The Funniest Person

I didn't mean to write this blog post, in fact by writing it here and now I am exercising my not too developed skill of being super spontaneous. Yet after having read through my friend Chris' tweets for the past month, I can't help but share some of them with you. You see, I always suspected that Chris was quite a funny person and always appreciated his humor when I was exposed to it. However, for some strange reason, whenever him and I hung out, circumstances dictated us to be very serious and business-like with each other so that often times I could never openly laugh at his jokes. After all, him and I were both on the same committee for the Psychology Society on campus. With Chris being the secretary of the society, I would get e-mails from him quite frequently. The other day, when I was clearing out my e-mail inbox, I happened to find a quite ancient one, where Chris forwarded and commented on an e-mail he had received from Big Brother. Inviting him to join. Needless to say he never accepted the offer.

Anyhow, his twitter account reads like a best of Buzzfeed. Below I picked my favorite tweets - from July only. I hope you find them as funny as I do:

• My parents ate all the fig rolls and I hate my life.
• YouTube just recommended I subscribe to the Eurovision Song Contest channel. Taking bets on how long my my self respect will hold out.
• This is a good website http://dustindiamondisadick.com/ 
• I have spent the past ten minutes looking at "huge cats" on Google Images…
• Protected my tweets, now waiting for the job offers to start rolling in.
• In response to this: I will love him like a son, Hugh. #ACNL
• I call this piece, "Pilly" 
• They announced Andy's win over the tannoy at King's Cross, but I like to think it was about my arrival. People cheered my arrival.
• When I got up this morning I sneezed so forcefully the tears in my eyes splashed the mirror. :( #pollencount #housebound

Also, I would have loved to post some of his funny vine videos, but I have a feeling I should ask for his permission first.

Frozen Cassava

Today I went to the Chinese supermarket. Primarily to see what they have on offer, but I guess subconsciously with a hidden agenda of finding ingredients for making Singaporean Laksa. I've had Laksa for the first time a couple of weeks ago at my friend Iben's and absolutely loved it - so much that ever since I have been wanting to cook it myself.

As I was roaming the aisles, unable to find what I was looking for, two simultaneous incidents took place. Neither one of them is particularly funny, entertaining or noteworthy, yet it made me chuckle by the time I left the store.

The first thing that happened is that I found frozen cassava. Immediately I was reminded of last summer, when I spent some time in East Africa. Cassava, similar to sweet potatoes, is one of the most important agricultural crops in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia as it grows well on poor soil and with little rainfall. However, what made my discovery of the frozen cassava such a funny one, was the fact that it was frozen. Frozen cassava - that just really entertains me. While I understand the logistical motivations behind it, I find it funny that people would actually think about freezing it. I mean, with all due respect, it really isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the cassava production line in Africa, is it?

Second incident that left me laughing to myself was when I enquired about a Laksa spice mix and some friend tofu. I kindly asked one of the ladies employed by store if they had the desired ingredients. She looked at me - no blink, no words, face set in stone - before she rushed off. She was quick, I had trouble following her. In less than one minute, she found what I spent looking for 15 minutes prior. She dropped the items in my hands and left - ready to complete the next mission. I yelled a friendly "thank you" after her but I doubt it made a difference.

Passion

If you had one word people could use to describe you - what would your special word be? Would it be an adjective, a noun or possibly even a verb? Would your word depict an inter-relational reality or would it be selfishly indulgent?

The other day I was stalking investigating my graduating class' "next chapter", when I came across a girl I was in halls with. She is tall and skinny and has fire-red hair. She always seemed like a nice person, but with the exception of seeing her at the occasional party or around town, her and I never talked for more than 10 minutes at a time. Bluntly, we are strangers. Yet, I know her.* I know her because, my friends, I know the one word people use to describe her. That girl has found something in life that defines her, brings her joy, and is worth chasing after. You see, she's got passion. A passion for books. And everyone knows. She's familiar with pretty much every book - from classic to contemporary, she's probably read them all because she reads all the time. She loves books and she loves reading. In fact, as Facebook informs me, she loves reading so much that she cannot imagine a day better spend but in bed reading. She's got her priorities straight, and books are at the very top of her list.

Now, I like books, too. And I read books. Frequently even. But, comparing this girl to me, I came to realize, I don't love books enough to schedule my priorities around them. I read books when there is nothing else to do, like for example when I am on the train. Or when there is no electricity. Or when I have to do it for class. Don't get me wrong, I always liked the idea of having a very big library at home. With beautiful old books, neatly arranged in dark-wooden shelves. I also always wanted to be this one impressive dinner guest who could talk eloquently about any book at any time, the one person who, with such ease, quotes from the most famous classics as small talk proceeds. I enjoy reading in bed all day long, completely soaking up a world that is not my own. Yet, I am no longer the book-nerd I was back in second grade. Even if in my mind I still think of myself as one. I may read more books than the average Joe, but that doesn't make me a book-lover, needless to say passionate about books. Nor does playing the guitar make me a musician, or going for a run a marathon runner. One of the things I've come to terms with over this past year is that a passion for this one special something isn't me. I tried but I like a lot of things and I like all these things equally well.

* That is compared to most strangers.

2 Boxes

... a bag back and a guitar is all that remains. I packed up my university room two weeks ago, moved out and left this little seaside town I called home for four years for good. All my belongings are stored away until I figure out what's next.

I am in Berlin for now. Following an extremely sociable last semester, I am enjoying the solitude. I am enjoying the heat of continental Europe. I am enjoying my heimat and my people.