This post is inspired by two videos I've seen lately whilst thoughtfully rifling through the internet later at night. The first is a TED Talk entitled "10 Mindful Minutes" by Andy Puddicombe, writer and meditation expert. The second some of you may have come across buried in your news feeds lately and is a poem/video about the effects social media has on society by poet Gary Turk called, "Look Up". Stumbling upon the two videos has lead me to ask an important question about myself and our society; with so many distractions so readily available in our daily lives, how are we expected - and indeed how important is it - to allow time for ourselves to relax our minds? 

Now, I realise the irony that I'm posting this on the internet - but the more I reflect upon the videos I've watched lately, the more I come to realise that our inability to take time out to spend time with our own thoughts and just do nothing has escalated into a fairly big problem in society, and I'm no exception. Most of us, I'm sure, can relate to how overwhelming expectations and pressure from parents, teachers and the government to study hard, achieve good results and find a good job can be as we grow older. Add in the pressure of our personal lives; relationships, family situations, financial issues - and you finally result in a society under a tremendous amount of stress. Many of us deal with the pressure in different ways, some suffocate themselves in work, some turn to alcohol, some turn to self harm or lustful relationships - but how many of us can honestly say that to deal with pressure, we just take a minute to be alone, close our eyes and relax? The technique suggested by Puddicombe can work for anyone, and it's simple; switch off the phone and the television and just be alone, he suggests a mere 10 minutes a day practicing such a technique will allow for a better, clearer thought process. 

Growing up I had a relatively good childhood, however being a middle child I was always competing with my brother and sister and, to some extent, my personality attributes and some of the lifestyle choices I made could be the result of that - but it wasn't until my teens that this really started taking effect. I don't believe my life has been all that bad, and in many ways I've been lucky, but naturally I've made some choice that others have been very judgmental of, not that I can say that I blame them. If you asked anyone who knew me six years ago whether I was likely to pass my A-Levels and go on to graduate from University, they would have laughed in your face - but in the end I've managed to, and furthermore I've managed to do it well. Nevertheless, reflecting back upon my younger years, I strongly believe that I spent years attempting to impress my parents and, as such, achieving for them rather than for myself - never allowing myself to make make decision solely for me, or to figure out what I wanted in life. Until quite recently I suppose you could argue my relationships have been similar, I've always settled for less, put others first and - all too often -  made myself unhappy. I have quite recently, however (if we disregard my job and parts of my social life) started to find direction in my life.

Whatever situation you may find yourself in, it's important that we all allow ourselves time to do literally nothing. The people around me, both friends and family, will be the first to tell you that I think a lot - and so for me to sit there and attempt to clear my head of any thoughts and worry is challenging. I'm no expert of the mind, but I have found by clearing my thoughts, it allows space to think more rationally about the big things like future plans and issues we may be facing at any given time. I'm slowly but surely finding myself again through this process, allowing myself to realise the people and things that matter and have a huge significance in my life. I only hope that more people find success in adopting a similar idea. 

"You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind"

- Joyce Meyer

Craig

Top 3 Favourite Albums Right Now

So, I though I'd write a list of the top 3 albums that I'm currently listening to and love. Some of the albums are a little older than others, and some a little more of an acquired taste, however here was are (in no particular order):

1. London Grammar - If You Wait

Release in September 2013, this is not only one of my favourite albums but one of those bands that I simply cant get enough of. I've been a musician since the age of six and, having come from a rock music background, I wasn't really into EDM before Uni. Having said that, the course that I studies introduced me to a wide range of it, and it's now a lot easier to see the talent that it requires. What I love about London Grammar is the combination of minimalist trip hop drum beats and downtempo bass lines with slow, delicate guitar licks and soulful, emotive vocal melodies. Everything from the writing of this album to the production is outstanding, and it's impossible not to wonder how much effort went into this album, both by the band and the producers, to make it so flawless.

Favourite Tracks:  Wasting My Younger Years, 

Strong & Hey Now.

                                                      2. Ed Sheeran - X

I've been a fan of Ed since I stumbled across his video for "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (shot and recorder by Warner Music in "The Live Room") back when the views had barely reached ten thousand. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about his most recent album, after hearing "Sing" I was worried it might sound a little "overproduced", but I couldn't have been more wrong. Ed has done so well to craft this album, selecting songs that seemingly run smoothly from beginning to end. Ed Sheeran's song writing has immensely grown since his first album and having loved '+', I believe there a lot more maturity offered in 'Multiply' (although that could be the sight and influence of famous producer Rick Rubin's beard, who knows!)

Favourite Tracks: I'm A Mess, Don't &

 Thinking Out Loud

                               Lowercase Noises - Seafront

I doubt many people reading this will be familiar with Lowercase Noises as an artist, or be particularly impressed for that matter. Having said that, for those of you who are pretty open minded in the music stakes and could enjoy relaxing to a purely instrumental album for approximately 45 minutes, this is an album worth listening to. With me being a guitarist, I find this such a joy to listen to, I love the sounds Andy Othling achieves with a guitar and a few effects pedals and how he creates such otherworldly, tranquil pieces of music. Ambient guitar isn't easy to replicate, but Andy Othling makes it appear second nature. The melodies in this album are enough to transform the worst mood into an uplifting one. Listeners familiar with Lowercase Noises may argue that this is one of the best albums, and I would agree. Released in 2009, this is one of Andy's first albums, but I'm in love with the raw intricacies alongside the "not-so-perfect" production quality. To me, it's a masterpiece.

Favourite Tracks: Certain Remembrances, 

A Haunt Of Jackels, Evening Wolves

This is a small sample of the many albums that i listen to, although they have definitely had an impact on my life at the moment.

What are some of your favourite albums you're listening to at the moment?

Craig

Back On Track

So here I am, facing a blank screen on my Macbook and it's become almost like a staring contest where I feel like I'm the loser every time I try to find the words to type. The first post is always the one I find most difficult, but here it goes.

I'm Craig, and one of the main reasons that I started this blog in to help unearth some creativity within me that seems to have gotten lost over the last few years. I'm hoping that creating this blog will allow me a little bit more expression for my loves and passions, in the hope of maybe becoming involved in something new.

I've recently graduated from The University Of Chester with a degree in Commercial Music Production with Digital Photography, and I now face the same dilemma as my fellow graduates: struggling to find any kind of job relating to my chosen subject. Currently, I work two separate jobs in Tesco, one I'm not so fond of in Stock Control, and a more satisfying one in the Phoneshop. Although not the most glamorous of jobs, I'm treating them as a steeping stone towards reaching the next phase of my life.

Since I started learning the drums at the age of six, when my Grandad would literally have me play for hours at a time (which I'm truly grateful for now, even if I wasn't then!), my passion for music has been a huge part of my life. Since then, I've been a part of many bands through my teenage years, I've taught myself to play guitar and have developed my passion for songwriting. Photography is something I didn't know much about until starting my degree, but I've always been a fanatic when it comes to anything creative or artistic, and it's opened a whole new set of doors for me, both creatively and potentially as part of a future career.

So before this turns into my autobiography, I'll tell you a few personal things. I'm often quite impatient, I'm nearly always trying to tell myself to accept and be happy with what I already have in life, I have a huge phobia of spiders. I drink and smoke far more than I should, I always put other people first which has (too often) been a huge downfall of mine in the past, I have a vast taste in music, I can appear critical but not opinionated, I quite enjoy my own company and I think far, far too much. There's way more to me than just random, short snippets, but we can leave that for another day.

I look forward to watching how this blog pans out and to talking to new people within the blogging community.

Craig

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