Lost in Translation, which won an Oscar this year for best original screenplay, has to be one of the most boring movies I’ve seen recently.
Now, that’s not to say it was horrible, it just wasn’t very good. I’m amazed it was nominated for Best Picture. I love Bill Murray, but they could have done so much more with this movie.
It’s the story of two married people, Bob who is an American movie star (Bill Murray) and Charlotte, a young woman (Scarlett Johansson), meeting while in Tokyo. There are some funny bits with Bill Murray filming a commercial for Scotch.
Now, I know this is supposed to be a dramatic, poignant, soul-searching film about love that can never be between Charlotte (who’s just out of college) and Bob, who’s in his 50’s… of course, if they were meant to be together, they would have left their spouses, or found someway to work it out.
Someone who watched this movie with me fell asleep for a little bit in the middle and after waking up and watching the remainder of the movie said “I must have missed the good part.” Only there wasn’t any good part, it just drags on and on. With that said, the acting was great and the cinematography as well… it’s just very lacking in the plot department. After 2 hours of watching Bob and Charlotte meet and spend time together in Tokyo, you learn about their dissatisfying lives, a little about them, and then, how does it end? They just go back to their lives like it never happened.

the friday five
1. What was the last song you heard?
Currently playing — INXS, I Need You Tonight
2. What were the last two movies you saw?
on DVD – Pirates of the Caribbean and Intolerable Cruelty
at the theater – 50 First Dates and Big Fish
3. What were the last three things you purchased?
A new cell =), groceries, and gas
4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?
I’ve already done most of it, but the to do list for this weekend was laundry, cleaning my room, vacuuming, and washing my car.
5. Who are the last five people you talked to?
My mom, Christina, my dad, and Nick
The questions were kind of boring this week!

The Friday Five
What was…
1. …your first grade teacher’s name?
Normally, I’m known for remembering all sorts of trivia and minute details. But this one, well… I *think* it was Mrs. Garcia, and I’m sure my parents will probably remember and correct me if I’m wrong.
2. …your favorite Saturday morning cartoon?
I loved the Smurfs and Fraggle Rock. It’s a shame that they haven’t released Fraggle Rock on DVD yet…
Dance your cares away,
Worry’s for another day,
Let the music play,
Down at Fraggle Rock!
3. …the name of your very first best friend?
I would have to say Jessica who lived next door while we lived in Gilroy. We had the wonderful fun of overdosing on Flintstones Vitamins when I was 4 and going to the ER for a yummy coal milkshake.
4. …your favorite breakfast cereal?
Hmm. I don’t recall the name of it, but it had some sort of Kix like puffs and chocolate covered marshmallows.
5. …your favorite thing to do after school?
Read. I used to check out 25 books at a time from the library, and sometimes I think it astonished my parents…. They would say “Now honey, only get as many as you can read in 2 weeks.” I would read them all, especially during the summer. When I had the flu and missed a bunch of school in 3rd grade, I read the entire lit book…

Today, I got up (early, early in the morning) and went to work. I don’t know which felt more strange, the getting up early or the going to work.
It was pretty uneventful, but I did find out that while I am a contractor with little to no benefits at the moment, my manager does intend on hiring me as a real employee in a few months if things are working out well. It’s always nice to know that health insurance and paid vacation / sick leave are just around the corner.
Ironically, it seems now that I have a job (and job offers), more offers and phone calls keep coming in. I was offered a position in Santa Barbara just over a week ago, but they tried to bully me into taking the job. How’s this for rushing someone — It’s Thursday and they say “We want you to start on Tuesday” — Monday was a holiday — and oh yes “We need your decision by tomorrow.” Did I mention that Santa Barbara is 4 hours from my house?
It was almost a go, but alas, I had an interview the day before in San Jose. For the job I’ve wanted since July. All the sudden, Santa Barbara didn’t seem so enticing. And to top off the whole thing, CTB/McGraw Hill called me that same day and reiterated their job offer which didn’t require a 4 hour move, an expensive apartment (Here’s a statistic — the cost of living in Santa Barbara is 40% higher than in Baltimore according to Salary.com), and all for more money. So that’s where I work now. =)
It’s sort of annoying that people think they can interview you and not tell you if you’re hired or not, and call or email months later expecting you to drop everything. I had completely given up on my San Diego job interview, which was just before Thanksgiving. The hiring manager said she would have a decision by the end of the year, and then I never heard anything. And low and behold, the day I signed my contract with CTB last week, she emailed me to tell me they have another opening.
And if one more person chimes in with that dreaded “when it rains it pours” cliche, be prepared to face the punishment.
On the un-job related front, there’s not much going on. Except a certain someone telling me I’m a good friend along with other sweet things. It was a nice surprise. Somehow, I just didn’t see that coming.
It reminded me that I don’t always tell people how I feel or what I think, and that while I expect them to know, I can’t always be certain that they do. So I hope all my friends and family know how much I love them, and how much I miss everyone that’s far away.