Thursday, May 14, 2009

Class is in Session: First Period

You know, it's exciting to see that even after college I'm still learning things. Here are a series of conversations I've had in the last few days:


Nutrition


Person A: "Why do you eat tofu? I mean, why do you want to eat fake meat?"

Me: "I prefer to look at it as real soy."

Person A: "But I mean, it's not natural."

The next day with someone else

Person B: "What did you make vegetable soup? Wait no, you're vegan now aren't you?"

Me: "I don't understand how vegetable soup isn't vegan."

Person B: "I told you I'm drunk. I can't believe I just said that though you should just shoot me in the face."

World Issues
(While watching a performer from Rwanda on American Idol promoting a charity)

Person B: "I don't understand...what is this? What is he?"

Me: "Haha...seriously?"

(After having a conversation about being of Lebanese descent)

Person B: "Oh my gosh, so I went to the tennis courts today to throw the ball around with Chloe. And, I know we weren't playing tennis and she's just a dog but these A-Rabs came up--I'm not being very politically correct, but I don't know what to call them so I just say A-Rabs--and they just started playing tennis."

Me: "Um..."

Person B: "I mean I just don't know what to call them I guess their Islamic or something."

Math
(After hearing that there were 88 million votes this week on American Idol)

Person B: "Wow. That just shows how many people don't have lives in America."

Me: "That doesn't mean 88 million people voted."

Person B: "I know. It was probably, like, half that amount of people voting ten times."


Patience

(After getting off the phone with Megan)

Person B: "Who was that, Grayson (a guy friend of mine)? Hehe."

Me: "My sister."

Person B: "Haha. You're gonna get pissed at me soon, aren't you?"

Me: "Probably."

Manners

Me: "We're allowed to chew gum here? I've never been allowed to chew gum at a job."

Person C: "Even a restaurant job?"

Me: "Especially a restaurant job."

Person C: "Yeah I guess it's kinda rude, but I just think 'Hey if you're gonna eat in front of me I'm gonna smack my gum in your face.' It keeps me from eating."

Monday, May 11, 2009

You Have Kids, I Watch Movies

I don't really use Facebook very much except to periodically harrass my sister or other random friends. I also really enjoy the quizzes. Every now and again I take anywhere from 5-10 at a time. I'm actually surprised that often the quiz kind of pins my personality or things I like. It determined that I would be Barney from How I Met Your Mother. I don't see it, but Barney is pretty much the best thing about the show. Another quiz determined that my closest literary counterpart would be Mr. Keating from Dead Poets Society. I mean, come on, I don't need to say anything about that. I recently took a quiz to determine what Wes Anderson character I would be like. This is my result:

You are Max Fischer. You are extremely eccentric, but all you need to calm you down is a perfect counterpart. Even though you are quite intelligent, your laziness often keeps others from noticing this, and it was never reflected in your grades at school. You are a real go getter, but you always take on more than you can handle, so most of your projects never get realized. You are a little vindictive, and have trouble making friends. But, when you do make friends, you are loyal to a fault.

Max Fisher is Jason Schwartzman's character from Rushmore. That is one of the few Wes Anderson films I haven't seen so I can't really comment on the comparison too much except to say that the short description above I think says everything I could possibly think of to say about myself. I've always wanted to see this movie so I guess this just reaffirms the fact that I need to make that happen.

While I'm talking about Wes Anderson I have to say that I really like all of his movies I have seen (The Royal Tennenbaums, The Life Aquatic, The Darjeeling Limited, Bottle Rocket). I just don't think I fully understand them. They're the kind of movies that for me, I have to see several times before I pick up on probably half of what is presented to me. They are always really well styled and beautiful shot. I love all the colors, costuming, and set design in The Life Aquatic in particular.

To get a little off my original topic, I have to say I have a few favorite directors. As I said before I like Wes Anderson because of the visual appeal of his movies and the fact that they entice multiple viewings. I like Cameron Crowe because most of his movies have genuine emotion even if it can be a little manipulative at times (ahem, Jerry Maguire). He also undeniably has some of the best movie soundtracks EVER. I like Quentin Tarantino because he uses satire and has a specific point of view. A lot of his work is derivative by his own admittance, but is still pretty cool if you can stand the blood. I also really like M. Knight Shyamalan. I know most people hate him and think his movies are boring but I think he's misunderstood. Hollywood doesn't know how to market him. They keep trying to put him in a horror movie genre when he just doesn't belong. His movies are about people and society and emotions. He uses the supernatural to illustrate his ideas about everyday life and people just don't get it. I did really hate Lady in the Water though.