Effects of Skype-ing…on me.

 

Skype is becoming an addiction and a serious threat to healthy physical and mental condition. 

Ok, I know I’ve gained weight since I came from vacation in Feb, my pants and shirts would no longer fit, am about to run to the tailor again and  have a couple of pants….. but you see, early this year twas about 3 lbs, since last month it’s a staggering 5!

Skype has taken its toll, a revenge lurking quietly on the corner of my notebook.  Sitting here useless is like a ticking time bomb!  Chomping on junk food and sodas while wide eyes staring at the names on the screen that keeps on popping in and out of the cast – same old casts – new skypers – interesting handles – click click on profiles – click click on that bubble thing with lines — and the usual blah blah, only my jaw and fingers are doing the exercise…this is detrimental  to health, add to that the continuous puffing of smoke from this killer cigarettes.  I’ve never smoked a whole damn pack until I’ve started this skype sessions.

Guess there’s always a good and bad side of everything, and with Skype, here are the effects, at least on me, until today :

GOOD:  boredom slayer, brain antiseptic, internet bill rationalization…and of course new friends.

BAD:  weight gain-to-obesity, habit-forming  (will break it later), time consuming that other tasks were never accomplished – i.e. laundry, tidying, hanging out, chilling out, etc..etc…

I just have to manage and control things at hand, I said it before and am saying it again — I know I’ll get over this in no time at all.  Well…almost this week, if not for……… whatever.

Wedding in July

Last week, a friend gave a buzz that she’s going to take the plunge, a  little suicide I said – well, she’s getting married.   Hmmmm…. Everyone I know is plummeting into this rage.  OK, so what now?

I don’t like attending weddings, don’t ask me why.

I am invited!  …but of course.  Not that I hate attending wedding ceremonies, just that the whole mayhem of an event preparation is not my thing.  I am the “jump-into-a-jeans-and-shirt-and-go” kind of a guy,  and now you’re tellin’ me to wear something formal?  Ain ‘t comfy with it, well, I used to go to the office in shirt-and-tie most of the time, but out of the workplace?  annoys me wearing anything stiff.  Well, okey, it’s just a 2-hour ritual, but for most people the preparation is taking them the whole day.  Not me, everyday is just like any other ordinary days – no fuss, no mess, no flurry.

But just to make my friend happy, on a must-be delirious moment of her life, I took a stride to the downtown and let me see what could I possibly shoplift for tonight.

Went with my buddy, peeked in lots of shops, I realized, it’s been a long time since I last did a shopping.  Took us a long time rambling several shops, but as usual we ended up rummaging into piles  of neatly hanged T-shirts.  I always like the vintage-worn-out-look shirts, the older it look, the more I like it.  That’s why I like tees from Abercrombie & Bitch ….errrr… Fitch…not bitch!

Shoot! Took us a long time,I already forgot that I have to take something like a long-sleeved shirt?  Peeked in some more shops…. Conclusion?  Ended up in nothing than the good-ole grocery bags.

I’ll just probably jump in one of those tees and a jacket or coat, and let see if the bride would kick my ass out of the hotel before the bellhop do.

 

Skype-ing

I’ve discovered something to burn my time lately, well, kinda interesting but knowing myself, I bet I’ll be busy with this new thing for a couple of weeks or maybe a couple of months or a year who knows — then am gonna drop it off just like everything else that came before it. The problem with me is I always get myself too interested, new stuff  tickles me like a surge of energy running through my crotch.  Then once I get saturated, I get bored…. and start telling myself that I’ve got to scramble for another stuff to get myself busy during my indolence.

It’s Skype-ing for now. Good thing about it is you get to meet new people, different people that you won’t really meet in your daily existence. What’s interesting is, you get to talk to a lot of people, discuss stuff and argue at your most convenient time – minus the shower, cologne, and stuff before you usually go on a real date or chillouts. Most people have their own motives in coming to Skype or skypecasts, well, at least most of them are searching for relationships (I realized lately) – whether a partner or generally – friends. I prefer to subscribe to the latter. The cast in particular is a good medium for friendly networking. Exchanging ideas paves the way to understanding each people on the cast. It’s a pleasant way to know people’s personality — whatever ideas they have, whatever comes out of their mouth and minds, whether they’re substantially interesting….or utterly boring.

Partnership would be a remote idea for me – for now. Still, I am not convinced about nurturing a relationship that developed overnight over the internet. Sort of a novelty idea for me, kinda strange and .sshhh… I don’t know. I’ve heard stories but sounds very …hmmmm…. I don’t know again, can’t entertain this idea for now. Well, maybe it work, I bet it does, but hey, isn’t it easier to meet people for that purpose virtually on the street, on the bus stop, inside a bus, along a pedestrian lane, in a bar, in a dance floor, dating? I still don’t have a full grasp of everything cyber.  But I am enjoying it nonetheless.

But hey, I don’t want to shut this idea behind me, who knows, maybe one day am already into it…. errrr…. Maybe not..I don’t’ know….am not really that desperate right now. Convince me….or maybe not…forget it!

Bored and Bollywood!

 

Last night, I felt this sudden urge to remove the sleeves of my DVDs.  With nothin’ much to do these past few days and my gnawing need to take a long vacation away from everything is starting to get into me, what else would make me more productive than this.  I think it’s kinda practical solution to save space and fill the gap in between those boring minutes.   Have to put all of them in one box instead of plunking them all together with their sleeves on the shelf which by the way were all a part of already watched collection.

Then I noticed some of these round shiny guys without labels, I put one on the player, hey… Indian movie…hmmm… it’s the one I’ve seen in one of Mumbai’s state-of-the-art cinema complex couple of years back, titled “ Kal Ho Naa Ho “ which starred Bollywood’s mega-hearthrob Shahrukh Khan.

So I end up watching a rehash.  It was entertaining with all those authentically contemporary Indian dance routine that was something different from the conventional Hollywood musicals.   I find it generally a cliché but am not actually watching … like watching… just to have something moving on the screen of the TV….well..  I look at it every now and then, but am busy writing this.

One thing nicee thing about a Bollywood movie is its diversity.  Expect to have loads of all the genre thrown in one movie – action, drama, comedy and musical.  So you’d be exercising all those different emotions during the entire viewing time – you’ll get excited with the action, then tearful over the drama, suddenly you’ll be laughing at the funny antics, and lastly, bopping and boogieing to the beats of Indian pop music while the people on the screen were dancing with their colourful costumes.  A viewing feast!  … for the local viewers at least…. and some western eastern-fanatics too.

There’s something in Bollywood movies that is so captivating, a respite from a full-week of watching Hollywood movies that typically tackles  most things Americans.  Sometimes it gets so lame watching movies about battles that were singularly won over by the American people.  Or one person championing the cause of the destitutes,…. or a hero who’s fighting a whole battalion without getting hit by a single bullet of a machine gun, an armour tank, or even a nuclear bomb. Things that don’t normally happen in real life.  Well, that’s why it’s called a movie –  another dimension of incredibilities that may or may not really transpire in real life. 

So going back to Bollywood, I finished the whole movie last night, just having a glimpse of the tv every now and then.  I have quite a collection of Indian movies mostly those that have English translation running below the screen.  I like the comedy ones though that has romantic angles.  More often than not it’s about 2 guys fighting for the love of a girl or the other way around. Bollywood movies are very popular – after all they are the largest film producers in the world.  So many Hollywod and Brit films in the past have Bollywood touch – the very colourful “Guru” for one is very Bollywood with Hollywood actors (stars Jimi Misri, Marisa Tomei and Heather Graham).  “Bend it Like Beckham” starred mostly British-Indians is a very entertaining one, is it Kiera Knightley’s first film?   At least one or more MTVs done by MJ or Janet J. or J.Lo and many other artists have Indian dances.  There is something in their choreography that’s appealing to international audiences. Like when you see one, you’ll instantly say it’s  Indian.  

I remember the first Bollywood movie I saw many years back titled Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, a little corny now but used to be a big hit. 

Recently, I have seen several Bollywood produced movies that have been shot in the US and UK which made it more amusing because of the concoction of both eastern and western cultures – easterners in a western setting, offering the audiences a unique viewing experience.   

I am not really a big fan of non-Hollywood movies, but hey, feed something new into your brain, I would always say.  Friends who come to visit usually find me somewhat peculiar watching Bollywood movies until they got used to seeing me watch other movies in various languages that I may or may not even understand, even eastern european films, turkish and arabic films, and listening to music foreign to their ears.  I dunno, but I don’t find it bizarre.  Like I would always say, explore beyond the common, experience different tastes, sounds and sights, and if you have the time and resources immerse yourself in other cultures.

Think outside of the box, so the business cliché goes. 

It’s a tupperware party for people like you!

…why do I give valuable time to people who I’d much rather kick in the eye — goes one of my fav’rite line from the genius himself – Morissey Smith.

 Tell me people you really hate and I’ll give you a showcase of mine.  I knowwww….nobody’s perfect, well… just for the fun of it…makes us aware of how people look at us.   I started this list, and I intend to update it every now and then, well, sometimes different types may resemble each other or overlaps, but, hey they belong to the same tupperware party people …. (you may want to include yours too in the  list… even if, you’re on the list).

 

 

1)      The Self-absorbed type who would always want to tell stories about himself/herself and when you are just about to start talking.  He/She would pretend to be listening when in fact (could I just use one pronoun instead of writing both he /she, I would use he, it’s shorter)  he’s been trying to construct another story and ready to blurt out another blow dimming your own story on the background if not totally tossing it out of the conversation.

Easy to spot them, he or she is that narcist fella who would always pose consciously and conscientiously at anything shiny that would cast his image on – a mirror, a car window, the façade of a mall, a spoon, even the metal backing of a mobile phone. Why do they invented anything more lucid than a shadow.

Arrrgh! I couldn’t stand those people who would always look at themselves eternally on the mirror with words such as “am gaining weight” when in fact they juz want to tell you that you are bloody huge.  Self-deifying with so much concern about their bodies – like there’s nothing wrong with their faces!

 

2)    The indirectly self-professing type who would always device stories to brag about his/her accomplishments. I’ve met one who would always tell me stories like –

      “hey I was lucky enough to land on this job among a thousand others who’ve been praying to land on the job and who graduated from such and such ivy league universities… and blah..blah…blah”.

And…. “you know, I am really blessed this year cuz I’ll be getting a promotion and I will be the first ______ (insert nationality, or race, or gender) who would land on such lofty position in the company”. And… “I hate other people whom I think are befriending me juz cuz they know I have this ______ (insert amount) income”.

And….. “I thank God for giving me these blessings that other people aren’t lucky enough to have.. and blah…blah…blah…”  CRRRRRAP!

Shite! I truly, rightly, sincerely, greatly, enormously hate that!!! I wanted to hit his nose with a huge pan if only I am holding one.  For god-sake, you could always juz pray and thank god silently, you don’t have to tell me that you are thanking god cuz I could hear you and God could hear you screaming that if He ever have an eardrum he might be needing a visit to an EENT.  You don’t need a third party to partake your “humble” gratefulness.

 

 

3)    The Cool-pretentious-type who don’t want to show off his/her real emotions and personality afraid to generate negative comments or treatment from friends. This is the type who stays cool, like – “I don’t really get serious with stuff like relationships, juz playing with them cuz you know….and blah…blah…blah…” CRAP!

B’cuz fact of the matter is…. they are contemplating on a suicide when his/her partner left him/her for another. But you won’t see that in them anyways. I call them implosives as oppose to other people who are explosives – these are the ones who could always express themselves openly no matter how much ridicule they expect to endure. Implosives are dangerous, move back once the time bomb starts to tick, their blasts would blow you away.

I remember this one time I was on a metro train heading for home, actually a friend’s home where I was staying during one of my vacations.  I was sitting near the sliding doors of the train and there were these young asians (2 guys and 2 gals) standing beside the metal bar juz fronting the door.  They were talking among them but I could hear fractions of what they’re saying.  I collect that they were making comparisons between them and the locals.  One of them said (in their local language, happens to be mine too)…. “they (the locals) look good only because they’re whites, but actually they dress lousy.  We dress better than them.  They don’t really know how to put-on”… and I heard the other guy said… “oh yeah, and they don’t get in the shower much and they don’t look as smart as us, and…etc…etc…”.  Absurd!  There’s a part of my brain smiling silently with those comments.  Anyways…

 

 

4)    There goes my next hated people –  The feeling-best-of-the-bunch type.   If you care to know –  they were talking about those people from (one of) the fashion capital of the world! Hellawww!  Good thing they got off at the next station, as my ears were starting to bleed.  If only the locals would understand their trash talks, I bet they would end up lashed out onto the train tracks. I bet they have not realized how many people from the slums back home who can’t even buy a pair of neat jeans and shirts, much more those chic and trendy get ups which are conventional around that place?  Nerve-wracking! Ask me what they’re sporting?  …. The poverty’s luxury brand (I won’t mention the brand names but here’s a hint) starts with the letter G and ends with O, and the other is a 3-word brand that starts with U and the third word ends with the letter N…go figure!  …and pairs of factory overrun jeans that was hollowed out of the huge pile of ukay-ukay somewhere in Pasay or Binondo.   To be honest, I also have some of those (not the ukay-ukay though), but ain’t the type who does judgment ending up with “me” or my people as the greater ones.  I know where I came from or where I stand.  Pays to be modest at most times.

 

So…. A tuperware party for people like yoooooooooooo.   Update soon…

Antisocial …blah…blah…

 

That antisocial term that was coined to me by my newly-adopted-cuz-I-don’t-have-a-damned-choice-friend “Miguel” is indeed an overstatement. 

 

Can’t recall how many times he threw the word at me and it’s getting into my spastic nerves that makes me wanna puke!  …. that’s a damned serious accusation…..!

 

Hmmm… okey, what does the term means anyway?

 

The English Thesaurus gave the word the following meaning:

 

“…unsociable, unfriendly, disagreeable, shy, disruptive, rebellious, harmful, inconsiderable, selfish…” 

 

..hey, am none of those…………..well…errrrr…. not absolutely though. 

 

Okey, am shy at times, but definitely harmless and positively selfless. There’s no way either that I am unsociable… I would rather say, am cautious or a bit selective for practical and personal reason.

 

There may be times or as a rule of thumb, I don’t like wasting my time with nonsense talks – unless… am having a heck of a fun – or meeting and discussing topics with people that do not really interest me or I don’t have common ground with the other party, much less joining groups that I find to be having unreasonable causes or f*&king agenda..

 

You see Miguel, my dear accidental-friend, compelling myself in establishing alliance with people that I found to be not sharing the same interest or discussing stuff that I don’t really enjoy or me talking about things that they’re not interested in, do you really seriously think that we would click?   Much less, those people I find to be hideous?

 

Not that I don’t have a genuine interest in people, I do, juz that most of the people around us nowadays aren’t genuine enough to spark an interest. But that doesn’t mean that I am anti-social.  You see, if I am, why the hell am I establishing acquaintances with people I’m meeting during those tiring “moving-around”  who until now are actively keeping in touch?  They interest me.  Why do some people we know keeps on calling (pestering is the right term perhaps) and keeps on hanging around (to my concealed disgust).

Guess, the one thing that makes you feel that I am an antisocial is the visible “borderline” that I always draw on each people and whose size varies from person to person. 

 

It’s what I call “private personal fences” that wards off unwanted entities from invading my private hidden hell.  I guess, most of us have it, happens that mine is very visible.  Like you always say.. “true friends stabs you upfront, fake ones stabs you at your back”.

 

And juz as my buddy Morissey S. said “…why do I smile to people who I’d much rather kick in the eye…”.

 

But for the record, I have several friends and countless acquaintances – that I would prove to be successful in a networking enterprise if ever I embark into one. And to be honest, I have some other factors that influences my belief about social limitations. 

 

For one, I want to maintain a certain degree of privacy… am sure Miguelito mi umpukito, that you have an inkling on this. Having said that, I assure you that I am certainly not an antisocial ….per se. 

 

Consider it –  having some degree of fussiness at a very negligible level and it’s imbedded in my DNA …. commencing at the time of conception, yet, reasonable at that.

 

K.A.P.I.S.H