Of being 'tired like a carpet'...

Yes, we do say that in Italy...
Yes, it is a quite common colloquial expression...
Yes, it means exactly what it says!

A few days ago I was exchanging comments on my Facebook profile as all sad, ahem, I meant normal people do and I happened to assert in Italian to a friend how I do indeed deserve my holiday in Mexico because, after such a long and difficult year, I feel "tired like a carpet".

Another friend was puzzled by the comment and figured that the translation from Italian couldn't possibly be right. But it was...

And so I found myself explaining how carpets are notoriously known for laying flat on the floor... hence the expression 'tired like a carpet' when you are so tired that all you want to do is to behave likewise!!!

Yes, we Italians have some funny expressions...
Yes, I love it...
Yes, this is definitely one of my favourites!



So I would indeed say that this picture is iconic in capturing the essence of being "Tired Like a Carpet!"

Comfortable chemistry

I have been stuck with my nose in my chemistry notes the whole day, safe for a 3 hours lunch break including our oh-so-well-known Italian tradition of afternoon napping.

All in all it has been a productive day, I didn't even have to pester my lecturer as I usually do when I find bits of sentences that I should understand and I don't.
I think I'm getting better at it...

It has been a bit of a struggle throughout the year but an enjoyable one. One that taught me to try and push my limits, a good lesson for anything in life.

So, fairly content, I have decided it is time to wrap up acquiring knowledge for today and go and relax with a normal book on the couch

That is before I end up asleep on the chemistry notes... Now that I am feeling a lot more comfortable with it it's something that may happen... and, as a matter of fact, I do know someone who is intent doing just that.

He must find chemistry very comfortable too!

My new car

I WANT IT!!!
And it's rare for me to put my foot down on something so firmly... though I'm sure my husband would disagree...

But I want it!

I have had my Hyundai Tucson for 3 and half years now, not like it's not a good car, it's actually perfect for my lifestyle... But I think it deserves a sister.
Something less bulky, with a bit more class than an SUV could have, something with a more aerodynamic shape... And definitely with a great diet!

Wait a second... "Diet?"
You may wonder where and how a great diet and a car mix...

And it's now that I unveil the newest, greatest discovery!
The car that runs on chocolate!



You can read all about it here

Some considerations certainly need to be made... The article explains how this beauty has been optimised to run on bio-diesel which can be derived from waste products left over from making chocolate; so the question that's prompted is "how much chocolate does one have to make to have enough waste to run the car?"
And surely one must ask as well "Where will I find chocolate waste derived bio-diesel on the motorway?"

'cause I can certainly refrain to eat the whole chocolate bar and leave a square or two for the tank but what if I forget?

Does it mean that I should buy Cadbury's shares? Keep a ministrels' packet always in my boot for emergencies?

And what type of chocolate makes the best waste? The plain one (one would think since it's 70% cocoa!) or the milk one since it has proteins?
And what about the mutations? Mint? Orange? Ooohhh Caramel!

I believe it's a great idea, the world can definitely do with more sustainable motor vehicles on the road... I can even put up with the carrot steering wheel but for goodness sake, if you buy one of these things and you're a girl, make sure to be on a diet if you ever intend to get somewhere!!!

Playing with people's lives

I had a dream... a few months ago...

The dream was VERY weird, like most of my dreams are and I should consider changing my diet possibly but that's another story!

My weird dream led me to start writing a book. It's a fiction book about someone having to make a very important, life/death defying choice...
I won't give away anything more about the plot because that's what will eventually make me rich so you'll have to buy the book once it's published *Dona chuckles*

What I want to consider instead is what happens when you write a book.

I sat down first of all having to decide what names I would give these characters.
What do you call a famous person?
What do you call his best friend?
And what do you call a very strange girl with glowing blue eyes?

I had a definite idea about the best friend so I picked Jared.
It sounded like a great name to me.
I had kind of an idea about the strange girl but wasn't totally happy so I started asking friends and after a few suggestions I settled on Ariana (which translated from Italian means 'made of air' -amidst some other meanings that didn't interest me!)
That definitely sounds like a good name for someone who appears and disappears when you least expect it.

The name of the lead character is still a work in progress. He was assigned one but I am not completely sold on it and still hope more inspiration will come about.

I never thought until when I started this project that writing a book actually equaled playing with people's lives.
All of a sudden I see the appeal it has for serious writers, those who lose themselves into their stories.
Don't fear my friends, I am not considering leaving my dreams of a medical career for book writing, but it is a nice summer project and if it pleases me than why not?

You create a person, you give him/her some physical traits, a name, an identity.
The best thing of all is that in some characters there is a reflexion (or even more than just that) of who you are.

What would you do when faced with the biggest choice of your life?
What would you do if you found out your best friend, the only steady point in your life wasn't who you thought he was?

And you find yourself thinking...
I would chose to do the right thing! Of course you would... but would you really?

Writing a book is like making a character do something you wouldn't have the courage to or something you'll never have the chance to do.
You create liaisons, mysteries, feelings.
Even more than that, you completely make up places. I have always dreamed of owning a penthouse in San Diego from where I could admire the uninterrupted views of the bay... Guess where my character lives?

In a book there is always the chance of redemption, you can twist life, time and events in a way that is humanly impossible to do if not on paper.
The power the author has while writing a book is comparable to that of a creator... his world, his rules! ... and it feels exhilarating!

I have always thought that when faced with a right/wrong turn I would definitely chose the right one, despite the consequences.. and I do actually aim to do that every single time but sometimes it's hard and making someone else do it it's exciting... after all it reflects you.

Or even, when of course life is led in the right direction and goodness, you would really want to do something out of the ordinary, even a bit naughty if not completely evil but well, it would hurt someone and that's not really you, what do you do?

Pick a character, make up a story, for once let the baddies win for, as long as it stays on the book pages, it's ok... I think...

So when I have a little bit of free time I type away, unstressed by deadlines since I'm writing for myself (oh and for my future fans of course!!!), not phased by what is going to happen because the story it's unfolding by itself, sure that my main man will struggle to do it but eventually will give into good (and don't we all try to?)

I am enjoying playing with people's lives, putting myself into it, calling some of the lesser character as some of my friends are called because it makes it more fun if they're in there too, and then daring to live something that would be impossible, or at least improbable, and just not quite practical but that it's fun to imagine.

If you have never tried it I'd suggest you do, started as a joke I now have a set of 'people' I care for and I'm taking through a fantastic journey.

I wonder if they were real if they'd like my game... 'cause I do!

In need of cuddles...

Today is not a good day...

For starters the sun isn't shining and I really can't explain why everyday I have to drive to college the sun is beautiful and warm while when I have a day off and I could go out for long walks the sun becomes shy and the clouds are on display in the sky!
Never believed in Murphy's law but I am starting to convert to the idea!

Second, the sniffles I have tried to ignore for almost a month are now attacking with avengence and I am not happy.

I woke up this morning feeling about the age of 90, with at least 15 broken bones (or so my back is telling me!) problems breathing (I though it was Sushi sleeping on my chest as usual but when I looked he was on the throw at the bottom of the bed) and a very VERY funny red nose attached to my face!

I can't go out like this anyway... Red Nose day was a month ago, wasn't it?!?



I suppose I am just in need of cuddles but since husband is in India until the end of May I'll stay home instead of going to the library with my friend, possibly order some food from Tesco online, use the cold as a valid excuse to feel sorry for myself and lay on the couch all day cuddling up with my cats and sneezing in unison with Storm who has the sniffles too!

What a day!

The Chemistry Of Life

Well, for starters my life is surrounded and dipped in chemistry!
I am a chemical being, my body works thanks to chemical reactions, I live in a world full of chemicals and my dad has a degree in industrial chemistry...
Sooo, all of this ideally should make me an expert!
But an expert I am not...

Through the course I'm doing I have started to understand a few amazing concepts such as the mechanisms of our bodies, some of our interactions with the environment, factors essential to the humanity survival. The whole lot is absolutely fascinating!

Learning it though is a bit daunting.

Formulas, elements, numbers, masses, moles, values, atoms, forces, orbitals...



And then there was Andrew, our chemistry overly patient and incredibly dedicated lecturer which has made a big difference in this journey of chemistry discovery... for me at least!

So suddenly things have become a bit clearer and, though far from fully grasping the concept of the chemistry of life, I have certainly come to appreciate some things which were obscure and slightly frightening. I have started to make the connections that will expand into the next year, into different fields, into my future.

Today was the last day of proper chemistry teaching I'll ever sit at Perth College and I can't believe I'm saying this but I'll miss the class.
Through the ups and downs of it all, despite the resentment I felt when lack of sleep during exam preparation made me hate the subject, I can honestly say that chemistry has touched my life

Including all the silly little mistakes that took away marks from my exams but made my journey at least a wee bit more fun!

An Easter break

Easter holidays are over and there is a reason why I actually am blogging at the end of the two weeks rather than in the middle...
I have been wondering if anything exciting would happen, anything that would make me go "WOW!" but then I started to wonder what would actually make me go "WOW!" and I couldn't answer.

So time ticked by and me going about my usual life kind of waiting but not exactly knowing for what I was waiting.

Study didn't seem too appealing all of a sudden (I bet it's because it is bugs this time!), cats were funny but not as usual, friends did come around but I wasn't satisfied... Even my very brief and extremely exhausting trip to Milan turned out to be a rush which, though it filled me with joy due to the time spent with my father and brother, really went so fast that is has already kind of blurred in the background of all the things I'm dealing with at the moment... I even wondered if I have indeed been there or if it wasn't just a dream.

I feel like I have waited in vain for something to happen but if you ask me what I don't really know how to explain.

Am I going insane? Am I ALREADY insane?

Or maybe this is just life... and we should appreciate it for what it is...
Waiting, not even knowing for what, doesn't pay.
One should go on living every day as usual and when something does happen than "WOW!" that would be the moment!

Or, and this is what I have been considering, we should still be able to find that "WOW!" in everyday life, in the little things we do, in the words of a friend, in the play fight of two cats, in the lines of a book, in the embrace of your family, in our image in the mirror.

I believe we should, we can, we must...

There is something unexpected even in the expected and that's the wonder of it.
Timing is different, colours are different, emotions are different, seasons are different, faith is different, sky is different, the soul...is different...

So this Easter break taught me more than a lesson:
- the first one is that we shouldn't wait for something not even knowing what it is,
- the second one is that we are beings able to see the wonder of living even when it's not apparent,
- and the third one is that, for goodness sake, I HATE BUGS!!!