I don’t know about you, but this happens to me all the time. I will be sitting on the couch, watching a show, and suddenly feel that my eyes are shutting of their own accord. I shake myself awake and tell myself I must make it to the end of the episode. But it’s no use. I drop off to sleep again.
So, I turn the TV off and make my way to bed, all bleary-eyed and sleepy, turn off the lights and lay my head on my pillow. And then, suddenly, I find myself wide awake. All my sleep seems to have vanished in the short distance between the den and the bedroom, and now no matter how hard I try, I simply cannot drop off.
What mysterious alchemy is this? Is this a uniquely me thing or does it happen to everyone? As I lie awake, willing sleep to come, I inevitably find myself puzzling over this and other enduring mysteries of life.
Here are just some of them:
Why is it that whenever you venture out of the house with an umbrella during the rainy season, not a drop falls on your head. But god forbid you should ever forget to carry one — on that occasion, the heavens will open within 10 minutes and leave you soaked to your skin.
All of us who like to cook have a go-to dish that we have perfected over the years. In my case, my roast potatoes are my pride and joy, which even my husband, the harshest of critics, concedes are right up there with Heston Blumenthal’s (I jest — but only just). But while they turn out perfectly whenever I am cooking for the two of us, they inevitably turn into a big mess when we have guests over. They either stick to the pan, don’t roast evenly, or refuse to crisp up. So much so, that I now refuse to make them whenever I have people over.
All women will probably relate to this. The moment you find the lipstick, under-eye concealer or foundation of your dreams, you can rest assured that the company in question will phase it out completely. Then, your only recourse is to trudge from store to store, trying to buy up everything they have in stock. And once that’s over, fend off over-eager sales assistants trying to flog completely different stuff on the pretext that it’s ‘just the same, ma’am’. Sorry, but no, it really isn’t.
Then, there’s the time you go for a haircut. Feeling particularly adventurous, you ask the stylist to give you a completely different look. He does that, blow-dries your hair to perfection and you walk out feeling like a million dollars. Then, a couple of days later, you wash your hair at home, use your hairdryer exactly how he did and what you end up with is an unruly thatch. Honestly, it’s enough to do anyone’s head in!
From HT Brunch, June 06, 2026
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