This juxtaposition of personality traits confuses people, I think. In fact, it confuses myself as I am unable to explain really why I haven’t met up with so-and-so in such an amount of time. (I’m pretty sure at the moment I’m writing this, I won’t have seen some of my close friends for a pretty long time!) How can one person be so outgoing and happy-go-lucky when they are with friends, but then be so much of a hermit when given the opportunity? My only explanation is the word I have used as a title for this piece: sanctum.

I am my own temple – my own little retreat. Being naturally introvert, I use up a lot of energy when I socialise. Don’t get me wrong, I love meeting people and having a good laugh but it really drains me. So when I get time alone, I kind of over-indulge and get into a habit of just enjoying my own company rather than making any effort to see my friends. In some ways, that makes me come across a bit aloof and uncaring, and possibly even selfish. I suppose that could be so. But it’s less about not wanting to see people, and more about the fact that I just like being by myself. So if you don’t see me or hear from me in a while, don’t sit and wait for me. Contact me first and drag me out of my reverie because chances are, if you don’t, I won’t.

People aren’t always the most open species. If a skunk feels threatened, it will release some horrid odour to warn off the threat. If a cat is angry, it will bear its claws and erect its tail. If a dog is happy, it will pant and wag its tail. If a human is any of these, it’s not always so easy to tell. Some will choose to express little to no emotion. Especially when it comes to negative ones. It’s always difficult to tell someone you’re upset because you don’t want to be a burden – or worse, bring them down with you. Similarly, it’s not always the most appropriate place to express anger – do you really want to be the one being gawped at as you rant and rave in the middle of the street, veins popping up all over your red face? So instead, we hold it all in. We bite our tongue and we fight back the tears because it’s unsightly.

But does that really benefit us? It’s only a matter of time before something tips you over and *pop* like the cork off a shaken bottle of champagne, and out it all pours. And who knows if there’s anyone around to clean you up at that time. So do yourself a favour. Do your friends a favour. And just let it out. Whenever you need to. Be happy! Be sad! Be angry! And be together! Thoughts are to be shared – a true friend will always listen.

and a whisper in my ear, you have me under.

I’m spellbound.

It’s crazy what people are willing to do for loved ones. In any other circumstance, with any other people, you would not even consider the things that come so naturally when love is involved – walk barefoot over hot coals; swim the seven seas. I may have slightly exaggerated with those two examples but what is undeniably true, is that the sky truly is the limit when it comes to pleasing the ones you love. It doesn’t even have to be for one who returns the affection.

Unrequited love is probably one of the most lethal situations to be in. Like all other types of love, you are looking through rose-tinted – seeing only the good in him, and censoring the bits you don’t want to see. It’s no wonder that psychologists call this the “Halo Effect”. Love makes him a saint and butter wouldn’t melt. The difference here is that this isn’t mutual. And that is where the problems begin.

Dance for Him, monkey

and His love for you must surely come.

Your heart tells you that there is a chance that this could work out; that given time and your efforts, he will come through and you can be together. Your mind, on the other hand, is bound and gagged from saying anything that might seem logical but that shines light on the ugliness of the situation. And so you heel at his feet, and answer to his every beck and call – like some leashed dog hoping for that treat. But it never comes. And your heart begins to bruise – torn between the hurt of rejection and the hope of reciprocation – until it breaks.

So, to those who long for the never, I say this: give yourself some dignity, stand up and dispel the curse before you fall into the abyss. Let it be you who shatters the dream, so that he may not. Don’t fool yourself into believing a fantasy.

Honey. Babe. Buttercup. Pumpkin. Cookie. Sweetie. Sweetheart. Sugar.

The list of endearments is infinitely long and all are sickly sweet or ridiculously lyrical. Everyone who is within earshot of the term (whichever it may be) is almost certainly going to have to check their gag reflex for fear of actual expulsion of their recently consumed meal. Only the one on the receiving end is oblivious to the complete and utter inappropriateness of the words in the situation. As you may have gathered, I’m not the biggest fan of PDA (Public Displays of Affection) and the use of endearments comes under that title. I’m not a total heartless prick though. I can just about accept “babe” in mixed company. “Babe”, yes; “baby”, no. It’s like, we already know you’re an item by your body language (from close proximity to holding hands, to everything but sexual intercourse on the streets). So we don’t need you to reiterate your point by then calling each other “cookie” or “sugarplum”. It’s just not necessary, and downright wrong.

Another annoying thing about endearments is that it is now more and more common to extend the usage outside of romantic relationships. I have been called “babe” and “hun” by complete strangers and the experience always leaves me feeling confused and rather angry. I am not your “baby”. Stop being so condescending you little queen, and just give me my drink! Argh! What is with all this over-friendliness and pretend familiarity? Why can’t we just return to the good ol’ days where we just beat each other up?

However, it is argued that the internet – rather than bringing people together – is creating a gulf between humans. Absorbed into this cyberspace, people are less and less likely to make face2face contact with each other, choosing instead to just instant message or email. Extended to the dating world, it is argued that people are forging unsustainable relationships, fueled by inaccurate intepretations of self and invalid descriptions. In other words, people are falling for a fictional character. It’s easy to lie on the here. There isn’t the eye contact to reveal any discrepancies between fact and fiction. Photos are easily edited and even copied. All in the attempt to make oneself appear better than what one might actually be. Unfortunately, this glorified Frankenstein can’t live forever, and eventually the mask must be removed. Our mortality goes beyond what we experience first hand – it spills into everything that we do. So why go to the effort of giving birth to this imaginary You, which must die a shameful death and leave the real you scarred and embarrassed? Be brave, be human, be You.

The reason I bring this up is because of a recent conversation with some close friends about relationships. It is probably not untrue to say that the majority of people in this world who are not already in a relationship, are actively looking to be in one; wanting the one person who can make them whole. But what we concluded was that relationships are far more hassle than they appear to be worth. Sure, they can make you feel the happiest you’ve ever yet felt, but also they can cause the most agony that you’ve ever had to experience. It’s a double-edged sword – one that has had you working forever to get it. And then there’s the feeling of greener grasses. What if there is a better person for you out there? What if you are just settling for the current partner because you so desperatelywant to be in a relationship? I, personally, think that relationships are the most amount of trouble ever, and don’t know whether they are worth it or not. Afterall, what makes this relationship different from all the other relationships?

Will you prove me wrong?

Have you ever been in the situation where someone, or even yourself, has had the need to say:

“You’re too good a friend. I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

Or something to that effect? I hear it all the time, and it got me thinking as to why this might be. Could it possibly be my fault? Am I doing something that automatically puts me in the friend category, rather than the potential partner category? Having said that, is there even such a system? I mean, it isn’t unheard of that friends eventually become couples. However, it is undeniable that there are people in our lives who we just think are friend material – no more, no less. How does one decide on these boundaries? How do you know when someone just isn’t boyfriend or girlfriend substance for you? My theory – formulated through my own experience of the matter spiced with a dash of bitterness and a squeeze of cynicism – suggests that it all boils down to one thing: conversation.

Let me explain. When you first get to know someone, how much do you divulge in conversation? And how much conversation do you have with them? The answers to those questions, I think, is what decides the category in which that poor sucker falls. What I find is that when you start talking about yourself and your likes and dislikes, and your fears and whatnot (named self-disclosure in Psychology) you can often overstep the line. What line, I hear you cry. The line that seperates the “dates” from the “friends”. The more you get to know someone, the more friendly you become – that is assuming that you have any similarities with each other. And that’s bad friendly if you were wanting more than just friendship, because once you get to the friendly stage, that’s when the self-disclosure becomes mutual, and you become just another bag for them to spill their guts onto, if you get my jiff. Also, the amount of time you spend talking is integral to this process. The more time you talk, the more you spill. The more you spill, the closer to that line you get…until BAM! You’re in the friendship zone. Say buh-bye to any chance of getting with the guy/gal you had.

As I said earlier, I get this a lot. It’s just my disposition to talk to people loads and find out loads, so I’m just a friend-type person. I resented that fact before, but I’ve come to accept it. It’s not so bad having just loads of friends, I guess. As the saying goes: you can never have too many friends.

So why ARE these folk choosing to follow this career – despite their distaste for it? One word: money. The starting salary of any teacher is aroung the £20k mark, and it goes up every year. Add to that the generous amounts of holidays and the stability of the job, and voila, everyone wants a piece of the action. This year, in particular, has seen a sudden influx in applications for teacher training courses, which means something awful for me: I may not get to start teacher training this year.

Argh! Screw all you people! Stealing my job!

It’s the festive season everyone, and the towns are once again packed full of last minute shoppers, trying to grab any sort of  retail bargain with which to stuff their seemingly endless stockings. You can feel the tension in the air upon entering any of the stores as swarms of bug-eyed customers rapidly scan shelf after shelf; sift through rack after rack; dig through bin after bin to find that ever elusive “perfect” gift for that someone who is always forgotten: old Aunt/Uncle Whatshisorherface. People are literally getting into a sweat and panic over the finishing touches for their unbeatable (until the next year) Christmas Day.

There is no better time to see the generosity of human kind than at this time of year. Millions and millions of pounds are spent on celebrating something that has probably no meaning whatsoever for the majority. I do wonder how many of these present-buyers are actually Christian? How many actually realise what the true meaning behind the annual festivities? Is the 25th December still the date of the birth of Jesus Christ? Or is it just another day on the calendar which just so happens to be filled with gift-swapping, and turkey-eating, and wine-drinking, and carol-singing? I wonder, indeed.

And then there’s the yearly wish. The one that is in everyone’s prayers from the very beginning of December: please let it be a White Christmas. Please, let it snow. Let the ground be covered in white slush so as to make travel almost impossible. Let it be so cold that our hands and faces glow red. That, dear Lord, is what we all wish. 

Anyways, I wish everyone – who celebrates it – a very merry Christmas. And season’s greetings to those who don’t. Have a good’un!