FREE FEB issue 02
THE LOVE HATE ISSUE hot - fashion - music - tech mixing business, pleasure viral of the month Fashion personality ready steady love Download VS CD is that love? friends?
THE TEAM SO FAR... JOIN IN THE FUN!
Alex (18)
Amy (24)
Carolann (22)
Eleanor (16)
Anything to do with computer science
Superstar DJ
Event management/marketing
Lawyer
Dream job:
Role model:
Mark Zuckerberg
Favourite quote:
“Do it for the butterflies” Little Nicky
Pet hate:
Grammar Nazis
Party trick: Voices.
How I chill out:
Watch random stuff on youtube
Dream job:
Dream job:
Role model:
Role model:
Justin Bieber, obviously
Marilyn Monroe
Favourite quote:
“There’s nothing worse than being ordinary”
Pet hate:
False people
Favourite quote:
“‘Live, Laugh, Love’”
Pet hate:
Running late, I hate being late!!
Party trick:
Party trick:
Darts trick shot
I make rhymes & songs on nights out
How I chill out:
Alcohol, good music or both
How I chill out:
Bath, candles and my onesie!
Dream job:
Role model: Kate Middleton
Favourite quote:
“Live every day like it’s on purpose”
Pet hate:
Bad spelling
Party trick:
My fingers are double jointed
How I chill out:
Painting and drawing
Emma (23)
Hannah (15)
Kayleigh (21)
Lauren (25)
Own my own therapeutic wellbeing organisation
Nutritionist
Actress
Wellbeing Guru
Dream job:
Favourite quote:
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” Winston Churchill
Pet hate:
People eating with their mouths open.
Party trick: Mum dancing
How I chill out: Shopping
Dream job:
Dream job:
Role model:
Role model:
Favourite quote:
Favourite quote:
Zooey Deschanel
Lee Evans
“Colour my life with the chaos of trouble”
Dream job:
Role model: Stephen Fry
Favourite quote:
Pet hate:
“ Life is about falling, living is about getting back up”
People pinching your food
Party trick:
“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth”. Oscar Wilde
Party trick:
I can touch my head with my feet
Fitting in ridiculously small spaces
How I chill out:
Pet hate:
Either listening to loud music or Watching films
Sexism
How I chill out:
How I chill out:
Listening to music, reading
Sewing and reading
We want you to react & interact with us!
React in Febuary React is your monthly serving of literary loveliness. Pick up a paper copy of the magazine or feast your eyes on our sparkly digital copy. Under 25’s in Blackburn with Darwen are fed up with the doom and gloom talk that fills our media and want a chance to offer some real perspectives of folk living in the 21st century. Here at React, we aim to look at what’s going on for under 25s and how we can bounce back and embrace life’s lemons. React looks at what’s hot and what’s not, It’s a place to be entertained, informed and inspired with a healthy dollop of fashion, music, tech and film. React is a space for under 25s in Lancashire to get talking about the issues that really matter. January was an exciting month for us all at React. Alongside the glitz of the BAFTAs and Brits, January was the official launch of React *silent cheers all round*. We had not only one but two launch parties to showcase our sparkling 1st issue. All you collectors out there remember the value of a first issue… So, we had cupcake fuelled launch at the Everybody Centre where we were papped by Lancashire Telegraph followed by a live music event at the Live Lounge where we were treated to the lovely Rabbit in the Headlights and Chris Hinnigan. Both were fantastic events and React would like to say a humongous thank you to all involved in the events, with special thanks to the Everybody centre, the Live Lounge, Rabbit in the Headlights and Chris Hinnigan. February’s issue of literary loveliness brings you a collection of articles written and designed by the React team. If you like what you read and want to get involved email emmalord@lancashiremind.org.uk Don’t forget to download your copy of React at www.react-mag.co.uk Follow us @_React_mag Like us on Facebook ‘Reactmag’ Big thanks to Dan at NWBaseline for your continued support and colour coordinated equipment
hot - fashion - music - tech // viral of the month Fashion / personality // Download VS CD // is that love? // mixing business & pleasure //ready steady love // how many friends do you have?//
is that love?
Business & pleasure
Single or not, the hundreds of Awhh I’m so lucky labelled Twitpics and Faceboook uploads of Tesco’s finest dozen red roses starts to grate on us all, right? So it’s valentine’s month, the time of the year when lovers express their heart shaped love for each other through servings of heart stamped toast, lashings of Dairy Milk boxes and of course a trip to Pandora... Whether you’re celebrating the day cosied up with your loved ones or taking your stick to beat the anti Valentines Day piñata a la Jennifer Garner off’ve Valentine’s Day, it brings relationships to the forefront of our minds.
the not so perfect cocktail...
So what are these fluffy pink relationships like for the remaining 364 days of the year? We all know our love isn’t measured by the size of the gesture our loved ones stump up with on February 14th, but do we know when we are in a healthy relationship? What with our RihRih back on the scene with Chris Brown post battery charge it’s worth taking a look at what’s right and what’s wrong and how do we know either way? Is the way we perceive healthy relationships influenced by high profile glammed up couples? Are we all yearning for a perfectly polished Posh and Becks style relationship or are we more of a rough and ready, on and off Rihanna and Chris Brown kinda person? It’s pretty safe to say that our perception of any celeb couples is pretty skewed and gives us a funny idea about the reality of a relationship, however the way certain situations are handled can play a big part in how we decide what’s right and what’s wrong. For instance, take the amount of time we have spent with our parental figure, Disney over the years. Has their portrayal of relationships impacted on our make up? We all know that imprisonment, starvation and aggression aren’t going to tick the boxes when we are looking for Mr or Mrs Right so why does Belle marry the Beast
after he subjects her to all of the above? We all know the film; book loving Belle is locked in a room by the aggressive beast and is told she will stay in there without any food or water until she complies with his demands. He throws out poor crazy old Maurice and yet she returns to him. She dons her red velvet cape in the snow scene (you know the one) and socialises him, excuses him and interprets his rage and abuse as temper as him being a tender vulnerable creature and ultimately she falls in love with him. I’m not suggesting that Disney or Rihanna are supporting abusive relationships, however the character of Belle is an all too common portrayal of real people’s reactions to an abusive relationship. Many victims of domestic violence justify the abuse they are receiving by blaming themselves or a flaw of the abuser that is out shadowed by their more charming tendencies. From Beauty and the Beast right up to Weatherfield’s finest couple Kirsty and Tyrone, abusive relationships are something that are having an impact on a lot of people. It’s no coincidence that domestic violence laws have been redefined and now also include 16 and 17 year olds. With 1 in 5 999 calls being related to domestic violence we need to look at how our culture and attitude impacts on our perception of relationships and honestly ask our selves, How healthy is my relationship? For support around experiences of domestic abuse please contact Women’s aid at WISH on: 01254 55111/260456.
In the spirit of the essays I used to write a school (maybe college too, perhaps uni if I was really stuck) let’s start this one with an overarching definition: Workplace relationships are unique interpersonal relationships with important implications for the individuals in those relationships, and the organisations in which the relationships exist and develop. That’s what Wiki says anyway.
Maybe the boss will be cool with it, maybe they needed a new photocopier anyway, but either way, they know more about your personal setup than they do about Sandra in HR. I must admit, there’s lots of research out there saying that almost a quarter of long-term relationships start at work - hardly surprising, given the amount of time we spend there. And I’ve got friends who it’s worked out fine for, effortlessly mixing business and pleasure and getting away with it. But what happens if the perfect relationship goes sour? Quit your job? Ask them to? I wouldn’t want the unwanted task of seeing the ex every day. Work would turn into an 8 hour obstacle course of evasion and avoidance. As if we haven’t got enough to worry about.
Pay particular attention to the second part, by that I mean the bit that says relationships at work affect your work (that’s the organisation in which the relationship exists.) What I’m saying is, don’t expect to have a personal relationship with a work colleague and it not have an impact on your work life. For those that haven’t grasped it yet, if you’re getting off with him or her three desks down, him or her two desks down is probably gonna notice. They tell the big-mouthed girl from the next department, who tells a dickie bird passing in the corridor and before you know it the whole payroll knows about that unfortunate incident on your third date.
Whatever your view, it’s worth paying heed to the following... Check your contract! There may well be a clause in there telling you exactly how close you can get. Christmas party shenanigans could be ok, but under-the-desk footsie that Carol at the next desk can see, might not go down as well. Bottoms up!
Tweet us or comment on our site. We want to know your thoughts on relationships! #React_Relationships
How Many? A quick search on the Internet will show you just how popular speed dating’s become. There’s straight speed dating, gay speed dating, themed speed dating and even blind speed dating - you don’t see each other in that last one. For anyone that isn’t au fait with the concept, you turn up at a function room / pub / park, take a number and start psyching yourself up for 10, 20, even 30 first dates. Good or bad, hot or not, riveting or reeeally boring - you’re obliged to sit through all 30. At the end, you rate each other. When you’re waiting for those cards to come back, to see if you’ve been matched, you act nonchalant but on the inside, you’re tenser than you’ve ever been before, wondering What if number 17 is my soul mate? Did I make enough eye contact? Surely the Barbie at table 3 didn’t answer as well as I did on current affairs and Trevor Macdonald’s latest documentary?
Still fancy it? Don’t let me put you off. Get yourself down to your nearest speedy session. They’re bloody everywhere. The worse that could happen is you don’t meet someone special. But it’s not like you’re gonna find them sitting on the settee at home. Friends of mine are trying to twist my arm, telling me it’ll be a fun night and we’ll all be in it together. Am I convinced? Not quite. Yeah it’s probably gonna be a laugh and no one will die but there’s still a little voice in my head telling me to stay away, that it’ll be full of nutters and 40 year old virgins. Maybe a fake wouldn’t go a miss? Or perhaps I could wear a disguise in case anyone sees me? That certainly tackles the problem of unwanted attention the next day on twitter. But then, am I missing the point of the whole thing? I’ll let you know...
How much time have you spent on your computer today? Or how about that new tablet you got for Christmas? And then there’s your phone of course? In a society that spends hours and hours every day using social media, it’s easy to become engrossed in it. With 200 + friends you probably feel quite hooked up, even popular if you’ve hit the 500 mark. But how many of these people do you actually know? And if you were on fire, would they do the proverbial and put you out? I’m not saying your Facebook friends are fake or even that your tumblr followers aren’t really interested in the picture of your dinner you just posted. What I am suggesting or maybe just hinting, is that these people are great when you
need to pass 20 minutes on the train, but they’re no substitute for real-life, living, breathing and occasionally annoying friends. I can hear the backlash already – ‘move with the times’, ‘you sound like my mum’, ‘that’s how me and my friends communicate’. I’m not saying get rid of online posse, but it’s worth having a quick nosy around to make sure you’ve got some friends that can you can see in the flesh – the type that will hold your hair back when you’ve had one too many, the type that’ll tell you you’ve got toilet paper stuck to your shoe, and not forgetting the type that want to go outdoors (that cold, open bit just past the horizon of your laptop.) Interested in proving me wrong? Stay away from the big F and little t for a few days and see how many texts you get asking what you’re up to. Better still, see if you miss it at all.
It’s a truth universally acknowledged... We all know how important our friends are, who else would let you know that dying your hair black was a total disaster or spend weekends tucked up in bed with a mixed bag of chocolates reciting lines from ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’? But what happens when a new boyfriend arrives on the scene- is it bye-bye best friend and hello third wheel? I think we often forget how important a good, solid friendship can be and how difficult it is to maintain one- particularly when one half is more concerned with their other half. Choosing between time with your gal pals and time with your significant other can sometimes be as difficult as choosing between Galaxy and Dairy Milk only that choice often has a much more delicious outcome. Finding the balance between both is crucial, spending time with your partner can be just as fun and exciting as spending time with friends but I think we all need to remember in the wise words of Carrie Bradshaw-‘dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.’ - Hannah
Tech Is high definition as good as it gets?
Music
DJ Marshall Hailing from Blackpool this Ibiza regular hits that sweet spot between liquid and deep Drum and Bass. It’s fast, melodic and super groovy. Check out his latest EP ‘Higher Ground’ on iTunes / Beatport / Amazon Mike Dignam Preston’s finest; this singer/songwriter’s plans for 2013 include touring with Lawson and Gabrielle Aplin. Then there’s a headline tour planned. And he’s got a new EP on the way. Hold on a minute, when’s he gonna watch Corrie? Further afield… AlunaGeorge Made up of Aluna and funnily enough, George – this London duo produce exceedingly catchy electro-pop. They’re braving it up North as well, see em at Manchester’s Parklife festival in June.
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that high definition isn’t all it’s cut out to be. We spend large amounts of money buying HDTVs and subscriptions to HD channels, but can you actually notice the difference? In some cases you can, but not a big difference. So is HD as good as it gets? No, it isn’t. A new type of TV has been released called a 4K TV, well, actually, I tell a lie, they have been around for some time now, but not well heard of. They are much better quality, but not currently all that worth it based on the price. After a few searches on Google, I found the cheapest one to be over £15,000. So why am I telling you about them? Do I expect people to go out and buy one of these TVs just for a better picture? No, I don’t. However, they are coming down in price rapidly. As seen with the first flat screens TVs, and the first HD TVs, the price starts off astronomical, but comes down as the technology progresses and becomes cheaper. It can also be seen already with 4K TVs, one I saw was priced at near £70,000. So will we be able to get our hands on one next year for the price we are paying now for a bog standard TV? I guess we’ll have to wait and see...
REACT LAUNCH To kick off the launch of react in style our resident events manager Carolann rolled up her sleeves and planned not one but two launch parties.
Fashion
The first was aimed at local youth workers, bigwigs and professionals working with under 25’s to showcase React alongside the membership scheme which allows local schools, colleges and services to buy into React. We coaxed professionals into the event with the offer of free cupcakes lovingly made by a local cupcakeette Sophia from Cupcakes and Cookies on Blackburn market. You might have spotted Kayleigh and Emma in the Lancashire Telegraph sporting two cheesy grins in their bid to promote the sparkly 1st issue of React. The event was a great success and highlighted interest from several organisations further demonstrating the need for more support for young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Camo jackets You may recognise these from your dad’s 80’s wardrobe but this season’s camouflage jacket has forward marched onto the high street ready to be paired with your high tops.
Carolann didn’t stop here, no she worked her party planning charm on whipping up a free music event to promote React to the young ‘uns of Blackburn with Darwen. The ever so lovely Live Lounge on Northgate gave React free range of their venue *Yay- Good karma coming LiveLounges way*. We were treated to the vocal talents of local band Rabbit in The Headlights and artist Chris Hinnigan who sang, rocked and strummed all night keeping the partyers going, shouting out to React and providing a great party atmosphere to celebrate the birth of React.
Beanie hats Beat the freeze whilst grunging up your style with a beanie. Pick from neon, bling covered jewelled or slogan covered knits. No one’s ever too old for a pom pom!
Both of these launch events would not have been possible without the gentle determination of Carolann and the loveliness from local organisation The Everybody Centre, Lancashire telegraph, The Live Lounge, Rabbit in the Headlights and Chris Hinnigan. Super duper big thanks to you all.
Wowser trousers From jazzy joggers to asymmetric patterned pants. Graphic prints are this season’s look to cover your polished pins. Whether paired with a block coloured cami or the fearless followers out there might go for clashing prints top and bottom. However brave you are, patterned trousers are a failsafe.
Tell us what’s hot
First of all let’s start off with what a viral video is. A viral video is a video that becomes popular through the process of internet sharing. By sharing it means through putting the video link on Facebook, Twitter, sending it to friends through email, and so on. So what’s this month’s viral video? It’s gotta be something to do with the Super Bowl, more specifically the half time commercials. 2013 Budweiser Super Bowl Ad — The Clydesdales: “Brotherhood” is the video, and it’s all about a man and his horse. It shows the horse growing up and how the man and the
horse (a Clydesdale to be specific) bond. Until one day, he sells the horse to Budweiser to take part in parades, it’s totally emotional. It cuts to three years later and in the local newspaper the man reads that the parade will be coming to Chicago, so he goes to watch and expects the horse to notice him. It seems like it doesn’t, but right at the end as he’s leaving, the horse comes running to him. Over the top of this video throughout is Landslide by Fleetwood Mac, so yeah, real emotional throughout.
So...that’s the video, heart warming to depressing and to heart warming again. But wait, you can also get involved with this viral video, because Budweiser are giving everyone a chance to name the baby Clydesdale in the video. You can do this by tweeting names using #CLYDESDALES. You can find this video by searching Budweiser Super Bowl Ad 2013 - The Clydesdales Brotherhood. Hope you enjoy it.
How do fashion choices reflect someone’s personality? There’s no denying, we all have a favourite outfit. I certainly have an emergency backup outfit stored away mentally at all times - just in case there’s a crisis resulting in the need to quickly rush out looking glamorous in under 10 minutes. But how does your choice of emergency backup outfit reflect your personality? Do you play it safe and comfy in a hoody or are you a total Topman mannequin in the latest trends? There’s so many different styles, sometimes it can make us feel a little blown away. It’s 2013 and there’s tonnes of pressure flying in from all angles now to shape up for the new year - get fit, get sexy, reinvent yourself. At least, that’s the goal. So can picking out a new wardrobe really change the way we feel about ourselves, and if so, why? Everyone is judged on what they wear, whether they realise it or not. It’s a harsh reality for our generation that clothes will affect the way other people perceive us - chains and studs equals ‘emo’, miniskirt equals ‘slag’, comfy hoody and joggers equals ‘scruff’. Don’t deny it - you’ve judged. We aren’t suggesting you abandon clothes altogether, we’re just suggesting you don’t take them to heart so much. Just because someone’s lazying around in their comfiest t-shirt, it doesn’t mean they’ll still look the same after a change of outfit - they’ll look different, but they’re still the same person. Still equally as lazy. So why do we really care so much? We’re all in the same rocky boat with only our wallets and consumer-driven egos for oars and a sail, so why can’t we all just put down our paddles and relax? Clothes may reflect someone’s personality but realistically, it’s safe to say that talking to someone and making a balanced judgement on them as a person is probably more likely to give you a good overview of who they are. I know for sure that I’d only ever marry a man with a personality I love; not a wardrobe I’m passionate about. Clothes are irrelevant when you’re picking out potential for a serious relationship - so why make it a barrier for good friendships too? The people you remember will nearly always turn out to be the ones you least expected to get to know, regardless of whether they prefer jeans to leggings. So I say, put down your oars. No point getting wound up and sweaty over who’s wearing what, especially when the opportunity is available to bask in the knowledge that underneath our clothes, we’re all just naked. - Eleanor Kerfoot
downloads Vs. CDs Every month, we will bring you a new Vs. Two topics, ideas or outlooks fight it out. Who wins you decide. With the recent news of changes to how HMV will be operating, is it good that we are losing touch with CDs and becoming more and more familiar with music downloads? This article looks at both sides of the coin, which one will come out on top? Send us your thoughts and comments on Facebook: React-mag and Twitter @_react_mag Music downloads With a simple click, you can access many songs you like – be they old or new. If there is an album and there are some songs you don’t like, you can download the ones you like without downloading the full album, and buying the single on a CD. This makes it cheaper. It’s a technological world now, and the fact that most of the world’s population are able to use computers, buying CDs from shops seems oldfashioned now. Come rain or shine, you can buy music from online shops without needing to get on your coat, shoes and packing your umbrella – it’s easy, and it’s available 24/7, 365 days a year. You can download songs on any device from phones to MP3 players, whereas CDs can only be played on a CD player. Through the combination of software and services predominantly iTunes, Amazon and Spotify, they make buying music feel like free. The downloading process is quick and simple – it only takes a few minutes. Better than waiting 20 minutes just to buy one CD right? - Rasia CDs Now I’m no music expert but don’t we all love a good rummage in a record shop? Spending a spare 20 minutes scouring the shelves for that tune Grimmy’s been papping on about all week or making the most of their 2 for £10 offers and brightening up your music collection with some new tunes for the morning commute is a nice little treat for us all right? With music downloads vastly outselling CDs, the thought of the ever
shrinking record shops actually disappearing breaks a little piece of my heart. Yes, you can download GaGa’s latest track for 79p but how enjoyable is this process? The act of going to a record shop is the core of many fans love of music. Going into a record shop is an investment, it takes my time and at a push I make an emotional commitment. I go to the shop, I browse, I then realise I’ve picked up £40 worth of records when I’ve only got £20 to spare. I then spend 10 minutes shuffling through what I’ve picked up trying to make the right decision and not add to my collection of unlistened stack of Elbow et al. I might even shufty over to their headphones and have a cheeky listen to my potential buys before I commit myself to the purchase. I get home wondering if I have made the right choice, unpack my bags get cosied up ready to explore my new finds. I remove them from their sleeve, read the lyrics, and immerse myself in everything in a way that can rarely happen with a download. So, does buying records engage me more with the music? Yes I think it probably does. As funny as it sounds, I know I have made those purchases and make a commitment to listening to the album. Whereas the download that felt like free and sometimes maybe is free if I’ve visited a dubious filesharing site often gets forgotten about in my 1000+ collection and gets lost never to be listened to again; unless it crops up on shuffle of course. So yes, downloads probably are cheaper but my vote goes to trusty old CDs. The whole purchase process and overall music experience gives me more than any download could ever aspire to give me. Two different perspectives, one favouring a fast moving lifestyle of instant gratification whilst the other focuses on the cathartic purchasing experience. I guess it all comes down to what we want to get out of our music purchases. It’s no secret that downloads are massively outselling CDs but whatever your perspective, surely we all want to see record shops still on our high streets in 10 years time?
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It’s cold, wet and dark outside and from somewhere I have to find the motivation to keep my new years resolution ...... to keep fit! In all honesty I started my new year’s resolution early and began taking ‘Kettlercise’ classes at my local fitness centre in October and I loved it! Fifty minutes passed by so quickly and although on more than one occasion I felt like I might pass out, the results were coming quickly and I felt physically and mentally great! All just in time for my skiing holiday in December. The good feeling didn’t last, as my skiing holiday took a bumpy turn and after an accident on the slopes I was left with a torn ligament in my knee. This, alongside a lot of Euros later put an end to skiing and I was forced to resort to the all inclusive food and drink in the chalet (such a chore but someone had to do it!). Back in the UK and with Christmas and New Year out the way I was determined to get back to Kettlercise ... this was not to be as my injury wouldn’t allow it. The cold, dark, wet, miserable nights of January set in and I was certain this would be the end of my new year’s resolution. I was stressed out, skint and feeling pretty sorry for myself. Then I noticed my local fitness centre was holding Pilates classes. I have looked into them before but never done anything about it, until now. For fifty minutes on a Monday or Tuesday I have the time to concentrate fully on my ‘inner core’ and all the stress of work and money slip away, all the while exercising and keeping my new year’s resolution. The classes cost £4 a session and providing I don’t get road rage on the way home I am able to get a peaceful night’s sleep and awake refreshed and ready to start a new day. Feeling like you’re in a similar boat? Why not try Pilates? Pilates held at Sandersons Dance and Fitness on a Monday and Tuesday evening... Check out their website www.sandersondance.co.uk - Carolann
____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ We want to hear what makes you rant! Operational Address , 6A Heaton Street, Blackburn ,BB2 2EF emmalord@lancashiremind.org.uk