Writer's Block

Improvised from Robert Frost's 'The Road Not Taken' (much apologies for hacking the masterpiece). Please excuse my poor sense of humour, it tends to happen when I force myself to write. Here is a cute image to make up for it. :D

The Block Not Budgin'

Two words written on a white pad,

And sorry I could not pencil more

And be one writer, long I stared

And glared down as hard as I cared

To where it stopped expanding evermore;

Then glanced at my computer, much more inviting,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was effortless and so very appealing;

Though as for that further procrastinating

Had repercussions I did not want to name,

And both that morning equally lay

The computer and pad on table black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how easily distracted is my way,

I doubted if I should ever keep on track.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Sometime ages and ages hence:

Two words written on a white pad, and I—

I chose the one less favoured by,

And that has made all the difference.

A Retort on Behalf of 'Unhealthy' Food

Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all responsibility on writing this blog in the case of someone holding me accountable for this during my future career as a dietitian. Please note that I am only a second-year Dietetics Undergraduate, and therefore am still ignorant in many areas regarding food. ;D

What do you think of when you see these pictures? Scrumptious? Beguiling? Or 'ZOMG THESE ARE DEVILS TRYING TO GIVE ME HEART DISEASES DIABETES PIMPLES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY.... MAKE ME FAT!'?

Eye Contact: A Tricky Art

The MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) shook and rocked on its rails. I clung onto the metal pole, expecting the others around me to do the same. But when I looked up, everyone was standing or sitting calmly, eyes determinedly fixed on the floor.

And that is something I've learned from my vacation to Singapore - that people are always careful not to make unnecessary eye contact.

It is a wholly different experience from my time in the Russian metros - Russians are not at all shy with their gazes; a few of them openly stared at me as if I was an alien from a faraway planet called Asia. And this is where the difference between Asian and Westernised cultures comes in; in most Asian cultures, it is considered impolite, rude even, to look at someone in the eye. In Westernised cultures, not maintaining eye contact or avoiding eye contact with someone will give people the impression that you are unfriendly or have something to hide.

However, even in Malaysia, I have found that some people are more comfortable with eye contact while others only hold gazes with people they are very familiar with. A friend of mine used to lower her eyes all the time whenever she talks to me, a thing I found very frustrating. Now, she will look me in the eye and give me an incredulous stare whenever she feels like it. This just goes to show that everyone has different standards for acceptable eye contact.

Which is why eye contact is such a difficult art to master - yes, I consider it an art. Too much, and people will get creeped out or uncomfortable. Too little, and you will come across as not paying attention or even disrespectful. Unfortunately, I have this tendency to catch people's eyes when I don't intend to and realise that only after I have stared at them for like, 5 seconds. Just the day before yesterday, I was engaged in a staring match with an Indian stranger at the airport for 10 seconds or so before I realised what I was doing and snapped out of it.





Other times, I have deliberately avoided eye contact with people; sometimes to dodge awkward situations like bumping into a 'familiar stranger' and being unsure whether to greet them or not; sometimes to evade catching someone's attention - I'm sure most, if not all, of us have been through this situation - the teacher asks a question and looks around for a student to answer and everyone immediately bows down their head. We have this mentality that if we do not meet someone's eyes, we can pretend not to see or hear them, or even that they are not there, like the ostrich that sticks its head in the sand at signs of danger.

Personally, I prefer that when I'm talking to someone, that someone would look back at me steadily with a smile in their eyes. It makes me feel that they are interested in and like what I have to say. Like Nicholas Boothman said, "The cheapest, most effective way to connect with others is to look them in the eye." Eye contact conveys a lot of things, such as if someone is paying attention, if someone finds you attractive or if someone likes you. The amount and length of eye contact can give people the right - and wrong - ideas.

The only way to improve in the art of eye contact though is practice, practice, and practice! (I found this blog to be particularly pragmatic and useful in mastering eye contact.) In hindsight, I should've utilised the time in the subways to catch the eye of some strangers and give them a friendly smile. Who knows - it could have been just the catalyst to a beautiful friendship.