Paj!

My family just opened all our presents. I don't understand how I get better and better hauls each year - usually it's the opposite as you get older/leave childhood behind in the rearview. I'm so stunned. MUSIC The XX - The XX (Vinyl0 Drake - Take Care (CD) Feist - Metals (CD) The Unthanks new live thingie (CD) Joni Mitchell - Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (CD) -technically bought myself but wanted to receive today DVD's Tree of Life Modern Family Season 1 (A joke thing, heard it's good) Richard Dawkin's Collection Wolverine & The X-Men Complete Collection (A stunningly great thing) Bolt - a joke, as I've never seen. Some random ones from our family secret santa - Like fine but means nothing/I wouldn't choose them. A set of good quality Oil paints, with some brushes AND zest-y stuff. This stuns me as I'm in such a mood to paint. New bottle of HUGO BOSS - Bottled Night. I was running out so this is good. CLOTHES A stunning/I would buy for myself grey (my new colour) jumper. a lovely fit. One of the current Rihanna Loud-era t-shirts from Topman. I love so much. A T-shirt I asked for from the Hayward Gallery website, of the painting Red Antipodean by George Condo. A pair of Calvin Klein trunks. Mmm yes. A spiky earring. SO MUCH LINDT LINDOR CHOCOLATE - Give it 2 me Some Harribo Galaxy Selection Box Arguably my favourite presents - a 2012 Official Taylor Swift calendar + a poster from a family friend's daughter (who's 8), with whom we share Taylow love, just saying "I <3 Taylor Swift". Yes. Erotic Fridge Poetry. I love. £15 Edinburgh Filmhouse voucher - so classy. OH AND £100 from my mum, so unnecesarry but so appreciated. A few other bits, face cloth, ipod-to-car radio transmittor thing etc. We still do stockings for a lol, but just do little joke things, like cheap plastic toys and stuff. So yeah, I'm really grateful. My mum got 2 iPads, so she could choose which she wanted most. Everyone was like "!!!!!!!!"

"Better to live one year as a tiger than a hundred as sheep." / "Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another."

I have a very close knit family so having my aunt and cousin (and technically it would usually be my other aunt, uncle and cousin too, but they pointlessly go to Florida every year. For no reason. I don't believe they have fun. Anyway) is essential. Like, it would be weird/sad not to have them. On boxing day we have to go to my other uncle's outside the city and eat kinda mangy food in their kinda dirty house with awkward people we don't see for the rest of the year. LEAST FAVE. We've never had a Turkey at Xmas either - Turkey is CLEARLY the least nice of the main 'roast meal' meats so we just alternate. This year we're having a big chicken with bacon on it I think.

One of the most exciting songs/artists of the year, definitely. Liquorice (her new one) is good too.

Was going to post this. -- I have a few resolutions swimming around in my head, but will formulate them come the new year.

We Found Love in an arena must have been the most euphoric thing. I would have been screaming and crying the lyrics. Just because I could.

K A T Y B - O N A M I S S I O N It took me a year to finally understand her, but I'm loving her album more and more upon each listen. It's been coming REALLY high on a lot of critics end of year polls (think Guardian's no.2 album of the year, among others. Oh and she was nominated for the Mercury award too, like the only real award left in town), and I now see why. It's pretty special. Though it took me a long time to see why. It's so on-trend-yet-also-setting-trends-yet-drawing-from-years-of-UK-Funky/Garage/whatever. But also the songs are down to earth and not about the 'fantasy of DA CLUB' in most dance music. It's much more honest. I just feel like wearing a vest and trainers and dancing in a club a la the one in Black Swan, not giving a shit about anyone else, when I listen to Katy B. But yeah it kinda washed over me at first, but if you let it, it'll possess you. This was jokingly directed by one of my tutors (who also did the iconic Just by Radiohead and The Scientist by Coldplay): <3 I like the atmosphere of this one. I can't place it. This was her big hit early on I somehow missed out on: This is the latest I've fallen in love with: Ignore the horrible fan video. And I guess Lights On was her biggest song but I don't really like it that much and you've probs all heard it anyway, so here's a really good remix. APREESHEE8

I'm such a Heather to your Veronica.

I'd rather be in the loop.

I really liked the third one too, especially the focus on a relationship within a world where this is possible, rather than focusing on the technology itself. Sort of. I enjoyed this whole miniseries, and think there's definitely scope for more.

I got my ear pierced a few months ago so I finally took out the thing/bar/stud that was put in on the day, and bought this as my first post-piercing earring: It's such a joke. I seem to have lost (well, I know where I put it when I went out this evening, it's just not there anymore) the one I've had in the months, leaving me with just the really unsubtle wolf. Jokes.

*trying to keep busy and not think about the trailer*

This is blowing my mind. NSFW (probably. It's Peaches and Cazwell after all) I just love that Peaches is 45, yet doesn't give a shit, or make a thing out of it. Hey Amanda Lepore. drop it. grab it. jerk it. unzip me.

I'll NEVER watch it...! *turns, hitches up skirt and runs out* *is Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet*

I kinda have no opinion on the guest vocals. Like...they're fine, but I feel like I might find them funny/cringey, but not enough to to be bothered to express these feelings. They work. Tash also sings on Tori's xmas album Midwinter Graces (which is bleghh). But again, does fine. I'd just prefer to hear Tori Amos' old voice singing an entire album again. Which I know won't happen...though she's had a bit of a vocal rennaissance on tour lately. ---- Some new things I've heard. 1 This is like a bad dream. While I was watching I felt like I was tripping. It's truly terrible. I don't understand Will.i.am. Ugh. I love the joke that is J.Lo....but this is...SUMMIN ELSE 2 Surely the world's most boring video in relation to the intro? Anyway. Not as ICONIC as Whip My Hair, but Nicki's verse is enjoyable, one of her better recent guest verses. And I tolerate Willow as a 'child singer' cause she feels great, and isn't all sappy. Ok I’m the street fighter, call me Chun-Li a-a-and it’s goin’ down, l-l-like a bum knee Built a guest house to put the coupe in ’cause I’m a fireball, Hadouken! 3 I think I'll buy her album, it's only £7 or something. I'm not stunned by anything I've heard from it, but she reminds me of being younger. Like an old friend I see every few years or something. She comforts.

Old profiles look horrible and dated once you have the LEGENDARY new timeline.

I love how I was shocked that Lil' Kim had died/not shocked at all/thinking how strange considering I sorta got into one of her albums a few months ago. Then I realised you'd tricked me again. Yeah, I have no opinion yet on his death, as I know so little about Korean politics, but will read up, to gained a forméd opine.

It's one of those 'functional' films, like fine/good/leaves no lasting impression on an adult mind. But technically well-done for what it is. *shrug* It's worse being Scottish and not having seen it. People are shocked. Only saw it last year...after moving to England...

The greatest.

My Movie Pick Toss-up between Melancholia and Drive. I thought both were sensational, in different ways. Oh wait. Actually I think We Need To Talk About Kevin, actually. At the top of this little pyramid. My album pick So hard! I'm planning my 'year review' for after the new year so have been listening to all my albums the last week or so. Hmm. I think in terms of...being a WHOLE thing that stands out in enjoyment factor *not to say it's the best of the year*, it'll have to be Other VERY notables: Lykke Li, Kate Bush, Laura Marling, Bon Iver, Kanye/Jay-Z...but I just love BTW. I ROFL inside when people crave Fame-era Gaga instead of her current sound. My song pick CLEAR WINNER I LOVE this song. Best chartpop song of the year. I find Calvin Harris an insufferable *thing* and this song just proves that he shouldn't sing his own songs. He can't sing, so stop doing it. Let Rihanna/Kelis sing them. Anyway. So euphoric. A brilliant pop song to close out the year with.

I like it. It's more visually appealing. I had it since...late September I think.

I have a thing about being limited - and I miss the concept of having to like...sit down and LISTEN to music. I'm railing against the overabundance of MP3's/facebook photos replacing photo albums etc. For now anyway. Plus album art is made for vinyl.

A turntable that also plays CDs and Tapes, and can record to both from vinyl, and has something to do with mp3's too...and comes with (basic) external speakers. £53 (reduced from £90 or something) An xmas present from my dad (I asked for), but he said to just buy it while I'm in London rather than having to drag it back down here post-yule. I love, though I'm less stunned if I can't attach my good speakers to it (which may be the case? I'm confused by it...will need more investigation, but it's ultimately secondary to the point). It's not hugely bassy, but at a good volume, it's fine. My record collection needs expanding.