Aspirations, Ambitions, Tomatoes, To-mah-toes

Ever since lacrosse practices and final exams came to an end, there has been amble risk of me becoming lazy. So, before I convince myself that three months of self-reflection is adequate, here are a few things I strive to do before going back to school.

Visit China – This is actually going to happen in a couple days! Besides marveling at the World Expo in Shanghai, I’ll also be seeing my grandparents! Hopefully, lots of pictures will be taken. But (Ahem, warning: About to read lame political joke) since I don’t think communist states allow the internet, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to post too often. (End lame political joke. But seriously, some people have such biased opinions of China!) Whatever happens, it’s certainly gonna be an exuberant trip!

Read and Then Read Some More – Between lengthy airplane rides and quiet nights at home, I will definitely be curling up with a couple novels and monographs. You can never go wrong with learning a little more on European history or just anticipating the plot twist in Dan Brown’s stories. In fact, books would probably be my third favorite birthday present, behind cheesecake and a date with Blake Lively.

Finish A Portrait – I used to absolutely love drawing. It was almost an obsession. Sadly, college has kept me from sitting down with just a pencil and blank canvas. Art is definitely a passion I’d like to return to, so I’m gonna start (And finish!) the drawing of my friend that I’ve been meaning to do.

See Old Pals – There are some friends who I haven’t seen in over a year, but still talk to almost every day. While I can hear their voice over the phone, I have pretty much have forgotten what they look like. (Blame the short-term-memory-loss problems that I’ve convinced myself of having…) Hopefully I’ll be able to see them before we really lose touch!

Take My Vitamins – If only one factor compelled me to consume my daily requirements of Thiamine and Ergocalcifero, it’s that I bought my vitamins in chewable gummy form. It's all part of my plan to athletically improve for lacrosse. Of course, I should also exercise regularly, get sufficient sleep, and, hell, maybe even eat a tomato or two.

So what are your plans for the summer (Or winter, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere...)? Are you taking up anything new, or perhaps rekindling an old ardor?

I Lost My Number, Can I Have Yours?

A few weeks back, this girl told me that I seemed like a flirtatious person. My friend decided to butt into the conversation, exclaiming, “Ha, are you kidding me?! Jacky wouldn’t know what flirting was if it slapped him across the face!”

That’s only half-true.

It’s not that I don’t understand the concept of flirting. For most college guys, it’s about picking up some girl at a random party. Who knows; maybe one hook-up will turn into a fling. Maybe, the fling will turn into a relationship of charming attractions and, just maybe, the relationship will turn into an engagement ring.

But, for now, it’s about picking up the girl.

When you flirt, you have two intentions in mind: Catch the person’s interest, and have it be one of positive curiosity. It can be done with a few small jokes, a couple intriguing questions, and occasionally, the playful stroke on her (or his) arm. At the end, there might even be a wink. Simply put, you’re attempting to make the other person like you, whether it’s for a one-night stand or a long-term courtship. You…uh…you…

Shit, maybe I don’t understand what flirting is.

Nonetheless, I just don’t like it. It’s too much of being pretentious. Flirting usually leads to too many jokes that aren’t funny and too many questions that just don’t garner any constructive answers. Do I really care if a complete, albeit attractive, stranger is enjoying the keg party? Would it really matter if she laughs when I ask her, “Hey, are you free for the rest of your life?” (Warning: using cheesy pick-up lines may cause harm to your reputation.) Probably not.

Plus, I suck at winking.

Hell, this is certainly a skewed idea of what flirting entails. So, enlighten me. What’s your take on wooing someone?


P.S: Special thanks to my friend, Humza, and his many drunken statements, along with Mariana, who refuses to believe that she is my favorite person in the world.