Overcoming Writer's Block

I haven't been blogging for a while now (verrryyy long time, feels like). Since a week already practically feels like an aeon in blogverse. I don't know what amost 2 months is! Too many things can happen! :D

So sorry for not blogging after I said I was back, haha, probably not the best thing to do. But I suppose I wanted to face my real world first before getting back on to blogging. :S
What I eventually did during the past months though, I can't really remember much. I suppose just going about almost fully in the real world. Which was kind of weird. 

Thennn afterwards also, little did I know that there is FEAR that comes with trying to blog again after such a long time of not blogging. And so I kind of met the writer's block...

I think what I'm trying to say is that probably we just need to roll with it when he's there. Oh, he'll be back for sure anyway. :D No need to miss him as much. I really don't know. What do you do when you meet the writer's block?

Blogging was constantly on my mind too, I miss the connection, the updates from everything, and the sense of community, I just didn't post anything nor communicate with anyone, which kind of defeated the whole purpose. :S Probably this kind of added up unnecessary pressure I put to myself that made the writer's block stayed a bit longer. The pressure to start blogging again, and blog GOOD things only! Whoa! No!
I'm so sorry, I feel like I'm such a terrible blogger / blogger friend. :S We did missed some internet celebrations for April Fool's Day, Easter, and Cinco de Mayo here, didn't we? :P

So, yes, for now, hellow and yellow! :) 
How's life been treating you for the past 2 months?
I really do miss you ... *uhh... kisses... :/
Hope you all well!


P.S. : Also, just saying, ironically, the final 'okay, that's it!' that made me venture out of my little safe nice cocoon of not posting is, -- well, did you know there will be spam comments if your account seems inactive for quite a while? Well, I didn't. Haha, so I suppose thanks a lot to those 2 'adult chat' sites that commented on my blog. :P (Edit: THREE! Really now spam bots?!)

GO! Run TROUGH It

WHOA! I'm back! Hahaha, haven't been the best weeks, I was down with some fever, rashes, and hives, followed by some sore throat and more fever, which practically reduced immensely my waking hours else I would attempt to SCRATCH myself impulsively. Not fun, haha, but now I'm back to blogging! Or basically to computer and internet in general too :S. Hopefully in full swing! :D Also, hopefully you have had better days last few weeks than mine, eep!

Anyway, this post is going to be probably pretty much different than my usual posts. Although, I'm not so sure I have any 'usual post', but yes, anyhow. :P

Lately I have been thinking a lot about this. You know one of those moments when you feel like you have something to handle and instead of the facing it, you feel like running away instead?
Have you ever have those moments?
Well yea, those.

I am that kind of person, mostly. Sadly I have to admit that almost every time I have something I need to take care of in which is generally unpleasant for me, or scary, or unknown, to me, fear creeps in and I need to shackle my own feet to eventually face them.
Most of the times I just run away first.

Oh this can be in many forms. It doesn't have to be physically running away surely. That would be very tiring! Although I might become very fit if I do that. Whoop!
But it can be as simple as avoiding thinking, or of course, this would end up in simple procrastination, such as when I was in school, studying for the tests...? I was one of those kids that would cram the materials like an hour before the test. Yep.

Well, even though, I did, to certain extend pass those assignments and tests in school quite okay-ish, well, it wasn't the best thing that could happen was it?

Avoiding tasks or things which I THINK I will not be able to do superbly isn't solving the problem.

Lately I have been thinking that, instead of running AWAY from it, whatever it is that creates this discomfort or stress for me, I should be running TOWARDS it, THROUGH it instead. 
Because as someone once said, well, actually quoting, Paul Varjak from 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', *swoon*, he said, 'Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself'. Did I made you feel like Holy Golightly enough just then? :D

...

Running away isn't solving the problem because the happiness, the only solution that we were looking for is at the other end of that whatever we are running from.
So, I've been thinking that only by running THROUGH it, will I ever find the real deal state of peace.

Does that make sense? ... I certainly hope it does.
And I certainly hope that whatever that you are facing right now, or whatever that you are running from right now, even though hopefully there is absolutely none that you need to face and I only wish you all the gentle happiness in this world, but only IF there is any, I certainly hope that you can run THROUGH whatever it is, and reach that happiness that you always deserve. With all the power that can only make you stronger, and all the best lessons that can only make you a better person that then can take only at ease any future variations. :)

So there, I just rambled. I prefer to call it heart to heart talk though. :) Not sure you would enjoy this kind of very wordy opinionated probably irrelevant-to-you post, but, there it was. Ooufff!

Happy Wednesday, may weekend feels like it comes sooner than ever! :))

Writing More

These days I have been trying to write more, and so, this makes me think of my ideal condition for writing, you know the one that will wipe away that writing block the most! :P Ohohoho! :D --What would be in your list?...

Liebster Blog Award (... Again)

Déjà vu? Haha! :D I know I just did this last month. But I had been tagged again by the lovely Cathy from Hello, Cathy, yup, the one in the button on my side bar (go check her lovely blog! :D), and apparently I actually love writing these, so here we go again :P, and Cathy dear, thank you soooo much, and here are your answers! :D

1. Plaid or Stripes?
STRIPES! Haha! Red and white or navy blue and white! Make me feel nautical! :P
2. What do you hate
What do I hate?... Hmmm... real hate is such a strong word, but if hate as in annoyed by, well I  I do have pet peeves, haha, one of the silliest is when someone touch my computer screen! Oh please don't!! :S
3. Favorite thing to bake?
MUFFINS!!! YUUUMMM! --or apple pies... *drool
4. Mountain hike or Beach?
BEACHHH!! Haha... I feel so strongly about this.
5. Favorite thing to blog about?
Oh hmmm... I suppose my random thoughts haha, not sure that would be the most relateable or enjoyable to read though.
6. Favorite hairstyle to wear?
Up in a bun! Or french-plaited. Haha, because they are the easiest and else my hair tend to go extremely frizzy! Lion-like!
7. Most embarrassing childhood memory?
Hmmm... I never know what to answer about this. I was basically a very shy yet aloof-looking child (always looked frowning, haha), so I would shy away from any embarrassing moment possibilities, but I suppose there was this one time where I was daydreaming during some lesson when I was 6, --was completely zoned out, and apparently did that out loud, as I was clinking my bangles apparently quite loudly. Then the teacher called me out for being 'noisy' and disturbing the lesson. Oops! I'm sure I was bright red by then.
8. Seaworld or Disneyland?
Oh no! Tough choice!!! Hahaha, I'm going to say Disneyland! Because I have never been there, oh how I'd love to! :D
9. Twitter or Instagram?
Haha, errhhh... can I say Youtube, Tumblr, and Wikipedia? :P
10. Television or Internet?
INTERNET! Duh! HAHAHA.
11. Favorite childhood show that you use yo watch?
Oh so many! Haha, not used to though, I still watch them whenever I can, oh such embarrassing guilty pleasure. :P But probably when I was younger, mostly The Simpsons and Sesame Street. :D

Thanks again to Cathy for nominating me, and ... I'm not going to nominate anyone in particular this time, but if you're reading this and you want to do this, feel free to do so! :D My questions here! 

Wishing you a great week!

Technology Inventions I CAN Live Without (So Far)

It's 'so far', because as I'm writing this, I'm thinking that technology inventions are running so fast that in the nearer future than we think, these things will be irrelevant.

But as of now, I need to mention some which I DEFINITELY AM FINE to live without, but unfortunately need to encounter almost on daily basis, --and most especially today... because encountering them multiple times in a day is just ... well, overwhelming? ... :]

1. Top of my list, ... CAPTCHA!!
   It has to be!
   You know those distorted words for validation that we need to enter before, say, commenting...?
   Yes, I like the idea behind it, I think it's pretty simple, and nice, as a validation of are we human, or mere bot (--although I'm not sure which one I am sometimes...).
   So they give us those distorted images which are, supposedly, characters, which only humans can read, and not bots. See my confusion here? Because I CANNOT READ THEM MOST OF THE TIMES.
   Dear goodness, it feels like a piece of abstract art sometimes. Perhaps they should put it in a museum some time.
   
   
   
   Huh?
   I generally refresh my CAPTCHA around 5 times or so before I find characters that I can read and put in correctly.
   Also the name, makes me feel like every time I do that or not putting the correct characters, it's like someone say to me, 'Gotcha! ;P', only this time they say:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Really though, I completely support the idea behind it, so here are some of my offering unsolicited solutions:
   a.) I love the one in Goodreads where they ask us to enter the title and author from an image of a book cover. Simple and pretty. :)
   b.) Hire people! Haha. Real human writings. Humans can write some beautiful, as swirly whirly flowery patterned variations of texts as needed that will actually be READABLE to humans, yet cannot be read by any character recognition software!
   
   
2. Finger print recognition devices.
   :| You remember those laptops that unlock your password using fingerprint recognition? Sounds really cool at first. Until I tried it and realised I will not work for me 80% of the time. :S You have no idea the countless times I couldn't unlock my laptop (especially in panic) during a presentation. :S
   To general people, see, there is a certain way to swap your finger for it to be able to recognise it. Generally it takes 2 or 3 times to get the correct one, or 1 if you're really a PRO in it (--it's a true skill, really! :S). I usually need at least 3 swipes before it recognises some distorted version of whatever half of my actual finger print. Now, this... is since my fingers get wet pretty easily, ... and even though I did dry them first before trying, it just won't accept me. :S Thanks, .... discriminating software. :| I'm back to traditional password, me.
   
   
3. Touch screen keyboards! Or anything touch screen!
   As much as I don't like it as much, it is pretty much almost all the options we have these days, especially with mobile phones devices. I really have to learn how to type with my all-thumbs-fingers on it. :S Also how to use them properly without slipping or over clicking much for the same reason above.
   
   
4. Touchpad scroll wheel.
   Seriously, I keep forgetting it is there until I wonder who is this poltergeist who keeps gliding my mouse point to far off points than those I intend to.
   
   
5. Lastly on my list, the snooze button.
   Simply said, because it's a TRAP, people! It's a TRAP! 'You want to be there on time for the meeting? ;) Maybe another 5 minutes rest will do you good. ;) 5 minutes won't harm you...' 'Yes, 5 minutes is good.' Repeat that every 5 minutes for 3 times and it's 15 minutes already! :)
   I feel I wake up much energised too without the snooze button somehow.
   Side fact: I just read that the inventor of the snooze button is Lew Wallace? Really? The same author of Ben-Hur? :S What is this, is this a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of inventions?
   

There! Off my rant! :D What would be on your list? Do you ever feel irritated by certain technology?...

Homebody

I had a very fun day out with a friend recently, and generally I do like going out, and visiting places, and trying new things. :) But sometimes it feels like my natural habitat is really, simply at home.
It's not that I'm not happy to meet a friend, or for take-out food,.. it's just that it feels the happiest, ... if everything happens, ... at home... if ever possible :))  --and really, I think I'm perfectly happy staying at home all day long! :))

Are you a homebody too? --Or you can't stand staying too long at home instead? I'd love to know the secret to that. :)

A Day Out with A Friend

I went out with a friend last weekend. Finally, as we've been planning to do so for months, and since we are not the most outgoing persons. There are 2 more posts coming up about this, but in the meantime, here are some pictures from the day! :)

Nothing really exciting or out of the ordinary, usual chit chat in quiet places. We went to the bookshop, then to the coffee shop, then the pizza place. Gosh! Sounds really boring, haha.

One thing that I like to do in bookshops is finding rather interesting weird books, but aren't we all? :) This time the one that caught my attention is this book that says 'HOW TO BE INTERESTING! Places to go, and things to do!' (I'm pretty sure our 'itinerary' that day is not the list :S). 

Now this book is placed face-front. Unlike any other book around it that was placed side-front. But more than the title and the placement, placed next to it is the another book that has within the title 'Starting Today!', and next to it is another book that has in its title 'Bad Ideas' (to be fair I think the real title was 'Good Ideas Bad Ideas'. But is it clever marketing or what? 

Or well, no, haha. Because in my mind it now sounds like; 
'How to be interesting? Places to go, and things to do! We can tell you! Start today!', 
and there is another voice that says immediately, 
'DON'T. It's a bad idea!'. 

:D Have anyone ever read this book, let me know! :))

Anyway, then my friend ordered a Nutella drink in the newly opened coffee shop, which by the the name of it, oh goodness! YUUMMM! Nutella drink? Yes please! Hoping to escape the thought of the possible fat content. :P Also, to be fair, it was too sweet, and so kind of tasted too stuffy after a bit she said. But it was worth the try. We should try to make this on our own sometimes, if you love Nutella as much as I do! :)
Next, simply put we were too hungry to snap any photograph of the food and drinks, and so please pardon the blurry probably more-appalling-than-appealing picture. :S But it was delicious! :)) I love Pizza Express, their aglio olio spaghetti plain, and the one pizza with pitiful artichoke and courgette one, which both are in their vegetarian menu apparently.

It was great meeting an old friend, always. Regardless everything else. Should it rain and hail any day, and I'm meeting a friend that day, I'm sure I'd still call it a good day. How was your last weekend?! :)

A Valentine's Day Gift Idea for Friends

I went to an all-girl school, and most of us didn't have any boyfriends at the time, but every Valentine's Day, it was a day to look forward too!

Why...?

CHOCOLATESSS! :D 

Because on every Valentine's Day morning, we would arrive at our desks and find chocolates or little sweets waiting sweetly on the desks. :D

Some of us 'made' (as in prepare, mold and add flavours and such) some chocolates and wrap them (with ribbons and cards too) and give them to each other. 

It was definitely a sweet gesture of friendship and general kindness, and of course they were easy to make. But it was lovely and yummy all the same (to nibble quietly during classes :D). 
I kind of miss those days, and so here's an idea to give little gifts to our girl friends on Valentine's Day! :) Even though this one is more for a night in on Valentine's Day, since this year it falls on a Friday.

Happy Valentine's day!

I Love You Like a Love Song, Baby!

I've been thinking lately, as to why am I not as romantic, gushy touchy feely as I used to. Believe me, I used to be the most hopeless romantic kid in the playground, and that went on until high school, at least... and probably some more time afterwards!

But lately, ... I've been feeling a bit 'Meh :|' about finding a 'potential partner'. Which is ... completely the wrong time to feel so, because slowly, one by one, all my friends are steadily getting... m a r r i e d.

Now, TODAY, on the ride home, in a friend's car, this radio that was playing songs from the 90's was on... and it made me think... maybe... just maybe, ... it's also because the songs I listen to these days. As how songs can affect moods, if little by little but steadily given, I think the music I listen to can change my feelings and perception. :S

Oh NO! Brainwash.

Some songs I listen to now...

'Oh no, did I get too close?
Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?
All your insecurities
All the dirty laundry
Never made me blink one time--'

Really my favourite part of Katy Perry's 'Unconditionally', my ultimate current favourite song (I love her makeup too in the video).
But compared to this...

'I'd walk halfway around the world, for just one kiss from you
Far beyond the call of love, the sun, the stars, the moon
As long as your love is there to lead me, I won't lose my way, believe me
Even through the darkest night, you know ...--'

Backstreet Boys' 'Anywhere for You'. :P
-- I mean, halfway across the world! WALKING! What? To get one ... grand ... kiss ...? *sigh*

Or this...

'--It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again--'



Pink's of course, 'Just Give Me a Reason'. The scars of our hearts?? Our hearts have scars?? Ouch.

Compared to this...

'--Even the stars shine a bit bright I've noticed
When you're close to me
Still it remains a mystery--'

Not the same stars, are they? Oh yes, we are so could be in love, Lea Salonga and Brad Kane's, 'We Could Be In Love'.

To me, I feel as if the ones I listen to these days are much more realistic, there's a difference in the pictures they paint, and although this is good, I think subconsciously I just find it less romantic, whereas the rest of the songs I listen to these days doesn't even talk about love at all. Not pulling any Lorde here, but you know even her songs don't even talk much about the glorification of love. :)

So, ... I think it is the same reason as why I love love love most of Taylor Swift's and Ed Sheeran's music. BECAUSE I NEED SOME LOVE SONGS to keep me warm and fuzzy.
Give me more of those walking-halfway-across-the-world songs and I'll be off my feet fluttering with borrowed Cupid's wings all the way through to the 14th of February! :D Any love songs suggestions are welcomed! --How's your week so far?