Caffeine and I

How I wish there was a Starbucks in Galway. Poor old Galway. Starbucks pun takde. Sungguh sedih.

JavaCity in college makes a competent caramel macchiato, though, so I can't complain that much.

Here's what T.R Reid has to say about caffeine: "It's the world's most popular psychoactive drug - buzzing our brain, fraying our nerves, robbing our sleep. And we simply refuse to survive without it."

Do you get an instant surge of energy after drinking coffee? Chances are it's the placebo effect you're experiencing. Caffeine's effects don't peak for up to an hour after it hits the bloodstream...

According to studies, caffeine has a greater effect towards introverts. Extroverts aren't as much affected. It's like alcohol, sort of, because alcohol gives you a sense of confidence, hence the term 'Dutch confidence'. Not that I've had any (alcohol, that is), of course. ;)

I read somewhere someone swallowed caffeine pills equivalent to 100 cups of coffee (1 cup i.e. 120z = 200mg caffeine) and died. Ish ish ishh... I'm not too worried though, I drink decaf =) Eh tp decaf pun ada caffeine?

Withdrawal symptoms - any physical or psychological disturbance experienced by a drug addict when deprived of the drug. Go without caffeine for a day and a half and you get headaches - because of increased blood flow in the brain. Hmmm... if you're a coffee addict, you're a drug addict? =p

More facts about caffeine: (from National Geographic Magazine)
* pain relievers with caffeine have proven to be more effective than analgesics alone.
* robusta beans used in less expensive brands of coffee contain almost twice as much caffeine as the arabica beans favoured by coffee connoisseurs.
* military studies on subjects who hadn't slept for 48 hours showed that 600mg of caffeine improved alertness and mood as much as 20mg of amphetamine.
* caffeine is being developed as a pesticide for slugs and snails. eww..
* cigarette smoking nearly doubles the rate at which the body metabolises caffeine

What?

This is not a proper holiday update.

I had a wierd dream last night. Let's hope it doesn't materialize. It would be too hard to bear. I am starting to think that I'm going crazy.

I told my sister about what happened yesterday and she said "Apsal ko tak blasah je dia?" Well...there is no anger, for instance. I told her all I felt was sadness. What is wrong with me la? :@

As of late even I have noticed how much I've changed. I'm easily irritated by the slightest mistake. I snap too often. I get OCD, but that, in a way, is a good thing because it keeps the house clean. Anyhoo, I often feel alone. Like there's no one to talk to. So my phone bill goes through the roof as a result of calling home almost every day of the week. I wasn't like this before was I? Hmm. Holiday or not, same thing, different place, different day.

Spain turned out to be a welcome break, regardless of me not looking forward to it. The tight schedule put my mind off things for a while. When we went to bed I was too tired to think. When I woke up at night it wasn't because of a bad dream, rather because it was freezing...

Here goes the awards..
Best bed: Cordoba
Best shower: Malaga
Best breakfast: pain au chocolate/croissant y cafe con leche in Granada
Best room: Cordoba
Best attraction: Alhambra & Generalife, Granada
Best view: On the Alcazaba in Malaga (of Costa del Sol) & of Sierra Nevada from the Alhambra
Best food: all were good
Best souvenir shops: Granada
Best shopping: Malaga

Worst bed: Granada (sejuk giler & bedbugs!)
Worst shower: London :p Blegh
Worst room: Malaga - was so expensive tp takde heater!! :@
Worst breakfast: no worst breakfast =)
Worst attraction: La Giralda, Seville. Bazir duit chiss...and 34 floors!

Best coffee: Caramel Macchiato =p
Try out: Marisco Paella & the Romana calamaris (yum!)

Watch This Space

I am back.

Totally knackered though.

Picture updates of Spain and London will be put up as soon as I transfer the pics into the computer ok?

I spent loads of $$$ during Boxing Day. Whee! Retail therapy helps...a little...

*sigh**sigh*

Where's the sunshine after the rain?

Whoop Dee Doo

Exams are over & done with. I'll write something of educational value when I get the time.

Right now.. I'm not really excited about Spain. Don't even ask about London - I am hating the moment I clicked confirm ticket order. :(

:D

Happy 51st birthday daddy!!

Will not share what he told me on the phone just now. Hehe :p

Man Utd are out of Champs League. Bottom of group and don't even qualify for UEFA Cup. That's it lah.

Uhh...

The two exams I have been dreading are finally over!! But I don't exactly know what to make of it, yet. Hehe. I mean, yea I answered the number of questions required for the paper but how good did I do? Hmm.. guess I did ok but that's really up to the examiner. Hopefully I get a lenient one!

I have always made a resolution at the beginning of the academic year to study consistently. So far, I haven't succeeded. 2 days before the exam and I'm still in front of the tv, book in front of me but the information is just passing through my head... I'm processing but nothing is being consolidated into long term memory. While I watch Strictly Come Dancing, I remind myself I should be studying. "Ok, after this show it's serious studying.." Yeah.. right. The show ends and I watch the National Lottery show. Then the results show for Strictly Come Dancing. By the time it ends its 10pm and I'm getting sleepy.

I bought 24 cans of Redbull the other day, when shopping for the open house and Msian Soc party at a local wholesale outlet. Sadly, they mistook it for use at the party and took it to Aula Maxima in uni. "Hey, Adilla can I have a can?"... "Err..sure..." In the end there was only about 15 left. Not to mention the ones consumed by Farah and Azfar (*sigh* hihi) when I slept over at Afza's house later that night... That was weeks ago.. I think we got a high after drinking it that night and Farah and I were giggling in the taxi all the way to Afza's place. Anyway, I haven't been drinking any Redbull lately, 'cept for one on Sunday when I really had to stay up for Neurophysio or else. It's true, "it gives you wiiings".

Hm.. but that was not what I had intended to write. Sometimes I wish I could erase some of the memories in my mind. I can't seem to stop myself from thinking about things. No matter how many times I tell myself to stop. No matter how angry I get with myself. Maybe that's why I haven't been able to deal with studying lately? But sometimes studying can be distracting. But nah...Hindustan movie lagi distracting!

Sports news: Liverpool remain top of group G. Yay. And top 3 in the Premiership!! Just hope I haven't spoken too soon. Things are going well at the moment. I think rugby is a violent sport but I watched with interest the recent match between New Zealand and Scotland - I only wanted to watch the "war dance" before the match...

Neurophysiologists say, stress can be analgesic. Hmm.. can't be true for heartache, can it?

I'm not looking forward to Spain - wish I didn't sign up for it - or wherever I'm going after that... or the rest of the Christmas holidays. I just want to go home.

This is beginning to look like my exam essay. Jumbled up facts here and there, no continuity.. whateverrr...

Exams exams

Here they come again. Woo hoo.

I have Neurophys on Monday and Neuroanat on Tuesday. Great timing.

Now how am I supposed to schedule last minute studying for both subjects when they are so close together?!!

Nasib baik Biochem is the week after. Phfew. Kalau tidak...huhu.

But the thought of not having to study Biochem again.. ever...ehehe. Sounds promising to me. So I just might study for Biochem after all. Who cares if I haven't read a word since September. :p

Good luck to all those taking winter exams... I suppose that goes to most of us!
Good luck Adilla! :D