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There's nothing like a double espresso to kickstart your morning, especially if it's extracted from medium- or dark-roasted beans. What a tasty way to begin the day. I enjoy coffee, but I'm not a caffeine addict so it's not a must for me to consume. In fact, lately, I've only been drinking it once or twice a week - doing this ensures that when I do drink it (to power my way through a hectic day), the caffeine kick will be well and truly felt. I did not stop drinking coffee thrice a day five days a week because I couldn't sleep or became jittery. I have no trouble falling asleep even if I drink coffee at 6pm. Instead, I decided to try and cut down after one of my colleagues mentioned going 'off-caff' because his addiction to caffeine was giving him a headache - even if he was drinking coffee. After he stopped drinking coffee for two weeks, he told me that not only was he having more dreams, but they were very vivid, too. This writer still loves a good espresso every now and then. (Image: Tabitha Turner, Unsplash) You'll never know till you try Intrigued, I began reducing my intake to two coffees a day (one at home and a second one after lunch). After two weeks, I realised I was okay with one double espresso a day. Subsequently, I went 'off-caff'. However, the lack of caffeine didn't immediately cause me to dream more. In fact, it took some time before the no-caffeine routine began having this effect on me. What was immediately more noticeable was that I was sleeping more deeply compared to when I regularly drank coffee. I woke up feeling more refreshed instead of zombie-like and/or confused. It seems that deeper sleep also resulted in my body naturally waking me up at the lightest point of the sleep cycle, which, by the way, is how you avoid that groggy feeling. Alternately, you could try using one of those apps that track your sleep cycle and wake you up during the lighter phase. As the weeks progressed, my 'alarm clock' ensured I woke up just before 7am daily, even on weekends. That's not bad since I usually sleep between 12.30am and 1am. Having adequate shuteye also means I have more energy and don't require coffee to function. A ship on water sailing in outer space? It could only happen in a dream. (Image: Johannes Plenio, Unsplash) In the dreamworld Nobody knows why we dream or how it happens, but to me, they are an interesting experience (not nightmares, though) because I cannot daydream the stuff that happens in them. Dreams can be realistic and fantastic, and they also reflect my current state-of-mind. For instance, I once dreamt that I was in car that had the ability to leap over other vehicles at a press of a button. In that dream, I would activate this function each time I encountered a traffic jam. When I woke up, I realised my mind was conjuring up a form of mental escape. I must have been feeling quite stressed during that period. Without coffee, my dreams also became more vivid. I also started to recall them more compared to when I was regularly drinking coffee. Another dream I remember occurred prior to this year's Motor Show. In it, I was asking an employee of a particular car brand which models would be displayed at their stand. Then one of his colleagues appeared and told me, 'Stop it already!' It reflected the anxiety I was feeling. I can't say whether having more dreams feels more tiring than not dreaming or not remembering your dreams. But I do think that having convoluted or nonsensical dreams that seem to drag on until you wake up will feel tiring. But these are still better than panic-inducing nightmares. Off-caff, another dream within a dream might be possible. (Image: Adi Goldstein, Unsplash) Does inception exist? In the movie Inception, they demonstrated the concept of a 'dream within a dream'. That the subject can wake up, but only from one of the multiple, deeper stages of sleep - he is not truly awake yet. This happened to me when I was 'off-caff'. I don't recall what I dreamt of, but the memory of dreaming that I was waking up from a dream (while still asleep) was incredible. What I cannot determine is whether I consciously realised what was happening, or whether this sequence was part of that complicated dream. I do remember, however, that for a moment, I did worry I wouldn't fully wake up unless my better half shook me awake. Yikes. Though I've yet to experience this again (I'm not sure I want to, actually) the fact that I could sleep so deeply and dream in multiple levels was amazing. That's why I'll continue drinking coffee just once or twice a week. After all, I already know that sleeping between six and seven hours a night is enough to recharge my batteries. And it'll be worth waiting for the next graphic, memorable dream my mind conjures up. Good night. – Jeremy Main image: Cederic Vandenberghe, Unsplash

What are some of the most priceless things in your possession? Some might point out family heirlooms that have been passed down from generations ago. Others might say it is their athletic abilities or artistic talents. To me, memories are probably one of the most priceless things I have. Intangible, yet immensely powerful, recalling them can provoke a variety of emotions ranging from laughter to tears. Or sometimes, we use them to spend time wistfully reminiscing our favourite moments, perhaps to recall beloved relatives we've lost over the years. Memories are precious indeed. Photo: Clay Banks, Unsplash Evoking them This topic came to mind (no pun intended) while I was driving last weekend. For some reason, the scent wafting out from the container smelled like buffalo wings, even if the food inside wasn't. Specifically, it smelled like buffalo wings from Domino's Pizza in the US. That slightly acidic, sour and spicy smell immediately brought me back to my university days, when ordering pizza and buffalo wings was a treat because it was costly for us students. These days, ordering pizza is still a treat, not because it's expensive, but because it's not too healthy and must be eaten in moderation. But I digress. Mental browser Reminiscing is like reading Wikipedia. One memory leads to another and before you know it, you've opened 50 tabs in your mental browser. Like the buffalo wings, they're too good to resist. So, the next thing I knew, I was happily recalling my old friends and our (mis)adventures, including one that involved a trip to the hospital A&E because a buddy had gotten drunk on grain alcohol (95% alcohol) and vomited while passed out. The price for his crime was getting his stomach pumped. He woke up to find his furious (and worried) parents by his bedside and upon his return to campus, was given a disciplinary warning for underage drinking. It was a long time before he dared have another drink. Photo: blocks, Unsplash Music can be a powerful trigger as well. Listening to old songs can make you recall everything from movies to TV shows, which will in turn, bring an onslaught of other memories as well. Even if you're only in your 20s, hearing hit tunes from a decade ago can make you remember your adventures as a teen. You might recall pranks played on friends or the trouble you go into with your parents. Do this while hanging out with your buddies and it becomes a laughter-filled bonding session. Vault of treasures Our memory vault is a fascinating and amazing part of our mind. Its 'storage capacity' is arguably unmatched by any man-made technology, and its ability to instantly recall moments we love is awe-inspiring. Yet at the same time, memories can be too securely locked away that even as the owner, access to them can be difficult or even impossible. They can also become fuzzy over time, resulting in incorrect recollections. Photo: Jon Tyson, Unsplash I often wonder if my propensity to daydream when I'm between tasks is actually my mind trying to access memories so that they can be replayed to my heart's content. Or am I just imagining this? Even with my head in the clouds, I am cognisant of the fact that to have more memories with which to reminisce, I need to live in the present. As the Paul Anka song Times of Your Life goes, "The memories are time that you borrow / To spend when you get to tomorrow". Ahh yes. That song, too, is evoking other memories now. – Jeremy

wow... this old guy becomes an internet sensation when he did a fashion catwalk not long ago here's a inspiration short clip of his story "Nature determines age, but you determine your state of mind" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge_rcmgvDyA http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/for-chinas-hottest-grandpa-age-is-just-a-state-of-mind * dedicated to all the old men in this forum [laugh]

one of my old neighbour just passed away recently. just few days before she died suddenly, she mentioned that she keep seeing his relatives(already dead) in her dreams.. this is not the first time i heard of such things.. the other case that i encounter is my sec sch classmate mum, she also told her children that she is starting to see her 'dead parents' often in her dream and she thinks something is wrong..and 2-3 weeks later she got into accident and pass away suddenly as well. i find it very intriguing..that when someone is going to die suddenly(out of norm/illness)..they will see their 'dead relatives' coming to fetch him/her like preempting them?? i have my own fair share of 'deja vu', that was very long when i was small...i dreamt of something happening outside my house and a few days later the same incident really happened and i can vividly still recall having the same dream few days before..and have this strange feeling of keep recalling where i see this same scene. but my deja vu stopped also around that age and i no longer encounter it since.

one thing i find it strange... i always dream of my old home, never of my new home (although i have moved to my new home for almost 10 years) another strange thing is I have the same dreams repeated over the years... dunno why

...for me at least. One of the fellas at the place I go to for treatment, last week, 1st Mar 2012, dreamt he died. SMSed the nurse to check, and told him (he still has evidence). Today, found out and saw in orbituary, he really died... Really scary as this not the first time i have dreamt and come true......getting more frequent these days. Anyway, who else here got such 'inception' encounters... and no, i wun give 4 numbers

twice or 3-times a year, i always dream exams tomorrow but i havent even got any notes to study or attended any classes..... wake up cold sweats.... wish dreams more xmm instead.

we drive to where our dreams take us to...

Very very nice video.. these kids are so talented!

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,...,170078,00.html? A young adult's struggle with rising costs MY WEDDING DREAM TURNING INTO A NIGHTMARE By Tay Shi'an July 07, 2008 MY dreams late last year: A house, a car and a wedding to take place this year. But now, all I am seeing are the nightmares of rising costs - in property and construction, petrol, electricity and basic necessities such as food and drinks. And I find myself waking up bathed in perspiration after one too many debt-soaked dreams. The car has been bought, the downpayment for the house paid with instalments knocking at my door every month and the wedding is on. How are they making me nervous? Take last week, for example. I dreamt the bridal studio took some test shots which turned out great, so they suggested I buy an additional album of pictures. The price was $1.4 million. For some reason, I was so swept away by the photos that I signed the contract. After that I realised I had no money to pay for the package. A wave of panic washed over me. I literally scared myself awake, with some relief. But that was not to last too long. Two days later, back in real life, I received my credit card bill. Bridal studio instalment: $500. Miscellaneous wedding stuff: $450. Petrol for our 11/2-month-old car: $550. Then there is the monthly instalment for the car. CPF deductions for the house. Wedding rings we have to buy before the (real) August photo shoot. Furniture we haven't even started scouting for. Future grocery bills for two. A huge chunk of my savings stuck in the share market, which I can't sell now because of the downturn (yet again). Such a squeeze on my heart. Starting a new life for two has always been both exciting and expensive. But as a child of the '80s who finally has enough disposable income to start fulfilling her dreams, it is both disconcerting and terrifying to see those dreams getting more expensive, the numbers creeping up right before my eyes. Conversations with girlfriends now inevitably drift to how difficult it is to find a home we love and can afford. Just four years ago, my parents upgraded to a five-room flat, which they bought for about $280,000. Four years on, I had to pay more than $360,000 for mine, in the same estate. Petrol prices have gone up a few times in the 11/2 months I've owned a vehicle. And putting together a home-cooked meal now not only involves culinary skills but mathematical ones too, to compare prices between housebrands and brand-brands, frozen versus fresh meat, anything to save costs. That was why my girlfriends' responses to my nightmare on the $1.4million were not, 'Don't be silly', but 'You are too stressed girl!' And, 'Make sure you check the price 1.4 million times before you sign on the dotted line.' Sometimes, it's tempting to throw caution to the wind. But the prudent self says wait. Why not get a car only when you're 30? Live with the parents first and get your own place later? But there's the impatient self, who is wide-eyed about dreams that have to be lived now, when you're young. The car as the ultimate date vehicle, as opposed to baby-seat holder. A two-person universe in your own home. What's the use of saving it all for later, when money cannot buy back the experiences you lost along the way? That is where it becomes so important to plan, save, prioritise and to brutally slash out the things you don't need. Eyes on the prize: Give up something you kind of want to get that something you really want. And hope that the power of the dreams - and checking those numbers 1.4 million times - is enough to keep away the nightmares. stop your dreams,girl.It's hard to live what u dream of here.Nobody ask u to take up extra wedding album.Nobody ask u to dabble in shares if u dump your huge chunk savings in it.Nobody ask u take up installment for bridal studio package.Nobody ask u must buy a car.Stop whining.

Bored, and just read reviews of these super cars... if someone will buy you one of these including its maintenance. Which will you go for? Specs: Porsche Carrera GT Displacement: 5733cc V10 Max Power: 604bhp @ 8000rpm Max Torque: 435lb ft @ 5750rpm Kerb Weight: 1380kg Power-to-weight: 445bhp/ton 0-100kmh: 3.9sec Price: GBP 322,750 Koenigsegg CC8S Displacement: 4700cc supercharged V8 Max Power: 655bhp @ 6800rpm Max Torque: 553lb ft @ 5000rpm Kerb Weight: 1175kg Power-to-weight: 566bhp/ton 0-100kmh: 3.3sec Price: GBP 330,000 Ferrari Enzo Displacement: 5998cc V12 Max Power: 650bhp @ 7800rpm Max Torque: 585lb ft @ 5500rpm Kerb Weight: 1365kg Power-to-weight: 484bhp/ton 0-100kmh: 3.5sec Price: GBP 450,000 Zonda C12S Displacement: 7291cc V12 Max Power: 555bhp @ 5900rpm Max Torque: 553lb ft @ 4050rpm Kerb Weight: 1250kg Power-to-weight: 451bhp/ton 0-100kmh: 3.6sec Price: GBP 350,000 Ford GT Displacement: 5409cc supercharged V8 Max Power: 500bhp @ 6000rpm Max Torque: 500lb ft @ 4500rpm Kerb Weight: 1519kg Power-to-weight: 333bhp/ton 0-100kmh: 3.7sec Price: GBP 100,000 Cheers Cool_jazz