Greek buildings

Athens, 2012.

Pool

When I was nine, our neighbour was a rich, old couple that owned a pool.

During summer, when days were unbearable, they fill the pool, much to the frolic of the kids in the neighbourhood. I remember spending that summer swimming, diving, floating, brooding over the movie Titanic which just came out of the theatre that season, running back home all wet to grab lunch, head back to the pool, swimming, diving, floating, brooding over the movie Titanic which just came out of the theatre that season, until most surface of my back was covered with burnt skin. I would spend the whole afternoon trying all possible tricks and water acrobats I could imagine.

The best part, however, was floating for hours with eyes closed, and just hearing nothing but the flapping of water between the lobes of my ears, opening my eyes and realise that too much exposure to sun has made me totally but temporarily blind.

 How did you spend your summer when you were nine?

Rhodes, 2012. Greece.
(My toes were wet.)

Bags

I’m growing a zit at my right eye bag. How retarded is that? Aren’t eye bags supposed to be oil-free and have no pores? Then how come this, now, really?

 Anyway, I’m back to reading old-school, paperback books lately. I know this isn’t just a phase as I have often done in the past. The difference from former attempts is mainly I’m more engrossed, or seemingly so, this time. This is a surprise considering how I have acquired the attention span of a goldfish recently (grad school, I dare you). I’ve long waited for an empty time, too, and a recent trip has given me just that.

This whole reading thing, however, is currently giving me a big problem: I feel sleepy all the time. Like all, the, time. Like even when I defecate (not that it needs a fully awakened state to do so), or when I walk (life threatening, I suppose), or when I do the reading itself (very anticlimactic, really). A beneficial trade-off is that I am able to save my supply of Xanax; also, sitting alone with a book after a meal at the school’s cafeteria has never before become this less stressful.

I’m close to finishing my current book, and now looking for the next. A friend has recommended “50 shades of grey”, what with all the bdsm involved as I was told, and the presently growing cult-following (of the fetishes of the book). I’m just hoping Japanese bookstores have already gotten copies as I am not really the Kindle kind of guy.

 Anyway, photos above are from the parliament building in Athens' Syntagma Square. I went there exactly a week after their recent election. Believe me, things aren't as bad as they are vilified in the news.