The Complete Substitute for All Forms of Sociability

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The dog is chasing its tail. Half an hour ago, it suddenly decided that this is a worthy activity. I thought it was amusing at first. Now, I'm just confused. I want to yell, "Stop! What's the point?" But 1) it can't understand me; and 2) people might think I'm crazy for talking to yelling at an animal. So I sit here at a little window table in a little coffee shop just around the corner, staring at this little shi tzu  half-breed, chasing after the elusive. The waitress is someone new. I've never seen her before and her inexperience in the service industry shows in the way she messes up my order. I think, "Hey, moron, I ordered Fro-Reo. What the fuck is this?" But I don't actually say that and the manager comes over and personally apologizes. I feel cheap, appeased by a mere apology, but I'm not particular like that. Most of the time, I don't mind. It's just today. There was a pile of ash inside the red-lacquer wooden box surr...

Knowing the kind of things others only wonder about is unimportant. It matters not how much or how little you know, nor how deeply you think. That is immaterial, if it does nothing to improve your character and merely adds to your conceit. Being able to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong is unimportant. It matters not your sense of morality or of propriety. That is immaterial, if it does nothing to improve your character and merely adds to your conceit. Having genius for what you do is unimportant. It matters not how talented you are or how you are enjoying your success. That is immaterial, if it does nothing to improve your character and merely adds to your conceit. What people think of you is unimportant. It matters not what people say about what you ought or what you ought not to or whether or not you are liked. That is immaterial, if it does nothing to improve your character and merely adds to your conceit. Intelligence, good intentions, success, even love....

I made my first court appearance today. A pretty simple case and it was a hearing on a motion. The funny thing is, I wasn't in the least bit nervous even though I ought to have been. Maybe because today wasn't a particularly busy court day in that sala. Fewer people, lesser spectators to any bloopers I might have committed. I was trying hard not to look too neophyte but it's impossible when there's only so many litigation lawyers in Cebu. According to one experienced lawyer acquaintance, you're bound to know, if not their names, then their faces in the long run. Our case was the first one called and I think that from the first few words out of my mouth ("Good morning, Your Honor. I am Atty. Bleep in collaboration with Atty. Bleep and Atty. Bleep, appearing for the defendants, Your Honor."), they already figured out I was new. Old-timers no longer feel the need to introduce themselves to the court since court personnel and the judge already know them. ...