mumma monster

I absolutely adore lady gaga. I don't care what anybody says about it, she does so much for my self esteem it is ridiculous. When I listen to her music, I feel almost protected. I can't describe it. It's like I feel how much she loves all of us, how much she wants all of us to love ourselves and embrace our insecurities and accept them as parts of us that we were born to have, whether we will have them for life or not. She certainly has a nurturing way of treating her fans, but at the same time is so fierce and awesome. She encourages so many great things; equality, being yourself, just all in all promoting positive energy.

I love how she writes all her own stuff, and helps design a lot of her clothes, and really sources out every piece of clothing she puts on her body. She is dedicated to her art, and when you watch her live or hear her songs, they're completely her own. I feel like other pop artists like Rihanna are just the final product of what other people have made. Gaga isn't like that at all.

I find either people get gaga, or they don't. I really don't want to sound pretentious, because I'm not I swear! I understand that not everyone loves that particular form of music, and that's totally cool, but because I'm such a secret pop lover, I feel just so free when I listen to her. It's self empowering. I've had a few downs this year with friendships, and just listening to born this way each morning has made it so much better. I just think "Yeah, whatever, you can hate me, but Gaga loves me so I can live without you."

All in all she makes me feel like a god damn superstar, and that I can do anything, and she loves me forever and she will support me with whatever I choose to do. My friend Meg said to me the other night, "When I listen to her, I feel like getting naked and running around."

I feel very similar, and it's not even sexual it's just loving life.

more thoughts

My last year 12 exam is on Wednesday, the exam is music theory. I am so excited to finish it is unbelievable. The fact that I will never have to go to that school to study again fills me with so much joy! I am also excited for new beginnings! University will hopefully be lovely, and I can't wait to make friends as corny as that is!

Anyway so as I said in my previous blog post, here are some of my favourite holga shots from the other 3 rolls of film I got developed this week!

Myself (left) and Katie (right)

Double exposure featuring Chris and Smirnoff vodka (LLL)

Katie as a donkey...

Me thinking I'm so cool

My beautiful Emily

Katie
Julian
Dylan McCarthy
lovely sam sleeeeping
Probably my absolute favourite

It has come to my attention that there is an astounding amount of light streaks in night photos, as well as some day photos, so I'm going to have to tape up my holga with some gaffer tape to stop this happening. The photo above is beautiful and my favourite because there are no light streaks, and the quality of it is awesome.

So in other news I went to my old primary school's fair the other day, and after seeing all the beautiful animals in the animal farm, I want a cow, sheep, pig, and dog in my backyard when I am older. Don't tell me it won't happen because I will prove you wrong!

I am also up to season 3 of Vampire Diaries, episode 5. This show is too addictive and intense for it's own good!

holga

For christmas last year my wonderful parents bought me a holga camera! For those who don't know, holga is basically a chunky, plastic, analog camera that takes 120 film (or if you're really good other types of film) and creates really dreamy/alternate reality kind of photos.

For a few months now I have had 6 rolls of film which had been used just waiting in this little box I put them in to be developed, and I finally got around to it yesterday! Well, 3 out of 6 rolls were developed. The main reason I had been putting it off was because I didn't know/bother to find out where to get them developed; Kmart and Teds don't develop 120 film. HOWEVER I came across this store called Michael's on the corner of Lonsdale and Elizabeth St in Melbourne's CBD which did it for me! I just got them to put the prints onto a CD, which was cheaper, and also lets me specifically choose what photos I want printed later on. Here are some of my favourites!

My friend's Katie and Dylan in Hossier Lane

John (Left) Me (Left) Dylan (Right) Grace (Right)

This is an example of double exposure, where one photo is taken on top of another photo in the film. You simply don't wind the film to the next slide.

My beautiful friend Jess

John being badass

Kata beach in Thailand

On the plane to Thailand

Daddy Dann in Thailand (another double exposure shot)

My beautiful dog, Rosie

One of my best friends, Chris

An example of Melbourne's originality!

I was so worried that I was doing something wrong when taking the photos, so I am super relieved to get shots like these back that make me happy! In the next two days I'll probably go back to Michael's and develop my other 3 rolls, which will hopefully make me smile like these ones do.

The only issue I have with this small hobby of mine is the cost. Buying 3 rolls of 120 film costs between 20-30 bucks, and to get them developed costs about 20-30 bucks per roll. (Getting them on a CD costs about 15-18 bucks). All in all this means each photo costs me around $2, so this is quite an expensive past time for a 17 year old!

Although in saying that I will buy another 6 rolls of film for this upcoming summer!

the first

I'm so excited to start a blog! I've attempted to a couple of times before, but they were absolutely awful. They were all about fitting in with the world, and being proud of having an opinion, ladidaaaa! but I really would like to make this stick!

I think I'll begin with a fun facts about me, despite this being a more personal blog than a well followed one!

I'm 17 years old, and my birthday is the 17th of April! I have fantastic friends, a wonderful family, and I am a quarter Singaporian!

This is me (right) with one of my best friends, Meg. She enjoys being a slytherclaw, and fashion.

I really love lots of things to do with magic, supernatural themes, super powers, etc. Except for scary movies like paranormal activity. I just can't do horror films at all, I've heard that people enjoy them because they love the adrenaline rush, and feel accomplished after they "survived" it, but I don't enjoy feeling frightened and I don't feel as though I've survived because I've just seen people get tortured. But yes anyway I do love magic. For this reason Harry Potter is a HUGE part of my life.

This is me at the Deathly Hallows part 2 premiere night at IMAX in Melbourne! Oh yes, I live in Melbourne, Australia. I am dressed up as Darcy who went to Hogwarts and had the best time excelling at potions and quidditch. I love everything about Harry Potter. From the first few chapters of Chamber of Secrets (I read that one first) I was absolutely captivated. I love the messages it gives, the characters, the plot, and most importantly the way it's impacted so positively on my life!

Keeping on track with magic, I've recently started watching The Vampire Diaries. IT IS SO COOOOL, I think it's brilliant how Elena is such a strong type of girl internally, and as lovely as Stefan is, Damon is just so flawed it's beautiful. Ian Somerhander is awesome, I follow him on twitter and he's actually good to follow. I hate when I think a celebrity will be great to follow and all they do is post inspiring quotes.

I really really want to have a super power, therefor watching heaps of super hero movies is what I love. A few months ago I saw X-Men: First Class, and I can't even describe how brilliant I thought it was. What I love about the X-Men movies is that it's a good story, accompanied with awesome acting. Makes it so brilliant. James McAvoy (below) is beyond mesmerising. If I could have any super power in the whole world, it would be the ability to manipulate fire, like Pyro. But flying and healing comes in at an equal close second.

If you're from anywhere but Australia, you probably won't know of AFL, aka Australian Football League. I barrack and support the St Kilda Saints, and I go to almost every game with my dad. In my opinion it's the greatest sport in the world, and really well suited to someone like me who has a short attention span, because the game is fast paced and super exciting.

My favourite band is Arctic Monkeys, and my favourite artist is Jeff Buckley. I'm going to Falls Festival in Lorne at the end of the year, and Arctic Monkeys are playing and I'm ridiculously excited! Falls will be so relaxing, and a wicked end to a slow year!

That's all from me! Thanks for reading if you're a stranger, you should tweet me at @darsoid, or even just leave a comment saying hey :)