A: I miss you.
B: ok.
17 Apr 2009
when lacking the great, settle for the little... 3:59 am
...pleasures in life.
There are times when you catch yourself living a shell of a life, drifting, not thinking; its not bad, but its not terribly exciting either. I think I have been catching myself far too often like that of late.
That feeling is always there. That feeling I had throughout my younger days, and its still here now, that is when I'm not drifting. Its that feeling of wanting more than what you have. A desire for a I-don't-know-what-but-I-sure-want-it. Right. I made so much sense there.
But about small pleasures in life. Played football in the rain, had a short but heartfelt chat with a friend, a warm cup of hot chocolate in my elf-size room, then a warm shower. Small pleasures, but pleasures nonetheless. Not just the shower; its all of it.
Right. I'm rambling. You should some time too.
"if Warhol can do it, so can I."
| tiles, mirror, face, poster, glasses, lamp of Flat 25A |
16 Apr 2009
...safe in the dream of jazz. 11:39 pm
"Have you heard how Nat (King Cole) sings 'Unforgettable'? The sweet trance of romance in jazz. Sincere and pure. I'll rather stay safely in this dream than wonder beyond into reality where you have to take chances. And risk losing."
Uncle T
Uncle T
An excerpt from an email... 6:56 pm
I wrote an email to a dear friend about how I spent my Easter weekend. This is an excerpt from that email.
"Spent my Easter weekend at a seminary in Birmingham. I was hesitant to go on Maundy Thursday when the retreat actually started, mainly because of my 5,000 essay but also because it was a discernment weekend for the priesthood. It was kind of lovely that when I arrived Sat morning at the beautiful seminary (Oscott College, its online), I was the 'missing' 12th 'apostle' of the retreat. There were 12 of us.
Out of the 12, 10 have either signed up to be priests or are seriously considering. In that way, I felt like the odd one out. But similarly, I learnt so much. About the humility and power of God's call; met construction workers who felt the calling, and are far more educated in Church literature than I will ever be; boys who didn't do A Levels and read much more about God's word than I can only imagine; priests who dropped out for 8 years then came back in...it goes on.
It was a nice quiet weekend. I enjoyed it; time with Him is always good. Desperate to clear my life from filth that clouds my conscience. It is said that conscience is where God's voice resides. But once we allow the world's ways to clog it up, what we hear in our conscience is far from God's voice. So I'm working on that."
Uncle T
15 Apr 2009
I just can't help but smile...Travel differently perhaps? 10:14 pm
Bumped into a friend who visited Maroc (Morocco) alone as did I. And naturally, we spoke about Maroc fondly. I couldn't help but smile; thinking of the deserts, meeting people in oasis villages, fending off hasslers in the most amiable way possible in Marrakech and Fes...I can't help but smile.
Its not just Maroc. If you spoke to me about New York, I'll smile like a gleeful child talking about his 'special' role he got in the school play. Even Corsica. Perhaps its just the joy I derive from traveling to foreign cities/countries, and get to know them till some form of relationship is formed. No, not a relationship you build by visiting a place for 2 days, tick the checklist of attractions seen and move on. Its a relationship built by trying your earnest best in learning about the nation, about its peoples.
Are you satisfied with saying that you've visited 878,743 cities (this is a random number; don't crack your head thinking about it) rather than say you've got to know perhaps 3 cities very well? Well, if you are of the first kind, you might not want to read on. Because as the summer draws near, some of us may be traveling. I urge us all to get to know a place well before leaving it; and you won't know a place well enough to take away deep lasting memories if you spend 1-2 days.
I am not saying 1-2 days in a city is bad. I'm just urging you to move beyond a superficial tourist visit but stay a little longer to get at least a traveler's view; be welcomed into a local's home/shop/regular hang-out. If you have that urge to move from tourist to traveler, it takes guts. To get to know a city/place, you've got to open yourself up, be vulnerable, but in a sensible way. Only when you open up can the cultures and histories of the land you travel to touch you.
Think about it, even just for abit. As you plan your holidays/travels, think about:
- stay at a city longer
- staying where locals stay
- eating where locals eat
- travel alone
- get a local guide
- hitch-hike, even if its for a short distance
- anything else you can think of to get yourself out of your comfort zone, and closer to local-life.
That's just my view, but I believe a view worth considering. Do.
Uncle T
Its not just Maroc. If you spoke to me about New York, I'll smile like a gleeful child talking about his 'special' role he got in the school play. Even Corsica. Perhaps its just the joy I derive from traveling to foreign cities/countries, and get to know them till some form of relationship is formed. No, not a relationship you build by visiting a place for 2 days, tick the checklist of attractions seen and move on. Its a relationship built by trying your earnest best in learning about the nation, about its peoples.
Are you satisfied with saying that you've visited 878,743 cities (this is a random number; don't crack your head thinking about it) rather than say you've got to know perhaps 3 cities very well? Well, if you are of the first kind, you might not want to read on. Because as the summer draws near, some of us may be traveling. I urge us all to get to know a place well before leaving it; and you won't know a place well enough to take away deep lasting memories if you spend 1-2 days.
I am not saying 1-2 days in a city is bad. I'm just urging you to move beyond a superficial tourist visit but stay a little longer to get at least a traveler's view; be welcomed into a local's home/shop/regular hang-out. If you have that urge to move from tourist to traveler, it takes guts. To get to know a city/place, you've got to open yourself up, be vulnerable, but in a sensible way. Only when you open up can the cultures and histories of the land you travel to touch you.
Think about it, even just for abit. As you plan your holidays/travels, think about:
- stay at a city longer
- staying where locals stay
- eating where locals eat
- travel alone
- get a local guide
- hitch-hike, even if its for a short distance
- anything else you can think of to get yourself out of your comfort zone, and closer to local-life.
That's just my view, but I believe a view worth considering. Do.
Uncle T