I really like reading abt the latest studies...

Reading abt how since bored drivers are 1.5 times as likely to get into an accident as engaged drivers, researchers suggest making roads more challenging to 'increase driver's focus'
Reading abt how those who walk faster were 90% more likely to live at least 10 years more.

Aren't research findings pretty incredible sometimes?

89.7% of peoPle in the US describe their diet as healthy. Close to two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.

Taken from Time mag, 17 Jan issue, pg 9.

(I should really do something abt my referencing methods)

To quote Richard Stengal in the 24th Jan issue of Newsweek,
"Mere advocacy" of any doctrine, however violent, does not violate the First Amendment. And that makes sense. Words don't kill people; guns do. In an open and free society, we don't police speech, but we do police those who violate the law by committing violent acts.

Hm seems to make sense, but doesn't seem to be an accurate portrayal of the US.

Back to the Spain trip with the girls...
So.. Spain is populated with architectural legacies by Gaudi. I think this might be Casa Battlo but I honestly can't remember. It's been half a year ago...

But I know this is the Sagrada Familia (although a pretty ugly picture of it)

The next day, we went to Plaza Catalunya to catch the hop-on bus, which was a walking distance away from our accom! This time, we walked in the right direction (with the help of the map).

And... I thought it was interesting that people were all playing chess there. Sort of reminiscent of the Singapore Ah Peks playing Chinese Chess at random stone tables at the parks. Sort of.

Didn't manage to capture ANY nice photos of Mont Juic. Mainly cos my camera has terrible zooming function. And cos I refused to stand up on the hop-on bus being comfortably seated. Very, I might add. And cos there were a million other tourists standing up in front of me and blocking my view. I had quite a sharp photo but someone's blue-and-white striped SLEEVE was in it. But the view was gorgeous from up there, and unlike the last time I went, we didn't have to walk all the way down after taking the funicular up. I think we went to Port Olimpic after that - but I'm not about to bet on it.

It was unbelieavably gorgeous. And my camera REALLY doesn't do it credit. It does help that the rain stopped. But here goes: The unfortunate red thing at the side is the bus. Yes I took ALL my pictures from the bus. Lazy me.

We went to Barri Gotic after but I only have like one picture of it. It was like walking into the past, the narrow cobbled pavements, the archaic sculptures... and yes the rain made it rather atmospheric. Does the arch not remind you of the Bridge of Sighs at Cambridge?

I despair of ever finishing my trip in Spain, but since this day in Barcelona has ended. I will end my post.

Haven't been sleeping well.
Waking up at weird times and just feeling really tired when I wake up.

Plus, I had this horrifying dream that
I accidentally killed my sis, and everyone was chasing me. And I had to escape via a window. Full of running and adrenaline. Hiding at the corners, trying not to be spotted, paranoid that someone's gonna suddenly pop up and catch me. And I bumped into a friend who asked me to join in a game. And I had to pretend I wasn't running away from something, while looking over my shoulders to make sure my pursuers haven't caught up.

I was glad when I woke up. It was a dream with an overwhelming sense of doom, the feeling that everything is going wrong, and is going to get worse, and the whole world.. the whole wide world is crashing down on you.. the feeling that nothing is ever going to be right again. And that maybe it's easier if you just let yourself get caught, face whatever punishment and get it over with.

Fear no more the heat o' the sun,

 Nor the furious winter's rages;
 Thou thy worldly task hast done,
 Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages;
 Golden lads and girls all must,
 As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

 Fear no more the frown o' the great;
 Thou art past the tyrant's stroke:
 Care no more to clothe and eat;
 To thee the reed is as the oak:
 The sceptre, learning, physic, must
 All follow this, and come to dust.

 Fear no more the lightning-flash,
 Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
 Fear not slander, censure rash;
 Thou hast finished joy and moan;
 All lovers young, all lovers must
 Consign to thee, and come to dust.

         No exorciser harm thee!
         Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
         Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
         Nothing ill come near thee!
         Quiet consummation have;
         And renownéd be thy grave!

- William Shakespeare

My mood varies with the weather.
It's so much easier to feel happy when the sun is shining down on you, and everything is a bright cheerful yellow, and the water glistens, and the leaves of the tree gleams green, and everyone's not obscured by umbrellas and shadows, and you can actually look up from your feet without raindrops in your eyes to look at the world around you :)

Blogs are for happy days.
Why spread the misery?

It's a new year!
New year. New hopes. New resolutions. New dreams. New desires. New life. Fresh thoughts. New beginning. Clean slate. Bright ideas.

The new year came
And somehow it doesn't feel any different.
Hmm..

Loves going to work at 9.15am.
Cos I get to see this troop of little kids skipping happily along the road, hand in hand, always in pairs, but seldom a congruent pair. Sometimes a bouncy little kid eager to run ahead, slowed down by his partner timid, frightened, reluctant to push on..
Truly the most adorable bunch.

Reese's Clusters
Makes me feel like I'm eating fats
Pure unadulterated fats

At Junction 8 watching a group of about 50 middle-aged? old? ladies and gentlemen line-dancing to Mexican songs! They must be one of the most enthusiastic groups of public dancers I've seen :) I want to be like them when I'm old.. Don't lose that passion :)

Saw this at paperexploits.wordpress.com

The lady made these from scratch herself, and she runs a handmade-stationery/card/envelopes(and so on) blogshop. Some of the items are really gorgeous (like the strawberry boxes above)

Was thinking... if I had $10,000 I could start a blog shop selling handmade cards and paraphernalia (whatever that word means). I'll have fun, but I wonder if anyone will buy from me. Hahahahahahaha.

Saw a little girl
Looking around as though she was
Master of the World.

Is this... a haiku?
Hmmmmmmm

Riverdance.

Energetic. Uplifting. Breathtaking. Awesome. Stunning. Funny. Engaging. Touching. Lively. Impressive. Nostalgic.

The funny percussionist who played the gongs and the toms and the drumset and the gazillion percussion instruments and who looked like my irish lecturer who taught realism in international relations, sean molloy.

The feet of the lead dancer which moved so fast they were a blur yet so rhythmic and so precise

The saxophonist who never seemed to breathe and who had a lovely classical tone except that lovely jazzy part straight after interval

The showy violinist who seemed to be doing pizzicato and bowing all at the same time while striding quickly to and fro the stage and ending every section with a great flourish of her bow

The blonde singer who sang with (to quote a friend) a celestial voice and looked like she stepped out of a dream to render a moving version of 'a heart's cry'

The lead dancers spinning wildly on the stage
The girls who leapt up like they don't weigh anything and landed ever so gently on their stockinged feet

The black singer who stepped out in his Irish working class outfit and sang with a very English accent

The two lovely dancers taking an impromptu stance on Irish tap dancing - and the faceoff they had with the Irish tap dancers taking a very Catholic stance towards tap dancing

These were my impressions.
Wish I could go again :)

Walking home in the rain after work yesterday...
Waiting for the traffic light to turn green, with my feet getting wet.
Then I noticed - perched on top of (something.the signal box?a mail box?) was a little replica of the Eiffel Tower.
You know, the kind every street peddler sell along the streets of Paris.

Reminds me of the days I spend in Edinburgh, braving the persistent drizzle and the blustery winds that threaten to upturn my umbrella, feet perpetually wet and soggy and wrinkly. Staring down at the pavement as I walked to the MRT.. I could believe that I was in London.

it's ridiculous how i feel ashamed of my blog now.

how it has no comments function. or share function. or subscribe function. how the font is tiny. how the archives is not user-friendly. how my image is outdated. or my posts. or my links. how it doesn't incorporate SEO templates. how unprofessional it is.

i'm not a professional blogger.

Got me thinking about my blog.

My work at New Media introduced me to the world of social media marketing, something that (I admit) is totally new to me. It led me to start reading books on social media, word of mouth marketing and so on. And I keep reading about blogs, how to make full use of it, how to market it, how to gain visibility, to engage with your users through quick response (you get the idea). And all these readings made me realise how unfriendly my blog is. And got me thinking why I have this blog in the first place.

Today, at lunch, a colleague mentioned how outdated my posts were. I began this blog to update my friends and family on my life in Scotland but how relevant is this now? Now that I'm back in Singapore, who reads this anymore? Other than qy haha :) Plus this is not even a chronological update of my life. Especially since just a few months ago, I was blogging about my trip to Manchester 4 years ago. Haha! A bit random.

Maybe it's just a place for me to write. Like a journal of sorts. But then I should probably make it private. I guess I must want people to read this. This is confusing. I did.. entertain the thought of trying to make a 'successful' blog! Haha! To try out all these tips and theories that I've been reading. But I think it'll take quite a lot of energy to maintain. I shall go get my smartphone first!

*confused*

Sitting at Mos Burger, drinking iced milk tea.
Bobbles and snowflakes dangling above my head.
Listening to 'Have yourself a merry little Christmas~'
Somehow it feels so blissful. Maybe a little nostalgic.
It's strange how that song has such a big impact on me.
Wondering why...

Shopping at Cotton On at Novena Square last Saturday.

Had a 30% discount voucher so went a little mad. But there were lots of things I didn't buy. Anyway, point is, when I paid, I realised that the 2 for $30 T-shirts were actually cheaper without the 30% discount. Because how the cashier did it was to change the T-shirt price to the original, which was $24.95, then deduct 30%, so I ended up paying $35 for the 2 for $30 shirts. Obviously, I went back to the cashier and asked her nicely if I can take out these 2 shirts and then pay for them separately (i.e. pay $30 and not use the 30% for the 2 items). At first, she said no. Then later, she said 'Refund? Ok, wait.' *calls someone else* So, this guy came. And we repeated the story to him. Then he was like 'No la, you use the discount, definitely cheaper than without'. So I counted for him. And he didn't believe me. So he took out his calculator and said:

'If you use the discount *punches in $24.95, multiplied it by 2, stared at me for a while and the number $49.90, then clear the memory*' he continues 'if you use the discount' *repeats above procedure but somehow manages to do the 70% of $49.90 part* He repeats 'so if you use the discount you get this number (which was around $35 as I have previously counted for him). 'Then' he continues 'if you pay the promotional price for the 2 for $30 shirts, you have to pay...' *punches in $24.95 multiply by 2 for the third time in his speech, stares at the number*

I interrupted him of course and said 'If I buy the 2 for $30 shirts, I pay $30, right?'

He ignores me and continues punching numbers in his calculator.
Uh. Since when do 2-for-$30 shirts not cost $30?!
Thankfully, in the end, he decided to trust my maths, and refunded everything for me.
It was hilarious.