On the up: Personal space
On the down: People who get in it and stamp up and down

A most fabulous friend, S, wrote a fantasic blog entry recently about personal space and how much he freaks out when someone gets into it. I need to talk about this because it is THE BIGGEST GRIPE I have - I just can't stand people getting in my space.

Example: The other day, this REALLY irritating girl I've had the misfortune to meet while doing some volunteer work rang me up as I was getting in the car to drive to Kepong for work (os obviously, I was already in a bad mood. Kepong, c'mon...). I've only met this girl twice, a total of about 6 hours, but she already thinks we like this, so close that she's telling me all her relationship problems and wants to know all of mine.

So she rings up. Within the first 30 seconds she had asked "What are you doing? Where are you going? What is your work for? What work are you doing? How is your boyfriend? (she's never met him) Where is your boyfriend? What is he doing? What does he work as?"

Really, even my mother doesn't ask me those questions.

Then she proceeded to tell me all about how she went out on Saturday, met loads of guys, took one back to her hotel room, slept with him and then told him to leave (Do I look like I give a shit?!) And then, "Oh we have to go out sometime!!!"

THEN AGAIN TODAY:

I was at Rinpoche's place until 8.30am this morning after a 12-hour gab session (plus work lah), so I didn't get to sleep until 9.30am.

3pm the phone rings and it's an unidentified number so stupid me answered the phone because I thought it was someone from work. It was her. ARG.

"HI!!!!!!! What are you doing?"

...which is a question I hate people asking me anyway, least of all when I'm asleep.

"Mmmmfffphhp I'm sleeping," I said very sleepily hoping she'd get the hint and get off the fucking phone.

"Oh, why are you sleeping?!"

"mmffhphmmm um... hmmmmm... uhhhh cos I went to bed at 9 this morning."

"WHY did you go to sleep at 9 this morning? WHAT were you doing?"

I thought if I tried to keep quiet long enough she would get the effing hint and leave me alone. But she really was sitting on the other side of the line waiting for a response. So I said, "I was working."

"Okay, well I'll call you back later. What time shall I call you back?"

I SO did not want her to call back so I asked what it was about, is it urgent?

"I really need someone to volunteer at an event this Sunday. Are you free?"

I said I can't cos I'm already busy.

"Oh! Why are you going to be busy? What are you doing? "

Like what the fuck business is it of hers? My best friends don't ask me these questions man.

"Got something on at the Dharma centre."

"OH!!!! Dharma centre? Where is your Dharma centre? I want to come volunteer too!!!!"

Oh my god. Can you imagine. I sooo don't want her to come.

Although, if I'm being super Dharmic and compassionate, I should let her come, right? Introduce her to something good and all that. Well I was warned! They told me once you do Kurukulle's practice and have her statue, you start attracting WEIRDOS!

Well, I have a Kurukulle and I'm not even practising properly but man do I seem to attrack these crazy space-sucking people. And once they get in your personal space, that's it! They're moving in with their whole extended family and signed a life-long tenancy agreement.

Ugh, why can't people just leave me alone!!! I'm not that interesting, I promise. I'm actually realllly boring and I'm mean and I take advantage of people and I hate people and I just want to sit in a cave for the rest of my life and talk to stones.