College Life 6

After class I aimlessly strolled along the snowy path. The snow at this point was mostly cleared away, finding icy spots here and there. As usual the weather was unpleasant yet as long as you had your warm goods you were fine. Careful not to slip, I walked at a steady pace with my air force ones, leaving each step with the sound of a crunch whenever I stepped on snow. 

Crunch! Crunch! 

No other sound would be heard. Occasional planes soaring and the monotonous heaters in the buildings. It was surprisingly quiet, almost too quiet for a college campus. I sat down on a bench and stared at the sky. It was a cloudy day with no hint of the sun. I dug my hands in my pockets and started to hum the opening of Spitz's Cherry. Being alone is such a lonely feeling, yet we still do it. Not like we have a choice. 

I felt a presence. Someone walked by me. No, more like sat next to me. It was my friend. The one who I usually didn't see often yet still chatted from time to time whenever we bumped into each other. He took one glance at me and tried to follow where I was looking. Seeming to fail, he squinted his eyes and sighed. 

"Not a great day," he said. 

I stared at the gymnasium at a distance. "Yup. No sign of the sun."

He brought out a cigarette from his pocket, pursed it between his lips, and lit one up. He gave me the gesture whether or not I wanted one but I declined. The smoke billowed in the air like a spirit. 

"Why are you out here in the cold," he asked. 

"To be honest, I really don't know."

"You don't know why you are freezing your ass off," he laughed. "Gotta have a reason."

I looked at him and back at the sky. "Nope," I said. "But if I had to say something it's probably because I can get some fresh air."

"Fresh air.." He nodded without seeming to need any more explanation. An oh-okay-interesting kind of face. He puffed a few more times, exhaled, and threw the cigarette on the snowy asphalt. The smoke died instantly. Around us the leaves from the trees were all gone as all was left were thin, intricate lines of branches sticking up in the air. Naked trees. 

"You might not give a damn, but I'm performing," he said. 

"Where?"

"Here. In the theater. Next week. Let me know if you're interested. Gotta full band behind my back."

I nodded. "Sounds rad."

"You seeing anybody lately?"

"Nope," I responded. "Not as of now."

He slapped my shoulder. "Gotta step up your game. They aren't aliens you know. They're just like you and I except they have more feelings."

I laughed. "I like to take my time."

"Whatever you say. Update me whenever."

And just like that he left. 

I went back to the girls suite as they kindly fixed me some Japanese green tea. feels like home LOL 

College Life 5

My friend and I ate lunch at the dining hall. He was a few years older than me. Disappointed that they didn't have anything mouth-watering, we both got whatever we thought was decent. I scooped up some rice and a sandwich and an apple. He made himself a pancake. Neither of us found the food satisfying.

"What a great meal," he said.

"You tell me."

Evening came as we were about to chill and play some pool. The sky was dark, the weather was extremely cold, my hands dug deep inside my pockets as the chilly and bitter-cold wind hit our faces. It was so cold that I cried. The entrance was blocked due to construction so we ended up having to go around the long way, finding out for the first time that there was a playground nestled within the college. It was a nursery. 

All that effort was for nothing as the place was closed. 

Frustrated and cold as hell, we ran to Starbucks. I got myself a vanilla latte while he just sat down recovering from the bitter cold. I pulled out a bag of honey roasted pretzels from my pocket and ate them. After a while he pulled out his laptop and started to roam around Facebook. As one could easily predict, we talked about girls. 

"Sean man you are a really popular dude. Show me some girls." 

"I am not that popular," I hated to admit, but I really wasn't. Yet I typed down a name and showed him a picture. 

"Daaamn," he said. 

I just sat there, observing the picture. Her hair in the picture was incredibly attractive. 

"You know," he began. "I'm really up to doing something crazy this semester.. something that I would never do."

"I agree with you on that!" I laughed. 

We knuckle-fived each other.

"College is all about living the life," he continued. "It's the only time where you can do that and nobody would give a damn about it."

"Uh-huh," I took a sip of my latte. 

"Gotta live the moment."

"Gotta live the moment," I repeated his words.

I went to my friend's suite the other day. The suite consisted of four sophomore girls. I was sitting in the corner, one of them kneeling beside me as we nibbled on Asian pears that she kindly cut into pieces. Right after, she brought us a bowl of edamame and a bag of flat pretzel chips. 

"So how did the whole roommate thing go?" she said. I got a new roommate after my previous roommate transferred. Apparently the first day I had to testify at the University Police after the new roommate triggered the fire alarm. Never did I expect to get involved in such ludicrous incidents. Last semester it was me who triggered the fire alarm in the first day after the shower handle accidentally got stuck on warm, the steam looming towards the sensors. But this time it was a foolish act done by two of the new suite mates. 

Me, along with the other person's roommate, testified. It was past midnight. I was shortly sent to the police station via the police car. 

"Get in the passenger seat?" I said. 

"You don't get to sit there," he replied coldly and immediately while shaking his head. "You're gonna have to get in the back. It's open."

When I climbed in the back seat I was cold, terrified, and my heart was literally pounding. Even though I was only going to write a brief statement I still felt scared just being in the backseat of a police car. The first time in my life. My legs could not extend at all, as they were bent. Feet pointing in one direction, kind of leaned to the side. 

"You're a freshman?" the officer said, backing up.

"Yeah," I somehow said. 

"Been to this college before?"

"Since last semester," I said. I didn't know if I was shivering because I was cold or because I was frightened. Then again it was around the teens and all I had on was a hoodie with a jacket, no gloves, no scarf, no hat. 

The place was within the campus so it was a quick drive. About five minutes. The room was bare, seeming as if there was no consideration for interior decoration. We were taken to a small room, which was also bare. Everything was operated under card sensors. A high tech office. On the bare table was a bare telephone set. The officers brought us shortly the sheet as we were instructed on what to do: to write down exactly what we saw in chronological order. I made sure to choose the right words and wrote down what happened and what I saw based on my observations. After all it all depended on me to take note of what I saw. About ten minutes later they came to collect our sheets. I signed and submitted. Felt like I was part of the case now. A witness, that's what I was. 

"Well I went on a police car," I said to her. 

"I've been on a police car before," she said. "Not pleasant at all."

"Not pleasant at all," I repeated. "I hate the fact that I have to be involved in this crap. I didn't even do anything. These people should know better."

She nodded, chewing on the Asian pear. Then she smiled at me.

I visited this suite often as we usually just chat and play games. Mao and Uno. Mao was a game that I utterly loathed as it made me more and more frustrated as the game progressed. Though from time to time, hanging out at this suite was something I need. I am in need of this as it relieved the tension I had from time to time. Maybe it was the fact that the suite was much cleaner and nicer, but somehow a girl's suite seemed to be more peaceful. No drugs, no commotions, no reason to get involved with the police. 

No pants subway lol

saturday stroll

It was a rather decent yet cold day as we were aimlessly walking along the street. It was January 12th; 11 days after new years. The holiday season came to a close as the remnants of decorations were hung up along some stores. Christmas festivities seemed to have no value anymore. The spirit was looming away as the days kept going. A large Christmas tree with ornaments was still taking up the center of the mall. Perhaps the maintenance either were too lazy to take it away or wanted to keep the holiday spirit a little longer.

I haven't met up with the girl since the summer of '12 thus we had a number of things to catch up about each other. We strolled around town having nothing on our agenda. As usual a hoard of pedestrians were shopping for groceries and loitering around alleys. A group of elderly individuals were passing out SAT lesson and massage parlor flyers every other block. Up towards the sky the roaring engines of the Boeing and McDonnell Douglas airplanes echoed throughout the sky. The girl observed a flock of birds soaring in circles as if that was their routine exercise.  Back on ground there was a traffic jam as infuriated drivers were honking their horns in a perpetual fashion.

After we had a quick lunch and talked about our lives, we came to a slow halt in the street.

"Today was fun," she said. "But let's think of something to do next time".
"Let's plan for next time," I smiled, but knowing that it failed, I stopped.

We waved and said our see yas. It took a while for us to go our own directions. She stared at me for the longest time, so long that I forgot what I just said. Yet finally we walked away. Seconds later I looked back and lost sight of her as more and more pedestrians passed by me.
---------------------------------

By the way, happy birthday mom.

Sparring

First competitive sparring class in a while. Feels nice training with elite US Open athletes, yet I am afraid of the fact that I will most definitely be sore the first thing I wake up tomorrow. A number of bruises LOL.

Murakami's 1Q84

A brilliant read from start to finish. Murakami's massive novel 1Q84 is a riveting, haunting novel on the perplexities of love and longing. We humans, at some point in our lives, undoubtedly miss a significant other that we have not seen for a long, long time. And as we do not see that significant other, we start to unconsciously fall into a world contrary to reality and can do nothing but hope and long to see that person. At the same time, it is important that the person who is being missed also longs for that person. Until those two bond again, be it years or decades, they will never be able to transcend back to reality.

Thus is my vague concept of 1Q84. Aomame and Tengo.

Honestly it took me about a year and a few months to read the whole entire novel because of school and all. A good read.

New Years dinner