Musings & Moans

I’m one of those people that likes privacy.  As soon as it gets dark, I’ll close my curtains and shut the blinds.

From most of my windows, you can see other people’s windows – and if you can see them, then they can see you.

Call me paranoid, but if I’m at my window, I feel like there’s people spying out of there’s.  Nosey neighbours. Sneaky peekers.

For the most part, there’s probably not even anyone looking over, but we all know that those people are out there.  Looking in at other people’s furniture, what kind of tv they’ve got, spying on activities and who’s coming and going.

At the other end of the spectrum to me, there are the people that just don’t give a damn who can see them.  Hey, maybe they even like it.  Or maybe they just don’t even consider it and just go about their business without a care.
Those people that sit of their sofas at night on a busy street, lights on, curtains wide open, eating spaghetti bolognese and watching Game of Thrones.  Oh, to have such an open relationship with the world must be nice indeed.  I’d love to have such a carefree attitude towards privacy, but alas, I do not.  No, for me it just won’t do to let other humans see another human doing ordinary human things in their home.  Why?  You know, now I’m trying to think of why and I can’t really think of a 100% solid reason.  Trust, I suppose.  I don’t trust people.  I don’t like others in my territory; I like to have my own space and I don’t like others in it, or seeing it.

Funnily enough, when I’m passing houses where you can see straight into people’s rooms, I do like to look.  Is that hypocritical? I don’t know.  I figure that if they haven’t bothered to close their blinds then they’re not too fussed about people seeing in.  Of course, it’s just a quick glance/nosey at their decor and such: one would definitely draw the line at someone standing outside for a good ten minutes or coming right up to the window to stare inside, curtains or no curtains.  There’s a line between having a look at what’s visible and being a creepy weirdo.

In conclusion, I think privacy is good – definitely essential for certain things, but too much privacy…is that alienating?
I know that if I’m sitting outside on a bench, or in the pub, I’m still aware of people watching: I crave that privacy, to cut out all eyes from seeing (not literally).

On the other hand, sometimes I like people looking.  If I feel like I’m looking good and there’s nice looking ladies around.  Sure, look away.
I suppose it depends on conditions: sometimes I want to be seen, to be acknowledged, and sometimes I don’t, which I’m sure is the same for everybody.

Still, It’d still be nice to do my dodgy kung-fu kicks in my living room, and not feel like the whole street is watching and laughing.

via Daily Prompt: Territory

Why do my brothers refer to me as their ‘little brother’ when talking to people?  I never refer to them as my ‘big brothers’, I use the much more adult wording of ‘older brothers’.

‘Little’ implies that you’re still a child, of which I am not.  What’s more, my middle brother will call me his ‘little brother’ but my other brother his ‘older brother’.  Where’s the consistency in that?  It’s little and big, or younger and older.  Using little and older together is even more of a put down for me, imo.

Yes, I may have a bit of a youngest sibling inferiority complex, but you know what doesn’t help?  Being called ‘little’.  Yes.

And I’m not the shortest in height either, so I’m not little in age or height.  So, basically I’m only the ‘littlest’ in that I’m not as old as they are, which doesn’t even make sense, as ‘little’ is never a word used to describe someone’s age.

In conclusion, I think they should abolish the use of the word ‘little’ to denote a younger sibling.  It’s demeaning and factually incorrect in a lot of instances, and should be overthrown by the much more sensible and practical description of ‘younger’.

Ever passed some form of loud performance in a shopping centre, train station, or other public place?  What do you do:  stop to watch, look over as you continue on your path, join in, record it on your phone?

Or maybe you barely acknowledge that they are there and walk on by.  Unfortunately, yes, this is what I do.  I know I could be missing out on something fun, something really entertaining, something memorable, so why don’t I watch?

Because I think that’s what they want you to do.

What is this strange act to which I follow?  I do not know.  It’s not like the performers are some kind of vain attention seekers; they aren’t following people around the station with a guitar until you acknowledge the brilliance of their existence.

I’m not jealous of these performers, I don’t dislike them, I don’t find them annoying at all.  In fact, it’s the opposite.  I applaud their confidence, their willingness to show their talent, their want to spread happiness to others and wanting to be a part of something.  And I outwardly express all of the above feelings by showing ignorance and a complete lack of interest.

Maybe it’s some strange kind of rebellion. “Everyone is crowding round and looking, so I’m not going to!”

Maybe it’s some kind of nonchalant display of ‘coolness’.  “Yeah, something is going on over there.  I know.   Whatever.  I’m going this way instead.”

Whatever the reason, I’m sure I am missing out on some good stuff.  I know this, and yet, I’m pretty sure that I would end up doing the same thing as usual if I saw some entertainment event tomorrow.

Now…people who unnecessarily rev their engines.  I totally know why and am 100% fine with why I don’t look at them:

Because I know that’s what they want you to do.

The clocks have just gone forward.  *Grumble*  I hate the clocks going forward.  Here’s why:

You have to get up an hour earlier just to get up at the same time.  Same for bed.

It gets darker later.  I like night time to be dark.  That’s how it should be.  It shouldn’t be still light at 8pm and onwards.  I like to skulk in the gloom of night.

It means Summer is getting nearer.  I don’t like Summer; I’d say why but this post is a moan about daylight savings and not Summer.

I don’t see the point.  Why add an hour now and then take it away again in October?  Yes, I hear explanations about making it lighter for people at night, or some such reasoning, but I don’t like any of them.  It should be optional – we should at least get a national vote.  For or against.  Why do I have to time travel forward an hour when there could be thousands of others like me who aren’t in favour of it either?

It messes up your body clock.  Sure, it’s only an hour, but suddenly we have to have lunch an hour earlier, go to meetings an hour earlier, do everything an hour earlier.  The clock says it’s a certain time, but my mind…my mind knows it’s not that time.  “What you trying to pull?”  it says.  Begrudgingly it eventually gets accustomed to it.

People have to hear me say things like, “It’s three o’clock…but really it’s only two o’clock” for about two weeks after the clocks change.  That doesn’t bother me, of course, but I’m an empathetic guy and am including a moan on the behalf of others.

When you’re trying to sound professional in an e-mail, and then forget to attach your file to the message.

That second ‘oops’ e-mail.  Just no way to sound cool or professional.