1. Chainsaw Remix - Nick Jonas X Sluggo X Patrick Russel
2. All I Want For Christmas is You - Mariah Carey 
3. No Way Out - As It Is
4. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen 
5. Here,Now,Forever-Carousel Kings
6. Last Christmas - Carly Rae Jepsen 
7. Over- Honors
8. I'll Be Home- Meghan Trainor 
9. Call on Me - Ryan Riback 
10. Christmas - Micheal Buble 
11. Shed a Light - Robin Schulz and David Guetta
12. Not This Year- Aly & AJ 
13. Merry Christmas, I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight - The Ramones 
14. Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
15. Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass - All Time Low 
16. Chanukah Song - Adam Sandler
17. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - NSYNC 
18. Never Give Up - Sia 
19. Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid 

My Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movies

With just a week until Christmas, I thought I would spread some Christmas cheer with some of my favorite Christmas movies. These movies always put me in the holiday spirit, plus they are classics.


1. Christmas Vacation: This has been a staple in my family since I was a baby. Although there is no real plot to this movie, it still provides a comical approach to families during the holidays.

2. Elf: A magical tale about a man raised by elves. How can you not love this movie? I have easily seen this movie a million times, and I plan on seeing it a million more. The best way to spread christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

3.  The Santa Clause: This movie is underrated. Tim Allen, famous for his one liners, really makes you embrace that fact that Santa really does exist. After all, you put on the suit, you're Santa. 

4. Home Alone: If this were to happen to me at 8 years old, I would be highly upset if my parents forgot me while spending the holidays in Paris.  But watching Kevin take down the Wet Bandits by himself kind of makes up for it.

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas: This movie not only shows you the importance that even ugly Christmas trees are beautiful in their own way, but also to appreciate the holidays as a time to spend time with family and friends and not take the over commercialization of the holidays too seriously.

Hope you find a new song to jam out to this week!


1. Company - Tinashe feat MUNA
2. My Number - Major Lazer & Bad Royale
3. Gentleman - Will Jay
4. Gasoline - Halsey
5. Other Kids - Before You Exit
6. Deja Vu - Post Malone feat. Justin Bieber
7. Oceans Away - A R I Z O N A
8. Take Over- Nick Jonas
9. Please Don't Go- Joel Adams
10. Just Hold On - Steve Akoi & Louis Tomlinson
11. Savage - Whethan feat MAX
12. Won't Mind - Hoodie Allen
13.Temporary Love - the Brinks
14. Chiniro- Yoste
15. Harvest Moon - Poolside
16. 9 to 5 - smallpools
17. Say Sumthin - Zak Abel
18. Still in Love - Jahkoy
19. All the Same - Deerhunter

7 Things to Look Forward to This Winter

With winter rapidly approaching and Christmas drawing closer by the day, I felt this would be an optimal time to express what I love most about the cold weather.

1. Snow: I love the cold weather. Seeing snow on the ground is one of things that gets me out of bed in the morning, mainly to scrape the ice off my windshield, so I can get to work on time. But nonetheless, I love how pretty it makes outside.

2. Christmas Lights : As cliched as it sounds, I love christmas. Last year me and my best friend checked out the Zoo Lights at the Detroit Zoo, and I highly recommend it.  Not only are the lights cute, there are tons of winter activities to partake in.

3.Gingerbread Houes: Although I have never actually eaten one because all the ones I have made come from a kit from the store. The process of making them is still the best part. I love making the little villages and its a festive way to showcase my art.  

4. Sundays: While it is probably true you can have a lazy Sunday in any season, I particularly like them in the winter. I just feel less guilty when I don't get out of bed until 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and watch Netflix for most of the day. Before you throw judgement my way, every article I have seen says all successful people need a Sunday.  So grab some hot chocolate and a cozy blanket.

5. Mighty Ducks: The mighty ducks movie series is one of my all time favorites. While I probably could watch these movies in the middle of July in dying heat, it's not the point. I always associate this movie with winter time. Who doesn't love Goldberg? 

6. Sweaters: A staple in any good fashion wardrobe is a good sweater. I love a big, fluffy, cozy sweater that makes you feel warm even when you are stuck at work. Sweaters come in all shapes and sizes but a good winter sweater just makes the season that much better. You'll be surprise how much the season grows on you when you like your outfit.

7. Miracle: This classic tale about a group of young amateur hockey players and their combine talents that took down the Russians during the height of the cold war is another great winter classic. I can not picture a winter without it. I also watch this movie when I need an inspirational pick me up. Herb Brooks just always speaks to me, because "great moments are born from great opportunity". 

Hopefully, this little list gives you some things to look forward to, especially with a snow storm rolling in. Winter isn't all bad. It's actually my favorite time of the year, and I am not just saying that because I have a winter birthday either. 

I hope your Thursday is going swimmingly. Here are some music to check out this week.

1. Alone- Alan Walker
2. Light- San Holo
3. I Know a Place - MUNA
4.False Alarm - Matoma & Becky Hill
5. Prisoners - James Arthur
6. Me and My Broken Heart - Rixton
7. All We Know - The Chainsmokers feat Phoebe Ryan
8.  Come Down - Anderson. Paak
9. Trust Nobody - Cashmere Cat
10. Six Feet Under - The Weeknd
11. On Hold - The xx
12. Learn to Love Again - Lawson
13. Model - Before You Exit
14. Fool's Gold - Dagny feat. BORNS
15. Take it or Leave it - Emily Burns
16. American Money - BORNS
17.  Reflections - Misterwives
18. Dreaming - Smallpools
19. Canyon Moon - Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

New playlist every Thursday!

Open Mind Will Open Doors

Knowing that life can take you absolutely anywhere is exciting to me, but also scary.  I often find myself having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that I could wake up tomorrow with a new challenge that wasn't even on my radar.

I feel the real challenge of this idea is being accepting of whatever comes your way, for whatever change may come may not always be good. That idea alone is what scares me the most. I know there is no way to prevent the bad from happening, but knowing that there is still a potential is enough to stop me in my tracks.

But, you also can't live your life in fear of the bad things that will happen because there is no way to tell what is going to happen. If I had any idea where life was going to take me I probably wouldn't have changed my major 9 times.

Everything in life isn't bad and living in that anticipation only takes away your quality of life. So take chances and take risks because even failing could lead down a path greater than you ever imagined. For example, I had to try 9 different majors to find out I was good with money and math and a career as an accountant would be ideal for me.

Embrace the change as it comes, you will be surprise where it takes you. Whether you find yourself on a new career path or a new path in general, change may be bad at first but worth it in the long run. Everyone has a gift in this world, it is all how you use yours.

The early bird does get the worm but so does every other bird because there are more than enough worms the challenge is getting the worm. Having the fight and the drive will pay off in the long run. Knowing deep down that everything you do today will set you up for tomorrow.

So let's take a step back and not let fear drive our lives and experience life to the fullest. An open mind will open doors. But even a small change is still a change in the world. Now that I am done quoting cliches,  I hope you take some with you.

Remember it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog. I talk from experience as a 5'2 lacrosse player.

Music is one of the things I am most passionate about in this world, and I want to extend my blog with a new playlist every Thursday.  Music is something I am particularly fond about, and I am excited to share it with you.  Hopefully, you find your new favorite song.


This week I was feeling a little indie pop.

Here's are some tunes you should check out this week.

1. Bad Country-The Last Bison
2. Poison and Wine-The Civil Wars
3. I and Love and You-Avett Brothers
4.  Graveyard by The Devil Makes Three
5.  Methamphetamine by Old Crow Medicine Show
6. What Would I Do Without You by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
7. When a Heart Breaks by Ben Rector
8. Something to Believe In by Parachute
9. Ash & Ember by Augustana
10. Show Me What You Are Looking For by Carolina Liar
11. When Did Your Heart Go Missing by Rooney
12. Lonely Day by Phantom Planet
13. Brick by Ben Folds Five
14. Old Pine by Ben Howard
15. Homebird by Voy Fance
16. Horse to Water by Tall Heights
17. Archers by The Ballroom Thieves
18. Back O'er Oregon by The Weather Machine
19. Home by Phillip Phillips

Growing Up Won't Bring Us Down

One thing that I have been struggling with recently is growing up. Recently, I woke up and I wasn't 12 going to softball practice, I wasn't 15 going to golf practice, I wasn't 17 going to voice lessons.

As my aunt recently said to me, "I never knew my own morality until my parents got sick" and frankly until after this summer, I didn't believe her. I never realized how old I truly was or where I was in life until this summer.

Realizing this sucks. But I am fortunate to caught it when I did. I still have much of my life ahead of me, and I haven't lost that much time, I am just not a child anymore. Although thanks to my Irish lineage that I still look like a child.

Funny thing is that life does go on, all those times in high school when I swore my life was over, whether a stupid boy had broken my heart, or I was stressing college prep.  Life certainly did not care, as it still went on, time was still moving forward.

Given my track record recently, I have figure that if I keep a positive attitude and keep looking forward, I most certainly will carry on. I will be a-okay in the long run.

Irony of life right now is I am looking for apartments to rent, and unfortunately I do not know where I will end up, but I am grateful to be here in this position. As one of my least favorite things to be told, "baby steps".

I guess my take away from this is that I hope, whoever is reading this, you do carry on and you don't let the sheer terror of being an adult scare you from living your dreams.

Because eventually, your "baby steps" will add up, and you will be somewhere least expected and it will be great and it will be magical.

"And no matter what we do, we'll never lose what we had growing up"  -John O'Callaghan

Light Versus Dark

I am terrified of the dark. I have always slept with some kind of light on, whether a night light or the television. Moreover, I always found space travel especially terrifying. How do the astronauts not get scared about being launched into the great unknown?

The sheer thought of other life out there is super concerning to me. How does one just, you know, accept that when they go to fix a space station or explore a planet? I guess not so much more since they dramatically cut the funding.

I don't think my fear actually has to do with the lack of light but more of what it represents. Having little-to-no idea of what I am doing, and having the freedom to do whatever my heart pleases, within reason obviously, is honestly terrifying, yet eye opening. If I have the freedom to do whatever, why am I not taking it? Is it because of my fear of the dark? It all just seems weird to me. 

But think of all the good things that happen in the dark; a bonfire with friends, fireworks, star gazing, concerts. As with anything you have to take the good with the bad, but why not take your fears and appreciate the good that comes with them.

A photo posted by Finding Hannah (@findinghannahsmusic) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:17pm PST

Living your life in fear is no way to live. Hell, you are hardly living at all. I have had friends who canceled plans because they felt that going to the bar downtown wasn't safe. Even though Detroit now is not the same Detroit even 10 years ago. Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone is a good thing. 

I may be afraid of the dark for the rest of my life, but letting it stop me from experiencing fireworks or bonfires isn't the way I aspire to live. Life always goes on, and if you stop and dwell, it will pass you by. 

"I sometimes have a tendency to walk on the dark side" -J.K. Rowling 

Everything With Time

I am my harshest critic. I often critique my paintings and almost immediately find something I don't like and something I could have done better.  A growing frustration with myself.

But as I am often reminded, things will come with time. That I haven't peaked yet and I still have a lot to learn and to grow still. But growing up in this social media age has often left this need for competition in my life. I often compare myself to my peers and find myself with this constant struggle of wanting more before I am ready to handle more.

This adjustment to post-grad life is not easy. I go to work, I come from work, I do chores, and I repeat for the next five days. No homework, no studying, no school.  This new free time is something I am not familiar with.

Explode with color. #painting #rainbow #fireball #inspiredby #elleking #americassweetheart #love #music #albumart #albumartwork

A photo posted by Finding Hannah (@findinghannahsmusic) on Nov 4, 2016 at 6:55pm PDT

But everything will come with time. My time to shine just hasn't happened yet, and that is okay. I may not be in some form of educational institution at the moment, but that doesn't mean my learning has stopped. Knowledge is power, and a failure to continue to learn will only set you back.

I don't think there will never be a time I will not be hard on myself. It is simply part of my personality and my quest to be the best I can be. It is frustrating when I don't get there on the time table I have established. I will admit sometimes my time table is unrealistic, but nonetheless frustrating.

But one of the most influential people in my life said "Keep your head down, and keep going." With that piece of advice, I have kept going, some of which was through a dark time in my life. But nonetheless, I kept going.

So even if you feel like you are at your wits end, keep going. You will be surprised where you end up.


"Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character." - Heraclitus

Don't You Want to Make a Memory?

After spending my entire summer at some type of concert venue, I did some thinking. Every concert is an experience, every concert is a future story. Someone's best night of their life. Something to tell their grandchildren about. 

The magic of concerts always struck me as amazing. You can go into a place, see a band, and forget about your problems for a little bit. 

It starts with the dark venue and the impatient screams of excited attendees. Soon the fog rolls in, add in some dramatic lighting, and before you know it your favorite band stands before you like gifts descending from the gods. 

As the music starts, you sing every single word like you are reciting the pledge allegiance in grade school. That's when the magic really kicks in. That's when you witness the greatness bestowed upon you. 

You forget about the exam you just failed, you forget about the major project you have at work, you forget about having to feed your dog. But every minute is worth it. You are here and that's all that matters. 

One story I remember my dad telling me was when he had attended the Van Halen concert at Joe Louis Arena. The band had attempted to light a Flash-pot, unfortunately, it was brighter than three of our solar system's suns and left him partially blind for their first set.  

Another is my dad and my uncles seeing The Who at the Pontiac Silverdome. However, with the nearest liquor store being right across the Opdyke drain, my uncle decide just to wade across to make his voyage quicker. 

Don't let gray silence your colors.#art #painting #inspiredby #coldplay #music #albumart

A photo posted by Finding Hannah (@findinghannahsmusic) on Oct 30, 2016 at 11:13am PDT

Experiences are what make life rich. Having the ability to share your excitement is a great feeling. Why compromise it? Embrace it. Go to every show. Share every story. Share every picture. Because believe it or not, the moments that happen now are the stories you share later. 

"Music can change the world because it can change people" -Bono 

Simple Plan and Sunsets

Friday night, I saw Simple Plan at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit. Let me just say, middle school Hannah would have been geeked. Nonetheless, it was a great show. They played all their hits and more. But something clicked for me that night. 

Friday night, I felt 12 again. I remembered the vest I used to wear, with the white t-shirt underneath. I remembered the dark purple eyeliner that used to coat the bottom of my eye because I wasn't allowed to wear black. I remembered what it felt to 12 again. 

I fulfilled a life long dream of seeing Simple Plan in concert. And that itself makes me so happy. I got to see a band that I idolized. Remembering those long Friday nights in my bedroom, with my parents begging me to turn it down. Realistically, seventh grade was extremely stressful with pre-algebra and basketball practice. (Yes, my tiny butt was on the middle school basketball team, I basically rode the bench.)  

The ability to take you somewhere via sound is a powerful tool. It is amazing how one song or in this case a band can take you to this place. Music can remind you of the good and the bad times. But, revisiting 12 year old me was fantastic. Having that feeling that I was safe and had no responsibilities was great. I took a mini-vacation Friday night and it was exactly what I needed.  

To left is a painting I did inspired by the "Still Not Getting Any" album by Simple plan. I feel the sunset represents that my childhood years are over, in fact they have been over, but I considered college part of growing up. While the sun may be setting on this phase of my life, new horizons are among us and I'm excited to see where I'm headed next. At first I wasn't really a fan of it, but it has since grown on me. It is an abstract approach to a sunset. I now enjoy the soft lines. Another important lesson I learned this week, if you don't like your painting sleep on it, you may feel differently in the morning. 

"It's almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream" -Bernard Williams 

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Some of my favorite things in this world are art and music. I love everything they have to offer, especially the ability to share feelings or share your view of the world. There is close to 7.4 billion people on this planet, which leads to a lot of interpretation.

A recent inspiration I had, while I was listening to The Who, was I can download any song and listen to it, but in 1971, it wasn't that simple. You, or as my father would tell me, had to drive to the record store and pick it up, and drive all the way back home to listen to it.  While music is readily available to us, I believe some of the character of pieces are lost in the mix. I am a full time member of the digital age, I took notes in college on a laptop, and my homework was submitted online through a website that graded it for you. But this was not the intent for music. 

Don't get me wrong, I love all types of music, including today's hits. But the main point of this post is to remind others and myself, that there was a way to listen to music before the help of Apple. Vinyl. I often find myself wondering what it was like to sit on the opposite side of the recording booth and witness some the most popular tunes. For example, what was the sound engineer witnessing when he heard Michael Jackson sing the opening verse to P.Y.T.? 

Computers help with a lot today, but I also feel like it comprises some of the art produced in the 60s, 70s, 80s. Having the remastered "Who's Next" album that I downloaded off apple is a fantastic, but having it been recorded in the earlier 70's, the idea for it to be easily accessible was not it in its cards. 

Recently, I found my way to a vintage record shop and there I saw many albums, both old and new. Naturally, I had to buy some. While I limited myself to 6, I knew I would be coming back for more. 

With my dad being a musician, I had always been around music. In fact, I am writing this as he is having band practice in the basement. But nonetheless, having music being such an important part of my life got me thinking. How can I interpret music, how do I hear it? 

Most of the time when I listen to music, I am either at work or drawing/painting. My new feature is to pick an album and create a piece inspired by the album. With this coming two of my favorite things in this world, I hope it also creates a platform for others to get inspired and share their creation. 

"Creativity is contagious, pass it on" -Albert Einstein