10 Things I have learnt...about life

Right, I have decided to start making lists. Usually, I am not a "list" person and generally try to avoid them (even when going shopping!). I am not sure why I have this aversion to lists - I guess I have never found a use for them really...until now. But recently, I have been finding lists useful especially when looking back over my life. They have helped me to calm down somewhat when I get frantic about not achieving anything in my life. In July this year, I turned 30 which was a big step and it triggered another panicked session of trying to figure out what I have achieved in the last 30 years (other than living). So I decided to start with looking at the lessons I have learnt through everyday life and how they have shaped me into who I am today. The 10 things I have listed are nothing profound or new, but I have found the process of thinking them through interesting - it was not easy narrowing it down to just 10 but these are the ones I want to share with you.

1. Every new day presents a new opportunity to make yourself better.
2. Falling in love is easier than staying in love.
3. Some friends are not meant to be your friends forever.
4. Life is too short to hold grudges.
5. Everyone has opinions - and no one opinion is better than anyone elses'.
6. You have every right to be selfish...sometimes.
7. Laughing is the best high you can ever give yourself. And its free!!
8. Never judge a person until you have had a conversation with them - it might surprise you!
9. Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing - things were not necessarily better before.
10. Taking the time to find your passion in life is the most valuable thing you will ever do.

Next blog - 10 things I have learnt...about shoes

A blast from the past

As I sat on the bus this morning, I noticed a poster on a bus that went past me advertising a new movie - "Fame". I had to look again as I wasn't sure I had read the poster correctly but then another bus came past me with the same poster confirming my suspicions....that my favourite TV show from my childhood and another '80s classic was being remade into a blockbuster movie. Why, I asked myself, did they have to go and spoil it? See, Fame has always had a special place in my heart - I used to watch it every Saturday and it made me feel like a star. For that one hour, I was at the School of Performing Arts in New York and I could dance and sing and yes, I would live forever! I think it had this same effect on a lot of people who are now in their 30s. It was a winning formula as this was a time when there were no modern dance shows on TV for teens and this show gave us a glimmer of hope for a different future where we would dance in the streets....

A few years ago, Hollywood started making remakes of '70s classics - the first I can remember is Charlie's Angels, then came Starsky & Hutch and so on and so on. I remember thinking how fun and interesting it was and gave us all a chance to compare the old with the new. But what we thought was an experiment paved the way for a standardardised format for the movie industry. Why be original when you can just use an existing idea, jazz it up and resell it for more!

It seems that a key characteristic of our modern culture today is rehashing ideas from other eras and selling it as cool and different. At the moment, it is all about the '80s. From leggings to leather bomber jackets to pink tutus, skinny jeans and bright coloured nail varnish, it is all back and being resold as cool and hip. To be honest, I have no affinity to the '80s as such (I was a child for most of it) but there was something creative and bold about that era - something we seem to have lost. The clothes were outrageous, the hair was over the top but with that there was something creative and unique. The music, the clothing but most importantly the TV shows - the likes of the A-Team, MacGyver, Magnum, Dallas, Dynasty were different and lots of fun. Since those days, I am sure many would agree that TV has not been the same and this might explain this trend by Hollywood to remake the good old shows into movies - Transformers, Teen Wolf, Karate Kid, Knight Rider and Footloose.

So what does this say about this era now - has the fast pace of technology replaced the need for being original? Has striving for originality been replaced with the need to strive for money? Maybe. Or maybe I am just being nostalgic and protective over my formative years. I am not sure Fame will work a second time round unless they change it drastically - the kids are different and have the likes of MTV, High School Musical and Step Up and a dozen other dance movies to compare it to. All I know is that sometimes, no matter how new or shiny you make something, you can't recreate that original feeling. Oh, and I will probably end up watching the new Fame (you know....curiosity and cats), and probably so will many more of my 30 something peers, but the truth is it will never be the same....

One Mojito, Two Mojito, Three Tequila....Slam!

I was at a cocktail party yesterday and the experience was thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks to a well organised host, the range and mixture of cocktails was exquisite. Each guest had to recreate their favourite cocktail and each offering was mouthwatering and divine. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love mojitos. I have spent many hours trying to perfect the perfect mojito and yesterday, I can profess that I did just that. It was perfect!

The thing I love about cocktails is the mixture of tastes - each drink holds its own ground. Made from a mixture of different ingredients, they produce a wide range of experiences. Kind of like people at a party,I guess. Get the right mix of people and an evening can be a smashing success. Like a mojito, you need the right mix of sweet, sour and then a nice splashing of fun (from the rum) and hey presto, a perfect cocktail. If there is too much of one thing, the results can be dire. Too much rum and you'll be nursing a headache from hell the next morning.

After the party, I started thinking how people's cocktail preferences tend to describe what sort of a person they are. I guess if I were to pick a cocktail that is most like me it would be a mojito - I like to think I am kinda sweet and sour and refreshing all round. One girl at the party made a delectable rum sour with watermelon - it was so lovely and moorish and after chatting to the creator of this drink, I found her character to be very much like her cocktail. The tequila jelly shots gave a kick to the party which had everyone dancing with the maker of the shots in leading the way. The Cosmopolitan was potent but just right - one of the girl's who loved Cosmos described it "dry and straight to the point" - I found her to be quite the same way interestingly enough. The strawberry Martini made by the host was delicious - it went down well with all. It was the right blend of everything and got a big thumbs up from me. The next offering which I declined due to an my dislike for milky cocktails was a White Russian. It was served in a tall glass and resembled a milkshake- like the creator, it was described as smooth and comforting.

And so the evening came to an end, with everyone jolly and full of laughs. To be honest, I probably won't remember everyone's names, but what I will remember are their drinks - so here is to the Strawberry Martini, the Rum Sour, the Tequila Sunrise, the Cosmopolitan, the White Russian and of course, the Mojito! The perfect mix for a party!!