Regaining a Social Life!

The deed is done....exams are over and luckily I passed: YAY!
Turns out I haven't gone out with friends or simply hung out with them since I started studying. So now re-socializing is the deed which needs to be done.
Turns out when going clubbing with your friends for the first time since new years eve even music you usually try to keep away from seems like huge fun. Yup, I actually enjoyed dancing to "Drop it like it's hot". But I must admit, music of that style isn't that bad at all! Perfect to dance to and just have fun with your friends.
But nevertheless that wasn't enough. I invited all my friends over for a little party, since we were only a small group last Saturday.
So now again the problem: WHAT MUSIC DO I PLAY?!
I am not kidding when I say, that each one of us has a different taste in music.
So here is my MASTERPLAN:
I don't choose the music...I let each and everyone decide for themselves what to listen. How I plan on doing that? Easy : I simply open Youtube and let them choose for themselves what they are up for. Another benefit is, that we will have a great mixture of different music-genres and boredom won't come up. Maybe I will get to know some new artists that I like. Who know ;)

Yup, definitely enjoying  being back in the social life!!

Stay crazy and love your life!

Snoeks

Exams cause psycho alarm!

And the time has come...my first time writing exams on University. That is a psycho scare of its finest. I can barely sleep...WHAT IS SLEEP?!
Yup, even when taking a study break I can`t seem to relax. Good thing I know exactly which songs to listen to and my heart rate goes down and a smile appears on my lips...YAY!
So for all of you, who have the same problem, I would like to share my insights with you, in what music to listen, to give you at  least some minutes of piece. But it is important, that you use headphones. It is important to shut out all the other noises in your surroundings, that could make you nervous. But don't do that when you are a pedestrian, trying to cross a street. I don't want anyone to get hurt ;).

1. Deep House is relaxations second name. I am serious: No matter what Deep House you listen, it calms you down instantly. Perfect example? 

Bedouin Soundclash - Brutal Hearts (Lexer Remix) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlTJb49OkhA): Even though the lyrics are a bit sad, the feeling when they sing "use me" is a goosebumps moment.The long intro prepares you perfectly for the song, bringing you heart rate down and putting you in a mood, ready to take in every sound coming out of you headphones.

2. Chose your personal EPIC song. Each person should have their own personal epic songs. Even when it is something embarrassing...don't give a shit and listen to them. Me for one...I admit one of my epic songs is "We Are Golden" by Mika. I do the same he does in his Video, when I listen to that song. No matter what song it is....listen to it as loud as your ears will take it and goof around!

3. Acoustic Guitars. Acoustic guitars have the most soothing effect on me. And a soothing voice to accompany the guitar. 

Foy Vance - Homebird (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXo0vjnhOcM): This chorus...oh this chorus makes my heart melt!

4.Get some new music! Download an album you have wanted for a while and let it run up and down. The hype I get when listening to new music I downloaded is amazing! Like the feeling after the first kiss with the person you love. Magic, pure magic. My newest album which is running up and down on my headphones right now?  "The Glorious Dead" by The Heavy!

Hope I could help!

Stay crazy and love your life!

Snoeks.

 

X-mas panic!

Yup, it got me again this year...not knowing what presents to get my family. Sometimes I wonder whose stupid idea the present giving was...of course not as a serious thought, but as a thought coming from frustration.
For some reason I find it easier to get presents fro friends than for my own family. Strange right?
Well seems I will have to go power shopping tomorrow...presents from Hamburg for my family makes sense...but also shortens my time I have to think about it. WOOHOOO!
Also with work and University the Christmas feeling didn't reach me at all.
I tried listening to some Christmas songs....but I feel majorly sick ,when I have to listen to the same idiotic songs over and over again every year. If I hear "Last Christmas" by Wham once more I will scream!
Soooo I made it my job in the last days to find Christmas songs a are a teensy bit different....old "classics" pumped up in a new and fun way.

Here my top three:

3. All I Want For Christmas Is You - My Chemical Romance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8rjrPIGZ5U)  : They took the annoying fluffiness out of this song and made it fun to listen!


2.Last Christmas - DAILY GRIND (Wham! cover)(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrM1gk_yeDs) : Better singer with a better voice...better harmonic composition in the chorus...guitars guitars and drums...there you go: I DON'T HAVE TO SCREAM LISTENING TO LAST CHRISTMAS!!! Amazing guys! Could be the starting jingle of some series...I dunno..the sound reminds me of that.


1.Train - Shake up Christmas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-8VCL4uSUc) : Because you just can't help but like Train. That voice....soooo AMAZING! They had me with "Drops of Jupiter" and "Hopeless"....no seriously..."Hopeless" is great. gives me goosebumps when I listen to it.



 But seriously now...I really struggle with Christmas songs. So I rather treat my ears, my heart and my soul with something which deserves to be called music.

TRY THIS: The Heavy -- What Makes A Good Man (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZEbaXPVRWE) 

Who manages to stay untouched and sit still listening to this song....well sorry guys then I can't help you.


Stay crazy and love your life,

Snoeks

Assignments

Assignments...little buggers that make your life a living HELL!
In my cleverness I randomly chose those assignments for my seminars I had the most interest in and did not check out the dates I need to hand them in...lucky me...all in the same 2 weeks of the semester. And not simple written assignments....noooo....presentations!!!!
So yup....a lot to do in a very short period of time.
But how do you keep calm and coordinate them?
My tactics:
1. Do not work for more than one assignment a day...you will get the material all mixed up, which will end in total confusion! You won't remember on which assignment you are working now and what to write down. HELLO IDIOCY!
2. Take a break. After 2 hours your brain will be total mush...I am serious! To prevent this from happening take 10 minute breaks every hour, but not longer...otherwise you will not be able to get back into your "FLOW"...yup.... And what to do in those breaks? Get some fresh air, drink something sugary and listen to HAPPY music with a proper beat. Nothing too slow...that will make you tired. And nothing to fast...that will make you nervous. Try "Happy" by C2C...does the job every time for me!
3. Make sure your phone won't ring....texting and chatting will make you unfocused.
4. Do not work after 9pm...your brain will already be switched to brainless mode and trying to keep on working will only bring FRUSTRATION! And that will be the end to your MOTIVATION!

Sure, I am not an expert, but those things worked quite well for me. And if you are wondering, why it took me so long to write a new entry to my blog....it has the same effect like texting and chatting on me...makes me totally unfocused!

Stay crazy and love your life!

Snoeks

Partymusic

Everybody knows this problem: You have a group of friends coming over for a little house-party, but you have no idea which music to play, because each one of them has a different music taste.
If you put on some ROCK , some will say: "I can't dance to this shit!"
If you put on ELECTRO, the others will say: "What are these stupid beeping noises?"
So: WHAT SHALL I DO ?!?!?!?
Honestly ? Sometimes I shit on them and just put on, what I feel up to.
But there are ways to get around music-complaints:
1. What about a mixed playlist? Chose songs which suit a party and are all diverse. For garden-parties I suggest some REGGAE paired with some DEEP HOUSE and some ROCK CLASSICS like "Dani California" by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
2. If you aren't in the mood to make a complete playlist, just put your player on shuffle. I you have so many different styles on your player, like I do, that should work perfectly...EXCEPT you have some unsuitable songs which are too different. I have that problem, because Mumford and Sons go hand in hand with Rammstein. Those are two extremes which might kill the mood.
3. OLD CLASSICS from the 70ies, 80ies, 90ies are always welcome. Nobody will complain about "Sex Bomb" by Tom Jones or "I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters. Everybody knows the lyrics and can sing along. PERFECT! Even a song like "Because I Got High" by Afroman or "I Like Big Butts" by Sir Mix-a-lot will be celebrated!

I don't know which I will try at my next party, but the third option definitely made our day at my last one!


Hope I could help!

Stay crazy and love your life!

Snoeks

Procrastination

A really annoying bugger, but sadly always at my side. Again I am sitting in front of papers I should read...and all I can think about are the other stuff, which are more fun to do...HURRAY!
So again I put my papers and my marker away and am now writing this post in my blog.
At least not something completely brain dead.
But what do against it?
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO FREAKIN' IDEA!
There are always more interesting an fun things to do. Even if you lock me into a room with absolutely nothing in it, except  my papers, I would probably spend the first hours doing hand stands and try absolutely dumb dance moves. Hurray for me that I always have music in my head!
Even though I always procrastinate, I have the luck of working more effective and better und real time pressure.
My best works where done the evening before the deadline...but that was in school. Here in Uni something definitely has to change. UGH!!!
Any advice???
I discovered my best working hours are between 4 and 6pm. So momentarily I try doing as much work in that time as possible...if there weren't my stupid headphones and my beloved guitars.
DAMMIT!
You ever realized how beautiful the wall seems, when you are studying? Or how interesting the colour of your fingernails gets? Crazy right?
I think all we procrastinators can do is hope for salvation or a motivation boost. Keep your fingers crossed!

Stuck in never fight, but...

...stay crazy and love life!

Snoeks

Insomnia

Being a student and living alone gives you a lot of free choices. One of these is when to go to sleep and when to get up. Well this is no option for me right now. I suffer from freakin' INSOMNIA!!!
You know that that is your problem, when you lay in bed...wide awake....thoughts going through your head that won't let you fall asleep. That wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that I checked the time and it was 5:30 AM!!! Not so bad I thought...it was a Sunday morning. You will go to bed earlier the next night, right? WRONG!! How about going to bed early, just to lay awake until 4:30 AM and you have to get up in three hours! OH JOY! Then falling asleep in all your classes...EVEN BETTER!
But what is the cause of insomnia?
You know that feeling when something is bothering you and you don't know what? And then you get even more pissed, because you can't figure out what is bothering you? And then it gets worse. Impossible to sleep with that curse.
But what to do against it? I tried different things over the last few days and found some more effective:
1. Listen to some chilled DEEP HOUSE or music from DEER HOUSE MUSIC (the DEER is intended)! The music gets your thoughts away from what bothers you and the beat makes you sleepy. At least that is the effect it has on me.
2. Sure, not the most legit way, but probably one of the most effective ones: Drink a cup of tea and spike it with some RUM! Slept like a baby.
3. Figure out what is bothering you. How? Listen to different songs that cause different emotions. If there is a song that you listen to when you are into someone then try it. If your heart starts beating or you start crying: ET VOILA! You are falling for someone you poor bugger. My problem however was of different nature. I felt guilty for leaving my family and doing what was best for me. However the right songs got me over it. This must sound weird, but the song that did the trick for me was "The First Note is Silent" by High Contrast. And of course the support of my amazing family!
4. If nothing helps, choose a night in which you simply don't sleep. The next day you will be so TIRED, your brain won't have time to mess with you after you fell into your bed.


Hope I can give you guys a good night's worth of sleep!
Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5D0pBFTWCI&index=5&list=PLzDANnRa_BI0pQifWazggRBaB3QfW07aZ


Stay crazy and love your life!

Snoeks