My name is Lauren van den Bergh (née Rich) and this is a personal list of 40 things I hope to achieve by the time I'm 40, rather than a 'bucket list'. I started this at age 33.
UPDATE: I am now 40 and still need to complete the list. I may have to give myself until I’m 49 years and 11 months old.
This was originally "Find 10 Geocaches" but it was so easy to find two in one day, I increased the number.
For those who don't know what Geocaching is, let me explain. Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a GPS or mobile device to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world (thanks Wikipedia).
The caches are of varying sizes and with varying difficulties of finding them. There's usually a logbook inside where you sign your Geocache name (your username registered on their website) and the date you found it.
One lovely summer's day - 11th August 2013 - I met up with my lovely friend, Marion and we decided to go on the hunt for caches in Finsbury Park before heading to our beloved "W.E. Love Sundays" acoustic night at the World's End (if you've never been, you should come along - it's FREE and you get free roast potatoes, yorkshire puds and sweets).
Anyway, we decided on which caches we were going to attempt to find. We used our Geocaching iPhone apps and found the first location...at least we thought we had. We read the description and thought that we weren't really in the right place. I looked up and said that it must be on the bridge above us. We eventually figured out how to get up there and it didn't take us very long to find my first cache! It was very exciting.
My first "cache"
We took it from its hiding place and found a few goodies in there that people had added to it. I didn't want to feel left out so I signed the logbook and added my own "trinket" to the pot.
Look at all the goodies inside...
So then, along a stony pathway (which was surprisingly a nice little walk) to the next cache. We were looking for a slightly smaller one this time. We walked past where it was at first but managed to find it in the end.
Ah there you are
Tatty log book :^(
When you find your caches you can select "Found It" on the iPhone app and it logs that you've found it. I did a screen shot of our finds.
Smiley faces - brilliant!
Whilst we were on a roll we decided to have a further jaunt to Finsbury Park itself to find our third cache. There was a crazy festival/party going on in the park. Loads of BBQ's, live reggae music and activities - quite unexpected and the BBQ smelled amazing, once you got past the smell of dope!
We didn't get involved - we were on a mission. We started our hunt and started to become quite frustrated at not being able to find our third cache of the day. Marion was so engrossed in her search she didn't notice the company she had behind her.
When you've got to go...
A great couple of hours in the sun with a good friend!
Since then I've tried to find others on my own near my office but I'm probably being rubbish and my lucky charm (Marion) hasn't been with me.
There are many singer/songwriters out there who want to be heard and to become well-known in the industry. One way this can happen is luck and, basically, being in the right place at the right time. Another way this can be possible is by performing popular cover versions and posting them on YouTube. When someone searches for a specific song, hopefully the cover will appear in the search and subsequently have their popularity soar.
So, I decided to take this on. I had recorded cover versions previously but, as I was creating my 40 List, I thought I would include it and turn it into a challenge.
Part 1 includes 12 videos/audio of covers I have recorded or that have been recorded of me by others. I will give a little background blurb with each video/audio. Happy viewing/listening!
1. Real Late Starter (originally performed by Nerina Pallot)
This is where the covers "thing" started. There was a competition to win the opportunity to support Nerina at a concert if we covered her latest single "Real Late Starter". I didn't win but it was fun to do and seeing the video again gives me a chance to see my old bedroom. Please don't cringe at my fringe!
2. Turn Me On Again (originally performed by Nerina Pallot)
So, I thought I would give this competition thing another go. With the help of my friend, Paul O'Gorman, we recorded our version of Nerina's latest single "Turn Me On Again". Again, I was unsuccessful but got some really nice comments including one from Nerina saying "Thank you so much for entering the competition. Love the harmonies, really cool. N x". Unfortunately, I can't embed this video as it doesn't give me the option in my list of YouTube videos - very odd. Here's the link!
3. Rest Stop (originally performed by Matchbox Twenty)
I had this brainwave of getting people to request songs they'd like to see me perform and upload to YouTube. This is one of my favourite MB20 songs and it was a request from my friend, Neil O'Dwyer (who I met on the Virgin Radio/Absolute Radio fan forums, back in the day). We've been friends ever since.
4. Here Without You (originally performed by 3 Doors Down)
I put a message out to my fans/friends to come up with more covers and, again, Neil pulled a great choice out of the bag for me to do. I'd just started getting into 3 Doors Down and felt I actually had an emotional connection with the song when I started to learn it.
5. If I Fell (originally performed by The Beatles)
6. Blind (originally performed by Lifehouse)
7. A&E (originally performed by Goldfrapp)
These three videos were taken at my album launch party at Kiss The Sky in Hampstead. My brother, Paul, made me a CD the previous Christmas of Beatles' songs (entitled "Let It Be...Or Not...Your Choice") all performed by him. He did a fabulous job and it reduced me to tears (in a good way). I thought it would be great if my brother could a) be one of my support acts at the launch and b) perform one of the songs with me during my set. We decided on "If I Fell".
I wanted to do a cover of a Lifehouse song at the launch to introduce people to the amazing songwriting of Jason Wade. Lifehouse are my favourite band (after The Beatles). I chose Blind because I can relate to the lyrics and because it was one of the easier ones to play!
A&E is a song that Mr O'Gorman and I bonded over. I had said to Paul that it played on my iPod earlier and I really wanted to give it a go and he got excited saying "I love that song, I can play it". We performed it at quite a few gigs but my album launch is the evidence I have of this.
8. Take Me Home (originally performed by Jack Savoretti)
Jack decided to do a similar competition to Nerina Pallot, if his song "Take Me Home" was covered. Paul and I didn't have long to learn the song, if I recall, but we did a pretty good job on it, especially on the harmonies. Paul and I watched Jack Savoretti playing the song over and over again on YouTube as the chords were not provided. Unfortunately, it got 2 dislikes against 1 like [sad face].
9. With Or Without You (originally performed by U2)
I really love singing this song at karaoke and so I looked up the chords. I was pleasantly surprised that it was easy to play on the guitar. I've started playing it at gigs when the audience have called out for more. I usually give an option of "cover" or "original" and, more often than not, a call for a cover is always heard!
10. Tomorrow (originally performed by Chris Young)
I'm not ashamed to say that I am a fan of country music. I heard this song performed by Tate Stevens, a contestant on The X Factor USA and I thought what a great song it was. I loaded my Spotify to give the original a listen and immediately downloaded the track. I wondered whether it would be possible for me to learn it on the guitar as another cover to add to YouTube and another string to my bow - Lauren Rich does Country Music.
11. You Keep Me Hangin' On (originally performed by Diana Ross & The Supremes)
I saw a version of this on American Idol (yes I like American reality singing shows) sung by Janelle Arthur and I fell in love with her country version of the song. I extended it with an extra verse to make the song longer. I performed it for the first time at The Loop in Chelmsford and my good friend, Neil O'Dwyer filmed it. It's definitely not a song I would have even thought of covering, but now it's one of my favourite covers.
12. Somebody That I Used To Know (originally performed by Gotye ft. Kimbra)
I really love this song. My brother suggested we cover it. I really love my brother's vocals on this and, I guess, mine aren't so bad either! Paul's guitar playing and production on this is awesome! Well done, little bro!
I hope you enjoyed watching/listening to these. I have just over 6 years to do 28 more covers. I'd better get my skates on! If you can think of any covers you'd like to see/hear me sing, please comment below.
How this all came about was that I decided I wanted to experience the Gay Pride march (I've never even watched from the sidelines) so I asked my cousin, Steven, if he was going this year and he said I could tag along - I always wanted to be someone's "fag hag". It was definitely a fun-packed day. However, I must remind my cousin that if he gives me a meeting time, I'm usually on time and there's no need to tell me to arrive half an hour before I had to!
Anyway, the journey started at Northwick Park station and we met up with Steven's group near Baker Street station (saxophone solo in my head right now). It was a good meeting place even if the cafe owner wasn't impressed that they'd put a banner up against his window so other Jewish gay people could find us.
We headed down to the meeting point for the start of the march and I got roped into giving out stickers and, further down the route, holding a banner. I met two very lovely guys, Yonatan and Jon who kept me company throughout the march while Steven was off doing his "secretary duties" and doing very good PR by sticking stickers onto members of the crowd (any excuse to touch the men - ha!). It was very cool to see a completely different side to him; very comfortable with the people around him - calling everyone "dahling".
This is the usual photo expression we get from Steven T-Shirt says "Hey baby, I think I want to marry Jew" (think Bruno Mars)
On the way to the meeting point, we came across some fabulous support and other people preparing for the march. In the background you could hear the Gay Men's Chorus singing "Go West", getting people into the marching spirit.
Makes sense considering the film shown
Nice one, NatWest
Google being clever
Nandos - bloomin' genius!
Here comes the bride...
In all the hype and excitement before the march actually started, I had to take my phone out of my pocket to respond to a text message and subsequently dropped it on the road, face down. I picked it up and to my horror (though probably not surprising) it was completely cracked. I actually got a little shard of glass in my thumb that I had to pull out (sad face). I was not happy and, even though the march was totally amazing, I was still thinking about the cost implications of fixing my phone.
Just before marching time - with Jon and Yonatan - this is the banner I got roped into holding later on
Steven was interviewed by a lovely American lady called Michele Young. There will be a video on her site - click here. As I write, the video isn't on there yet but, for now, I have photographic evidence.
Steven being a celeb
1pm - and we're off. It was a slow start but as soon as we turned off of Portman Square onto Oxford Street, the atmosphere completely changed. There were barriers up at the sides of the street and hundreds of people watching and cheering with support. I started giving out Stonewall stickers to the crowd - you may have seen the adverts on the sides of buses - "Some people are gay - get over it". We had the Israeli translation.
Some people are gay - so what? (get over it)
The march from Oxford Street took us onto Regent Street, by this time I'd taken the banner from Jon so he could give out stickers.
Not the only queens celebrating!
From Regent Street we marched and cheered our way down to Piccadilly Circus (probably the first time I'd walked on the circus without nearly getting killed by a bus or taxi). I was thinking to myself at this point how lucky we were with the weather. It could have been a complete disaster if the weather had been bad and I'm sure the atmosphere would have been completely different. There were also one or two protesters but the majority of the people there were taking stickers and chatting and cheering their support all the way along the route.
Piccadilly Circus
We walked down towards Whitehall and finished just after 3pm near Embankment station. The police and the gay pride stewards were fantastic. I had a fabulous experience but, at that point, it was time for me to leave as I was conscious I needed to find somewhere to get my phone fixed and would only have got caught up in the "after-party" at Trafalgar Square - I wouldn't have got away.
Needless to say, I found a great shop in Borehamwood that fixes phone screens for £45 within the hour (next door the Post Office)!!!
The day must have been so good that I didn't realise I'd got a little sunburnt - at least I had some good exercise!
If you've never been along to watch the march, I recommend that you do. I'm sure that everybody knows someone who is gay so, show them your support, otherwise...get over it!
After celebrating another 30-something birthday last October, I got thinking about all of the things I have yet to do in my life. After speaking with friends I decided that I would put a list together of challenges. This is not to be confused with a bucket list. That's far too morbid and I want to make it a bit more difficult for myself by having a deadline. So, I have begun to compile a list of 40 things to do before I'm 40.
Putting this list together has been a challenge itself and it's still not complete. What I plan to do in future blogs is talk about my progress of getting through this list with photographic evidence and relevant links.
Below is the current list. These are in no particular order:
Get into the “Never Mind The Buzzcocks” studio audience
Try steak rare
Go to Paris
Turn radio interviews with musicians, undertaken at Radio Northwick Park, into podcasts
Learn to ride a bike
Write monthly blogs
Do 40 radio interviews in total
Obtain 40 albums in a single year
Go to Gay Pride
Donate £40 a year to charities
Stargaze at an observatory
Try on a corset
Visit 40 posh bars in London and ask for tap water
Do 40 cover versions and post on my YouTube channel
Do 40 duets
Go to 40 different places 40 miles from where I live
Take 40 photos of interesting tattoos with stories about them
Do something special 1 on 1 with my niece, Lexie, every year
Learn to play golf
Lose 40lbs
Learn a ballroom dance (Waltz or Tango)
Finish the Cinderella cross-stitch I started in 1992
Go to Nashville
Learn Spanish
Plant a tree
Go scuba diving
Teach my housemate how to make chicken soup
Learn to restring my guitar
Creative pay-it-forward
Learn to play poker
Take part in a sumo-wrestling costume fight
Buy and build Tower Bridge Lego
As you can see, this is a pretty diverse list of things to do, but I am completely committed to doing them and have already made a good start. There are still 4 items to add on but I can add these throughout the next six and a half years.
Feel free to comment if you have any ideas of what else could be added to the list – within reason, of course.
.JPG)
.JPG)
