Hunger Games galore (I didn’t mean to)

December 15, 2013December 15, 2013 / Lisa / 1 Comment

Favourite Buzz

How To Write Your First Book has 21 authors giving their advice on some of the hardest things about writing. It is definitely well worth a read if you are wanting to write a book one day (like me). There are a few things that I already relate to in the answers, but also a few tips and ideas I can take away from it in order to get writing.

Some of my favourite quotes include:

I always intended to be a writer from the moment I could read, really. When I married my second husband he gave me the opportunity to stay home and write. I was 28.

– Charlaine Harris

I think not writing for my day job helped to let that muscle relax during the day so that I felt like writing when I came home at night.

– Leigh Bardugo

Even this thing you’re doing, this story, is kind of interesting, but I think in a lot of ways it will be detrimental to people trying to write books. I’m serious. What happens is: They will read this story and they will see these people giving their experience as if that experience is normative. As if the experience they’re describing is how it works. And of course every experience like this is totally unique. Trying to fit your life into someone else’s model is how bad books get created. Everyone wants advice about how to do something but it really only works if you’re only going to plow forward regardless if you know nothing. But then again, that’s how it was for me. So maybe I’m doing the exact same thing I’m complaining about.

– Chuck Klosterman

What I take from this is that 1. Man Piece will hopefully give me the opportunity to stay home and write. (One day. I’m working on him.) 2. Not writing for my day job may help in writing fiction – maybe I need to give up being a journalist and do something else, which leaves me the creative freedom to write fiction. 3. Every piece of advice from established authors is bullshit and you should do what works for you when it comes to your writing.

Favourite Image

I’ve had the 2013 National Geographic Photo Contest article open in my browser for awhile now. Who doesn’t love some amazing nature and animal photos? National Geographic, after all, does it best.

My favourite from all of these has to be the Orta Lake Storm Chasing by Riccardo Criseo as it shows just how far photographers will go for the shot.

Interesting Article

Textual analysis of The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Twilight revealed some interesting language use by the authors. Somehow The Hunger Games had ‘drunk’ as one of the most distinctive adjectives used. Personally, I think this is because of Haymitch. Twilight had the most common sentence of “I sighed.” Naturally. It is fairly interesting to know which words the authors favoured.

Fashion Love

This dress by Dior worn by Jennifer Lawrence to the Catching Fire premier in LA is amazing. For some reason, I just love it. If it wasn’t a mesh type material and see-through, I would totally wear something like it. Apparently even J-Law herself didn’t like it much. I came across it reading Cosmo’s list on scandalous red carpet outfits. This is definitely one of the tamer ones.

Grabby Hands

I really want to get my hands on some of the Capitol Colours collection from Cover Girl. It all looks so amazing. Just not sure who is stocking it. Cover Girl have created 12 looks for the 12 districts.

Video

I have had this ‘sneak peek’ of Veronica Mars sitting open in my browser for awhile. I am so keen to see the movie! It is set for release 14 March. I just hope it will be coming to a cinema down-under and I need to see this on the big screen. (Yes, I backed it in the Kickstarter.)

Veronica Mars: Love Triangle from Veronica Mars on Vimeo.

OTW: Clarity, ModCloth and Saturn

November 19, 2013 / Lisa

Favourite Buzz

Have you seen how cute this kid is as Batman yet? You should. It is such an awesome thing to do for the wee dude. If you didn’t see the Make A Wish Foundation’s exploits around San Francisco/Twitter/Gotham, then you should check out this article. It is so awesome how so many people got involved. Basically the kid has gone into remission after having treatment for leukemia. The Make A Wish Foundation made an entire day for him as Batman to go around a rescue people.

Favourite Image

Is this one of Saturn, its rings and moons:

Yes, this image is actually real. You can read more about it here on Slate as well as see some other images of Saturn.

Image credit.

Interesting Article

Tom Ford offers nine tips on how to make it in fashion. It’s a pretty interesting, quick read, but some of the things he said can be applied to more than just fashion.

In the end it’s you, and you alone, who must decide what path to forge.

Ultimately, you make your decisions in life and no one else should tell you otherwise.

Remember that we all have it in our power to simply say, ‘Fuck it, I’m going to bed.’ And somehow, the next morning, everything seems a lot better.

Everything always looks better when you are no longer in the heat of the moment. Basically, don’t make rash decisions. I feel I need to apply this to shopping – stop impulse buying everything you like and sleep on, see if I still want it in the morning. On the other hand, I have been known to be quite indecisive on some things. Double edged sword.

Fashion Love

The Starlight Sparkles Dress from ModCloth. Oh my gosh, I wish this was in my size and cheaper. Look at its prettiness.

Grabby Hands

Following on from the above, I have been perusing ModCloth. I am loving a lot of the dresses on there to the point that I might have to make my first order at some point. Here is something I put together to show of some of the dresses that I like and might even buy.

1. Skeleton Of Fun Dress.
2. Effortlessly Enchanting Dress.
3. Just Dazzle Me Dress.
4. All Abord Game Dress.

5. Nevermore Lovely Dress.
6. As Days Go Binary Dress.
7. Start Spreading The Mews Dress.
8. Fancy Dancer Dress.
9. My Moon, My Plan Dress.

Video

I have had this song stuck in my head for weeks and I finally figured out what it is. Needless to say it is now on repeat – Clarity by Zedd.

Jennifer Lawrence is the most amazing person ever.

November 11, 2013 / Lisa

Favourite Buzz

My favourite buzz this week goes to 37 Things to DIY Instead Of Buy For Your Wedding. It will be two years in January since Man Piece proposed and although we haven’t set a date or even really started thinking about it*, I’m always on the look out for interesting ideas to make the wedding a bit more ‘us’. I have the idea to DIY a few things in order to personalise things, but other than that I want a fairly simple ~~plain~~ non-extravagant wedding.

I really love the idea of ribbons on the back of the chairs.

Image credit.

Favourite Image

This article from Mashable has 17 Photographs That Display Perfect Symmetry, which was compiled from a Mashable challenge set for people to take photos with symmetry.

I think my favourite is this one of escalators:

Image credit.

Interesting Article

Reason 818** why I love Jennifer Lawrence:

You look like you look, and be comfortable. What are you going to do be hungry every single day to make other people happy? That’s just dumb.

A-to-the-men, sista. This interview with her as she promotes Hunger Games: Catching Fire is one of the best things ever. She basically tells the haters to go screw themselves. She is fast becoming my new favourite celebrity.

This photo might also play a part:

Image credit.

Fashion Love

This week’s fashion love has to go to the Swim+ Lookbook put together by Danimezza. I have flicked through it a couple of times now and am loving several of the swimsuits featured. Although I have already purchased new togs this year from Autograph (post to come later this week), I’m contemplating one or two more from this. Especially one of the Robyn Lawley pieces. I hear David Jones stocks them.

Grabby Hands

I’m really wanting a pair of crop black pants which I can wear with a nice heel for work. I’ve been looking around but can’t find too many. I’ve found one pair from Target in the new Bellecurve range and one pair from Autograph. Neither of these really look like what I am after. I think I might have to go try both pairs on because I might change my mind after that. Do you know of anywhere else stocking black crop pants in plus sizes?

Video

I was actually wondering what I would even put in here for the video this week and then I saw in my Facebook timeline the new video for ‘Let It Go’ by Demi Lovato for the new Disney movie Frozen. Done. You get Demi again. Sorry, not sorry.

She is truly amazing and I totally have a girl crush.

*This is a complete and utter lie. I’ve planned the whole thing in my head. Man Piece is the one that hasn’t thought about it.

** I made this number up. Sorry, not sorry.

It’s the start of something new.

October 29, 2013November 8, 2013 / Lisa / 1 Comment

So I haven’t posted an ‘On The Web’ post in the last few weeks. I kind of got interrupted by my trip to Wellington and then just stopped doing them. Anyway, I’m wanting to change the posts up a bit, but still do them. I’m aiming to give them a bit of structure each week instead of just articles I have read and cover a few main categories.

The categories I’m wanting to do each week – and these are hopefully going to broaden my horizons a little – are:

Favourite Buzz – I love Buzzfeed and I could spend hours reading the articles. So instead of having an entire post of articles from the site, I am going to choose one. It’s going to be hard, but I’m up for the challenge.

Favourite Image – I love photography. People take some amazing photos and I’m hoping that I will find one incredible image a week. They may in majority come from Instagram, of which I am not ashamed to admit, because it is such a great image app.

Interesting Article/Blog – This will be a bit more in-depth. Either a great blog I have read or a feature article. Something that might make people think.

Fashion Love – This is a fairly vast topic. It could either be an item I have seen on the web, or a blog from one of the many fashion bloggers I follow. But it will be fashion related. Cause fashion is awesome.

Grabby hands – This, as it suggests, is something that I want. When I covet something I usually say or make the grabby hands (pincer motions, ok, basically I look like a crab when I do them).

Video – I tossed up about whether to include this one, but the fact is I do watch a lot of music videos and movie trailers each week.

And so, on to this week’s lot!

favourite buzz

Ok, so I know I said I was going to choose one, but I have been a bit busy in the past week and have been creating a few Buzzfeed articles myself. So how can I choose just one of my precious articles to feature here? Well, I can’t. I promise next week it will just be one. Promise.

A Day In The Life Of A Journalist As Told By Cats
22 Pictures Of Dogs Wearing Sweaters On Instagram
12 Reasons Koalas Need To Stick Around

favourite image

Has to be this one by @muoga on Instagram of the Cahuachi pyramid temple. Just amazing.

interesting article

This article from Daily Life basically summarises how I feel about diets and weight loss regimes. I’ve given up on them and I couldn’t be happier. It is about just about being healthy and happiness is a part of that.

It is an open letter from a former weight loss consultant to her clients apologising for, essentially, doing her job. I particularly love the quote at the end, “Just eat food. Eat real food, be active, and live your life. Forget all the diet and weight loss nonsense. It’s really just that. Nonsense.”

fashion love

This one has to go to Demi Lovato this week. I copied her style for Aussie Curves – Celebrity Copy Cat because I am loving her style right now. It is definitely to my tastes and I think I might have to copy some more of her outfits.

grabby hands

I really want this dress from City Chic and I know when I go to try it on – because I will – that if it does not fit I am going to bawl my eyes out in the changing rooms. I also have a $30 voucher to spend and I’m hopeful that this week is the week that the new Pitt St store opens. Saturday means shopping!

video

This week is very Demi Lovato driven, I have to say. But in finding the Aussie Curves inspiration, I came across a few live performances she did for The Grammys. Just stripped down amazingness. There are three performances and a short interview in this playlist. Enjoy.

Dresses that resemble pandas and actual pandas, coz.

October 1, 2013October 1, 2013 / Lisa

Last week I was quite busy contributing to web content myself, so I didn’t really have the chance to read much. To see what I was up to you just need to click here. If you have an interest in buildings, you might like what you see.

Other than that, I watched this video of Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a lip-sync competition where he is amazing.

I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Also because this is the most accurate thing he has ever said and because he is Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

There were the Emmys. Usually I would do a fashion post, but honestly a lot the dresses were uninspiring. For the best moments, go here. For an arbitrary musical number in the middle of the show, go here. And for the best Emmy speech ever, go here.

The dresses that I did like were worn by Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie):