In someone else's shoes.

My classes started a few days ago and I think it would be a good term for me to really focus on my studies. This term, I promise to be more outspoken and to report and present better in class. I remember when I was in High School I wouldn't even participate in Class Recitations and I would not go to class if I was to present something but now, I guess I'm different and better - I'm actually loving it. Maybe I learned to overcome fears.

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I always like imagining myself in someone's shoes, delving especially with what they're thinking. I can imagine myself as a vagrant psychotic (Pinoys: Mga Taong Grasa at Baliw na matatagpuan sa Kalye), sometimes beggars, train operators, professors, kids, computers, and even animals. I call myself half crazy for a purpose.

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Yesterday, I was at the Bookstore and was looking for a good book to buy but there's this couple who were totally blocking a book shelf for Fiction. It seems like they were flirting with each other. I roamed around a bit then I went back cos I wanna check the book shelf behind them. The girl was eye-ing me now. So I pretended to check the opposite book shelf. This probably went on in the girl's mind or they noticed and talked about me already.

"This girl is probably eavesdropping on our conversation. What a bitch. She should just go to other aisles and check out the books there instead of lingering in here." the girl thought.

"As I was saying, I'm feeling a little lonely tonight, wanna come over and have some dinner?" The boy actually said.

Then the girl snapped back to reality and answered the guy's invitation. I'm not really interested with what they're saying, just the books behind them. True story. Besides, the Bookstore is not a place for flirting.

I got The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon, if you're interested. Great book, by the way.

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I was in my Cognitive Psychology class. The Professor was talking about how he dislikes books when he was young but a friend got him hooked to reading. So he started telling us about the book's plot that got him hooked. A classmate yawned and crossed his arms.

"Blah, blah, blah. I thought he doesn't like books but it's not a good ending after all cos he learned to love them. I can't seem to wrap my mind around the concept of books. Ah well, I'm graduating 3 months from now, I made it without reading 10 pages straight. I can make it to the corporate world without that." the boy thought and confirmed a minute after the Professor finished sharing.

Teach them to read while they're still young!

Really, what's wrong with people my age today. Learn to read books. Did you know that a person who reads 15 minutes a day is smarter than a student who goes to a school for a year? And if you combine a person who goes to school and reads 15 minutes or more a day, you got yourself an ideal member of the population.

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I was at the Jeep (Filipino mode of transportation, left from World War II American Tanks and other machinery) yesterday. Red light. A couple of kids went up the jeep, handed envelopes around, asking for money.

"These kids are annoying and dirty. Their skin touched with mine. I'm gonna have to take a full bath later." a passenger thought. Which I think what probably went on her mind as she took out her handkerchief and wiped the skin the kid's skin touched.

"Where are their parents?" another one thought.

"Am I gonna give them a few coins or what? Are they gonna use it to buy food or just some rugby or solvent that they sniff cos they got addicted in it?" this was one of the passengers was thinking cos she was counting her coins and appeared to be thinking.

"HEY YOU, KIDS! OUT!" The driver bellowed.

When I'm in the mood and I got an extra change, I give a few coins. When I'm in a sour mood, I ignore them instead cos well, they're annoying and it happens everyday. My conscience wrestles with me and says, "They don't have anything you got. Spare them a few coins. What's important is you helped them, it's up to them what they would do with it. At least you did your part."

Please, whoever is in charge in Paco, get rid of these kids in the streets to avoid accidents and irritation. Put them in Welfare or give them Housing.

***

So what about you, have you encountered any weird situations on a Library or a Bookstore?

Do you read books, why?

Have you seen street children before in your area?

Pictures are not mine.

Much Love,
HalfCrazy

Too young to feel this old.

I feel young and old at the same time.

Young because I get to do things like partying until dawn, going to places here and there, meeting loads of new people, and getting to try new things. While I'm still young, I gotta try everything within my reach, of course with knowledge of what's good and bad, and a good set of principles.

Old because at my age, it seems like I haven't done anything at all, like I haven't achieved anything. Time goes by and I'm not getting any younger. I'm studying Psychology in College, I get pretty good marks and my Professors say I'm good at this and that, even offered me good opportunities to participate in this and that.

But somehow, it's just not enough. I feel fine but I can't say I'm totally happy.

Or maybe it's just because of the hot weather and I got nothing to do.

What about you, do you feel old or do you feel young? Maybe both?

***

After much coaxing and a little bit of sulking, my Dad already allowed me to go to Tagaytay this Sunday! I'll be bringing back tales of adventures and lots of pictures, of course. See y'all in 3 days and 2 nights. In the meantime, keep my blog bustling with activity, ya hear?

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P.S., I just got back from the trip. Photos in 30-40 hours! :) This post would have to suffice until then! Thanks for still commenting even though I'm away! Back to the daily grind in a while!

Much Love,
HalfCrazy