snakes in the grass

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I was going to write a different post this week, but I just don’t have the energy or inclination. Instead, here is a random thing I wrote a while ago, inspired by a friend.

It’s like getting bitten by a snake. If you’ve never met a snake before — only heard about them, never known what it feels like to be bitten and to have venom in your blood — then it’s all theoretical or hypothetical. But now I’ve been bitten, and I know what it feels like.

I also know how to watch out for snakes, to avoid them, and avoid getting bitten.

Still, sometimes you can’t evade them. They find ways.

There is no snake now, but sometimes I wonder if there’s one following me, hidden in the grass …or perhaps it’s just the wind.

Occasionally I find a snake, and I look it in the eye. I watch it, unflinching, waiting to see what it will do. Will it come closer? Will it strike?

But in these moments, I don’t feel very afraid (only a little) because I know how snakes move. Maybe I can dodge it and run away. And if I do get bitten, I know I have survived before — I have enough strength in me to survive.

living smarter (?)

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When it comes to technology, I’m a late adopter. My first smart phone was the iPhone 3 (second-hand from my aunty), and I had that for about five years before I replaced it. By that time, I think Apple had already released iPhone 6, and I really only upgraded because the screen was becoming less and less sensitive to touch.

As for other technology, I really only have my laptop (and the computer at my parents’ place). I’ve never owned an iPod, and I still listen to a normal radio (albeit one with a digital display). I don’t have a tablet device, fancy digital camera, e-reader, bluetooth speakers, or noise-cancelling headphones (although I have borrowed my sister’s headphones before — they’re great for long flights). And I certainly don’t have one of those smart home things (I don’t even know what they’re called). Continue reading →

one more bite

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A bite-size post about bite-size food that I still take multiple bites from…

This is kind of an extension to a post I wrote a couple of years ago about my slow eating. I’ve been noticing that there are a lot of bite-size things that I am still compelled to consume in multiple bites. Here is a provisional list:

  • Scallops (possibly my favourite seafood, so of course I’m gonna savour it)
  • Dried figs (I once tried to count how many bites I took, and got to about ten (?))
  • Oreos
  • Squares of Lindt chocolate blocks (or similar)
  • Strawberries (but I will sometimes eat them in one bite)
  • Grapes with seeds
  • Meatballs
  • Fudge
  • Dumplings (apart from the ones that have soup/broth in them)

There are some bite-size things that I will eat in one bite. This is mostly because it would be impractical to bite them (e.g. oysters, cherry tomatoes), or because it would decrease the enjoyment of said food (e.g. chocolate balls or the chocolate you get in boxes – I know people who will eat these in two bites because they want to see the filling, but I think it’s much better to just eat it all at once).

one twelfth

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I watched a TED Talk recently about bees and have since decided that bees are in my top 10 favourite animals. I mean, they could probably be in the top 5, but I don’t really know what my favourite animals actually are beyond the first two, so I can’t say for sure. Just never gave it much thought, I suppose.

But this post isn’t about me — it’s about bees and the wonderful work they do. The talk, if you’re interested, is by Marianne Gee, and is titled “Want to change the world? Think like a bee”. The title intrigued me because I was probably in the middle of an existential crisis, or just out of one. Highly recommended, though, even if you have never despaired at how impossible it seems to make any worthwhile impact or change. Continue reading →

shaping up

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In the last two weeks I wrote about my reading and study goals for the year and beyond. This week I’m looking at health and fitness. I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that physical activity is good for one’s intellect and memory as well, so it’s all connected, really, and it would be remiss of me to not set some goals here too.

I actually wrote this post in mid-January, and scheduled it to be published almost three weeks later, so hopefully I’ve made more progress, or otherwise this will help serve as a reminder to myself about what I’m supposed to be doing! Continue reading →

a revision of goals and reading

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[This post is a continuation from my post last week about reading goals.]

Going from reading to study, I’ve decided to commit at least another two years to my self-guided Persian/Farsi studies. I think I will need the rest of this year to finish working my way through the text book I bought, and then another year to be able to read The Little Prince and other texts that my friend has lent me. I’m not sure that all of this will enable me to hold an actual conversation with someone, but I hope I can reach a level of proficiency that I’m happy with and that my friend approves of.

And while on the topic of study, I suppose I ought to announce some sort of commitment to my CPD (continuing professional development). Last year, I attained the requisite 40 CPD points reasonably early on in the year, and very much neglected it for the rest of the year in favour of Persian and other things. Now I’m at a point where I feel like my knowledge is not nearly as polished as it used to be, and I realise I need to make this a regular thing rather than a “cram as many CPD activities into the shortest amount of time” thing. This will probably mean regular reading of Pharmacy journals, and maybe watching online lectures when I can. Continue reading →