Wednesday, March 5, 2014

"When Will My Reflection Show..."-TGBL

Linking up with Haley and Lauren again this week! I am honestly so excited. This week's question is to write about why do you blog? I thought it was a great time to reflect on my growing experiences as a blogger, one that I am very much thankful for. 

I started blogging the summer before my junior year in high school . My goal was to create something that reflected positively on me. I had watched Julie and Julia (which many times I've said that is the source of my inspiration of my blog) and had wanted to start something like that on my own. Minus the food. So, my old blog Notations was born.
At first, I wrote about issues that mattered. Well not really but to me at the time. For example, I wrote about how guys categorized girls for my first entry. Not bad, 16 year old Natalie. My entries, looking back at them now, were really short, with a bunch of topics. They weren't very detailed either. As you can see, my blog is a lot more in depth than that. In 2011, my blog was my version of Carrie Bradshaw's column. I was Carrie Bradshaw before it was cool pretty much. I had characters such as 'Mr. Big', 'Charlotte', and countless others. Everyone had their own name, which at the time I thought that I was the bee's knees. Then my grandfather died, and I used my blog as an outlet to let out all of my emotions. I was a sad and confused teenager, who just wanted someone to hear her. And love her.
Finally, I had some friends wake me up from my depression. Thus, I decided to create a new blog to devote more energy that's positive. In April 16, 2012, I officially began to write Finding My Voice.
Ever since then, I've gained 14 GFC followers, about 18 bloglovin' followers, over 9,000 views, and have officially joined the blogging community, full of people like me trying to find their voice. I read blogs in the morning while drinking coffee, the way that in the past some people read the newspaper.  I love every minute of it, watching how my blog, my writing, and myself can grow from when I first entered the blogging scene as a whiny teenager who just wanted someone to love her.
However, that probably didn't answer your question now did it. I told you why I started, how I grew into this lovely blog, and where I'm at now. But that's okay. I blog because it's something that I enjoy doing. I blog because there's some kind of audience, ready to show the world what I'm made of. I blog because I'm a writer, and I've heard somewhere that writing something constantly will only get me that much closer to becoming a better writer. I blog because I have a voice, and I'm ready for it to be heard. I blog because I feel satisfaction when my post is successful, and I notice some signs of improvement. Every day, like a plant, my blog will grow.
And my journey's just begun. I have a lot more insightful blog entries about social issues, great music, and other cool stuff. I am a blogger, but I am extremely proud to be wearing that title. Thanks to my blog, in a sense, I have in fact found my voice.

Girl Between the Lines Link up

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

I Had A Blogging Big

For those of you who don't know, I had a blogging big named Cassi. (Read her blog here) For those of you who don't know, a blogging big is someone who guides you in the world of blog.
I loved having a blogging big, because I got a lot of insight from a person that's on the next level of blogging. I learned a lot, such as what a blog button is. (If you're interested in a button swap, please feel free to contact me!) I also learned some cool tricks about how to generate more readers on my blog, which is always a good thing.
Getting a blogging big, despite the fact that I was extremely busy with school was something that I really enjoyed because it gave me a bigger sense of community. I'm happy because I got to watch my blog grow even bigger than it did. I liked that she had a lot of tips and trips to expand Finding My Voice, and making a ton better. Thank you Cassi for the tips!

Wanna learn more about Cassi and her blog? Read my post about her here.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Music Monday; Sleeping With Sirens


Okay, so I've been getting into more alternative music as of late. One of my favorite bands is Sleeping With Sirens. I'm more of a fan of their latest album Feel (released 2013), and I consider it to be one of my favorite albums ever. (Feel is actually one of my favorite songs; I just love the message of the song) Wanna learn more about them? Check out their website here!
Sleeping With Sirens was formed in 2009, with current members Kellin Quinn, Justin Hills, Gabe Barham, and Jake Fowler in Michigan. To date, they have three full length albums, and one EP. They are considered to be hardcore, but I enjoy listening to them despite the fact that I'm not all into screamo.
What I like about this band is like Mayday Parade, their lyrics are very powerful. My favorite songs usually have some kind of hidden meaning behind them. I like them because it mixes elements, and although they are kind of screamo, they aren't completely.
Favorite Sleeping With Sirens Songs:
With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear (2010);

  • If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn
  • You Kill Me (In A Good Way)
  • Let Love Bleed Red

Let's Cheer To This (2011);

  • Who Are You Now
  • All Of My Heart

If You Were a Movie, This Would Be Your Soundtrack (2012);

  • If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn
  • Roger Rabbit
  • Stomach Tied in Knots

Feel (2013);

  • Feel 
  • Here We Go
  • Free Now
  • Low
  • Congratulations
  • Deja Vu
  • These Things I've Done


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Taking a Break

Hi readers!
Whoever you are, I really would like to say that you guys are awesome for reading my blog loyally! Between today through Sunday March 2, 2014, I'll be going on blogvacation. As much as I love my blog, life happens and that's always not a good thing.
I look foreward to blogging with you guys again on Monday!
Natalie

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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Lunch With LC-TGBL

After a few weeks, I am so excited to be rejoining the TGBL (the Girl Between the Lines Linkup) with Haley at A Beautiful Exchange, and Lauren at The Albrects Blog). This week's prompt was so exciting for me, which was what celebratity, blogger, or public figure that you would like to have lunch with. And just like that, a lightbulb clicked off in my head-Lauren Conrad. Check out her website here.

Source
LC or Lauren Conrad was best known for her appearance on the hit reality shows Laguna Beach, and the Hills. Since then, she's developed two fashion lines (one of which I own pretty much every piece of clothing in), written bestselling novels, (I've read the LA Candy ones, they are so good), and developed a successful website. She's now engaged to William Tell. I guess you can even consider her to be a blogger because she has a blog on her website.
Lauren Conrad is hands down my favorite celebratity. I consider her to be one of my role models, because she's a very classy person. Unlike her co-stars (ahem Spedi), she's not out to get money and fame. She's very laid back, and her style is very chic. I love how simple and classy she dresses, and I sometimes look to her when I'm having fashion brain freezes. I watched the Hills, and Laguna Beach, and she's always going to be my favorite. I especially respect her for leaving the drama of The Hills behind, because it takes guts to do that. 
I would love to have have lunch with Lauren because other than the fact that I really want to meet her, I think that I can learn a lot from her. She has the best advice, so I would listen to her wisdom developed from her experiences. I would also ask her for her autograph.. #sorrynotsorry.
What celebraties would you like to meet? Comment below!
Girl Between the Lines Link up

Monday, February 24, 2014

Music Monday; Celine Dion

Celine Dion - celine-dion Wallpaper
Source
Have you ever had this singer that you've grown up loving? That no matter how far you go, you'll always listen to this music, and it would never get old to you. Celine Dion is always and forever going to be that for me. I've loved her music since I was about five, and used to sing it aloud with banging to a piano (ahhh, yes painful childhood memory). She's just so talented, and each and every song that she sings shows off her wonderful voice. She's actually considered to be one of pop's most influential voices, and I am proud to call myself a Celine Dion fan. Between my mother and I, we have every album that she's ever made.
Celine Dion is incredible. A child star whose first language is actually not English, but actually French. Before breaking into the US music scene, she's famous for being a french musician. To date, she has 14 French albums, in addition to her famous 11 English studio ones. After going under a makeover and learning English, she entered the music scene in 1990, and has left her mark.
What I like about her music, in addition to her voice, is that each song of hers is just different. You can have a catchy pop song, then you can have some rock and roll. Then you have her ballads, which is probably what she is most known for. I like that most about her, because I'm not in the mood for the same thing musically everyday.
Overall, Celine is actually what inspires me, not only musically but in love. I am a huge fan, and her music is something that I hope to share with my children.
Celine Dion Songs That I Love; 
Unison (1990);

  • (If There) Was Any Other Way
  • If Love Was Out The Question
  • Where Does My Heart Beat Now
  • Unison
  • I Feel Too Much
  • Have a Heart

Celine Dion(1992);

  • Love Can Move Mountains
  • If You Ask Me To
  • Beauty and the Beast 
  • With This Tear 
  • Nothings Broken But My Heart 

The Colour of My Love(1993);

  • The Power of Love
  • Misled
  • Everybody's Bringing My Baby Down
  • Next Plane 
  • Love Doesn't Ask Why
  • Refuse to Dance
  • When I Fall In Love
  • No Living Without Loving You

Falling Into You (1996);

  • It's All Coming Back to Me Now
  • Because You Loved Me
  • Falling Into You 
  • All By Myself 
  • Declaration of Love
  • Fly

Let's Talk About Love (1997);

  • The Reason
  • Immortality 
  • Treat Her Like a Lady
  • Tell Him (Duet W/ Barbara Stresand)
  • My Heart Will Go On
  • To Love You More
  • Let's Talk About Love

A New Day Has Come (2002);

  • I'm Alive 
  • A New Day Has Come 
  • Goodbye's the Saddest Word

One Heart (2003);

  • I Drove All Night
  • Love is All We Need 
  • One Heart

Taking Chances (2007);

  • Taking Chances 
  • Alone 
  • Eyes On Me

Loved Me Back To Life (2013);

  • Loved Me Back to Life
  • Somebody Loves Somebody 
  • Incredible
  • Water and a Flame
  • Breakaway
  • Unfinished Songs
Other Songs (On Soundtracks or Complition Albums); 
  • That's the Way It Is
  • The Power of the Dream

Sunday, February 23, 2014

I've Got Something to Say.

There's a point in every flirtationship, about to be relationships, and even some friendships where you realize that there's something that needs to be done about this, also known as getting up the lady balls and telling them how you feel. This is the point where you catch a case of the feelings, and wonder 'where the hell is this going to go?'
If you do nothing, than the answer is nowhere. But if you do something, then the answer is somewhere..possibly. The thing that each and every one of my friends have drilled into my head is that 'Natalie, you got to take some kind of risk.' AKA letting my feelings be known the person that you are talking about, not just your friends. 
I guess what comes with that is always and forever going to be the fear of rejection, of him looking at me like I am some kind of moron, or feeling at all. I guess the big thing here is worrying whether or not those feelings will actually be reciprocated, or will I be left just wondering, fiddling my thumbs waiting for him to tell me that he likes me. Which may or may not happen.
This is my cue to take the wheel. This is my cue to actually make some kind of move and get some kind of thing done. Sometimes, I wish that I was Lorelei Gilmore. I wish that I had the nerve to kiss someone just because I wanted to know what it was like. Not everyone has that insane amount of nerve. I wish that I did,
because then I wouldn't be writing this post. Instead I would be telling you about how I took that risk, how it went and all of that fun stuff.
I wonder how do we get from where we are now, to where I want to be. I realize that sometimes we have to roll the dice. My question is, how hard do we need to do so? My innate fears are you laughing in my face. I've always had problems with letting people know how I actually feel about them. Was this a result of some kind of fear that developed when I last put myself out there? Or was this something else?
I wish that I had Lorelei's sense of confidence. I wish that I could say 'Hey, let's date." I have the deepest respect for people that can do that at the snap of their fingers. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I wonder where my soulmate is. My question is what if when you meet the person, will I run away from them like a frightened little deer?