Can We Start Decking the Halls?

The Halloween decorations have gone down, the clocks have gone back, and the nights are drawing in. We’re now left with that awkward gap to fill until December 25th. This then propels the question- is it too early to start getting the tinsel and tree out?

I was thinking this whilst walking through the hustle and bustle of Cardiff City Centre. Shops stocked with Christmas decorations and extending opening hours for keen shoppers, the markets being set up and the Winter Wonderland starting to take form, Christmas is truly in the air whether you like it or not. 

Maybe we have just come to accept that November means Christmas for the sheer reason that there’s so much build up and planning needed for the most magical time of year. 

Finding the perfect presents, ensuring everyone at the table is catered for and well fed, making memories with loved ones, these things take organising and often can’t be done on a whim, in fear of suffering the chaos come Christmas Eve when shop pandemonium peaks and you’re left with nothing to give your nan on the big day.

But does it just enforce the idea that Christmas has become just consumerism at its peak, with no real thought as to the meaning behind the day or the fact that it’s a chance to spend time with family and friends. We can so easily become entrapped in the idea that we ‘need’ to do this and ‘need’ to do that to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas, but surely the perfect day costs not much at all. The company of loved ones, the merriment of some time off work and a chance to embrace the spirit by thinking of others, surely that’s what Christmas is all about?

Don’t get me wrong, my hands are practically shaking in anticipation of riding the big wheel, drinking hot chocolates whilst admiring the lights and trees and splashing out on gifts for my nearest and dearest, but sometimes I think it helps to stop and reflect. Think about whether I need to spend my years earnings on one day, when really, some goodies and a jokey gift or two is enough, and instead I should just appreciate the extra time to slow down and be with those I love.

Christmas is a magical time of year, my favourite to be exact, but maybe we should start to embrace the simplicities of the season, instead of worrying about how big the turkey is going to be or already fuelling the local economy by buying endless pairs of socks, chocolate, and more gifts aplenty. 

Let’s instead think about who we can see this Christmas, what we can do for others, and be grateful that we’re here to see another after the year, or two, we’ve just had.

BLOG: There’s nothing sweet about today: Sourest Day

October 25th, a day you may see as normal as every other day, but today is in fact Sourest Day don’t ya know. 

Yes, that’s right, a day to celebrate all things sour, whether that be food or people. 

Like with many of these whimsical holidays, the origins are unknown. One assumption that can be made though is that someone brainstormed it to encourage others to try new sour foods, or to turn their attention to the sour people in their lives, maybe making things a little sweeter. 

Sourness itself is a taste. It detects acidity in a food item, thus determining its level of sourness. Scientists rank substances on their sourness by comparing it to hydrochloric acid, which has a sourness index of 1. 

The word sour is used to refer to someone who is angry, disagreeable, or irritable. A person who harbours resentment or disappointment is also sometimes called a sour person.

A quick google search presents a few ideas for how one may celebrate this holiday, with the ideas being as follows:

1.     Try some sour beverages such as limeade, buttermilk and drinking vinegar.

2.     Try some sour food, such as sour citrus fruits for breakfast, or some lemon chicken for lunch. A ceviche, grapefruit salad and key lime pie would make the perfect sour dinner.

3.     Some sour candy is obvious. You could bring some to your co-workers or just try them solo.

4.     Maybe you know a slightly sour person in your life! Well, doing something nice for them to sweeten their sour may help.

FUN FACT:

An average adult has about 10,000 taste buds in their mouth, reducing in number as people age.

Daily Nuisances

Today it’s a bit of a rant on our blog. Not a full-blown end-of-the-world type rant. Just a little moan to get stuff off our chests, stuff that is not doubt very relatable to many.

It can be the little things in life that gets to us, can’t it? As a nation, we’re renowned for complaining but often lack the ability to stand up and right our grievances face-to-face. We may not be too impressed with our main course at the restaurant, but God forbid we let the chef know! ‘Oh yes it was lovely, thank you’, we mutter as we flash a false smile and proceed to leave a tip out of sheer panic that anyone may think we didn’t enjoy ourselves.

Whether we like it or not, nuisances are riddled throughout daily life. Take not being able to find the matching sock to complete your pair, now that’s an all too familiar scenario come Monday morning. Why can we not seem to keep the same colour together instead of inevitably resorting to odd socks for the day? 

The smaller an issue, the more annoying it can often be. It’s a bit like when stubbing your toe on the bed can feel so much worse than any other pain you’ve experienced, we often sweat the small stuff and get more annoyed the pettier the issue. 

But why do we get this way? What causes us to feel these frustrations over life’s niggly nuisances? Is it because we simply enjoy complaining? Personally, I have another theory.

When there’s a big problem, and I’m talking big picture things like real emergencies and incidents in life, it can feel like things are out of our control, like we’re helpless. We have a better way of accepting that we can’t do anything, but when it’s something smaller, more trivial, we get annoyed as it could’ve been prevented easily. There’s more control in those situations, and we perhaps struggle with the fact that something so silly can happen. 

I feel that is where our true frustrations and nuisances lie. Lapse of control in the most trivial of momentary problems. We could’ve thrown away the 50 chargers that don’t work so that they’re not clogging up our draws. We could try a better job of keeping our matching pairs of socks together. We could even check replace the loo roll BEFORE we go to the toilet. But these things have a sneaky habit of escaping our busy schedules of life, and come back in the form of daily nuisances when forgotten. 

Review: ‘When Paris Calls’ single by Emma Mae

Singer/songwriter Emma Mae has released her second single of 2021, ‘When Paris Calls’, and it’s the summer pop-bop we needed.

Leicester-born Emma has taken a slightly different path from her previous single, ‘Boys in Bands’, switching up the slowed-down, chilled out strumming for a quicker tempo and latin beat to make for a catchy song. 

Mae’s penned her lyrics about someone discovering their partner has done the dirty and cheated with a woman named, you guessed it, Paris. Her lyrical brilliance captures both the bitterness and sadness of the affair but portrays it in such a way that you can’t help but chuckle with admiration at the lines, one notably being ‘when Paris calls you run to her, getting over me, under her.’  

Before the track’s release, a series of murder-mystery style teasers were released across social media, with fans being left to put the pieces together and figure out the answer to the question ‘who’s calling’? With three suspects named and shamed, Destiny, Summer and Paris, it was ultimately the latter that was on the other end of the telephone, and the winner of the guessing game can now proudly pin an ‘Emma Mae think I’m awesome’ badge to their jacket.

Full of catchy notes, upbeat rhythms and Emma’s gentle, dulcet tones, this buoyant break-up anthem is the perfect song to have blasting in the car on a summer day (or when you’re singing bitterly in front of the mirror over your ex). 

You can listen to it here on Spotify!

Which weird and wonderful day is up next… ah! Happy Uncle and Aunt Day! (Yes, really)

It’s safe to say that there’s a fair few weird and wonderful holidays that are spread out across the calendar year, and I’m not talking your average Christmas or Easter.

Here at KCL, we like to look at the more unusual ‘unofficial’ holidays that people may not necessarily know about, educating you, if you will, about things you may not know about. 

So, following this fashion, today we wish you a happy uncle and aunt day! 

Perhaps often overlooked, uncles and aunts can take on an important role. From providing support, influence, guidance and fun, they can help shape who we are.

Now, not all of us have uncles or aunts with whom we have contact with, or any in the first place, but for some they play an integral role in our lives.  

Aunts and Uncles are similar to parents, except without most of the rules and regulations. Whether it’s getting spoilt with attention, showered with gifts that your parents refused to get you or providing some much-needed advice that you can’t seem to approach with mum or dad, they can be a huge part of a much-needed support system. 

But it’s not just those with whom you share DNA with that can be regarded as uncles and aunts.

In Western cultures, these terms are typically reserved for the close family members who are related by marriage or genetics, but many other cultures contrast this ‘norm’. Africa, Asia and Middle East cultures especially use the terms to refer to anyone from the generation of one’s parent, and that has followed, in a way, to Western cultures as of late.

For example, close or old friends of parents are often sweetly referred to as ‘aunty’ or ‘uncle’, especially if they are Godparents. Having that support network of people who are close to you but not necessarily related can be invaluable. Speaking personally, I would be a little lost without the support, advice and adventures I’ve been fortunate enough to experience with my Godparents.

My Godmother, who I refer to as an ‘aunty’, is essentially my second mother. Someone I know I can always turn to when it may not feel quite right talking to my mum about or I can go and experience new and exciting things with (including some questionable delicacies on our travels). This isn’t to say I don’t talk to or get on with my own mother at all, it’s simply been incredibly beneficial to me to have someone to go to when I may need advice on delicate topics, or just knowing there’s a place and person I can go to when I need space and support. 

It can be so important to have these people in our lives, and I feel extremely grateful that I have that, as I know not everyone is lucky enough. So, for those who are, try and not take them for granted, and take a minute this uncle and aunt day to let those people know how important they are to you, or simply have a perhaps overdue catch-up.

Family doesn’t always have to be down to genes and DNA. Often those we chose to be part of our families serve the greatest purpose and are the ones you value most. 

Did You Know…

…that "say uncle" is a phrase popularly used in the United States and Canada and is usually used to concede defeat in a game or match?

Today we're talking Daylight Appreciation Day

Monday 21st June 2021, AKA Daylight Appreciation Day, is here for all of us to celebrate. Solatube International created this holiday to raise awareness about the advantages of daylighting.  

What is daylighting? You may be wondering. It’s the use of natural light to light up interior spaces. It can be achieved simply by opening windows and adding reflective surfaces to them, which allows for the maximum amount of sunlight to fill the inside. 

Daylighting is an ancient practise which is normally recommended by architects, interior decorators and energy experts. It can help with health and energy saving, as using natural light cuts down on energy and electricity costs. Studies have also found that daylighting in workplaces can help increase productivity, work performance, employee satisfaction and retention 

It’s no secret that the summer months put a smile on our faces. Heading out for days at the beach and sunny walks armed with sunglasses and ice cream is enough to boost anyone’s mood, and so bringing that inside is sure to boost moods all year round. It’s not only good for you mentally, but physically too. By bringing a dose of nature and the great outdoors into your home, it can help to reduce stress and increase happiness, and it is far better for you than spending time under artificial lights. 

Fittingly, Daylight Appreciation Day is celebrated on the longest day of the year for northern Hemisphere residents, as in most years, the June Solstice occurs on June 21st. 

You can celebrate this day yourself. Why not find a way to bring some sunshine and light into your home by speaking to an architect to see what they can create for you? Or just take some simple, cost-effective steps such as opening windows, installing light-coloured blinds and curtains and applying reflective surfaces to the windows to let the natural sunlight in. you could also fire up the BBQ and have some friends round to enjoy (socially distanced) food and drinks together- after all, we’re not lucky with many months of warmer weather here in the UK. 

You may be part of a culture that participated in June solstice events and celebrate its significance. Even if you don’t, you can read up about cultures traditions and educate yourself on their festivities- it may encourage you to join in yourself! 

Is the pandemic pushing our digital future closer?

In a new world where long gone are the days of firm handshakes and employees gathered around a table for daily meetings, it’s easy to think that life has ever so drastically changed. Virtual conferences and catch-ups, online learning and working from home have become our new norm. But are things really that different to how they were before? 

Of course, this is somewhat a dramatized version of living in the digital world, with technology’s uses being heightened and more invested in than ever, but I feel we had some good practise in this field already. As services such as online dating, facetiming and takeaway services like Deliveroo and Just Eat have become more popular over the years, we’ve been training for a digitally led world. 

Taking meetings at your dining table whilst rocking a half formal half PJ combo may seem like a sudden leap into the unknown, but wasn’t this where we were headed anyway? As technology develops and more innovations are made, we are constantly preparing ourselves for changes to come. 

Once upon a time you had to get out and about to meet a partner. Nowadays, you can find that spark from the comfort of your own home. Changes have been coming for years, and pandemic or not, we were surely heading towards a more digitalised world so we could use these modernisations to our advantage. We’ve just accelerated and moved at pace towards this way of life sooner than we thought. 

Some of these changes make life more accessible to many and show just how we can get around such problems as a pandemic, when the daily norm is forced on hold. It’s been a modern blessing to be able to carry on somewhat business as usual from our homes. Businesses have suffered, and many have lost throughout this year, but technology has at least let virtual concerts, meetings and sociable gatherings take place. It’s allowed for busts of normality amongst the surrealness we’ve endure. Furthermore, convenience comes above all these days, as we find comfort behind our screens and wish to make things as simple as possible. After all, isn’t that part of what technology is about? Making life more convenient? 

I often think of the film ‘Wall-e’ when I think of technology and using it to make our lives as comfortable and easy as can be. Just floating around on chairs with everything we could desire at our fingertips. A sense of dread and pessimism encompasses me when I realise just how realistic that dystopian world in the film is in our current reality. Surely, we won’t let ourselves become so unhealthy, unsociable and greedy? Greedy for ease and accessibility. We must prevent a future where our lives are purely led from the tips of our fingers on a screen. 

Whilst it’s all well and good that we’re running our live thanks to the power of social medias and technology, we mustn’t let it conquer us in such a way that we don’t know how to interact in-person anymore. We run the risk of becoming too accustomed to talk over text and asking Alexa to turn off the lights, dishwasher or TV. Who knows? One day we may see having to get up to grab a remote an arduous task if we have bots who can do it all for us. I like to think we’d never allow this happen, and we’d remember that there’s more value in a group BBQ or dinner in a restaurant than endless food arriving whilst we’re fixated in front of our screens.

But maybe, we’re more like this now than we think, and a future enclosed in automation isn’t as alien as it may seem in the movies.

Are you bank holiday ready?

We’re coming up to that time of year again- May’s bank holiday! And with the weather set to be less than impressive on Monday 3rd, it’s best to be prepared for all weather eventualities. 

Bank holidays are little bursts of relief and joy sprinkled throughout our years to provide us with some often much-needed longer weekends to get errands done or have a cheeky lie-in (I know that’s what I’ll be doing).

It’s the perfect excuse for a get-together with friends and family. From throwing a Pimm’s fuelled BBQ or a cosy movie marathon laden with popcorn, it feels like an extra treat we get given to do as we please with.

Like most of life lately though, there are restrictions and rules in place which throw a spanner in the words for gatherings. On top of that, despite the kind weather we’ve had lately, it’s set to be less favourable on May’s first Monday. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still make the most of your golden day of free time. 

Here are some short and sweet ideas for your bank holiday:

·      Indoor BBQs. You can still put the prep in for a BBQ, as you can easily bring it inside if needed. It may not be quite the same as basking under the British sunshine and sipping away on a cold one, but you can ignore the downpour outside and turn your dining room into the summer paradise you’re after.

·      Set up some forts. Yes, I’m serious. Embrace your inner child and get creative with your blankets and pillows. Snuggling up to watch films, setting up Zooms to talk to loved ones or gathering some board games together in a fort can prove a relaxing setting to unwind. Or if you want to save the tidying up, just bringing the duvet down to your sofa will suffice.

·      Virtual cocktail making. Now this is a fun one. Order you and your drink-loving friends some cocktails kits and join a Zoom together to shake up some drinks for you all. you can practise your bartender skills at home without the stress of a high-pressured environment. 

·      Challenge yourself! How much can you learn/put together in a day? Is there a song you’ve been pondering about learning? A recipe you’ve ‘ummed’ and ‘ahhed’ over? Why not use your extra time to finally give it a go? You’ll be surprised with how much you can learn and achieve in a day.

These are just some short and simple ideas, but let it inspire you- get creative! We all need a bit of light-hearted joy nowadays, so if you can push your work aside for the day, make the most of it and do something fun.

Let us know in the comments what you’ll be up to!