Tag: 2024

  • 2024 Wrapped

    2024 Wrapped

    Spotify Wrapped is here again and it has inspired me to share my top players, not only in music, but in books and movies. Let’s start with Spotify…

    Top Artist: Post Malone

    Yup, Posty’s put on his cowboy boots and I’m here for it. To be fair, I’ve enjoyed all of his albums, but his newest country style is particularly infectious. Don’t believe me? My Top Song was “I had Some Help” by none other than Postie and Morgan Wallen. It’s fair to say I’ve had this song on replay since it got released – I don’t know, there’s just something about it that makes me feel happy and carefree. Give it a listen here!

    Top Book: 127 Hours

    What would you do if you got your hand stuck under a boulder weighing 360kg (800 pounds)?

    This is the exact conundrum that outdoor enthusiast Aron Ralston grappled with (literally). You may already be familiar with the famous story, but for those of you who aren’t …

    In 2003, Aron was scaling rocks in Bluejohn Canyon (Arizona, USA) when a boulder dislodged and fell – dragging Aron down with it. What’s worse is that, during the fall, Aron’s hand got trapped under the rock. He was alone, had little food or supplies and had told nobody where he had gone.

    With such a grim premise, you might think “why on Earth would I want to read about such a horrible ordeal?”. Well, because he survived.

    This is a book that will inspire you, amaze you and make you cringe. You will feel like a fly on the wall in that dusty canyon and, at times, you will feel just as helpless as he felt. I guarantee you that his quest for survival, the human spirit to never give up, is what makes this book an absolute winner in my eyes. In those moments of suffering and sadness, there is also light and laughter.

    I could hardly put 127 Hours down – you can check it out right here:

    Top Movie: Kung Fu Panda 4

    As a huge fan of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, I didn’t know what to expect from yet another Kung Fu Panda sequel. However, I was pleasantly surprised and I ended up seeing it multiple times at the cinema. I genuinely didn’t mind this movie at all. [Spoilers ahead duh].

    We’re back in the Valley of Peace, where Po isn’t quite ready to give up being the Dragon Warrior, despite Master Shifu’s badgering. In one final hurrah, he sets out to defeat the Chameleon with a crim call Zhen. A skilled sorceress, The Chameleon sets her sights on the past with her vision to conquer the future. When Po is outsmarted by Zhen, The Chameleon is granted access to the Spirit World, where she harnesses power from fallen Kung Fu masters.

    Not only is there a banging Britney Spears cover by Tenacious D, but a pretty cool Boss Battle (not quite as epic as Tai Lung in the first Kung Fu Panda, but still). Not bad Dreamworks – Skadoosh!

    What were your top picks of the year? Let me know below in the comments or on my instagram @rebekah_writes_stuff 🙂

  • Ins & Outs of 2024

    Ins & Outs of 2024

    Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’re doing well, wherever you are reading this from. I’d also just like to say thank you for reading my blog posts last year, subscribing and supporting my new insta page! It really does mean the world, thank you 🙂

    Anyways, back to the blog! First post of the year yeeeooww!

    I am by no means a meteorologist. Or a forecaster, but I do have an inkling for the trends we might be seeing in the coming year. I present to you four predictions of what will be leaving us in 2024 and what will be coming along for the ride:

    Barbie-geddon is out

    2023. It was an ordinary day when, suddenly, from out of nowhere, an enormous tidal wave of pink engulfed the world. It might have even blocked out the sun as far as I’m concerned. It then spread to all major retailers before infiltrating social media. Yes, I’m talking about Barbie-geddon. We had been warned about the pink-washing, but nobody could have predicted just how much pink was in store – and just how much of it I would buy. Yes, even I wasn’t immune to its infectious appeal.

    Don’t get me wrong – I like the colour pink. The colour isn’t the issue here, it’s the sheer quantity of pink that filled my retinas. Magenta. Fuscia. Rose. Bubblegum. I bought more pink than I’ve ever bought in my life. Why? I couldn’t tell you. I was just a pink girl in a pink world. Honestly, a big hats off to The Barbie Movie’s marketing team.

    Did I have fun during the Barbie hype? Of course I did. Will I ever see pink the same way again? No. It’s safe to say that pink flood waters are now receding back to pre-Barbie-geddon levels.

    Skin Care is in

    Less picking and popping, more protecting and priming.

    The last few years have seen a skyrocketing focus on skincare. Dewy, glossy skin is in. The ‘clean girl aesthetic’ and minimalist makeup have grown increasingly popular, helped in part by Tik Tok and social media. Plus, there is such a plethora of skin care products now that I can’t see the focus shifting away in 2024 – or any time soon. I have only just gotten my head around niacinamide.

    2024 is the year of building better skincare habits, using sunscreen and moisturising literally everywhere (especially your neck!!).

    Less Time on Social Media is in

    I saw a quote the other day which said something along the lines of “do more things that get you off your phone”. In the age of consolidation, where everything is on the one device, this is definitely easier said than done. Haven’t we all sat on reels for a few minutes only to look up and notice it’s been about an hour? Yeah.

    Using social media mindfully is in for 2024, so says the New York Times, and I couldn’t agree more. This looks like unplugging from socials every now and then or reducing how much time you go on insta. It’s also remembering that comparison is the thief of joy and people don’t normally post their lowlights. From what I can tell, more people want to spend less time on their devices in general. That’s why I think mindful scrolling and taking time away from social media is a big in for 2024. It’s good to take a break.

    New Year’s Resolutions are Out

    I think NY’s Resolutions need a face lift and I’m not the only one. They’re going out of fashion because they put too much pressure on people. In saying that, New Year’s Resolutions aren’t all bad if they are structured well, but most of the time they are too hard, unrealistic or unsustainable. A NY’s resolution is less likely to fall apart after a week if it is doable and realistic. For example, deciding you’re going to start training for a marathon by running 42km on the first day is really hard.

    Enter Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book is an inspiring and practical guide to building better habits which will help you to achieve your goals, whether they are short term or long term. No, this isn’t sponsored, I just thought it was a great read haha.

    In summary, just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean you can’t keep building on from last year. In fact, that’s exactly what you should do. If you have a couple of goals in mind, ensure that you make them doable and realistic.

    What are your ins and outs for 2024? I’d love to know!

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