open university

after gaining a slightly broader insight into mechanical engineering, it looks like something i really would enjoy. so much so that i was even more disappointed by a personal chat with one of the secretariat who explained the absolute impossibility of studying part time in any way, shape or form by anyone.

at least i learned something.

the day was hot, so i stopped off at home to drop off my ski-jacket, walked to the art store to get a couple of canvases, acquired another smiley stress-ball and took a bus home. after shopping i crashed for an hour, then paid singer a visit while waiting for my cousins to pick me up.

dinner was really pleasant, the political discussion surprising: i expressed my view that the current policy in place by the americans and israelis apropos "rebuilding" and "preserving their way of life" is counter-productive and that the quickest way to stop the aggression with the least lives lost is to crush them completely and utterly and to keep pressing until they give up all hope and surrender.

surprising that this was met with approval, by people who until a few years back were hard-left and vocal. at least some people are beginning to wake up from the morality fantasy, even if it's not enough to make a real difference.

the food was good, but the strawberries and ice-cream dessert was irresistible (not able??), and the effects of the previous night's lasagne were compounded with interest. i was in pain the whole night, and i only began feeling better a couple of hours after waking up today :(

in spite of that, and better judgement, i went to the lizard for a techno party organized by the same guys as last time, and it was all good. the live performance that started up at 2.30am (live? live techno?) was really good, and i was really enjoying it, the vibe, the cute girls all over the place... but i wasn't too happy with people constantly brushing past or bumping into my stitches.

i decided to call it a night while there was still more good than bad, said goodbye, bitterly took a "friendly" slap on the back (on the stitches, precisely and fairly hard) from the idiot bartender, and walked home.

i guess i was walking strangely due to the constraints placed on me by abdominal pain, at some point i passed some girl and her boyfriend and i just happened to be putting my headphones into my ears. i try to maintain full situational awareness when in public, and just after i passed i looked right, out of the corner of my eye catching a glimpse of her launching into what appeared to be an amusing mimic as she followed in my wake.

she took fright and scurried back when she realized that i was staring at her without turning my head any further. that gave me an odd sense of satisfaction, especially odd as it generally bothers me that i make strangers feel uncomfortable.