Reading the label on a package

Two entries back to back on consecutive nights, I s'pose I'm on a roll. Since I'm on holidays, so what the heck, yeah?

Met up with a few friends from my junior college days and we had a ball of a time, despite being in a less-than-glamorous ambience (we were at a neighbourhood coffee shop, but at least they were serving fried squids and Becks even). Although it's pretty strange to hear someone calling me Alan again, I must say it serves as a reminder that my friendship with these people goes way back. We had a helluva time with the mindless bantering and the inevitable reminiscence of the so-called good old days where we cut classes (especially Physics and Mathematics) like no tomorrow and performing silly acts such as crawling over fences (to get out of school compound) and running down slopes (to avoid being seen) to the bus stop to catch a bus to town just to pig out and to shop. I even remembered those not-so-glorious times where we had to hide in the toilet cubicle just to steal a couple of puffs. Now, how juvenile is that?

I s'pose most people have done many crazy things during their teenage years, and my experiences are no biggie at all. Still, it's always interesting to think or talk about them and how I could see it in a totally humorous angle now. On that note, I can never imagine myself doing all those shit again, and I s'pose that's what growing up (or old, for that matter) is all about.

Of course, what's with my hard boozing tendency and floppy hair and peircings and all nowadays, I s'pose not many people would actually believed I have fully grown up. Without sounding too narcissistic, I don't have to prove anything to anyone, I don't think. As long as I know I am well-adjusted and that I'm no shallow character, that's all that matters. Also, with my relatively young age and the way I dress and play, I believe many people out there find it hard to take me seriously in my field of work. But then again, like I said, as long as I continue to do well and to churn out positive results, they can say or think whatever they want.

Since I'm on this topic, I have to point out that I have always been misunderstood or misjudged, especially on my character and capabilities. Countless labels have been stuck on me. Nope, I'm not angsty over it but I'm just a tad indignant, that's all. For people who don't know me better, it's almost always (yes, it's actually statiscally proven) that they think I'm a shallow bastard with a hollow shell who only cares about nice clothes and good food and going out and being fabulous and all. In addition, they tend to think I'm arrogant and self-centred who is hard to talk to and look down on people easily, as well as being pampered and all with too much money to spend and too little life experiences to make me a "real" person (in other words, a person with a good character and a sense of humility). Now, I honestly have no idea how all these crap and rumours come about, but I gotta say that it's a recurring theme for me. On that note, I have to say I am really appreciative of the friends I have currently who have seen beyond the superficial layer and took the effort to know me as me and not judge me in an unfair manner.

I am always disappointed when some friends still feel apprehensive about showing me their real self or discussing certain issues with me. Why do they feel that way? Is it because they are afraid I might judge them and think less of them in away? Do they think I will be so shocked or impressed that I won't be able to handle it in a mature manner? Or are they afraid of pushing the wrong buttons and resulting in me blowing my top off? I s'pose the answer is all of the above. And again, it's due to any labels that others might stuck on me. My beer-swigging ways, chain-smoking tendency, love of good food and shoppaholic streak have got nothing to do with my character. And more importantly, these habits don't make me less of a person in any way at all.

So to sum it all up, I am seemingly arrogant, self-centered, pampered, pretentious, bad-tempered, vain, shallow, judgmental and materialistic, not to mention having a totally bourgeois mentality. I badly wanted to say I am none of the above (alright, maybe I am guilty of one or two of the above), but then again, we're talking about stereotype here, aren't we? And we all know stereotyping is never fair or of any substance at all. So yup, I don't s'pose I can do anything about it (or inspired to do anything, really) except keeping it real and just being who I am. I'm no actor or entertainer.