Music Inspiration (Top 2000/Christmas)

Christmas for me means family time, sharing, raising the glass and music meaning: Top 2000! ♫ In this blog I'm sharing my love for music before we'll start the most wonderful time of the year! 🎄🎅

Tom about the Nutcracker

I really enjoyed listening to Tom Hiddleston's childhood memories about Tchaikovsky's the Nutcracker  (listen below). I always love to hear Tom speaking so passionate about the things he loves and just imagine Little Tommy listening to a beautiful art of music: aww😍 I really appreciate the classical music and every now and then (when writing) I turn on Mozart or Beethoven, but in today's blog the music mentioned are quite a different genre.. Tomorrow starts an inspiring music program as well, hosted by my very own favorite radio channel. It's called the Top 2000 and just like for Tom Hiddleston and many others, music is a very important factor in my life and in this post I'll want to share my love for these 35 songs I gave my vote to this year.


The Top 2000

NPO Radio 2's Top 2000 is a yearly music list airing from Christmas until December the 31st, 23:59 (directly followed by ABBA - Happy New Year). From the 1st until the 7th of December you were able to vote, filling in a list of max. 35 songs, a hard job because if you ask me, picking only 35 songs is quite a challenge! I called it the most important vote of the year. Some songs are rusted up in my yearly list. However every year there are songs that have a special story, especially for this year and therefore those songs made it to this list. Also that is what the Top 2000 is, looking back on memories born this year before celebrating the arrival of the next year. One of the things I love most about the voting is filling in the motivation of why I chose that particular song. Here's my list of songs I voted for this year.


My Top 2000 list:

(Alright, I'm a bad calculator, but I do know that below are 36 songs instead of 35: the why is explained.)

1. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Maid of Orleans 

If you read my blog regularly, you know I'm a very spiritual person. Last year I heard this song on a spiritual night that had all to do with strong women from the past who have meant something for the world. Maid of Orleans is about Joan of Arc, one of the strong women the evening was about. I recognized the song but I didn't knew who it was. Two months later I heard it in the Top 2000, quickly made a screenshot in the app so that I would remember the name of the song (the artist name is one I easily forget..). It's one of the songs I do listen a lot now and after everything I've grew in the last year, it truly needed to be on top of my list!

It's such a beautiful song, listen here:

2. Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way  

When I hear this, I often think that this song is giving me a message. A message to follow my dreams by simply going my own way. This is something I'm really trying to do. It's something I would advice everyone to do, although it doesn't always seem to be easy. One thing is clear: How hard it's going to be, the path is there! The song seems to come to me on moments I need to be remembered by it. Local coverbands do often play this one a lot and last year I heard Fleetwood Mac live on Pinkpop. Go Your Own Way always hits me, and it does get me emotional from time to time..

3. Guns n’ Roses – November Rain 

This is one of my all time favorite classics. In this list, I will never skip November Rain. It's just such a beautiful song and I do remember the rainy videoclip with the wedding, the funeral and Slash playing the guitar outside the church very clearly. It disappeared out of the top 10 last year, I hope one day it'll be back in it.. Often on family-days when a Guns n' Roses song is playing, people tell a story about little toddler Nicole.. I'll explain that one when we'll reach Knocking on Heavens Door.

Something else, I actually never have seen the original Guns n' Roses live but next June I get my chance when they're standing on Pinkpop, a Dutch festival. So.. who's coming with me?

4. Nirvana – The Man Who Sold The World

I dare to say that I find Nirvana's version better than David Bowie's version. Even though many will disagree, Nirvana surely beats the original version in this music top.. Nirvana is one of my favorite of all times and I just love the Unplugged in New York album. Perhaps this was the album that made me fell in love with Nirvana, even though I knew some of their other songs. Some say: Nirvana is one you hate or love.. Well, I love it!

5. Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song 
Okay, I admit, this song has entered my list the year that Thor: Ragnarok hit the theaters: 2017. I can't believe I had never heard this one before, while of course I knew some songs of Led Zeppelin. We come from the land of the ice and snow! This song always makes me laugh and it reminds me of some hilarious Loki/Thor moments: (Get Help..) It's an epic underrated song. I hosted a intro music quiz (based on the Top 2000) the other day and only one person guessed the artist while nobody knew the title..

This year they have added a function where you can see a statistic of how the song has been doing it during all editions of the Top 2000. See here how Thor Ragnarok made it increase in 2017:

6. Neil Young – Keep on Rocking in the Free World 

You know, you're able to visit the Top 2000 café every year. It's just that with one ticket (they're cheap and sold out fast!), you're allowed to stay for 30 minutes. This was one of the songs that was playing last year when I was there. It's the only one I remember because it was the only real good song I heard in there. I shall always be remembered to that when I hear this song. I used to have the title written on a sticker bought at Pinkpop, it's a great motto indeed.

7. Electric Light Orchestra – Don’t Bring Me Down 

Speaking of great motto's, this definitely is one too! This is one of the songs I have listened to this year a lot, therefore (and because it's awesome!) it's in the list. The beauty of the list is that there always songs in it that have a extra special meaning that particular year. This year I've learned that I'm stronger than I think I am..

8. Guns n’ Roses – Knockin' on Heavens Door 

Back in the days when I was 2 (long time ago, I don't remember it haha) a TV channel, probably MTV aired a daily Top 5. The early 90s seemed to be the years of Guns n' Roses, Mr. Big, Metallica and Ugly Kid Joe, as these were the artists my parents told me I enjoyed to listen to everyday. They sat me in front of the TV, watched me trying to sing along during Knockin' on Heavens door, while obviously all I brabbled was "Ai ai ai".. Even back then, I knew what good music was!

9. Nirvana – In Bloom 

One of Nirvana I've started to appreciate more and more the last two years. Also this one entered the Top 2000 last year. The best version of this song I think is not the regular version, but the version that's on the Nevermind Deluxe album. I don't know, it's just a little different.

10. Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven 
I wished this was the number 1. It's such a beautiful song. Last year Stairway to Heaven disappeared out for the top 3 because of Billy Joel's Piano Man (not a bad song either..) and this year it ended up on place 5. Well, at least it's still in the top 5! The other day my father showed me a video of a version of Stairway To Heaven sung by the singer of Heart. Who thinks women can't sing should definitely listen to this: Stairway to Heaven by Heart

11. The Eagles – Hotel California 
The forever number 2 (however it actually did beat Bohemian Rhapsody a few years ago..). Such a beautiful song, can't skip it!

12. Boston – More Than A Feeling 
According to my father, this is the best song in the world! It indeed is a real, real good song!

13. Lex Uiting – Nao ‘t Zuuje
This is a local song, very local song. It's from the city where I visited the 'vote-bus' (see below). Actually it's a slightly emotional, carnaval (link to the blog I wrote about this subject in March) ballade. It entered the list last year and that gave such a proud feeling. Note: I'm not that crazy of Carnaval, but a little I can have..

14. Elton John – Circle of Life
The Lion King (1994) still is one of my favorite movies and Elton John's Circle of Life always brings me back to the Pride Lands! 

15. Wham – Last Christmas 
It's almost Christmas and my favorite Christmas song can't miss! However this month I have listened to Christmas Was A Friend Of Mine a lot, so I think I have one more Christmas song that enters my list next year!

16. Jason Paige - Gotta Catch'm All (Pokémon theme song) 
Okay, in 2015 this song was voted in due a FB action.. I thought it was funny, as long as if it's not that extreme (Top 10 for example). Yeah I gave it a vote again and that resulted (as usual) in a discussion with my father. "If you can't find 35 better songs.." I might leave it out next year then.. The radio channel has a game 'The Top 2000 Shuffle' in which you get 5 random songs from the last Top 2000. For each song you got to say No or Yes (if you want to hear it) and if you reach the last song, that one automatically will be played. During the voting week they did this game like every two hours. I was lucky enough to be selected for playing the game and I already feared the Pokémon song to be my first choice.. and that was the case! I made the DJ laugh by telling the story about the discussion with my father but I turned the song down.. I went to the 5th song: a Michael Jackson song, not bad.

17. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit 
Another Nirvana song: Yep, and it's not the last one! The ultimate rock song!

18. Bon Jovi – Bed Of Roses 
Bed of Roses is such a beautiful song. I once said they should play it on my funeral. 

Isn't this beautiful? :

I wanna lay you down in a bed of roses
For tonight I sleep on a bed of nails
Oh, I wanna be just as close as the Holy Ghost is
And lay you down on a bed of roses

19: Europe – The Final Countdown 
In the motivation I wrote this is the perfect nr. 1 for the Top 2000 (instead of Bohemian Rhapsody).. Because of "The Final Countdownnnnn" and then it's 2020, you know.. Never going to happen.

20. Muse – Uprising 
One of my favorite bands of the century! And I think Uprising is their best song. I have seen Musest (Muse Coverband) two times now. Muse is definitely on my list too!

21. Linkin Park – In The End 
Another example of a band from which the singer died way too soon! (a.o: Nirvana, INXS) Spoken of things the singers (Kurt Cobain & Michael Hutchence) have in common, Chester Bennington had such an amazing voice. 

22. ABBA – Waterloo 
Waterloo💓 My favorite ABBA song. Every time I hear it, my heart warms. And of course, it makes me think of my favorite country: England!

23. ABBA – S.O.S 
Also this ABBA song has something special. A few years ago I also had a great night when seeing a tribute-band of ABBA.

24. INXS – Never Tear Us Apart

I remember there were years I had added a lot of INXS songs to my list, some of them never actually came in the list and a few have disappeared last year. The singer Michael Hutchence had such a beautiful voice which is to its fullest in this song. I often say I am born like 20 or 30 years too late because the 80s truly were the years when lots of men had long hair. Unfortunately only a handful have such long locks nowadays. 

25. Michael Jackson – Leave Me Alone

If you have never seen this videoclip, you definitely should. It's a funny one with labradors. Around the time Michael Jackson died, we just had our labrador. One channel aired Michael Jackson videoclips non stop for days. So every time I hear this Michael Jackson song with the labradors in it, it reminds me of my own labrador. 🐶

26. Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is 

Just a really beautiful song!

27. Sly Fox – Let’s Go All The Way 

Funny story. This is a song I have heard a lot on the radio, but first the only thing I remembered was the beginning. That's something like: "sham sham zea" <-- googling that, no results of course.. However somehow I found it and when I requested it, the Radio DJ even played it. Unfortunately, the song hasn't made the final list. 

28. Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – World On Fire

As for the motivation for this song I refer to a blog from June: Pinkpop/Music. My highlight of the the Pinkpop festival this year: The rocking sounds of Slash, Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators. I made the choice of going to stand in front at Slash's performance. That's something I don‘t choose to do often, or like ever. (You shouldn't do that at a performance of Rammstein or Rage Against the Machine for example, if you don‘t want to end up in the raging crowds or if you don‘t feel like you‘re standing so secure in your shoes, like me.) Since last year I‘m developing myself by stopping to see my legs-condition as an obstacle. It‘s like they are less a burden now, but of course there are some limits. But standing in front at Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators is not something I regret. I hope to see Slash again next year, when he comes with Guns n' Roses.

29. Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box 

One of the first songs of Nirvana I knew. I bought the single of this song. Unlike the videoclip, the image on the single is quite beautiful.


30. Nazareth – Love Hurts 
Really beautiful song, although some here at home disagree..


31. Ugly Kid Joe – Cats in The Cradle 
It's sad that there's no song from Ugly Kid Joe at all in the Top 2000. This one or Everything I Hate About You should have been in there!

32. Nirvana – Come as You Are 

Here's Nirvana again, you know me by now! I really like this song. As read in the title, this song is about being yourself. Don't pretend to be someone else. And a "No, I'm not going to judge you", perhaps is to read in the line: "No, I don't have a gun", Kurt keeps repeating.

33. Guns n’ Roses – Estranged 

Estranged perhaps is the less known sister/brother of November Rain. Give it a chance, because it truly is just as beautiful! A little lyrics: Cause I see the storm getting closer And the waves they get so high Seems everything we've ever known's here Why must it drift away and die..


34. Led Zeppelin – Kashmir
They made such great music, Led Zeppelin! I'll always enjoy this one for the full 8:30 minutes!


35: Giant – I’ll See You In My Dreams / Journey - Don't Stop Believing
I listed these two songs together because they kind of have the same meaning to me. I voted for I'll See You In My Dreams last year, but it's actually not in the voting list so I chose Don't Stop Believing from Journey instead. Never stop believing in your dreams, it's something I have mentioned in my blogs a lot. Ever since my teen years the song Don't Stop Believing came to me on moments when I was about to stop believing.. It's like it's the Universe's way to send me a reminder, a confirmation and it's so beautiful. It's something that gets me emotional too. You know one of my dreams is meeting Tom Hiddleston one day and when he was on the English Radio 2 (betrayal interview) the song Don't Stop Believing was played during that show or after it. And here it comes: Two hours later I switch back to the Dutch Radio 2 and on the very same moment there it is: Don't Stop Believing from Journey!

I would like to share the lyrics of I'll See You In My Dreams with you, see why I have fell in love with it:

Gone, the voice that used to fill the room is all but gone
An echo of a perfect love that ended wrong
Girl, we tried so hard when love was on our side
And yesterday will always be the reason why
You keep comin', you keep comin' back, you keep comin' back for more

I'll see you in my dreams
There we'll be safe tonight, from the lonely days of memory
I'll see you in my dreams, oh

Time, time will never be a friend of mine again
It tries to make your memory fade, but I won't let it end
Let the sun go down, so I can drift away
Let me close my eyes and live another day
You keep comin', you keep comin' back, you keep comin' back for more

I'll see you in my dreams
There we'll be safe tonight, from the lonely days of memory
I'll see you in my dreams, oh

The truth, oh it's there for you to see
Sometimes it's painful to be on your own, on your own

I'll see you in my dreams
There we'll be safe tonight, from the lonely days of memory
I'll see you in my dreams
Back in my arms again, and no matter what tomorrow brings
I'll see you in my dreams, oh, oh, oh

Visiting the 'Vote-Bus':

and I also visited the 'vote-bus' itself, as they had a stop somewhere close. So, on the 6th, just like many others, my alarm went on 6 o'clock and I was traveling to the location on 7:20. The only difference is that for most people if the alarm is set on 6 o'clock, its for work and definitely not for fun.. I'm not traveling towards the café this year, so I really liked it that the bus had a stop close to my home this year. The weather had turned into a December Rain and my feet were cold afterwards.. But I spoke with one of the DJs of the radio and of course scored me a photo. It was definitely worth wasting some sleep hours for! 

I hope you enjoyed my blogpost. And now let's go enjoy Christmas!

And I wish you a..

xx

Nicole

Zen Blog: Inspiring Quotes and Nature 4

Zen Blog: Inspiring Quotes and Nature 4

I‘m so sorry that it took me three months to do a blog like this one again. I‘m not doing the time-talk again, we know it‘s flying by faster than Thor would⚡ (even before he got fat..). However had added some nature pictures and quotes in some of the blogs I published in August and September.

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Aren‘t we all bouncing in a circle up and down? The one moment we feel great, the next moment we‘re caught in a miserable mood. Perhaps that‘s what they mean with 'Circle of Life' in the Lion King. (Kidding..) Speaking of the Lion King, remember Hakuna Matata (it means no worries for the rest of..🎵)?  Recently I got a tip from someone. He said something among the lines of: "If you‘re burdened with stress or you are worrying about something, throw some rocks in the water and watch the circles. Pretend that the disappearing circles mean your stress/worries and let it carry it away!" That‘s truly a wonderful advice. I knew that there‘s a large pond around my hometown somewhere I had never been before. I tried to find this a few months ago, but I don‘t know where Maps was sending me too. Not there, definitely. It was a great walk though, crossed a dog 🐶that lives close in the era (I was worried about him walking around there on his own, but people told me it‘s the dog‘s nature for as long as they remember) who joined me the whole time and actually helped me find my way back from the nowhere to the living! However, the other day I decided to give it another try and took my bicycle with me because it was actually quite the walk.. This time finding it took me no effort, so I decided to follow the guy‘s advise. And for me this really worked. I had two things on my mind that I wished the universe solved for me. Small things, but enough to spoil my mood for a few days.. Anyhow, the next day both of those 'problems' were solved.

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Somehow I‘m always drawn to take a picture of the sky. It‘s always the question how a picture like that turns out because I can‘t see the view when looking right into the sun..

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The above is a zoom-in of the previous picture. I did captured a light blue energy in that particular picture I took. You can tell me it‘s an effect of the sun, but I‘m too spiritual to believe that! 💙

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Hey, what‘s that in the water?

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Quotes/Inspiration: 

 

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These days here it‘s raining a lot. One of the themes of this blog post perhaps is water.

You can‘t live without water, nature can‘t live without water. Every time when the rain spoils your mood, think that nature which is still recovering from two dry summers (here that is..), needs it a lot!

I do, I do!

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A sign of Infinity

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You are stronger than you think..

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End the blog with some Hiddles vibes!

I know I have used this Tom Hiddleston quote earlier, but you can‘t share a lovely quote like this enough!

I like to write down small quotes or save images in small note books. Every time I open this small blue notebook Tom Hiddleston‘s quote magically creates a smile on my face. 💙😇

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I hope you enjoyed this blog,

Love,

xx

Nicole

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Sources: Rituals, Flair Magazine, Flow Magazine, Tom Hiddleston

Think purple, think positive!

Think purple, think positive!

Purple, the colour of spirituality, the colour of passion, inspiration and fantasy. Purple, a sensitive colour but also a magical one. Purple, the colour born from mixing red and blue. The colour of freedom. The colour of the crown-chakra and also a different shade belongs to the third-eye (I‘m not offended if you have lost me here..) The colour of equality. Shortly said: it's a lovely, feminine inspiring colour to use for writing! You can give a colour a lot of meanings, but if you love and appreciate it, it's one of your personal colours of your life. 

It‘s quite a simple picture, a purple pen resting on a small notebook that has nothing more written on than a date. I could have just left it there without sharing my thoughts about the colour purple. That surely had made the picture less interesting or better said: pointless. But I didn't because one thing I‘m succeeding in doing much more often lately is focusing on the positive things. You can find those positives everywhere, in every small thing, even such small as a pen. And in certain circumstances the negative thoughts have found their way to you earlier, but you‘re the controller, you‘re the boss! Control them, turn on the switch. Ask yourself these questions and let your mind do the rest: How does this thought/situation make me feel? And how can I change it into a positive thing? And let go! There‘s no negativity written in this notebook, I can tell you that.

Hiddles!

Posted by Tom Hiddleston on Instagram

Also a very positive vibe it‘s the moment when Tom Hiddleston posts a photo on his social media. That‘s a vibe being send over in his whole fandom by one simple click. Just look at that smile! Doesn't that just magically make a smile appear on your face? Also the drawing (probably made by one of his youngest fans?) also got me overflowed with happy and 'aww'-thinking thoughts!

Let‘s continue on the cute factor, shall we?

Pictures by K9Horn (IG page)

The Betrayal trio at the Broadway Flea Market, doing a raffle for charity. Personally when I‘m choosing a charity to donate to, 9 out of 10 it will be a charity that helps animals. Animals, how big or small they are, they got feelings too (the dog below surely shows how he feels for Tom Hiddleston haha) and they deserve to live a happy life. 

If the term 'police dogs' is one that gives you mixed-up feelings, than just focus on how much a police dog actually means for the safety (and the safety of our inspiration Tom Hiddleston, yeah I've seen pictures of the large numbers of crowd during the stage door!) For my education of Animal Caretaker I've also did an internship at a place where dogs were trained to become police dogs. It was quite the experience! Because of my physical condition, I couldn't do much myself. I mainly took the calmer dogs such as the labradors out for walks. You grow to attach them quickly, I probably don't have to tell you that! I‘ve got a Labrador here and well, he‘s just the purest soul. Dogs, they are truly our best friends. Just look at this one:

This dog was given a great treat namely, Tom Hiddleston! Look at his face, how happy that made him feel. Now if that isn‘t a positive way to end this blogpost.. 😉

Random

Random

+ a little inspiring!

I almost can‘t keep track of all new Tom Hiddleston content, but I‘m not complaining because I love to see and read all his lovely interviews. I just watched this one from Playbill, however watched.. make that listened because unfortunately the video was black..

Also I‘m very pleased about the fact that Tom is posting a lot on social media lately!😊

He took a beautiful picture of the New York Times article. It‘s stunning and I love the shade below the plate! 

This interview by Josh Horowitz (Personal Space/MTV) was so lovely. I love it when Tom talks about the Loki Series (which will be 6 hours in total)! There‘s so much chemistry between Tom and Joshua. I totally can relate to a comment I read below the video, it said: "Just make Josh Horowitz the official Tom Hiddleston interviewer!" 


The Loki Series:
"The journey you and I are on isn't over just yet. In fact, it‘s only just begun!" - Tom Hiddleston
(Tom, you know just to drop the right words. This was exactly what I needed to hear!)

From Thursday to Saturday I‘m a weekend off. (This picture of Loki with a bag suits my situation haha.) I will be traveling in my own country. If this works fine (sure it will), my next step is to travel to England on my own. 😇


I‘ll end this blog with a few random pictures I had saved on my phone/computer, so for a bit this is a inspiring quotes/spiritual blog post after all. 😇

Amen!

And the right way is the way that feels right for you!

Got a big dream? 

It doesn't matter how big your dream is. Wish for it anyway. The wishing well is big enough to grant us all our big wishes, as long as they truly are what your heart desires!

Aww! (So that‘s how Disney came up with Winnie the Pooh😋)

Lately my drinks (coffee or in this case, a smoothie) are giving me a 💗.

I read this was in Japan, I thought it was heaven!

😊 💓 😇 ✏ 📕

 End with a quote of Tom himself:

Tom Hiddleston‘s selfie in New York (Treatment day)

Tom‘s selfie in New York

Tom Hiddleston Treatment Day: Tom is spoiling his fans with stunning photo‘s!

When having a beautiful lovely day there‘s always plenty of room for things that make you feel even better! I had such a lovely positive day and this: posted by Tom Hiddleston himself, only made my day even better!

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Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

New office. #BetrayalBroadway

Een bericht gedeeld door Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) op 16 Jul 2019 om 9:09 (PDT)

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On this picture I see Tom Hiddleston being totally in his element. His angel like smile just makes me melt! 😇😊He is such a beautiful person and his heart is so pure. This is precious. You are shining the light Tom, NY never was this light hihi 😇

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Today is a good career day. There are some positive movements happened for me today and then as cherry on top I saw this picture of Tom.

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Mis-grabbed this lovely Dumbo plushie at the fairground today,
Tom totally made that right. (I might just buy the plushie somewhere..)

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Photo: Getty Images Cindy Ord

He also visited the SiriusXM Studios today. It truly is treatment day here in the Hiddlesfandom! Again such lovely photo‘s of this talented man!

Photo: Getty Images Cindy Ord

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Is it okay if a post has two of the same pictures? If it‘s Tom, of course it‘s okay! His eyes are sparkling, his light is shining. This is our lovely Tom and I can‘t be more proud at him! I wish him and all involved best of luck and a great time during Betrayal Broadway in New York!

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Zen Blog: Inspiring Quotes and Nature 3

Zen Blog: Inspiring Quotes and Nature 3

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In my second Zen Blog Inspiring Quotes and Nature 2 I already had mentioned that perhaps I would do a blog like this monthly. And apparently the universe wants me to do that because I keep find all these lovely things on my path. Things that make my inner self jumping up side down because she can‘t wait to share it! This jumping inner self isn't new, because nowadays the feeling of sharing my vision, my thoughts to the world has grown bigger and bigger. I always was this quiet girl who never said much, (in person I‘m still not a giant talker..) or liked to stand in the spotlights. 10 years ago I always wore black clothing, even though some black clothes now and then are okay, fortunate my closet has gotten much more colorful. Someway you can say I've turned myself around with wanting to be heard. If you look on top on the page, you can‘t miss the fact that Tom Hiddleston inspired me a lot! But also his fan base brought me a lot. I've started fan accounts on Tumblr, Instagram and among others Facebook, calling myself 'Goddess of Loki' and to be honest I never imagined that so many people would want to follow something that I made! So yes, that gave me a self confidence boost!

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Once again I will also share some lovely quotes that I have found online and in magazines. And if I have given you inspiration, light and perhaps love by the time you reached the end of this post, then my task is accomplished! At the end of the blogpost you‘ll find a source list for the websites and the magazines!

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I've found the perfect bag to take with me while walking. You know a bum bag is easy, but I can‘t get a bottle of water or a small camera in it. This one does. It goes on my back without bothering me. And: The Lion King! 😁 (I‘m so excited for the film!) The Lion King‘s quote 'Remember who you are' suits walking for me, at least when I‘m going for a walk alone. This might sound a little floaty (also that‘s me), but I think there‘s always something about yourself to find out. And what‘s a better way to do that than in silence and in nature? Next part I‘m deepening this subject a little more.

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These photo‘s (and the one on top) I took last Tuesday when it was like 34 degrees on the hottest part of the day. Now perhaps you think: what fool goes for a walk with temperatures like that? But it was in the morning and it‘s cooler in the forest. Actually this was an activity that was planned months ago. It was all about finding inspiration in the forest. In stead of some heavy walking the leader gave us some things to do starting with walking a path together without talking, (for some that truly was a challenge!) but also to feel what the nature does to you and to let go! Another thing was to take a step forward and to name three qualities you possess. Light point: the clapping that follows gave a good feeling (2 people even clapped for themselves). As this was an activity for a group of people who are all searching for a new job or challenge, the last thing to do was to walk a path and to speak your goal/wish out loud! Before the path there was a obstacle to pass on which the leader had placed some plush bears. Those bears represented problems that you bump into along the way. (Beren op de weg/Bears on the road: A Dutch proverbial.) What are you doing with them? Do you prefer to walk over it with a bow? Do you accept them? Do you touch them? (I touched the panda, to express my love for animals actually) Or do you take them with you to walk the path together until they finally disappear? (When you decided to let go of) The choice is yours! 

I always like to draw cards so when I got my eyes on the cards she brought with as a bonus, my inner self started to jump again! The cards had Dutch quotes. My first one was "Today I will finish what I‘ve started" but it was the second that truly as a deeper meaning to me. It‘s the one on the image above: "Now I see my vulnerability as my strength. After searching I found the fresh breeze in life." That‘s actually something that I have experienced and still am experiencing. I've always had a small deviation in my legs/feet, restricted (<-- like this, I hate this word) me in my doings. Therefore I have told myself the following a lot: 'You cannot do that, you cannot do this..' Which was wrong! Also I never took much walks either, until like a year ago. I found out that I am very well capable of taking a walk for give or take 1,5 hour. You know, finding out you can actually do something feels really good! It even gave me strength! So yes, turning my vulnerability in my strength is a good way to put it in words. Lately I even took it a step further by standing in front at a Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators performance, (which I also mentioned in my Pinkpop/Music blogpost) while standing in a crowd like that, let along at front always had been something I feared.

Nature gives us a lot, more than most of us realize actually. And I think Mother Nature appreciates it if now and then, we do something back. Or spoken of last Tuesday: Take something out that doesn't belong there. I don‘t understand why people feel the need to dump their cigarettes and plastic there. I feel lots of respect for all the people who are volunteering in cleaning up this mess, but unfortunately that‘s it‘s needed in the first place. But enough about that!

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What have we got to inspire you with today?  

You know that reminds me of:

When Thor finally is reunited with Loki again, he‘s a tiger that can‘t be tamed as well! (This picture I found at the 2018 WNF Calendar for the month of May)

Sometimes life will knock you down. Perhaps it‘s to test your inner strength, but it‘s necessary to let you discover that you‘re stronger than you think you were!

Next time someone tells me they think I‘m weird, I tell them I‘m limited edition!

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Each day I still draw a card from a random online deck. The following three come from a deck called Life Goals. Sometimes I‘m still amazed how the right card (almost) always comes out!

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Is there room for one more tiger in this post?

I‘m in love with this breakfast plate. Perhaps I will buy it (and mostly use it for lunch!)

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My tea labels! ☕💚 In the mean time I got a few pages full of them. Here are three. Beautiful right?

Marbles! 💝

In case if you‘re interested: This is the tea I‘m taking them from.

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Speaking of healthy or organic food:

I love to support the local markets. The products are so lovely. I think here it still needs to grow. Some people even ask me why I‘m eating 'weird food'. For who can‘t read Dutch, these are: Raspberry jam, muesli, appel juice, dessert sauce and honey from a local beekeeper. What‘s weird about that? I understand why it‘s much more tempting to buy a much cheaper version in the normal supermarket but I love these foods, and I especially love raspberries! I haven't switched fully either, but would like to in the future. The picture is a month old, halve is gone by now..

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Don‘t look hard for miracles, but do look high in the sky..⛅

Clouds truly are beautiful. This made me stand still for a moment. I think we should look at the clouds more often. Here a darker cloud covers the sun, but she still manages to shine through. It looked much more beautiful in real.

A few moments later the sun came through.

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All right, one more tiger. I love them!

For those who are still here at the end of this blogpost, I got a little bonus. I would like to share today‘s (the date I published this post: 27th of June) message made by Doreen Virtue:

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Bless you, enjoy life & stay healthy!,

Love,

Nicole

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Source inspiring quotes: WENDY magazine, Flair magazine, Happinez magazine & orakels.net.