toffeenutnomics

toffee nuts in london + barcelona

It was about a year back when I first drank my first Starbucks toffee nut latte alone. I was in London. Winter was creeping in and it was getting cold. I found my way to a Starbucks near Holborn as I waited for Ian to come by for dinner. Upon a friend’s recommendation, I had my first toffee nut. Its warmth was really comforting in the London cold.

Half a year after that, I drank another Starbucks toffee nut, this time a frappucino; it was summertime in Barcelona. This time, I had the company of the very friend who first recommended me the drink. I do recall that it was a nice frap with a nice conversation to go along with it.

a toffee nut that makes you smile in the summer of barcelona

525, 600-ish minutes later: toffee nut in singapore

Half a year after that, and about a year after my first toffee nut, I am drinking yet another toffee nut frap. This time, I am strawing it in alone in Singapore. Aside from the amazement at the reality of the globalisation-reach, it’s a rather poignant juncture to take a breather and take stock a year after my first toffee nut.

What better way to mark our lifetimes by way of a globalised coffee drink; the toffee-nut measure.

So let’s see how far I’ve walked (or flown in a highly mobile world):

Then, was struggling in school. Now, graduated with a good degree.

Then, was a student. Now, working man.

Then, had cool red specs. Now, cooler blue and yellow specs.

Then, fat. Now, less fat.

Then, was about to endure the most challenging year of my life. Now, lived through it battle-scared.

Then, uncertain about the future. Now, still uncertain.

You see, the list will go on. And it always will, whenever we do suck retrospections. Some things change, some things don’t. Change is the only constant, the old cliché goes, and its true. But what would be cool, and wisely so, is when it comes to times of reflection about the past, it should be also about the future.

then, now, later

Standing at now and looking to the past, things will surely to have changed. But the more challenging bit is standing at now and looking to the future, and seeing what changes you hope to see and become. Some changes are be beyond us; the world ending in 2012 is sadly beyond us, so says the divination lot of the movie ticket. However, there is possibly that 20% of our future that lies within the control of the choices we make today. It is those choices I make today that will make me tomorrow that is crucial to look at as I sip the remnants of my toffee nut at Thomson Road.

Sadly, that friend who introduced me to the joy of toffee nut is far away. Perhaps I may even venture to say we’re not far apart just physically but on other levels too. I wonder how she is. But however she is, I know that even if the shit hits the fan, I know she will find comfort in her toffee nut.

After all, some things just never change.

Uncle T