Thursday 5 August 2010

Things I have learned

Today is the anniversary of my arrival on this planet. No, I'm not an alien (really). I'm just not that big on birthdays. (Mine, that is - others' are fine.)

Having said that, today has started well. At midnight, my sweetie presented me with my first ever digital camera, and it's a beauty! As I sit at work twiddling my thumbs (and blogging) in between projects, I'm eyeing up the glimpses of winter sunshine from my desk and thinking that I'd much rather be outside trying out my new toy. Who knows - my Project 365 might yet live to see another day now that I have my own camera to play with. I'm also planning a baking bonanza tonight - hummingbird cupcakes and caramel slice is on the menu.

Apparently you can learn something new every day. Some days we learn more than one thing, but what happens on days where nothing substantial is learned? Does it just get added to the collective pearls of wisdom acquired from previous days? Can you be in credit if you learn lots of things on one day but then nothing for a while afterwards? Or in debt, needing to catch up if you haven't learned anything all week? And what if what you have learned is, ultimately, totally useless? Does it matter? Hmm.

Anyway, here are a few of the gems I have learned during the past few decades. They're hardly lifelong lessons, but some I've learned the hard way:
  • Cheap nail polish from the $2 Shop works just as well as expensively branded nail polish that costs 7-8 times the price, so long as you apply it over a good base coat and finish it with a top coat. 
  • I could easily live without a phone (cell or otherwise), but a cheerful ring tone helps ensure that I smile when the darn thing rings.
  • Being polite and pretending to be appreciative of certain types of presents only leads to me receiving more of them. Over the years, I have received and 'stored' more talcum powder, fancy soaps, alcohol, handbags, and hand cream than I care to think about.
  • I need to have several books on the go at once, or at least two or three as a backup just in case I finish reading my current book too soon. The Classics app on my iPod touch has helped allay some of my fears (27 books on hand). In the past, I've resorted to reading instruction manuals and encyclopedia entries if I've been caught short without a book! It's just how I am.
  • There is more to life than increasing its speed (Mahatma Ghandi). It's true.
  • I'd rather listen to the music in my head, or no music at all, than bad music. This is not always easy, especially when others insist on sharing their lack of musical taste with you.
  • Anything less than real coffee is not worth even acknowledging. Instant coffee is parallel to tinned spaghetti or cheese in a tube. (I haven't tried cheese in a tube, but I'm just saying.) Don't do it.
  • Gardening is not my thing. I love flowers, though.
  • Some things never change. (That's not always a bad thing.)
What have you learned in your lifetime? What gems do you have to share?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I only posted 2 things i learned on my blog but i guess we were thinking along the same lines! yay for your camera!!! Happy Birthday!

Juli said...

I like when you share which apps you like. It sounds like you have lots of good ones.

My mobile phone almost never rings. It always gives me a fright when it does. And my ring tone is really cheesy and embarrassing.

Exciting about your camera. Happy birthday!

Unknown said...

Ooh, good list, like it a lot!


I did a similar, though lighter and fluffier, and somewhat snarkier list on my blog last week - come check it out.

And you are so right about the gifts - I have smiled and thanked people for stuf I don't want (aka crapola) and then I just get it again!

Congrats on the new camera - I luuuv mine!

Sab said...

Happy Birthday to you! And congrats on the new camera! I love mine... arent' digital cameras awesome?

I agree with the polite thing. It's good to be polite and graciously accept gifts, but how to you graciously turn them down? We're never taught that growing up!

My cell is never on, and when it rings, it plays the water world tune from Super Mario Bros... of the old NES days. Yup, retro for me (haha).

I've learned that you can blame most anything on hormones and get away with it! ;) hahahaha