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.