Pineapples

Chungking Express is my favourite Wong Kar Wai film. I like films when I can remember their plot amongst the flurry of many movies I watch. Especially when a film changes how you see certain daily objects forever.

I took away two things from Chungking Express. One: I really wanted to see the Chungking Mansions for myself and two: Canned Pineapples. Alright, and also a slightly diminished love for California Dreamin’ after hearing it over & over.

The Pineapple Lines

He Zhiwu, Cop 223: Any canned pineapple that expires on May 1?
Cashier: You know what day it is today?
He Zhiwu, Cop 223: April 30?
Cashier: Right. You think we sell outdated stock?
He Zhiwu, Cop 223: There’s still two hours to go.
Cashier: Nobody would buy it. Get a fresh one.
He Zhiwu, Cop 223: People like you are hung up on freshness. You realize what goes into a can of pineapple? The fruit must be grown, harvested, sliced, and you just throw it away! How do you think the can feels about that?

Happiness

Someone once told me that happiness is a state of mind. I laughed at his premise then. If happiness was a state of mind, then sadness, anger, excitement, fear & all emotive feelings would merely be states of mind. Did he mean that humans merely willed themselves into feeling a certain way that seemed plausible?

Then I met someone else, a forty-something who has led a fortunate life thus far, achieving her goals without obstacles. For someone most might imagine to be happy, she wasn’t. She was unhappy, but she confessed that she reminded herself to be glad for everything that she had, & that she had nothing to be unhappy about.

Perhaps happiness is merely a state of mind. Whenever we are unhappy there exists a little voice that tells us to revel in the happiness of all our other little victories. Regardless of our superficial sentiments of the everyday, our emotional core may just be simply, happy.

Happy to have been the X or Y chromosome that won the race.

Happy to have kissed and hugged.

Happy to have quenched our thirst.

Happy to have seen colours.

Happy to see happiness in smiles.

Happy to have felt rain.

Happy to have tasted chocolate.

Happy to have closed our eyes & slept,

& happy to wake to the morning sunshine.

Good Nightmares

Two episodes of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares I caught were guiltily good. Basically, chef Gordon Ramsay (whose name has graced everything from restaurants & tv shows to airline food) takes on a restaurant business thats failing & flailing & spins it into running like smooth butter.

The restaurants are sloppy, the food lame, the owners & chefs mostly rather indignant & pissed off. The Fish & Anchor episode where a hungry man was kicked out by the furious dragon-lady host was hilarious.

But Ramsay saves the day as Santa with a team of interior designing elves. He manages to improve not only the restaurant menu & facade, but apparently the lousy attitudes in 2 days flat. Almost a Dr. Phil who knows his amaretto from his amuse bouche. Ramsay has no problems hamming things up & joining the odd argument for your viewing pleasure. He unapologetically dishes out the truth while cussing, & you even pity the man for trying harder to save the business than its shareholders.

Kitchen Nightmares has all the right ingredients, & a good dose of reality for anyone ever wanting to start any business. You would think that fresh food served to the right table is a simple recipe, but they get it all wrong.

Yet, appearing on a such a Restaurant-Rescue tv show is just a huge blob of bad publicity for any serious restaurant, looking to peddle good food without the dramatics.

calm

On Sunday morning,

gingerly sifting through the newspapers,

to Astrud Gilberto.

Things You Learn

From watching Friends

1. Traffic policemen named Hanson & Petty love being flattered by obvious puns on their name.

2. Make sure your walls are thin. Or else life would be an absolute bore.

3. Do not count Mississippi-ly unless told to do so. Effectively, that means never.

4. Hiking in Europe will get you action every single time.

Things You Learn

From watching the Office.

1. Always, always type the right email address. Packing & Packer are not the same.

2. Be careful which Temp guy you choose to run your errands. You may have to call him Boss tomorrow.

3. Sausage-eating skills are essential in becoming Regional Manager. So is fire-walking. And carrying eggs in spoons while blindfolded.

4. If you hear strange noises at midnight on the Shrute family farm, do not investigate.

5. A beard, or the ability to sprout facial hair, gives you extra credibility at work.

Wonder if #5 applies to the fairer sex.

Things You Learn

From watching SATC

1. Do not put on any random firefighter’s overalls at the local fire station.

2. Twenty-somethings live in dumps & skimp on toilet paper.

3. Don’t marry a man who replies “Alrighty” after you propose. Avoid men who say Alrighty to everything.

Afternoon Delight

I never thought I’d say this, but I am a public nuisance. Or specifically, a public nuisance-klutz.

You know when it’s raining really heavily, you’re the only one at home(who’s awake) & you realize 10 minutes too late that clothes are still hanging out?

It is undoubtedly one of my least favourite activities in the world. Rightfully so, because I am terrible at taking in clothes, soaked & heavy in the howling wind. No walk in the park. I might even fear it a little. Blame the intimidating grey skies, plus that I can be a terrible klutz.

I dropped it.

I dropped the darn bamboo pole.

I don’t know which part made my heart pop into my mouth, almost falling out of the window, or seeing the bamboo pole drum the concrete pavement with a satisfying thud.

Thankfully it hit no one. As if picking up the laundry in the rain was not punishment enough, the pole snapped & I had to get rid of it before some smirking cleaners.

Blimey.

How was your afternoon?

She said

La famille.

An unfortunate coincidence of strangers flung together, not unlike the 3 other passengers that you are allocated to sit with in a train ride heading to Forever?

I hope not.

She said

A birthday cake bought, out of guilt, by the birthday girl, maketh not a Happy Birthday.