This last year has been one of self-reflection. I've thought a lot about who I am and how I interact with other people; I've also recently started reviewing media: it really was only a matter of time before the two intersected.
For the most part, when I begin following something, be it a TV show, a webcomic, or a band, I generally stick with it. Giving up on a source of entertainment takes a lot of effort for me. When I declared myself no longer a fan of Metallica, it was after about a year of not really enjoying their music but not wanting to admit it to myself. Maybe I get caught in routines or something but it's difficult for me to move on.
Well, very recently, I've given up on a few things. Parks and Recreation hasn't been consistently funny for nearly a season but I kept with it. I think since I had stuck with them for so long, I was hoping it would be funny again, but I decided a few weeks ago that it didn't deserve my time anymore. I do think that there are some very talented people involved with the show, but it's just not working for me anymore.
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal started out as a webcomic that poked fun at geek culture and often used charts and pie graphs and [gasp!] math to convey the punchline. It was occasionally a bit off-colored with its humor, but those strips didn't seem to show up that often. However, since the cartoonist, Zach Weinersmith, became a father within the last year, he's been using his strip as a way to stand on a soapbox and share his personal philosophies. I do not fault him for doing that but the philosophy that he seems most fond of lately has been atheism, which was the message of three strips in only two weeks. I was supporting his webcomic because I thought he was funny or at least clever, but I can't continue to support someone who attacks my beliefs.
I don't know why I hang onto media franchises well past the point of enjoyment but I've started making progress in recognizing when it's time to say good-bye.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Tuesdays with Media: Serlock vs. Elementary
Sherlock Holmes has had a bit of a resurgence in popularity lately. In particular, modern day adaptations seem to be in vogue with Sherlock on BBC One and Elementary on CBS. While both shows share the same source material, each has its own take on the public domain character. Which one is superior? Let's take a look.
Sherlock is at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to character development because each of its three seasons has only three 90-minute episodes, while Elementary's two seasons have had twenty-four 45-minute episodes apiece (60 minutes with commercials). That means that Elementary has had more time to develop its characters and story arcs. Simply based on format, Elementary has the advantage to showcase the characters. Point to Elementary.
While the format of Sherlock puts it at a disadvantage for developing the characters, it has the advantage for each individual case. Each episode focuses on one case, so with double the time, Sherlock can let the story build a lot more before finally being resolved. Additionally, the shots are often more creative. There are more visual effects to show what Holmes is thinking. When he explains how he was able to deduce something, Holmes narrates as there are close-up shots of each clue, reminding the audience that they had a chance to make the same conclusions. Elementary mostly just has static shots of the good detective explaining what we saw earlier in the episode. With fewer episodes each season, the production staff of Sherlock have more time for each episode to put together a more visually-stimulating story. Point to Sherlock.
Character-wise, we have our main detective played by Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock and Jonny Lee Miller on Elementary, both very talented actors. I prefer Miller's take on the character, though that has as much to do with the writing as the acting. In my opinion, Holmes needs to be a likable jerk, but I just end up hating Cumberbatch's portrayal of the detective. Miller's Holmes is a jerk, yes, but one that the audience can relate to: he's a recovered heroine addict who's new drug is solving crimes and feeling superior to everyone around him. The drug addict component makes Holmes more flawed, which I enjoy. Point again to Elementary.
You can't have Holmes without Dr. John Watson, which both provide in Martin Freeman on Sherlock and Lucy Liu (as Joan Watson) on Elementary. I prefer Freeman, though Liu's performances in the second season are noticeably improved from the first. Freeman and Cumberbatch have great chemistry together and they really look like they're having fun together, even when Watson gets annoyed at Holmes' cryptic way of explaining a crime scene. However, I do enjoy how Liu's Watson has become Holmes protege and she often has a part to play in solving the case by providing some medical knowledge that Miller's Holmes begrudgingly acknowledges. Plus, the producers of the show took a risk by changing Watson's gender and I applaud them for not making Watson Holmes' love interest. Even so, point goes to Sherlock on the Watson front.
If you've been keeping track, both shows are tied. For the tie-breaker, I've decided to simply look at which tells a better story. Sherlock's version of Holmes is much less likable, but works on more interesting crimes, while Elementary's Holmes is more related, but works on more mundane cases. However, Elementary's version has had to face his own internal demons more and even put a detective that he regularly worked with in the hospital because of a miscalculation. Yes, the detective lived, but it still took several episodes for the two characters to be on speaking terms again; that's refreshing to see on television, where so much effort is often put into maintaining the status quo. Sherlock's Holmes hasn't faced nearly as many obstacles, mostly just people thinking that he and Watson are a gay couple, but that's more of Watson's problem since Holmes never cares what other people think. The final point goes to Elementary.
I want to reiterate that both shows have very talented people working on them, both in front of and behind the camera. I prefer the American version, but then again, I am part of its intended audience.
Sherlock is distributed in the US by PBS and Elementary is distributed by CBS Television Distribution
Sherlock is at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to character development because each of its three seasons has only three 90-minute episodes, while Elementary's two seasons have had twenty-four 45-minute episodes apiece (60 minutes with commercials). That means that Elementary has had more time to develop its characters and story arcs. Simply based on format, Elementary has the advantage to showcase the characters. Point to Elementary.
While the format of Sherlock puts it at a disadvantage for developing the characters, it has the advantage for each individual case. Each episode focuses on one case, so with double the time, Sherlock can let the story build a lot more before finally being resolved. Additionally, the shots are often more creative. There are more visual effects to show what Holmes is thinking. When he explains how he was able to deduce something, Holmes narrates as there are close-up shots of each clue, reminding the audience that they had a chance to make the same conclusions. Elementary mostly just has static shots of the good detective explaining what we saw earlier in the episode. With fewer episodes each season, the production staff of Sherlock have more time for each episode to put together a more visually-stimulating story. Point to Sherlock.
Character-wise, we have our main detective played by Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock and Jonny Lee Miller on Elementary, both very talented actors. I prefer Miller's take on the character, though that has as much to do with the writing as the acting. In my opinion, Holmes needs to be a likable jerk, but I just end up hating Cumberbatch's portrayal of the detective. Miller's Holmes is a jerk, yes, but one that the audience can relate to: he's a recovered heroine addict who's new drug is solving crimes and feeling superior to everyone around him. The drug addict component makes Holmes more flawed, which I enjoy. Point again to Elementary.
You can't have Holmes without Dr. John Watson, which both provide in Martin Freeman on Sherlock and Lucy Liu (as Joan Watson) on Elementary. I prefer Freeman, though Liu's performances in the second season are noticeably improved from the first. Freeman and Cumberbatch have great chemistry together and they really look like they're having fun together, even when Watson gets annoyed at Holmes' cryptic way of explaining a crime scene. However, I do enjoy how Liu's Watson has become Holmes protege and she often has a part to play in solving the case by providing some medical knowledge that Miller's Holmes begrudgingly acknowledges. Plus, the producers of the show took a risk by changing Watson's gender and I applaud them for not making Watson Holmes' love interest. Even so, point goes to Sherlock on the Watson front.
If you've been keeping track, both shows are tied. For the tie-breaker, I've decided to simply look at which tells a better story. Sherlock's version of Holmes is much less likable, but works on more interesting crimes, while Elementary's Holmes is more related, but works on more mundane cases. However, Elementary's version has had to face his own internal demons more and even put a detective that he regularly worked with in the hospital because of a miscalculation. Yes, the detective lived, but it still took several episodes for the two characters to be on speaking terms again; that's refreshing to see on television, where so much effort is often put into maintaining the status quo. Sherlock's Holmes hasn't faced nearly as many obstacles, mostly just people thinking that he and Watson are a gay couple, but that's more of Watson's problem since Holmes never cares what other people think. The final point goes to Elementary.
I want to reiterate that both shows have very talented people working on them, both in front of and behind the camera. I prefer the American version, but then again, I am part of its intended audience.
Sherlock is distributed in the US by PBS and Elementary is distributed by CBS Television Distribution
Monday, April 28, 2014
Second-hand
As you may or may not be aware, every piece of furniture that I own (with the exception of my mattress set) had a previous owner. Perhaps since I was often the recipient of "hand-me-downs" as a child, doing it as an adult seems natural; or maybe it's just because getting used furniture is better than having no furniture, since that's basically my only other option at this point.
Well, as I was returning home from my run on Saturday, I passed by one of my apartment complex's dumpsters. Sitting next to it was an end table. I paused to examine it. The table was perfectly fine, save for a missing buttress at the base (the table has a single leg that flares out into a cross at the bottom). The table is made out of solid wood and was remarkably clean. I decided that it would be a shame to pass it up, so I hefted it onto my shoulder and walked the rest of the way home.
There are opportunities in our lives that are there to bless us, but only if take hold of them. It may be something as small as a nice new end table or it may be a new job or an opportunity to serve. While the blessing of a new piece of furniture is not terribly important, it is nice to be reminded that we need to be ready to recognize when we are offered a blessing from the Lord and when we are offered trash.
Well, as I was returning home from my run on Saturday, I passed by one of my apartment complex's dumpsters. Sitting next to it was an end table. I paused to examine it. The table was perfectly fine, save for a missing buttress at the base (the table has a single leg that flares out into a cross at the bottom). The table is made out of solid wood and was remarkably clean. I decided that it would be a shame to pass it up, so I hefted it onto my shoulder and walked the rest of the way home.
There are opportunities in our lives that are there to bless us, but only if take hold of them. It may be something as small as a nice new end table or it may be a new job or an opportunity to serve. While the blessing of a new piece of furniture is not terribly important, it is nice to be reminded that we need to be ready to recognize when we are offered a blessing from the Lord and when we are offered trash.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Third Time's the Charm
So, there's that whole "new job" thing that's still happening - that may just be a positive spin on "I haven't been fired yet." I jest, of course: things at work are better than that. In fact, I finally met a deadline.
Since I misunderstood my first assignment, missed the deadline, and kept working on it in an attempt to complete it, that pushed my next assignment back as well. I ended up missing my second deadline by entire week. It sounds worse than it is - since the second assignment is tied closely to the first, about 70% of the document can't be completed until the first assignment is finished. As the first assignment is being worked on by my boss, turning in an incomplete assignment was expected, but it's still frustrating that I was late with it.
However, as you may have already guessed from the post title, I completed my latest assignment on time. I actually submitted it a couple of days early, but that just meant that I had time to make the corrections that my boss pointed out. It makes me feel super lame to be experiencing such pride for simply fulfilling my job duties, but considering that I was failing at even just doing that for a few weeks, I think I've earned this pride.
While I still need to work to prove myself and build a reputation within the company, I've finally started climbing out of the hole I started in.
Since I misunderstood my first assignment, missed the deadline, and kept working on it in an attempt to complete it, that pushed my next assignment back as well. I ended up missing my second deadline by entire week. It sounds worse than it is - since the second assignment is tied closely to the first, about 70% of the document can't be completed until the first assignment is finished. As the first assignment is being worked on by my boss, turning in an incomplete assignment was expected, but it's still frustrating that I was late with it.
However, as you may have already guessed from the post title, I completed my latest assignment on time. I actually submitted it a couple of days early, but that just meant that I had time to make the corrections that my boss pointed out. It makes me feel super lame to be experiencing such pride for simply fulfilling my job duties, but considering that I was failing at even just doing that for a few weeks, I think I've earned this pride.
While I still need to work to prove myself and build a reputation within the company, I've finally started climbing out of the hole I started in.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Hold It
As an after school tutor, I mostly focus on helping the kids that I work with do drills in reading comprehension and arithmetic. However, there is another element that I've had to start addressing that is not related to their school work: bodily functions.
To be clear, I don't work with anyone younger than third grade, yet this problem persists. On Monday, I had to explain to the fifth grader I was tutoring about the concept of holding your farts in. His response? "I don't really know how to hold them in." How has he not been told about this?! I realize that in our culture, we are so afraid of the sounds and smells that people make that our natural inclination is to not say anything, but no one really mentioned that he should hold it in? Not even his parents?
Anyway, after several more incidents, I finally explained how smelling works (that is, that tiny molecules of whatever we smell actually goes inside our noses) and that seemed to shock him. A little bit later, he declared that he held one in. I asked if it was hard, genuinely curious. He answered with, "No, not really."
I'm sure all of the parents reading are unimpressed, but I bet they all taught their kids to hold it in, too.
To be clear, I don't work with anyone younger than third grade, yet this problem persists. On Monday, I had to explain to the fifth grader I was tutoring about the concept of holding your farts in. His response? "I don't really know how to hold them in." How has he not been told about this?! I realize that in our culture, we are so afraid of the sounds and smells that people make that our natural inclination is to not say anything, but no one really mentioned that he should hold it in? Not even his parents?
Anyway, after several more incidents, I finally explained how smelling works (that is, that tiny molecules of whatever we smell actually goes inside our noses) and that seemed to shock him. A little bit later, he declared that he held one in. I asked if it was hard, genuinely curious. He answered with, "No, not really."
I'm sure all of the parents reading are unimpressed, but I bet they all taught their kids to hold it in, too.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Tuesdays with Media: No One Knows
Have you ever heard a song that felt like it always existed? Maybe a hymn or a piece of classical music, but what about more popular music? By the time I was born, the Beatles had already put out all of their music, so even when I discovered something new, I knew that it had been around for decades. Sometimes, however, a new piece of music comes around that feels like its been around for longer. Not that it's old fashioned so much as that you can't imagine the world without that song. That's how I feel about the Queen's of the Stone Age's biggest hit, "No One Knows."
What a strange mash-up of styles that ends up working perfectly. It's definitely got a Rockabilly rhythm to it, but the song is clearly metal. Even though I'm a fan of the band's other work, I can totally see why this is their highest-charting single (number 1 on the Modern Rock Charts).
The album this song comes from, Song for the Deaf, was released only a few months after I went on my mission, so I didn't hear it until I had returned home. However, there was never a point where I remember hearing it for the first time. It was sort of like, "Oh yeah, this song is cool." It's interesting that a song that I think of as being so unique, I can't remember the first time I heard it. But that's what's so interesting to me. It's as if the song has always existed, even though it's only about a dozen years old. I can't remember the first time I heard "Eight Days a Week" and I can't remember the first time I heard "No One Knows" because, to me, they've never not been around.
Songs for the Deaf is distributed by Interscope Records.
What a strange mash-up of styles that ends up working perfectly. It's definitely got a Rockabilly rhythm to it, but the song is clearly metal. Even though I'm a fan of the band's other work, I can totally see why this is their highest-charting single (number 1 on the Modern Rock Charts).
The album this song comes from, Song for the Deaf, was released only a few months after I went on my mission, so I didn't hear it until I had returned home. However, there was never a point where I remember hearing it for the first time. It was sort of like, "Oh yeah, this song is cool." It's interesting that a song that I think of as being so unique, I can't remember the first time I heard it. But that's what's so interesting to me. It's as if the song has always existed, even though it's only about a dozen years old. I can't remember the first time I heard "Eight Days a Week" and I can't remember the first time I heard "No One Knows" because, to me, they've never not been around.
Songs for the Deaf is distributed by Interscope Records.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Full Weekend
This week, my little sister, Paige, visited the area. She and her husband, Eugene, were staying with the Larsens all week, so I made the trip to hang out with everybody on Saturday. I, of course, had to bake something, and since I know Paige doesn't care for chocolate, I decided to go with strawberry cupcakes. They were a hit with all who tasted them, though Ian was the most vocal about how tasty they were (while I used this recipe for the cupcakes, I made the marshmallow frosting again and mixed in some strawberry jam). It was really fun to hang out with Paige and to get a chance to talk to Eugene a bit more since I haven't been around him a whole lot. All around, it was really good that I made the trip.
And then there's Sunday. Do you remember last week when I had my panic attack that was triggered by some slightly rowdy kids and I had to leave church? Well, I planned ahead and arrived ten minutes early and sat in the third pew from the front. That alone was tremendously helpful and I was able to more fully feel the Spirit. Once we were released, I went to the Sunday School classroom and started writing the scripture references we would be using on the chalkboard. That's when I was asked by someone behind me if I "like the children?" It was the mother from the previous week. That's why she look familiar, she was in my Sunday School class! I explained that her question was a complex one. I said that I had just hung out with my niece and nephew the day before and that I regularly tutor kids in an after school program. She asked if I have children of my own. When I said that I don't, she explained that I looked like I was in a bad mood last Sunday and that she thought it might have been because of her son. I panic and I lied and said that I didn't remember, but that the previous Sunday was a hard day for me and I was in a bad mood for unrelated reasons, which was completely true.
She let it go at that point, but boy did it bother me. I taught the lesson without issue and moved on to Elder's Quorum, but once church was out, I went straight home and made a batch of sugar cookies, frosted them some with the leftover strawberry-marshmallow frosting, put them on a plate and drove to the sister's house to deliver them. I was warmly welcomed by both the sister and her husband. Apparently, she has a very dry sense of humor and was just giving me a hard time, but did it in such a straight-faced way that I had no idea that she was joking. She laughed at the idea that I thought that she was offended and both her and her husband invited me to stay for dinner. I declined since I needed to do some preparations for the rest of the week, but suggested that perhaps in the future we could plan something.
I am happy for this experience. It would have been so easy for me to let it go after she dropped the issue before Sunday School, but I'm glad that I didn't. I reached out and apologized and in the process, got to know someone new. When I mentioned that I was a technical writer (and that I was stressed from work), she shared that she has her own independent publishing company and has published a few children's books. She even asked if I would edit her next book for her. None of this would have happened if I hadn't made the effort to patch things up between us.
While I had a full and busy weekend, it was all time well spent.
And then there's Sunday. Do you remember last week when I had my panic attack that was triggered by some slightly rowdy kids and I had to leave church? Well, I planned ahead and arrived ten minutes early and sat in the third pew from the front. That alone was tremendously helpful and I was able to more fully feel the Spirit. Once we were released, I went to the Sunday School classroom and started writing the scripture references we would be using on the chalkboard. That's when I was asked by someone behind me if I "like the children?" It was the mother from the previous week. That's why she look familiar, she was in my Sunday School class! I explained that her question was a complex one. I said that I had just hung out with my niece and nephew the day before and that I regularly tutor kids in an after school program. She asked if I have children of my own. When I said that I don't, she explained that I looked like I was in a bad mood last Sunday and that she thought it might have been because of her son. I panic and I lied and said that I didn't remember, but that the previous Sunday was a hard day for me and I was in a bad mood for unrelated reasons, which was completely true.
She let it go at that point, but boy did it bother me. I taught the lesson without issue and moved on to Elder's Quorum, but once church was out, I went straight home and made a batch of sugar cookies, frosted them some with the leftover strawberry-marshmallow frosting, put them on a plate and drove to the sister's house to deliver them. I was warmly welcomed by both the sister and her husband. Apparently, she has a very dry sense of humor and was just giving me a hard time, but did it in such a straight-faced way that I had no idea that she was joking. She laughed at the idea that I thought that she was offended and both her and her husband invited me to stay for dinner. I declined since I needed to do some preparations for the rest of the week, but suggested that perhaps in the future we could plan something.
I am happy for this experience. It would have been so easy for me to let it go after she dropped the issue before Sunday School, but I'm glad that I didn't. I reached out and apologized and in the process, got to know someone new. When I mentioned that I was a technical writer (and that I was stressed from work), she shared that she has her own independent publishing company and has published a few children's books. She even asked if I would edit her next book for her. None of this would have happened if I hadn't made the effort to patch things up between us.
While I had a full and busy weekend, it was all time well spent.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Reassigned
I missed my first deadline and because the document I was working was large and cumbersome (it will probably be a couple hundred pages when its completed), it was taken away from me. I can't say I'm shocked, but it still hurt - I actually teared up while I was in my boss' office, but I gained control quickly enough that I was able to reabsorb the moisture before anything fell out of my eyes (my boss never mentioned it and may have thought it was due to allergies).
What does that mean for me now? It means that I'm working on a completely different assignment that I've not spent time with before, so all the research I did for the last assignment needs to be repurposed for the new document, something that I'm not sure quite how to do yet.
Now for some good news: because I am currently working on a document that will be used for the same software program as the last document, I am going in with a much better understanding of how the program works. And since I've exercised everyday this week, I seem to be focusing better while I work, making me a more effective writer.
While my boss never said that my job is in jeopardy, I can't imagine that missing my first deadline reflects well on me. I am determined to meet my deadline for my new assignment, both as a means to secure my future with the company, but also to prove to my boss that she hired the right person.
What does that mean for me now? It means that I'm working on a completely different assignment that I've not spent time with before, so all the research I did for the last assignment needs to be repurposed for the new document, something that I'm not sure quite how to do yet.
Now for some good news: because I am currently working on a document that will be used for the same software program as the last document, I am going in with a much better understanding of how the program works. And since I've exercised everyday this week, I seem to be focusing better while I work, making me a more effective writer.
While my boss never said that my job is in jeopardy, I can't imagine that missing my first deadline reflects well on me. I am determined to meet my deadline for my new assignment, both as a means to secure my future with the company, but also to prove to my boss that she hired the right person.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Nose, Meet Grindstone
Since my breakdown on Sunday, I've made a concerted effort to reduce the amount of stress that I face during the week. Since I can't reduce my responsibilities at work, I've decided to spend more time with them as a way to combat them.
The office I work at is very relaxed. As I've mentioned before, I can work a six hour day with no problem as long as my work is done. However, since I misunderstood the document I was working on and had to practically start over, that meant that more time needs to be spent with it to make up for the lost time. To do this, I've been the first person to arrive in the morning and the last person to leave in the evening. We all have keys, but we leave the office unlocked during the common hours. First one in unlocks the door and the last one out locks up. That's been me so far this week.
Have my efforts been rewarded? Kind of. I still haven't completed the first document and my deadline was last Friday, but I am making headway. Hopefully, I'll be on to my next assignment by the last post of this week. Even if it means that I practically live at work.
The office I work at is very relaxed. As I've mentioned before, I can work a six hour day with no problem as long as my work is done. However, since I misunderstood the document I was working on and had to practically start over, that meant that more time needs to be spent with it to make up for the lost time. To do this, I've been the first person to arrive in the morning and the last person to leave in the evening. We all have keys, but we leave the office unlocked during the common hours. First one in unlocks the door and the last one out locks up. That's been me so far this week.
Have my efforts been rewarded? Kind of. I still haven't completed the first document and my deadline was last Friday, but I am making headway. Hopefully, I'll be on to my next assignment by the last post of this week. Even if it means that I practically live at work.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Tuesdays with Media: Gattaca
I watched my all-time favorite movie for the first time in high school biology. Gattaca is science fiction/crime noir film set in the near future.
The trailer reeks of the nineties, but that just means it's a product of its time. The film, however, is much more timeless. The production design, rather than going forward, looked to the past. Everyone dresses like their in the fifties or sixties, and it works to the film's favor. Movies that take place in the future usually feel trapped by the era that the movie was made during. Back to the Future Part II, for example, went too over-the-top with its predictions of the future, ironically making everything feel too much like the eighties. By making Gattaca look like the future according to the 1950s, it allows the audience to easily become immersed in the film.
The basic story is about a man who is born naturally in a world that is run by genetically modified human beings. He is seen as being worthless because his genetic code says that he will never amount to much. IDs are gone, replaced by an individual's DNA, which is read instantly by computers using a single drop of blood or saliva. To overcome the prejudice of his society, our protagonist, Vincent, becomes a "borrowed ladder" by teaming up with someone with much higher-quality DNA, a wheelchair-bound former Olympic athlete, Jerome. Jerome provides DNA samples of hair, blood, and urine, while Vincent provides for them financially. Everything seems to be going according to plan when someone at Vincent's work is mysteriously murdered.
The film is a beautiful portrayal of the human spirit overcoming incredible odds. Vincent, who has a heart condition and wasn't supposed to live to see adulthood, is able to be prove that he is more than just his genes. While the story and set design are great, what really sells the movie are the actors. Vincent is played by the underrated Ethan Hawke with the always talented Jude Law as Jerome. Also a part of the show are Alan Arkin and Gore Vidal in supporting roles. Even Uma Thurman, who I generally don't care for, is great in her role of Irene, Vincent's love interest.
One of the reasons that I enjoy this film so much is because it combines genres that I enjoy (sci-fi and mysteries) with a positive theme that uplifts and inspires, all while still leaving the ultimate meaning up to the audience. It's a shame that the only other film that I've seen by the writer/director Andrew Niccol was In Time, a pandering waste of time. Regardless of his later work, this film still stands as my favorite movie, even fifteen years after I first saw it. If you haven't had a chance to see this one, I definitely recommend it.
Gattaca is distribute by Columbia Pictures.
The trailer reeks of the nineties, but that just means it's a product of its time. The film, however, is much more timeless. The production design, rather than going forward, looked to the past. Everyone dresses like their in the fifties or sixties, and it works to the film's favor. Movies that take place in the future usually feel trapped by the era that the movie was made during. Back to the Future Part II, for example, went too over-the-top with its predictions of the future, ironically making everything feel too much like the eighties. By making Gattaca look like the future according to the 1950s, it allows the audience to easily become immersed in the film.
The basic story is about a man who is born naturally in a world that is run by genetically modified human beings. He is seen as being worthless because his genetic code says that he will never amount to much. IDs are gone, replaced by an individual's DNA, which is read instantly by computers using a single drop of blood or saliva. To overcome the prejudice of his society, our protagonist, Vincent, becomes a "borrowed ladder" by teaming up with someone with much higher-quality DNA, a wheelchair-bound former Olympic athlete, Jerome. Jerome provides DNA samples of hair, blood, and urine, while Vincent provides for them financially. Everything seems to be going according to plan when someone at Vincent's work is mysteriously murdered.
The film is a beautiful portrayal of the human spirit overcoming incredible odds. Vincent, who has a heart condition and wasn't supposed to live to see adulthood, is able to be prove that he is more than just his genes. While the story and set design are great, what really sells the movie are the actors. Vincent is played by the underrated Ethan Hawke with the always talented Jude Law as Jerome. Also a part of the show are Alan Arkin and Gore Vidal in supporting roles. Even Uma Thurman, who I generally don't care for, is great in her role of Irene, Vincent's love interest.
One of the reasons that I enjoy this film so much is because it combines genres that I enjoy (sci-fi and mysteries) with a positive theme that uplifts and inspires, all while still leaving the ultimate meaning up to the audience. It's a shame that the only other film that I've seen by the writer/director Andrew Niccol was In Time, a pandering waste of time. Regardless of his later work, this film still stands as my favorite movie, even fifteen years after I first saw it. If you haven't had a chance to see this one, I definitely recommend it.
Gattaca is distribute by Columbia Pictures.
Monday, April 14, 2014
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good
I was invited over to hang out with a couple in the ward this Saturday. It's a family that I've had plenty of interactions with and I've visited before, so it was great to hang out again. We have a lot in common and we're all so talkative that I got there at about 7:30 and left just before midnight - and that was after several attempts to leave sooner, but the conversation just kept starting up again. Samuel came along as well and it was clear that he was happy to visit with some more people, but he wasn't quite as ready to socialize so long as he fell asleep a few times.
One thing that I did as a way to show my appreciation for the invitation, I made cupcakes. I usually stick with cookies, but since I wanted to stick with ingredients that I had on hand as much as possible, I felt that cupcakes were a better options. While the couple complimented me on the treats, they were really enthusiastic about the frosting. I usually stick with butter cream frosting, but this time I went with a marshmallow-based frosting. It was more work than I anticipated, but it was worth it the extra effort. (For those interested, the cupcake recipe I used can be found here and the frosting recipe I used can be found here.)
The Bad
I've been stressed out at work this week. I was surprised to learn that I misunderstood a document I was working on and had to start nearly from the ground up. While my supervisor has been very understanding, I still missed an internal deadline. The good news is that I am now on the right track, but I'm still going to have to work late everyday this week to get as much done as possible.
The Ugly
Due to my elevated stress levels, I was in an agitated state yesterday at Church. I intentionally choose my seat based on the lack of small children in the vicinity to help me stay calm. Five minutes before the sacrament hymn began, two families slid into the row directly in front of me. While the children in this group were certainly better behaved than some that I've seen, their lack of reverence still pushed me over the edge. At one point, one of the mothers looked at me and apologized, but all I could muster was making eye-contact with no expression.
I want to make something very clear: I am not blaming these families for ruining my Church experience. I was not in a good place when I arrived and probably anything could have pushed me over the edge. I am, however, frustrated with our society that I can't critique what I see in a child's behavior without being the bad guy. I know that what was expected of me when the woman apologized, according to social cues, was that I accept her apology and assure her everything was fine but that would have been lying. If I had said anything other than "It's fine," I would be perceived as a monster. The woman, who I'd seen before but only passing, was clearly annoyed with my reaction, or lack of one, though she never said anything else to me.
By the time Sacrament Meeting ended, I was in full-blown panic mode. I couldn't talk without severely stuttering and it was all I could do not visibly shake. I knew that I wouldn't be able to teach my Sunday School class, so I looked around for the Sunday School President but to no avail. I grabbed the First Counselor of the Bishopric and explained in my halted speech that I had to leave. He told me that he would take care of things and that I shouldn't worry, which of course still I did. I texted Samuel that he would need to find a ride home and I left - he was very understanding when he got home and I explained what happened, but I still felt like a heel for abandoning him.
Part of the reason for my panic attack is that I had been fighting depression for awhile, and while depression and anxiety are related, how to combat them is slightly different. While I was depressed, I just needed to keep busy but now I need to manage my time efficiently. For example, it's very easy for me to hung up on the formatting of a document. That means I can spend an hour or two correcting the capitalization of a particular word as it appears in the document. While that can work if there's time, with a looming deadline, I should have left the formatting to the end.
Another mistake I made was that I didn't arrive early. I got there just in time, but by then most of the pews were filled. I scanned for a spot with few children and took a seat in the overflow, which is often a battleground where reverence is concerned. Clearly, I need to arrive early. I talked to Samuel and he agreed that it would be good to get there fifteen minutes early.
So I had a week and weekend that was filled with ups and downs, but it's still an improvement over being unemployed. Let's see if this coming week can be much more positive.
I was invited over to hang out with a couple in the ward this Saturday. It's a family that I've had plenty of interactions with and I've visited before, so it was great to hang out again. We have a lot in common and we're all so talkative that I got there at about 7:30 and left just before midnight - and that was after several attempts to leave sooner, but the conversation just kept starting up again. Samuel came along as well and it was clear that he was happy to visit with some more people, but he wasn't quite as ready to socialize so long as he fell asleep a few times.
One thing that I did as a way to show my appreciation for the invitation, I made cupcakes. I usually stick with cookies, but since I wanted to stick with ingredients that I had on hand as much as possible, I felt that cupcakes were a better options. While the couple complimented me on the treats, they were really enthusiastic about the frosting. I usually stick with butter cream frosting, but this time I went with a marshmallow-based frosting. It was more work than I anticipated, but it was worth it the extra effort. (For those interested, the cupcake recipe I used can be found here and the frosting recipe I used can be found here.)
The Bad
I've been stressed out at work this week. I was surprised to learn that I misunderstood a document I was working on and had to start nearly from the ground up. While my supervisor has been very understanding, I still missed an internal deadline. The good news is that I am now on the right track, but I'm still going to have to work late everyday this week to get as much done as possible.
The Ugly
Due to my elevated stress levels, I was in an agitated state yesterday at Church. I intentionally choose my seat based on the lack of small children in the vicinity to help me stay calm. Five minutes before the sacrament hymn began, two families slid into the row directly in front of me. While the children in this group were certainly better behaved than some that I've seen, their lack of reverence still pushed me over the edge. At one point, one of the mothers looked at me and apologized, but all I could muster was making eye-contact with no expression.
I want to make something very clear: I am not blaming these families for ruining my Church experience. I was not in a good place when I arrived and probably anything could have pushed me over the edge. I am, however, frustrated with our society that I can't critique what I see in a child's behavior without being the bad guy. I know that what was expected of me when the woman apologized, according to social cues, was that I accept her apology and assure her everything was fine but that would have been lying. If I had said anything other than "It's fine," I would be perceived as a monster. The woman, who I'd seen before but only passing, was clearly annoyed with my reaction, or lack of one, though she never said anything else to me.
By the time Sacrament Meeting ended, I was in full-blown panic mode. I couldn't talk without severely stuttering and it was all I could do not visibly shake. I knew that I wouldn't be able to teach my Sunday School class, so I looked around for the Sunday School President but to no avail. I grabbed the First Counselor of the Bishopric and explained in my halted speech that I had to leave. He told me that he would take care of things and that I shouldn't worry, which of course still I did. I texted Samuel that he would need to find a ride home and I left - he was very understanding when he got home and I explained what happened, but I still felt like a heel for abandoning him.
Part of the reason for my panic attack is that I had been fighting depression for awhile, and while depression and anxiety are related, how to combat them is slightly different. While I was depressed, I just needed to keep busy but now I need to manage my time efficiently. For example, it's very easy for me to hung up on the formatting of a document. That means I can spend an hour or two correcting the capitalization of a particular word as it appears in the document. While that can work if there's time, with a looming deadline, I should have left the formatting to the end.
Another mistake I made was that I didn't arrive early. I got there just in time, but by then most of the pews were filled. I scanned for a spot with few children and took a seat in the overflow, which is often a battleground where reverence is concerned. Clearly, I need to arrive early. I talked to Samuel and he agreed that it would be good to get there fifteen minutes early.
So I had a week and weekend that was filled with ups and downs, but it's still an improvement over being unemployed. Let's see if this coming week can be much more positive.
Friday, April 11, 2014
New Arrival
“I don’t belong here!” cried the new addition to the Prison.
“As I was telling the guard,” Greg said, “I don’t belong here. I’m not a bad guy.”
“Yeah?” asked the nearby guard, sarcastically. “Nobody else
belongs here, neither. I’ll be sure to let the boss man know right away.”
“I mean it,” the prisoner continued. “I’m not a bad guy. I
wasn’t supposed to end up here.”
The guard sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d
seen this reaction countless times before, but he decided to go easy on the guy.
“Look, I ain’t the Judge. You’re here because you belong here, at least according
to Him. Look at bright side: you won’t be here forever.”
“I know you must have heard this sort of thing from other inmates
before, but I really have to talk to someone with some authority on the matter.
The judge made a mistake.”
The guard could stop himself from laughing. “Ha! Mistake?
No, sorry, buddy but the Judge don’t make mistakes. But if you want to talk to
somebody, I’ll send somebody over. Seriously though, save yourself the trouble
and just make peace with your situation, it’ll just make it easier.”
The guard continued on his way. Sometime later there was a
knock on the prisoner’s cell and a tall man with dark hair and a warm, grandfatherly smile
walked in. "Hello. It’s Gregory, right? You wanted to speak to someone about
your Judgment?”
“Yeah, that’s right. And, uh, call me Greg.”
“It’s nice to meet you Greg,” said the tall, grinning man. He
sat down on the single chair facing Greg, who took a seat on his bed. “My name
is Thomas, but you can call me Tommy. How can I help you?”
“As I was telling the guard,” Greg said, “I don’t belong here. I’m not a bad guy.”
“I’m afraid that’s not what your file says. Multiple counts
of tax evasion, embezzlement, and drug use are just a few of the items
mentioned. Why would you be exempt from punishment?”
“So I made a few mistakes. Nobody’s perfect. And shouldn’t
you have my file with you if we’re talking about it?”
“I read through it earlier,” Tommy said, “and since I have a
photographic memory, I didn’t see the need to bring the physical record. And
you aren’t here because you’re imperfect; if that were the case, I’d be here,
too. But you still have to make amends before you’re granted your freedom.”
“But isn’t there some other way?” Greg pleaded. “I mean, I
didn’t even think a place like this existed until a few days ago when I ended up
here.”
“Not believing in the existence of something doesn’t make it
any less real.
No, Greg, you’re here because you always justified your actions. An extra drink
on the weekend was okay because you were stressed out. A lie to hide your
gambling from the authorities was fine because you weren’t hurting anyone
involved. Going through multiple marriages and affairs because you were too
passionate for one person. You never changed and you convinced yourself that
you didn’t need to. I’m very sorry, but your sentence is just.”
Greg was shocked at how thorough his file was, but not enough stop him from replying with a rebuttal. “What about all of the good that I did? I volunteered at the Community
Center for a while, I was a professor at a University where I shaped young
minds, I even donated to charity. Surely that means that my sentence is too
harsh.”
Tommy nodded. “That was all taken into account when your
judgment was passed. You have to remember that doing good doesn’t make up for
doing bad. Also, what were your motivations for the things you did? You worked
at the Community Center so you’d have some volunteer work to put on your
college application. You were a professor, yes, but you never really cared
about your students; you often had your assistant both teach and grade
assignments, you just oversaw everything. And you gave to charity for tax
breaks. You only ever did anything if it benefited you.”
Greg was really at a loss for what to do.
Did he really have to accept his fate? There had to be something else he could
do. Tommy seemed to sense his hopelessness and spoke up.
“Your time spent here can be put to good use. You can develop
your talents, take some classes to build new skills, or study and learn new
things. Have you had a chance to look over the orientation material yet?”
Greg looked at him confused, then grabbed a large orange
envelope. “Are you talking about this? It just has, like, a Bible and a study
guide in it.”
“That’s a bit simplified, but yes, that’s the basic idea.
You should read up. It’ll help you become better adjusted.” Tommy stood up from
the chair. “Well, that does it for me. If you have any more questions, try your
orientation material first, but I’ll be happy to come and speak with you if
need some additional help.” He extended his hand to Greg, who shook it
reluctantly.
“I still don’t think I should be here,” Greg grumbled.
“No, I don’t suppose you do,” replied Tommy, still with a warm
smile “but you wouldn’t be happy 'upstairs,' either. People are far too
selfless for your tastes: I’m certain that it would really annoy you, at least
the way you are now. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon, Greg.” With that, Tommy
left and Greg was alone to reflect on what had been said. Without anyone else
around and deprived of his usual distractions and vices, Greg’s thoughts were
nearly deafening.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
General Conference, April 2014
I've recovered from my illness and I've had a chance to listen to Conference. What did I think?
More than anything else, the topic of addiction was mentioned over and over again. Rarely was it the main focus, but it kept coming up. And not just addiction, but addiction to pornography. Sister Reeves gave a particularly heartfelt plea for us to protect ourselves from its evil influences. While she was the only one that focused her entire talk on the subject, there were multiple speakers each session to bring it up. The clear message: if you aren't already protecting yourself against addiction, particularly to pornography, take steps to ensure your safety.
In addition to addiction, I noticed lots of talks about standing up for one's beliefs. Some were about defending the Church, while others were about being true to our testimonies in Jesus Christ, but they all encouraged us to be faithful members. However, I am left confused by Elder Ballard's message about using the Church's full name when identifying both the Church as an institution and our membership to it. I'm not confused by his words, but how they compare to the big ad push the Church has done with the "I'm a Mormon" campaign. For over a decade, I've been avoiding the M word unless talking about the Book or the prophet, but I'd recently given in since the Church leaders seemed to have changed their position. Now Elder Ballard confirms that, nope, it hasn't changed. Can someone help me make sense of this?
Finally, it seemed like there were more talks than usual that focused on the Savior. There are always at least a couple, but it seemed like that number went up this year. Apparently, we need to be reminded who's name we've taken upon us.
That's my take. What stood out to you?
More than anything else, the topic of addiction was mentioned over and over again. Rarely was it the main focus, but it kept coming up. And not just addiction, but addiction to pornography. Sister Reeves gave a particularly heartfelt plea for us to protect ourselves from its evil influences. While she was the only one that focused her entire talk on the subject, there were multiple speakers each session to bring it up. The clear message: if you aren't already protecting yourself against addiction, particularly to pornography, take steps to ensure your safety.
In addition to addiction, I noticed lots of talks about standing up for one's beliefs. Some were about defending the Church, while others were about being true to our testimonies in Jesus Christ, but they all encouraged us to be faithful members. However, I am left confused by Elder Ballard's message about using the Church's full name when identifying both the Church as an institution and our membership to it. I'm not confused by his words, but how they compare to the big ad push the Church has done with the "I'm a Mormon" campaign. For over a decade, I've been avoiding the M word unless talking about the Book or the prophet, but I'd recently given in since the Church leaders seemed to have changed their position. Now Elder Ballard confirms that, nope, it hasn't changed. Can someone help me make sense of this?
Finally, it seemed like there were more talks than usual that focused on the Savior. There are always at least a couple, but it seemed like that number went up this year. Apparently, we need to be reminded who's name we've taken upon us.
That's my take. What stood out to you?
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Tuesdays with Media: I, Robot
When I was in high school, I would often pass near the public library on my way to catch my bus. Sometimes I would go the library to pick something up to read while riding said bus. One of the first books that I remember checking out during one of these trips was the collection of science fiction short stories I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. I remember that I recognized the author's name from my dad's collection of paperbacks - and I was in high school, so I was required to think that robots were cool - so I decided to give it a try.
I really enjoyed the stories, but I didn't understand the theme until I reread it a few years ago. The stories all had a similar format with a problem with a robot presented to the human characters who had to find a solution using the laws of robotics, which were:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2) A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Pretty straightforward, but with enough variation in each story to stay interesting.
The theme that I missed the first time as an adolescent? Exploring what it means to be human. That's the great thing about science fiction: on the surface it's about robots and space ships and aliens, but just under the surface are deep, philosophical themes.
Asimov was really great at the science part, but the fiction portion wasn't as strong. His characters are usually fairly flat and the dialogue can be pretty dry, but the stories' conflicts are entertaining enough to keep you engaged. While I do recommend this collection, I also recognize that it's probably only for sci-fi fans. And for the record, I was disappointed the 2004 film of the same name departed so dramatically from the source material.
(By the way, I thought that it was kind of cool that I first read I, Robot during the year in which the first story is set: 1998.)
I, Robot was originally published by Gnome Press
I really enjoyed the stories, but I didn't understand the theme until I reread it a few years ago. The stories all had a similar format with a problem with a robot presented to the human characters who had to find a solution using the laws of robotics, which were:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2) A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Pretty straightforward, but with enough variation in each story to stay interesting.
The theme that I missed the first time as an adolescent? Exploring what it means to be human. That's the great thing about science fiction: on the surface it's about robots and space ships and aliens, but just under the surface are deep, philosophical themes.
Asimov was really great at the science part, but the fiction portion wasn't as strong. His characters are usually fairly flat and the dialogue can be pretty dry, but the stories' conflicts are entertaining enough to keep you engaged. While I do recommend this collection, I also recognize that it's probably only for sci-fi fans. And for the record, I was disappointed the 2004 film of the same name departed so dramatically from the source material.
(By the way, I thought that it was kind of cool that I first read I, Robot during the year in which the first story is set: 1998.)
I, Robot was originally published by Gnome Press
Monday, April 7, 2014
Weekend Woes
I was planning on posting my thoughts General Conference, as I did last Conference, but my body had other plans. Spent most of Saturday and Sunday unconscious and fighting what felt like a low-grade fever. While I did recover enough on Sunday night to listen to the first session, I would like to get through the other four sessions before I comment on the Conference.
What happened to me that caused the fever? Stress. I was expecting one more unemployment payment that never came - a miscalculation on my part - which made my first paycheck from CAS, while still wonderful and needed, not as helpful as I had hoped. This, along with a looming deadline, combined to kick the crap out of me.
I am feeling much better and I plan on finishing Conference in the next few days, but this was a firm reminder that just because I'm employed, it doesn't mean that my worries are over. That being said, I would rather deal with the stress of too much going on than not enough.
What happened to me that caused the fever? Stress. I was expecting one more unemployment payment that never came - a miscalculation on my part - which made my first paycheck from CAS, while still wonderful and needed, not as helpful as I had hoped. This, along with a looming deadline, combined to kick the crap out of me.
I am feeling much better and I plan on finishing Conference in the next few days, but this was a firm reminder that just because I'm employed, it doesn't mean that my worries are over. That being said, I would rather deal with the stress of too much going on than not enough.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Contact
The following is the newly declassified transcript of the US government's first and only known encounter with extra-terrestrial life.
DATE: 14 June 1947, 0921
LOCATION: Outside of Roswell Army Airfield (RAAF)
CAPT [redacted]: Base, this is Capt [redacted]. Over.
RAAF: [redacted], this is Base. We copy. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I'm picking up some weird fluctuations on my radio. Any idea what it might be? Over.
RAAF: What kind of fluctuations? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Well, it sounds like woman's voice softly repeating a word again and again. Over.
RAAF: You're probably just picking up another channel. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I thought that, but it's coming in over multiple channels. Plus, it's coming in clearer than your signal. Over.
RAAF: Are you hearing it now on this channel? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Affirmative. Over.
RAAF: Well, what's the lady saying? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Uh, I wouldn't call her a lady. She keeps saying [redacted]. Over.
RAAF: You're kidding me. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: [Laughs] That's a big negative. I told you, I can hear her clearer than I can hear you. Over.
RAAF: I'd tell you to ignore it but if the signal is strong enough to be heard loud and clear over multiple channels then it could compromise our communications. See if you contact her back and tell her get off her radio and clean up that mouth of hers. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger. I'll switch to an empty channel to initiate contact, leaving this channel open for normal comm. Over.
[2.35 MINUTES PASS]
CAPT [redacted]: Base, do you copy? Over.
RAAF: This is base. I copy. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I contacted the woman on the radio as advised. She responded but she said that she lost track of a probe and asked if I had seen it. I really have no idea how to respond. Over.
RAAF: She said that she lost a probe? Ask her to describe it. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger. Over.
[0.55 MINUTES PASS]
CAPT [redacted]: She described the probe as disk shaped and bright silver. She said it should be flying in the area. Can we make her cut this non-sense out? Over.
RAAF: [redacted], you said that she said there should be a flying disc in the area? Can you confirm? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Affirmative, but what does it matter? It's all hogwash. Over.
RAAF: Capt [redacted], we have unconfirmed reports in the area of a, quote, "unidentified flying object" that's been described as, quote, "saucer-shaped." Is this woman claiming responsibility for it? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Uh, I think so. Base, what's going on? Over.
RAAF: Too soon to say. Contact her again, but stay on this channel this time. Ask her to increase her signal so that we can pick it up here. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger. Contacting, eh, the unknown woman on the radio. Please increase signal strength of radio broadcast.
UNKNOWN: Is this better?
CAPT [redacted]: Base, did you hear that one? Over.
RAAF: Affirmative, [redacted]. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Yes, we hear you. How did you know about the aircraft that was spotted today? Over.
UNKNOWN: I told you, it's my probe. So you've found it?
CAPT [redacted]: Please explain the purpose of the probe. Over.
UNKNOWN: I sent the probe down to gather information, but I lost contact with it. I think I forgot to charge the battery. I do that sometimes. I was able to get enough data to plug into my translator. That's how we're able to communicate. But you've found my probe?
CAPT [redacted]: I don't know. What do you mean, "translator?" You a Jap? Over.
UNKNOWN: No, I'm a Xendarian. I'm from a planet similar to yours but my star is a bit larger. I was sent on a peaceful mission to see if your people are interested in interstellar travel.
CAPT [redacted]: Get serious. You expect me to believe you're an alien? Over.
UNKNOWN: Tell me Capt [redacted], how can I have superior radio equipment to you? Also, your people on the ground didn't detect any unaccounted for aircraft in the area and yet my probe was clearly seen. Either I'm from a planet more advanced than yours or I'm using secret technology to play games with you. And before you ask if I'm hostile, if I'm as advanced as I say, you'd already be dead if I wanted you to be. I will be happy to land my ship and explain everything, I simply want to retrieve my probe first.
RAAF: This is the Roswell Army Airfield. We have collected the probe but it suffered heavy damage in a crash. It's mostly wreckage. Over.
UNKNOWN: [Sighs] That's disappointing. Well, I'll still collect what's left. I'll let you know when I'm ready to land.
CAPT [redacted]: This is all so strange. I must ask, why did you keep repeating that obscenity earlier? Over.
UNKNOWN: What do you mean? I was using inappropriate language?
CAPT [redacted]: You kept saying [redacted]. Over.
UNKNOWN: Yes, that's my name. I don't like having my translator find an equivalent in your language. I had tried to contact my probe with all of my other communications equipment but that didn't work so I tried calling out my name on different radio frequencies. Every Xendarian probe is programed to return when it hears its owners voice call his or her own name.
CAPT [redacted]: Your name is [redacted]? Over.
UNKNOWN: Yes. I've always liked it. What does it mean in your language? I haven't had a chance to look it up yet.
CAPT [redacted]: It means [redacted]. Over.
UNKNOWN: That's disgusting! How could you twist around such a nice name into THAT! You know what? Forget it. I'll mark you down as uninterested in our services. You don't deserve our tech. I'm out of here. Keep the probe for all I care.
CAPT [redacted]: Hello? [redacted], do you copy? Over.
RAAF: Her signal's gone dead. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Base, what just happened? Over.
RAAF: I have no idea. No way General [redacted]'s going to believe this. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I don't believe it and I was here! Do you think this one's going to be classified, just to cover up how weird this whole thing was, like with [redacted]? Over.
RAAF: Probably. Now head back to base. I have a feeling we'll need to debrief. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger wilco. Over and out.
END OF TRANSCRIPT
DATE: 14 June 1947, 0921
LOCATION: Outside of Roswell Army Airfield (RAAF)
CAPT [redacted]: Base, this is Capt [redacted]. Over.
RAAF: [redacted], this is Base. We copy. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I'm picking up some weird fluctuations on my radio. Any idea what it might be? Over.
RAAF: What kind of fluctuations? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Well, it sounds like woman's voice softly repeating a word again and again. Over.
RAAF: You're probably just picking up another channel. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I thought that, but it's coming in over multiple channels. Plus, it's coming in clearer than your signal. Over.
RAAF: Are you hearing it now on this channel? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Affirmative. Over.
RAAF: Well, what's the lady saying? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Uh, I wouldn't call her a lady. She keeps saying [redacted]. Over.
RAAF: You're kidding me. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: [Laughs] That's a big negative. I told you, I can hear her clearer than I can hear you. Over.
RAAF: I'd tell you to ignore it but if the signal is strong enough to be heard loud and clear over multiple channels then it could compromise our communications. See if you contact her back and tell her get off her radio and clean up that mouth of hers. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger. I'll switch to an empty channel to initiate contact, leaving this channel open for normal comm. Over.
[2.35 MINUTES PASS]
CAPT [redacted]: Base, do you copy? Over.
RAAF: This is base. I copy. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I contacted the woman on the radio as advised. She responded but she said that she lost track of a probe and asked if I had seen it. I really have no idea how to respond. Over.
RAAF: She said that she lost a probe? Ask her to describe it. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger. Over.
[0.55 MINUTES PASS]
CAPT [redacted]: She described the probe as disk shaped and bright silver. She said it should be flying in the area. Can we make her cut this non-sense out? Over.
RAAF: [redacted], you said that she said there should be a flying disc in the area? Can you confirm? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Affirmative, but what does it matter? It's all hogwash. Over.
RAAF: Capt [redacted], we have unconfirmed reports in the area of a, quote, "unidentified flying object" that's been described as, quote, "saucer-shaped." Is this woman claiming responsibility for it? Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Uh, I think so. Base, what's going on? Over.
RAAF: Too soon to say. Contact her again, but stay on this channel this time. Ask her to increase her signal so that we can pick it up here. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger. Contacting, eh, the unknown woman on the radio. Please increase signal strength of radio broadcast.
UNKNOWN: Is this better?
CAPT [redacted]: Base, did you hear that one? Over.
RAAF: Affirmative, [redacted]. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Yes, we hear you. How did you know about the aircraft that was spotted today? Over.
UNKNOWN: I told you, it's my probe. So you've found it?
CAPT [redacted]: Please explain the purpose of the probe. Over.
UNKNOWN: I sent the probe down to gather information, but I lost contact with it. I think I forgot to charge the battery. I do that sometimes. I was able to get enough data to plug into my translator. That's how we're able to communicate. But you've found my probe?
CAPT [redacted]: I don't know. What do you mean, "translator?" You a Jap? Over.
UNKNOWN: No, I'm a Xendarian. I'm from a planet similar to yours but my star is a bit larger. I was sent on a peaceful mission to see if your people are interested in interstellar travel.
CAPT [redacted]: Get serious. You expect me to believe you're an alien? Over.
UNKNOWN: Tell me Capt [redacted], how can I have superior radio equipment to you? Also, your people on the ground didn't detect any unaccounted for aircraft in the area and yet my probe was clearly seen. Either I'm from a planet more advanced than yours or I'm using secret technology to play games with you. And before you ask if I'm hostile, if I'm as advanced as I say, you'd already be dead if I wanted you to be. I will be happy to land my ship and explain everything, I simply want to retrieve my probe first.
RAAF: This is the Roswell Army Airfield. We have collected the probe but it suffered heavy damage in a crash. It's mostly wreckage. Over.
UNKNOWN: [Sighs] That's disappointing. Well, I'll still collect what's left. I'll let you know when I'm ready to land.
CAPT [redacted]: This is all so strange. I must ask, why did you keep repeating that obscenity earlier? Over.
UNKNOWN: What do you mean? I was using inappropriate language?
CAPT [redacted]: You kept saying [redacted]. Over.
UNKNOWN: Yes, that's my name. I don't like having my translator find an equivalent in your language. I had tried to contact my probe with all of my other communications equipment but that didn't work so I tried calling out my name on different radio frequencies. Every Xendarian probe is programed to return when it hears its owners voice call his or her own name.
CAPT [redacted]: Your name is [redacted]? Over.
UNKNOWN: Yes. I've always liked it. What does it mean in your language? I haven't had a chance to look it up yet.
CAPT [redacted]: It means [redacted]. Over.
UNKNOWN: That's disgusting! How could you twist around such a nice name into THAT! You know what? Forget it. I'll mark you down as uninterested in our services. You don't deserve our tech. I'm out of here. Keep the probe for all I care.
CAPT [redacted]: Hello? [redacted], do you copy? Over.
RAAF: Her signal's gone dead. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Base, what just happened? Over.
RAAF: I have no idea. No way General [redacted]'s going to believe this. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: I don't believe it and I was here! Do you think this one's going to be classified, just to cover up how weird this whole thing was, like with [redacted]? Over.
RAAF: Probably. Now head back to base. I have a feeling we'll need to debrief. Over.
CAPT [redacted]: Roger wilco. Over and out.
END OF TRANSCRIPT
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