This complex concept has been developed over the past week. The brilliant idea of haiku-ing it was spontaneous. As in, I decided to do it after I decided to write this post.
When one Google's random questions, the most inane debates become apparent.
This has sort of been on the edge of my consciousness for a while now, but what really brought the inanity of it all to my attention was my Googling of the following question the other day:
Should one always wear a belt with a suit?
Seemingly a mundane, trivial, and, dare I say it, not all too game-changing a question.
From the way people go on about it though, you'd think it was something of global significance.
You have two distinct camps of people. Those who think that belt loops should always be filled, and those that think that a belt ruins the clean, continuous lines of a suit.
Within these two groups, there are further divergences e.g. suspenders, no belt loops, get proper-fitting pants. I'm not going to bore you with details. You can always Google the debate yourself.
The point, in the absence of anything approaching one in this post, is that any topic that you deign to research throws up a plethora of opinions. It's just interesting to see how strongly people feel about such obscure topics. (They did feel strongly. There was mud-slinging, name-calling, and categorisation flying all over the place).
Anyway, I've decided to go beltless for the time being until either (a) I find a belt to my liking, within a reasonable price range, or (b) somebody tells me that I forgot to put on my belt. Ideally, I'd get rid of the belt loops, but I'm not that rich, hence the lack of belt. A prime example of a vicious cycle of pain and anguish.
I figure that whether or not somebody tells you you've forgotten your belt depends heavily on how the rest of you looks. You know, shirt, tie, the cut of your suit. I'm relying on relative well-cutness of my clothing to get me through this. In any event, it'll be an interesting social experiment. Actually, it may not be a social experiment. Just an experiment then.
Is there a better sight known to the human race than a car driving by with a dog hanging its head of a window, with its eyes squinted against the inevitable wind?
It's best when the dog in question has lots of long fur about the face. (Credit: here)
Irene's 21st on Friday night really compounded my hatred for this 'song':
I already had pre-conceived hatred towards it, mostly because it's stupid, inane, repetitive, ear-hurting, and stupid.
Friday night took it to a whole new level, because it was only then that I grasped the full import of the song's power.
It makes it mandatory for everyone to shuffle. Everyone. At the same time.
Of course, poor little me can't shuffle. Well, I can't do many things. Including dancing. Except maybe a moonwalk, and Usher twirling. And then, only in socks.
So yeah, I can't shuffle.
And, of couse, I just happen to be friends with super talented people like Zara, who, of course, can shuffle, and everything else, and whatnot. While I flail around like some kind of Official-Pokemon-League-cap-wearing fish on dry land. Ironically, kind of like a certain type of Pokemon.
Me: I flail at dancing. And many other things besides.
Yeah.
Good times though. Oddly enough, one of the better twenty-firsts that I've been to, despite the fact that I pretty much didn't know anybody that I talked to there apart from Zara (and sort of John Razos, who came dressed as a 90s auditor. Good old John Razos). It may have been the 90s-style costumes, it may have been the company (such that it was), or the ambience of the place. The hallowed complex where I also had my 21st, albeit in the inferior room. Or maybe it's because one high-quality companion is equivalent to many mediocre ones.
Also, Pikachu plushie is a good wingman. Or, at least, conversation starter.
"So, I heard you like the Pokemons?"
"Evidently."
"How good was [insert appropriate colour of choice] version? Ah, those were the days. Wait, I still play."
An interesting thought just occurred to me while I lay here flinging a variety of virtual avian fowls at a miasma of assorted objects.
Well, more accurately, I just recalled an interesting thought that I've been harbouring in my brain for a while.
We all know girls (or maybe even guys) that always set really strict criteria for what they perceive to be absolutely essential in a member of the opposite sex in order for them to be attracted to said person.
What I find most interesting about this is how often these criteria are fulfilled, even to a mild extent.
Take, for example, one of my friends. Either implied, or through explicit statement, a guy she would consider going out with would have to be:
1. Awesome at life i.e. working in a Big 4 accounting firm or a law firm of similar standing (her words, not mine)
2. Hot
3. Not from the west side
4. Pretty much just be awesome.
The guy she's now dating, and has been for a while, fulfils maybe Number 2. Probably the most subjective criterion there.
There is no meaning to what I'm writing right now. They're just submerged random thoughts emerging to the fore during some midnight thinking.
But I do find it interesting how people often persist with these 'criteria', despite the evident uselessness of them.
They're pretty fun to come up with, but not really the most productive use of time. They're more of an idealistic representation of what we would like that special person to be. Someone that we will probably never meet.
And that's probably for the better. It seems to me that people can learn a lot through learning to cope with other people's faults, which might then help them identify and rectify their own.
Through this inane discussion of nothing much, it has also become apparent to me how love transcends all barriers. Even though we often attempt to construct materialistic, vain, arbitrary barriers in an attempt to stagnate its progress, it almost always manages to surpass these constricting ties.
In the words of my t-shirt, "True love will find you in the end."
It has just occurred to me that I neglected to mention a very important, and very enjoyable, part of my time so far at uni.
Roadtrips!
We had so much fun on them. So much so that we ended up discussing how awesome it would be if we could do them when we're 50, with various responsibilities and stuff. I hope we can.
You may ask why it randomly came to me just now.
Well, thanks for asking. It came to me because I was playing Fruit Ninja, jogging my memory of last summer's roadtrip, where four or five of us sat around playing Fruit Ninja at any one time. Oh, the things we do when we're young and foolish.
Also, it's remarkable how silly little things like that can take you back in time.
Unlike this U2 song, who are very certain that they're still looking for what they're looking for, I'm half-certain that I have found what I'm looking for.
I already know what I look for in friends and in girls (not always mutually exclusive).
I think I now know what I'm looking for in my life.
Balance. Lame, I know, but let me explain.
I have a vision. I want to save up, buy a house relatively soonish. However, I will also endeavour not to put all my money towards it. I will still try to live life, because life is for living. However, the house bit is very important. Because I believe that life will become quite a bit easier with a house.
If that's not very clear, it's because I'm exhausting all my English skills on job applications. If that seems like a poor excuse, it's because it is. On that note, I'm going to do more job applications.
I wish I had the gumption to tell the girl of my dreams that I like her.
Nah, not really. I just wanted to use 'gumption' somewhere. Best word ever.
Well, I do wish I did have the aforementioned gumption. But that's neither here nor there, because, at present, I don't really have a girl of my dreams.
I wish this post had a proper purpose, apart from allowing me to use 'gumption' in a post, but the truth is, it doesn't. All I really want to say right now is that I find it slightly ironic how I've mostly been bumming around, not doing very much, for the past two or so months, and right about now it seems like I'm running out of time to do stuff. Oh dear.
This reminds me of something. Possibly uni. Or many other situations in life.
Currently listening to: Twentysomething by Jamie Cullum Word of the Day: Gumption
I was informed by Marie, the French exchange student that Sarah has staying over, that in France, they call the World Cup...
...wait for it...
...this is so momentous it deserves a proper set-up...
"Le World Cup!"
Said, of course, with the requisite French accent. World-changing, that bit of information. You know, I don't really want to be going "Le Coup de Monde" every time I speak to a French person about the World Cup.
Speaking of accents, how funny is that Ronaldo ad? I don't know why. His accent is just funny. The first thing that strikes me (har har) is his pronunciation of places. Or, as he says it, play-cez. Here it is here, in all its glory.
I also love how he says "so do I" and "liquid engineering". "So-doh-why." "Likwud engineerink." Gotta love the guy. An arrogant, self-important, antagonistic, ball-hogging guy, but a joy to watch. The Premier League is a lot less exciting without him.
And speaking of French, a real pity about how the French team went out. Such a talent-laden team, ruined by in-fighting and politics. The would've done really well if they'd actually functioned as a unit.
And here we sit, on the eve of Australia's do-or-die match. Yes, the Ghana one was do-or-die. But this one is really do-or-die. Personally, I think 'die' is a bit intense. Having said that, it does promise to be a great morning (early, early morning at that too) of football, as so much can happen, and so much is dependent on what happens simultaneously in the other game. I love how people are talking about it as though Serbia are just waiting to be beaten, and it just depends on how much we beat them by.
Serbia, just at first glance, have one of the best defences going around. Just Vidic and Ivanovic alone would constitute a top defence. And the other two apparently aren't shabby either. One's going to Real Madrid, the other is apparently wanted at several awesome clubs too. Oh, and they also beat Germany, something which we failed to do.
However, as I have seen far too many times over the years, football is a crazy game. I've just realised at this moment how many random completely unexpected moments I've actually witnessed, and I don't even watch it on TV all that often. Arsenal v Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals second leg a few years back. Arsenal taking a one-goal lead at the Nou Camp, and subsequently getting destroyed by Messi. Wigan beating Arsenal at the tail-end of last season. Australia managing a draw with Croatia last World Cup. Chelsea getting knocked out by Barca in virtually the last minute of their second leg Champions League semi-final game. Kevin Muscat, the guy who never, ever misses a penalty, missing a penalty in the A-League Grand Final. Cronaldo, the guy who almost never, ever misses penalties, missing the Champions Leageu final.
The point is, anything can happen, and I believe that something crazy may just happen tomorrow. Yes, the odds are in favour of Australia losing regardless of what happens in the other game, but this is football, and part of its beauty is that the unexpected happens all the time.
The original of this song is a bit sugary for my liking, and I don't like the guy's voice. This Amy girl actually makes this song better. I aspire to be like her.
This one too. I've never been much of a Katy Perry fan, but I might obtain this song now.
You get so much choice. Advanced Whitening. Triple Stripe. That's just two. There are millions more. I just won't list them here, mainly because I've forgotten the rest.
But the point is, I've always wondered: say you choose Advanced Whitening, doesn't that mean you lose the advantages of Triple Stripe? And vice versa? Does that mean you should brush your teeth with both, one after the other? And a third one, if you have it?
What bizarre (and pointless) thoughts I get sometimes.
Good to know that at least one of the teams I support is looking a good bet for the title. Arsenal are now top of the Premier League for the first time since probably the first game of the season. Sounds like another typical score-more-than-we-concede type performance, but nobody's complaining. Well, nobody except the fans of the other 19 teams. Good work boys.
Anyway, I'd like to reflect upon something. Yes, another random though occurred to me, when I'd be much better of studying or something.
Jealousy. Yes, I do feel it sometimes, although I am quite good at covering it up. Or I think so anyway. It's a very irrational and all-consuming feeling most of the time, and I feel quite ashamed of being jealous almost directly after feeling it. Most of the time I can't even pinpoint a root cause.
Anyway, that not-very-important thought aside, things are starting to look on the up again. Less of my friends are peeved at me now, as we have resolved our perceived issues. I'm not tooooo far behind my studies, some of the Accounting firms actually like me, and I'm going out to lunch with the James this arvo, plus some randoms. Hopefully they're pretty, funny, nice and generally awesome. Yep, sometimes I can be way too optimistic. It's sickening.
I'm feeling an acute sense of rejection right now.
Maybe that's just how the rejector normally behaves. I have no idea anymore.
Now that I've gotten that out there, I can (try) to get back to doing something constructive, instead of having this weigh on my mind.
Word of the Day: Reject
*Half an hour later update*
Defying my promise to do something constructive, I found an awesome song on YouTube. Legend by name, legend by nature.
I think I heard this song once before, but I found it again on a whim. I have no idea why. It just seemed like the right thing to do in accordance with my mood.
Yes, I'm currently listening to a song on the radio called 'Lie down here and be my girl.'
Why, you may ask.
That is a good question. And I would answer you, except I've been sworn to secrecy. So I can't tell you. Sorry. But that's life.
Come to think of it, I have no idea why I've been sworn to secrecy. But that's life too. One can't understand everything.
Like, for example, why the hell jury duty has been cancelled.
They told me that they postponed it yesterday, then today they tell me it's cancelled altogether. Great organisational skills, whoever's in charge of these things.
Over the last couple of days, due to increasing amounts of time being holed up in my room, I've come to the realisation that I could live in my room, without ever leaving it, for at least three days.
I have a laptop with Wi-Fi, so I can stay connected to the outside world. I have a mobile phone, so I can stay connected to the outside world in a less nerdy way. I have a charger for said mobile phone, so I don't run out of power when communicating with the outside world. There's a PSP AND a DS, both of which I can download games for from the Internet on my laptop. I can even watch TV on my laptop, like I was doing last night. I have massive speakers, which I can hook up to my laptop or iPod, and fulfill my music needs when I don't want to communicate with the outside world, or when I'm watching TV. On the floor, there are about five soccer balls, two decks of playing cards, a shelf of Lego, and stacks of novels. There is a clarinet and a guitar. Just so that I don't run out of steam on either of these, I have about six guitar picks and about a years supply of reeds.
I even have food in my room, although this is due to the fact that I use two bags for uni, so when I switch I forget to take them out, then I pack too many the next time I use it, so I take them out, etc. I think I may even have a bottle of water under the bed, although cardiac arrest could occur if I were to drink from it. I can even study in my room, as all my textbooks and whatnot are right here. As for bathroom needs...well, there's a big window there leading out to the garden...
All this is fine. I could hole myself up in my room for a week, nay a month. But the thing that I can't get in my room, one thing that I can't fulfill, which I have also discovered this week, is human company. I don't know why. I'm not even that social a person. But I guess I'm only not so social around people I don't know. But I like seeing people that I do know and like on a regular basis. A week is far too long a time without exterior contact, which is exactly what's going on. So in a way, I'm looking forward to the exam tomorrow, because then at least I'll be able to see my homies.
On to the game last night. Just in case you've been living under a rock, don't possess any form of technology, have an IQ of below 50, or you're an AFL fan (snap), the Socceroos played Japan last night for bragging rights, as both of them were already qualified for next year's World Cup.
I must say that Japan has a better second-string team than Australia does. And Australia does, at times, defend terribly.
But we have Cahill.
When Cahill plays, Cahill delivers. He is the Australian Steven Gerrard. Who else scores two for you when you're a goal down?
Another standout player, in my opinion, was Nick Carle. Give him a couple of years, and he could really be something. He's the player that Australia's been missing for a while now. Someone with a bit of class, trickiness and touch. Alternatively, they could just put Isaac in the team. The other teams would just forfeit out of fear, because they know that no matter what they do, they cannot stop the inexorable might of Isaac.
