Motivation level: 0

I'm sure anyone reading this who knows me even a little, knows I am really lazy and lose motivation very easily. I still get good (well for me they are) grades at school because of my ability to make shit up. I actually have to physically force myself to write essays and other assignments that need to be handed in. If an assignment isn't for grading or is oral, I most probably won't do it. Studying for tests is also a thing I barely ever do. And it's bad, because I won't get any of the things I want in life if I keep being a lazy ass and procrastinating from all of the schoolwork.

And I'm sure many people can relate to this so I thought about writing a post about raising motivation? I thought maybe it would help others who struggle with this, but also give me some motivation back and urge me to get cracking on the three literature assignments that were due weeks ago.

So without further ado, here are my tips on gaining/preserving/raising motivation!

1. Set yourself little goals and rewards!!! This might be the thing that has helped me the most. If I set myself an achievable goal and a reward for reaching that goal I will be so much more motivated. Let's say for example I have a chemistry test the next day for which I have exercises I can do. I make a deal with myself that I can get a bath or eat a whole chocolate bar or read a good book for 30 minutes, if I do ten exercises. Helpful af.

2. Plan ahead!!!! Ahhhh... I'm the worst at this. I always start with the assignments the night before they're due. That makes for a lot of stressful nights and half assed works. So I try to plan ahead. I try to divide my work on days so I don't have to cram everything in one evening. I really do try.

3. Positive mindset! If there's one thing that's for sure, it's that it will take me three times more time to finish an assignment if I start doing it in a bad mood. If I start it thinking I'll never get it finished and even if I do finish, it will be very bad and will get me a shitty grade, I will not finish it. But if I just think about what great things I will do when I finish this quickly and how amazing I will feel when I know I've finished this big thing, then I am so much more efficient. This also brings us to the last point.

4. SOUNDTRACK YOUR LIFE. Seriously, nothing will get you in the mood for an in depth analysis of "Oedipus the King" by Sophokles than "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. I know there are people who can't concentrate if there's music playing, so you can just skip this point and yeah, but I really work best when I have a killer soundtrack to my work. For those that are like me, here are my favourite work/motivational playlists and songs and soundtracks and such.

• shitty pop music you can't help but to dance to 
• simply epic
• is anyone over the guardians of the galaxy soundtrack already because im obviously not
• who wouldnt love eurovision
• one of my absolute favourites tbh, dont be scared by the name of a character you might be unfamiliar with in the mix name its actually just dumb songs and a lot of pop punk
• for people that like instrumental motivational music
• my love for this song is eternal
• idk why i like this song so much im sorry for everyone who has to hear me singing this every second of every day 

That's all the tips I have, well maybe also drink lots of tea, because it tastes good, it keeps you calm and it's all healthy and stuff. I hope you all have lots of motivation for whatever you're working on!

Til next time,

Ingrid

"The Maze Runner" movie VS book

I usually love it when the movie made based on a book is different from the book. I love seeing different interpretations of the same plot. But this time, I really didn't.

I saw "the Maze Runner" quite a few months ago on a whim. We went to the cinema with a friend and I saw that it was on and I knew Dylan O'Brien starred in it (nice amirite) and we just thought why not. Now, that movie was a whirlwind of emotions. Most of the time I had no idea what was going on. Neither did the characters of the film, which made everything that more incomprehensible. Everything happened so much.

I did grow really attached to the characters in that short period of time I was in the cinema. As they were in a most unusual situation, you could really see the differences in their personalities and how they responded to different happenings. My favourites were Newt and Minho right away (it hasn't changed after reading the book either (true love)).

But as I said the fact that nothing made sense really bothered me. There were many gaping plot holes (like did the WICKED develop the serum right before sending Teresa in the Glade, did Minho and the other runners really not find the Griever hole Thomas found on his second day in the Maze, how had they never seen a Griever before when they had banished other people before because of getting stung?) and some parts that just didn't make sense at all. I came out of the cinema with more questions than I had when going in.

Still I loved the plot and as I knew it was a part of a trilogy (series? it actually has a fourth book as well kinda), so I wasn't that surprised by the cliffhanger ending. It did however make me want to read the books, to be in the loop when the next film would arrive. Now I got myself a box set of the trilogy and I am currently almost finished with the second book. I feel like I can compare the book and the movie now.

Well firstly, they are so different from each other? It was kinda like someone had taken the same characters and setting and outcome and written two independent works. The book didn't make that much more sense, but it didn't have the plot holes, what was nice. The characters were a bit different as well. I feel like they watered them down in the movie a bit, made it more family-friendly. I liked them more in the books though, the darkness of the book seemed more realistic.

So, deciding solely on the first book and movie, I think the book was obviously a lot better (as it often is), but have mostly read the second book as well, I'm starting to have my doubts about the series. So I'm looking forward to seeing where the movie takes us in September.

All in all I would recommend seeing the movie (and obviously reading the book) because I believe every dystopian movie/book out there portrays a problem we might as well be facing in the future. I'd give the book an 8/10 and the movie a 5.5/10.

Til next time,
Ingrid

The start of the glockenspiel adventure

I haven't written down this year's resolutions yet, so here goes.

1. Read 50 books (also the 2015 reading challenge)
2. Exercise more!!
3. Try not to leave everything to the last moment as usual.
4. Get more weird instruments into your possession (e.g. a tambourine, a glockenspiel and so on)
5. Learn Norwegian fiercely, do exercises in you free time, find words you're not taught in classes etc.
6. Finish the German course in duolingo.
7. Piano lessons with Liis!!!!!!
8. Keep to your promises.

I think that's all. I'm in a good place in my life at the moment so i don't want any big changes tbh.

Til next time,
Ingrid

#Helsinki

We went to Helsinki on the 7th of December with a couple of friends as I mentioned already in my review of "the Night Circus". Here's a video of that yo:

#nice

Til next time,
Ingrid

New Year's Resolutions?

I have always really loved New Year's Resolutions, because they give me this feel of starting over. I am not a very good achiever of goals. Most goals I set myself, I never meet, because, well honestly, I'm really lazy. So New Year's Resolutions are like these kind of i-know-ive-never-achieved-my-goals-but-this-is-a-fresh-start-and-i-will-definitely-be-successful-this-time-thing. Last year when I set the resolutions I really wanted to get them all done tho. So I posted them to my tumblr, as a kinda push, like I've got to get them done when they're written down somewhere, don't I? Let's find out.

"1. take no shit
(even if the shit is coming from a person you really like and want to like you (dont take the shit))"

A-ha! I think I have improved in giving no fucks, so I think I'll count that as done.


"2. sort your wardrobe out
(what even is your clothes style tho srsly sort that shit out)"

This one I think I've accomplished as well. I really like the way I dress now. All black and punk rock and stuff. There's always room for improvement, but I'm happy with how things are at the moment.

"3. get ya eyeliner game on

(you cant do eyeliner what are you two, get it on)"

Nope... And from the way things look right now, it'll never happen.

"4. stop bitching about everything

(whining is a no no, be positive u lil shit)"

A-ha!!!! Another one I've accomplished. I've been so positive this year, I've even surprised myself.

"5. stop arguing with your brother so much

(hes little and dumb, cut him some slack)"

A-ha!!!!!! Nope, actually, haven't done that. We still bicker a lot. It's normal???? Relatives always bicker????? i hope

"6. exercise 

(yes its tedious and you could be on tumblr, but do you want to die every time you have to go to the third story or not)"

I don't even know about this one. I've certainly exercised more this year than I did the last. On the other hand I still exercise like three times a month what is clearly too little. Let's give it a half-done-point.

"7. do the happy jar thingy 

(remember the thing you wanted to do last year but failed, yes doing it this year)"

LOL Haven't done it?????

"8. rEaD!!!!

(i know you have no time, make time, books are life)"

!!!!!!! This one I have done did!!!!!!!! I have read a lot this last year and I've loved it and I'm thinking of setting myself a challenge of reading 50 books in 2015 :)

"9. create art!!!

(youre always whining how you cant art, well practice makes perfect)"

I have arted a lot this year! So much arting! Woo! 

"10. finish the ninth grade oK

(you dont have to be perfect but plz get no 3s yeah)"

I done did it!!! I had no 3s on my ninth grade report card! *applause* 

"11. kiss someone

(so this is kind of not v necessary, but damn gurl, youre 16 and havent kissed anyone or dated anyone, thats kinda sad)"

Haha hahahahahahahahaha hahaha ha aha ha aha h ahahahahaah...

"12. wrITE!!!

(if you want to write good you gotta write a lot, go do)"

:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) I've written quite a lot this year :))))))))))))))))))

"13. make at least one qUALITY short film/video 

(it doesnt have to be a movie or anything but oNE thing thats gooood and quality not like that fuckin vampire movie you made srsly)"

Well I gotta say my idea of quality has changed a lot in this year. I have made a few cute videos that are a-okey quailty this year tho. So yes good done!

And that's it!!! I can say I've accomplished 9/13 of my goals. I'd say that's quite a nice :) I'm happy with it anyways :) 

Til next time, 

Ingrid

La Saint Sylvestre UPDATED

yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

I had a very nice night this night what is nice woo. Basically we had a few friends over and it was nice, we had a lot of fun. We laughed and danced and watched silly things on the tv and ate!! Oh, we ate. Soooooo much. I love eating a lot. And we had nice things to eat. Nice.

my lil bro and some fruits yo

This was the first year we haven't gone to see the town's official fireworks (we've always gone in Viljandi) and I wasn't expecting to see a lot of fireworks. BUT I did! I haven't been that amazed by a thing in a while. When the clock struck twelve fireworks began to shoot from so many places around our home. We went out to the backyard and I swear it was magical. A 360 degree view of verious fireworks. There's this quote: "Usually one person doesn't have the solution, but 100 people with 1% of the solution? That will get it done. I think that's beautiful, pieces solving a puzzle." (it's from Agent's of Shield) and I thought about that whilst standing there in the midst of all these fireworks. People can achieve such greatness when they unite. 

have a lil shitty photo

After watching the fireworks for about 15 minutes we went back inside, drank champagne (non-alcoholic, strawberry flavoured) and did some just dance. It was a nice end to the evening. 

I hope everyone has a very nice 2015th!!

Til next time,

Ingrid