Where Was I?

Hello there!
Wow, it's been a while since my last post. Guess I took the procrastination really seriously. But that's not the only thing; I've been distracted by other stuff. Couldn't put up anything last Sunday because I went on a trip to a place where I didn't have access to the internet and didn't miss it one bit.  
The bigger distraction, however, is the new television set and the hundreds of channels. I try not to talk about it too much.

I've suddenly realized how much I miss college. I love work, but I really miss college. I actually went three times this week and talked to random juniors and other people I've never seen before. There are so many great things about going back after you've graduated, especially when people remember you and look happy to see you. Teachers treat you like old pals they're meeting after years, and students who don't even know you seem to treat you with utmost respect.
You can also wave your phone around and not care about it getting confiscated. Oh wait, I don't think we ever bothered to be discreet about our cellphones. But you know what I mean, right? You can walk around the campus when everyone else is in class.

There are those few awkward moments, though. I keep introducing myself to several juniors I don't remember having seen before, and when they say they know me, it surprises me so much that I can't help blurting out, "Really? I've never seen you before. (Oh damn, why did I have to say that?)" People remember you. Even when you don’t remember them. Then again, since you're the senior, you can get away with it.

It's also a little saddening when you see strangers in your classrooms and realize you can’t just walk into class and take a nap.

The most awkward thing of all is when people ask you what you do and you blank out for a moment because you're about to say "I'm in college", and then realize that's not true any more.

You can expect a nostalgic post about college some time soon, but this is it for now. The TV is distracting me. 

Freedom to Procrastinate

Two more hours to go until it's Independence Day, but I've already started making use of my freedom to procrastinate.

Speaking of procrastination, here, this should help:  http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php

You're welcome :)

Coffee and Crappy Cafés

Until a few years ago, fancy coffee shops in this city were places of magic. I'd see the lovely lighting, the bright colours and the comfy looking chairs, and think while passing by, "I have to go there some day". Going to a cafe was a special treat, and it only happened once in a blue moon.

I'd look at the menu and marvel at the wide range of things to choose from. After reading through the menu carefully, I'd choose something with lots of (then fascinating) fluff like ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, etc. Ice was a bonus. The more ice a coffee drink had, the happier I would be.

Then I woke up.

When you're little, being allowed to drink even a small amount of coffee is a privilege. What the fancy cafes do is take that little spoon of coffee, dunk it into watery milk where it gets completely lost but manages to remind you of its existence through a hint of brown, and maybe throw in some ice and trimmings, depending on what you want. For a novice coffee drinker, this is great: so much coffee plus other stuff.

But (hopefully) you soon grow out of that stage. These days, when I go to coffee shops, the only thing I order is espresso (though I still can't help reading the whole menu before ordering) because one can't go wrong with plain coffee decoction, right?
Wrong.
Thankfully, this doesn't happen as often as it used to, but I still have such conversations with waiters:
"One espresso please"
"Expresso??"
"Er... yes."
"It's black!"
"I know."
"No milk and sugar."
"I know!!!!"
*Waiter gives me a strange look and walks off*

So of course my coffee has to arrive after everyone else is almost halfway through those sweet milky concoctions (so it's obviously not expresso). My coffee shows up... or does it?

My coffee cup is already small, yet I need to peer into it to find some watery liquid floating at the bottom. How is that fair? Do I even need to mention that it's not espresso but its weaker sibling instead?

Since I'm already on the subject, here's another thing about coffee shops that annoy me: the microwaving. Now I don't care what people say about harmful radiation and everything, but I do care about ordering a chocolatey cake and getting this:

Yes, it has actually happened to me. Shame!

For me, most coffee shops have simply turned into convenient meeting spots, or places where one can aimlessly hang around if one has nothing better to do. One good thing is that many of these places now have free WiFi, so if they're cheating you on the coffee, exploit their bandwidth as much as you can! If they take too long to bring you your order, just make sure you download lots of stuff while waiting (and until you leave).

Someday I shall open an awesome cafe (nah, I won't, but I like thinking I will) where one can get actual espresso and fresh non-soggy food at reasonable prices, and where the coffees with milk and other unnecessary things will be so good that even I will like them. Maybe. Either way, I'm happy I saw some sense and went back to black (coffee, I mean).

Writer's Block

Five more hours on the clock

It still goes tick-tock tick-tock

But my hands are numb

And I feel so dumb

Because I have writer’s block.

I bet all of you could tell

Coz those five lines were bad as hell

But here are five more

Okay... make that four.

(Aha, that worked pretty well.)

It plagued many a lord and lady,

And right from Shakespeare to Slim Shady,

People said “Aw fish!

I really do wish

That I could be more like Wayne Brady.”

So instead of getting all sore,

I'll get back in my bed and pour

Hot coffee for me

(For it’s cold, you see.)

And then I shall just sleep some more.

If you're going to be a smart-ass and say they didn't write during the Stone Age, I say to you: EXACTLY!