I Read Books: Blink

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

This is the third book I've read by Gladwell (I've also read the Tipping Point and Outliers) and I have yet to be disappointed.

Blink is about our subconscious. Why we have immediate reactions, i.e. love at first sight, and what goes on in our mind when we have these reactions. Gladwell goes on to explain how we can alter this 'rapid cognition' although it will involve a ton of self disciplined education.

He explains how we tend to want to know as much information as possible when it comes to a decision. Wrong. Stick with the important facts and ignore the indirect stuff because that will just cloud our judgement.

I'm an indecisive person. Gladwell might have just helped me a little bit.

Less is more. Our immediate judgement on things are right more often then not so go with it. I'm down.

Drunk Dialing/Texting

3:59am... I just got into bed. I chugged a glass of water and took my contacts out, which are the two best things I can do at this moment. I forgot to grab my glass which makes this post very difficult to do but I think its time for a... wait for it... DRUNK POST.

I've been thinking about this for a while. Will the true hidden posting feeling come out, scream at the world "here I am!!". Watch out internet, babycakes.

Okay no

What I"m really trying to get at is drunk dialing and drunk texting. The two worst things you can do. I don't get it. I've never ever been one of these people. And trust me, it gets to the point where I feel left out. I have in the past made a conscious effort to call a friend when I'm drunk (because the world tells me this is funny and awesome) and every time I have failed. Every single time. In fact, there have only been two times in the memory of my drinking history that I have successfully drunk dialed and both times where to the same person, my grandma.

As much as I would like to be kidding right now, I'm not. Luckily (or maybe not) I've gotten the answering machine when I called (yes, answering machines still exist, my grandparents have one to prove this) and I was happy enough to leave a message.

I never got a reply on these messages. My hopes were that they receive them, thought it was nice I called and thought nothing else of it, but really who am I kidding? C'mon Diamond.

Drunk dialing should never be attempted. Sure it's a good story the next day. Sure it has the possibility of reminding an old friend you still think about them. Sure there might be a small opportunity to get laid (I have yet to hear of a successful story). But bottom line: chances are you have regrets.

I Read Books: Harry Potter

I've never really felt the urge to read Happy Potter. I was not pressured into it but I felt sort of left out, ya know, like the collective literary soul of intelligent and mindful people can't be wrong...

So I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

And yup, I get it. Rowling you are one classy lady. Harry, I will read on! Just not on the subway.

Anticipated South East Asia Adventure

I've recently decided I want to go on a great travel adventure once I graduate University. April 2011 has never seemed so far away. South East Asia - I'm coming!

My check-list thus far:
Taj Mahal, India
Golden Temple, India
Himalayas, Nepal or Tibet
Bangkok, Thailand (Phuket too)
Angkor Wat, Cambodia (see right)
Bali, Indonesia
Singapore

It would be amazing if I could make it to these places too:
The Maldives
Great Wall of China
Hong Kong

World List: Stockholm, Sweden

World List: Norhtern Ireland - Belfast and Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway was one of my favourite adventures. It was so beautiful in it's very special way.

World List: Scotland (8 Months)

I left Toronto on September 24,2008. Arrived in Edinburgh 6 hours later (I was lucky enough to find a direct flight) 2 days before my 21st birthday. Best. Decision. Yet.

It was 11 month before I returned to Toronto.

A lot of people asked my why I choose Edinburgh and to be honest I didn't. It was a process of elimination and I was very close to picking Dublin, which I'm sure I would have loved too. In this case the destination wasn't so important to me as the leaving part. Result: I don't think my imagination could have made a better trip abroad.