IT SOUNDS SO DIFFERENT

Tomorrow and Wednesdays are not working days, and I am looking forward immensely. Coffee and long baths in the morning, then a pipe and good tobacco, perhaps tea at that time, followed by lunch or a teatime snack in Chinatown and another smoke while people watching.
Reading, and more tea.

Oh, and remembering the past, daydreaming the future.
The present is nothing special.

Somewhere in the last few years I may have lost my social polish, as largely the antics of many people fail to engage me. I still like people, though. Especially the female of the species.
In a purely intellectual manner, because I don't know very many.
And know very few well.


Today, a woman of indeterminate age called me "dear". She and her husband were on vacation from Hawaii, so don't read anything into it.
She just found me a likable sort and informative.

The American English usage of the word "dear" is somewhat peculiar, there are few equivalents in other languages that fit all the contexts. Sometimes it is more or less an affectionate or friendly replacement for "dude".

In a Hong Kong movie several years back, that term of address was translated into Cantonese and written Chinese as 真愛的 ('jan oi dik'), which means 'truly loved'.

As in "I really like this cake".
That puppy is delightful.
Huggy-poo.


Neither term is used much in my world anymore.
Likable and informative, maybe.
Not lovable.



I really don't think of myself as a dried up old stick-insect or a sour grumpus. But obviously I am not quite warm and fuzzy either.




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