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 :)

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 :)

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 :)

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 :)

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 :)

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 :)