things of little relevance

via Dan’s gmail

(Click for haha’s)

Jennie: that’s simply untrue.
there comes a point where you just have to say “no more.”
“someone will accept me.”

Is Jennie counseling me on

a) Boys

b) Internships

c) Academics

d) All of the above

The Rabbit series essentially saw me through puberty.

The NYTimes Sunday Magazine had an intriguing profile on Chinese author Yu Hua; his acute commentary on Chinese youth can easily be broadened to include American youth as well:

“Younger writers don’t like to see books that reveal the dark side of China; they live very comfortable lives; they don’t believe in the dark side of China; they are not even aware of the hundreds of millions of people still living in extreme poverty.”

“The problem is that the younger generation hasn’t lived through poverty, collectivism; it is lacking in restraint, its references are very few, the experience is so limited.”

“Earlier that day at his home he spoke of how his son, who has known only post-Mao China, would nevertheless witness extraordinary transformations in his own lifetime since the capitalist economy was bound to collapse. Yu barely looked out of his window as he said: “These young nationalists have no sense of ambivalence, no idea of life’s ambiguities. But when times are hard, their attitude will change, become more mature, and because capitalism in this form cannot go on in China, it has to end, those hard times will come soon.”

Hae-Joon:  do you think you could date someone who doesn’t share your values?
actually, i can’t ask you that – you won’t date someone who doesn’t watch rohmer

Daniel: shockingly this ingenious plan to take latin didnt work out

Pierce: lucy today was a truly remarkable day
me:  for the world or pierce stanley?
Pierce:  for the world
who cares about pierce stanley
the world comes first

me: quick
latin or chines
e
8:44 PM quick!!
Paul: latin
you know you want to take latin, but you feel ethnic guilt
me: yeah.
Paul: listen, I took french in high school, not spanish
I barely knew any spanish at that point
me: what about in college
Paul: spanish
but what Imm saying is, follow your intellectual gut?

“I am going to try harder to make things matter.”
-Joan Didon, The White Album

“what’s up Kate winslet in the reader” -Jamie on my current goal

Alongside Think About Life’s “What the future might be”

In my old age, instead of cats, I will have a harem of young boys reading to me.

Best e-mail:

“Which current pop hit references both Shakespeare and Nathaniel Hawthorne?”

(To be honest, I am no longer on top of my guilty pop gems. I only realized the answer after hearing the song while I was driving. A bit of wikipedia-ing shows that the singer herself penned the lyrics, thus I suspect that she mistakenly references Hawthorne. The lyrics aren’t nuanced enough to contain an underlying teen pregnancy tale.)

Best quotable:

“I was honest and told him, ‘I’ve made a lot of mistakes, this isn’t the last.’”

(What a universal caveat!)

me: i want to live life in a rohmer film
Paul: so does everyone!
me: where the dialogue is always provoking and people are just beautiful enough
Paul: who understands the reference
and there are no close-ups
and seasides

During my run this afternoon, I was thinking about how my life differed from Rohmer films, in which attractive—but not too much so—people sit around discussing relationships or lack thereof. Then I realized, maybe my life is kind of like a Rohmer film, but then I remember last Sunday, and nope my life will never be a Rohmer film.

The premise is actually pretty Rohmer-esque: the young college co-ed who babysits every Sunday, an older man admiring her from afar, he finally musters up the courage to confess his interest via a letter, etc. Well unfortunately, life has close-ups…

Almost every Sunday, I take the same route to babysitting and pass the same apartment buildings. I’m very much a creature of habit, this will soon change. This past Sunday, one of the doormen waved me down after I passed his building and handed me this letter. The following is a snippet (italics and bold his):

Hello pretty lady! How are you today? My name is [redacted]…You are so beautiful. I really love your style! I have admired you for some time now. So I just wanted to tell you that. I also was wondering if it would be possible for you and I to get to know each other over coffee or lunch. I also confess, that I do like beautiful and attractive Asian Women [sic] like you’re self [sic]. I just really dig there [sic] style! What about you? Do you have a boyfriend? If not! Would you consider going out with me as a friend? I would really like to get to know you! How do you feel about that?
My intentions are good! I’m a very nice and respectful guy! You can even bring a friend along if you want. Would you have a problem going out with a black guy as a friend? Don’t worry. I have dated Asian Women [sic] before and it’s not and [sic] issue with me.

Personal favorite: “Don’t worry. I have dated Asian Women before and it’s not and issue with me.“

Oh goody. He’s not into me for the exotic factor, he’s dated my kind “before.” Fortunately he’s not racist and it’s not “and issue” I’m Asian. If only all men were like him.