#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?

I was super late to the Julien Baker party, but I feel like t's better late than never. Her album Sprained Ankle is the kind of deeply confessional stuff that I keep hidden in journals. If you're ready for a good cry or just have some feels this is the kind of album to put on and just get sad to.

Plus, if you read up on her history, Julien has gone through some seriously dark and heavy shit, and she came out this beautiful songbird from it. I think it's good to realize that like everyone has shitty days, some people are just more vocal about the terrible things - she's one of them.

#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?

This is a horrible thing to ask me because I love teen dramas and reality television shows. My first answer would be Kid Nation. It's all on YouTube and basically, CBS left a group of kids out in the wild wild west with only their host Jonathan, and it's like Survivor, but with children. It's hilarious and also sad.

If you don't like kids though maybe just watch The O.C. That show is the only reason I discovered music - then Chuck Klosterman - then music writing. Now I'm poor and unhappy, so thanks The O.C.

#3 - I (and by “I” I mean “the person that is reading this”) am going to the book store (ok, probably Amazon) to find the very next book that I will be putting some extremely valuable ‘me-time' aside for. Which book would you get, if you were me (and, I suppose, you hadn’t already read what you’re about to suggest)? 

The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic - No explanation needed for this one really. Everyone should just read it.

#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?

GoldFlakePaint for music stuff but for when I'm feeling sad, just King Curtis videos on YouTube.

#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.

I'm a big proponent of reaching out to people you admire and saying hey, you do great work. Do that more. You make a lot of friends that way, hi everyone on the music blogsphere and bands, and you never know what can happen as a result. The worst that can happen is you find out someone is a total jerk or you can make a new best friend.

If you don't want to do that just eat more bagels

OK folks, there you have it. 5 things that Lauren from The Grey Estates thinks you should consider incorporating into your day/life. Before you head off on an offline bagel binge, go follow Lauren on Twitter and Facebook, because doing so will improve your time on either.