Best Albums of 2015

So, I did this last year--I went through and listed off all the albums I loved in the past year, and this year, there are so many more!

I think I did a top five last year, but this year, I'm just going to list all the ones I loved, since there were so many! Anyways, enough chatter--let's go!

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First up is Ordinary Life by Wild Wild Horses!

demon days, released december 4.

As you can tell, this album only came out recently! I actually heard it from the amazing short film that one of my favorite actresses, Jennifer Morrison, did! It's a short EP with only four songs, but damn do the songs tell a great story. I just love it a lot, and I know I'll be listening to it a lot in the coming months!

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Next up is the second EP from Troye Sivan, WILD!

WILD, released september 3.

Troye did it again! I loved his EP last year as well, as I'm sure you can remember. This one was even better the first, and I am so excited to hear more of his music (I still need to download 'Blue Neighborhood', his actual album)! My favorite song is probably FOOLS, and that one really resonated with me. I just love the sound of this one, so it's definitely worth a listen!

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My next favorite is a little album called 25, by none other than the amazing Adele.

25, released november 20.

This one was probably a given, but my god, is this a good album! Adele's voice is so peaceful and so incredibly gorgeous, it's hard to ignore! I really love 'Hello,' obviously, but 'Million Years Ago' is beautiful as well. Just all around a great album, and I am so happy to hear some new music from her again!

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The next album up is Pentatonix, by, well, Pentatonix!

pentatonix, released october 16.

This album is the first one with mostly original songs on it, and I can't help but love every single song! My favorites are probably 'Water' and 'Rose Gold,' but there are so many amazingly arranged songs on this album! 'Light in the Hallway' and 'Take Me Home' are beautiful as well, and certainly are up there in my favorites. Seriously, Pentatonix kicked it up a notch with some wonderfully catchy songs--certainly give them a listen!

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And, next we have Made in the A.M. by One Direction!

made in the a.m., released november 13.

Okay, but, real talk? 1D may be better off without Zayn (which is so hard because he was my favorite member!). This album is quite frankly their best yet, and I loved more songs on it than I wanted to! I'm partial to 'I Want to Write You a Song' and 'History,' along with their singles off the album ('Perfect,' 'Infinity,' 'Drag Me Down,' + 'Home'). Seriously, way to step it up, boys.
(I should note that I am very excited for Zayn to release a solo album. Very excited.)

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And, last, but certainly not least, we have Halsey's Badlands album!

badlands, released august 28.

This. Album. I hadn't heard of Halsey until this year, but this album totally blew me away. Seriously, great stuff. I love the obvious choices like 'Control' and 'Gasoline,' but 'Colors' + 'Colors Pt. II' are amazing as well. It's a really dark and eerie album, but what a great album it is. Go take a listen if you've got the time!

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Well, that rounds it out for my favorite albums this year! I hope you all either share my loves, or found new music through this post! We'll see who comes back to this list next year!

December Favorites!

Wow, I cannot believe it's the end of 2015 already! This is crazy, seriously.

Anyways, I bring you one final favorites post for 2015, choc-full of... random things, as usual.

Enjoy!

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First up is NHL--namely, the Chicago Blackhawks!

the chicago blackhawks (left to right: toews, shaw, kane, sharp, keith).

Now, growing up in Wisconsin + going up to visit once I moved, I've always been around hockey. I've been to a few games down where I live now, but it's not the same, you know? Anyways, the reason I like the Blackhawks is firstly because that's the team my mom likes, and secondly because my dad is from Chicago. I love the players (Toews, Kane, Shaw, + Panarin are my personal faves), and I love that they really do work like a team, rather than one really good player and a bunch of mediocre ones. Toews + Kane are sort of the front-runners, but they certainly are helped out!
Anyways, enough rambling. I've been recently obsessed with hockey, and I even got a Jonathan Toews sweater (which basically is hockey jargon for jersey) for Christmas!

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Next up, slipper booties!

cozy cable slipper boots, $18.

I got a pair of these after they went on sale and oh my god. These are wonderful. I like that they've got a soft bottom, because it means a) lots of sliding around the house, and b) they don't feel like I'm wearing slippers! I've got them in grey, but I quite like the red ones as well. I've seen them in other places, but Gap's seem to be the overall best (in my opinion!). Seriously, treat yourself and go get a pair.

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Next, we've got the Daily Water app!

daily water app, free in app store.

I'm terrible about drinking enough water, you guys. Really terrible. So, I downloaded this app, which is awesome for keeping track of my water intake! I like how simple it is, too--just nine glasses of water on the screen, and once you've had a glass of water, you click on it, and bam! You're keeping track! It is really nice, and over the past few days, I've been averaging about 4 glasses. I think the normal or suggested amount is about 8, so I need to kick it up! I am trying to work my way up to 8, rather than going at it all in one day, though. I think I'll get there, but drinking more water is definitely one of my New Year's resolutions.

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Next, we have graphic sweaters!

fair isle crew neck sweater, $14.

I've got way too many sweaters as is (and this hot weather is not helping!), but I can't help but grab more and more sweaters when I see them! I know it's supposed to get cold here soon--or, I hope it will--so, I'd rather be prepared! Target has some really cute ones out right now, and I recently picked up the one above! Super soft and really light--it's a great little sweater!

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And, finally, we have the game Undertale.

undertale, $9.

Wow, you guys. This game is incredible. I've only just started playing it (and boy, is it hard!), but I've seen others on YouTube play it, and I'm in love! The humor is amazing, the characters are all so well-written and create a great story, and everything just meshes so well together. It's a really simple game stylistically, but it's so interesting and different. I don't play video games often because I'm usually terrible at them, but I was captivated by this one!

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Well, that's all for my favorites this month. Happy New Year, everyone! <3

Last Minute Christmas Gifts (Under $20)

This post was inspired by the fact that I still haven't gotten my dad a present (sorry, Dad!) for Christmas, and I thought--why don't I just make a quick post about super quick, super cute presents for those last-minute presents you might need to get?

This is for all of you procrastinators, forgetters, and anyone else who might just need one or two more gift ideas! All of these can be easily picked up in stores, since it's getting too close to order anything!

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The first idea is a simple one: an adult coloring book and some markers/colored pencils to go along with it!

lost ocean: an inky adventure & coloring book, $17.

enchanted forest: an inky quest & coloring book, $16.

Now, these are a bit pricey, but they are such good gifts to give. I've got quite a few now, and they are the most wonderful way to relieve stress! I bring mine with me wherever I go, and if I've got a few minutes of downtime, I'll color! Really, though, these are wonderful for anyone, since they don't require any drawing skills. I've definitely seen cheaper ones, but the Johanna Basford are the best ones, in my opinion!

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Next up, we've got mugs!

threshold moscow mule mug, $10.

threshold reindeer mug, $5.

coffee mug with red sweater, $5.

I'm very partial to the mugs from Target! They're so well-made, and not overly expensive. But, I have also seen some from TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Home Goods that are quite cute, too! The nice thing about mugs is that they are relatively inexpensive, which means you could add a few packets of coffee, tea, candy, or hot cocoa mix into the mug when you're giving it! Something like that gives it a little more personalization!

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Next, candles!

(left to right) winter, mahogany teakwood, sweater weather, $15.

sleigh ride, gingerbread house, $9.

Again, I'm super partial to Target + Bath and Body Works for good candles, since I think they've got the absolute best. Above are some of my favorite scents, and I believe as I'm posting this, the big, 3-wick candles are only $15 at B+BW, which is awesome! But, honestly, candles are great gifts for Christmas, since it gives you an opportunity to share your favorite scents with your closest friends and family. The packaging for candles is so beautiful, too, so they're great to set out around the house!

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Next up are portable phone chargers!

ankit glitter phone power bank $10.

style power mobile battery charger, $14.

These are great for the techies in your life! They're all relatively inexpensive, and I have seen them in multiple places. They're really great for someone who's always on their phone, or someone who travels a lot and doesn't have a lot of time to sit and plug their phone into a wall. I love the idea of them, and since they're sort of a novelty rather than a necessity, most people wouldn't buy one for themselves. Seriously, a great gift.

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And, finally, accessory sets!

scarf and tech gloves, $5.

scarf and beanie set, $20.

Seriously, these are incredible presents, and you can almost certainly get sets under $20! I love Forever 21's options, but H&M has some pretty nice accessories, as well. They're really thoughtful (or, at least I think they are!) and they're perfect for the chillier months of the year. Plus, they're gifts that can last a long time, since there's no growing out of them, or too much wear and tear.

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I hope this list helped you procrastinators out! Let me know if you've thought of any other great, last-minute gifts for people! I know there are more out there!

November Favorites!

Oh, god--it's already December! I am so excited to get into the holiday spirit, you have no idea! Actually, I've been in the holiday spirit since November 1st, if we're being honest.

I completely bypassed Thanksgiving, actually. Sorry, America!

Anyways, here are my favorites from the past month!

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First, I've got the comfiest sweatshirt ever.

out from under cozy funnel neck sweatshirt, $49.

I cannot tell you all how wonderfully comfortable this sweatshirt is! It's so soft and so light, and I wear it all the time around my apartment. I also have a real fondness for the funnel neck, since I'v got a rather long neck that gets cold. I think I'd look kind of stupid walking around my apartment with a scarf on! Anyways, this sweatshirt is the best thing ever. Ever.

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Next up, we've got Lush's bath bombs!

dashing santa bath bomb, $6.

I finally, finally, finally hopped on the bath bomb train! I went home for my birthday, and there's a Lush store in the mall I work in, so I popped in and sniffed all of them before deciding to try a Christmas-y one! This one smells just like Christmas--it definitely smells orange-y, but it's not too citrus-y? I think maybe there's some peppermint or something else in it. You have to believe me on this one. He smells amazing. Warning, though, I didn't think it through, but it left my bathwater red, which was... interesting to take a bath in, haha! But, I'm going home in a week and fully intend on buying another!

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Next, we've got Ghirardelli's peppermint bark!

ghirardelli peppermint bark, $5 (for a bag).

As much as I love all things Christmas, peppermint bark is what I look forward to the most! It's so delicious, and as soon as I see it on the shelves, I grab, like, eight bags. They're just too good! And, I think a lot of it is that they're a novelty--like, I can only get them once a year, for only a month or so. They really just help me get into the Christmas mood, and I am so excited to fill up on these this Christmas!

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And, finally, we've got Monument Valley!

monument valley, app store.

I cannot tell you how beautiful this game is! It's largely based on moving around parts of an optical illusion, and little Princess Ida (in the picture above) is trying to save her kingdom. It's a beautifully done game, and I've been playing it a lot to try and get my brain in better shape! I downloaded the free half of it, but I think for the second part it's $2? I can't remember. But, honestly, one of the most beautifully and creatively designed games I have ever played.

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So, that's it for this month's favorites! Can't wait to show you my December favorites!

What You Get Is What You Got (Class Blogging #5)

This is the last post in the Class Blogging series! This one was about creating a three-track soundtrack to my life as a brand. It was harder than I thought it'd be! Anyways, without further ado, here's my post:

I had to do some hard thinking on this one--I think in part because I usually try to relate to songs, even if they don't directly apply to me! I went through my Itunes list quite a few times before I finally found three songs that I though really represented my brand.

The first one is 'Into Yesterday', by Sugar Ray. I feel like this one represents my brand because it's got a laidback, relaxed vibe. Sugar Ray sings about how amazing everything is after it rains--which, to me, speaks to the idea that if you hold out until after a string of bad days, it'll get better. I relate to this, and I often try to be positive about my life and reflect that onto my friends and family.

My second song would be 'Waiting on the World to Change', by John Mayer. I've loved this song since I was a kid, and it has always resonated with me. Like I said above, I'm a very optimistic person, and this is definitely the case when I put my outlook on the world. I try not to be as cynical about things as most people these days are, and I genuinely want to help make the world a better place. But, like in the song, I feel like since I'm young, no one will listen to me while all I can do is sit back and watch the world I live in destroy itself. I genuinely want to make the world a better place, and I think this song expresses that pretty well!

And, my last song is 'I Lived', by OneRepublic. I love OneRepublic, and I love that their music is always so positive and generally upbeat. This song in particular is about living life the way you want to, and not allowing anyone to get in your way. I've always lived my life to the fullest, doing everything I can to experience what I want to. I think this represents my brand because I am always happy and I genuinely want to live life as much as I can. I think that comes across with the way I speak and how often I smile.

The soundtrack for my brand overall would definitely be about positivity and staying true to yourself and what you believe in. I think the songs I chose reflect that pretty well!

So, there's my response! What three songs would represent your 'brand'?

Jump Around (From Stadium to Stadium) (Class Blogging #4)

So, this week's challenge was to find a brand that was pandering to open its market to the masses. I thought this was an interesting topic, but I cannot tell you guys how long it took me to come up with an answer! I'm a huge sports junkie (you probably didn't know that--but, you do now!), so I decided to go with a sports-y kind of answer:

When I think of pandering, for some reason, my mind goes right to sports. I'm a huge Wisconsin Badgers fan (my whole family is from Wisconsin, so it was bound to happen!), and going to Camp Randall Stadium for a football game is unparalleled. The feel of the crowd is awesome, and you can just feed off the energy by being there.

One of the big things that UW does is during the break between the third and fourth quarters, they play a song by House of Pain called "Jump Around"--you've probably heard it! It's been a tradition at the university and at Camp Randall since 1998, and it's definitely an experience. The whole stadium shakes as over 80,000 people jump and dance like you wouldn't believe.

But, what I've noticed while watching other football games on TV, Chapel Hill has tried doing the same thing, at the same time (between the last two quarters), by playing the song and telling people to "Jump Around". Chapel Hill certainly didn't start this tradition, and though the song isn't licensed to UW, it still feels like Chapel Hill is trying to get the same tradition going in their stadium, and get the same feeling of Camp Randall in Kenan Memorial Stadium. I'm not sure a brand (like Chapel Hill as a university is) can pander a feeling, but that's what it appears they're doing. They want their fans to get just as loud and get crazy as Badger fans by playing a song that makes you want to, well, jump around.

Well, Chapel Hill, hate to break it to you, but there's nothing quite like "Jump Around" back home.

Hope I don't have any Chapel Hill fans following me--if so, sorry, but your Athletic Department is pandering! :)

(Any of you guys have some brands or universities or whatever that you think are pandering? Let me know!)

October Favorites!

Wow--it's already November! Where did the time go? It's also almost been a year that I've had this blog, which is crazy in of itself.
Anyways, October has been a lovely month for me, and I've got a good list of things this month!

Let's get started!

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First up is The Martian--the movie!

the martian, starring matt damon.

This movie is just incredible. I've read the book three times now, and I can't explain to you how much the movie follows the book. It's probably one of the better adaptions I've seen. Even for people who haven't read the book (I saw it twice with people who hadn't seen it), it's a great movie as a stand-alone. There were a few major changes, and though I wished they hadn't changed what they did, it made more sense from a director's perspective. I hear there's supposed to be an additional 20 minutes of footage on the DVD, though, which is awesome! Seriously, for a movie about a guy stranded on a desolate planet alone, it is so uplifting and gratifying to see the world come together to save him. Go see it!
(And, check out this post for a full review!)

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Next, we've got my new iPhone 6!

iphone 6.

So, I brilliantly shattered my phone at the end of last month. Luckily, my parents were planning on switching phone services, so I begged and begged that they do it quicker than planned. So, here we are! It's amazing, honestly. I've got 64 GB of space now, which is a huge jump from my last phone that was only 16 GB! I still haven't filled it up! But, it is nice knowing that I won't really have to worry about storage for a while. I have a lot of music. I will say, it took a little getting used to as far as size goes. It's considerably larger (even though I don't have the plus), but I do like it. Watching videos is way more of an experience, and the camera is so much clearer. So, if you're teetering on the edge of getting it or not, I'd definitely go for it!

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Next, we've got fall/Halloween decorations!

fall decorations.

I just love all things Halloween and Autumn, and this time of year is my favorite. Granted, as soon as November 1 hits, I'm in full-on Christmas mode, but I do keep my autumnal decor around the apartment until about Thanksgiving. I love leaves especially, since the colors this time of year are so incredible. We just actually came in 3rd place in a contest for my RA's residents! We had to decorate the outside of our apartments by the 25th for Halloween, and we apparently did a nice job! I'll definitely be keeping the decorations I can reuse, and hopefully we can decorate again next year!

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Finally, we've got the World Series!

the kansas city royals #takethecrown.

I've been a baseball fan as long as I can remember. My team is the Milwaukee Brewers, but they haven't been spectacular in a while. So, every season, I pick five teams to follow (including the Brewers--they will take precedence over every other team, terrible or not) on the MLB app. This year, I picked the Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, and none other than the Kansas City Royals. So, as the season waned into the post-season, the only team that made it out alive was KC. And, damn, did they make it out alive! I've become somewhat of a Royals fan over the past two years--between Escobar + Cain being traded to them from the Brewers, and their opponents in the past two World Series--the San Francisco Giants and the NY Mets. I really don't like either team, so I just kind of side with the Royals, and damn, are they a team worth the crown. They played hard, played spectacularly, and made me realize why I love baseball so much. Because, at the end of the day, I'm a baseball fan before anything else.

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So, there are my October favorites! What were you all loving this month? Hope you have a great November!