Mobile Phone Autobots

Breakfast of champions. It was foggy when I pulled the curtains back this morning and a bit chilly, but then in my present condition, I am constantly chilly. So I made myself a cup of hot chocolate and doused it with mini marshmallows. I have run out of bread, and forgot to ask my cousin to get me some yesterday because hell no, I am not gonna get it myself. I may just call him after his meeting and ask him to do his girl a favour.

Speaking of phone calls, I remember putting my mobile phone down one day and having a friend laugh at it because it had an antenna. I had never noticed it before - the antenna.

I had never really thought about the fact that my cell phone was a virtual dinosaur in the iPhone/Blackberry/Android lovin' world. I had always just regarded it for what it was - a phone: a connection between myself and people who may want to talk to me or text me. I barely use it because the most important people in my life can reach me via Skype and email, but it's always good to have it - in case you're stranded or locked out of the house. True stories! lol.

I used to be a really serious phone person. I remember when I got my very first cell phone, a Nokia, I would spend hours on it with my then-boyfriend. I mean, 3-4 hours just talking on the phone. Fast forward and people have phones but they don't really use them to make calls. This is where I guess, I am really un-hip and totally unprogressive. This is probably why I never noticed the antenna on my un-smart phone. People don't call anymore. Communication has gone from voice to text, BBMs and the like.

I am not as neanderthal as one may think. I am just a student, using a hand me down phone because I did not see the point of spending money on a new one when this one works just fine. In my previous life, as corporate superstar, I was part of the Blackberry tribe - with the world at my fingertips. But even then, I was not a texter, a BBMer, an emailer - except when sitting in waiting rooms, bored out of my mind. I was not the person taking photos all day of people and things around me, missing priceless interaction in the process. But I was the person who appreciated a phone call - an honest to goodness, ring ring, hello phonecall. I really really despise texting. The odd text to ask for a favour or something - sure (with a push), but carrying on an entire conversation using the keypad - annoying. The same went for BBM-ing. C'mon.

I am always challenged here by the hamsters on the trains, with their eyes glued to a smartphone screen, doing God knows what and not seeing the life around them. They're called smartphones but really, we don't look too smart using them - slaves to a tiny keypad. We look like robots unaware of each other. It's pretty sad. I think I will stick to my outdated antenna'ed phone, thanks.

And may I also add that life is fragile. Not trying to be dramatic or anything (okay, maybe I am cause I am a dramatic person...lol), but I was so sick last night that when I finally put myself to bed, I thought, God, will I open my eyes in the morning? lol. Seriously though - we take so much for granted sometimes. Think about it.

I have a full day of studying ahead, so turning both my laptop and my prehistoric phone off. Wish me and my sinuses good luck!

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Christmas - Just not meant to be

Chocolate, whipped marshmallowy bliss.
Coming to a couch near you!

This morning I woke up and decided to end my self-imposed exile from the world and go out into town to do some "shopping". Note the quotation marks. This is not shopping as I am used to. This is student shopping - bargain shopping, window shopping, lust shopping. So anyway, I pull on my trusty winter gear, loaded up my MP3 player with Christmas songs to keep me smiling and to hopefully get me into some kinda spirit, and stepped out into the Tundra that is London and hopped on a red bus to the mall.

It was not as nauseating as I thought it would be. Trinis really do it much worse, but then it is still a few days away, right? Right? It's Saturday, right?

I did the essentials first - needed some tights to finish off the Christmas Day outfit, needed some batteries, some juice. One thing I really needed and try as I might I could not locate them - chocolate covered marshmallows. It is not Christmas without marshmallows and I went into Thornton's, Sainsbury's, TK Maxx, BHS - to no avail.

Heaven!!!

It looked bleak and the depression deepened. Then I went into good ole Poundland and there, on the bargain shelves of my bargain store, were boxes and boxes of Cadbury Chocolate Mallows. I pounced on a carton and shoved it into my basket with the gleam of victory in my eye. The world was right again. I also got some mini marshmallows for Christmas Eve hot chocolate, when I will hopefully be watching Love Actually while sitting in fluffy socks on the couch.

But the day went downhill after the small marshmallow triumph. I am not sure whether it was the anxiety from not being able to buy this awesome red, white and black sweater dress (just made for a Trini!!!), the lack of the financial catalyst to walk around in the mall, the throng of people or the obvious, a missed meal - but I started to feel rather ill, the familiar faint feeling I get ever so often when I do not eat breakfast and then prolong lunch, and compound both by shopping. lol. But with my body giving me the tell-tale signs that trouble was around the corner, I decided after cashing out at Sainsbury's that I would have to get the cousin's present another day, and I headed to McDonald's to get a soda and fries to hold me over til I got home.

Needless to say, there are more strollers per square kilometre in London than there are pubs and as I walked in Mickey D's, I was assaulted by dozens of bawling babies and strollers in front of the counter. I was feeling okay so the kids were not annoying me yet but in no time at all, my blood sugar went from A to Z and everyone was annoying me and my hands were clammy, I was getting the shakes, and my head was spinning. The girl who FINALLY got to me (the world's slowest cashier ever) took zonks to fill my order. I watched, as though in slow motion, as she filled my cup with the Sprite I desperately needed to prevent an embarassing fainting episode in the middle of frickin' London. I almost did not believe it was me when I heard the voice say "Excuse me, princess. Would you speed it up, please...seriously!" I was feeling the life draining out of me and I just needed sugar. This girl was taking her frickin time to scoop some ice, to bag some fries. By the time she put the Sprite down before me, I did not even want the straw. I just grabbed it, threw off the lid and devoured the sugary mess because I was literally 10 seconds away from fainting.

And that was the end of all shopping today. I sat eating greasy fries and drinking nasty soda trying to undo the damage done by poor eating over the past few days, and the subsequent low blood sugar. But I am still glad I got out the house for a few hours. Going to have some lunch, though it is probably closer to dinner and then a choccie marshmallow and maybe a glass of something squeezed out from a grape. Then a nap, and hopefully, some studying. Santa has done me no favours as usual, so a night with the books is in order.

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