A new year is upon us! Have you thought about trying out something new? Listening to different kinds of music, sticking your head into an enthralling book, trying out a new recipe, taking up a new hobby…?
To start off 2018, I would like to offer some sources of inspiration for you to do just that!
MUSIC
Let´s kick off with music! You have probably heard of Lorde, Kesha and Kelly Clarkson as they have already topped the charts. However, what about other artists whose albums were voted the best on the BBC Culture website in 2017 (www.bbc.com/culture). As well as the famous ones I already mentioned, the list also includes Kamasi Washington, Oumou Sangaré and Omar Sousa & Seckou Kelta. Each artist is extremely talented in their different genres: Kamasi as an American jazz saxophonist and composer; Oumou Sangaré as a Grammy Award-winning musician from Mali and the Cuban pianist, Omar Sosa with Senegalese guru, Seckou Keita. Listening to these different musicians will surely wake you up in 2018 and lead you to new interesting ways of thinking.
To read about all the best albums in 2017, see http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20171228-bbc-cultures-best-albums-of-2017?ocid=ww.social.link.facebook.
READING
Have you ever thought that you would really love to get engrossed in a great book, but don´t know what to read? There are just too many options out there! I really like a website called www.bookwitty.com. Rachel Sherlock reviews 10 great works of fiction published in 2017 including: The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which is about lives led between two worlds, the adopted homeland and the country of birth and Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo, a book set in Nigeria which gives voice to both husband and wife as they tell the story of their marriage.
To read about all the best reads in 2017, see https://www.bookwitty.com/reading_list/book-ending-the-year-10-great-works-of-fiction/5a3a40cc50cef71a0de55ac0.
FOOD
Do you enjoy cooking? Perhaps you might like to try out a few new recipes in 2018 to experience different ways of using Brazilian ingredients. To start off the new year thinking about your health, have a look at Bela Gil´s recipes (www.belagil.com/receitas) She has a great idea for an alternative to chocolate mousse (creme de cacau) which uses avocado, cocoa and peanuts and some teas to lose weight such as ginger tea, and tea with pineapple, cinammon and cloves. Rita Lobo also has some great recipes such as an alternative to kibe called wheat salad with baked pumpkin, as well as mushroom and celery salad (http://gnt.globo.com/programas/cozinha-pratica/ultimas-receitas.html#section=Cozinha%20Pr%C3%A1tica).
HOBBIES
Hobbies can sometimes be expensive as they require the latest equipment and specialized courses. Here is a list of many hobbies that you can do on a low budget, such as drawing, going to free community events, teaching yourself a new language, learning origami and practising meditation, among other things: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/this-list-50-low-cost-hobbies-will-excite-you-2.html. I hope you all have a wonderful 2018. Here´s to new ways of thinking, fresh inspiration, positivity and good health. Cheers!
