Guilty Pleasures: Music Edition

Since I work in a very noisy environment to say the least, it is often that I find myself wearing earphones. I always find it hard to decide what to listen though, in order not to get it burnt out. I've been one to listen to the same artist/album/song so much I end up hating it, so I try and diversify the music I listen to from time to time.

Long nights at work require certain concentration which can be hard to attain after 15 hours in the office, and so, occassionally I'll need to listen to music that will help keep me awake, which means no Coldplay or the Roswell Soundtrack.

Just the other night I had this song by The Ataris stuck in my head, which gave me the idea to crank up all the songs I once praised, songs not a lot of people know (at least not the people I know), songs I love. The genre? Punk Rock.

I might not strike you as the type of person (if there is even a type) which would listen to this type of music. Whenever people ask me what kind of music I like, I don't exactly stand proudly acknowledging this. Partly, because it's not something I listen to anymore, and partly because I think it's a little awkward.

However, I spent that Saturday night mouthing the words to 'Responsibility' and 'My friends over you' and even though I was extremely tired and frustrated after not getting my pieces right, I felt happy. Music kinda does that, doesn't it? I mean, it can change a mood, it can bring back memories, and for a while there, I was back in high school, dressing up (or attempting to) like Avril Lavigne and going to see my friends' bands play at clubs.

Although I guess there's no wrong age for listening to a certain type of music, it is a fact that as everything else in life, we change and our tastes evolve as we grow up. And although these days it is more likely that you will find me listening to Jason Mraz or Gavin Degraw, still this doesn't mean I don't enjoy singing out loud to 'Pretty Fly' or 'I'm just a kid', no matter how old I get. 

Well I guess this is growing up*
What's your musical guilty pleasure?

g.

*These are lyrics to a Blink 182 song (my favorite band growing up).
*PS. Here´s a playlist where you can listen to my musical guilty pleasures (Punk-Rock edition).
*Image via here.

2016 Goals

I don't know what it is, but every time I'm about to leave for a holiday at my hometown, I think I'm gonna get so much work done, as in, writing for the blog, of course. However, from the time I step in my childhood home, I become useless. Every. Single. Time.

One of the things I wanted to write about was a recap of the past year. But since that didn't happen and it's now 2016, I figured it was more appropriate to focus on the present/future. So here it is, my list of goals for the new year.

Call more / Text less.

I remember the days when I'd talk on the phone for hours. But those were also the days before internet, young adult relationships and full time jobs. Now I'm lucky if I get to actually talk to my friends on the phone twice a year (on birthdays). Since we all have smart phones these days, being apart is made easier by apps like whatsapp, software like Skype or even social networks like Facebook or Instagram, which all allow us to be in constant communication with loved ones. Although nothing compares to actually seeing each other and spending quality time together (like we did on the holidays), talking on the phone allows for a closer kind of interaction, which is why this year I've decided I'm going to try really hard to call my friends and family more, rather than text them.

Go on more adventures.

A and I live in a state which is very popular for being the one Mexican state with the most 'Pueblos Mágicos' (Magic Villages), none of which we have ever visited. This year I hope that, by achieving a couple more goals on this list, we will be able to explore a little more of what this place has to offer.

Travel. Travel. Travel.

Not only do we both live away from our families and friends, but we also have friends and family who live elsewhere. My best friend got married in India and moved to London. My brother lives in Playa del Carmen. And last year two of my best friends moved away to other states as well. This year we plan on going abroad for a very special friend's wedding, but other than that, I'd love it if we could take a few weekends to go visit loved ones.

Take more photos (and actually print them).

Before last year ended, I took to myself to empty the memory card of my DSLR camera. On my computer, I usually save photos by month and then by event. As it turns out, there were months with no photos and moreover, around 20 photos (if not less) of A and me. How did that happen? I have a pretty good idea, which is why this year I'm making it a point to not let that happen again.

Stay healthy.

Since the middle of last year, A and I have been living a healthier lifestyle (a full story I plan to tell at some point), with the exception of the occasional weekend cheat meal as registered in my Instagram accounts. Eating well isn't really that hard and if you take care of yourself during the week, there's no reason why you can't treat yourself once in a while. We took a little break from these habits during the holidays (obvs) but we are now back on track and highly motivated to achieve our goals. 

Update/Decorate our house.

We have lived in this house for almost a year now and it still isn't nowhere near coming to feel like it is completely ours. Sure, walls have been painted and things have been placed where I want them, but still there are many things I want to do around here. Hang art and photos, add plants (maybe even hang them too), add storage, paint some pieces here and there. I hope to complete some of these things at some point this year.

Buy a car.
When I was living in Mexico City I never thought about buying a car. It just wasn't necessary. I lived pretty much walkind distance from everywhere I needed to go, and if I didn't, I could just take the metro or metrobús. But here in Puebla is a different story. Although I've already manage to find all the routes for the places I usually need to go, the truth is public transportation here is not reliable and as A and I enter a new face in our professional lives, it has become more of a necessity than a luxury.

Go on more dates with A.

Before I got my current job, back when I was only teaching twice a week, A and I used to go out at least once a week to either get coffee or dinner. But because I usually  work late, we don't get to do that anymore. Which is why another one of my goals is...

Quit my job.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love my job. I love the people I work with, I think we have a great team and the things we do are awesome. But it is a very ungrateful job. The hours are very long and the payment, well, isn't. It sucks that I've never been able to find a job which I love, the pay is good and the people are nice. But I once said I'd rather had a job that made me happy than one to pay the rent, and although this job does make me happy and does help pay the rent, it's messing with the really important things in my life, like my relationship.

I know what you're thinking. How am I suppose to travel, buy a car and go on dates if I quit my job? Well, that's why my last and possibly most important goal of this year is to...

Start our own company.
A and I are both architects. He has been working on projects for a while now and it is just a matter of time before I join him full time. It has been a dream for a long time and it feels like the timing is just right. 

Bonus goal!
Write more.
Also, doing some of the above will allow me to continue to write more regularly, or at least, here's hoping!

Well, there it is. I'll let you all know how things go, but in the mean time, what are your 2016 goals?

G.