My OperaAmmonia Avenue
Saturday, August 25, 2007 3:58:12 PM
It's been four nights in a row I have slept with the whistle of winds grazing past my ears and the rumble caused by friction between the train and the railways. This fifth night, after coming and leaving HCMC on a daily basis, again I'm moving back to Phan Rang; this time on a contractual 7 seat gray Mercedes Ben - but that's not the end of the story yet. I'll get on a train again tomorrow, after which I'll fly to Thailand, after which I'll be back and have less than 2 days to pack and travel back to CR - back to school, yeah. Well, that's the plan. For now the good thing is that I'll have one night at home before the next trip - lying flat on my king size bed, falling asleep, and waking up realizing I'm still in the same city as I was the night before.
And there are sis and granny, back from Los Angeles.
I asked sis if I should adopt one of my girlfriend's hairstyle, and to my surprise, she said "Don't ever!" Why, I asked. And she answered : teachers in school have also talk about this a lot, and they don't want students to have that hairstyle. But why? Cause you'll look like a playgirl.
So, I thought, what's wrong with you having your favorite hairstyle? Why are the good guys always the traditional and ordinary ones? What's wrong with making yourself look better?
Stupid people, what matters is what's under the hair, not the hair itself. And not everything is bilateral. Maybe playgirls favor that hairstyle, but not the other way around. Not everyone favoring that hairstyle is a playgirl.
Well, maybe I have learned a couple of things.
Being in a UWC has taught me never to judge people basing on their races, nationalities or cultures. Studying US college students has taught me never to judge people basing on how many nights they have stayed home not attending any party, or how many beers they can drink, or whether they have a boyfriend or not. My schoolmates have taught me never to judge people basing on what they wear. And something, I don't really remember, taught me never to judge people basing on their occupation (maybe unless they're a murderer or a drug trader). And I'm not only talking about the superior or inferior side of these criteria. I'm talking about both of them, and that's why I said: no judgment.I won't look down on you if I see you dressing like a peasant from 200 years ago. I won't look down/up on you either, if I see you in eccentric colors, with big Converse shoes, goth style, over-cared nails, or whatsoever. I basically think nothing (maybe except for the fact that now I have some ideas about your preferences).
When hearing this, people often ask me: so how do you judge people? Just by who they really are?
But who people really are? If I ask you who you are, what will you say? Won't you say that you're American? Won't you say that you're your parents' son? Or you're a college student? Or you're a lawyer? Or you're a teacher?
And don't you expect me to judge you basing on these information you provided?
But after all, there's this line from a song called "Ammonia Avenue" : And who are we to justify?
I don't really see the answer, but maybe it's just me. My thought is: we have no right to justify. People become what they want to be. Do as they please. Although this is not always true, that's what all of us strive to achieve (to become what we want to be and to do as we please).
Who created standards?
And there are sis and granny, back from Los Angeles.
I asked sis if I should adopt one of my girlfriend's hairstyle, and to my surprise, she said "Don't ever!" Why, I asked. And she answered : teachers in school have also talk about this a lot, and they don't want students to have that hairstyle. But why? Cause you'll look like a playgirl.
So, I thought, what's wrong with you having your favorite hairstyle? Why are the good guys always the traditional and ordinary ones? What's wrong with making yourself look better?
Stupid people, what matters is what's under the hair, not the hair itself. And not everything is bilateral. Maybe playgirls favor that hairstyle, but not the other way around. Not everyone favoring that hairstyle is a playgirl.
Well, maybe I have learned a couple of things.
Being in a UWC has taught me never to judge people basing on their races, nationalities or cultures. Studying US college students has taught me never to judge people basing on how many nights they have stayed home not attending any party, or how many beers they can drink, or whether they have a boyfriend or not. My schoolmates have taught me never to judge people basing on what they wear. And something, I don't really remember, taught me never to judge people basing on their occupation (maybe unless they're a murderer or a drug trader). And I'm not only talking about the superior or inferior side of these criteria. I'm talking about both of them, and that's why I said: no judgment.I won't look down on you if I see you dressing like a peasant from 200 years ago. I won't look down/up on you either, if I see you in eccentric colors, with big Converse shoes, goth style, over-cared nails, or whatsoever. I basically think nothing (maybe except for the fact that now I have some ideas about your preferences).
When hearing this, people often ask me: so how do you judge people? Just by who they really are?
But who people really are? If I ask you who you are, what will you say? Won't you say that you're American? Won't you say that you're your parents' son? Or you're a college student? Or you're a lawyer? Or you're a teacher?
And don't you expect me to judge you basing on these information you provided?
But after all, there's this line from a song called "Ammonia Avenue" : And who are we to justify?
I don't really see the answer, but maybe it's just me. My thought is: we have no right to justify. People become what they want to be. Do as they please. Although this is not always true, that's what all of us strive to achieve (to become what we want to be and to do as we please).
Who created standards?
