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Saturday, November 16, 2013

My Blog Shifting

Hello everyone! I'll be moving my blog to Word press, you can find it at: 


My new Blog!


I'll be re-posting most of the posts there as well, so take a look!

For the last time in a while,
Catch you later!
Spencer.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

How To: Read A Book - Properly :)

I'm extremely sorry about the delayed post, but ordinary life does catch up with me sometimes. That's when I honestly have to make time in order to sit on the computer long enough to type out a post. :) This time I'm writing a 'How to" post - yes, about reading a book. I know a lot of you are probably like this:

What? Huh? Excuse me? I know how to read a book!
You see, it's something I've encountered lately - half the people I meet have read a book. Yet they haven't properly read it. There no tried and true 'formula' to reading a book, but there are certain unspoken guidelines that make the whole story a lot more enjoyable. What with the internet and eBook revolution taking over the entire universe :D, I realize that not everyone reaches out for a book these days. Goodness me, I publish my books as eBooks since it gives me a wider readership base! Yet - there's something about holding a nice, warm book in your hands; turning the crinkly, yellowed pages and breathing in the musty smell as you journey through another world that seems all too real. When I read a book, I am absolutely oblivious to the surroundings. I remember when my friends would pull my book away from me when they'd gotten tired of calling my name for the umpteenth time. 

That's how you should be when you're actually reading a book. You don't just flip through the pages and announce proudly that you've finished a book. No - you don't. You've got to travel through the pages, immerse yourself within the book, let the book take over your mind. You've got to watch it all happen right before your very eyes. You've got to be able to tell someone else exactly what happens in the book without a single hesitation. That's reading a book.

Don't be intimidated though. I've got just the thing that'll help you read it properly.

Spencer's 6 Steps To Reading A Book

1. Pick an interesting book. I've got another post that'll help you do that right here.

2. Open the book when you know you'll have enough time. Don't start reading only to close the book five minutes later. It breaks the continuity of the whole process. I know how busy life can seem sometimes, but try and read at least a chapter every time you open the book.

3. Allow yourself to be unprejudiced when you begin to read. Let the story do the talking. Once you start reading, you will form thoughts. That's absolutely fine. But never open a book with pre-formed ideas of what will happen. 

4. When you read, you don't talk. In fact, you don't exist in this world. You exist in the book. You are oblivious to the outside world, as is the outside world to you. You are a quiet person reading in tranquil surroundings.

5. Allow your brain to process the story. I've no doubt that if you were immersed in the book, you'll find yourself thinking about it. This is absolutely perfect. It's amazing. Just don't daydream about it at school or work. :D What if she was an ordinary girl instead of a witch? What if he was born a superhero? What if? You must think. 

6. Don't skip pages or to the back of the book. It spoils the entire, lovely plot's continuity. You'll have to learn to handle suspense and a few chapters that drag in every story. You might find a new character introduced in the part you skipped and you will think, "Who on earth is that?"

Reading a book is a lot like the rolling waves that splash on the shore. You go with the flow and the plot may drag at times, but the finale will be so epic - it will make up for everything. Trust me on this. :)

As always, read, enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment! I'll be waiting! :)

Catch you later!
Spencer :)

P.S. I'm working on my first review for this blog. Plus, I'm also coming up with a Picture Post which will be themed every week. So, stay tuned!



Sunday, July 14, 2013

The Art Of Pouring Words: Poetry

Poetry is something extremely beautiful. It's the spontaneous overflow of human emotions, as Wordsworth would have put it.

It takes you to another world while you stay put in one place. It's a lot like imagination. In fact, a lot of it is imagination. Poets strive to share what they feel with you, but most often you end up perceiving the poem in your own way. What I see as a poet is different from what you see as a reader. It's an art - some are born with an innate ability to compose poetry, others acquire it as they grow. But it needn't be only those 'poets' who can write - it can be you too. The wonderful thing about poetry is that there's nothing right and nothing wrong. Each piece of work is different and unique and that's what makes it special. 

To be a poet, you need to look at everything differently. There's a poem in every single thing you see. You just need to find it. I know when there's a poem ready to burst out of me - that feeling you get when words just randomly pop up in your mind and put themselves into order. That's why I call poetry the 'Art Of Pouring Words' - that's all it really is. There's no better time to write a poem than when your heart is welling up with emotions and you don't find any outlet to let it all out. Writing down what you feel can cure you of anything - believe me, I know. Anger, frustration  sadness, excitement - they'll all fade away once you put them on paper. Plus, you'll end up with a very beautiful work of art to proudly display to your friends and family. You can go and tell them, "I'm a poet!"

Oh yeah! I did it!

You don't have to be published to be a poet. Why, a lot of poets out there aren't even sure they want to be published. 

Oh, and a poem doesn't have to be rhyming. Some of the best works of art have been freestyle poetry. Sometimes they carry more meaning than a structured poem. In a structured poem, the rhyme and rhythm makes up for any lost meaning. In a freestyle poem, the depth of reason and meaning makes up for the lost rhyme and rhythm. They are each beautiful in their own wonderful way.

I leave you with this poem about diamonds in the sky.

Diamonds

A thousand stars lit up the sky,
Twinkling on their cloud nine,
A vast black sheet with silver stones,
Radiating beauty as they glowed,
They shine their brightest on a moonless night,
And shine even better in soft moonlight,
They seem so small, so out of reach,
If only we knew, they have much to teach,
It's ethereal, a moment of bliss,
Go on and see a star what it is,
Impartial; from an unbiased point of view,
You'll feel the beauty of its silver hues,
The beauty of the mystical sparkles at night,
That reflect as the diamonds in my eye.

As always, read, enjoy and let me know what you think - comment! Are you going to go write a poem after reading this? Or are you going to read one? 

Catch you later!
Spencer :)

Monday, July 8, 2013

My First Published Novelette: Hunt For The Sapphire Of Invisibility.

I've published my first ever novelette! I've always been fascinated by the supernatural...even when I was a little child. One day, I was overwhelmed with ideas that kept building up inside me and I was forced to put them all out - which resulted in my first ever novelette. I'm quite proud actually. I'm planning on a series of novelettes with the same story-line too.

I decided to publish it as an eBook, a) I wanted to b) because I don't find enough novelettes out there. You know, something you can pick up and read when you're desperately in need of a story to read, but not too long. Something that has a gripping plot that will keep you occupied for just enough time. It's a simple short book that you can read on your way to work, or after school at home. A little break from the hustle-bustle of our usual chaotic lives. 


Move! Move! I have work to do! And I'm late!

The eBook publishing process can get quite complicated, and I'll be happy to post about it with a few tips later. I've chosen to publish on Amazon Kindle and so it might take awhile till it's ready for sales. Until then!

I'll have to wind up for now, and I know this is one of my shorter posts, but duty calls! I'll be back soon and I promise to discuss more about the plot, right here, in this blog!

As always, read, enjoy, and don't forget to comment! Tell me if you prefer eBooks or printed ones. Let me know if you think there are or aren't enough novelettes out there. And tell me if you'd like to read my novelette!


Catch you later!
Spencer :)

Saturday, July 6, 2013

The Art Of Folding: Origami

Hello everyone! I'm very sorry about the delay in posting but 'the ordinary life' caught up with me and pretty much took up all my time. I had to literally create time in order to blog again. :D I had something to finish every single direction I looked.


Yes! I know I have work to do! I'm going to finish it now! Wait! Please!


And I also rediscovered my love for origami when I experienced one of my arty-crafty (is that even a word?) episodes. I used to love origami, but then I started writing and kind of lost touch with my arty-crafty self for a while. And today, it returned! 

I ended up working on a flower that looked so very simple...and it was just so very....beautiful. I don't know - it kind of just appealed to me in a way. Like a, "I know you want to create me." sort of way. So I did. Here's what it looked like.


The little forget-me-not in a box, so blue,
With a little yellow center, it's quite pretty too!

Do you like it? I hope so. And if you want to make it, you can find step-by-step instructions at www.bloom4ever.com. It's quite easy to follow, fortunately. Sometimes I have the hardest times figuring out written instructions online. Oh, and make the flower using white paper first - and then paint it. It gives a beautiful realistic effect to the petals. I tried it on the flower above, so now it's your turn to try it.

So, origami. Heard of it before? It's basically creating spectacular works of art using the method of folding. Traditional origami involves only one sheet of paper and folding that one alone. The forget-me-not I made above is traditional, I didn't use scissors in making it. Non-traditional involves the cutting and gluing of separate parts or 'units' of the final piece of work.

Me, I prefer traditional origami - it makes you appreciate the final result much more. To think that you created that with only a sheet of paper and your hands is fantabulously  (another word mash of fantastic and fabulous. I'm in the nonsense words mood today. :D) awesome. The scissors and glue undermine that feeling for me. 

You know, origami flowers and baskets make great presents. Trust me, they look so pretty it's the best thing you could do. Rather than buying something expensive from the store, make something yourself! It adds to the present in an untold way. It goes to show you care about that person that you took time off to make something special for them. I make sure I give a bouquet of origami flowers to my mum on her birthday every year - because what's better than sweet-smelling flowers? Flowers that don't wilt away!

Spencer's 3 Tips

1. Introduce yourself to origami by learning the different types of folds first. If you jump directly to making even the simplest of works, you might get stuck on a simple fold. Some folds have special names like 'mountain' and 'valley' that you need to know the meanings of.

2. Use a specific sized paper for your creations. A box won't do you any good if it's so small you can only fit your pinkie in it, and small flowers don't look good if they're over-sized.
Plus, some of the folds can get difficult if the paper's not the right size. Most instructions tell you the approximate size required.

3. Be patient. Origami takes both time and patience to master. Some of the folds you'll find so incredibly difficult that you'll want to throw the piece of paper away and give up. But don't. You'll master it after a few more tries. (Note: This might take several pieces of paper and a bit of time too. :D)

Alright then, I think I'm going to go and try to fold a Kawasaki rose. It's quite challenging, I've tried quite a few times and I'm yet to accomplish my mission.

As always, read, enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment! Have a great day (or) night, everyone!

Catch you later!
Spencer :)


 

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Asleep When Awake: Daydreams.

Hello everyone! This post ventures (once again) into the land of dreams but this time we delve into daydreams. Have you ever daydreamed? Found yourself drifting away from reality and into a whole new world? Then you'll know it's quite a pleasurable experience (of course, the same can't be said if you daydreamed during class and the teacher rewarded you with detention. Make that double detention. :D) 


Don't bother me. I'm in Fantasy World right now.
But it's quite fun, slipping away from this world once in a while. And it's best if it happens without you knowing it. I remember this one time when I was sitting with my books open in front of me and I was dreaming about an adventure in Chocolate Land. (That story never made it into any of my novels though. Tragic, really :D) I suddenly snapped out of it and realised that I had a test the next day.  But then I learnt that daydreaming can be good for you. I didn't believe it. I'd always thought daydreaming was a sign of lack of focus and concentration. Imagine my surprise.


Never bring me out of a daydream with a piece of news like that! :D
Those temporary periods of slight detachment from this world when you slip into those moments of contemplation without even realising it can have their benefits. Research says that when the world around you seems obscure you're thinking about things that you want to achieve and you're organising your thoughts. When you're in this relaxed state of mind you're more easily able to perceive thoughts from your subconscious. And unlike your regular dreams at night, you don't have to worry about nightmares - daydreams are usually about happy, free and joyous stories. Some daydream because they're bored; for others it's just a way of life. They can't help daydreaming. (Count me in the latter!) 

When you daydream, you're basically pondering about your deepest desires, hopes and aspirations. You can daydream about becoming a pioneering scientist or a promising researcher if your passion is science. If you're the lonely, unpopular student at high school, you probably daydream that you grow up to be a well-liked, cherished friend in time. If you're that one person at work whose colleague has been promoted as your boss, (while you still sit at your old desk, filling out ordinary paperwork) you, I'm pretty sure, will daydream about receiving a sudden promotion as the Managing Director of the company which results in you being your former colleague's boss. (I'm sure it would be wonderful if it actually happened :D)

The point is, we all daydream about different things - they're as unique as our fingerprints. They may resemble each other - but no two will ever be the same. That's because we are different as humans, we each have our own goals, opinions and aspirations. It's like our daydreams are tailored particularly for us. What seems amazing to us will seem childish to another; what makes us jump for joy will make others get down in the dumps. It happens. That shouldn't stop you from daydreaming and giving you that extra 'push' to go on with life. It doesn't matter why you daydream - you can daydream because you're bored; you can daydream because you're sleepy; you can even daydream because you feel like it. (Though in these cases you don't usually know you're daydreaming. :D)

So, lesson learnt? Daydreaming is good for you in some ways, even if we are very strongly prejudiced (wrongly, if I might add) against it. It enhances your imagination, gets you motivated and certainly makes you feel more organised. If your brain tells you to do something, it's telling for for a reason. (You can't not trust a structure with the capacity of over a thousand computers put together.) Trust it. And remember, daydreaming means you're asleep when you're awake. 
(In a literary point of view. Not scientific.) No matter how paradoxical it sounds, it's the truth. The absolute truth.

As always, read, enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment in the section below! I'm eager to hear your thoughts! And please do vote in the weekly polls too!


Catch you later!
Spencer :)


Saturday, June 22, 2013

How To: Beat The Monday Blues Every Week.

Hello and welcome back to everyone! I'm starting a new 'feature' of this blog called the "How To" and these are posts where I will tell you how to do something. (Obvious? :D) But anyways, do you feel tired when you wake up on Monday mornings? Does the whole world suddenly seem dreary? Do you feel so dull you just don't want to get out of bed? Sounds like a bad case of the Monday Blues. Speaking of which, my Monday Blues can get pretty horrible on well, every Monday. Really, really horrible. 

In fact, here's how I look like in the mornings.


Five more minutes. Please.
I used to feel sluggish and tired and everything that makes you not want to leave your bed. I would never be in the right mood, and I would see everything predicted during the week in a negative light. You see, I know exactly what it's like. And it was worse for me because I'm not a coffee-drinker. I have never tasted coffee in my entire life. (Sounds unbelievable right?) But it's true. So I had to find other ways to make my Monday Blues disappear. 

Hey, when I get like this during the day....


Zzz...what? - Zzz....No. I can't sleep. Not right now.
...I know I have to do something. And lo, behold! 


Spencer's 7 Ways To Beat The Monday Blues.

1.  Never ever ever sleep late on a Sunday night. Never. Ever.

2. Wake up early and give yourself a bit of time to get used to the fast-paced life during your weekdays. Maybe even take a nice walk in the fresh air. It helps.

3. If you still feel sluggish, have a nice, hot cup of coffee or milk and relax yourself. Think of a happy place (somewhere you feel you can be yourself with no pressure. My happy place, for example, is a beach-side rose garden with colourful butterflies.) :D A nice, warm shower helps too. 

4. Face the fact that Monday is here...but that Friday will be back in the blink of an eye. Often, thinking about happy things can have a lasting effect on your mood. Plan something great for a Friday night. (Preferably with friends or family.)

5. Eat an awesome breakfast. I mean - awesome. And do not skip it unless you want to feel right down in the dumps all day.

6. Think about meeting your friends at the workplace or school and talk cheerfully to your family at home. Trust me, this definitely works. They can cheer you up like nobody's business.

7. Treat yourself to some comfort food. It should make you feel warm and cuddly inside; the food depends upon you and where you're from. It should make you feel all comfy - that's all that matters. Sometimes I nibble on a bit of dark chocolate to help wash away that moodiness.

So, that's it. These are my own ways - methods that I use to counter the blues. To be honest, the Monday blues can take away the joy of a whole week. The joy of doing a whole lot of things that should make you feel ecstatic! So, what about you? Do you have any special or unique ways you use to beat your Monday Blues? Let me know in the comments section below and I'll give you a shout-out on my next post! 

As always, read, enjoy and never ever forget to leave a comment! About whatever you want - my blog, posts, or what you think I should write about! 

P.S. I know most of my GIFs are cat ones. I don't know why - it just so happens that every GIF I pick happens to be one with a cat in it. :D Maybe it's because I love cats.



Catch you later!
Spencer :)




Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Characters: Why Do They Have To Have A Mind Of Their Own?

Hello everyone! In this post I'm returning to what I started this blog with - books! Also, it might be longer than most other posts. Now, instead of the point of view of a reader, I'm writing this in the writer's point of view and everything it takes to be one.

So, the top three things anyone asks me when I announce I'm working on a book:
  1. What's it about? Who are your characters?
  2. Sounds cool. Can I be in it?
  3. Where do you get all these ideas?
What I say to those questions:
  1. Okay. [insert a brief plot] I haven't developed all my characters, but [insert what I do know about them]
  2. I'll think about it, yeah.
  3. They just come to me. So, I don't actually know.
What I actually feel like:

No...just. No. Why?! Why me?!
  1. I'm sorry to tell you that it's extremely confidential. [walk away in silence]
  2. Sure, if you're sure you don't mind that I might have to kill your character off sometime in the future.
  3. Exactly from where you get all your questions.
There's nothing actually wrong with these questions itself, but you see, writers can only answer to these questions so many times. After that, it just gets downright monotonous. And exasperating. You just want to run away from there. 

Okay...now coming to what I really started writing about before I got distracted. Characters. When you write a book, dear readers, you are making up this beautiful little story that's going to feature the most ideal people in it. So you've got to give a lot of thought to your characters, right? To their personality and interests and generally everything about them? Wrong. Completely absolutely wrong. You won't believe it, I'm sure. in fact, I'm most of you are quite surprised.


Even a cat doesn't believe it.

The thing is, we writers (at least most of us) don't need to think about characters that much. They evolve by themselves, to be honest. They have minds of their own. And that's really a hurdle sometimes, because when the writer wants to take the story in one direction, the characters just come in and say, "No. I'm doing what I want and you're gonna let me do it. You are just gonna keep quiet and sit in that corner over there, writing down everything that I'm gonna do."

Once you give them an outline, they develop their own personalities. It's like they know what they have to do. It feels as if they're alive, and normal people, like you and me. They can control what happens in a story. Many writers I've met have called it a gut-feeling, but we all know what it is. It's the characters that have taken over their story. It's actually pretty normal. You should be worried if your story is going exactly the way you wanted it. You're missing out on some serious twists and turns that could help your plot a lot.

 I'm sure all of us have seen a movie, right? Well, it's exactly that - watching a movie in your head. Only, you were about to direct it, but some others have taken over. The point is, it doesn't matter if we try to think of the perfect character or not, because he/she probably won't end that way. They have a sense of what's the right course to take and how to make a twisted, dark, complicated story even more twisted, dark and complicated. If that even makes sense. :D

What's even more surprising? Characters can give you answers. Since they're so perfect, and know exactly what to do at all times, they're the best advisers. Put your character in a situation that's similar to yours, and watch them act. You'll then know exactly what to do. They react so amazingly. Really. And if you happen to be a non-writer, believe me, try your hand at this. It won't be too hard, I promise. (Because you see,  you think of a character and give it a basic outline. It'll do the rest by itself.) :D

Alright then, time to end this post, or I'll end up going on forever. As always, read, enjoy and don't you forget to comment in the section below! Don't hesitate! Let me know what you think and you'll make my day!


P.S. I've discovered GIFs. Officially. And I can't seem to get enough of them. What do you think about that?


Catch you later!
Spencer :)




Friday, June 14, 2013

Explained: The Science Behind Word of Mouth

Hello again, my dear readers! I'm going to start this post with a question. Remember that time when you had this really embarrassing secret, and your best friend persuaded you to tell her? Yes? Do you remember what happened after that? You woke up one morning to get on with life, and suddenly everyone around you is silent when you walk by. And somehow it all seems pointed at you. That's when it strikes you - everyone knows.

It's quite normal, I assure you. Like they say, two can keep a secret if one of them is dead. (Not literally :D) It's this natural tendency of humans to tell everyone everything they know, especially if its juicy news. They aren't content with knowing something the others don't know - the others must know that they know something that everyone else doesn't  know. :) Yeah, I know, it looks confusing. Read it again. It actually makes sense. What I mean to say is, we just love to be the center of attention - even if it is just for a couple of minutes. 

We say things to each other all the time - but what we don't realise is how many times that will be repeated, and how many changes will be made to what we said to begin with. That's the strength and weakness of word of mouth - it changes the words every time somebody repeats them.


The 10 Stages Of How Word Of Mouth Works

1. You talk with a friend and say something harmless like, "I heard [insert name here] is a great cook."
2. Your friend appears to agree with you.
3. You move on to other topics and your remark is nearly forgotten.
4. Your friend meets up with someone else.
5. That person will bring up the [insert event here]
6. Your friend remembers your comment and repeats it to the other person. Except it goes like, "I heard [same name] can cook fabulous and exotic dishes."
7. Repeat steps 2-5
8. The words used are now, "I heard [same name] was an excellent head chef once.
9. Repeat steps 2-5.
10. Now the words are, "Do you know [same name] worked at a five-star restaurant?"


So, you see how a simple sentence can be twisted to mean something entirely different from what you meant to say? In actuality, they both mean that that person can cook very well. But there's a long way between an awesome home cook, and an awesome head chef at a five-star restaurant. :D

Be careful what you say! Word of mouth is like a forest fire - it spreads super fast and is super destructive. Your reputation might take a beating too. I don't mean to say don't talk at all - we all have to talk - but don't let something spill that you might regret later. News spreads like wildfire, and people love to embellish the piece of news with their own little bits and pieces. You'll then end up with a weird, distorted image of what you said in the first place.

As always, read, enjoy, and don't you forget to comment! Let me know your views - how the blog is doing; if there's anything you want me to write about or anything I can improve. I'm very friendly, so don't hesitate to leave a comment in that white box below. :) Vote in the polls too, I've just started adding new ones with every post!

Catch you later!
Spencer :)


Sunday, June 9, 2013

Your Guide To Cloud Nine: Dreams.

A big hello to all my returning readers and an even bigger hello to all the first-timers! If you want to know more about this girl called 'Spencer', head over to the new About Me page. If you've already done that, or you just want to keep reading, go ahead!

I'm one of those people who have really vivid dreams (nightmares as well :O) and still remember them when they wake up in the morning. I'm also one of those people who sleep-talk., which means I might suddenly mumble 'Mr. Hayden.' in the dead of the night in my sleep. It turns out that that actually happened. All I remember about that particular dream was some surfer guy with beach blonde hair, who turned out to be Mr. Hyde from 'The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. I don't really know what that's about, but I have weird dreams sometimes, and I've gotten accustomed to them. :)

So...dreams. They're stories your mind spins when you're asleep. They're beautiful lullabies your mind sings to lull you to sleep. They're also reflections of the you your mind knows. The real you. That's what they are according to me, anyway. I've noticed that on the nights of a really bad day, I end up having nightmares. Horrible, relentless nightmares. The ones that make you sit up in your bed at 1:00 a.m. until you convince yourself that you are still in your bedroom and not stuck in a forest that's alive and full of hungry werewolves on a full-moon night. The ones that make you wish you'd never read that murder mystery. I call tell you, those stories can put a lot of things into your head. 

But the same holds true for when I have a great day - I dream the sweetest dream imaginable.
If you're lucky, you might get one of those dreams that make you laugh when you wake up. I once had this dream where a cat, having been awakened by a mouse, sent him a text him on a big old phone that read 
'Dear Mouse, 
You know I'm going to catch you soon. 
Your pal, Mr.Cat.'
Mr. Mouse then got scared and locked himself up in his little mouse-hole. I forgot what happened after that, but I'm pretty sure I remember Mr.Cat eating Mr.Mouse with a napkin spread out on on his knees. :D (Very well-mannered, wouldn't you think?)

But what I'm trying to say is, dreams are beautiful and are almost always insightful. If you happen to remember a dream, ponder over it for a while when you get some spare time. You may learn a great deal from it. Artists take inspiration from dreams, and so do many aspiring writers. Some believe dreams are a reflection of the mind's greatest desires and anxieties. Some say they are there because they complete the development of undeveloped ideas throughout the day. The truth is, we don't know why we have dreams - nor do we understand them - and the way I see it, we never will. Dreams are daily journeys to different locations that give you elation beyond description. They most definitely take us to our cloud nine when we are asleep. After a long, hard day at work or school, come back to the comfort of your home, think happy thoughts (so you don't get a nightmare :D) and sink your head into a fluffy pillow. When you wake up, the trip to your cloud nine will have left you refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle anything that might come along your way.

Dreams are inspirational, beautiful works of arts created by the subconscious, and we must learn to appreciate them as long we dream. 

As always, read, enjoy and never stop dreaming! Don't forget to leave a comment either - I'm eager to hear from all of you!


Catch you later!
Spencer :)



Sunday, June 2, 2013

The 'Hobby' : People Watching :D

Hey everyone! I think everyone has some sort of hobby, one or the other. It can be knitting and crocheting for some; reading, writing and a passion for music for others; and some of us, I have no doubt, like to relax in that comfortable, soft couch while watching our favourite TV show with a bowl of popcorn by our side. Not that that is a real hobby :) , but moving on. Anyway, I think you get what I'm trying to say. There are things, that we, as humans, enjoy doing. 

Lately, one of those things appear to be people-watching. I guess the whole thing sounds weird at first. (The name gave me a creepy impression of stalking. I don't know why.) But it looks like some of us spend the time you wait for a bus, or a couple of minutes at lunch to observe people and try to infer things about them and their personalities. After a bit of pondering, I found it quite fascinating. To know a little (however little) about someone just by reading the way they move their hands, or the way they walk - well, it's remarkable. And if any of you all out there want to be an author (like me :D), people watching can give you tons of inspiration. You'd be surprised on how many plots come up in your head once you do a bit of people watching. Oh, and by the way, you don't have to eavesdrop. That's not a necessary part of people watching. 

The idea is that you observe people and their interactions within a crowd.  It's best if it's crowded simply because the main aspect of people watching is that they don't know you're watching them. If they did, they wouldn't act natural. I don't know about you, but if someone tried to 'people watch' me in a place with only a couple of others there, I'd notice pretty fast. And I'd get very uncomfortable. :) And that's why the key is to not let them know you're observing them. It all has to be very inconspicuous.

You don't have to be a writer to people watch. You can do it just to pass time or for a bit of fun when you've got a few spare minutes. You can do it to get a first impression of someone you're going to meet for the first time. It's really just something some of us do.

So the next time you're waiting for your bus, or you're at the mall and you have nothing to do, try a little bit of people watching and see how it is! Cast your eyes around and maybe you'll find another people watcher! :) 

As always, read, enjoy, and comment! Put down your thoughts in the comments section below - are you a people watcher? If not, will you try it? Do let me know how the blog is doing, and if there is anything you would like me to write about! 

Catch you later!
Spencer :)


Monday, May 27, 2013

Swifties, Smilers, Directioners, Lovatics, Selenators and more.

Hello everyone! My apologies for the one week break from blogging, but I was on vacation with absolutely no contact with the outside world! But more on that later - I have a ton of ideas on what to post lined up for the coming weeks!

I don't know about all of you, but the first thing I do after spending a week-long holiday with no connection to the outside world (well, maybe a phone call or two :D) is to find out what I missed. And as I was catching up on the latest news (mostly the Billboard Music Awards 2013 :D), I came across a couple of posts on other blogs and websites about Taylor Swift. Now, one thing you should know, I like Taylor. I think she puts her heart and soul into her music and gives her fans what they expect from her. But I'm not going to fall for the delusion that everyone else likes her too. And I won't say everyone else has to like her either. Everybody has their own opinions on who they like and its completely fine.

So, as I was saying, less than half of the comments were supportive of Taylor and her achievements, and most were comments that were just hateful. What I don't get is if they don't like Taylor, why come, read about her achievements, and then write something hateful about her in the comments section? It doesn't make sense. Especially because they add that they think some other singer is better than her. And that she shouldn't have won those 8 awards she took home that day. This doesn't just apply to Taylor, you know. Apparently, Justin Bieber was booed when he received the Milestone Award at the Billboard Music Awards this year. Now that's just spoiling what should've been a special moment for that artist. Yes, he's an artist, just like the rest of 'em, and he must have done something outstanding to win that award - he earned it. All artists out there earn their awards and its not for us to judge whether they should have received it or not. 

This brings me to what this post is really about. I find fandoms that have named themselves after the singer -  Swifties for Taylor Swift, Directioners for One Direction, Selenators for Selena Gomez, Smilers for Miley Cyrus, Lovatics for Demi Lovato and so on. There are a whole lot more, I bet. That's all just fine. But the problem starts when these fandoms turn against each other. I've seen a whole lot of fights between Swifties and Directioners these days all over the web. It's like you can't watch a video or read a post without having a fight between two fandoms. I mean, when all those singers are friends why can't all their fans be? And even if they aren't friends, it shouldn't be a barrier separating two people from different 'warring' fandoms from being friends. That's just like a mass clique.

What do you think? And which fandom would you belong to if you had the chance? Vote in the new poll I've added by the end of next week!

As always, read, enjoy, and let me know your thoughts in the comments section below! Don't be shy! I'm always ready to hear what my readers think of this blog and improve it!

Catch you later!
Spencer :)

Monday, May 6, 2013

The World In A Page: Languages

Bonjour and Hello! Oh dear, I guess I let a little French slip out - it happens every now and then (especially since I took French in school) but what I wanted to say was -  it's never really occurred to me before that people out there speak in so many different ways. Now I'm not talking about the accents, nor am I talking about the articulation - but the different languages. I find languages quite interesting. All of them are so beautiful, don't you think? They all go...together, in a way. They can enchant you and enrapture you without you ever knowing what the meaning is.

You know, I really don't know why, but lately I've been having this urge to learn Spanish. So one bright morning, when I had nothing else to do, I surfed the net on basic Spanish. Then it struck me - why don't I compile a list of simple phrases in languages from around the world - and what else but post it on the blog? :) So the next time you visit France or Hawaii, (hopefully we all get to vacation there once :D) just brush up on your language skills over here! 

French
Hello: Salut! or Bonjour!
Goodbye: Au revoir!
Thank you: Merci!
You're welcome: De rien! or Je vous en prie.

Spanish
Hello: Hola!
Goodbye: Adios!
Thank you: Gracias!
You're welcome: De nada.

Chinese
Hello: Ni hao.
Goodbye: Zaijian.
Thank you: Xie xie
You're welcome: bú yòng xiè. (Literally: Don't need to thank me.)

Malay
Hello: Hello! or Selamat pagi (for Good morning.)
Goodbye: Selamat tinggal (if you are leaving.) Selamat jalan (if you are staying.)
Thank you: Terima kasih.
You're welcome: Sama-sama.

Hawaiian
Hello: Aloha.
Goodbye: Aloha. (This is why I find languages interesting.)
Thank you: Mahalo.
You're welcome: He mea iki. (There are many other ways - but I found this as the most common on the internet.)

So, what do you think? I don't know any of these languages myself, by the way (except for French), and so I got all of this off the internet. All I did was compile. But I guess I learned something new along the way too! I'm going to have a blast trying to pronounce all these words! I hope you try to do that too - it's never too early or late to learn! And who knows, you might end up having a lot of fun!

So, as always, read, enjoy and don't forget to comment below! Let me know about anything you might have to share - I'm always ready to see what all of you think!


Catch you later!
Spencer :)



Monday, April 29, 2013

The Inconspicuous Problem Of Today: Memory

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in so long but exams do take up a lot of one's time! Anyways, don't we all wish for an absolutely fantabulous memory at one point or the other? Don't we? Maybe if you forget that really really long answer you spent all night trying to learn - smack in the middle of an exam. Or if you forgot your keys at the office. Maybe you forget that that delicious cake you're baking needs sodium bicarbonate (in other words, baking soda) to rise and realize it only after you take a flat, mushy mess out of the oven.

It's in situations like these that we all wish for a better memory - and maybe you'll be a bit closer to that dream now. :) Oh, and just in case you're wondering, I got these tips from a memory-improving book I read a while ago by Nishant Kasibhatla.

  • First of all, you have to stop telling yourself you have a bad memory. The more you say it, the more you believe it, and the more you believe it, the worse your memory gets. So, never ever say things like, "I have the world's worst memory ever!" or "I can never remember things!". Have someone near you remind you of this if you're used to making such remarks.
  • Next, understand that your brain works better with pictures than with words. So if you've got to remember something like a speech for a seminar or lecture :) try to create pictures for certain keywords and use the pictures to create a kind of story that's similar to what your speech says.
  • The next and last key to a really great memory for everyday things is to form associations in your head. Link what you need to remember to something you will mostly or surely do or see. That will trigger your memory and you'll remember whatever it was that you had to remember. For example, if you're like me, you'll forget where you left the keys to your house or you'll forget to return a book you borrowed from a friend. (That was a common and pretty embarrassing situation with me. :D) Okay now, when you put your keys by the printer, create an association in your head linking both of them and focus really hard. Maybe the printer is printing out dozens of keys and the room is filled with them. The next time you think of your keys, if you focused properly, you will be reminded of the printer printing keys, and you'll remember where you put them. In case of the book, I'm pretty sure we all wear shoes or footwear when we leave the house. So think of the book or magazine rolled up and stuck in the shoes, which are walking on their own. The next time you look at those shoes, you can't help but see them walking with the books rolled up in them. 
  • This is one thing you have to do when you're improving your memory - try and think of absolutely outrageous situations and focus when registering them. Outrageous events tend to kind of stand out in your memory and you get reminded of them more easily since they don't happen day to day!
So, you don't have an excuse for forgetting your keys at the office anymore. Neither do you have one for a badly burnt batch of biscuits because you forgot they were in the oven. You cannot say that you have a bad memory anymore. It's just how much you exercise it.

As always, read, enjoy and please do comment!
Catch you later!
Spencer  :)

Monday, April 22, 2013

The Chocolatey Wonderfulness Of Chocolate

Hey there! This post is something special for all those creative chefs out there - it may be quite simple, maybe it's the first thing anyone makes if they're cooking for the first time - but hey, don't we all love to go back to the simple basics sometimes? I know I do. Anyways, I've had quite a craving for all things chocolate lately, and so I looked up recipes on the net for anything - anything - chocolate. Well, anything that doesn't include eggs, since I'm vegetarian, but apart from that, I don't mind what I find - as long as it is chocolate.

Where was I? Oh yes, I've had a craving, and I found this amazing recipe (its really quick and simple) at Joy Of Baking - for hot chocolate - which I'm yet to try making - but the pictures looked so good I knew I had to post it here. At once. Immediately. Without any delay. :) 

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups (480 ml) milk
3 ounces (90 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce (30 grams) milk chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, or to taste (optional)
Method:
Place the milk, semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate, and sugar (if you're using it), in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk periodically until the mixture just reaches the boiling point. Remove from heat and if more foam is desired, use a wire whisk or hand held immersion blender to whip the hot chocolate.

Pour the hot chocolate into two cups and serve.
Add a dollop of whipped cream to really indulge yourself. As an added bonus, dust some cocoa powder or shaved chocolate on top of the cream. :) Yum!

Hot Chocolate
This is a picture of the hot chocolate by Stephanie Jaworski over at Joy Of Baking.



Oh, and if any of you want to make the entire treat at home, here's the recipe for whipped cream - also from Joy Of Baking:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar
Grated chocolate or cocoa powder
Method:
In your mixing bowl, place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. If you have time, cover and chill the bowl and wire whisk in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Try making some if the weather allows it wherever you live - and if you do, let us know how it was! Leave a comment, and if you find any improvements or variations, don't hesitate to share them! Oh, and one last, final thing, I got both recipes from a wonderful site, Joy Of Baking. I've already given a link above, but just in case -

Read more at :Joy Of Baking

Visit it if you can - it is a really good read, especially for those who keep whipping up delicacies! So, everyone, read, enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment!


Catch you later!
Spencer :)