Monthly Archives: October 2003

Nani?

Lost in Translation

So I watched Bill Murray being Bill Murray, but in Japan. I enjoyed the movie, and I like the way it ended. Although, I have to say that some of the scenes are probably funnier when you understand even 20% of the Japanese being spoken. Part of the concept is to show how alien everything seems in Japan. Nothing is translated.

One of the scenes features karaoke in private rooms, which I hope against hope looks nothing like us when we go out to karaoke.

Argh

I have been waiting for Half Life 2 to come for years. It was scheduled for release this Holiday Season. Now, due to the charity and graciousness of some very dubious characters, the release date has been pushed back to April, 2004.

And it’s not because the game isn’t done. It’s because someone stole a third of the source code. Part of me thinks that this is some sort of stunt that Vivendi Universal is pulling to get more time. Part of me hates the people that stole the code. Yet another part of me thinks that it could be corporate espionage.

Then there’s that other part that just wants a Krispy Kreme.

Mmmm. Krispy Kreme.

Beauty = truth?

“Is that a diary?” He pointed at the little black book that I had dropped on the table. “What’s the point?”

I looked down at the leather bound book. It was black, and held shut by a piece of black elastic attached to the back binding. Although shut, I knew its pages were unlined, and the grey ribbon attached to the spine was marking the third page.

Where I had stopped.

I’ve been asked that question many times. I’ve even asked it of myself. I’ve had plenty of time to think about it. I’ve even written about it–about why I write things down. I gave him the answer that I finally decided on.

“If you don’t write something down,” I say, “you’ve lost a day of your life forever. You can’t remember everything.”

He counters. “What if nothing happens–what if that day wasn’t worth remembering?”

“Something happens every day that is worth remembering.”

“That’s the thing. Those stories are better told when embellished by memory.”

“Who says that the written word is truth? Are historical records truth?”

With that, he smiled and turned to the student scheduling his appointments. “Invite him back. We need to finish our discussion about truth.”

And then he walks off. I turn to her and smile, because to tell the truth, she was the reason I was there in the first place.