(Notice the lack of "Sleep"?)
I'm super-psyched for an awesome New Year's Eve/ New Year tonight: I have silky soft hair after an at-home treatment, a shiny new camera to play with and a pretty see-through mug of good quality flowering jasmine tea to sip as I tinker. I even managed to squeeze in one last recipe and post for Tashcakes!, and I have freshly washed bedsheets to snuggle into later.
... What, did you think I'd be out there doing something interesting and quirky and Tash-ish?
New Year's Eve has never been a night of Going Out And Doing Stuff for me. I think anyone who knows me can agree that I do more than enough of that on normal days: so NYE is one of the rare times I just let myself do Bugger All. No FOMO for me- just kicking back and relaxing, and giving myself a moment to process all of the stuff I've done in the year (but don't worry, this isn't going to be a "Wot I Did This Year Lol Aren't I Amazing" post). As for tomorrow, the first day of the new year itself, I will think about all the things to come in 2015 (or rather panic mildly at the mad things I've signed up for and the things I need to get organised for).
The great thing at the moment is that lots of my friends are beginning to take on the same mentality as me- so instead of feeling guilty about turning down their events, I get to switch off at home knowing that they're doing the same thing! There is plenty to do in the city on a night like this- but you know what? This is London, and there is always plenty to do, every single day and night of the year. So just once a year- just for tonight- I'd just prefer to drink my tea, try not to break my new toys and look forward to clean sheets.
A happy new year to you all- as I said in Tashcakes!, "go try new foods, experience new things and most importantly: have fun!"
Wednesday 31 December 2014
Thursday 18 December 2014
Sleep is for Sissies
My name is Tash and I am a serial sleep-dodger.
Most of the time it's genuine insomnia. Other times it's because I have so many little things to do and so little clue as to when to call it a day, and I just end up keeping on going. And occasionally, for no reason at all, I just seem to zone out and suddenly it's 3am and I have to get up in three hours for work.
Most of the time though it's because there is just far too much to do. Even as I'm writing this I'm pausing and thinking, "Oh yeah, I need to reply to X about this, and confirm with Y about that, and plan on my travel route for Z". This seemingly short blog post will probably take about an hour to write because I'm constantly doing All The Things in one go.
Even after that sentence I disappeared to a new tab because I remembered I needed to reply to a good friend currently travelling in Nepal, and then straight after that I found out that someone from the Geek Girls London meetup group had messaged me two months ago about spotting me at a K-Pop dance class, but I hadn't picked up on it because the notification system was playing up- so I picked that up too.
It has now officially been a full hour since I started writing this blog, at 11:45pm. Still so much to make sure I get done before bedtime...
Most of the time it's genuine insomnia. Other times it's because I have so many little things to do and so little clue as to when to call it a day, and I just end up keeping on going. And occasionally, for no reason at all, I just seem to zone out and suddenly it's 3am and I have to get up in three hours for work.
Most of the time though it's because there is just far too much to do. Even as I'm writing this I'm pausing and thinking, "Oh yeah, I need to reply to X about this, and confirm with Y about that, and plan on my travel route for Z". This seemingly short blog post will probably take about an hour to write because I'm constantly doing All The Things in one go.
Even after that sentence I disappeared to a new tab because I remembered I needed to reply to a good friend currently travelling in Nepal, and then straight after that I found out that someone from the Geek Girls London meetup group had messaged me two months ago about spotting me at a K-Pop dance class, but I hadn't picked up on it because the notification system was playing up- so I picked that up too.
It has now officially been a full hour since I started writing this blog, at 11:45pm. Still so much to make sure I get done before bedtime...
Sunday 7 December 2014
I don't Like Sarcastic People
"It's food," said the guy (a friend of a friend), seeing me dither at the snacks table. I had already eaten before getting to the party, not knowing that there would be food, so I didn't really need anything- I just wanted to be a gracious guest and accept the host's generosity.
"Awesome, I like food," I said a little foolishly, not knowing what to say in reply to that, but feeling like I should say something under his mildly inquisitive gaze. I put a small handful of chips onto my paper plate and moved away to make room for other party-goers.
"Well that looks filling," said the guy, quirking an eyebrow at my meagre portion.
"Haha," I said weakly, and joined the others.
I love sarcasm. Used at the right times it's hilarious, clever and makes people bond.
However, I do not like sarcastic people. Not people that use sarcasm (or I'd be in trouble with myself)- just people that seem to live in a natural state of constant sarcasm. It's like they live to make try to make others feel uncomfortable or stupid.
One of the things that makes me not get on with sarcastic people is that I'm a very literal person. Puns are often wasted on me- and even though as a writer I can make (apparently good) ones up, I don't really find them laugh-out-loud funny. My friends love teasing me because I apparently become indignant really easily, even though I know they're only teasing. It's not as if I have a thin skin; it's just that it takes me one or two beats longer to pick up on social cues than other people.
"Don't worry," my friend said, "he's always really sarcastic." This was after first being introduced to him as her friend from dance- he asked me very seriously what time I was on, and I looked at my watch (I told you I'm really literal).
It made me think of how I have (had?) this old friend who had a razor-sharp tongue. I used to admire her for how forthright she was and how acidic her humour was- but after a few too many years of her using me as a whetstone every now and again, I decided that she wasn't just naturally talented in the art of sarcasm- she was just a bit of an arsehole.
So with this new revelation, perhaps I'll become more sensitive to the way people might interpret the things I'm saying. I believe that when I'm being sarcastic, I'm being so obvious about it that there is no question that I'm joking about something- but maybe there are times I'm not obvious enough and end up hurting someone's feelings. Perhaps we should all use sarcasm a bit less, especially as a way to cover up our own insecurities. Perhaps we should all be more open with each other, so the world will become a better place.
As if.
"Awesome, I like food," I said a little foolishly, not knowing what to say in reply to that, but feeling like I should say something under his mildly inquisitive gaze. I put a small handful of chips onto my paper plate and moved away to make room for other party-goers.
"Well that looks filling," said the guy, quirking an eyebrow at my meagre portion.
"Haha," I said weakly, and joined the others.
I love sarcasm. Used at the right times it's hilarious, clever and makes people bond.
However, I do not like sarcastic people. Not people that use sarcasm (or I'd be in trouble with myself)- just people that seem to live in a natural state of constant sarcasm. It's like they live to make try to make others feel uncomfortable or stupid.
One of the things that makes me not get on with sarcastic people is that I'm a very literal person. Puns are often wasted on me- and even though as a writer I can make (apparently good) ones up, I don't really find them laugh-out-loud funny. My friends love teasing me because I apparently become indignant really easily, even though I know they're only teasing. It's not as if I have a thin skin; it's just that it takes me one or two beats longer to pick up on social cues than other people.
"Don't worry," my friend said, "he's always really sarcastic." This was after first being introduced to him as her friend from dance- he asked me very seriously what time I was on, and I looked at my watch (I told you I'm really literal).
It made me think of how I have (had?) this old friend who had a razor-sharp tongue. I used to admire her for how forthright she was and how acidic her humour was- but after a few too many years of her using me as a whetstone every now and again, I decided that she wasn't just naturally talented in the art of sarcasm- she was just a bit of an arsehole.
So with this new revelation, perhaps I'll become more sensitive to the way people might interpret the things I'm saying. I believe that when I'm being sarcastic, I'm being so obvious about it that there is no question that I'm joking about something- but maybe there are times I'm not obvious enough and end up hurting someone's feelings. Perhaps we should all use sarcasm a bit less, especially as a way to cover up our own insecurities. Perhaps we should all be more open with each other, so the world will become a better place.
As if.
Monday 1 December 2014
A Rare Positive Train Journey Experience
I was sitting next to the cutest family on the train home from a Birmingham visit this weekend. It was quite late at night for the two little girls, and they were a little giggly and quietly hysterical, with the mother warily trying to calm them down. At one point the two girls started making puns out of everything, while I tried to hold it together in my seat.
"We can all enjoy a nice lie-in tomorrow," said the mum.
"I'm a lie-on, raaaaawr!" the youngest girl chipped in without missing a beat. Her older sister burst into laughter, holding her sides.
"Mummy I think I'm having a heart attack," she gasped between giggles. The mother sighed.
What an awesome family.
In other news, I have a shiny new phone! It's bigger than my old one, so I'll be able to blog on the go (so I'll never have an idle waking moment. Ever. Again. Yay?)
"We can all enjoy a nice lie-in tomorrow," said the mum.
"I'm a lie-on, raaaaawr!" the youngest girl chipped in without missing a beat. Her older sister burst into laughter, holding her sides.
"Mummy I think I'm having a heart attack," she gasped between giggles. The mother sighed.
What an awesome family.
In other news, I have a shiny new phone! It's bigger than my old one, so I'll be able to blog on the go (so I'll never have an idle waking moment. Ever. Again. Yay?)
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