2015 - Saturday Grrl

Change 2.0

11:19

So, I made a post about change couple of weeks ago. The change that I was talking about on that post is basically about the environmental change or change of surrounding that I was facing due to moving to Singapore and also further life goals or bucketlists of some sort. This time, I'm gonna talk about a lifestyle change.

I spent most of my free times being on the internet, which is not a secret anymore. I watched tons of videos on youtube, creepin through people's instagrams, and whatnots. And during these creepin sesh I stumbled upon so many profiles that have the word 'vegan' alongside with plants or fruit emojis attached on their profile. I saw their instagram feeds and I swear all of their foods are so colourful, vibrant, and look very appetizing. So I started to watch lots of vegan recipes videos on youtube, then it lead me to what i eat in a day videos, then it eventually lead me to tons of inspirational speeches about veganism, and also this documentary called, Earthling.

Earthling definitely opened my eyes to all these horrible things that are going on in this world but are still justified because of the amount of dollars that they're getting from commiting such fallacy. So, right after watching the documentary, I decided that I want to be a vegan. I don't want to contribute in this cruelty act anymore. I turned vegan overnight. Cold-turkey.

Tuesday, 24 November 2015. It was my first day of my vegan journey. I had my used to be favourite raisin loaf for breakfast. In fact, I had that loaf for breakfast for 3 days straight, and sometimes I had it too for snacks in between meals. Everything went well at first then, on the 3rd night, I was reading the ingredients list of the raisin loaf out of boredom and turns out, the loaf contains milk powder. I felt so horrible. I was so disappointed at myself. It's not even a week and I already failed. I was so confused and frustrated. Am I still vegan? Should I start over? Am I a hypocrite? My mind was all over the place and I ended up having cereal and soy milk for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of the week because I was so stressed out to the point I couldn't be bothered to cook or be productive (stop creating excuses, nurra!!!).

Few days after the I-found-out-I-Just-had-calves'-food-incident, I found a channel run by a girl called, Nilu Cooper. I watched her first video called 'MY TIPS FOR GOING VEGAN' and in the video she mentioned about how it's the intention that matters the most. It's all about intention, not perfection. and it relieved me. I'm a human, and human makes mistakes. I promise that I'm gonna try my best to NOT incorporate any animal products on my diet and to not participate in animal cruelty, but if I do it accidentally or I wasn't aware of it I won't be so hard on myself just like what I did to myself after finding out about that milk in my raisin loaf because, its not healthy and someone told me that if I commit a mistake and I know that I just made one, that proves that I'm actually trying, which is good.

So, to every single one of you out there who's reading this and still consume anything that used to be a living creature or came from one, I suggest you to use your privilege of having access to the World Wide Web to use it wisely and please go do some research on veganism and animal agriculture. Go watch those documentaries such as earthling, forks over knives, cowspiracy, etc. And follow more people who are very passionate about this lifestyle such as Bonny Rebecca, Kalel, earthlingmaxi, and so much more. And if you think only people who live in the western countries who adapt this lifestyle, well let me introduce you to Jessica Verina Johana (instagram: +Jessica Vije ) and Alicia Yudosaputro (instagram: @aliciayudos ). They're both Indonesians and also vegan! And also Jaslyn Goh ( instagram: @jaslyngoh ) and Nicole Bernadette Ong (instagram: @nicoolest_) who are Singapore based vegans! And this community is getting bigger and bigger! Back in my hometown in Batam, new vegetarian/vegan-friendly/vegan restaurants are keep opening. This proves that the demand for vegan-friendly food is getting bigger and bigger.

I changed my lifestyle to a plant-based lifestyle not just for the sake of losing weight or having clearer skin. But also for my health, for the animal, for the environment, and for the planet.

And I just made a video on what I had for breakfast on the last Saturday of 2015. I know it's just blended bananas topped with strawberries and a cup of green tea but I just want to put something up on my YouTube channel and yeah, haha.

If you're reading this post, thank you so much. Thanks for keeping up with my blabbering (but hey at least it's not a nonsense!!!), and have a wonderful holidays y'all xxx

Love,

Nurra

music

2015: My Year in Music

04:53

Unless you've been living under a huge rock like Patrick Star, you've probably ever heard or maybe a user of Spotify. Let me tell you guys something, Spotify is seriously the best invention (or app) ever for a broke girl but very against piracy like me. Spotify is a commercial music streaming, podcast and video service that provides digital rights management-restricted content from record labels and media companies including BBC, Sony, EMI, Warner Music Group, and Universal. Music can be browsed or searched by artist, album, genre, playlist, or record label. It is the world's most loved music streaming app. It allows you to stream music from 25 million songs, create and share playlists, etc. And it's definitely a life changer.

Eversince I downloaded the Spotify app on my phone and installed it on my laptop, I stopped downloading music illegally. All I have to do is just write down the title of the song or name of artist that I want to listen to and voila! The other thing I love about spotify is you can make your own playlist and listen to other people's playlists, which reminds me of 8tracks and I love how whenever I'm listening to other people's playlists, I always discover new artists or songs that I've never heard of before which makes me love this app even more.

Few days ago, I received an email from Spotify and it says;

"2015 sounded different to all of us. And now you can look back on your very own Year in Music – from the first song you streamed, to the artists you played non-stop.

So enjoy the memories, then share them with your friends."

GET YOUR YEAR IN MUSIC

I clicked the link and discovered the top 5 artists that I streamed a lot on 2015. Here's the countdown to my year in music via Spotify.

#5 - Lewis Watson

I've mentioned on my previous post before that Lewis' album, the morning is one of my favourite. Since, it's so hard to find the hard copy of the album here so streaming through spotify is my favourite way to listen to the album. Into the Wild is my ultimate favourite track of the album,

#4 - Circa Waves

I've mentioned about them a lot through my blog posts these couple of months and I can't stop talking about them. They're just THAT good.

#3 - Troye Sivan

It was just released couple of weeks ago and I think I've listened to the entire album for like 50 times. It's soooo good and I love every single track of this album and I'm loving the campaign as well. I'm so proud of my troyeboy and hopefully I will be able to see him perform live next year! This album gives me the Christmas comes early feel and it's indeed the best early xmas gift ever. I have so many favourites! Wild, Fools, Suburbia, Youth, oh my gosh I just love them all!

#2 - Bring Me The Horizon

This one is definitely the loudest among all of the artists that I've mentioned. I loved their previous album, Sempiternal and now I'm definitely in love with their new album That's the Spirit. So fresh, so enlightening, and definitely a good album to headbang to.True Friends, Happy Song, Doomed, Avalanche, and Throne are my favourite.

#1 - 5 Seconds of Summer

If you know me, this won't be a surprise to you. Their second studio album, Sounds Good Feels Good definitely sounds good and makes me feel good. I love this album so much more than their debut album. Listening to this album makes me want to see them live even more and I hope when I'm seeing them live they're gonna play Broken Home, Fly Away, Money, Safety Pin, Permanent Vacation, and Invisible because I love these songs so much and listening to these songs live will definitely make me the happiest girl on Earth.

and oh, I also made a video for the countdown! I hope you guys enjoy it! Please send me feedbacks and help me improve my blogging and /vlogging/ game!

Love,

Nurra

music

My Current Top 5 Favorite Albums

02:39

So, last month ask.fm bot asked me (well, all the users actually) what are my top 5 favorite albums. Without any hesitation, I answered the question right away (http://ask.fm/nurraaye/answer/132260959051).

The question was asked a day after 5 Seconds of Summer’s Sounds Good Feels Good was released so I couldn’t include it to the list, since I hadn’t give the album a very intense listen to it so, that wouldn’t be fair. But if the question is being asked to me NOW, I will definitely without any doubt will answer in one breath, 5 Seconds of Summer’s Sounds Good Feels Good, 10/10 very recommend.

NOW, back to the topic. If you know me you would be very surprised reading my answer. “OMG Nurra, have you stopped being emo??? Where’s the loud and punk albums?!”

To clarify things up,first, no I’m still the same emo Nurra as yesterday and second, gee can’t I listen and enjoy to other genre that doesn’t include screaming and white boys being all angsty and stuffs? I still enjoy pop-punk but, I’m starting to find the beauty in other genre that’s not pop-punk and it makes me happy. That’s the thing about music. Listening to music supposed to make you happy and relax. If you enjoy listening to metal, go listen to metal. If you enjoy listening to bubblegum-pop music, go listen to it! You do you. Don’t you ever let any other human being dictate you on how you’re supposed to be enjoying something as personal as music. That’s just wrong on many levels.

I listed Halsey, Circa Waves, Kendrick Lamar, Lewis Watson, and The Wombats’s albums as my Current Top 5 Favorite Albums. Here’s my further elaborations on why and how they made it to the list.

BADLANDS – Halsey

Halsey is a new name to the mainstream music industry yet, her debut album BADLANDS was able to make it to the top of music charts. Electropop music, unique vocals, deep and brain itching lyrics, and strong-angry-feminist aura, I’m definitely sold. My favourite tracks from the album are “Castle”, “New Americana”, “Roman Holiday”, and “Colors”.

2. Young Chasers – Circa Waves

I’ve done a review of this album on my previous post of my blog before (http://kookychum.blogspot.sg/2015/09/a-brand-new-home.html ) but, just let me repeat once again, it’s impossible to not be happy while you’re listening to this album. Enough said.

To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar

Was released on March 2015, this album is still by far my favourite hip-hop album of the year (sorry Drake!). Consists of 16 tracks that are friendly to the ear, I can’t stop listening to this album on full volume and feeling like a badass. The album opens with “Wesley’s Theory” featuring George Clinton and Thundercat and has a bit of jazzy or funk vibe to it that makes me want to lock (the dance move) to it! Lamar also pays a tribute to the late, Tupac through the track “Mortal Man” which closes this beautiful album.

4. the morning – Lewis Watson

The album was released on 2014 but it still remains as one of my favorite albums. “the morning” is Lewis Watson’s debut studio album and let me tell you one word to describe the album. Beautiful. It consists of 11 calming tracks and just like what the title says, it’s very appropriate to listening to this album on cold Sunday mornings when you don’t feel like leaving the warmth of your bed. “Holding on” and “Windows” are my favs from this album.

5. Glitterbug – The Wombats

Catchy, dreamy, and soothing. That’s all I can say about this English indie-rock band’s third album. Matthew Murphy’s vocals have never sounded better and this is just the perfect album to listen to while you’re staring at the ceiling of your room. My favorite track from this album is definitely “Greek Tragedy”. 10/10 very recommend.

Change.

16:52

Change. A 6 letters word that currently has a very strong meaning and rather sensitive to me. To become different. To become something else. To make someone or something different. That’s what the dictionary had told me what change is. Should I fear it or embrace it?

All my life I’ve been living a very monotonous life. I woke up everyday, get ready to school, got back home at around 6 then, locked myself inside of my room doing what they say normal generation z would do (doing homeworks, sitting in front of their computers, surf the internet, and whatnots). I lived in a small industrious island in a third-world country and didn’t have a life besides school. I kept on mumbling on how suck my life was and how fucked up the world is. These pissed me off. But do you know what pissed me off more? The fact that all I do are just mumbling and expecting someone else to change the fact that this world is a mess. I’ve always hated listening to other people complaining and there was this one night when I realised that I’m no different than those people whom I despise. I complained a lot. I demanded a lot. And I didn’t do anything about it. This is when I realised that I needed a change. I need to change.

On late September, I had a talk with my dad about my future education. We basically talked about uni requirements and stuffs like that. Then, on early October my dad asked me, “do you want to move to Singapore next month?” and without any doubt, I said yes. I could’ve answered it with a no and go on continue living my boring life but, nope. I said yes that I am willing to move, and yes, I am up for a new adventure. Or let's just say experience.

I moved to Singapore on Monday, 2 November 2015. Today has marked a month since I moved in here, and to be honest I hadn't really do much. But whenever I went out I always made sure that my camera (my sister's camera actually) was always with me and I always tried to record the moments. Basically whatever things that were happening and also to improve my skillz on photography. I know this isn't really a big deal but at least I tried to be more productive and didn't spend my entire free time(s) for being idle.

These are some picts that I took since my move.

picts taken by:

- (mostly) samsung nx3000
- apple iPhone 5
- apple iPhone 6

Today, has marked a month since I left the island where I was born and raised in and moved to another sunny island. As I've mentioned above, I want to be more productive and creative, basically more useful (couldn't find the right word). I've always enjoyed playing around with cameras, watching vlogs on youtube, and documenting moments. I've watched a lot of vlogs lately, mostly by Casey Neistat, Ben Brown, and lately I've been enjoying Adrian Bliss' #Vlogvember. So, I thought why not make my own vlog?

I didn't go out much, to be honest. I spent most of my free times being idle (gosh). So, whenever I had the chance to go out I always tried to film almost everything. So yeah, here's a video (or vlog?) of me walking around Orchard Rd being all touristy and doing grocery during my first month in Singapore!

I apologise for the quality and the boring stuffs that I poured into it and for not doing my best. But, in honour of the ~monthversarry~ of me moving out of the hellhole, I feel the need to celebrate it and that's by uploading this video! And I hope this will motivates me to produce FARRRR way better content in the future.

Love,

Nurra

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#dontjudgechallenge

Just My 2¢ - #dontjudgechallenge

03:02

I seriously am judging everyone who does the #dontjudgechallenge.

I know I'm late to actually write and share my thoughts about this trend which isn't trending anymore (THANK GOD). But, since the first time I saw this trend I had always wanted to do a long rant and just let everything out of my chest, and the time has finally came.

The main purpose of the challenge was to promote self love and acceptance. But, unfortunately it backfired. Which is so unfortunate and makes me sick.

Unless you've been living under a rock or inside a cave, far far away from the civilization, you've probably seen at least one video under the hashtag #dontjudgechallenge be it on instagram, twitter, vine, or anywhere online.

At the beginning of the video, people exposed their "ugly face". They intentionally made themselves look horrendous by drawing unibrow, drawing fake acnes, darkened their tooth, and whatnots. Then, whoosh. Few seconds later, they reveal their beautiful faces and act all confident and stuffs. This is just so wrong on so many levels.

I hate how they make themselves look "ugly" on the beginning of the video by drawing unibrow, cover their faces with fake acnes, putting on glasses, and so on and so forth. Are you saying that people with unibrow are ugly? Are you saying that people with acne are ugly? I've seen a LOT of people with unibrow and they're all beautiful. I know people who have acne yet, they're still attractive and confident with themselves. By doing this thing you're making it sound as if those with unibrow, acne, tooth gap, glasses are ugly. Yay to beauty standards.

I hate the idea of false confidence that is being shared through this trend. On the end of the video, people tend to be confident with "decent" makeup on. No, I'm not against makeup. I wear makeup myself. But I just don't like the idea of how these people making it look like as if you're only supposed to be confident when you have makeup on. Or is it just me? IDK... But anyways, you should be confident with or without makeup. And, no. I'm not telling you to NOT wear makeup. If makeup makes you feel confident then, go. Put on those products on your beautiful face and may your wings always be even.

What's saddening is when I saw someone who has great influence among youths on the internet doing this challenge. It's sad seeing someone who used to say "love yourself, everyone is beautiful xoxo" uploaded their video of doing this challenge on their instagram. Yeah everyone is beautiful except those with acne, big lips, and unibrow. Ha!

We live in a world where being considered as beautiful and attractive IS everything as if looking beautiful and pleasing everyone is a top priority in life when it's actually not. I still struggle with being confident, sometimes. Seeing viral trend like this is very sickening. I've had enough of crappy things IRL that screwed my self-esteem and now I have to deal with it URL too?!

I wish everyone, including myself will start loving themselves more and accepting the way they are. Let's focus more on things that we love and passionate about, and chase those dreams that we haven't achieved yet. We are all beautiful no matter what and we should believe that. Even if there's somebody out there who doesn't see you as beautiful well, fuck them. That shouldn't matter, anyways. You're so much more than beautiful face that slowly ages. You're so much more than that.

If you have ever done this challenge and still have it up on your page, I kindly ask you to please remove it. Let's make the internet a better place and give no space to shallow people.

With that being said, I, regret the rise of #dontjudgechallenge that backfired into something that spreads negativity and brings more harm than good. I believe we should spread positivity and raise more awareness on self love and acceptance.

Here are some articles that are worth reading, and a very inspiring video by Em Ford.

- Don't Judge Challenge: Is It Encouraging Self Love Or Is It Speaking Volumes About Out Culture? by Vanessa Alamo

- Here’s How the ‘Don’t Judge Challenge’ Totally Backfired by Jack Linshi

And here's a selfie of yours truly,

screw you and your standards.

circa waves

a b(r)and new home

06:04

Circa Waves. From the first time I heard the name of this band, I could tell that this must be another /indie/ or obscure band from England that hipsters listen too. And I was right. According to Wikipedia, Circa Waves is an Indie-rock band (yeah, I still have to look them up on Wikipedia because I suck at differentiating genres. Growing up, I had hard times telling which one is R&B, which one is rap and now they have what, indie rock?! Indie pop? Dreamy pop??!! Electronic?? Deep house??!! Oh lord...). The band was formed in Liverpool back in 2013. Consisting of Kieran Shudall (lead vocals, guitar), Sam Rourke (bass), Joe Folconer (lead guitar), and Colin Jones (drums).

Their debut single "Get Away/Good For Me" was released on December 2013. Then, on January 2014 their second single called Stuck In My Teeth was released on iTunes. Stuck in My Teeth has a very cheerful and happy tune. If you don't really pay attention to the lyrics carefully, you might think that it's a happy song about going on a road trip when in fact, it's actually a song about a relationship that is difficult to leave behind. They released their debut album called Young Chaser on March 2015 and it's impossible to not be happy when you're listening to it.

They've toured with one of my favourite bands, The 1975 and it's another reason for me to love them. They've also ever performed on huge festivals like Hurricane and Southside Festivals in Germany, Latitude Festival, T-in the Park, Glastonbury Festival, and Splendour in the Grass (Australia). They also performed at Arenal Sound (Spain), Summersonic in Japan, and at Reading and Leeds Festival at the end of August 2014. And They also toured with another cool band, The Libertines on September 2014.

And they will be touring around Asia next month for Stand for Something Tour 2015 and the tickets to their shows in Asia are free! I'm so excited and I hope I won't be busy during that time of the month so I can catch their gig in Singapore and listen to their music live and breath in the good vibe that they always deliver through their music which I usually blast loudly in my room. I'd like to experience the feeling of listening to their music live and singing along to their songs with bunch of strangers that share the same love that I have for this band and their music.

Just like what I've said before, it’s impossible to not be happy when you’re listening to their music. Their music makes me feel nostalgic about something that I’ve always wanted to experience but i actually never experienced. I have no idea how does it happen or what’s it called. A (reversed) déjà vu, perhaps? I find it very magical and that's what I love about their music. I hope I will be able to see them perform live and experience the magic that is listening to their music live whilst singing along to it with bunch of strangers who share the same love as I do towards this band.

My favourite tracks from them are T-shirt Weather, Young Chaser, Fossils, Get Away, and Stuck in My Teeth. Those songs make me feel happy and pumped and I remember their first song that I listened to was T-Shirt Weather and by the moment it reached the chorus I told myself, "I think I've found myself another new favourite band". Let me quote from one of their songs, Stuck in My Teeth which describes my feeling towards this band best,

.....And (I) find myself a brand new home

Love,

Nurra