xy

I got it.

So do I stay another year or graduate and get a real job?

I love Stars.

Maybe it’s a trait I share with my little cousin, but I tend to root for people who are GOOD. In this case, I was hoping for Sam to win, because frankly he deserves it the most. Not only was he consistently the best throughout the season, but had one of the best attitudes, never stepping on anyone’s toes and taking the leadership role successfully several times. Tom Colicchio, the head judge, has proclaimed on numerous occasions (on air and on his blog) that being a top chef isn’t just about how well one cooks but on how one acts, and that’s why the show is Top Chef, not Top Cook. Taking this into consideration, I don’t see how he can go from denouncing the behavior of the contestants in last week’s episode (which had no culinary relevance) to saying “I don’t care what happens in the kitchen, it’s about the food” in this week’s finale part 1. Not only that, but Tom completely disregarded Chef Alan Wong’s comments last night. Does it not matter that he thought Sam’s dishes were the best? Both he and Padma agreed. Yet Ilan gets to go through because he “took a chance” and used a taro leaf? A taro leaf which wasn’t cooked properly and ended up giving several people scratchy reactions in the throat. That, and he works exclusively with Spanish food. How is making those dishes Spanish a risk? Tom’s criticism of Sam was that he did not cook his food. He’s basically implying there is no merit in raw food, no matter how good it is. What an insult to all sushi and sashimi chefs out there.
This just proves that Top Chef is just out to manufacture drama. Of course Ilan and Marcel would make for a much more conflict-ridden final than one between Sam and Marcel, which would’ve been extremely quiet. You lose, Top Chef. I thought Bravo shows weren’t supposed to be about the drama. I won’t be tuning in next week.

I fear no one, but respect everyone…

-Roger Federer

It just occurred to me to recommend the movie Idiocracy to anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. My reflection on Children of Men has spurred me to think of suggesting an alternative that is a far superior cinematic criticism of humanity and its future.

…about work, school or life anymore. I just want to be a vagrant. An itinerant one. And hey, according to Jane Jacobs, I’ll make the streets a lot safer just by virtue of my being there.

These cycles come about occasionally, and it seems one’s here again, except for different reasons. I find myself wishing that I’d gone to the east coast or Berkeley to start anew or so to speak, broaden my horizons. I don’t think I’d be the same as I am now. I’d definitely have different ambitions. I do know it’d be in the tradition of the Korean ‘be successful and employed immediately with a 6 figure salary preferably as a doctor or corporate lawyer’ mentality. I don’t believe in it anymore. Yes, I have legal ambitions, but they’re more within the realm of public interest and policy change. My mom’s still bothered by the fact that ADAs only make about 30 grand a year. So I’m still wrestling with the question of whether or not I was better off staying here.
But you know, that’s not the point. It’s that I really don’t feel like I have anything going for me. No. It’s that, I’m not happy. I think it’s just the numbness. Help me.

Getting that copy staff position (I love words and language. It’s like God gave me signs — 5 on English AP, 800 on SAT Writing, bilingualism — and I was like fuck that, I want to do neuroscience!) might just be the thing to stop me from lying down and allowing the locomotive called life to run its course over the tracks and over my alleogrical body, supine, atop them.

Based on a book by P.D. James, Children of Men seemed to show a lot of promise when I first saw the trailer last year. The film’s concept was absolutely compelling: the human race suddenly faces a devastating plague of infertility. While we currently face a problem of overpopulation, this dystopian setting put forth in the film throws its characters into a situation marked by the exact opposite concern. As the world finds out that the youngest person has died, a violent and crumbling society spirals down further into chaos as the world’s inhabitants lose hope for the future, facing the imminent extinction of the human race.

Anything worth watching about the movie we already find out about in the trailer. I already sense the argument that will be used against me: Don’t watch trailers, idiot. Well, you’d be wrong in this case, as everything revealed in the trailer we see not half an hour into the movie. That’s right. Humans are infertile, the youngest person dies, there’s rampant violence, and our heroes discover a sole pregnant woman, whom they must deliver to safety (why? who the hell knows.) Oh yeah, because she’s a “fugee” and the dictatorial British government of the future (V, anyone?) wouldn’t acknowledge a fugee birth! I’m sure politics would be the first thing on the mind of the lone standing edifice of a crumbling civilization, which would find its salvation in ANY birth. Does Cuaron have a vendetta against the Angle-West?

Specific issues like this aside, the primary blunder/misstep/mistake/failure of the movie is that it has nothing novel to offer aside from the basic premise we are presented at the beginning of the film. Rather than exploring the themes and social issues it so poignantly starts to develop, it tosses them all away in favor of an extremely drawn-out action sequence. Yes, ladies and germs, this movie is 10% innovation and 90% explosions. I love Clive Owen and appreciate his talent. I admit the acting was actually superb — Chiwetel Ejiofor was wonderful as always, and Jaymie actually enjoyed Julianne Moore this time. Not to mention Michael Caine’s performance — but the film’s script did not do these actors justice. But back to the point. I would’ve loved to have seen more social dynamics develop, rather than the in-your-face, obvious ‘people become treacherous and violent.’

What was the point of the human project? What exactly were Theo and Julian fighting against? What caused global sterilization? How will a lone baby change, save, or impact the world? As the credits started to roll, I was left scratching my head, wondering what the point of the movie was. I heard children laughing. I was forced to assume that it was about the importance of children in our lives, due to this audio track, along with the temporal proximity of a certain scene in which a playground is shown, revealing the depressing fact that the locale had not heard the sound of children’s laughter in nearly two decades. This, along with the rest of the film, is a glaring non sequitur.

The issues raised in the beginning of the film, which we would assume to be certain critiques on modern society, fail to have any relevance at the film’s end. This leads me to believe that any deep ideas that Cuaron might seem to convey are a mere accident. It’s my sincere belief that the trailer, and the first half hour of the movie, was the bait. The rest is Alfonso Cuaron’s political commentary on the purported authoritarian tyranny perpetrated against immigration, he himself being a Mexican. I have no qualms about expressing my dislike of Cuaron, but I didn’t even know he did this movie until the credits started rolling. But believe me, I was perplexed long before the conclusion, at which point I was just thought, “that’s it?” I’m waiting for just one iota of an even slightly profound revelation, and the movie. just. ends.

I waited a few days to write this, as I empathize with Travis in thinking that I needed a few days to mull it over and let it marinate to know what I really think of it. It turns out there’s not much to think about. I tried hard to extract something meaningful out of the film, but it was a practice in futility. It basically uses the interesting premise as a the catalyst for a mediocre action movie.

Here’s the real kicker: While Britain is the last bastion of human civilization (LOL Stormwind!), the opening of the film makes a reference to a 1,000-day siege of Seattle. Go Seattleites! This also raises a few questions, though: Is Seattle the only other place left standing? Who’s sieging it? How do you even siege a place surrounded by water and mountains? HAS THE SEA LEVEL RISEN?! All I know is that if this vision of the future is true, it’s just another justification for me to go live in the emerald city.

Cliff, a skilled chef whom I thought would make it far into the competition, was sent home last night for using physical force against Marcel. I don’t have a problem with this. He broke the rules, he was sent home. I think they should’ve left it at that. Instead the judges, especially Padma, started acting like drama queens, denouncing the attempted prank as a moral outrage. Please. We’ve all had experiences like this, rough-housing with siblings, cousins, friends, in elementary school, in high school, and even in college. I’ve been on plenty of outings, retreats, and such where I’ve had things done to me against my will and I’ve at least taken part in pranks on others. I don’t know what sheltered world the judges are coming from. On Padma’s blog, featured on bravotv.com, she likens the situation to The Lord of the Flies, and that’s another example of her overreaction. Has she even read the book? It’s not like the chefs are going crazy and ripping each other’s heads off. They were letting off steam after a stressed time, being away from their families, taking part in an intense competition on which their future relies. Sorry Padma, not everyone is a rich model with a secure future who makes bank just by showing her face on screen. It’s an outrage to me that so many people are empathizing with the likes of Lakshmi and the others by nodding their heads along in unison in some jaw-dropping disbelief of the situation. No surprise coming from a society in which overprotective parents want to eliminate recess.

It hailed today. The ice balls were the size large marbles, slightly smaller than golf balls, and they blanketed the ground outside the apartment. It felt like the impact would tear through my umbrella, and the ice crushing beneath my feet, along with the rain bouncing off it drenched my shoes, socks and pants. I only wish I could’ve taken part in one of many ’snow’ fights going on. They seemed like lots of fun. sigh.

is SO EMO. And yes, my professor wears all black all the time. He also sounds pretty intellectual until his California accent comes out and he pronounces ‘Mexico’ like “Mexicooow.” Not that Californians aren’t, we just give off the appearance that we’re not. A few summers ago, in D.C., everyone thought I was a stoner. Then I picked up a slight southern accent and that was pretty cool. Too bad it didn’t last.

Classical art ftw, forever. I wish I had the time and resources to pursue some secondary degrees, like classics, geography, ecology, economics, history. ha. That would be fun. Oh well. I can’t stop thinking about 24. Today in class I daydreamed about torturing and killing people and I just can’t wait for next Monday’s episode. Too much crap to watch on Monday, I swear. Heroes, Prison Break, and 24!