Atypical Wanderer

I don't know why but quite a number of my friends willingly open up to me about their love relationship without me asking. Some are married while others are not.  To the friends who are married, I usually just listen to their stories. I don't give opinions. I just listen. Maybe because they are normal marriage problems and do not involve any kind of abuse that requires my intervention. And I do not want to cause more issues in their marriage just because I give my two cents in that matter.  However, it is a bit different with my unmarried friends who share their stories and hope for my advice in return. The problems are mostly about how the men treat them badly but they still choose to stay because of ... love. Truth be told, I don't really like to get involved in this kind of relationship. But thinking that my friends are in need of me, I try to be there for them. I might be quietly listening most of the time but my heart hurts and my inner voice keeps asking questions...

............ She hates it. She hates it when it comes the moment when the daily "What are you doing?" or "I miss you" become awkward. She hates it when the long messages before becomes a forceful short answers now. She hates it when she wants to talk but doesn't know what to talk about. She hates it when she worries if she's a being a nuisance. She hates it when she wonders if they still care.  She hates it when all she can hear from the other side now is only silence.  .............

The idea of giving back always intrigues many of us. It is not necessarily that we give back to people who first give to us, but giving something that we might buy ourselves to other hands once we do not need them anymore is also a kind of giving back I suppose; we are giving the things another chance to 'live' and 'serve' the new keeper.  It was always a sad thing to see when I was at school or university that students happily threw away their notes once the examination was finished. They threw them high up from the two-storey building to the ground below and while watching them falling they screamed and laughed hysterically because the one-semester burden was no longer a load they needed to carry. They did not care whether they might need them one day. They did not care if there were possibilities they had to repeat taking the exams again. All they care about was the pleasure of being free from the responsibility that the notes 'demand' of them.  I do...

Go Set a Watchman was the second book from Harper Lee that I read (considering she just published two books in her entire life, so this was surely the last book from her I could get my hands on). Originally, I was to read this book first before To Kill the Mockingbird because I just bought the book and the mere fact that the book is basically mine while the   Mockingbird is my brother's. Then, my brother said that Go Set a Watchman was considered a lacklustre piece from the well-known Lee and that she should not have published it at all. I asked him had he read the Watchman but he said no; he just read others' reviews on the net (that's my bro, you just don't know what he reads). Thankfully, I read the Mockingbird first because the Watchman is a continuity from the Mockingbird (though Watchman was initially the draft of the Mockingbird . Well it's pretty confusing so mind yourself to check it on many websites that talk about these books). The pro...

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy ... they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." - Maudie Atkinson To Kill a Mockingbird was my third classics this year and it was as brilliant as my two former reads (I wish to keep the two books to myself ahem). This novel shows childhood innocence and curiosity at its best through the two main characters, Jean Louise Finch, or more often called as Scout, and his brother, Jeremy Atticus Finch or Jem. Jem was older by a few years from Scout, hence explained his more mature thinking and actions, making him sometimes more like a teacher to his sister than just a brother. Although I found Jem's changes of attitude as he went through his puberty a little annoying at times, it was impossible to hate him entirely because he still showed his loving quality especially towards Scout and how he was becoming more like a wise man like...

September had been quite a productive and good month for me. And to end the month reading this book was a choice well made. After Walking the Nile , I kind of said to myself, "This guy can write.". And after Walking the Americas , I must say that this man here is quite a storyteller. Lev had taught me, through his four months of walking expedition, that you need a good company to travel. Without one, any unforeseen situation can seem almost unbearable to take in. Alberto, the friend that he chose to walk with him, did not only add humour to the story hence making it fun to read, he was also quite knowledgeable about the history of some places that they had to pass through. He was quite cheerful about the prospect of taking on the adventure when Lev had proposed it to him since it was the first for him. However, as the story progressed, I realised, and Alberto realised it even better, that the journey was not an easy feat. Even the most positive person can turn out to ...

"You don't know love," they said. Maybe I don't know the love that they were meaning to associate. But, I think I know love. I had two great loves before. Not with boys, of course ahem, but with my best girl friends (note that I'm completely a straight person so don't misunderstand me haha). I met Ina at a five-day science camp when I was fourteen. We were roommates for that period of time. We were from different schools so we never met before. I am the type of person that can hardly get close to anyone in a very short time. But, I don't know. With Ina, I could 'click' with her so very well. I don't really remember the details of our friendship development so it is hard to tell how we could get along so well. One thing for sure, in reference to almost all my relationships/friendships with people, she made the move first. I always thought she was special; the sight of her made me extremely happy, her presence made me (who prefers to not...

I usually refrain myself from reading this kind of book, the kind that makes life and people seem so not right and it only seems that I just need to care only about myself. I still have about 16 pages left to read but can't fight the urge to start writing how I feel about this book.  Does this book change my view about psychology book? Well, sadly not much. I still think that this book (and the kinds) is not my cup of tea. Can we really read people like book? Are people that simple to be read? I still doubt these. After reading this book (though still having 16 pages left to read), I can conclude that the writer suggests us to not feel anything or to easily judge people from what the eyes can see; we can't feel bad if someone deceives us ( "How about not feeling bad, and just not do whatever it was again?" ) and if someone doesn't look you in the eyes when both of you are conversing, then he is a dishonest person ( "Honest people do not avoid eye ...

I can always relate to the characters in the dramas that I watch - the kind of people who are often being taken advantage of because people around them think they can easily be intimidated, the kind of people that have to try really hard at work because they don't know to kiss other people's butts and the kind of people that can't say 'no' to any requests for help because then things will be hard at work.  Their kindness just make people want to make them do more, sometimes the things that are being asked for are just for their own personal interests. For example, you work as an accountant but you are also gifted to draw people well. Or maybe you are just a freelance artist that tries to make a living by selling your pieces while you wait to land a permanent job. One of your colleagues or friends know about your talent and ask you to draw his portrait for free. Then, the next week he asks for another two portraits. Also for free. Ohh... have I mentioned the req...

Today, I sat alone at a corner of the cafeteria. This was not an usual thing for me to do. I love to be at secluded places, hidden from people. People tire me out. And I wanted to figure out the reason. At a small space, People are chattering away, With their voices raised to be heard, As the people like to talk too much, I wonder if they also listen? The chit chatting went on like forever. Some had been sitting at the table for quite some time; the empty glasses on the table proved it. They didn't even bother to give up the seats to the people who were to have their lunch. I look around the cafe, I see all of the different faces, Some are familiar, Some are not. They talk and talk and talk. With their loud voices, I wonder if we have to be loud, In order to be heard?