A BEAUTIFUL CAUSE

Hello Internet People!

So, as some of you may know, i am a gay man, and it's not my choice to be this way. You see i've always wanted kids of my own and a family, and it's much harder to do that in my situation. I used to think that if I had a choice i'd be straight, and live like a 'normal person' but fuck that, i'm fine as i am. You see, i've been brought up with a brother and a father that are very homophobic and i know how it feels to be held back by someone. Recently, even my mother has gotten in on it and told me that i need to act 'normal and straight' around the house - hearing that from the one person in the family that appeared supportive of you was like being shot in the heart. Being gay is not a choice, so why should i feel like i'm wrong?

I was watching one of Hannah Hart's brilliant My Drunk Kitchen episodes on youtube when she actually struck a nerve when she talked about the LGBT youths in Russia that are having to live basically in fear at the time being, as they have to hide their true selves because of the Russian Government and their Homophobic new laws. it's not right that teens are growing  up scared of the country they live in, scared to be themselves. it's honestly sickening. That's why i'm writing this post, to hope that my readers understand how important that this cause is and hope that some of you might want to help. By just making a video or sending a short message of support, you can make them feel like someone is there, someone is trying to help and that they are not alone. It costs nothing, and it helps so many people, so please just follow the link below and help them today!

http://www.itgetsbetter.org/content/russia

thanks guys, you know i love you all x

FILMS & FEELINGS

Hello Internet People!

So, yet again i've had time off from this, but it's just been a confusing couple of days. I've had the strangest week in terms of feelings, because one second i'm happy and the next, well, not so much. Recently the littlest things have been setting me off, but a new week and a new look on life! I've been thinking about relationships a lot recently and i've come to the conclusion the dipping my toe in the shallow end is the best option for me because i don't think i'm ready to dive in just yet. It's easier to look than commit because then i get jealous or i get swept away into havoc straight away. Maybe it's best at the moment to see what's out there, meet new people and give myself a reason to get out of bed and stop watching films.

I've been thinking about the Oscars a lot recently, and as the cine-manic that i am, i'm seen most of the nominees and i think half of the choices are just plain wrong. I'm sorry but American Hustle was lacking a spark, The acting in Philomena felt hollow and The Wolf Of Wall Street too just plainly too long - don't get me wrong, it's a brilliant film but it just felt like it lasted days. The main two picks i agree with is Gravity and Dallas Buyers Club. Now, Gravity is just visually spectacular and breathtaking, with strong performances from the cast and the writing crew. I have never seen Sandra Bullock (who i never really liked before this film) act as well as the did in this film, she even made me tear up at points. I don't really know what to say about Dallas Buyers Club, apart from that it's poetic beauty shone to the last frame. Jared Leto who plays Rayon, a Transgender, AIDS ridden drug abuser was the most pure performance i have ever seen in a supporting actor. From the second he appeared he took a hold of you and shook you until you believed. He lost around 30 pounds to play the role and didn't break from character even when the camera weren't rolling until the end of the shoot - now that's commitment. If he doesn't win the Oscar, it;s a real injustice. Honourable mentions have to go to August: Osage County for it's Stellar cast and mesmerising acting acompanied by a heartfelt script and Frozen for making us all feel the warm touch of Disney in our hearts again.

So yeah, that's my thoughts on things for the time being, let me know what your comments are below or on my twitter :) x

BREAKDOWNS & BANDS

Hello Internet People!

 So I've taken a week off from posting because I've not really been useful for anything recently, and I'm not sure why. I've been breaking down a lot and it's not healthy, maybe i should see someone about it? I don't know. But yeah, i thought I'd let you know that I'm still alive anyway!

I've been really busy recently with my band, because as we prepare for festival season and possibly a mini tour, we need to make everything perfect as well as take a crack at writing new material. it's a lot of pressure but we need to get ourselves busy again, especially now that it's come to light that Nick Hodgson of Kaiser Chiefs fame had heard us and wants to see us live after liking what he heard. Hopefully we can get ourselves back on top of things as we were last year, and get some new fans in the making. Our current Demo EP is on free download on soundcloud right now! I know its a shameless plug but here are our links:

Youtube
Twitter
Facebook
Soundcloud 

Anyway, back to reality and today i saw a link on Youtube to the 'Top 10 Arctic Monkeys Songs' and after watching it, i got thinking about the success they've had over the years. Even though i know so many people who are ashamed to call themselves a fan in a desperate attempt to seem cool because of their achievements in the the 'mainstream' chart, they deserve to be the biggest band around at the moment. The approach that they have on music is so thorough yet so loving that they make a melody that no one can compete with, and it is clear that every note and every beat is carefully planned to make a winning combination . But above and beyond, the main back bone to the bands status is the lyrics. Only comparable to the words of Morrissey, Alex Turner's lyrics flow off his tongue in a beautiful narrative and leaves us all speechless. Truly no one can compete with the giants any time soon.

WEATHER & WANDERING

Hello Internet People!

So basically, as you may have seen on my twitter, i don't post two days a week so that i have something interesting to say! stupidly, my two days off were useless this week, unless you want to hear about how i went to bed at 11 on Saturday or how i sat and watched iPlayer on Friday - clearly my weekend was amazing. The main things that i've sone this weekend came today because i forced myself to leave the house because i was slowly becoming a potato. 

I do this stupid thing whenever i watch my football team (Everton) play on TV - basically i have a cigarette before, at half time and after the game. Smoking is not cool kids! anyway, what my ritual showed me today was the weather, and how rediculous it was. Where i live, it was literally every type of weather you can name taking  turns to piss me off. It made me think off the months ahead and the fact that soon i can put my parka and my trench coat away for the lighter months. I don't know what it was about today, but i've been a lot like the weather with my emotions, it was like i was controling it, or it controling me, because it's been a rollercoaster day for me, for absolutley no reason.

But enough about me being mental, lets get back to my day, shall we? in the suns final moments i decided to go for a wander, as it was sort of sunny, well it was behind the clouds, which somehow caused a mystifying sepia tone to my sight. Seeing as most of my friends have left for uni, i'm on my own, and i need to learn to get myself out of the house and keep active so i think this walk did the trick. i forgot how good fresh air was, and like i've said in previous posts, i live in a beautiful area so it was nice to take in the views. As i'm practically an alcoholic, it did end up in me watching the end of the football at the pub, but i feel like today was saved from my emotions by my willingness to change that and be outgoing. It made me think about how i need to get myself doing things i enjoy again and i'm giving myself a new aim for this year to get out more!

are you guys becoming lazy like myself? let me know in the comments :) x

OUR WINTER FAVOURITES!!! ft. VickieBlogs

Hello Internet People!

So, I was sat talking to my gal Vickieblogs when she said that we could collaborate on a post for my blog, and after seconds of deciding what to write about, she suggested that we talk about our winter favourites! It can be anything that we attained or used in the winter season that we loved, and because we could go on all day about the beauty and fashion products we both got during this winter season, it'd be a lengthy post! Instead, we have capped it to our two favourite things, so that we don't bore you with a long list of pointless info! so here they are:

Tom's winter favourites!


Tom's first favourite
I'd have to say that my first winter favourite will have to be the Wemoto jumper I got when I went to Leeds and basically bought myself a massive ARK haul. ARK had an up to 75% off sale and i got it for about £20 which is a massive bargain for such good quality. The colour was just what I love and the inside is just so soft that I hate having to take it off! If you're looking for a jumper that will keep you warm and keep you on trend, I'd hunt it down if it's still in stock!







Tom's second favourite
My second winter favourite came without a thought to me, as it's the best and only Christmas present I got this year, and I bought it myself. Gucci Guilty Black is the best smelling aftershave I've had for years, and I absolutely love it. Luckily I don't know anyone else with it, so I don't smell like every other man, which is always a plus, and apart from one insulting comment, a lot of people have complimented me on my fragrance. It was relatively expensive, at around £55, but it was well worth the cost. If you're looking to stray away from Paco Rabanne '1 Million' which it seems that everyone seems to smell like nowadays, this may be the one for you!




Vickie's winter favourites!

Vickie's first favourite
My first winter favourite has to be these boots I got over Christmas off Ryan. They were from New Look and I got them for about £25.00, discounted of course! I think these were originally around the £40.00 mark which still really isn't bad for such a sturdy pair of ankle boots. The colour just screamed winter at me too and they literally have not been off my feet. If you’re someone like me who literally cowers at the idea of walking in heels a boot like this would be absolutely perfect.

Vickie's second favourite
The second winter favourite I picked was this Nivea hydration primer. It’s ridiculously inexpensive-  I think retailing at around £5.00 - and really did save my skin throughout the winter months. I get really dry, dehydrated skin when the colder months fall upon us, especially around my t-zone (weird, right?) and this left it feeling amazingly plumped up. I reckon this will work even in the summer months when you end up really piling the powder on to stop that beautifully attractive sweat shine on your face to sort of counteract it and ensure your skin doesn't end up turning into a desert.

Right, so that's our winter favourites for this season! Thanks for reading and if you like it, leave a comment or something because it'd be great to do more collabs with Vickie because she's my best friend and I enjoyed writing this one so much! Adios beautiful people! x

5 SONGS THAT ALMOST WENT UNNOTICED

Hello Internet People!

I was getting ready to go out a couple of days ago and i left my Spotify on shuffle, and that's when i realised how much music i starred and forgot about. Once every few weeks, i go on a hunt for new or little known bands to get into, because as a musician myself, i know how frustrating it is to work so hard on something and it get no recognition for it. So i thought it best to show you some songs by some artists you may or may not have heard of that are simply beautiful. Also, seeing as most people still have the winter blues, i thought that the songs that i include should be relatively upbeat to make people look forward to the warmer months ahead!

1) Walk Like A Man - Ruen Brothers

This song is just genius. it's almost like it's made for festival season, and because of it's clever use of vintage influence, an upbeat tempo and an above par vocal display, it can make almost anyone want to move their feet. After an eye catching performance at Reading and Leeds with BBC introducing, i haven't heard much of them and it's unfortunate if such a promising act go unnoticed for long.

2) Freeway - Mona

Now this song is too cool and a perfect fit for summer, i feel like i need to wear sunglasses just to hear it. It's a sort of mix between 'Kings of Leon-esque' rock and a mystery jets ballad that makes it so different and appealing to me. After they enjoyed relative success in both the UK and the US with their 2011 album of the same name, it's 2013 successor 'Torches & Pitchforks' failed to chart at all. It's a shame as it's worth a listen at least.

3) Better Off Without You - Summer Camp

From the 2011 album 'Welcome to Condale', the opening track is light, happy and has a 60's surfing summertime feel to it and provides the perfect top down driving song in sun. Being such a perfect song for summer, it should have sold better than it had, and since the 2011 album only enjoyed a certain amount of buzz, the 2013 self titled album came almost unnoticed although the English band deserved more to come from it.

4) Urban Photograph - Urban Cone

Known best for being on the Made in Chelsea soundtrack for their summer episodes, this light song is one to lay on the grass and sunbathe to, and will surely make you look forward to summer. The whole self titled album that came out in 2012 was just perfect, as was the EP that came before it,so it is a real shame that nothing has been announced since to indicate an album coming soon.

5) Further Away (Romance Police) - Lissie

Backed by the amount of attention Lissie has been given since she began, this song was a perfect second single to come from her second album, 'Back to Forever'. It's a fun, guitar based song that fits with any mood, but when it came to charting it only managed to chart at 98th in its highest peak in the UK. Even though both of her albums have been well received, The american has struggled to reach the dizzying heights of her close friend, Ellie Goulding.

So, that's my first 5 songs people need to get listening to! I know that i've missed so many out, but i will do a part two if you guys like this one, so let me know in the comments or on Twitter  :) x

MY (a bit late) 2014 BLOGGING GOALS...

SOURCE

Hello Internet people!

Right, so i'm late on this by a month, but to hell with it, i'm doing it anyway! so i saw my beautiful friend Vickieblogs do this recently and i thought it best that i should do it too, and give myself some aims for this year.

Seeing as i'm a relatively new kid on the block when it comes to blogging, it's good that i set myself goals, because if i don't then there's always that idea that you haven't fully committed to the project in hand. so i'm going to use this opportunity to show how much effort i'm willing to put in! .i love writing, and i love doing new things just to tell you guys about, and sharing my life with you, so i'm going to take a leap here, and aim quite high just so that i strive to do my best!

So here we go:

            Twitter                 Tumblr                     Bloglovin'                    Google +

current - 1101          current - 437                current - 57                    current - 6

Aim - 1500               Aim - 550                  Aim - 150                        Aim - 40

Pretty ambitious i suppose, seeing as i'm also planning on doing a youtube channel doing weekly vlogs soon aswell, but i think with my amazing readers behind me i can do it! Ive linked all of the titles for my aims so you can get at them easier! :) 

okay! Question of the day here, what is your favourite song from when you were growing up?

COUNTRYSIDE & CUPCAKES

Hello Internet people!

So this weekend has been interesting to say the least. A friend came to see me for the weekend and because he'd never been to Manchester before so I had to play tour guide on his little holiday. On the first night, i thought it appropriate to take him to my local pub, to show him how inexpensive it is for a good drink outside of London. The pub i took him to was called The Rising Sun in Mossley, a real traditional pub with the friendliest locals and a proper homely feel to it. Unfortunately, seeing as it was a Friday evening, it was very busy and there was nowhere to sit, so we decided to go out in the city and i could show him what a night out in the north is like instead. I took him out to the Gay Village, as it is the place i like to go on a night out, and he seemed to enjoy himself. A few drinks and an encounter with an intoxicated good friend later, we decided to go home. Before leaving the city centre i managed to show him Manchester's main places to see, which is mostly conveniently condensed into a small circular walk. After a taxi journey home, day one seemed to end successfully.

Day two started with a hangover and for him, a bacon butty. We then went out to a small town called Uppermill which is in Saddleworth, not far from where i live. Uppermill is a beautiful countryside town, surrounded by hills and amazing views, and i thought it to be the best place to go because of its tea rooms and small independent shops to amble round. after a small rummage in an old book shop, we then went to 'The Vintage Cupcake Shop' which does the most amazing and aesthetically pleasing cupcakes in the north. The shop sells an array of cupcakes and offer a tea service and other wonderful cakes and beverages. Every time i enter that small shop i feel slightly sophisticated because, even though i am yet to sit and have tea there, it just feels like something people posher then i would do weekly. He then took multiple pictures of the views and the alpacas on the hill side. It was quite an adult feeling day to be honest.

The next day he left to go back to London, after having a good weekend, and that's when it hit me that i'm actually living in the perfect area and i've been taking it for granted. This weekend has given me a new light on a place that i've just overlooked for years as a mundane place that i've grown up in. The real thing to think about is what you really think of where you're from. A few months ago i was ready to walk away from it all and i thought i'd be happy, but now, i'm back here and i appreciate it for the first time in a long time.