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The everyday office worker, the one of a million salary man: bored, disenchanted, he craves the freedom of his bar-owner friend, but the latter describes himself as simply another salary man paid by the general public. He envies people above him in the corporate ladder, but they tell him the only thing you get more of is disheartening backstabbing and political wars. His blue-collared friend wishes to be him because he was better at school and now has a job in a big corporation. But seeing the former’s joy in work juxtaposed with his own disillusions, he wonders exactly who is better off. Then there is his young office buddy lying in death bed, whose love for the boring corporate life has always amazed people around him. Immobilized for months, he is more passionate than ever to hear every trivial incidence at the office, eager but never again able to get back into that world from which so many others are trying to escape. It’s clear that everyone is dissatisfied with life — what one wants is never what one has at the moment. As the friends sat around a table passing time, they sipped sake and said, life is not very interesting these days, all we can do is try to have some fun.

Devoid of melodrama and sentimentalities, Ozu’s world is so calm, even funerals were depicted matter-of-factly. Yet he not only effortlessly depicted the life of Tokyo white-collar workers in the mid last century, but also made the perpetual struggles of the human condition constant to any generation felt poignantly through his artful way of story telling.

First ever college reunion awaits at the beginning of October. Glad we are still considered young alumni who receive discount at numerous events; sad my SUNet ID got deactivated after four years or so — no longer able to log into axess for some instant self-degradation by that piece of (electronic) paper called the transcript (nope, must pay to get it now).

Unfortunately, it’s doubtful I will be able to make it with no vacation days left. But I’m sure I’ll be reminiscent quite a bit these days, starting with this video made about our senior project, the iClub. Built upon technologies developed by the Stanford Interactive Workspace Project, the video was featured at Ubicomp Conference 2002. Go Josh go!…where did the cute moose come from?

Several times after seeing a Target commercial on TV, Stan would sigh admiringly, “They have the coolest commercials.” I must admit they are pretty fancy, especially considering the category of stores Target belongs to. After all, Target’s main consumer pool should be pretty low-tiered on the social stratus. But its commercials are so chicly glittering that they overpower some of the major department stores in this area. The newest installment of this string of fancy commercials is especially memorable, because it did a very nice adaptation of Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye”.

Yet how come watching these commercials always creeps me out, and reminds me of nothing but the “Stepford Wives”?

Castle (all images from MIMI FERzT Gallery)

The Three Graces

Winter Fishing, Tropical Dreams

Strolling along Soho streets, I discovered my new favorite thing: a series of pink bear miniatures by the Russian contemporary artist, Alexander Zakharov. These shots don’t do justice to the actual pieces, because the most outstanding details are blurred, such as the amazingly vivid looking pink fur on each bear. They are on display at the MIMI FERzT Gallery until mid June. The artist’s official website is here.

Looking at the imaginative and playful lives of these cute, daring bears, I can’t help smiling, feeling an innocent joy and almost a longing to be one of them in a perfectly happy world.

国内红楼选秀办得乌烟瘴气。可对选秀的厌恶怎么也盖不过对红楼梦的兴趣，无可避免的大大关注了一番。赛事提供给了大众源源不断的叫骂课题，因硬伤的确太多，这骂的可以说是理所当然，众望所归。可惜电视台就像国内很多别的事情一样，似乎不那么需要尊重民意。观众忙着抗议不公平不合理，他们照样心安理得的自由左右选手和结果。前者闹的情绪亢奋，伤财劳神；后者钱包塞满了继续逼你忍受这精神折磨。除非民众能想出一个让主办方面不得不自醒改善否则就倒闭的反抗招术来，这花在看选拔上的时间就完全是浪费生命。

自叹无谓之余，多少在轰炸试的红楼梦信息中发现了一些有意义的东西：

-87版电视剧初次上映的旧报纸
如今经典的宝玉黛玉花下共读《会真记》剧照当时竟也是初露头角，而刚逝的权威“林妹妹”陈晓旭在照中还是一青涩少女，任由读者们以完全陌生的眼光随意评论。另外，报道下方还可以看见西游记剧组的新闻，原来这些大作都是在同一时间拍的。至少在看电视方面，当年的人们真是充实得幸福哪！

- 土默热的红楼解说
我自愧后知后觉，现在才发现有那么个人，那么种说法。刚拜读了几段，却读地心惊胆颤。他所提出的“金陵十二钗”和蕉园诗社女子相应的性格作风，几乎如出一轴的雅号诗名实在太有说服力了。要找一个女子和红楼梦人物有相近之处，那比比皆是。但是如果有特定的一群女子，人物关系类似，诗词习性类似，连雅号都出得一个个可以和红楼对上号，那就不能再归于巧合了。而洪昇和这些女子的人生经历，明末时期的思想观念，似乎就像作者所说，可以轻易解开不少红学多年的死结，叫人看得兴奋不已。不论今后能有什么突破，这都是本值得一读的作品。

周末寻食，向某茶餐厅进军。刚走几步已奈不住冷，身体在立刻钻进眼前第一扇门的冲动和坚持不懈达到目的地的信念这两股力的互抗互推下，呈偏向店面的半侧状斜移。最终以“涮涮锅”跳入眼帘，两股力量突变悬殊，放弃目的地一小转（不是大转因为本来就是半侧身）笔直入店拿号等座告终。谢天谢地如此，否则难见百年不遇的涮锅高人：与我们合桌而坐的两韩国MM。

我旁边的高瘦MM穿着贵气的棕色毛边无袖夹袄配毛帽。她对面的那位较胖，一身休闲运动装。两人话不多，入座各点了个简单的白锅。配了调料回来，每锅带的基本肉菜也已送到。当时并没注意她们，只觉得挺安静的，两人专心地一件件涮面前的食物，吃得慢条斯理。不多会，一MM加点了一盘虾，另一个则要了一只小全蟹。轻手滑进锅内，继续边调制边吃。

等东西去掉一大半，她们叫加汤。之后一直不停地用勺小口尝锅里的汤，汤里东西已不多，她们几乎住口不吃。那时我见她们尝汤唯一的启发就是，嗯，现在汤一定够鲜了，所以也不停的从STAN锅里大口偷汤喝（没办法，我自己的是麻辣锅底）。她们话多些了，一边像煲汤似的调调试试，一边有说有笑。直到服务员好心来再次加汤时，我才发现她们的不同：锅里汤剩半锅多些，一般人一定愿意再加，谁知服务员刚准备往她们锅里倒，就被很警惕地制止了，语气还很不快，直问可怜的服务员干吗没叫也来加？

我们立时觉得她们有些刁钻，加了就加了有什么不好呢？没想到她们汤不要，却叫白饭。我心想，吃火锅还吃饭我倒第一次见。到这时也没反应过来她们是想干啥，直到她们利落地把饭扣进了锅里。。。天哪，泡饭！想到锅里各种肉和海鲜炖出来的无敌鲜汤，才发现她们太会充分利用涮锅了。只见她们并不是随便把饭掏松就开吃，而是继续边聊天边搅动。当注意到饭有些干时，才把服务员拖过来稍加汤继续搅。汤的量要配合饭量，自然之前不让随便多加。足有二十分钟左右后，泡饭已变得和粥一样浓厚均匀了。还没完，又把现成的生鸡蛋放碗内打散，勾芡似地匀入饭内。看看色香味俱全了，才一人一小碗盛出来，心满意足地享用。

在羡慕她们有超级鲜美泡饭之余，我不得不佩服她们对食物花的心思。对我来说新奇聪明，她们做起来却早已理所当然。这种“对食物尊重”的文化，在《大长今》里被腻味地像教条似的重复，却在这两女子随便的一顿饭里令我肃然起敬。

“Hey Jude” – The Beatles

Can you hear Lennon say “Ohhhhh!” and “Bloody hell!” after they sing “let her under your skin” (around 00:02:57, listen carefully)? Haha. This is such a wonderful song.

Never intentionally listened to Beatles before. Then, one day out of nowhere (perhaps being fed up with the endless pit of mediocre Chinese pop songs), I had the compelling desire to go over a Beatles album from start to finish. It was a blissful experience.

在长岛十人左右的空荡影院里舒舒服服地看了《黄金甲》，比预期的好（当然在十面埋伏，无极之类的阴影下，起步预期很低）。虽离经典电影还很远，但面对网上中国人千篇一律地做痛心疾首状大骂烂片的情景，我也难免不以为然地耸耸肩问，同志们是否有些无谓地夸张了？

片中有些细节形式化得腻味，比如一而再再而三的报时，军队打斗时万人齐喊的各种口号，节日盛典的“女声”（宫女加太监）大合唱等等。典型共产主义 的，集体群众像机器一样排练整齐地做同一件事的景象让我心生莫名的恐惧。同时也不难看出，与皇帝皇后共写的毛笔字或宫廷内煎药呈药的过程一样，这些都是张 艺谋在 乘机向外国人展现中国悠久传统文化的点滴。而周围的黄金琉璃不但是这种 文化的一部分，也是给展示增加惊叹程度的气氛装饰；就像室内装潢时一间房间同样的家具，添几个关键的灯光就能把房间给人的感觉从“不错”提升到 “精美”的道理一样。或许国内人觉得多余，但鉴于电影本就准备在国外发行，导演做的这些努力就算对电影的灵魂没有多少贡献，到底也有可取的地 方。

故事抄袭曹禹的经典并不代表就会成功。话剧能变化的景实在很有限，所以有不少人抱怨《黄金甲》故事太简单，绕来绕去景就宫里那么几个地 方。可是就像话剧一样，这个电影的看头本来就在那稀少的几个角色之间的高温摩擦。带动片子的是人物，不是情节。而本片演员的表现绝对可以掩盖任何故事 的单 薄。不要说巩利，刘烨，陈谨等向来出色的表演，就连“伪演员”周杰伦都表现得令人惊喜。张艺谋加二王子元杰是一高招。除了明显的吸引歌迷作用，对影 片本身也有好处。没有了元杰，剩下的就是一堆乌烟瘴气。每个人都阴暗到变态的程度，相比《雷雨》，人性更少，残酷太多。后者中的父亲也冷酷，后母也绝望， 但结尾悲剧发生之际，父母对自己每一个孩子的爱仍然清楚可见。而《黄金甲》里的皇帝却已经到了灭绝人性的地步了。这样一个绝对残酷的家庭难以令人接受也没 有意义，所以元杰必须存在，给人们一点寄托。周杰伦在影片后半，特别是绝望自断的时候，是成功的。能让我想哭怎么不算成功呢，本人可是超级冷血动 物，在《Titanic》和《蓝色生死恋》面前也坦然自若。记得小时候幼儿园带我们很久的老师要离开，同学们除了我都哭了，搞得大家都用奇怪眼色看 我，自然是在想，这个小孩怎么如此没感情。可我看到周同学跪在巩利面前痛苦地说妈我让您失望了的时候，眼睛却湿了，这可不仅仅是因为我喜欢周杰伦就能这样 的。

中肯的评 论无论褒贬都该被接受，可惜网上的骂声很多是执着盲目的偏见。不对影片本身做任何探讨，就简单的骂“那么多钱堆起来的大片一定是烂片”，或者“张艺谋的片 绝对不看”之类，实在很可笑。在IMDB上一人说，“我是个中国人，对这部片我觉得很羞耻！”　别人回，“啊？这样的电影你也觉得羞耻？我们美国拍出 什么”Jackass”，我们还没怎样呢！”　是啊，为什么每次中国有任何人或东西得到国际关注了，就总是有国人急着要去贬低，表现自己是高于它的，是不 屑的？就像豆瓣上一同学指出的：“一个德国汉学家说了这样一句话：并不是我们外国人瞧不起中国文化，而是中国人自己瞧不起自己，总是喜欢互相谩骂指责。” 实在有些道理。什么时候大家能学会尊重本国人作出的努力，而不是给自我寻求一个空洞的“姿态高”呢？

随你们怎样吧，反正我就喜欢《黄金甲》。

A woman named Liz who lives in a chic New York apartment has been fastidiously collecting her cats’ shed fur to make furballs. You can see from the photo how big one of the furballs has already gotten: 8″ in diameter. It is so cute/interesting/yucky depending on your reaction — though I’m seeing so many yucks and ewws that they are seriously outrunning the cutes and awws. What’s special about her endeavor, though, is that in the center of the furball, there is a little piece of paper that records the date of the ball’s incipience.

Each year, Stanford’s senior class donates personal mementos into a vacuum-sealed time capsule and deposits it beneath the newest year-labeled plaque that joins the long string of more than 100 existing plaques lining the Quad’s walkway. Objects stored varies from Big Game ticket stubs that entire class shared memories of, to private belongings dear and precious to only one soul.

Memory is a mercurial thing. It carelessly wanders around the sea of remembrances that permeates the brain, touches here a little, dwells there a while. But the ever-growing/overlapping deposits in the “sea” offers too many temptations, it hardly has time to go down one specific memory path and investigate it thoroughly, thus saving us tons of emotional roller coasters that busy life does not accommodate. Looking at the furball makes Liz think of her cats; going back to the Quad brings back the good old times in Stanford. But the possibilities are still too many, everything relating to the subject all rises up at the same time and offers the emotional reward/baggage each brings. Like a kid faced with the nauseatingly colorful choices of ice creams in a shop, memory skims through purposelessly. The mind is overwhelmed, only able to take on a superficial emotion that is generally associated with the subject.

But at the moment when the furs slowly peel off, and the capsule retrieved and opened, things change. The seed so meticulously preserved for so long, will take memory by the hand and guide it down a definite road. For Liz, the material of the paper reminds her from where it was chosen and cut, the handwriting secretly confesses her mood at the time, and the date brings her back to that day, making her recall the otherwise monotonous errands she ran before and after creating the initial furball, as well as the loving thoughts she had for the cats. For a Stanford alumnus, her contribution in the capsule takes her mind to the events of the day, an exam, a debate with her professor; moreover, it reminds her of the people that were most important to her by then, and the hopes and dreams she had of the future when she left this little piece of remembrance in Stanford. Emotions felt at this moment are no longer surface sentiments, but real echoes in the heart that transform the person’s state of mind to that exact instance in life.

Memory is also a sweet thing. In the Russian movie “The Return”, a series of photos capturing snapshots of scenes in the movie are slide-showed to the viewer at the very end. The explanation offered by the director says experiencing something and remembering it later are very different: one may have a painful experience that one can’t wait to escape from, but looking back at it some times later, it becomes part of the person, and one can’t help but feel nostalgic with renewed insights. So the slip in the furball and the memento in the time capsule not only bring back acute emotions of the past, but also sugarcoat them with a layer of silvery reminiscence, making the experience only sweeter.

Anyone who has the chance to open up such a memory treasure should be envied.