' and 'sleeping on the bed, waking up outside', this song affords you the enjoyment of those two activities without actually having to do them! It's the teen experience bottled into one nifty little bottle. Who knew?

After hearing that song, banging your head to the beat with that rebellious 'eff the police' attitude, you'll most likely crash and burn to the sudden realization that you have your entire life ahead of you and have no clue where to go from here. Right now, you're too young to take over and too old to ignore, so where exactly in your life are you? Jimmy Eat World answers that age old question with their well-loved song The Middle.

To quote the song directly, 'it just takes some time' and 'everything will be alright'. It's the truth that we all needed to hear as teens. Unfortunately for us, those are two of the many sentences we hate to hear and will eventually choose to ignore in our adolescence. Fortunately though, Jimmy Eat World packs those words in a catchy, house-party inducing song which drills the words into your head like an effing mantra. I don't know about you guys, but I feel like throwing my own half-naked dance party a la Skins right now.

Still feeling like you don't belong? The irony in your situation is that everybody else feels exactly the same way, I assure you. But just in case you want to relish in the feeling of being out of place, Amy Studt's Misfit is the song for you.

Although it may seem that this is a purely female-aimed song, it's has a pretty nice tune to listen to, and if you can seek out the official music video on google (it isn't available on youtube) you might just find yourself enjoying more than this UK girl's voice. This song is but one of her many songs, and don't let the upbeat generic pop tune fool you, her later works are very much underrated. There's just something to be said about the musical experience she gained after being found with drug possession and after spending a few years out of the limelight succeeding her initial success. Yehp, some really gritty sh*t right there.

On the more serious side of things, childhood can be rough because of legitimate problems and concerns. This blog goes out to everybody out there who's from a broken family or has just had it really rough - rougher than the rest of us can probably imagine. And while this writer tries to disguise a lot of deep-seeded feelings with sarcastic and cynical remarks, Everclear's song, Wonderful should sum up exactly how I feel about such situations.

This song is a staple for people who look back on their lives and reminisce. It's also a song that I wish I heard more often when I was a kid. Listening to it now as an adult, I can't help but relate to the lyrics. The song speaks miles from Jimmy Eat World in that while most would say that in the future things might get better, there are just cases that they don't, but somehow we're all gonna make it. This song, and a flurry of others marks Everclear as one of my personal favorite bands of the 90s.

Sentimental stuff aside, here's to another upbeat song reminiscent of the first song in our playlist, and by reminiscent I don't just mean it has the same three words 'we are young' in its chorus. Nope. MIKA's Kick Ass (We are Young) is yet another anthem-like song that kids seem to be flocking to.

Some of you may recognize this song from the soundtrack of the phenomenal movie adaptation of one of my favorite comic books, Kick-Ass. The song has a certain feel of empowerment to it and is a go-to for those power trips we all have when we're young. While being a kid definitely sucks at times, this song glorifies your childhood and reminds you just how much ass you could be kicking if you stopped moping around being sorry for yourself. Yehp, one song has never made running around in an embarrassing green scuba suit look any cooler. MIKA has a reputation of defying critics, and while most people are busy arguing about his sexual orientation, he couldn't care less and is instead making awesome songs that blow your mind. We should all take a cue from him and make the most of our youth while we still can.

To end this playlist on a good and inspirational note I leave the readers with the last song on the list - personally one of my favorite songs, Sooner or Later by Michael Tolcher.

The song itself was used as the theme song of yet another short-lived teen-targeted show, Life As We Know It. But I know it better from its use in Scrubs and for good reason as well. If you guys don't already know it yet, I'm a huge Scrubs fangirl and every song on that show's soundtrack roster is worth a check. Trust me.

Edging our way back on topic, Sooner or Later is a song that's laced with timely advice and relatable lyrics that I would have gone back in time just to be able share with my past self. Seriously guys, it may seem like the end of the world right now and damn right, being a kid sucks, but every little experience we go through ends up, as cliche as it sounds, building our character. I sure as hell wouldn't have ended up as level-headed as I am now without going through bouts of stupidity when I was younger. You guys can probably see that from my posts dating back to early 2008. And the funny thing is, I'm probably going to have to keep dealing with crap forever. But you know what? I'll become a better person out of it. Stuff like that never changes, and you realize that even as an adult - you'll forever be a kid, learning, making mistakes and effing things up, just with more responsibility. Sooner or later though, hopefully you'll all come to appreciate all the loads of crap you've had to endure to get wherever you will be in the future.

Thus I see no better fit way to end this playlist with this awesome and timely song, so that's it for this week's Mixtape Monday. If there are any songs you guys deem fit for this playlist, leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about you guys' awesome taste in music.

To view this week's full Mixtape Monday on playlist mode, feel free to visit my YouTube page or go directly to the playlist here.

Stay tuned for more Mixtape Mondays and comment below for next week's theme suggestions!