learning to listen i can't stress enough how important it is to learn how to listen. you guys. i'm serious. it's a lot like learning how to read - you have to stop your entire damned life to really read or listen well.

like i said, i'm serious. i won't be cursing otherwise. i can't help but be angry earlier today because a couple friends of mine don't know how to listen!

one lives here in chicago. i was giving her a rant of my days and she was shopping. i talk about how angry i am, and then she interjects with, "you know nemezio is coming to town to campaign for philippine president?"

curious and used to switching gears at a drop's hat am i, i ride along. "nemezio? the former UP president? why the hell's he here? why is he asking for money here?"

"ionno," she shrugs while dropping things in the supermarket.

and i know she didn't mean to cut me off my rant. she just thought it was ok to interject with some thought of her own. i know this, because i went, "ok, wait, let me continue so i can finish this stupid rant of mine -"

"oh, sorry," she says, and i can just imagine her turn sharply another way along the grocery aisle and focus on some other product she needs for her apartment.

the other friend i talked to while walking from school along michigan avenue and state streets. if you know these streets, these aren't quiet streets at a wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

i already told him that my cell is old, it's tempramental even though we have the same service. i told him that i'd call him back when i get to a starbucks and he just laughed.

he's enjoying a joke all on his own, a joke i didn't hear because of static coupled with his rapid story-kuwento-laughing mode. but it annoyed me because i was walking in the heat, trying to cross state street, already being honked at by this van from indiana. damn tourists! who's the frickin visitor here? who's the frickin pedestrian! i realize i will get killed if i keep on talking to good ol' buddy, so i cut talk short. "i will call you when i get indoors," i tell him.

"oh. ok. where are you?" he asks.

"well, i'm in front of daley plaza right now. still walking to work."

he laughs. apparently, i'd just missed another joke.

"hey, i can't hear you. i will call you back," i said, and we hang up.

hay! and it's been a really GREAT summer so far! after blogging this, i think it's my cell. it's pretty old - almost 2 years this coming february, i think - but now i will have to get a new one to keep up with everyone.  ¶ 8/03/2005 09:59:00 PM