.to whom it may concern.

photo taken by: myself
year: 2006
location: oxford, england


to whom it may concern,

you're probably a decent person beneath the flaws that i've encountered first hand. the things you say are probably true, for the most part- given a bit of exaggeration or understatement here and there. maybe you throw in some white lies now and again. you probably do laugh and smile, just not in front of people, because that would be too revealing, right? you probably are somewhat unsatisfied with some of the things you claim to take great pride in. it's just that your pride seems a bit too pronounced to extinguish people's suspicion that it's disguising an insecurity of some sort. you know, insecurities are normal; you don't have to be flawless. in fact, you are not flawless. i could list many of your flaws right now, but that's not what kind people do. and if i were to list your virtues, i'm sure the scroll would be much longer than that of your flaws. was that a white lie? does it even matter if that was a white lie? don't panic, i won't tell anyone. raise your shoulders to your earlobes and hold for a few seconds. relax. repeat. tilt your head to the right, to the back, to the left, forward. repeat. close your eyes. take a deep breath. repeat. look in the mirror and look at the person who stands before you, not the person you wish you saw. introduce yourself politely, become acquainted. you cannot escape the company of he who stands before you, so learn to like him. it will make life far more enjoyable. you know, it might be a good idea to make him your 'best friend' rather than that soul sucking envious dictator that you devote so much time to...none of my business, i know. it's just a suggestion based on distant observation. oh, and don't be too contrived in your dealings. formalities have their place and purpose, but being genuine feels so much better. don't slurp your tea, chew slower and remember that silverware and teeth should never get intimate. don't criticize self-righteous pricks so much, because at times, you're a self-righteous prick too. yes, you. hey, don't beat yourself up about it...we all fall into that trap. it's a good idea to try to catch one's balance to avoid those trip ups, though. you are generous and sensitive; keep it up.
hope this helped,
(i'd be lying if i said 'love, dina.')
yours truly, dina