obligatory new year's eve commentary

I’ll keep it short. 2009’s been excellent. Odd years always are for me, but I won’t let the evenness of 2010 break this new streak. Happy new year.

dissertation

I have to write a short dissertation this year which I am actually quite excited about because we get to choose our topics and from the range of interests that I suggested (neuronal development, epilepsy, olfaction & memory) my tutor prompted titles and I have chosen:

Why do Certain Odours Trigger Vivid Memories?

The connection between the sense of smell and immediate teleportation to a different time and place has always absolutely fascinated me so I really can't wait to start researching.

In the meantime, I thought I'd keep a random log of things, as they crop up, whose smells elicit strong memories.

• Dial soap which reminds me of being a kid in our little bathroom in Kuwait
• Right now, my brother's freshly painted room which takes me straight back to the first day I slept in my own newly painted room
• the pages of any Harry Potter book take me back to the days I would sit curled up anywhere reading, reading, reading..
• Pear Blossom lotion which sets me standing right in the middle of my room at Oxford
• and Pink Grapefruit lotion sits me down on my rough carpet at home smack in the middle of summer

Anything you guys can think of?

The Joys of Living in England (aka Why I Thoroughly Plan to Stay Here Forever):

- understanding this list of words and incorporating them into my everyday language.

- daily tea

- being dependent on toast

- custard creams

- corner shops

- ASDA

- Bollywood films & Indian food

- a grand plethora of accents

- good British films

- Doctor Who on the actual telly and not my computer

- Any and all British TV: Top Gear, QI, Live at the Apollo, etc

- Radio 1

- walking everywhere

- the train system

- the London Underground

- London in general

- watching football matches in pubs

- 99 flakes

- snow & a proper winter (leading to the owning of a winter wardrobe)

- appreciating the sun

- all sorts of seasons

- double decker buses

I'll keep adding and re-updating as I think of things..

realisation #84

I just had the strangest moment of thought.

I was thinking of all the places I love to eat or pass by in Manchester and thinking how I should go eat in the places I've not had in a while tomorrow before I leave and suddenly, I got tremendously & inexplicably sad knowing that there is going to be a day when I will make the final visit to those places, the last meal in each of them, before leaving possibly forever -- and now I smile, somehow thinking that's a good thing.

done.

Lab report submitted. Lectures mostly over. N64ing eternally commencing. Exam revision still over the horizon. I can't wait to go home.

I don't know how Christmas holidays crept up on me this year. Probably because this time last year, I was about ready to die. And this year, I wasn't. I'd say that's an improvement. 2009's been good. I love odd numbered years. How is it nearly over already?

Oh, and it's snowing. In December. Perfection.

formspring.me

name 5 of the most important things in your life?

My parents, my friends, my happiness, oil paints and the potential of life.

'Sup, Figgy?

liverpool & yusuf

Four points:

a) I love my dad wayyyy wayyy wayyyyyyyy beyond anything and everything.

b) I absolutely LOVE LIVERPOOL. Sans the Scouse accents, of course. I loved Liverpool more in less time than it's taken me to even start to LIKE Manchester. It's exactly the kind of "trendy" but practical and sufficient small city I'd want to live in. Everything within walking distance, a history can you see right there on its cobbled streets, cute unique shops NOT devoid of throngs of people. It's the kind of city I wish I'd grown up in so that I could have made it my own, know the ins and outs and places to go, things to see. Kat gave us a thoroughly excellent walking tour of Liverpool and it was beautiful.

c) I SAW A BANKSY IN REAL LIFE. Do you know what that means? I've actually fulfilled one of my life dreams. It seems silly but Banksy's are often taken down within weeks of their initial appearances and I wouldn't know where to find them but lo and behold, as we were strolling down a street past Chinatown (I think?) in Liverpool, Kat nonchalantly points to a building on the corner and says, "Oh and that's a Banksy.." and I, gasping in excitement, whipped my head around to see this:

and it made my heart smile.

and d) Cat Stevens / Yusuf is officially one of my all-time favourite musicians in all aspects of his music, his life, his mind, his love, everything. I'd have to put him up there with role models and heroes and the like. He is simply brilliant and I love him. Too amazing for words.

formspring.me

Alrighty. So you're doing okay?

Yyyyyeah. Yeah, I am.

How many places in England have you visited? by maiiahee

I was just thinking of this today! Manchester, Widnes, Liverpool, the Wirral, Leicester, London, Oxford, Sheffield and the Lake District / Windermere. I think that's it?

What is your favourite thiing that is unique to England?

This is actually a much more difficult question than I thought. And to be honest, I have no idea. It will be my mission in the coming years to find an answer.

'Sup, Figgy?

deansgate

Pretty sure Deansgate has de-throned any other part of Manchester that I held in high esteem. I just need to figure out how to find it without accidentally stumbling upon it. It's just off the edge of the city centre and yet so elusive.

ask me anything

go.

oh, hello.

December has just frosted its pretty little cold way into my life. I don't mind. 16 days till home!

My dad's here! I'm ridiculously excited. I met him in town and we went for dinner at my favourite españish place, La Viña in the prettiest part of town, Deansgate (we're going when you come) and then we took a trip down to the German Christmas Markets to get some nutella crepes! And then we came back to my flat and just chitchatted before my dad set off back to his hotel and we'll be off to Liverpool tomorrow to see CAT STEVENS! I can't wait. Also, I thought my dad was leaving Sunday morning but turns out he's leaving Monday morning.. So, instead of doing it on Sunday, hopefully I'll be able to do that pointless essay-for-no-credit-just-to-waste-my-time due Tuesday which everyone has been telling me to stop stressing over in my seven-hour break on Monday. Hm. I'll finish up one of my labs tonight then.

I can't believe I never went to the Christmas Markets last year. Well, to be fair, Aamna and I went on the hunt for them but being us, we never found them and then got lost and almost died so that was cool. But I went last weekend with Becca and her sister and my friend Sam from Oregon and Mike and it was pretty darn awesome. It's just loads and loads of little cottages crammed together in front of the town hall and all over town selling handmade gifts and speciality gifts and Germany bratswurst and German "pancakes" aka crepes and it's delightful. Town is just completely decked out and Christmas-y and I thoroughly enjoy it. It looks really pretty at night too but I didn't have my camera when I went with my dad tonight.

They have a talking moose head.

And you can see up Santa's bum..

And they wear cool hats..

And all the trees are decorated purrrdy!

Town Hall and Santy Claus(e?)

What else is going down in my life? I put up my fairy lights, finally.

I like them lots. I feel like watching a French film tonight. Ugh, no, labs on the radioimmunoassy of testosterone. I have to do this entire write-up on some electro-oculography lab we did BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL I'M SUPPOSED TO EVEN TALK ABOUT AND IT IS STRESSING ME OUT. That report is going to be the death of me. It's the last thing I have due before homehomehome so once it's done, I will just melt in freedom.

Tomorrow I wake up to have breakfast with my pops and then gathering the ladies for a trip into Liverpool.

And that's what you missed ... on Glee!