Shine Theory

Shine Theory

If you are a 'Call Your Girlfriend' addict, then this phrase will already be firmly in your vocabulary. If not, then I will give you the run-down. Ann Friedman, writer and one half of CYG, wrote the article 'Shine Theory: Why Powerful Women Make the Greatest Friends' for The Cut in 2013.

And the minds of the world were blown... or at least mine was.

Shine theory is a science of sorts, based around the idea of 'I don't shine if you don't shine' (amazing phrase coined by Aminatou Sow, other half of CYG) - surrounding yourself with strong, happy, confident, 'shiny' women, can only make your life better, you are able to shine more around these glittering souls, not less.

The worst type of friendships to hold onto, are the ones that don't make you feel like your best self everyday. People who make themselves feel better by tearing other people down are the WORST, it's not confidence, it's cowardice. Why compete with other women? Why feel jealous when they get something you don't? Just....don't.... Women need to support other women. Feel happy for your pals success, be inspired and motivated by these incredible women. You're lucky, you have people in your corner pushing you to achieve and defending you when things don't go to plan.

Friends like these make you feel like you are the best thing in the world, like you're the most intelligent, funny and beautiful, because on the days when you don't feel it - they know it. They are the people that hype you up, they tell you that Beyonce should be scared when you strut out in a new dress, or text you to say how bloody great you are on the morning of a big meeting. Those are the people to cherish, always.

Read Ann's original The Cut article HERE.

The World's 100 Most Powerful Women, via Infographic

The World's 100 Most Powerful Women

March is 'National Women's History' month and tomorrow is 'International Women's Day' - let's celebrate womankind, I know I will be. This week my blog / Instagram / Twitter is going to be over-run with women, boobs and female empowerment.

First up - 'The World's 100 Most Powerful Women'

Forbes collates a variety of lists each year to show the world's 100 most powerful women, men and people. I read and re-read the information, trying to understand who these powerful women were - what did they do? Where did their power come from? I needed / wanted to know everything.

So, I spent Saturday night creating this infographic (coolest? I know...) to explore the key stats. I will let the infographic explain itself but all I will say is that I was glad to learn that celebrities only accounted for 7%, something that I assume will begin to increase with our current generation (although mens list, I'm looking at you, please not Justin Bieber... despite him possibly being a magician)

After analysing the list of incredible women, I wanted to see what the divide between gender was on the 'World's 100 Most Powerful People' - women only make up 9% of that list. Women and men are equal, hopefully the numbers to follow in the next few years will begin to show that.

I hope this has been enlightening in some way, if not that, then hopefully a treat for the eyes... I have linked the original lists HERE, if you want to gain more information.

Be a Cool Kid, Make a GIF

Be a Cool Kid, Make a GIF

Do you ever feel left out when you see pictures of cats coming together in a perfect, delicious union? Do you feel like all the cool kids are making GIF's and you can't? Well, do not fret - I am here to help via the medium of film.

I have a new video up on my YouTube channel - please watch, like, subscribe and GIF until your heart is content!

Refresh Repeat

Refresh Repeat

Procrastination solely fuelled by the internet is a new hobby. Refresh repeat, refresh repeat, refresh repeat.. the internet constantly offers new content to seduce my brain and concentration every second.  The internet is like an irritating friend - it wants to talk a lot, be the centre of attention and basically draw your attention away from any task you were about to complete.

Pre-internet obsession, my procrastination capabilities were still pretty strong - I would quite happily clean my kitchen, organise my book shelf into alphabetical order, re-organise my book shelf to group colour groups (Pinterest innit?), sort of my wardrobe, eat dinner, bake a cake (eugh, baking)... I wonder if there are strange creatures out there who don't procrastinate? Would they be allowed to be counted as 100% human if they can complete a task straight away?...

*Just so you are fully aware, I made the above graphic whilst procrastinating about starting another project. Yep, that's right guys - I procrastinated by designing a graphic to show the ways I procrastinate. Yep.

The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden

This has to go down as one of my cheesiest blog post titles of late, but I am a big believer that a bit of cheese (food and sentiment) is needed at times.

Anyway, you've seen this garden before (ruining the titles promises), it's one of my favourite places in South London. It's always gloriously overgrown and peaceful - it really does feel like the garden has opens itself up just for me. I like the quieter, less showy and more genuine parts of London, it's places like this, that make me feel calm and at home here.

A couple of weeks ago I invited a couple of pals around for a late breakfast and since the ever so shy sun made an appearance, we took our brunch catch up to the the garden - since it was me and Amy (Vintage Reflection) wandering, taking a few sneaky shots of the days artfully prepared outfit was always going to be the natural progression. I call this my 'grown up toddler' look, any childlike behaviour is a bonus and only accentuates the look (just in case you were going the restyle...)

Any secret places in London you know about? Leave them below and I will explore.

Trainers - Adidas, Jacket, Top & Brooch - Second Hand, Dress - Topshop

Podcasts: Essential Listening

Podcasts: Essential Listening

I'm not the type of person who can sit and work in silence, concentration needs noise, so does quality procrastination time...

Spotify holds the number one spot in my heart, well it did... that was before I was introduced to the Podcast app. I have fallen, and I have fallen hard. I feel like I need to spread the joy, so here are my top ten podcasts for anyone in need of a discussion, inspiration, motivation or just in need of zoning out:

Serial

I feel like this is a tired choice, everyone knows about Serial and everyone loves Serial, but I love Serial, which is why it's here, sat right smack bang on this list. Serial takes a true story over a series and delves right into the weeds.

In season one, Sarah Koenig goes back through all the notes of Adnan Syed's case - Adnan is currently serving life in prison for the murder of Hae Min Lee, but did he do it? Listening to Sarah's exploration through the statements, talking to the witnesses and talking to Adnan will have you thinking he's guilty, he's not guilty, definitely guilty, maybe not guilty? Am I guilty? Maybe I did it? arghhhh!!

If you are currently addicted to Making a Murderer and you are into super stressful stories with literally no ending - this ones for you.

Link

Design Life

Design Life is a new design podcast hosted by Charli and Femke - both female designers in the early years of their careers and both serial side project addicts. Their podcast is addictive, enriching and makes me want to get of my arse and tackle all of the creative projects I have been putting off. I don't think I have met (vocally...) two more motivated people. The episodes are based around the design business, how to navigate it stealthily and how to make time to do the creative things you want.

One of my recent favourite episodes was 'making and managing time' - this is a topic that I think all creatives (probably all people) fight with on a daily basis. Charli and Femke discussed how they managed their time and kept organised. The basic moral of the episode was - if you want to do something that bad, you make you make time, you get up early, you work on the way to work - no excuses...

If you are into design, witty convo, inspiration and in need a kick up the arse - get over to Design Life.

Link

Call Your Girlfriend

Call Your Girlfriend ‘ a podcast for long distance besties everywhere’ is a new favourite, I started at episode one and I am burning through them. CYG is hosted by BFF’s Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow - I have fallen hard, mainly due to the fact that it feels like I’m sat listening to my best friends chatting and giggling – they discuss feminism, periods, racism, rom-com’s, politics, Kimye and the mystery behind the Kardashian’s…

You will leave the episode feeling warm, inspired, pumped and unable to sing anything by Robyn’s ‘Call Your Girlfriend’. It will also make you want to call your girlfriend and discuss everything you have just listened too, job done.

Link

Another Round

This a booze infused podcast hosted by Heben and Tracey, they are the witty, intelligent and funny people you eye up at a party and instantly think ‘I’m going to make you my friend’. If you want to sit and listen to two girls, getting tipsy and discussing (extremely articulately despite the booze… well done everyone) racism, the high and lows of social media, dating and feminism, then this is the internet place for you. They often have big hitting guests to add to the conversation and they are most definitely not scared about asking the questions people need an want to know.

Link

Women of the Hour

Women of the Hour is everything you would want and expect from a Lena Dunham podcast – it’s honest, it over shares, it’s badass and it is full of open conversations regarding sexuality, feminism, gender, work, play and all the fun stuff in-between. 

The show is only five episodes long (series two Lena?..) with a smattering of additional footage throughout. Lena features interesting and thought provoking guests on each episode to push the conversation and thought process further, she often asks the questions that people usually shy away from, which makes for an interesting listen. The incredible Emma Stone and the unnervingly cool June Squibb are on hand every episode to offer wisdom and advice to the masses. Want to know what to do when a ‘friend’ is being less than friendly? Squibb will sort it, no worries.

Lena divides people, to use the severely overused analogy - she’s like marmite, people either love her or hate her. I love her, she says exactly what she thinks and does exactly what she likes – whether that be flashing her tits to the world or talking in depth and heartfelt about her friendships. If you love Girls and you loved Lena’s ‘Not that Kind of Girl’ and you subscribe to Lenny Letter, you will love this. Obvs.

Link

TED Talks

TED Talks, this is on the list because it has to be. This is one I listen to on a slow work day, when I'm lacking in motivation - you need to hear the voices of the successful, the badass, the idea creators and the down right thought provokers of the world.

I have a few essential TED Talks that I have as back up for an emergency situation, a few to get you started are - Sheryl Sandberg's 'why we have too few women leaders', Ken Robinsons's 'schools kill creativity', Elizabeth Gilbert's 'your elusive creative genius' and Brene Brown's 'the power of vunerability'.

They inspire, motivate and make you want to be a better person, all round thumbs up from me.

Link

Kermode and Mayo's Film Review

I am the annoying person / cinema goer who likes to watch a film and then dissect it fully post-viewing - irritating for some, un-avoidable for others. Anyway, Kermode and Mayo are not only my film viewing enablers but they allow me to dissect a film without annoying people.

The episodes usually focus around one film to focus on and discuss, usually with the films protagonist in tow. Each episode is around two hours long, a solid chunk of time well spent. Ultimately I trust their recommendations, I don't always agree but I always see value in what they say. They are the Simon Cowell of the film critic world - harsh but usually correct.

Link

Monocle 24: The Monocle Arts Review

This podcast is a quick hitter - 15 minutes of art, theatre, literature, film and all the good stuff each week. I recently went to see 'The Big Short' at the cinema and pretty much adored it, in a recent episode, the arts review interviewed Tim Robey, a film critic who discusses said wondrous film - lapped it up entirely. The arts review introduces me to films, programmes, books and artists in an easy way. I enjoy the set-up, when they discuss a book, they look into the underlying themes and messages to form a deeper understanding and enjoyment. All for it.

Link

Guardian, Science Weekly

The Guardians Science podcast is a good'un, one for expanding and boggling the mind in equal measure. One of my favourite episodes recently was 'why are conspiracy theories so attractive', it looked into our power of reasoning and why we get so drawn into a good conspiracy theory. So much illustration fodder flows freely from this podcast, I want to draw everything despite understanding very little.

Link

My Dad Wrote a Porno

This podcast is the comedy sprinkling to my list. The host Jamie Morton reads out sections of his dads erotic novel 'Belinda Blinked', he owns the information and it's incredible. If this sentence doesn't make you want to drop everything you are doing and download, then I don't know who you are.

I don't have a huge amount of comedy podcasts on my list, they are just too distracting and usually end with me sniggering loudly rather than subtly enjoying the lol's. But if you can be better than me, whack it on.

Link


Do the right thing, make your workday and life better with a podcast.

Lumiere London

1.8 London by Janet Echelman

Lumiere London

Roads are closed, streets are busy and lights have taken over London town. Tonight was the start on the 4-day light festival 'Lumiere London'.

I wrapped up in all the clothes I could find and eagerly wandered down (looking like a well-dressed sumo wrestler, 5 layers is normal right?...) after work to see the lights turn on. The lights are all over London, we started at Oxford Circus because, a). I was eager to see Janet Echelman's floating, jellyfish cloud creation, and b). I wanted to walk in the middle of the road on Oxford Street without fear of death.

Janet Echelman's '1.8 London' was a firm favourite - beautiful, ethereal and based around an impact created by a Japanese earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

"Such was the strength of the vibrations, the earthquake momentarily sped up the earth's rotation and shortened that day by 1.8 microseconds"

All of the pieces I oogled were incredible and I am still itching to see the telephone box aquariums around the city...

The festival runs from the 14th - 17th January, if you are in London, drop everything and go.

Lumineoles

Keyframes by Groupe LAPS