K Is For Killer Blogs

Day 11 of my A to Z Challenge. K is for Killer Blogs.

If you don't know how this works, I've posted the link back to the rules of the challenge at the end of this, along with a link to yesterday's post. If you want to read my full alphabet, just keep following the links. Each day has a link back to yesterday's post.

There are thousands of amazing blogs out there, and narrowing it down has been incredibly difficult. This list started out as my top 10, but I really couldn’t bear to leave any of these out, so it has become my top 15.

I would say they are in no particular order, but if I just list them, it looks like an order, so I’ve put them in alphabetical order by name. I am not being paid/bribed to list these blogs, in fact, none of the bloggers know I’m doing this. I will let them know once the post is live, as I don’t want anyone thinking I’m trying to use them in anyway. I hope none of them mind, I’m still fairly new to this and not really sure on the rules, but I’ve spoken to a few bloggers who say it will be ok as its positive. Fingers crossed. Here goes:

Becky Bedbug

Find it here: http://www.beckybedbug.com/

Blog type: Lifestyle and beauty blog.

Why I chose this blog: I love this blog because it covers a bit of everything. Posts range from fashion, life updates, events and everything in between!

Chelsea Potter

Find it here: http://chelseapotter.co.uk/

Blog Type: Beauty and lifestyle blog 

Why I Chose This Blog: I enjoy reading list type posts, and this blog has some brilliant ones, all written with such humour.

Doneisha Dodd

Find it here: http://www.doneishadodd.com/

Blog type: Motivational lifestyle blog

Why I chose this blog: I love the positive feel of this blog. There is such much negativity in the world and it’s nice to read uplifting posts.

Dorkface

Find it here: http://www.dorkface.co.uk/

Blog type: Lifestyle and beauty blog

Why I chose this blog: Amongst other things, I have found some really useful posts about improving your blog. I also found Tweetdeck due to a post on this blog and it’s been a lifesaver!

Honest Mum

Find it here: http://www.honestmum.com

Blog type: Lifestyle and parenting blog

Why I chose this blog: This is another blog that has some great posts on how to improve your blog. It also has a good mix of posts from daily life to everyday style tips.

Mum’s Days

Find it here: http://www.mumsdays.com

Blog Type: Parenting blog

Why I chose this blog: As a co-host to #TheList linky, I have found this blog so valuable. Linkys are a brilliant way to get your posts seen and to find some amazing blogs that you might not have come across.

Ordinarily Quirky

Find it here: http://ordinarilyquirky.blogspot.ie

Blog type: Love, relationship and lifestyle blog

Why I chose this blog: I love this blog, the posts are well written and the blogger is not afraid to give an opinion on controversial issues.

Pouting In Heels

Find it here: http://www.poutinginheels.com

Blog type: Lifestyle blog

Why I chose this blog: A good mix of posts, my personal favourite being nine blogging myths that need to be cleared up.

She Might Be Loved

Find it here: http://www.shemightbeloved.com/

Blog type: Plus size fashion and beauty blog

Why I chose this blog: This blog is so glamorous and really shows you don’t have to be a size 0 to be beautiful.

The Dad Network

Find it here: http://www.thedadnetwork.co.uk

Blog Type: Parenting blog

Why I chose this blog: I like how this blog gives a different perspective on parenting, as the majority of parenting blogs are written by mothers, it’s nice to get a dad’s view.

The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Wannabe Princess

Find it here: http://www.wannabeprincess.co.uk

Blog Type: Lifestyle and plus size fashion blog

Why I chose this blog: This blog really pushes home a positive body image. As founder of the #WeAreTheThey trend, this blog is truly inspirational.

The Single Swan

Find it here: http://www.thesingleswan.com

Blog Type: Parenting blog

Why I Chose this blog: I really like the simple, crisp design of this blog. I recently read the post “all about my in laws” and it was so relatable.

What Katy Said

Find it here: http://www.whatkatysaid.com

Blog type: Lifestyle blog

Why I chose this blog: A good mix of post types on this one, there really is something for everyone!

You Baby Me Mummy

Find it here: http://youbabymemummy.com/

Blog type: Parenting blog

Why I chose this blog: As a co-host to #TheList linky, I have found this blog so valuable. Linkys are a brilliant way to get your posts seen and to find some amazing blogs that you might not have come across.

Zusters Chap

Find it here: http://zusterschapcollective.com/

Blog type: Lifestyle for women blog

Why I chose this blog: Another blog that promotes positive body image, one of their contributors started the #EachBodysReady trend.

 

Drop by a few of them, read some brilliant posts and say hello.

 

What do you think of my choices? Are any of your favourites on there? Any you think should have been included?

 

Follow me on Twitter @randommusings29 and feel free to comment :)

 

Link to rules: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/a-z-challenge-whos-with-me.html

Link to J Is For Jodi Picoult: http://www.myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/j-is-for-jodi-picoult.html

J Is For Jodi Picoult

Day 10 of my A to Z Challenge. J is for Jodi Picoult. 

If you don't know how this works, I've posted the link back to the rules of the challenge at the end of this, along with a link to yesterday's post. If you want to read my full alphabet, just keep following the links. Each day has a link back to yesterday's post.

I knew when I started this challenge, that I wanted to include an author somewhere along the way. There are a lot of great authors out there, and I have several favourites. I chose Jodi Picoult, because she is the one author who has never let me down as a reader. I have read all of her books and I’ve truly loved every one of them.

So, what is it that makes her so great? I think it’s a combination of things, but for me there are two main elements that keep me coming back.

1. Her books are realistic. The first book of hers I read (My Sister’s Keeper) I actually thought was a true story. She writes about what I think of as “normal people” experiencing things that really happen.

2. Her characters. The characters in her books are so well written. She has a knack for understanding people of all ages and all walks of life and this really comes out in her work. The characters are believable, and you can really imagine that that is how they would react to the situations within the books.

It’s hard to pick a favourite book and I can’t choose just one. My two favourites are My Sister’s Keeper and The Pact. I won’t spoil them for you if you haven’t read them yet (if you haven’t, you really should), but I found them both so moving, and so utterly real.

My Sister’s Keeper is a truly sad story. It centres around a family with 2 young girls, one of whom has leukemia, and the other who is a match for being a donor. The story is told from several viewpoints within the family, all of which have very different voices and all feel so real. It is a true moral dilemma story. As the parents, which child’s quality of life would you put first? Who would you sacrifice to save the other? As the healthy child, how far would you endanger yourself to save your sister? It truly makes you question how you would react in this situation.

The Pact is another sad story. It centres around Chris and Emily, two teenagers who have known each other all their lives. Emily dies from a gun shot wound to the head and Chris is found with the gun with one remaining bullet, and tells of a suicide pact the two had made. Chris finds himself on trial for murder. How would you feel if Chris was your son? How would Chris himself feel?

I think this is what sets Jodi Picoult apart as an author. Her writing makes you question everything you thought you knew about how you would react in a situation. She has an uncanny knack for making you wonder how you would really react, and the consequences of your decision, and makes you experience the emotions that go with it. And those thoughts don’t end when you finish reading the book. They will stay with you. I love thought provoking fiction, and Jodi Picoult is the queen of thought provoking.

If you haven’t read any of her books yet, I can’t recommend them highly enough.

What do you think? Do you find her books stay with you? Who is your favourite author?

As an aside, I would just like to point out that this isn’t a commissioned post, and I am in no way affiliated with Jodi Picoult or her publishers. I just genuinely believe that she is brilliant at what she does and deserves recognition for it.

Follow me on Twitter @randommusings29 and feel free to comment :)

Link to rules: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/a-z-challenge-whos-with-me.html

Link to I Is For Inspirational Songs: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/i-is-for-inspirational-songs.html

I Is For Inspirational Songs

Day 9 of my A to Z Challenge. I is for Inspirational Songs.

If you don't know how this works, I've posted the link back to the rules of the challenge at the end of this, along with a link to yesterday's post. If you want to read my full alphabet, just keep following the links. Each day has a link back to yesterday's post.

I love music, and I felt like I had to include something musical in this challenge. Obviously, there are millions of songs out there, and if I didn’t find a way to limit the material, this post would have never seen the light of day. So to make it easier (that was the theory but I actually think it made it harder), I narrowed it down a bit, and only allowed myself to choose from songs that are on my mobile.

So here goes, in no particular order 25 songs that inspire me in some way:

1. Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor.

Who could fail to be inspired by the ultimate kick ass song from Rocky? This inspires me in every way to just go out and fight for what you want (maybe not the same way Rocky did though unless you actually are a boxer, this could well end in a law suit!).

2. I Want To Break Free by Queen.

No one says be yourself and defy society better than Freddie. It inspires me to just be me and not care what anyone thinks.

3. Independent Woman by Destiny’s Child.

The title says it all! It inspires me to stand on my own two feet, and not rely on a man to “take care of me”.

4. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.

The ultimate break-up song. This list would not be complete without this song from the queen of moving on, and it inspires me to do just that.

5. Red by Taylor Swift.

This song inspires me to go out and have that burning hot, passionate love that may not last forever, but it’s so good while it does last.

6. Lighthouse In The Storm by Lucy Spraggan.

This song inspires me to stay grounded no matter what!

7. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams by Greenday.

Whenever I feel a bit down or lonely, this song reminds me that we are all ultimately facing our journey alone, and that inspires me to carry on.

8. Everything’s Beautiful (In Its Own Way) by Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.

This one inspires me to look for the beauty in anything and everything.

9. Girl In The Mirror by Cheryl.

This just reminds me that even people who are viewed as having the perfect life still look in the mirror and don’t always like what they see. It inspires me to give myself a break every once in a while.

10. Hand In My Pocket by Alanis Morissette.

This one inspires me to look for a positive for every negative.

11. Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin.

This one inspires me to cut negative people out of my life.

12. How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding.

This inspires me to find Mr Right instead of Mr Right Now.

13. Jolene by Dolly Parton.

I’m not sure this was her intention, but this song always inspires me to ditch any guy that makes me feel like I have to go to someone else and practically beg her not to take him away. For the record, it also never fails to make me angry!

14. The Last Time by Gary Lightbody and Taylor Swift.

This one inspires me to keep a check on my priorities and make sure I’m putting the right people first.

15. Monkey Wrench by The Foo Fighters.

This one inspires me to not stay in a relationship (romantic or platonic) that’s constantly one sided enough to leave me feeling emotionally drained and used.

16. No Regrets by N-Dubz.

Another one where the title says it all. It inspires me to try and not focus on regrets, and instead to look to the future.

17. Pearl by Katy Perry.

This one inspires me to not let anyone else stop me being me, and to not stay in a relationship that makes me feel diluted.

18. The Right Kind Of Wrong by LeAnn Rimes.

This one always inspires me to not overlook a person because other people think they are wrong for you. I know that’s not what the song is about, but it’s still the way it makes me feel.

19. Roar by Katy Perry.

This one inspires me to show the haters the door, and stand up and be counted. It's also a great song for making me feel fired up for any tough challenges the day is going to bring.

20. Screw You by Cheryl and Wretch 32.

Another one that inspires me to say screw you and move on. It’s like I will survive for the more modern woman,

21. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift.

Another one that inspires me to just be me and not care what anyone else thinks about that.

22. Skyfall by Adele.

This one inspires me to find someone with whom I have a strong enough connection to genuinely believe that whatever happens, we’ll be ok as long as we’re together.

23. You Learn by Alanis Morissette.

This one is another that inspires me to not live in the past, thinking of old regrets. Learn from them and move on.

24. The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band.

A lot of people will think this is a strange one to include, but this song always inspires me to remember that occasionally, the good guy wins.

25. Lucky by Britney Spears.

This one inspires me to be thankful for what I’ve got, and to remember that even people who seem to have everything don’t always feel happy.

Do you agree with any of these? Have I missed any you would have liked to see included? What’s your all time inspirational songs?

Follow me on Twitter @randommusings29 and feel free to comment :)

Link to rules: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/a-z-challenge-whos-with-me.html

Link to H Is For Harry Potter: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/h-is-for-harry-potter.html

H Is For Harry Potter

Day 8 of my A to Z Challenge. H is for Harry Potter.

If you don't know how this works, I've posted the link back to the rules of the challenge at the end of this, along with a link to yesterday's post. If you want to read my full alphabet, just keep following the links. Each day has a link back to yesterday's post.

I couldn’t do the letter H without it being Harry Potter - simply because I love it! I was a little late to the party. I was never part of the crowd that queued up at midnight for the next book, or had to see the movie on the first day of its release.

In fact, I had never watched any of the movies, and one day I decided that that many people couldn’t be wrong so I went out and bought the DVD box set. That’s how late I was - not just fashionably late, but horrifically late.

Anyway, over the course of a couple of days, I watched them all.

I must admit to not being a massive fan of The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber Of Secrets. I think maybe because Harry and Co are so young, they truly do feel like children’s films. I tend to skip those two when I re-watch them all, which is still a regular thing for me! 

By the end of The Prisoner Of Azkaban though, I was hooked. I got so into them. I cried more times than I can remember (not just the first time I watched them either). And I'm not someone who cries at movies generally.

I would say *spoiler alert* but I'm pretty sure everyone knows how they go by now. I cried when Dumbledore died, even more so when Dobby died (why would J K Rowling be that mean?), when Hermione wiped herself from her parents memory, when Ron left, when Harry watched Snape's memories of his mother and found out the whole truth, when Harry sacrificed himself (I cried so hard the first time at this, I totally missed the point that he wasn't dead, so when he miraculously "came back to life" I had to skip back and see what I'd missed).

And of course, when Sirius Black died. He isn't just part of the list, he gets his own section, because I still don't think I'm over this. Who is? I was an emotional wreck here. It's not just the fact he was arguably the best supporting character, it's the fact everyone Harry loves seems to die.

The flash to the future at the end was nice, they all lived happily ever after, but let's face it, in truth, they all would have been so messed up that none of them would have been happy.Harry would have turned to drink and died alone, scared to love anyone in case they became touched by the curse. Ron would have had serious self esteem issues, because in his mind he could never live up to the chosen one, and would always wonder why Hermione chose him. Hermione would secretly resent Ron, because deep down, she would know she made the wrong choice - it should have been Harry.

I then decided to give the books a whirl, and that’s where I seem to disagree with the rest of the world. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed them. They were well written and engaging. But (there’s always a but isn’t there?) I preferred the movies. There, I said it. Shoot me now!

The books didn't seem to hit that emotional chord with me in the way the movies had. Not even a lump in my throat, let alone tears.

It’s very rare for me to feel that way. Normally I prefer the book. I think it might be because I watched the movies first, so where the books and movies differed, I felt the movies were the “original” when usually it’s the other way around for me.

What do you think? Am I terrible human being for preferring the movies to the books? Anyone want to confess to feeling the same way?

Follow me on Twitter @myrandommusings29 and feel free to comment J

Link to rules: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/a-z-challenge-whos-with-me.html

Link to G is for Getting Motivated:

http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/g-is-for-getting-motivated.html