Peter’s Top 9

During my short life I have come across many underrated things. Underrated things can be very specific, such as an music album or a film, but they can also be very broad concepts, like getting drunk, passing out and not remembering what happened the day after (not that I ever did that, and that is OVERrated).

One thing we tend to regard inferior, stupid and waste of time are cartoons. Yes, SpongeBob or whatever… I think that some kids’ programmes have a lot to offer to all ages, be it entertainment or a different way of looking at things. However, we often dismiss these things as too unintelligent, not sophisticated enough and not rational. But asking what is so intelligent, sophisticated and rational about drinking litres of booze will just make me look like an immature freak.

A good cartoon is supposed to make you think about what you do, whether you took the right decision, if you dare to be an individual or if you should change things around you; just like a good movie. It also provides fun and brings me back to the day when I was a kid. I remember that once after watching a series of an unnamed cartoon, I became very depressed, realising that my life had no meaning. You see, in the cartoon everyone had a role to play, which made a difference in the grand scheme of their fictional universe. Whereas I have never made an impact on anything in my life. Therefore, I am now, if not improving the world, improving myself. Only then can I develop my grand ideas.

Therefore I urge all of you: half an hour a day of any cartoon you like, as long as you enjoy it.

BONUS Something funny

I was just buying a present for friend’s birthday today. I asked if they could wrap it nicely for me to which i replied with polite ‘Yes, please’. After that they asked me if it was a Valentine gift. Are they mad, me having a girlfriend? Provided how I look, I don’t think anyone likes me that way. So there, proof that even ugly people are likely to have girl/boyfriends. Now that I think about it, I had my hat on, so the acne on my cheeks did not show, meaning that at that instant, I might not have been such a sore sight after all!

Two Women In a Tram, 2 Octber 2007

Oh yeah, got a new laptop today. But first let me recollect those sorry memories of 2 October.

Let me tell you, commuting to Delft every day is not a piece of cake. The 7:22 tram is surprisingly full and my only luck is that I get on the tram quite early, so I can grab a seat. After a couple of minutes of uninterrupted blankness, two women board the tram. There is nothing strange about that, they are in fifties (they are not officially old yet), so it might come as a little surprise that I do not stand up for one of them. The other one sits behind me. If the lady really wanted to sit down, it would have been no problem, she would just have to be in a different part of the tram (ie. the back, where the ghetto hangs out).

But what does that lady do? She starts complaining to her friend about her back problems and how she cannot bear to stand for more than 10 minutes. At that point, the person beside me leaves the tram and the lady gets to sit there, while throwing a filthy look at me. If she wanted my place (which, being next to the window was infinitely better), she could have said: ‘Young man, I have this back problem could you get up for me’ and I, being the nicest non-fictional person in the universe (the nicest one overall is Butters, but he’s fictional) would say: ‘Sure, ma’am’. And no harm would be done. Instead, however, everyone in the tram knows the sorry tale of her problems and considers me an asshole. I do stand up for old people (the ones with white hair and stuff), but why would I vacate my seat to someone who looks completely fit (not to mention, not at all OLD). I do not have X-ray vision like SuperMan, so I cannot see that these people are ill. You can look perfectly healthy, but can be the sickest person on the planet.

So if you have a serious condition that is not obvious, please tell the person that you wish to sit down because (fill in whatever is appropriate). I am sure they were not being intentionally rude, but they just did not see.

And I really do give my seat to people who are old.

Peter