I don't understand boys. I may have lots of guy friends, but apparently this has done nothing to help me fathom the complex (or perhaps not so complex) brain of the human male.
Query: When you hang out and spend all your free time with a certain individual, doesn't that mean you thoroughly enjoy their company? And if you're enjoying their company exclusively, and you're sharing private things with each other about yourselves, doesn't that mean you enjoy being with them exclusively? And what if you like all the same things? If that's the case, and you've got all that in common, aren't you pretty much dating?
These are the questions that have been plaguing me, keeping me awake at night. In my mind - whether you're physically intimate or not, if you're spending all your time with someone and sharing your thoughts with them, and having a good time together pretty much exclusively - that is what dating is.
So why don't guys think the same way?!?! My guess is that for guys there has to be a physical attraction instantly or else they're completely uninterested. Apparently I've got the perfect personality to get along with most types of guys, so what is it that I'm doing that's not attracting them physically? I'm so thoroughly confused...
{Follow-up query: Is there any way to kindle an interest later on in a 'friend' relationship? How often do guys change their initial assessment of a friendship into a more romantic one? I need to know how to shift from the eternal paradigm of "Oh, you're so awesome to hang out with but I don't think of you that way" to getting a more appropriate response to my advances, like, "I can't get you off of my mind, I want to be around you all the time; please consider dating me so we can get married".}
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
I love WALL-E
*Caution! Complete plot spoiler ahead!*
Ok, so I went with a few people to the movies the other night to see WALL-E. I had heard really good things about it, so I was pretty excited. Plus, I haven't gone out with a bunch of people in quite a while, so it was nice to go out and hang with a different group of friends for a little bit.
The movie was absolutely fabulous!!! I don't think I've enjoyed a movie in a good long while as much as I enjoyed WALL-E! You'd think it would be difficult to make a cockroach an adorable sidekick to a robot that thinks he's people, but Disney and Pixar managed to pull it off well. :) The following is the main plot, to the best of my recollection:
What's happened is that 700 years or so in the future, humanity has abandoned Earth as one huge trash heap and the WALL-Es (Waste Allocation Load Lifters-Earth class), who were left behind to clean up the mess before the humans returned, have all fallen into disrepair except for one. He's still plugging away at his job, compacting tiny little cubes of garbage into towering skscrapers of trash as he rolls around the city on his little treaded, rusting wheels.
[My favourite part of the whole movie is the personality that's been ascribed to WALL-E. He doesn't really ever speak except for a small series of beeps and squeaks, but he's a sensitive little soul who loves to collect trash 'treasures' the humans left behind - Rubik's cubes, light bulbs, broken toys, gadgets and gizmos a-plenty. He is also quite the romantic; his favourite movie is "Hello Dolly", which he watches scenes from over and over again on his tiny projector. You can tell he's desperately lonely for another creature to be with, and he's endlessly fascinated by the musical number "It Only Takes a Moment" when two characters fall in love and hold hands, a puzzlingly intimate moment for WALL-E, who wants to experience what it would be like to hold someone's hand. It's painfully bittersweet to watch these scenes when he's pining for someone to share his life with and hold their hand. It's hard to believe he's supposed to be a robot when he's so anthropomorphically complete. And he's even got the big puppy-dog eye thing going on...]
His world is turned upside down when he hears something rumbling outside his trailer one day and goes to investigate. A spaceship touches down near him and what looks like another robot is deposited on-site. He is fascinated, but scared of what's happening, and keeps hiding behind boulders and burrowing underground to avoid being seen. It seems like this robot is the opposite of WALL-E - white, sleek, modern, beautiful (to him). She is apparently female, and has been sent to Earth on some sort of recovery mission. He follows her around until she starts shooting at him, then he speeds away and tries to regroup and figure out how to approach this beautiful but deadly creature.
WALL-E is eventually able to get close to her and figure out her name is EVE (how fitting). He keeps trying to hold her hand, but she rebuffs him repeatedly since she can't figure out what he's attempting to do. Although she is completely focused on her mission, he is able to convince her to visit his trailer, where he attempts to share his treasures with her. She is entirely unimpressed, until he pulls out a tiny green plant sprout in a boot that he found in a rusted out fridge the day before. She starts going nuts beeping and squawking, puts the sprout in her chest and then shuts off, sending out what seems to be a homing signal. Try as he might, WALL-E cannot revive EVE. He thinks maybe she's solar-powered like him, so he takes her out on the roof and stays by her side day and night, through rain and dust and wind, sheltering her from the elements and trying to turn her on again.
Finally, after days of trying to turn her back on, he rolls out to get back to work, but is surprised to hear another spaceship coming back to Earth. He rushes back to his trailer to see EVE being retrieved by the ship, and manages to clamber onto the edge as it starts blasting off back to wherever it came from. He is completely terrified, but wants to make sure that EVE is ok. (This whole time, the only word he's been able to say is a variation of her name, an electronic little "Ev-a!" So ridiculously cute.)
The spaceship heads to the outer edge of our galaxy, where humanity has been living aboard a sort of luxury liner in space, waiting to get the green light to head home. Unfortunately for humans, they got so complacent in their luxury, with robots to cater to their every whim, that they have all become hopelessly obese and don't even walk anywhere anymore - they all fly around on hover chairs and are constantly affixed to a computer monitor that tells them what to eat and what to wear and what to think. Anyway, WALL-E follows EVE through a hangar bay where she is going to be transported away to goodness-knows where. He tricks the automated controllers into setting him down beside her, and is able to follow her out, despite the fact that the other robots keep reading him as a foreign contaminant on the ship. :)
EVE and WALL-E get shuttled all the way to the Captain's deck where the human captain, a roundly obese but curious and sweet man is currently in charge of the ship. He doesn't really know much of anything except what the ship's navigational robot computer tells him. Since EVE is in possession of biological plant life from Earth, it basically means that humanity can now return home. There is a manual that tells the captain he needs to put the plant into some sort of holograph chamber or something, but when they try to retrieve the plant from EVE it has disappeared. She freaks out, especially since it's at that point that they realise WALL-E has followed her, and they think he took it. He didn't, and they can't quite figure out what has happened.
EVE and WALL-E are determined to retrace their way through the ship to see where the plant could have gone, but they are deemed 'broken' by the ship's computer, and are sent to the reprocessing area for repairs. While there, WALL-E thinks they are hurting EVE, so he breaks in to rescue her and inadvertently shoots up the place, releasing themselves and all the broken robots into the ship. The klaxon rings out that dangerous robots are wreaking havoc in the ship, but in all the commotion they are able to slip away and find the plant again. They bring it back to the captain of the ship, who's been really excited about going home and has been reading all about Earth on the computer. He's especially thrilled by the idea of dancing. But while they are all together, the ship's navigational computer tries to get rid of the plant, EVE and WALL-E.
It seems that years and years ago, the computer received a secret message from the remaining inhabitants of Earth who basically said that the world was completely unsalvageable, and that they must never return to Earth. The navigational computer has taken that to heart, and will stop at nothing to keep them all from returning, including trying to get rid of the plant and the robots that found it. The computer turns on the captain, relieves him of duty, and confines him to his quarters so he can't announce anything to the crew about his discovery of the plant; the computer then incapacitates EVE and WALL-E and throws them down the garbage chute.
EVE and WALL-E realise they must rally all the robots if they are to be able to regain control of the ship and get back to Earth. They retrieve the plant again, and try to head to the holograph chamber without being stopped by the ship's computer. The rest of the broken robots from the reprocessing area run defense for them as they make their way through the maze of the ship. In the meantime, the captain has been trying to regain control of his ship and secretly helps them figure out where to go. He's begun to realise that the humans have been far too reliant on technology, and have lost focus of what it means to be human. He sends a ship-wide message to everyone to meet at the Lido deck where the holograph chamber is. The ship's computer is not happy about this at all, and while everyone is there and the robots are about to put the plant into the chamber, the computer flings the ship onto its side and everyone falls out of their chairs and start rolling willy-nilly all over each other.
WALL-E understands that no matter what, he must get that plant to the chamber, and although the chamber is rapidly crushing him, he stands his ground until someone can retrieve the fallen plant and throw it back to him. The captain overpowers the ship's computer and turns it to manual power, and EVE is finally able to put the plant where it belongs. But poor WALL-E has been crushed seemingly beyond repair, and EVE is heartbroken.
Once they get back to Earth the spaceship lands and everyone gingerly makes their way onto the surface, except for EVE who is urgently rushing WALL-E back to his trailer to search for spare parts in order to repair him. She replaces all his damaged parts, and replaces his motherboard so he can turn back on, but when she reboots him, he no longer recognises her. The plaintive "WALL-E? WALL-E?!?" she keeps repeating is absolutely heartbreaking. Finally, as a last ditch effort she tries to hold his hand, thinking that it might bring him back. (At this point, "It Only Takes a Moment" is playing again, and I'm practically in tears, cursing myself for crying over an animated movie...) Suddenly, you hear a plaintive little "Ev-a?" and you basically want to start cheering in your seat because WALL-E is rebooted and well and finally gets to hold EVE's hand.
If you decide to watch this in the theatre, I would recommend bringing some hankies and watch it with people who don't mind if you cry over an animated movie about robots. And stay to watch the end credits - they're really cleverly done, with the history of the humans rebuilding their life on Earth depicted in a series of painting styles throughout the ages.
You'd think that a movie about the excesses of humanity and a somewhat bleak future would be depressing or condescending, but this movie was neither one of those things. Sure, it makes you think about what we're doing to our planet and ourselves these days, but by taking a lighthearted approach and making the story focus on the characters rather than the situation, it's an easy pill to swallow. I am planning on watching this movie over and over and over again.
Ok, so I went with a few people to the movies the other night to see WALL-E. I had heard really good things about it, so I was pretty excited. Plus, I haven't gone out with a bunch of people in quite a while, so it was nice to go out and hang with a different group of friends for a little bit.
The movie was absolutely fabulous!!! I don't think I've enjoyed a movie in a good long while as much as I enjoyed WALL-E! You'd think it would be difficult to make a cockroach an adorable sidekick to a robot that thinks he's people, but Disney and Pixar managed to pull it off well. :) The following is the main plot, to the best of my recollection:
What's happened is that 700 years or so in the future, humanity has abandoned Earth as one huge trash heap and the WALL-Es (Waste Allocation Load Lifters-Earth class), who were left behind to clean up the mess before the humans returned, have all fallen into disrepair except for one. He's still plugging away at his job, compacting tiny little cubes of garbage into towering skscrapers of trash as he rolls around the city on his little treaded, rusting wheels.
[My favourite part of the whole movie is the personality that's been ascribed to WALL-E. He doesn't really ever speak except for a small series of beeps and squeaks, but he's a sensitive little soul who loves to collect trash 'treasures' the humans left behind - Rubik's cubes, light bulbs, broken toys, gadgets and gizmos a-plenty. He is also quite the romantic; his favourite movie is "Hello Dolly", which he watches scenes from over and over again on his tiny projector. You can tell he's desperately lonely for another creature to be with, and he's endlessly fascinated by the musical number "It Only Takes a Moment" when two characters fall in love and hold hands, a puzzlingly intimate moment for WALL-E, who wants to experience what it would be like to hold someone's hand. It's painfully bittersweet to watch these scenes when he's pining for someone to share his life with and hold their hand. It's hard to believe he's supposed to be a robot when he's so anthropomorphically complete. And he's even got the big puppy-dog eye thing going on...]
His world is turned upside down when he hears something rumbling outside his trailer one day and goes to investigate. A spaceship touches down near him and what looks like another robot is deposited on-site. He is fascinated, but scared of what's happening, and keeps hiding behind boulders and burrowing underground to avoid being seen. It seems like this robot is the opposite of WALL-E - white, sleek, modern, beautiful (to him). She is apparently female, and has been sent to Earth on some sort of recovery mission. He follows her around until she starts shooting at him, then he speeds away and tries to regroup and figure out how to approach this beautiful but deadly creature.
WALL-E is eventually able to get close to her and figure out her name is EVE (how fitting). He keeps trying to hold her hand, but she rebuffs him repeatedly since she can't figure out what he's attempting to do. Although she is completely focused on her mission, he is able to convince her to visit his trailer, where he attempts to share his treasures with her. She is entirely unimpressed, until he pulls out a tiny green plant sprout in a boot that he found in a rusted out fridge the day before. She starts going nuts beeping and squawking, puts the sprout in her chest and then shuts off, sending out what seems to be a homing signal. Try as he might, WALL-E cannot revive EVE. He thinks maybe she's solar-powered like him, so he takes her out on the roof and stays by her side day and night, through rain and dust and wind, sheltering her from the elements and trying to turn her on again.
Finally, after days of trying to turn her back on, he rolls out to get back to work, but is surprised to hear another spaceship coming back to Earth. He rushes back to his trailer to see EVE being retrieved by the ship, and manages to clamber onto the edge as it starts blasting off back to wherever it came from. He is completely terrified, but wants to make sure that EVE is ok. (This whole time, the only word he's been able to say is a variation of her name, an electronic little "Ev-a!" So ridiculously cute.)
The spaceship heads to the outer edge of our galaxy, where humanity has been living aboard a sort of luxury liner in space, waiting to get the green light to head home. Unfortunately for humans, they got so complacent in their luxury, with robots to cater to their every whim, that they have all become hopelessly obese and don't even walk anywhere anymore - they all fly around on hover chairs and are constantly affixed to a computer monitor that tells them what to eat and what to wear and what to think. Anyway, WALL-E follows EVE through a hangar bay where she is going to be transported away to goodness-knows where. He tricks the automated controllers into setting him down beside her, and is able to follow her out, despite the fact that the other robots keep reading him as a foreign contaminant on the ship. :)
EVE and WALL-E get shuttled all the way to the Captain's deck where the human captain, a roundly obese but curious and sweet man is currently in charge of the ship. He doesn't really know much of anything except what the ship's navigational robot computer tells him. Since EVE is in possession of biological plant life from Earth, it basically means that humanity can now return home. There is a manual that tells the captain he needs to put the plant into some sort of holograph chamber or something, but when they try to retrieve the plant from EVE it has disappeared. She freaks out, especially since it's at that point that they realise WALL-E has followed her, and they think he took it. He didn't, and they can't quite figure out what has happened.
EVE and WALL-E are determined to retrace their way through the ship to see where the plant could have gone, but they are deemed 'broken' by the ship's computer, and are sent to the reprocessing area for repairs. While there, WALL-E thinks they are hurting EVE, so he breaks in to rescue her and inadvertently shoots up the place, releasing themselves and all the broken robots into the ship. The klaxon rings out that dangerous robots are wreaking havoc in the ship, but in all the commotion they are able to slip away and find the plant again. They bring it back to the captain of the ship, who's been really excited about going home and has been reading all about Earth on the computer. He's especially thrilled by the idea of dancing. But while they are all together, the ship's navigational computer tries to get rid of the plant, EVE and WALL-E.
It seems that years and years ago, the computer received a secret message from the remaining inhabitants of Earth who basically said that the world was completely unsalvageable, and that they must never return to Earth. The navigational computer has taken that to heart, and will stop at nothing to keep them all from returning, including trying to get rid of the plant and the robots that found it. The computer turns on the captain, relieves him of duty, and confines him to his quarters so he can't announce anything to the crew about his discovery of the plant; the computer then incapacitates EVE and WALL-E and throws them down the garbage chute.
EVE and WALL-E realise they must rally all the robots if they are to be able to regain control of the ship and get back to Earth. They retrieve the plant again, and try to head to the holograph chamber without being stopped by the ship's computer. The rest of the broken robots from the reprocessing area run defense for them as they make their way through the maze of the ship. In the meantime, the captain has been trying to regain control of his ship and secretly helps them figure out where to go. He's begun to realise that the humans have been far too reliant on technology, and have lost focus of what it means to be human. He sends a ship-wide message to everyone to meet at the Lido deck where the holograph chamber is. The ship's computer is not happy about this at all, and while everyone is there and the robots are about to put the plant into the chamber, the computer flings the ship onto its side and everyone falls out of their chairs and start rolling willy-nilly all over each other.
WALL-E understands that no matter what, he must get that plant to the chamber, and although the chamber is rapidly crushing him, he stands his ground until someone can retrieve the fallen plant and throw it back to him. The captain overpowers the ship's computer and turns it to manual power, and EVE is finally able to put the plant where it belongs. But poor WALL-E has been crushed seemingly beyond repair, and EVE is heartbroken.
Once they get back to Earth the spaceship lands and everyone gingerly makes their way onto the surface, except for EVE who is urgently rushing WALL-E back to his trailer to search for spare parts in order to repair him. She replaces all his damaged parts, and replaces his motherboard so he can turn back on, but when she reboots him, he no longer recognises her. The plaintive "WALL-E? WALL-E?!?" she keeps repeating is absolutely heartbreaking. Finally, as a last ditch effort she tries to hold his hand, thinking that it might bring him back. (At this point, "It Only Takes a Moment" is playing again, and I'm practically in tears, cursing myself for crying over an animated movie...) Suddenly, you hear a plaintive little "Ev-a?" and you basically want to start cheering in your seat because WALL-E is rebooted and well and finally gets to hold EVE's hand.
If you decide to watch this in the theatre, I would recommend bringing some hankies and watch it with people who don't mind if you cry over an animated movie about robots. And stay to watch the end credits - they're really cleverly done, with the history of the humans rebuilding their life on Earth depicted in a series of painting styles throughout the ages.
You'd think that a movie about the excesses of humanity and a somewhat bleak future would be depressing or condescending, but this movie was neither one of those things. Sure, it makes you think about what we're doing to our planet and ourselves these days, but by taking a lighthearted approach and making the story focus on the characters rather than the situation, it's an easy pill to swallow. I am planning on watching this movie over and over and over again.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Ants
I was fascinated the other day by a colony of ants trying to move a large, dead bug across a stone path. I noticed them because the dead bug was fluorescent green and there was a huge swarm of ants trying to figure out the best way to carry the bug back to their colony.
It was actually pretty amazing to watch - most of the ants were carrying the bug (which was about ten times their size) while a few others spread out around the group and tried to work together to find the path of least resistance back home. They kept running aground on bunches of pine needles, which to them must have been the size of fallen Sequoia trees. But they kept at it, and kept at it, and eventually they were able to walk the bug off the side of the stones and wedge it down into a crack where, I can only assume, they were about to devour it.
Gross, but an excellent example of unity nonetheless. If only we as humans were able to put aside our differences and work together for the common good. We'd be able to get all our dead bugs home to the colony to share...ok, that's gross again, but the metaphor still stands.
It was actually pretty amazing to watch - most of the ants were carrying the bug (which was about ten times their size) while a few others spread out around the group and tried to work together to find the path of least resistance back home. They kept running aground on bunches of pine needles, which to them must have been the size of fallen Sequoia trees. But they kept at it, and kept at it, and eventually they were able to walk the bug off the side of the stones and wedge it down into a crack where, I can only assume, they were about to devour it.
Gross, but an excellent example of unity nonetheless. If only we as humans were able to put aside our differences and work together for the common good. We'd be able to get all our dead bugs home to the colony to share...ok, that's gross again, but the metaphor still stands.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
July Wrap-up
Wow, it's been waaaaay too long since my last post.
A lot of stuff happened in the last month:
- I got the stomach flu for a solid week
- I got lost on the way to the hospital for a blood test
- I learned how to play Magic the Gathering
- I watched more laptop movies than should be humanly possible
- I studied the Tablet of Ahmad (reeeeeeeeally cool, by the way)
- I finished my Spanish class and have now started my Persian class
- I almost finished my huge tropical aquarium cross stitch pattern
- I sorted more dirty laundry than any person should have to sort EVER
That's about it. Oh, and I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on between Andre and me. Are we dating? Are we just friends that hang out ALL the time? What? I have no clue, so I'm just going to leave things as they are. The ball is in his court now.
A lot of stuff happened in the last month:
- I got the stomach flu for a solid week
- I got lost on the way to the hospital for a blood test
- I learned how to play Magic the Gathering
- I watched more laptop movies than should be humanly possible
- I studied the Tablet of Ahmad (reeeeeeeeally cool, by the way)
- I finished my Spanish class and have now started my Persian class
- I almost finished my huge tropical aquarium cross stitch pattern
- I sorted more dirty laundry than any person should have to sort EVER
That's about it. Oh, and I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on between Andre and me. Are we dating? Are we just friends that hang out ALL the time? What? I have no clue, so I'm just going to leave things as they are. The ball is in his court now.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Coffee Spoons and Afternoons
A beautiful wind blew in through the open living room window, wafting in and filling the flat with a clean, fresh and above all, cool, scent. As I sat reading my book for the day, one of the neighbours across the way began his usual weekend electric guitar practice. I smiled to myself as I read and listened to the unmistakable chords of Green Day and Blink-182 being carefully plucked out, reverberating all over the stairways and garden downstairs.
I was reading the book, To See and See Again, by Tara Bahrampour, an autobiographical tale of a half-Persian, half-American woman trying to rediscover her roots in Iran so unceremoniously ripped away from her after the Revolution in 1979. It's really been striking a chord with me - also being half-blooded, or "double-veined" as the Iranian term implies, I've felt a resonance within me reading about a life I never actually had but have always wanted to experience. What might it have been like to grow up in Iran, learning about the language and culture that is so intrinsically a part of me? But I know it wouldn't have been easy; I'm a Baha'i, who to a fundamentalist Islamic regime would be considered a lower-class citizen, if even considered a citizen at all. Even in her book Tara, a recognised Muslim, had her share of hardships visited upon her due to her dual heritage and her inherent flaw of being born a woman. Hmmmmm...
An excellent afternoon nonetheless. Tonight Andre and I are going to an FMD BBQ at Isidro's flat, should be a lot of fun. I'm making veggie skewers, yum...
I was reading the book, To See and See Again, by Tara Bahrampour, an autobiographical tale of a half-Persian, half-American woman trying to rediscover her roots in Iran so unceremoniously ripped away from her after the Revolution in 1979. It's really been striking a chord with me - also being half-blooded, or "double-veined" as the Iranian term implies, I've felt a resonance within me reading about a life I never actually had but have always wanted to experience. What might it have been like to grow up in Iran, learning about the language and culture that is so intrinsically a part of me? But I know it wouldn't have been easy; I'm a Baha'i, who to a fundamentalist Islamic regime would be considered a lower-class citizen, if even considered a citizen at all. Even in her book Tara, a recognised Muslim, had her share of hardships visited upon her due to her dual heritage and her inherent flaw of being born a woman. Hmmmmm...
An excellent afternoon nonetheless. Tonight Andre and I are going to an FMD BBQ at Isidro's flat, should be a lot of fun. I'm making veggie skewers, yum...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
I'm a blood donor!
Today was the day I gave blood for the first time. It was pretty daunting at first, but by the time I got there and it was all over and done with, it was no big deal.
The Health Centre has the local Israeli blood drive clinic come and visit once a year to drain all us Baha'is of our blood. I suppose one might ask, "Why on earth would you want to get your blood taken in another country?" My response would probably be, "Why on earth wouldn't I want my blood taken in the country with some of the best medical staff training?" Hmmmm?
Anyhoo, I got cookies and juice and a cute sticker that said I gave blood, so it was all pretty much worth it. I'm just glad I didn't get to see the needle beforehand; I'm terrible with needles. But the nurse was so gentle I barely felt it go in, and hardly felt it during. It wasn't until I was finished that I found out the needle was practically the length of my upper arm. Yeesh.
Mom will be so proud of me for finally donating blood. She's been working with the Red Cross back home for so long, so I knew all about it, but I was never able to donate before now.
Yay! I can't wait until next year when I can do it all again!
The Health Centre has the local Israeli blood drive clinic come and visit once a year to drain all us Baha'is of our blood. I suppose one might ask, "Why on earth would you want to get your blood taken in another country?" My response would probably be, "Why on earth wouldn't I want my blood taken in the country with some of the best medical staff training?" Hmmmm?
Anyhoo, I got cookies and juice and a cute sticker that said I gave blood, so it was all pretty much worth it. I'm just glad I didn't get to see the needle beforehand; I'm terrible with needles. But the nurse was so gentle I barely felt it go in, and hardly felt it during. It wasn't until I was finished that I found out the needle was practically the length of my upper arm. Yeesh.
Mom will be so proud of me for finally donating blood. She's been working with the Red Cross back home for so long, so I knew all about it, but I was never able to donate before now.
Yay! I can't wait until next year when I can do it all again!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
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