This week I have mostly been listening to Taylor Swift. No, that’s an oversimplification - I’ve also been following the chaos in Westminster and got some really cool things done at work.
But I’ve mostly been listening to Taylor Swift. In preparation for the new album I spent the week listening to some of my favourite older tracks, and on Thursday morning I did a Peloton treadmill workout (from my phone in the gym - I’m not made of money!) entirely set to Red (Taylor’s Version), which was, obviously, incredible.
And then, Friday. I woke up early, grabbed my coffee, headphones, and journal, and lost myself in the new album. Shortly after my first listen-through, the Very Chaotic Surprise dropped: 7 more tracks.
To pick up my brief stint as a music reviewer for my university newspaper, what did I think of the new album?
I loved it.
It is tailor-made (well, Taylor-made) for overly earnest girls with thin skins and big hearts. Which is to say, girls like me. On first listen, my top 3 tracks are, I think: Bejeweled, Karma, and Mastermind (plus Paris from the bonus tracks, if you’ll allow me that).
To finish off Friday, I took a couple of (very wonderful) friends to Swiftogeddon, an entirely-Taylor club night, which was everything I hoped it would be. I went feral when they played my favourite track - Message In A Bottle, a ‘vault’ track that was included on Red (Taylor’s Version).
And while I talk about my love for Red, let me share what I wore - I created a custom tee on Teemill, inspired by the music video for 22. (I also made it in black-on-white for those of you who can reliably eat without getting ketchup down your shirt).
There were two things that surprised me, Ye Olde Millennial, about the club. Firstly, that the young people vape inside. What?! None of these kids even looked old enough to remember life before the smoking ban. I guess the clubs are fine with that if it stops people doing actually illegal stuff? I was also surprised to see drinks in glass bottles from the bar - which of course then end up underfoot and potentially getting broken… maybe this is just proof that most of my ‘party party’ time these days is at Camp, but I was shocked.
Something good…
After finally getting Covid at the start of September (it turns out I don’t have Special Magic Immunity after all, more’s the pity) I made it away on holiday to Nice at the end of the month. I hadn’t had a ‘sunshine holiday’ since 2018 and I’d been looking forwards to it since I’d booked it in the spring (fully inspired by Niamh Hargan’s Twelve Days In May - currently 99p on Kindle!). It more than lived up to it.
Where did I catch Covid? Most likely on the way home from Camp Wildfire - so it was totally worth it. Camp is my favourite weekend of the year and I booked for next year’s (which will be my fourth) as soon as I got home. Sign up now for tickets - they will go on general sale pretty soon and I bet they will fly off the shelves. The very small part of my brain that isn’t obsessed with Taylor Swift lives at Camp full-time - it’s a wonderful weekend in the woods that’s half scout-style camp, half party, and constantly teetering on the border between wholesome fun and debauchery. I adore it.
Speak to you soon,
Lily