Modobs asked me to write six uninteresting things about me. I shall base them in the same vein as modobs. Here they are:
1. As a kid, I used to watch old American sitcoms that were probably re-re-…re-run of the original! Some of them are The Wonder Years, Lost in Space,Small Wonder and I dream of Jeannie. No wonder I grew up being a bit of a day-dreamer. There was another – Diff’rent Strokes – with young ‘Arnold Jackson’ (Gary Coleman) being a laugh-riot!
2. If I weren’t doing what I am doing (and assuming I am able to whatever I wish to) I would be a travel photographer & writer. In both respects I do have a lot to improve, though. Especially, the writing bit – unfortunately, I can be long-winded and the exact opposite of brevity.
3. I am a very non-fussy eater. The downside of it is that I don’t mind any food as long as it is edible and you have a hard time figuring out what are your favourites. However, the fruits I like best (of the top of my head) are banana, kiwi, orange, strawberries, blackberries. And I have a sweet tooth!
4. Self-criticism finds a new benchmark in me.
5. I drink a lot of coffee but it also leaves me with a craving for a lot of water. I’d take sparkling spring water any day (except for stiff formal situations, where I think still spring water may just be better so as not to involuntarily do such a thing as burp!)
6. There is a growing trend about me when it comes to a love life (or the lack of it). Women that I am attracted to me think I am a great guy but feel nothing of the same for me as I do for them. Apparently, I have a knack for being funny and making them feel at ease with themselves. And I thought that was a good thing. An uneasy but increasingly convincing thought: love has nothing to with anything. Mating dance is what the world is about.
I am not tagging anyone else. Mainly because there are less than 5 blogs that I regularly read and my favourite blogger has already done this meme.
Casper is your average guy-next-door. Casper is average in worldly ideals such as looks, but he is a great guy, has been a successful person, is very social and confident in general. However, Casper does find it hard to have the same confidence in certain social situations.
Casper said he would try to avoid some things in 2008. But fell right into it. Let his guard down – internal guard against his own thoughts and his external guard against being too nice, adorable and great to people, women in particular. She said it’s her loss. And we asked Casper, does that make him feel better. No – Casper knows she’s just being nice.
Casper is determined not to let his guard down, particular the external one. Appearances matter. Casper knows this. Casper has known it for long.
I don’t believe in resolutions. They just make you want to break them – somehow just having a resolution makes it harder to follow it because it feels like an obligation and a liability. So I am going to stop short of making resolutions. However, there are some things I want to see I do right.
Judge people more closely before becoming a good friend of theirs. Sometimes, so-called friends make you expend too much of your energy and resources – mostly emotional – while they are just out to make their own ends meet or just stay around as long as they don’t have what they have been going after.
I don’t need company to feel happy. I am perfectly capable of being independent – emotionally and in any other way. So I shall try and not keep looking fo a companion. It will happen when it has to. In short, no more wilful succumbing to limerence
Then, there’s one thing I can only hope for. That someone or something – a guiding light, if I may say so – could help me know where/when I am going wrong so that I can get it right. Whatever it is that I may be doing.
People of the world, Happy New Year! Hope 2008 brings you joy and happiness and makes your wishes come true.
What do you really want for Christmas but you know nobody will get it for you?
Many things; all of which I myself have to get and no one else can get for me. If I were to say one thing, a job.
What do you not want for Christmas but you know that somebody will get it for you?
Nothing really. I’m not very difficult, I’ll take any gift – after all, it’s the thought that matters.
When do you open your gifts (Christmas eve or Christmas morning)?
Christmas morning, it shall be.
Do you prefer gifts wrapped or in gift bags?
Wrapped. Adds to the excitement and the curiosity.
Did you regift anything this year?
No. I got a few greeting cards. Wouldn’t ever re-gift those.
What’s your favourite Christmas movie?
Crap choice perhaps. I’d go for Home Alone – a few good laughs. I should really get around to watching some of the Christmas movies.
What’s your favourite Christmas TV special?
I’m not much of a TV person. But channels often come up with nice programmes around this time. MY favourites are those well produced nostalgic year-end round-ups.
Do you like egg nog?
Not particularly.
Real tree or fake tree, which do you prefer?
Fake. There’s no need to cut a tree – unless you plant two in its place.
Would you actually use one of those fireplace DVDs if you don’t have a fireplace?
No. What’s the use? There’s a reason those are called fireplace DVDs.
Are you sick of Christmas music yet?
Like a few.
Are you getting up early to wait in line to do some Boxing Day shopping (Canada’s equivalent to Black Friday)
Maybe. I need some decent clothing.
When was the last time you sat on Santa’s lap?
Never. Growing up, we weren’t big on grand Christmas celebrations.
Continuing from my last post, here is one story and one generalization. The latter is not drawn from the former but the two have some links.
Story:
In a land where being social turns out to be an expensive practice, I was confined to staying in, eating in and generally being not very social. I didn’t like it but if if I were to survive, it was the way to go. Being a friendly person, I found it easy to talk to people at work/classes. Then, I made a new friend. It so happens that I had a hunch about a person she fancied and we started talking. In a few days, we became quite good friends. She started visiting me often and we had a good time – conversations, mutual backslapping & motivating and all. For me, it was great because I had company and felt more social. For her, that must have been a reason but it so happened that her interest lived very close to where I did. A couple of weeks and I started having misgivings about whether my friend’s extreme friendliness was only due to the latter. As is my wont, I gave her the benefit of doubt. Put up with a lot of requests that were not necessary, strictly speaking. A couple of times, I had to entertain a visitor when I wanted to get some work done. Anyhow, I thought I had made a friend and was happy about it.
Flash forward a few days and my friend finally succeeded in wooing her man. From then on, it has been a different story. No news and further visits. It’s understandable because you want to spend time with your partner when you’ve just started going out. What I did not understand was that my friend could easily walk past my door tons of times in the next three weeks without ever saying hi or even knocking on my door – while she visited her partner, who lives just down the same hallway!
Friends don’t do that. Not in my book. I did tell her that and she wasn’t amused, of course. Lesson learnt.
Generalization:
Of course, a thousand wise men have said this. I draw this conclusion based on a few events that happened around the same time as the one above (the above is not one of them but it lends further strength to the hypothesis).
If you’re not lucky enough to be the in-demand guy (whatever that means – hot, tall, cute, sexy, etc.), there’s one and only solution.
Nevertheless, I have two stories to tell in the next few days. One story and one generalization or conclusion, if you like. Neither is too pleasant for my own self.
Real Life 101.
Some people get it early; I take time – a lot of time – to understand and act accordingly. What can I say – I am just a late bloomer.
I’m back after a long long absence. And guess why! There’s a dilemma, of course. I’m trying to figure out how b est to ask out a girl that you like. Of course you can’t force her to respond in a way that you want her to respond; and you should never. However, communication is essential. Women, ironically, are capable of missing the whole point from right below their noses. You have to tell them (not just hint) that you really do like them. Then you can’t use those very words either! Conundrum? … yes!
I could think of the following two decent ways to ask someone out. Let’s say she’s called X.
“X, I really like you!I’d like to know if you think the same way about me.” As sincere as this approach may be, there’s a 99% chance, in my opinion, of it failing. There’s something about women that makes then want to play hard. Rules of seduction just don’t allow this, whether or not your intention is pious.
“What would you say … if I asked you out for dinner?” Notice that you’re not asking her out, and you’re not putting your feelings on a platter. You’re telling her, yet not really telling her. I think this a much better idea. It still doesn’t guarantee that you won’t be rejected. But if (and that’s a big if) she’s interested, I feel this will allow your proposition a better consideration.
A big question is when to ask her out. You don’t want to alarm her. You don’t want to rush in. You don’t want to leave it so late that you’re branded a ‘friend’.Even in the second case, she may not want to respond right away (assuming she is either undecided or likes you – either way not completely anti-the-idea-of-you). My feeling is it’s best to say something like “… you can take your time and tell me later. And if you don’t want to, that’s fine too,” with a smile on your face, of course.
Is strategy #1 an obvious disaster? Would #2 work? Is there any other way you can ask out a girl you like? I’m interested in knowing your thoughts on these.
