S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G.....We're Shopping!

We all know that when the Coca Cola 'Holidays are Coming' ad hits our TV screens that Christmas is here! I really enjoy late night Christmas shopping: The cold, the crowds, the lights and the music all make me smile. Yet I do so much of my gift buying online now that the experience has changed somewhat :( Amazon is a usual for me, but what's their problem? It's great that they look at my buying trends...but where do they get off telling me what THEY think I should buy!!?

It's quite unexplainable, but when I was younger I used to LOVE shopping for stationery!!? Having an exclusive pencil case, nice pens and a quirky rubber was great.... life's simple pleasures.

Reasons to be glad

Isabel Losada wrote the book '100 Reasons to be Glad', which I really enjoyed. So much so that I created my own book of reasons, taking time to think about all the good things we have is an important aspect of life that I would recommend to anyone.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and although I don't exactly celebrate this particular holiday, I will be giving plenty of thanks over the break.

Pokemon

Was sick back in the day!

Throwing out the Rule Book: Jenny Lineker

Over the past few years I have come to the realisation that I play by the rules way too much! There's nothing wrong with playing by the rules, but sometimes deviating away from them and modifying them for your benefit is a wise idea. From now on I am going to consider taking a few more risks, of course I won't have total disregard for rules, but it is ridiculous that I have been playing football for over 11 years and have never been booked!

Be a Dreamer

I was talking with my friends about dreams last night, in particular recurring dreams. I have one, not had it for a while now but every so often it comes back to me and is sometimes slightly modified.

In the dream I am at a park with some friends, we are just walking around and it's quite busy. Then we walk to a quieter area and come across a hill. My friends all begin to climb and I know that I'm going to find it hard so start to panic a little. I keep trying to climb the hill but slip and lose my footing every time. I think in the end I make it but it's always frustrating!

Perhaps the dream represents my fear of failure, and not being good enough, striving but not succeeding! Or....it could mean I'm not destined to be a hill climber...one of the two.

Wake up Mr West...

So many people I know have just been to see Kanye West's Glow in the Dark tour in the UK! So jealous, really wish I could have gone! :( After I graduate I plan to make a conscious effort to go to more concerts, I love live music!

Wal-moke

I went to the cinema last night and saw a new style of commercial. It was an advert for Walmart and Coca Cola all in one, couldn't find the video online but it was strange to see. The bright blue of a Walmart bag and the vivid red and white branding on the Coke bottle really stood out. I have never really noticed much TV advertising for Walmart before, but I guess their efforts are linked to the introduction of their new logo and slogan. The 'Save Money.Live Better' tag which replaced the renowned 'Always Low Prices' message, relates to audiences in this time of a poor economy.

That got me thinking about brands with successful slogans, and deciding if ever, when to change them:

Calrsberg - Probably the best beer in the world
Orange - The future's bright, the future's Orange
L'Oreal - Because I'm worth it
Gillette - The Best a man can get
Rice Krispies - Snap, Crackle and Pop
Pringles - Once you pop, you can't stop
KFC - Finger lickin' good

To - do

I like to be pretty organized most of the time, I like to do things sooner rather than later too. Some days I make to-do lists, setting out what I need to achieve that particular day or week etc. What I always find funny is that I start every list with the same task: 'Get Up'...providing I'm not dead, this one is easy for me to do, so I can always cross something off my list straight away! It's strange how the human brain works and the feeling of satisfaction I get from crossing off the first item of my list!

Yes We Can!

I was really pleased that Barack Obama won the Presidential Election, I watched the results as they came in online and then on TV. It was such an exciting time to be in America, and his speech was impeccable, I knew as I watched that history was being made and it would be one of those 'where were you when..?' moments.

So America has its first black president. Doesn't it?

No...it doesn't. Barack Obama is bi-racial, born to a white mother and black father. He's just as black as he is white but people fail to see past his darker exterior and for ease it seems, call him black. I'm not bothered, I just wanted to point it out :)

I wish him the best of luck and really hope he can turn things around for the US, these were some of my favourite parts of his acceptance speech:

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -- I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time -- to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth -- that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can

Sweet Tomatoes

I went to one of the nicest places to eat this weekend. Sweet Tomatoes is an all you can eat buffet style restaurant with soups, salads, moderate pizza and garlic bread slices and then ice creams and small cakes for dessert (because even healthy eaters have a sweet tooth at times!)

There was just something about the place I really liked, the simplicity of it and the obvious focus on the importance of good nutrition.

I went to Chilis last month and was impressed with their dessert offerings actually, they do pudding shots, whereby your favourite dessert comes in a modest shot glass for $1, satisfying hunger yet not encouraging overeating. The issue of obesity is inevitable in today's society with the huge portions we receive, free refills on sodas, not to mention the rise of the 'computer kids' who would gladly spend 7 hours on GTA 4 rather than engage in any form of exercise.

The Life of a Southpaw

This is an extract from an article I read, I'm left handed so it interested me:

It's not easy being a lefty.

Statistics show left-handed people are more likely to be schizophrenic, alcoholic, delinquent, dyslexic, and have Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as mental disabilities. They're also more likely to die young and get into accidents.

:(

But I haven't been discouraged, it seems that some lefties have done okay for themselves, here are a few examples:

Bill Clinton
Matt Groening
Noel Gallagher
Oprah Winfrey
Michelangelo
Larry Bird
Bobby Fischer

CAPs UnLoCK

Don't you JUST HATE IT WHEN YOU ARE SO FOCUSED ON YOUR WORK THAT YOU SIMPLY STARE AT THE KEYBOARD WHILE TYPING, CONVINCED EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL...UNTIL.....you look up and see that you accidentally left CAPS on!!!? I consider this to be a common problem...maybe it's just me? But why isn't there a way to undo it!?