Old Tricks {2025 Week #18}

The week starts with a bang. I took it pretty slow in the morning, I've been feeling like shit since Sunday night on the account of the blood vessel-popping migraine. It feels like that at least. My first class was today and it's in the most inconvenient time slot ever. The class only starts at 13:30 but my only available trains are either 11:30 or 14:30. 14:30 is way too late, so I have to be there more than an hour early. This is actually not too bad because the town is small and quaint and I can just relax and read. I used to really read, man. I mean it was middle school books but still. I used to just go through books like nobody's business.

I hung out on a number of benches, looking for the perfect spot. I also took some time to find the most convenient supermarket in case I wanted something to drink or eat. I'm a serious strategist. Passed some kind of random store that had very strange images plastered to the windows. It was CCTV stills of three people. Were they shoplifters? Were they life-time banned? Who knows. Curious. 

First day of a long time in my life.

Tuesday was the same, get there early but this time I found a little secluded patch of grass that was idyllic. Sun, a gentle shade from the tree canopy and stone benches. I was obscured from the street so I felt free to lay back and laze in the sun. The sun burnt bright, big spots into me but the wind cooled me down so fast that I got shivers. I started reading the Outsiders because I just cannot get it off my mind no matter what so I think reading it is an easy fix. 

I don't have class on Wednesdays and I had to go to the bank in the morning to change my number because for some reason my previous one was annulled. Annoying as hell. I hate how much important stuff is tied to phone numbers these days. Me, Mo, and mum watched the first two Bourne movies. I enjoyed them much more than I thought I would, I think because they are so stylized and early 2000s that it just clicked for me. I already finished season 5 of Cobra Kai too. You may be wondering how I can achieve such television and movie watching feats but the truth is just that I really take advantage of the time when I'm home and I'm also really trying to stop putting on white noise type of stuff. Better a movie or a show, even if it's bad, then another YouTube video I don't care about. Honestly, I would actually love watching stuff that's made for the fun of it but even creators I like don't really put stuff out unless it will get views and such and such. The vibes of that kind of videos are totally off, feels like everything is an ad. I know, I'm becoming an old man shouting at clouds before your eyes. Sick of it, man!

Thursday rocked, first because it's Labour Day, workers forever! We also had a huge brocante in town. I picked up lots of cute and useful things. Did have an annoying moment when I had only 1 euro 60 cents left and wanted this metal box for tea (like one you get at a supermarket with the tea) which a lady was selling for 2 euros. She was annoyed I didn't have the 40 cents but when I said fine, I don't want it, suddenly she changed her mind but kept glaring at me. Like, come on! The point is to re-use stuff, get rid of the stuff you don't need, and it's just a metal box. Ain't a Faberge egg exactly. We also bought burgers at the fair despite the fact that I bought patties yesterday to make today! Mo and Marta don't care though, they can eat burgers 24/7. So Americanized. Here's pics of everything I got:

Tiny basket. For glasses?

Box over which I haggled.

Awesome albums.

Cutie! NEC N22i.

Just beanie frog.

I also finally made myself a new Whatsapp so people can actually contact me. It was kind of blissful without it but I can't just disappear. If you haven't figured it out yet I am one of the really bad people that has trouble texting back. I do, but it could be a year later or something... I am despicable. We watched Robots, class commentary classic.

On Friday I officially hit my goal of writing in my diary everyday for a year! Hurrah! If you still see me here in July, that means that I reached my goal of blogging every week for a year too. Wild. This time last year I was in Bordeaux at OFII, signing my contract of integration. Crazy!! This year I texted two close friends to check in with how life is going. Everyone is alive but exhausted. What kind of drugs were we on in uni when we could just do shit every day and at night, and the next morning and on and on. Appreciate your early 20s, kiddos. At 26 other people can't hurt you as much but your back sure can. 

I made tacos and Japanese cream soda drinks because my sister really wanted to try them. Sadly I didn't find melon syrup anywhere so I just made them with sprite and food colouring. They turned out real cute. 

Tropical! Tastes like sprite tho...

We re-watched Fern Gully. I put on Karate Kid Part II for myself and one by one the rest of the family crawled out of somewhere and joined me. I realized I never watched Part II and III but thought I'd do that before I start season 6 of Cobra Kai. It's good, kind of cheesy, kind of wise. What is happening, dude, am I like a Karate Kid fan now or something? What the fuck. The funny thing is that the first time I saw Karate Kid anything was the 2010 one with Jackie Chan in cinemas. Not a great work of cinema but I had a huge crush on Jaden Smith after the movie. 

I am actually drawing and uploading my Mermay stuff this year. It's going well, let's not jinx it. I've also been Listening to Sassy this entire week as something to listen to while I draw. So good, but I often have to pause when I'm laughing so hard I can't keep my hand steady. On Saturday Tom came over and we played Scrabble. Mo made fun of us for being pensioners playing a geriatric game but also he won somehow. He asks me how to spell words like 'Petal' and 'Unusual' all the time but somehow he won. The universe is falling apart. I wrote 'Meth' not once but twice, and Tom wrote 'Anal'. We also had 'Fed', 'Sex', and 'Cum'. We are all very grown-up, we have sophisticated taste, and a humour that is quite high-brow, actually.

He said he'd be going out with a new guy on Sunday and that got me wondering if I'm ever going to go out on dates or something. I lack his confidence. But also I don't think I'm in a place in my life where I want to date yet. I want friends and to be close with my friends but I don't know, it feels like romance is dead and buried. I like the idea but I can't see it taking shape. 

There was a quick but intense thunderstorm and the sun came out right after. Feels like everything is being fast-forwarded around here. I can't catch a calm moment.  

At least someone's living the moment.

Sunday was an at home day. I drew, made a broke ramen for myself. Watched Pretty in Pink for the first time. I get it! It is a very fun movie so I get it. The dress though. I don't know about the dress. I'm getting ready for class tomorrow, doing my homework (last minute as usual), and preparing a letter. I'm kind of excited for summer. Here's the song that I can't get out of my head this week: Echo Beach by Martha and the Muffins.