Sunday Vibes: Mood Board

Last week I did a Sunday Vibes playlist, so this week I’m posting pictures that embody that Sunday feeling. Think of it as a Mood Board. I’m going to try to have a theme whenever I do pictures, too. Although…I’m not really sure what this week’s theme is. Nature? Streets? Cloudy Skies? No idea honestly. Just felt like these pictures all kind of fit together.

Sunday Vibes: Playlist

So, I’ve decided that I’m gonna start doing a “Sunday Vibes” post every Sunday. Sundays are typically a day when everyone’s relaxing, hanging out, or being depressed about the upcoming work week. Either way, I want to try and capture that Sunday feeling into a blog post. Some weeks I’ll do playlists (like this week) and other weeks I might do artwork or photographs that go with the vibe. Here’s this week’s playlist:

1) “re:stacks” – Bon Iver

There’s a black crow sitting across from me
His wiry legs are crossed
He is dangling my keys, he even fakes a toss
Whatever could it be
That has brought me to this loss?

Okay, yes, this song might be a tad bit on the depressing side but it’s definitely somewhat relaxing. Automatically makes you feel like staring outside of your window on a rainy day while you ponder life.

2) “Fortune – Acoustic” – William Fitzsimmons

It’s hollow in the harvest
What I’ve lost I count as gained
Filling up the firmament
Visions of the one you gave away

Does this one really need an explanation? It’s acoustic. Anything acoustic goes with Sunday vibes.

3) “When We’re Fire (Cello Version)” – Lo-Fang

Lately
Nothing has been coming easy
Only nocturnal blue movies
Pink kimono on the floor

NOTE: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE CELLO VERSION. The regular version is complete crap and the antithesis of Sunday vibes. The cello version, however, is incredibly mellow and soothing. (And maybe a little depressing too.)

4) “Tiny Dancer” – Elton John

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you’ll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she’s in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

This one’s a classic, guys. I’m sure you’ve all heard it before, but I wanted to put it on here because it really is a good Sunday song. Plus, the lyrics are absolutely incredible.

5) “Won’t Stop” – OneRepublic

Now you are fire by night but when the morning light comes
Comfortable as rain on Sunday
And I’m a lucky soul that holds your hand so tight
Hope you hear this one day

This might be the only song on this playlist that isn’t somewhat depressing, which is surprising considering it’s sung by the band that sang “Apologize”, a depressing song that seems to touch on suicide. However, this song is a mildly upbeat love song and a great song to listen to while you’re hanging out on Sunday.

The Pros and Cons to Having an Unusual First Name

I often feel like having an uncommon first name is both the best thing that has ever happened to me and the worst. There have been numerous times when I have legitimately wanted to change my name. But, there have also been times when I want to be one of those idiots who proudly get their name tattooed on their body. (Just kidding. You guys are weirdos.) Anyone with a strange name can probably relate to the love/hate relationship I share with mine and they can probably attest to the fact that, throughout any given day, you’re likely to experience at least one of the following pros or cons.

Pros:

• Easily the biggest benefit of having a weird ass name is that you are not constantly put in situations where you have to ask “Which one?” All you Hannah’s and Jessica’s out there know all too well what I’m talking about. Whether it’s in role call during class or when someone shouts your name in public, us people with unique first names always know they’re talking about us. There’s never any confusion.
• People remember you more easily. The surprising name typically catches people’s attention and makes them more likely to remember both you and your name.
• You get a lot of compliments. I’m always getting things like, “Wow, I love that name!” or “That’s pretty unique!” People appreciate a change in the name game. It gets tiring hearing the same names over and over and over again.
• Related to getting compliments is that your name is a great conversation starter! Normally, when people introduce themselves to you, there isn’t much to say about their name and you have to automatically find some other small talk topic to jump to. However, with a unique name, there’s always a good chance that they’ll want to talk about it, even if the conversation is something along the lines of “What the hell were your parents thinking when they named you that?”.

 

And now, the cons:

• You get so many mispronunciations. My name is Bradford. A simple, two-syllable name with an easy pronunciation.  Yet, somehow, I have been called everything imaginable. Brandon, Brandford, Braxton, and, my personal favorite, Bread. Can you imagine having to tell someone your name’s not Bread? Hi, yes, I hate to correct you but you accidentally misread my name. My name isn’t Bread. In fact, no one’s name is Bread, you idiot. 
• Every teacher ever asks if you want to be called something different. They’re intimidated by your name. “Do you go by that name?” they ask with their fingers crossed behind their back, praying that you’ll say you go by your middle name.
• YOU NEVER FIND ANY SOUVENIRS AT GIFT SHOPS. I remember always being so frustrated as a kid because my entire family’s names could be found but mine. Of course, there was always “Brad” but that wasn’t my name. Or worse, when Coke came out with their “Share a Coke” campaign, I have been further plagued by the frustration of not being able to find my name. UGH, JUST RECOGNIZE MY EXISTENCE AS A PERSON COCA-COLA. If it didn’t taste like straight acid, I would have switched loyalty and started drinking Pepsi.

 

However, despite these cons, and, in light of the pros, you love your name. (At least, I hope you do. I love mine.) You recognize that sometimes it’s a struggle and a bit of an uphill climb, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You embrace it…’cause baby you were born this way.

 

Why I’m Adding Genevieve Gorder to My List of Celebrity Role Models

In case you don’t know, Genevieve Gorder is an interior designer whose shows Dear Genevieve and Genevieve’s Renovation feature on HGTV. (She also features in a few others, but I haven’t had a chance to check those out yet, therefore, they’re irrelevant.) I started watching both of these shows only about a month ago and they’re both sensationally addictive, even though Genevieve’s Renovation only has six episodes. After watching so many episodes though, I realized that part of the reason why I liked the shows so much was simply because of Genevieve’s vibrant character and personality. She truly is (or seems like, at least) the type of person who you’d LOVE to be best friends with and this is one among many reasons why I’m adding her to my list of celebrity role models.

One of the biggest reasons I like her is because she is so incredibly talented. She has yet to design a single room that hasn’t left me with a dropped jaw or gaga eyes. (Oh wait, scratch that. Just remembered an episode where she designed green kitchen cabinets. It’s okay though, everyone makes mistakes right?) She knows, most of the time anyways, exactly what colors to use, what decorations to include, and where everything ought to belong. It’s inspirational, to say the least. I can only hope to find something that I’m that naturally talented at someday.

I mean, look at this living room. The stairs alone are enough to leave me speechless.

A black room? When does a black room ever work? When Genevieve does it. That’s when.

Next up on the list of her admirable traits is her dedication to hard work. She’s a single parent and she’s done more than provide for her adorable daughter, Bebelle. When she needed more money for her renovation plan in Genevieve’s Renovation, she went out and sold some of her belongings at a flea market. She sold tile on the street. It was intriguing to see someone put that much effort into making her and her daughter’s dreams come true and I applauded her the whole way.

Most importantly, however, Genevieve has a warm and welcoming spirit. At least, it appears that way. On all her shows she is nothing less than endearing and positive. She nears breakdown in several episodes from stress, which is perfectly understandable, but she never fails to remain kind and polite the whole way through. This is something that I admire a lot because it’s a characteristic that seems hard to find in big city, big business men and women. She manages to do it, though.

So, no, she may not be as high on the list of My Most Admirable Celebrities as Nicki Minaj or Taylor Swift, but she’s definitely the type of person I’d like to be more like. So shoutout to you, Genevieve, because you, my friend, are goals.

Why I Still Think That New Year Resolutions Are Important

If you even mention the words “New Year resolutions” anymore, you are most likely going to get a response of either a hefty sigh or a lengthy eye roll. People don’t want to hear that Stacy is trying to lose weight for the third year in a row (despite getting fatter every year) or that Jim is going to try to do something this year other than sit on the couch watching Netflix 24/7. And I don’t blame them. It’s not only annoying; it’s exhausting. We all know you’re not going to be able to put down those Little Debbie’s when it comes down to it, Stacy. And your spot on the couch is so sunk in at this point that we don’t even know if you’ll be able to get up, Jim. The follow-through rate is low with these New Year resolutions and this is good reason for the sighing and eye rolling. However, it just might be the overly optimistic side of me bursting through, but I’d like to think that New Year resolutions are still a good thing.

For starters, New Years functions as a great checkpoint for people. As horribly intimidating as it is, everyone needs to be reminded that they are running out of time. No other point during the year reminds people of this better than New Years. Although a checkpoint doesn’t necessarily mean a fresh start, it does offer people a chance to change some things. It’s a simple reminder that it’s better late than never, and it’s better this year than next.

So, while New Years forces people to come to terms with the fact that they’re running out of time, New Year resolutions forces people to evaluate themselves, goals and all. Even if they set a goal and don’t follow through with it, they’ve still taken the time to figure out what they want to accomplish and how close (or far) they are from that accomplishment. That’s further than what a lot of people do! Plus, it makes it easier for them if they plan on picking back up the resolution later on in the year. (Once again, probably just the optimistic side in me trying to be hopeful.)

The bottom of the line is that New Year resolutions make people better. It might be for a lifetime, a year, a week, or maybe only an hour after midnight, but for that period of time you improved yourself in some way. This is altogether better than nothing. A Jim who leaves the television turned off for only one day is better than a Jim who can no longer find the off button at all. And it’s true, naysayers, that people who are actually capable of setting goals and reaching them are typically the ones who are already doing it all year long. But these people already have self-improvement mastered. In my opinion, New Year resolutions give people who aren’t so good at making themselves better a little bit of a push. So, don’t worry Jim and Stacy and all you others out there. I promise to listen to your New Year resolutions with minimum sighing and eye rolling and maximum fake smiling.