cara

it's one of those brutal truths about human relationships that almost never fails: you can usually tell how someone feels about you by the quality of the time they give you and the number of excuses they make.

the first sign is that every conversation starts feeling like a one-sided tennis match. you're always the one reaching out, asking questions, trying to keep the conversation alive, while their replies never go beyond "yeah," "uh-huh," "cool," or "that's nice." every response is a dead end. they don't ask about your life, your thoughts, or how you're doing, because, simply put, they're not interested.

the second—and probably biggest—sign is the classic excuse: "i've just been so busy." more often than not, what that really means is, "i don't have time for you." people naturally make time for what matters to them. even the busiest person can usually find ten minutes for someone they genuinely care about. if you're always at the bottom of their priority list and every plan gets postponed or canceled, the message is usually pretty clear.

kissing a baby's big toe sticking out of a torn sock.

freedom and breath.

taking photos.

if we're going to think in terms of a single trait, i'd say clarity. man or woman, no difference, i love a clear person. because clarity brings naturalness, honesty, transparency, sincerity, humility, empathy, and genuineness along with it. just as a clear person won't bother with empty matters, in their relationships there's no inconsistency, scheming, or indecision either. a clear person is plain, simple, and natural. they're a genuine person, free of affected behavior and staged emotions.

apart from beverly hills and santa monica, a place with a lot of traffic and pretty bad.

no doubt, the human being is a finite creature, and their freedom is limited. this is not freedom from conditions, but the freedom to take a stand toward conditions. in the final analysis, the human being is a self-determining creature. a person does not simply exist; instead, they always decide the fate of their existence, what they will be in the next moment. one of the fundamental characteristics of human existence is the capacity to rise above conditions and grow beyond them. the human being has the capacity, whenever it is possible, to change the world and, when necessary, themselves for the better. yet freedom is not the last word. freedom is only part of the story and half the truth. freedom is nothing but the negative side of a phenomenon whose positive side is responsibility. in fact, unless it is lived in terms of responsibility, freedom is in danger of degenerating.

man's search for meaning, viktor frankl

gen z humor is a type of comedy that's intentionally weird, random, and sometimes makes almost no sense. instead of telling a normal joke with a setup and punchline, it leans into absurdity, irony, exaggeration, and internet culture. the joke is often that everyone acts like something completely ridiculous is perfectly normal.

example:

friend: "did you finish the assignment?"

you: "no, but the assignment finished me."

or:

teacher: "any questions before the test?"

student: "yeah... why is my gpa built like a crypto portfolio?"

or:

me: "i'm going to bed early tonight."

also me at 2:47 a.m.: watching a raccoon steal a costco-sized bag of dog food and thinking, "bro is on a side quest."

the easiest way to understand gen z humor is this: imagine your brain has 47 browser tabs open, one is playing music, two are frozen, and you have no idea where the sound is coming from. somehow, that's the joke.

the general rule of the universe is that, over time, everything wants to reach minimum energy and maximum disorder.

(see: entropy)

since it's a universal show, they were forced to shoot a final season in keeping with the fundamental rule of the universe. game of thrones isn't just a show, it's a work of natural art, in my opinion. like a lake, like a mountain, like a waterfall.

one of my favorite films, maybe even my favorite. for years i wondered why i loved it this much. i think the answer lies in its ability to touch on some fundamental points in human psychology all at once.

a sprawling city with a gorgeous skyline. home to little new york, the strip, and many beautiful shopping centers. very, very hot... image

he loved her like the sea loved the stars. from afar; and from her perspective, quietly. reflective and beautiful, a silent ballet of ripples and smiling patterns scattered across the waves.

from his, it was a roaring and chaotic love. constantly moving, and always full. swells and crashes of emotion when he would see her. he'd hide from her behind the clouds and feel his storm inside him, and when the clouds would clear, and the waves would fall back, he would peek through the clouds and see her again, calm and beautiful as ever.

and then when the sea was still, each star reflecting perfectly on its surface, sometimes she would smile back. the twinkle of a star flitting across the sky. a wink that said "i love you too."

but they would never touch.

dream job... but i'm not smart enough.

too damn cold in northern nevada. where's the snow? no snow, only cold. you tease.

the ability to do work. or anything.

something i have none of